Each year in March, 32 college golf teams gather on the two golf courses at Paradise Point inside the gates of Camp LeJeune, the immense U.S. Marine base in Jacksonville, NC. Pairs of collegians are matched with current and former Marines in an ersatz pro-am format for two days. Then the college golfers are turned loose for a final round of competition on their own. Methodist University repeated as champions this weekend.
The golf seemed almost beside the point to this observer as I walked the two golf courses. It was a kick to see the kids giving
lessons and encouragement to the higher handicapper, older Marines who seemed grateful for the tips. Thirty years of service, some of those in active combat, do not leave a lot of time to hone your short game. Ron, the ex-Marine who played in my son’s group, still travels the world training younger Marines to defuse bombs and jam enemy electronic signals. He knows he is not a good golfer, but his joy at playing with the kids was evident.
Many of the kids take the opportunity to ask the Marines about their careers and travels. For teenagers whose worldviews may be colored substantially by YouTube and Jersey Shore, it is an opportunity for a true reality show.
Without getting too sappy about it, the collegians -- indeed, all of us -- are able to play golf because someone else is out there on the front line doing the tough work. I was pleased that, on the 18th hole of the second day, when Ron and the college kids shook hands and said their goodbyes, my son Tim said to Ron, “Thank you for your service.”
Indeed.