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At this moment, golf is one of my favorite sports. I actually grew up with golf and hated it. My grandpa watched every tournament during golf season from his recliner while I putted in the living room to stay awake. He worked on golf courses almost all of his post-Army life, and loved every minute of it, refusing to retire. When I got a job at a golf course, I realized that it was quite different than the stuffy sport I originally thought it was.

When I got the itch to attempt playing (or at least swinging the club in the ball's general direction), my grandpa was delighted and decided to get back into it. My heart was broken last year when he passed away, preventing us from playing together. Without him, my inexplicable interest in this frustrating sport just wasn’t there.

For those of you who are not interested in golf, let me first explain a few reasons why you might reconsider. For all of us lazy folks, any sport that does not involve running and is facilitated by a vehicle is a plus. There is a golf course every few miles in Baton Rouge, so you never have to go far to play. Although it's not the norm, you can play alone. (Team sports are not really my thing; it just reminds me of elementary school dodgeball/kickball and being picked close to last – and quite rightfully so.) In the tradition of South Louisiana, alcohol is not only accepted, its presence is generally expected. Temper tantrums are common, and only occasionally result in getting booted off the course. Hitting balls can be a stress reliever, unless you are either very serious about the game, or a very poor "athlete" frustrated at your lack of ability (me). Last, but certainly not least, “Caddyshack.”

There are two summer tournaments I've participated in for several years now: the Baton Rouge City Open and the Baton Rouge Amateur. Fortunately for everyone involved, I'm just helping and not actually playing. These tournaments include some of the best golfers in the area and are ALWAYS interesting. I've watched a man jump into a pond, which to this day I'm not clear if it was to retrieve his ball, or too much alcohol. In the middle of a tournament I had to call officials to boot off a mother and child, who were making sand castles in a bunker. I've heard golfers demand rulings on players not even in their group. One summer day I witnessed a man collapse after his round, prompting a call to EMS. I have been yelled at about the weather, the round, the scoring, the food, and even the tournament gifts. You name it. I've heard it.

Despite fielding irritating complaints I had no authority to solve, I’m much like my grandpa: I love every minute of it. There is something about just being on the course that is exciting. Having the golfers come in after a long day, hand me their scorecard, then sit and talk with us about the round is a blast. I may not be good at getting the ball off the ground, but hearing other people's experiences on the course is a lesson in itself.

I love watching the super-competitive people stand around comparing scores, teasing and taunting each other. Sometimes unknowns show up and win the tournaments, but there are old favorites who routinely dominate the field.

There’s nothing about the tournaments I don’t enjoy. Well, except maybe the crowd of 170 players crammed in one room after hours in summer temperatures. Can you picture it?

I will stay involved as long as I can. This weekend I will be out at the Amateur, assisting in corralling the troops during the inevitable rain delay, and expecting the unexpected from Baton Rouge's anything but boring golf crowd.

Enjoy your own weekend, play a round and just be the ball.