The Dual Nature of Golf

Golf is unique among sports because it is as much mental as it is physical. A round is not just about swinging a club; it’s about patience, decision-making, and managing expectations. One good swing can erase five bad ones, and one bad hole can ruin a great round. For me, that push and pull is familiar. MS has taught me that good days and bad days are all part of the journey. Golf mirrors that reality: some rounds are filled with frustration, others with joy. The balance between the two keeps me engaged. As I like to say, “Golf mirrors life with MS. Some days you fight, some days you flow, but every day teaches you something.”

I won’t sugarcoat it. There are rounds where golf feels like punishment: my drives slice into the trees, my irons chunk and send dirt flying farther than the ball, and my putting feels like I’m swinging blindfolded. On those days, MS symptoms add fuel to the fire. Fatigue makes it hard to maintain tempo, heat makes my body feel heavy, and the mental strain of trying to push through can be exhausting. There have been rounds where I wanted to quit on hole 9 and go home, and times I thought about taking a break from the game entirely. But here’s the thing, those hard days rarely last.

Every golfer knows the shot that keeps you coming back. Maybe it’s a pure drive that flies straight down the fairway. Maybe it’s a wedge that lands close to the pin. For me, it can even be a simple par save after a rough hole. Those moments feel magical. They remind me that progress is possible, even if it’s not linear. Golf does not have to be perfect to be enjoyable; it just has to give you enough of those good shots to outweigh the bad. And for me, those moments mean more because I know how hard they are to earn.

 Why Golf Hurts So Good

The reason I keep coming back, even when golf beats me up, is because the struggle makes the reward sweeter. Golf has taught me lessons that go far beyond the course: Patience (improvement takes time), Resilience (bad shots are inevitable, but they do not define the round), Adaptability (every course, every hole, every swing requires adjustments), and Perspective (a bad round of golf is still better than no golf at all). Living with MS means adapting constantly, and golf forces me to do the same. The game doesn’t care about your excuses; it makes you figure it out. That challenge is frustrating, but it is also motivating.

For me, golf is not just a sport; it is therapy. It gives me time outdoors, time with friends, and time to clear my head. On the course, I am not just someone living with MS; I am just another golfer. That distinction matters. Golf lets me focus on what I can do, not what I cannot. It gives me a sense of control in a life where control can feel limited. Even on the worst days, there is value in showing up and swinging. As I often think, “On the course, I am not defined by MS. I am defined by the next shot I take.”

It would be easy to give up when golf feels like it’s beating me down. But the truth is, golf is not supposed to be easy. It is supposed to challenge you, to frustrate you, to test your limits. That is what makes the small victories matter. The days when I fight through fatigue and still finish 18 holes are victories. The days when I hit a clean drive after a string of bad ones are victories. The days when I can laugh off a three-putt instead of letting it ruin my round are victories. Golf rewards persistence. That is why I keep showing up.

If you are dealing with MS, another health challenge, or simply the frustrations of being a new golfer, here are a few things that keep me grounded:

1. Set realistic expectations. Every round will not be your best. Focus on small wins.
2. Listen to your body. Rest when you need to, hydrate, and adjust for heat or fatigue.
3. Find the joy in the game. One good shot can make the whole round worth it.
4. Play with supportive people. The right group makes even the worst rounds enjoyable.
5. Remember why you play. Whether it’s for exercise, friendship, or therapy, let that be your anchor.

Final Thoughts: Beaten, But Never Broken

Golf beats me up more often than I would like to admit. It frustrates me, tests me, and sometimes feels like too much. But it also teaches me, inspires me, and gives me joy. That is why I keep coming back. Because at the end of the day, golf is not about perfection. It is about persistence. It is about showing up, taking the next swing, and finding the courage to keep going. And if I can do that on the course, I can do it off the course too.