When Watching Golf Feels Too Much Like Playing It
+ the Target pants I'm absolutely loving.
The U.S. Open is on in the background as I write this. It’s Sunday, the leaders are making the turn and I keep trying to care. Oakmont is showing its teeth with its slick greens, ridiculous rough, and slopes and hazards that punish even near-perfect shots. And yet, I’m not glued to the screen.
I think I’ve figured out why: the golf I’m watching feels a little too familiar.
It’s all scrambling and surviving. Good swings that lead to bad breaks. Players fighting just to salvage par. And because we’re not there in person to appreciate how severe the test really is, it almost looks like we could be out there ourselves. The lines between them and us feel blurrier than usual.
Golf is at its best (at least for me!) when it strikes that sweet spot between challenge and showcase. When the course demands brilliance, but doesn’t totally obliterate morale. When you can still see the art in the game, not just the grind.
Funny enough, I’m now writing this during a weather delay, and NBC is replaying the 2008 U.S. Open. And this has me hooked. Same stakes. Same major. But watching Tiger chase down Rocco at a sun-drenched Torrey Pines? This feels like theater. The course was tough, yes, but it wasn’t the main story. The story was the shots, the drama, the moment.
I get why some people like watching the pros suffer. It makes them feel more human. More relatable. But that’s not what I want. I want to see shots I could never pull off. I want courage, precision, and a little magic. I want superheroes.
This year’s U.S. Open was mostly forgettable, until J.J. Spaun drained that final putt to win it. That one shot turned the entire narrative. It gave the major a heartbeat. It reminded me why I love watching sports.
The Masters seems to get this right every year. It’s demanding but not chaotic. Dramatic but not messy. Maybe that’s the beauty of a major played on the same course, every single year. It knows how to test the best without turning it into survival golf.
And that brings me to the question I’ll leave you with. A question you might toss out during your next round:
What makes golf most fun to watch: when it looks like you could be out there? Or when it looks like you never could?
Monday R.E.P.O.R.T.
What I’m reading, loving, trying, and overthinking this week.
R: Reading—Don’t Believe Everything You Think has been the perfect mid-year mindset reset. I’m about halfway through, and already it’s reminded me how often we mistake our thoughts for truth. It’s simple, digestible, and surprisingly profound. A nudge to stop overanalyzing and start observing. If your brain ever feels like a noisy room (mine sure does), this one’s worth cracking open.
E: Excited about—I can’t believe Jeff and I will be there in just 10 days. We booked tee times at three courses, two of which are after 9pm. I’m pumped to experience golf in a place where the sun barely sets, the landscapes are wild and otherworldly, and the customs are quirky in all the best ways.
P: Packing—It’s been a while since I packed for a fun golf trip, and I forgot how exciting it feels. Since we’ll be bouncing around Iceland, I’ve got just one option: a half set in my lightest carry bag. At first, it always feels odd to leave clubs behind, but I’ve never missed a single one. Playing with a half set forces a little creativity, and that fresh approach can make the round even more fun. My biggest tip for anyone who’s traveling abroad and won’t be staying in the same room on consecutive nights? Pack a half set in your lightest bag.
O: Obsessed With—Two weeks ago, I landed in New York for a golf tournament and the forecast took a nosedive. Think cold, windy, and rainy. And guess what I didn’t pack? Pants. So I made an emergency Target run before my practice round and grabbed these. OH. MY. GOODNESS. They’re the perfect wide-leg trouser. They’re polished enough for the course, cool enough for everywhere else, and surprisingly lightweight. Since they aren’t just perfect for chilly rounds, I’m looking forward to wearing them all summer.
R: Recommending—I’ve finally found the sun shirt. This one is made with the softest, most buttery, brushed UPF 50 fabric I’ve ever felt. You know how sun shirts usually feel meh? Some feel like plastic wrap, others barely stretch or breathe. Not this one. It’s lightweight, breathable, and so cozy I bought it in almost every color. (I sized up one size.) I wear it almost daily. My only wish? That it had a collar. Then I’d wear it on the course even more than I already do. Should I go ahead and make one?!
T: Thought that resonated—"The most certain sign of wisdom is cheerfulness." —Michel de Montaigne, writer and philosopher
Some Housekeeping…
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Enjoy Iceland! Have heard it’s awesome for everything outdoors in Summer.
Your spot on about the open