Let us assume that most of the men and women with the leisure and wherewithal to play seriously at golf have attained in their lives a somewhat cushioned position. A putt that rims the cup is definitely not in, no matter what you write on your scorecard . . .
Golf is a square shooter.
In the sound of the hit and the flight of the ball it tells us unflinchingly how we are doing, and we are rarely doing well. . . . But it was you, and facing this disagreeable fact is one of the moral lessons of golf. Golf morality runs to paradoxes. He who hits down sees the ball soar. He who looks up tops the ball into the tall grass.