Keeping a routine can be good. Having consistency in one’s life is part of the recipe for success. A fixed agenda keeps us grounded, and aims to make the chaos of everyday life more containable and controllable.
Yet our routines aren’t the only thing we need for a balanced life. We need to imbue the mundane with something exciting, something different every now and again. The structure of routine may bring comfort, but it’s the special moments that vitalize us.
That need for novelty and freshness applies to our life both off and on the golf course. Sure, we all love our regular games with the usual suspects and wouldn’t dream of giving that up. But to never venture outside the friendly confines of our home course, or to only play the same old match with the compadres week after week, is to be missing out entirely on one of the truly great things about the game of golf: Variety!
For traveling golfers, there is an infinite assortment of playing fields from which to choose. And as the cover story in this issue points out, there are lots of different and entertaining games to play on the course besides Nassau or Skins.
In order to actually experience more variety, it’s key to plan it into your life. Otherwise, you’ll instinctively get back to doing the same old things, in the same old ways. Before you know it you’re on autopilot again.
Don’t know where to start? Well, the TGA can help inject a little diversity into your golfing routine. In fact, it’s one of the main reasons the TGA established the Fun Golf Initiative in 2015.
At each of our Play Day events, we create a welcoming environment for players of all ages and abilities. These casual outings are an opportunity for TGA Members and their friends to play great courses they might not normally have a chance to play at discounted rates. There are fun formats, too, for those who want to engage in a little competition. But that’s just an option and is never mandatory.
Best of all, we take care of the details so all you have to do is show up and be ready to have a good time.
“I like TGA Play Days because you’re meeting new people, playing unique formats and seeing new and different courses,†said Bruce Anderson of Dallas. “It’s always fun sharing a day out with TGA Members because they’re loving life and living out their passion for the game.â€
There are a number of Play Days scheduled over the next two months if you’re ready to shake things up a bit and expand your horizons. Some of the outstanding TGA Member Clubs that will host these one-day outings include Lantana Golf Club in Argyle, Walden on Lake Conroe Golf Club in Montgomery and the Canyons Course at TPC San Antonio. A few of the different formats you can sign up for are Individual Stroke Play with Net and Gross Divisions, 2-Person Scramble, a 9-hole, 4-Person Scramble with the TGA Staff and, for the first-time ever, a 1-Person Scramble.
“I like TGA Play Days because you’re meeting new people, playing unique formats and seeing new and different courses.†– Bruce Anderson of Dallas
Yes, you read that right, a 1-Person Scramble. In this format, you get to hit two shots from every spot on the course and continue selecting your best of the two until you knock the ball in the hole. Imagine getting a mulligan on every shot! Who isn’t up for that?
“I really enjoy playing my own ball at my home course, but I think it’s exciting to play a different course with a friend, especially when it’s a fun format that I don’t often get a chance to play like a shamble or a scramble,†said Melanie Willhite, a member at Brookhaven Country Club in Dallas. “That’s one of the things I like best about the TGA Play Days. The most recent time my golf partner and I played we were paired with a really fun group of ladies and we were competitive but had a great time playing golf in a new place with new people.â€
We all get into ruts, no matter how hard we try to avoid them. If you’re ready to spread your wings and do something out of the ordinary, TGA Play Days are just what you need to disengage the autopilot on that predictable golf routine. So choose your course, choose your format, then come out and join other like-minded, fun-seeking golfers for an exceptional day in the great outdoors.
For more information about TGA Play Days, click here.
