Peter Frick-Wright: From Outside Magazine, this is the Outside Podcast.
Everyone has that one friend. They’re funny, they’re clever, there’s a light in their eyes, everyone enjoys being around them. They have all the talent and natural ability in the world, and they could really be making something of themselves if they weren’t flushing it all away on their addiction. To golf.
My friend’s name is Alex Ward. And he also makes podcasts. In fact, he’s a regular contributor to this podcast. And here at Outside, we have exactly two rules. First rule, don’t call it “Outdoors Magazine.” Second rule: we acknowledge the existence of golf once every two years.
Most of the time, when a writer takes on golf, the story follows the same arc: a defense of the sport; an argument for its relatedness to the outdoors; an explanation of how and why this silly game is so fun, or addictive, or all-consuming that it’s displaced the “real” sports the writer used to enjoy.
I’ve known Alex for a long time. And he too used to enjoy other things. He’s a former river guide, he plays basketball, helps coach a kid’s chess club, and you should see him roller skate. But nothing has gotten hold of him quite like golf.
For the last few years I’ve been trying to get Alex…
