Hey Club Quarantine! This post’s focus is golf, one of the two sports I’ve never played for school or a club. Additionally, it’s an individual sport, so it requires having a strong mindset (look at my running post for more on that) with no teammates to rely on for support. Since the age of 6, I would go to Sacramento for a week or two every summer, usually for two things: basketball camp and golf camp.
My grandparents, aunt and uncle, and cousins live out there, so despite it being a long drive just for camps, it was worth going because I could spend quality time staying with them. I attended a golf camp run by The First Tee at William Land Golf Course for at least a week. We would have many drills, eat snacks, and go out onto the real golf course and play some holes. One thing I really enjoyed about this camp was the fact that there were nine core values that the instructors emphasized that could be used in golf. However, not only are they applicable to golf, but in every other sport and even real life! The values built into the program taught every kid that sports aren’t just about winning- Sports build character and makes us better people. 
The values taught each day in this camp were: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy, and judgement. Although these are all great values to have, one that stood out in particular was integrity. I have always thought of integrity as being honest and fair, even when no one is watching. Especially since golf is an individual sport, it is important to have integrity because many times, a player is on the course alone, responsible for keeping his or her own score. In this case, the entire sport relies on honesty to keep the game fair for everyone.
Applying integrity to everyday life can be as easy or hard as you make it. For example, when I was in kindergarten, I used to be a thief! I would steal wallets and sippy cups from people’s cubbies. One time, a girl found out their sippy cup was missing and she told the teacher, who announced it to the class. I was too afraid to speak up, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Instead of coming clean in front of the whole class, I went to the teacher after class and confessed to my theft. Although I was scared I would get into trouble, the teacher was understanding and didn’t punish me, but she gave me a warning which shaped who I am today.
Being honest shows character, bravery, respect, and empathy. Having the honesty to admit mistakes also spares the larger consequences that come from being caught in a deception. Integrity is a quality to strive for in every area of your life because everyone makes mistakes and the ability to confront them honestly will make all the difference.
