By Don Walter
Seasonal depression is a real thing. Especially for golf addicts who live in Northern climates where cold weather and SNOW closes down the golf courses. Sure, I’m a brat in November, I cheer up during the Holidays, who doesn’t love Christmas?! But then the attitude starts to fade come February. Why February? Because the PGA Tour is in full swing. They have been to Hawaii, California, Mexico, Florida over and over, Texas… Who wouldn’t get depressed when every time they turn on the TV someone is enjoying their favorite pastime, my favorite pastime in beautiful sunny weather, wearing short sleeve shirts, and looking all smug about it.
The PGA Tour makes its round during the winter months to some of the most incredible places. They play golf courses that the common man only dreams about and there they are, right on the TV screen every Thursday through Sunday whacking away at their golf balls trying to make millions. It’s hard on the soul when you look outside and see nothing but frozen tundra. Well not really tundra, but you get the point, trees covered in snow, freezing temperatures, and not a round of golf scheduled for months. Truly depressing. So, let’s stop looking outside and see what’s on the TV. More plush fairways, more green grass and sunshine, more people enjoy golf! Not me! I’m stuck up here freezing my you know what off… Ugh.
The good news is the seasonal depression is just that, seasonal. Snow melts, the sun shines, birds chirp, and we get back to it. However, it’s not going to be anytime soon. So, for now we deal with all the symptoms. The longing sighs looking out the window, the intermittent stops from shoveling to “swing” the snow shovel like a driver. “Whack” right down the middle of the fairway! The slow slipping off the snow boots, the longing sighs as we pass our golf clubs in the garage. Winter is truly like Groundhog Day for golf addicts. The same boring thing day after day without golf.
Like I mentioned, the depression will fade, but it’s like a carousel. Spring, then Summer, then Fall, then Winter again. A never-ending vicious circle of torture for golfers in the North. Do we actually get to play more days of golf than not? I’ve never counted. I’m too busy playing golf to even wonder how many depressed days I have behind or in front of me. I don’t waste time when golf season rolls around, it’s serious business. Every extra minute is dedicated to feeding my golf addiction. I’ve been laughed at by the local pro so many times while I was hitting golf balls on the driving range in pouring rain, I can’t even count them all.
Now, after reading all this back, I sound like I need a little help. I do, but I don’t. I’ll be ok. I will get to play golf again; I just know it. And truth be told, sometimes I like to see those far off sunny places on my TV, I just wish I could feel the sun on my face, or even feel my face after shoveling the driveway.
“Snow, snow, go away, come again another day”, or something like that. ISI
