We all know that golf, at times, can be a slow sport. It is one of the slowest paced games out there, yet it is also one of the most widely played sports. There is the waiting on the tee box for the group in front of you, waiting in the fairway to hit your approach shot and sometimes waiting in the line at the restroom when making the turn. The waiting can be one of the worst parts of a college golf round.
While the NCCGA and other college golf organizations have yet to completely fix all the waiting, I believe there are several ways golfers can spend their wait time in order to make it more enjoyable.
We are out there with people from other colleges, sometimes with people from other cultures. Why not take the time to talk to your playing partners and get to know them? Ask them how their club is doing, what ball they are playing, how their college golf experience has been so far. You are spending 4-6 hours out of your day with this person and you should make it worth your while.
I am all about being professional on the golf course when it comes to golf tournaments, but sometimes it can be a little overwhelming due the pressure we put on ourselves. This is probably the reason why we get paired with someone from our own club, so we will be familiar with one person.
Anyway, a couple of months ago my golf buddy and I were bored on the tee box while 
playing a causal round of golf. The entire round seemed to drag on and on. We were chatting to each other, twirling our drivers around trying to pass the time till the group ahead of us hit their approach shots. I grabbed my driver where the head meets the shaft and pointed the grip end at him and repeated, “Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”
If anyone knows this reference to The Princess Bride this joke is very funny. I did this until he decided to play along. The shafts of our drivers clashed with each other as we fought back and forth and continued to repeat, “Hello. My name is Indigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Eventually, the golfers in the fairway ahead hit their approach shots and we went back to business as usual, but still giggling like 5 year old kindergarten boys at a playground.
Golf is slow, but enjoy the people you are with when you are out there, especially in the NCCGA Tournaments. Just remember that you are luckily enough to be playing college golf. Whether you are playing for last place, or you are Notre Dame and Purdue going at it for the regional championship, have fun and leave the tournaments smiling.
**Chadstin Ballog is the Club President of IU South Bend Club Golf and guest blogger for the NCCGA. You can reach Chadstin by email at ccballog@iusb.edu or by phone at 574-780-4044
