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Editor's Last Word
The joys of being involved
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Paul Ramsdell
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I have always tried to stay away from writing too much about myself in these columns. It's a philosophy that was repeatedly drilled into my head back at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism.
This time, however, I'm going to relax that attitude a bit, but it's all in an attempt to persuade everyone to enjoy every aspect the game of golf has to offer.
Golf can be much more than just another crisp Saturday morning with friends embarking on a four-hour break from reality. And it can be more than a lazy Tuesday evening stroll alone in a park that doubles as a golf course as you enjoy the solitude of nature and the challenges of trying to make birdies.
Beyond all that is the total involvement in golf, which subsequently takes your enjoyment of the game to the next level.
I'm trying to convince everyone to become actively involved in what makes golf tick. Look into seeing if you can help the handicap committee at your course. Volunteer to assist in conducting a tournament. Listen to the challenges your course superintendent faces in trying to keep the course in its best shape, and then share those thoughts with your golfing partners.
I have have just completed my one-year term as president of Fircrest Golf Club, an 18-hole gem near Tacoma, Wash.
It was a year filled with dealing with the total involvement of golf, and it was a learning, eye-opening and unforgettable experience I will cherish always.
There is an unbelievable amount of energy that goes into trying to create the perfect golf experience for the most number of people. It is not an easy task. Don't think for a minute anyone can do it alone, certainly not a club president. It takes hundreds of people working together, and the more people that get truly involved then the better the chance of more people enjoying that perfect golf experience.
Getting involved gives you the opportunity to identify concerns, and then voice and work toward solutions. In the meantime, you're working with dozens, if not hundreds of others who share the same dedication as you do toward the one thing that matters most - enjoying golf.
My appreciation and awareness of golf and all its various aspects has grown immensely in the past year. So has the number of people from some many different walks of life I now consider friends because we worked together with golf being the core consideration.
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