Some of Us “Have It”, and Some of Us Don’t

Early this past week, as my son Gregg and his wife Elaine were leaving for a Pastors Conference, I noticed his golf bag on the ground next to the car waiting to be packed into the trunk. The bag had a healthy coat of dust on it.

Pastors don’t have a lot of time for golf. But Gregg doesn’t allow that little restriction to affect his game.

As we were chatting several days later upon their return, I casually asked, “Well, where’s the golf trophy?” I should have known better, as Elaine pointed to the back of the house and said, “It’s still in the car.”

Gregg had won the annual Pastor’s Golf tournament – a much enjoyed recreational break at the conclave of Friends Pastors who work so hard all year in their respective churches.

I stand in awe of those who are so athletically gifted. He hadn’t touched a club in almost nine months. Yet, he was able to work out the muscle kinks quickly and make some shots.

I’ve wondered to myself if his best natural athletic talent isn’t on the golf course – his lifelong passion for and stellar performance in baseball notwithstanding. Gregg has what is called a “sweet swing”; the ball just “seems” to go right where it should almost all the time.

A few years ago he and I at the same time got nice sets of new faux “Major Brand” golf clubs, custom fitted for each of us by a California Pastor friend who does this as a hobby. I kidded Gregg that it must have been his nice newer clubs that got him the win.

Funny, my new clubs are exactly the same as his, but I still manage to add more than a stroke a hole to his score.

I guess some of us “have it”, and some of us don’t.