Golf is like an unspoken rite of passage for former athletes as they enter their 20s and 30s. It doesn’t take a ton of athleticism, is slow paced and can be played without much seriousness — the perfect combo for former athletes past their prime.
I had only played golf once or twice growing up but started getting into it about two years ago because a friend of mine had starting coaching at a new school, which needed a golf coach. He was given the job without any experience so he started playing and invited me along.
Almost immediately I fell in love with it. As someone who grew up playing sports year round, I have always been competitive and have missed having something to compete in. I don’t play in tournaments or anything like that now, but I compete against some friends and the biggest opponent of all — myself.
In anything we do in life, we want to be the best we possibly can. Nobody wants to be bad at anything. Sure, there are those who don’t work exceptionally hard and thus don’t care much about improving, but I would bet if they could wave a magic wand and get better, they would. Every course I play I try to improve my score from the last time I played there. It’s what drives me and keeps me going — and also keeps me from spending a small fortune on golf balls because I no longer splash them into water hazards or into the woods.
So when Tommy McDaniel came into The Columbian-Progress office Thursday morning and told us the Columbia Country Club had been purchased, I was naturally extremely excited. To be able to only drive a couple of miles to get to a golf course will be a huge blessing. I couldn’t tell you how much gas I have used the past two years just to go golfing or how much I have spent on being able to play at courses, but it’s been a lot — far too much.
But beyond myself, the return of the Columbia Country Club to Marion County will have a major impact on the community as a whole. I’ve only been to a few events there, but I remember the venue being gorgeous, spacious and inviting.
Having a location in Columbia for local high schools to house prom, organizations to hold meetings and parties and for residents to rent out will be a big deal for the local economy. Since the foreclosure, many of those events had to be held in Hattiesburg or somewhere outside of the county. Having the country club will keep that money in house where it belongs.
Also, having a golf course for the local schools to practice and potentially even hold matches at will mean a lot to a lot of teenage golfers in the area. Golf is a sport anybody can play, and it doesn’t matter how big, fast or strong you are. Granted, being strong does help your driver, but it’s really not a requirement to be good. But giving more Marion County teenagers another option to participate in athletics is awesome.
Thank you to the County Club of Columbia LLC and the Entrekin family for stepping up to the plate and purchasing the foreclosed property. The potential for making a difference here in Columbia is substantially high, and I can’t wait for it to make its long-awaited return.
Joshua Campbell is sports editor of The Columbian-Progress. Reach him via email at joshuacampbell@columbianprogress.com or at (601) 736-2611.
