Nathan and I were driving to a doctor’s appointment yesterday, chit-chatting about this and that, when he started to chuckle.  “Oh, yeah.  I forgot to tell you about (Mike) yesterday.”

Nathan has been going through golf try-outs for the high school team.  Yesterday was the last day of try-outs and I’m pretty confident that he will make the team.  And (Mike) will, too, but not because of his attitude.  Golf has a way of turning mild-mannered people into cranky two-year olds.  I’ve seen it with my own eyes…with John who is about as mild-mannered as it gets.  I’ve even seen a 45-year old man jump up and down in frustration.  And they ask me why I don’t play.

Apparently (Mike) was having a “bad” round yesterday.  Instead of figuring out how to get through his game, he snapped his putter around his neck.   I didn’t even know golf clubs could snap.  He had to putt the rest of his round with his 4-iron.

But the story doesn’t end there.  In the last three weeks, (Mike) has managed to destroy 7 of his 14 clubs.  Yup.  Half of them.  The putter he snapped around his neck yesterday… $300.  I am not making this up. 

Here’s the question (there are actually several questions we could ask here, but I’m going to focus on the “money” one):  Who the heck is replacing all of his clubs?  If his parents are covering for his inability to control his temper…OMG, it is his parents.  Nathan was curious about this and actually asked (Mike) about it. 

Here’s what I think.  Just because you can afford it doesn’t mean it’s the right thing to do.  (Mike) needs to be put in charge of paying for his own golf clubs. No doubt that will quickly solve the snapping of clubs problem.   And, it will have the added benefit of dealing with another troubling issue…his attitude.  Being responsible for his own clubs just may teach him a little self-control and discipline, especially if he has to work to earn the money to pay for them. 

That’s what I love about golf.  It teaches kids how to set personal financial goals (Nathan has one right now for a $150 putter he wants) and how to deal with the frustration of playing a bad game.   Those are life skills kids will need on and off the golf course.   And when the opportunity to teach those skills presents itself, grab it.  There are no better lessons than those tied directly to every day life.