Do you know why golf is one of the most beautiful games in the world?

I’m going to take you back to the Masters of 2013.  The sun was starting to set and we were still witnessing an incredible playoff finale.  On one hand you couldn’t help but root for Adam Scott for a few reasons… he had never won a major and he would be the first Australian to win the green jacket.  On the other hand you couldn’t help but also root for veteran Ángel Cabrera, a green jacket winner in 2009 and longtime favorite on tour.  Shot after shot they proved how perfectly they wanted to win.  The raw emotion of Scott’s win had everyone watching applauding and on their feet.  That was golf.

In what other sport do you simply root for the game itself?  In what other sport do you root for the rookie, the veteran, the legend, the oldie, the newbie, and the name in the middle of the pack that just won’t seem to go away?  You don’t. You become loyal to a certain team and bleed those colors but in golf, you may have some favorites but at the heart of it all you root for good golf.

It’s like the survey the players on tour completed which the majority thought Rickie Fowler was overrated… and what did he do?  He showed up and took home a couple of trophies following that admission.  How about although we of course cheered on the Americans at the President’s Cup but our hearts ached for poor Sang-Moon Bae’s and his final putt?  Or maybe it was watching young Jordan Spieth attack the field with an impressive year but still stood with respect and admiration any time Arnold Palmer takes to the tee for a ceremonial first drive?  …and you know what?  Even though he’s fallen from grace… deep down we all want to see Tiger make a comeback.

This is golf.  A lifetime game.  A game of competitiveness, leisure, stress, fun, emotion and perfection.  It’s a game for generations. Golf is beautiful.