Here is a poem that should make any avid golfer smile and nod in agreement:

A LITTLE

A little learning so ’tis said,
Is dangerous for any head. 
A little wisdom, tipped with wit,
Will rarely fail to make a hit.
A little golf, ’twas said of late,
Will benefit the delicate.
At which some wise one had his fling:
“A little golf? There’s no such thing.”

Francis B. Keene.

For the avid golfer, the feelings expressed in these eight lines are easy to identify with. What might be surprising is that Francis Keene published this poem in the March 1900 issue of the magazine Golf.

Golf has change a lot in the last 117 years. No one will argue with that statement. But what the old poems featured in this Blog show, often with eloquence and wit, is that the feelings of a true golfer, who loves playing the game, have changed very little over time.

One caveat: For this New England golfer, in January even a little golf would be welcome.

 A Golfer’s New Year’s Wish

                           That
       “One bad shot after another”
         Does not come to describe
              The next four years.

The poem below is inspired by the annual Seasons Greetings poems that have appeared in the New Yorker magazine for so many years. I have wanted to write one as a kind of thank you to all the golf tour professionals, women and men, who provide us with so much entertainment and joy throughout the year.

Golf Seasons Greetings for 2016

As golf tours come to a momentary crawl,
It’s time once again for good wishes to all.
To send Seasons Greetings to every golf pro,
And a big cheer for Tiger rejoining the show.

A shout out to Jason, World’s number one,
No major this year but still having fun.
J. Walker it was that kept Day at zero,
The PGA Champ, a late blooming hero.
And since we are at it, lets lift up a glass,
To Henrik and Dustin, Champions at last.

And to Ko and Chun who both repeated,
While Brittany, Brooke, and Ariya were greeted
As first time winners, an impressive feat,
Taking home a Major, nothing as sweet.

Year-end cheers it would also seem,
Are proper and fitting for our Ryder Cup team.
Also a part of this year’s story,
Greetings to Jordan, Patrick and Rory.
And looking to England, let’s give a call
To Justin, Danny and Casey, that’s Paul.

To the ladies as well our greetings go.
Here’s to Michele, Minjee and Mo;
To Lexi, Jessica and Christy Kerr;
To Stacy, Angela, and Gerina Piller.

We’ve left out too many, but let them all know,
Our wishes for the Holidays and for scores that are low.

And now before closing we remember that swing,
Of a golfer who came to be known as the King,
An army of fans followed his game,
Now that he’s gone it won’t be the same.
It’s hard to believe, but soon will be clear,
When the first ball is hit at the Master’s next year.

He has joined a long list to which we pay heed,
Hogan, Jones, Nelson and Snead.
And great Europeans who also played,
Seve, Vardon, Taylor and Braid.

We close with a sense of appreciation for all
The golfers we watch spring, summer and fall.
Here’s wishing you happiness, health and good cheer
And golf that inspires us all of next year.

Leon S White, PhD