I've been lucky in life maintaining long-lasting friendships with people I first met in elementary school.
My friends group, simply known as "The Buds," includes about a dozen people. We get together a number of times a year for special occasions and just this last weekend held our 17th consecutive golf outing.
I learned the basics of golf from my father and played one year on my high school golf team. I'm not a golfer as much as I am a hacker. I played a lot of golf after high school with these friends. I don't attend the golf outing to play golf as much as it's a way to spend time with my friends.
It's rewarding to know someone your own age over the entire span of a life. We went through school together. We've been in and attended each-other's weddings. Because we grew up in the same place, we have countless shared memories. We remember things we did together and make new memories at the golf outing.
We don't all share the same politics, socio-economic standing, educational level or even agree on basic things with each other - some of us listen to country while others listen to rock 'n' roll. We do know everyone's extended family from parents through children and we've gotten old enough where some of our children are starting to participate in our golf outing.
When I arrived at this year's golf outing I hadn't played golf since the last similar outing I attended. I don't beat myself up over playing bad golf. I figure if I can par one hole in an 18-hole round that I can deem the entire outing a success. I was able to do that and more as we played.
Because we knew each other when we were young, there are a number of ongoing jokes known only to us that we share. When I was in high school we had a big sleep-over at a friend's house and while I slept, my friends decided to shave my back. Pretty sophomoric, but I believe at the time we were sophomores in high school.
They managed to shave my back without waking me up, which was a feat in itself. But the thing they laugh about is my reaction once they applied the aftershave.
Every golf outing I attend, somebody I don't know at a place we're at comes up to me and says, "I'm supposed to ask you if you like having your back shaved." Then I hear my friends laugh.
We're all big fans of the movie "Caddyshack" and because of that our weekend is laced with quotes from the movie as we wind our way around the golf course.
We're generally well-behaved golfers, but I have seen some pretty odd behavior on behalf of my friends as we play. For example, there is the "throwing of the first putter" when somebody misses a shot and a club goes flying from the green.
While we've always kept our golf carts in good working order and haven't sank one in a pond, I have seen a lot of questionable golf cart driving. I didn't know one person could drive two golf carts at once until I saw it done during a round a few years ago at the golf outing.
This year we marked one of our friend's 50th birthday at the golf outing. Some of my friends have children who are in elementary school. Others of us have children at the end of their high school years. And then there are some with children in their late 20s and at least one of these children and his friends have become regular attendees at the golf outing.
Because a couple people in our group have camper trailers, we stay at a campground in the Portage area and then have access to several golf courses. This year we played at Portage Country Club and at Devil's Head.
The golf outing lasts from Thursday through Sunday morning. As part of our evening activities this year we watched football, sang karaoke and each night had a campfire. We ate well - one of our friends is a chef.
As part of our conversations, we get to catch up on where people are at in life. The wife of one of my friends is battling cancer and an aneurysm. She recently had a successful surgery to bring the aneurysm under control. Another of my friends has children who are in Tae Kwon Do, hockey and figure skating. I'm now up-to-date on all of the progress they've made in the past year.
It's interesting to see your friends age. I've found distinct differences between my friends who have had children and those who have not. Some of your friends age like a vintage wine. Others age like wine with a hole in the cork. But to be in my life, all of these people at one time or another, was a good a true friend to me. I tell my friends I love them often. Life is too short not to acknowledge and share your love for your friends and family.
There are cases where some of these friends have become as close as family. They are my brothers from another age in my life, and from this age. We've shared experiences and know a great deal about each other. Most of us played hockey together for several years. We've competed together. We trust each other with a lot about ourselves.
Next year I'll be able to take my sons to the golf outing if they wish. I hope they do. I also hope they've been able to develop some friendships as I have. Friendships that stand the test of time. Friendships that are a big circle about your shared lives - spattered with Caddyshack jokes.
- Matt Johnson is publisher of the Monroe Times. His column is published Wednesdays.
My friends group, simply known as "The Buds," includes about a dozen people. We get together a number of times a year for special occasions and just this last weekend held our 17th consecutive golf outing.
I learned the basics of golf from my father and played one year on my high school golf team. I'm not a golfer as much as I am a hacker. I played a lot of golf after high school with these friends. I don't attend the golf outing to play golf as much as it's a way to spend time with my friends.
It's rewarding to know someone your own age over the entire span of a life. We went through school together. We've been in and attended each-other's weddings. Because we grew up in the same place, we have countless shared memories. We remember things we did together and make new memories at the golf outing.
We don't all share the same politics, socio-economic standing, educational level or even agree on basic things with each other - some of us listen to country while others listen to rock 'n' roll. We do know everyone's extended family from parents through children and we've gotten old enough where some of our children are starting to participate in our golf outing.
When I arrived at this year's golf outing I hadn't played golf since the last similar outing I attended. I don't beat myself up over playing bad golf. I figure if I can par one hole in an 18-hole round that I can deem the entire outing a success. I was able to do that and more as we played.
Because we knew each other when we were young, there are a number of ongoing jokes known only to us that we share. When I was in high school we had a big sleep-over at a friend's house and while I slept, my friends decided to shave my back. Pretty sophomoric, but I believe at the time we were sophomores in high school.
They managed to shave my back without waking me up, which was a feat in itself. But the thing they laugh about is my reaction once they applied the aftershave.
Every golf outing I attend, somebody I don't know at a place we're at comes up to me and says, "I'm supposed to ask you if you like having your back shaved." Then I hear my friends laugh.
We're all big fans of the movie "Caddyshack" and because of that our weekend is laced with quotes from the movie as we wind our way around the golf course.
We're generally well-behaved golfers, but I have seen some pretty odd behavior on behalf of my friends as we play. For example, there is the "throwing of the first putter" when somebody misses a shot and a club goes flying from the green.
While we've always kept our golf carts in good working order and haven't sank one in a pond, I have seen a lot of questionable golf cart driving. I didn't know one person could drive two golf carts at once until I saw it done during a round a few years ago at the golf outing.
This year we marked one of our friend's 50th birthday at the golf outing. Some of my friends have children who are in elementary school. Others of us have children at the end of their high school years. And then there are some with children in their late 20s and at least one of these children and his friends have become regular attendees at the golf outing.
Because a couple people in our group have camper trailers, we stay at a campground in the Portage area and then have access to several golf courses. This year we played at Portage Country Club and at Devil's Head.
The golf outing lasts from Thursday through Sunday morning. As part of our evening activities this year we watched football, sang karaoke and each night had a campfire. We ate well - one of our friends is a chef.
As part of our conversations, we get to catch up on where people are at in life. The wife of one of my friends is battling cancer and an aneurysm. She recently had a successful surgery to bring the aneurysm under control. Another of my friends has children who are in Tae Kwon Do, hockey and figure skating. I'm now up-to-date on all of the progress they've made in the past year.
It's interesting to see your friends age. I've found distinct differences between my friends who have had children and those who have not. Some of your friends age like a vintage wine. Others age like wine with a hole in the cork. But to be in my life, all of these people at one time or another, was a good a true friend to me. I tell my friends I love them often. Life is too short not to acknowledge and share your love for your friends and family.
There are cases where some of these friends have become as close as family. They are my brothers from another age in my life, and from this age. We've shared experiences and know a great deal about each other. Most of us played hockey together for several years. We've competed together. We trust each other with a lot about ourselves.
Next year I'll be able to take my sons to the golf outing if they wish. I hope they do. I also hope they've been able to develop some friendships as I have. Friendships that stand the test of time. Friendships that are a big circle about your shared lives - spattered with Caddyshack jokes.
- Matt Johnson is publisher of the Monroe Times. His column is published Wednesdays.
