Up until this past winter, the WI State Golf Association (WSGA) was one of the last hold outs in the country resisting the switch to the GHIN handicapping system. I’m glad they switched, it’s easier having one national handicap system. Numerous people in the USGA handicapping department facilitated the switch through emails, webinars, training, etc. This is clearly a big enterprise.
Fast forward to my dinner table one night where we talk about what my two teenage daughters might do in their future careers. They have limited knowledge of what is “out there”, the decision is daunting, and being a golf course owner does not move their future needle. Willing to make fun of anything, I made a suggestion. Now keep in mind, being a golf course owner is right up there with some of the most useless jobs in the world. I remind myself every day, that no one cares, and I serve very little purpose. But I was able to come up with a job even more insignificant with slightly less pressure. I said, “why don’t you two strive to work in the handicapping department of the USGA”. What would we do, dad? “You would be paid a very nice salary, never have to work nights and weekends, receive solid benefits, while you make sure that people who are bad at golf, have an opportunity to win a dollar off someone who is better at golf on a Saturday morning. Your mom and I would be very proud. I mean, I always helped people get better at golf if they wanted to win that dollar, but spending your life making numerical adjustments to compensate for futility, works good too.” You gotta love the business of golf.
