Don’t panic here, people. I am not turning into a golfer. In fact, I’m not sure I even like golf that much. But it’s not a bad way to spend a day to be sure. You walk around a beautiful course for a few hours. Get to spend some quality time with a friend. Learn a lot a about patience and humility (always helpful). And then go sit at club and drink your horrible putts (and self disgust) into oblivion. What I notice is that this game seems to leave me better than it found me. Last time it was reflecting on the Circle of Love. This time, it was all about “course love.”

Course love is when a horrible shot ricochets off the tree at many miles per hour and lands you in perfect position on the fairway. Or a putt that rounds the side of the cup, catches the lip, and does a three turn whirlpool into it. We all know that feeling. For men, its that night you can’t get it up so you spend the entire evening ravishing your woman to cover it up in embarrassment and then she tells you how much she adores your selflessness in bed. Course love is natures mulligan without the do over.

On the flip side, not getting any course love is the worst. That perfect putt than literally puts its blinker on and turns left a foot from the cup… and then rolls 15 feet. Or that super long drive that hits three feet from the the top of the brutal hill and rolls back to the senior’s tee. You know, when you’re at the bar, clearly the hottest woman there, you have the hot guy’s attention, and then spill your vodka and cranberry into the lap of your crisp, white linen pants.

Look, we’re all amateurs in the game of life. And our success lies in course love and our love of the course. That’s right. Some dumb luck and a whole lot of humility. It’s about embracing every situation and putting all of our intent behind it regardless of knowing the outcome. And, it’s about not crumbling at a poor result. I know this from my business. My past loves. My current crushes. I know it every time I go on a first date. The first time I make love to someone. I know it when I have a great sales day. And when I have no one in the store the next day. Course love is just life.

And so this is why I appreciate, and am starting to like golf. It’s a rough sport. You can’t blame your teammate. You can’t blame your clubs (because you scored a 50 yesterday). You can only think “where’s the course love, baby?” And before you know it, you love the course, regardless.