Play 9

In my two months since joining the “real world,” there’s one phrase that coworkers have seemingly tattooed upon my introduction. “Youthful exuberance” is how they describe my never-say-no mentality. One day, surely, it will lead me down the wrong path, but until then, it’s a tag I’ll keep.

What might appear as a chore to a senior editor is a glorious opportunity to this 22-year-old. Things are easier when you’re young and independent.

And so, I toiled through New York City traffic, careful as ever in a rental car, and headed to New Jersey for nine holes of golf. That’s it? Yep, but that’s the wrong mentality. It wasn’t a typical nine holes.

In my foursome was Mike Davis, executive director of the United States Golf Association (USGA). To give his title context, if the world of golf was the United States government, Davis would be a cabinet member. He’s a big deal.

I’ll leave out the boring details of me shaking in my shoes on the first tee box, or my incessant pleas for him to visit Wisconsin for golf, the real purpose of the day was his organization’s initiative called “Play 9 Day.” The meaning is all in the name. The USGA wants more people to simply play nine holes.

That can sound a bit odd at first. After all, the worldwide events that this organization puts on each year are never played to just nine holes. Eighteen is the bare minimum. For a major event, 72 is the norm.

Their objective with Play 9 Day was promoting the game, however. The USGA wants golf to have a different perception. They see a game decreasing in popularity throughout the past decade and are looking for another avenue to reshape the typical experience and reverse the trend.

And quite frankly, their idea is a pretty good one, too.

As mentioned earlier, 18 holes is the standard/minimum. However, it isn’t a necessity. Nine holes is all you need sometimes.

For me, growing up, there were countless nights where, after working an eight-hour shift at Horseshoe Bay, I made an easy decision. Mother’s meals were just 20 minutes away on Highway 57, but the first tee was just 20 seconds away on the cart path. If you know me well, the answer was easy.

There are few activities more mentally, physically and beautifully relaxing than walking nine holes as the sun sets. Play 9 works for me, and it definitely can for you, too.

It lessens the typical restrictions that keep (and have driven) people away from the game. The four-and-a-half hour commitment is turned into just two. Playing before or after work is a now a possibility for everyone. The stiff greens fee that greets you at the pro shop desk is sliced in half, and possibly even more. The strain of 70 to 100-plus full swings is much greater than 35-50, believe me. You’ll feel it in the morning. So try it, if you haven’t already. If you have, try it again, this time on the opposite side of noon.

It’s an easier version of an incredibly hard game. That’s reason enough.