I will never forget the words of my father when I returned home after playing well for the first time. I told him I had found the secret and all would be well. The only thing he said to me was: ’Enjoy it while it lasts!’ These were not the words I was waiting to hear, not the response I wanted to receive from my father after having played so well. What was he talking about? I had mastered the game at 10 years old, the swing felt good, my short game was under control, and my putting was in order. Why would my father say that?

As a typical American I was a baseball fan and was going to play in the major leagues by the age of 18 and have a heroic career for the NY Yankees. Unfortunately, my coach had other plans for me. He did not seem to understand the massive potential I possessed. It didn’t take long to realize that golf was a much easier way to go, no coaches, just scores, whether someone believed in me or not, the lowest score would win. My father was an early bird and would take me to the golf course to hit balls at 6.00 in the morning before he went to work, and I went to school. I hated getting up early and still do, but once I was there, I was in heaven. The entire course for us. I learned to love golf at an early age, and that all before 8.00 o’clock in the morning.

As the years went by the addiction persisted. I couldn’t get enough of this golf thing. Nothing in my life could bring me more to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. I hated the fact that my father had been right! Learning to play golf was truly an emotional rollercoaster. A matter of life and death? Not at all, much more important than that. Life and death were inevitable, both were going to happen.

Golf brought out all the emotions. How could something make me feel so happy and then take that away and make me feel so sad and angry? School was simple.. if I studied, I would get good grades. This was entirely different. Often, the more I practiced, the worse I got. How was this possible? While growing up, I think I quit playing golf six or seven times per year. Who was I kidding? Like waking up with a bad hangover and saying that I would never drink again?!! And of course I would return to play again, this golf thing was the strongest drug I would ever encounter.

Like any intelligent human being I would lie to myself to ease the pain, ’it’s ok, I have a loving family, a great job, and lots of friends’. Yet deep down, despite everything good in my life, golf would still be in control.

The great Bobby Jones described golf as follows: ‘Golf has the outward appearance of great dignity, it is nevertheless a game of considerable passion, either of the explosive type, or that which burns inwardly searing the soul’. No one is exempt. Even the great players like Tiger, Rory and Scotty have succumbed to the occasional temper tantrum. It only proves golf’s importance!

My emotional rollercoaster continued. I wanted to play better, and I wanted it now. I would practice all day, every day, and expect to be the best that had ever played. And if I’m honest I did improve, but it was never enough. Golf is unfortunately not a game of perfection. However, in the pursuit of perfection we are sometimes rewarded with excellence. And that keeps us coming back. Believing that we can get even better.

The game literally makes you crazy, because I still believe I can get better. You might say: ‘Jonas, Have another’. And you’re right, but somehow this drug will make you believe.

Even though golf has equipped me with patience, acceptance and calm to deal with these emotions, deep down I’m still expecting to play well, and I still have the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. This golf is strong stuff. No this is not a matter of life and death; it is much more important than that!

So, when it does go well, and you’ve found your swing, your short game is sharp and the putts are falling, remember the words of my father, ’Enjoy it while it lasts’!

Jonas Saxton