Orange County Buddhist Church

Golf and Buddhism

As many of you know, my favorite recreation is to play golf.  I have been playing for maybe 16 or 17 years now, but my game does not reflect the length of time I have been playing.  I am what you call a “hacker”, which means that I “hack” at the ball, rather than swing smoothly, like a Tiger Woods.  I really love the game though, despite being a hacker, and I also love to watch the game on tv, especially my favorite player, Tiger Woods. 

    Believe it or not, golf really relates to Buddhism.  When you golf, there are so many Buddhist principles involved that you could almost use golf as a way to explain and practice what is Buddhism.  That is why I rationalize that on my day off when I am golfing, I am still deeply involved with Buddhism! 

    Buddhism teaches us that the source of all of our problems is our ego.  Normally, we think that the source of our problems is not our ego, but it is the world around us.  Our problem is our difficult boss.  Our problem is our spouse who doesn’t understand us.  Our problem is our children who never listen to us.  Our problem is that no one sees things the right way at work, which to us is our way.   Always the source of our problems is someone or something else.  Horrors that the problem could ever be us. That is unthinkable. 

    But Buddhism points to our own self, our ego, that is the source of all of our problems.  Even things like our health problems or misfortune, ultimately returns to the ego and how .  Those too, are basically the problem of our ego and how we deal with those problems and misfortunes. 

    On the golf course, the ego is the greatest handicap in your golf game.  When my ego self wants to show off and hit a big drive, I usually end up dribbling the ball barely past the ladies tee.  When you relax and let go of your ego self, the ball usually goes straight.  Then after a few good tee shots your ego gets in the way again when you think that you really have it now.  Then you end up dribbling another drive a few measly yards. 

    Golf is a most humbling sport.  It can crush your ego.  You have only this little short three foot putt to win all the skins.  Your ego causes you to tense up and you yank the putt way left.  How did I miss that short putt?!  Now your anger carries to the next hole.  You hook your drive in the trees.  Then you try to punch out from the trees and instead you hit the tree and your ball goes backwards.  Now you are really mad.  Instead of relaxing, you swing even harder and madder, and you almost whiff the ball.  Now you are sitting three and you have 300 yards to go.  You’re looking at a triple bogey at best. 

    Golf is a constant encounter with your ego.  Even when you aren’t hitting the ball you face your ego.  I usually golf with Rev. Miyaji.  Let’s say we are playing a friendly skins game.  Rev. Miyaji has a putt that if he makes it, he can win lots of skins.  If he misses, then I win.  Do I think like the Golden Chain states, “Think pure and beautiful thoughts”?  No, in my mind I am saying to myself, “Miss!  Miss!”  If Rev. Miyaji misses, I politely say, “Oh gee, too bad.” 

    If I win, I feel pride and arrogance.  If I lose, I feel envy and jealousy.  I think, “Those guys have too much handicap.  It’s not fair.”  Win or lose, there is ego.

    Golf is a most challenging and humbling sport.  You never reach a point where you feel like you have mastered the game.  So too is the path of Buddhism, a path of constant learning, listening, seeking, and understanding.  One never reaches a point of perfection.  It is a path like golf, in which we encounter and awaken to our ego self, are momentarily humbled, only to have our ego arise again on the next hole.

    Buddhism is filled with statements that are seemingly contradictory, but yet express the deepest religious truth.  Shinran Shonin says, that the moment he realizes he is a being destined for hell, is the moment that he realizes he will be born in the Pure Land.  In the Larger Sutra it states that although it is easy to be born in the Pure Land, no one is there. 

    In golf, if you swing easy, the ball goes further.  If you try to swing hard, the ball doesn’t go.  When you hit your irons you have to hit down on the ball, to make it go up. 

    In Buddhism, a truly selfless person is someone who realizes their self centeredness.  A truly giving person is someone who realizes all that they receive in life.  A truly moral person is someone who sees the immorality in their heart and mind. 

    There are many ways to see Buddhism in golf, and in other aspects of one’s everyday life.  No matter what it is that you do, in work or play, there are opportunities to reflect on how Buddhism relates.  When we reflect on and attempt to see Buddhism in our everyday life in that manner, then we will be able to see the Dharma at work, at play, in all aspects of our life. 

Namuamidabutsu,
Rev. Marvin Harada

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