For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. (2 Chronicles 16:9)
A close friend, an excellent college golf coach, forwarded me an Instagram the other day. Perhaps you saw it. It was a video of a young man hitting over the water.
With violin music in the background, the voiceover said, “Three of the hardest things to say are: “I was wrong, I need help, and ‘put me down for an eight.’” I’m still laughing.
No matter who you are, that’s funny. Well, it should be, but it might also dredge up some painful memories. I could never verify this, but if I had to wager, I would bet everyone has had at least one “snowman,” the big “8,” in their lifetime.
Otherwise known as a “quad” on a par four, the “snowman” is persona non grata unless you drain it from twenty feet to avoid making a nine or ten or…. Just for “kicks and giggles,” I looked up the worst one-hole scores in Tour history. Who knew? An eight would have been a welcomed sight for many of these men.
We could endlessly qualify the above observations, but an eight (8) on a scorecard is not a pretty sight. Reliving the debacle in your mind can be hazardous to your mental health. However, with a few years gone by, giving the shot-by-shot details to your friends laughing out loud in the “19th Hole” can be loads of fun.
If memory serves, I once watched my Club Pro win a hole with an eight in a Match Play event. “How?” You might ask. Well, his opponent “picked up.” I’ve told that story a thousand times since 1973 or thereabouts. Though Joe is long gone, I can still hear him snicker.
On the whole, though, a “Snowman” is rarely a laughing matter. The “quad,” typically speaking, has cost someone a good score, a match, and some money (i.e., a friendly wager).
In golf, a “Snowman,” to put it mildly, “stings.” This setback anywhere in a round can be an insurmountable hurdle. You are going along nicely, then, seemingly out of nowhere, a demonic horde descends into your swing mechanics, and you blurt out, “I’ve never seen a ball go that far left.”
You chop it around for what seems like an eternity, finally walking off the green only to say through clenched teeth, “Put me down for an eight.” Depending on your psychological and physical constitution, what happens next is anyone’s guess.
How a man or woman responds to adversity on the course usually reflects how they handle adversity off the course. Not always, but more times than not, we can see the measure of a man or woman by how they go about the game.
If they cheat on the course, you can bet they cheat off of it. If they “pencil whip” you with their scorecard, you can bet they will lie elsewhere. If they throw temper tantrums, trust me, they have anger issues at home or the office. If they quit then and there, you can safely wager they are prone to quitting in more important matters.
However, if they face that unforeseen adversity with grace and composure, you can rest assured they will be a person of strength and character once they leave the course. I would “charge the gates of hell with a water pistol” with someone like that!
In this hour of cultural uncertainty, the Church needs men and women of sterling character, sizable spines, and hearts bigger than Dallas!
God is looking for men and women whose hearts are entirely His!
Prayer: Jesus! Infuse our lives with heavenly courage to face the false ideologies confronting us and the unseen forces arrayed against us.