Sometimes I will see something or read something that makes me think of Suzzane that makes me stop and think. This morning it was a #Holiday that was celebrated on October 4th National Golf Lover’s Day. This was a sport Charlie and Suzzane could have done when they was Homeschooling.

But that wasn’t what I was thinking about when I saw this #Holiday I was thinking about Suzanne. Back when Suzanne and my nephew David Michael were growing up, David Michael played golf all the time with his biological dad, his grandfather Rodney Sr., and his uncle Roger. Suzanne would beg to go with them. But they wouldn’t let her go because she was a girl. That has always bothered me.

Who knows? Maybe Suzanne would have loved golf. Maybe she would have been good at it. Maybe it could have become something she enjoyed for the rest of her life. But she never got the chance to find out. This is why I wanted to remind you Girls can do anything boys can do.

Didn’t they know that? Somebody needed to teach them about Rosie the Riveter! And years later, when Suzanne passed away, David Michael was trying to decide what he wanted to put in her casket. I honestly thought it might be a golf ball, and I laughed when I thought about it. Instead, he chose a hacky sack.

That was something else Suzanne had wanted to learn, and he never took the time to teach her that either. I’m sure he regrets that now. And that’s what I want people to remember on National Golf Lover’s Day. It isn’t really about golf. It’s about giving people the opportunity to try. You don’t know what someone can do if you never take the time to teach them.

Years later, my brother worked on a golf course. When Suzanne and David Michael would go to Oklahoma, my brother would take David Michael to the golf course. He got to ride around on the golf cart and be part of it. Suzanne stayed home with my mom and dad because Junior and David were playing golf.I always thought that was kind of rude, and honestly, I still do. She just wanted the opportunity to try.

Now Suzanne is gone. And David Michael doesn’t even play golf anymore like he used to. I don’t think that’s because Suzanne is gone. I just think that sometimes life gets busy, and we stop making time for the things we once loved. Don’t do that. If there is a sport or hobby you love, don’t automatically give it up because you have a family. Take 30 minutes. Go play. Take your kids with you. Teach them. Let them try.

We have places like Topgolf now, and I would love to take Charlie one day. We’ve gone to Putt-Putt many times as a family at Alley Cats, but Charlie is growing up. Maybe it’s time for us to expand our horizons and try something different. We’re never going to be Tiger Woods, but that’s not the point. It’s another way to get outside. It’s another way to spend time together. It’s another reason to put the phone down.

This is actually something I think families could have a lot of fun doing together. You don’t need a golf course to start learning golf. And you don’t need to go out and buy a bunch of stuff to build one. Look around your house first. Maybe you have a milk crate sitting in the garage. A cardboard box that was going to the recycling bin. A bucket. A chair. A pool noodle. A hula hoop. A laundry basket. A garden hose. A few toys. Those can all become part of your course.

And if you don’t have those things? Ask your friends. Ask your neighbors. Ask Grandma and Grandpa. Ask someone at church. You might be surprised how many people have things sitting in their garage that they would be happy to let your family borrow for an afternoon.

You don’t have to buy anything. Borrow it. Repurpose it. Make it yourself. That’s part of the fun! Start with three holes if nine sounds like too much. Make a tee with a piece of cardboard or simply mark a starting spot. Use a bucket or cup as your hole. Let the kids make signs and number each hole. Decide how many swings should be considered “par.”

Then grab a piece of paper and keep score. And don’t worry if your backyard golf course looks nothing like a real golf course. That’s the fun of it. You can change it every time you play. Move the milk crate. Put the bucket farther away. Make a chair an obstacle. Create a tunnel with a box. See who can get the ball through the hula hoop. Let the kids design one of the holes themselves. You could even turn it into a little homeschool lesson.

Golf + Learning = Fun!

• Math: Keep score, add strokes and compare scores.
• Science: Talk about force, motion, angles and how the ball travels.
• Writing: Have your child design a hole and write the rules.
• Art: Make signs for each hole.
• PE: Practice swinging, walking and coordination.
• Life Skills: Learn to take turns, follow rules and encourage one another.

You don’t have to be Tiger Woods. You don’t even have to be good. You’re learning something together. And that’s exactly why I think I’m going to make a Build Your Own Backyard Golf Course printable to go along with this post. It will give families ideas for making their own course using things they may already have at home, along with a simple way to keep score. Because sometimes the best way to learn something new is to stop worrying about doing it perfectly and just give it a try.

You can start small. You don’t need the newest golf clubs or an expensive golf membership to hit a golf ball. Borrow clubs from a friend. Ask a family member if they have an old set in the garage. Check with your neighbors. Look at a local pawn shop if you eventually decide you want your own clubs.

But don’t let money be the reason you don’t try. If somebody has a club they aren’t using, ask. If somebody has golf balls sitting in a bucket, ask. If somebody has an old piece of equipment in their garage, ask. Sometimes all you have to do is say, “Hey, we’re trying something new. Do you have anything we could borrow?”

That’s what Michaela’s dad does. They don’t have any golf courses nearby, but he hits golf balls every day. I don’t think he’s trying to become Tiger Woods either. He’s just getting outside. He’s moving. He’s practicing something he enjoys. And that’s enough and he let Charlie play with him.

Give your kids a chance to learn a new sport today. That’s really my message today. Whether it’s golf, hacky sack, bowling, photography, cooking, music, art, or something completely different: Give people a chance to try. You never know what they might discover they love. You never know what they’re capable of doing.

And sometimes the opportunity you give them today becomes one of the memories they carry with them for the rest of their lives. I wish Suzanne had been given that chance. So today, pick up those golf clubs. Put the phone down. Get outside. Spend 30 minutes with your children. Teach them something. Or better yet, let them teach you something.

You don’t have to be Tiger Woods. You just have to show up and give it a try. And if you have five minutes to give me some beginner golf tips, I’d really appreciate it. Because it would be nice to not necessarily beat Charlie or David at a sport one day, but to show them that Mom can hold her own! Have a beautiful, blessed day. It’s a very, very pretty day today.

Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.

GratefulMoments.com

Glenda, Charlie and David Cates