My dad and I always play golf on Father's Day. We usually begin the day with a family lunch, and then dad and I watch a little bit of the US Open golf tournament on television before going out to our local course.
I think I was about 10 years old when dad introduced me to the game of golf. I remember seeing Jack Nicklaus on television and asking my dad about the different shots that I was seeing on tv. I had no idea what he was talking about, but he was so happy trying to teach me.
As we went out to the practice range those first few times, it was kind funny trying to fit a 10 year old into adult golf clubs. I was lucky to just contact the ball. Dad was always patient with me, even when this snotty kid was throwing his clubs in frustration.
Through the years, golf has been a connecting point between me and my dad. We talked about golf and talked about life. He always managed to teach the lessons of life through golf - be patient, don't beat yourself up when you're frustrated, always remain optimistic, and shake off the bad shot because there's always another chance to do better.
In the last couple of years, I've come to the realization that dad is not going to be around forever. That's really a humbling thought. "Hey Dad! When can we play golf again?" As I said that today, I had a flashback to years ago when he was first teaching me the game. Happy Father's Day, Dad...