The gemme is meant for walkin' ...

At the beginning of this year, inspired by a long chain of serendipitous events, I decided to make a public commitment to walk every round of the year. When I made that commitment I didn't expect it to profoundly alter me, although it has in more ways than I can count or or would have ever anticipated. That simple commitment has opened me up to the lessons and gifts of the game of golf and has also significantly shaped who I am as a person on multiple levels.

It started with the reading of the passage "The gemme is meant for walkin'" by Shivas in Golf In The Kingdom. As I read those words for the first time this past holiday season, something took hold and I knew that I was missing out in playing golf primarily to lower my handicap. Despite a deep dedication to golf over the past few years, each round was little more than a hurried event a few times a week where I constantly hoped for the magic swing to come over me and result in a downard trend line on my handicap index. Although it was often exhilarating to chase those improvements, there was always the feeling that golf had the potential to be so much more.

Over the prior five months of walking between 18 and 108 holes a week I feel like I've finally caught a glimpse of what Shivas Irons was alluding to with that statement. After changing my posture from a stance of "go faster and score lower" to "enjoy the walk and learn from the game", I've found true meaning in golf and learned countless lessons about myself and the world that surround me.

After my first month of walking, I found I began to tell others about my new found experiences. While those discussions tended to start by discussing the choice to move freely instead of being governed by a cart, they tended to quickly dive into a variety of topics from the beauty of nature to the metaphysical aspects of golf. These discussions and the interactions behind them have shaped me and the lessons have been insightful and powerful.

I quickly found myself scouring the web about similar experiences and have been fortunate to find many others that share experiences very similar to my own. By following connections from a variety of sources I ended up learning about the Hundred Hole Hike whose purpose and approach both resonated deeply with me. In an effort to connect my passions of walking and golfing with a deep desire to spread these lessons to others I quickly volunteered to participate.

While following many chance encounters with others, I stumbled upon The Shivas Irons Society and instantly felt a connection to the mission, community, and intentions underlying this wonderful group. Choosing The Shivas Irons Society as the benefactor for my fundraising efforts as part of the Hundred Hole Hike was another choice that felt destined to happen.

I'm extremely excited for the event and anxiously looking forward to June 25th at Dormie.