Best Friends & 18 holes

Last weekend I played golf with my two best friends. Each of us were Best Man at one of the others wedding. Anyway, when we meet on the golf course the rivalry goes through the roof. You see, I met my best friends at the golf course when I was 15 and we have been playing golf with each other for the past 15 years. Nobody wants to lose. We play by the rules scripted in the Rulebook and there is no negotiation. We trash talk and give shit to each other like there is no tommorrow.

Best Friend 1 : There’s a small stone under my ball, can I move the stone? I’ll put the ball back to exactly the same spot.

Best Friend 2 : Yes, you can but you have to take a 2 stroke penalty.

Best Friend 1 : But then I might break my club if I don’t move the stone.

Me : Too bad, you want to move it, take a penalty.

So, Best Friend 1 hit the ball with the stone. Anyone else, we would let them move the stone but not one of us.

Last weekend was even more enjoyable as we “psychoed” Best Friend 1 into playing some really bad golf (by his standards). He was hitting balls "out of bounds", he was missing putts and he was stressed. The things that were coming out of our mouths really got to him and he lost money all around. Nevertheless, it wasn't the money that made the game enjoyable it was the joy of winning and seeing a really good friend struggle and I have never seen him struggle that bad.

He later stated after the game when we were having drinks. “Its no wonder I do well in competitions, playing with you guys is worst than playing in any competition”. True… very true. I just hope things don’t change between us in the next 15 years.