Swinging into Something New
The first time I stepped into the indoor golf simulator this winter, I paused for a moment just outside the doorway. The room hummed softly with the team playing ahead of me and the occasional thwack of a golf ball hitting the screen. Upon entering my team’s time, bright greens and rolling fairways stretched across the projector wall, but instead of sunshine and fresh air, there were warm lights, turf underfoot, and the sight of a computer system calculating every swing.
It felt familiar and unfamiliar all at once.
After many years of only golfing during the occasional outing or fund raising tournament, I had returned to the game last summer by joining a women’s weekly outdoor golf league. It felt good to be back, to feel the rhythm of the swing again, to walk the course, to laugh with friends over missed putts and the occasional lucky shot.
So when someone mentioned an indoor golf simulator league during the winter months, I thought, why not?
If I wanted to keep improving my swing, driving, and putting during the off-season, this seemed like the perfect opportunity. And just like that, I said yes.
One of my summer golf league partners, Sue, decided to say yes to the adventure as well. Having a familiar face beside me made the idea feel a little less intimidating. We had heard from several friends who had been part of the simulator league for years that it takes time, sometimes two or three seasons to fully adjust to the difference between playing on a real course and playing on a screen. They weren’t kidding.
Since January, Sue and I have been learning the ins and outs of virtual golf. And let me tell you, it definitely messes with your brain.
You’re standing indoors, hitting into a screen, yet somehow you’re supposed to visualize a real course halfway across the world. Some of the courses we play are incredibly challenging. More than once we’ve realized halfway through a round that we accidentally had been set up on the men’s tees. No wonder the holes felt so long!
And then there are the little mishaps. Balls and tees have gone flying in unexpected directions, a few even landing on top of the projector near the ceiling. We’ve laughed more than once about our creative shots. It’s been a learning curve, to say the least.
Some days my swing feels great, and Sue is having an off day. Other days it’s the opposite. Somehow we balance each other out that way, always being encouraging.
This year I believe, we are the only brand-new team in the league and if you were to glance at the leaderboard, you’d see our names sitting comfortably at the bottom.
But honestly, for us, the real win isn’t the ranking, it’s the experience.
We’re learning something new. Adjusting to a different way of playing the game. Practicing our swings and gaining confidence with every round.
Along the way, a few of the simulator stewards have generously shared tips and pointers, even offering a lesson or two that has already helped improve my game. Their encouragement has made the experience even more enjoyable.
The entire staff at Shepherd’s Crook Golf Course have been wonderful as well. They’ve worked with us when we needed to rearrange our schedule and even allowed the new girls an extra thirty minutes to finish our nine holes. That kind of support makes all the difference when you’re learning something new.
Of course, I’m looking forward to the day we’re back outside again feeling the breeze, watching the ball soar against an open sky. But in the meantime, I’m grateful for this new way of keeping my game going through the winter months.
And I have to admit, Sue and I are particularly fond of one simulator rule, the eight-foot gimme circle on the putting green. Although I’m happy to report that I’ve made more than a few putts directly in the hole on my own, including a birdie! Now that felt pretty good.
What this experience has reminded me is something simple but powerful, life keeps inviting us to learn, grow, and try things that stretch us a little.
Sometimes we hesitate because we’re not sure we’ll be good at it. Sometimes we worry about looking inexperienced. But when we stay open, when we allow ourselves to be beginners again and discovering new joy waiting on the other side of that yes.
And as I stand on the mat each week, lining up my shot and learning something new with every swing, I’m reminded how wonderful it can be to stay curious and keep growing. Because sometimes the most rewarding adventures begin with the simple decision of swinging into something new.
xo, Sheryl
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