We live in an era that affords most of us plenty of leisure time. Just a few generations ago, before the dawn of modern conveniences and easy access to just about anything, most waking hours not spent working outside the home, were spent working inside the home. Our great, great grandparents hardly knew the meaning of leisure time.

These days, we have much more time to spend on recreational pursuits. We can watch an infinite number of shows on multiple viewing platforms. We partake in hobbies and sports at all ages and stages of life. There are countless opportunities to see and experience the world. So much so, that it’s not uncommon to take our leisure time for granted. Or to grouse and complain when inconveniences jeopardize a much-anticipated outing.

I call this the “a bad day on the golf course is still a good day” phenomenon. But it’s not just applicable to golf. The same can be said for many activities and circumstances. Bad weather for a baseball game? Lose a pickleball match? Get a flat tire on a bike ride? Anytime a minor nuisance threatens to spoil our mood during an otherwise idyllic situation. In other words, first world problems.

I’ll go back to my golf analogy because anyone who’s played the game knows the frustration it can evoke. The wayward drives, missed putts, line drive chips across the green and those inconvenient weather delays.

I’ve played enough golf in my life to have witnessed the full range of angst caused by a bad round. I’ve heard just about every profanity uttered over a missed par, a ball hit out of bounds, splashing into the water, or careening off a tree limb and landing who knows where.

And yet, anyone who has the time, the means and the ability to participate in the sport, surely realizes that there are far worse places to be even in the midst of an atrocious round. And is it really that bad? You’re spending time outside on what is typically an extremely well-manicured swath of nature.

You’re breathing in fresh air and getting exercise. Yes, even if you’re riding in a cart – those clubs don’t swing themselves. You’re spending time with friends – or at least acquaintances, and most importantly – you’re not doing household chores or putting the final touches on a mind-numbing spreadsheet.

You get the picture. So why is it so hard to let go of those disappointments – an errant drive, a visit to the sand trap, a missed four-foot putt and still enjoy what is the epitome of the good life?

A bad day on the golf course is still a pretty good day, all things considered.

Here’s a little golf story for you. I’ve been playing for over thirty years and it’s pretty clear that I’m not one of those people who picked up the game quickly. It took me years to break 100 – and it’s still a rarity for me. Most of the time, I’m just happy to make it through nine holes without losing too many balls. And if I break 50, I’m a happy girl.

I am the epitome of the casual golfer. I show up with minutes to spare before my tee time. No driving range or putting practice for me.  I change into my golf shoes and hop in the cart. I am “mildly competitive” at best – which is why it was quite the shock when I managed to get a hole-in-one a few years ago.

I can still remember exactly how it went down. We were ready to tee off on a short par three during a partner challenge. I’d been playing well and decided to go down a club at the last minute to avoid overshooting the green. I teed the ball low and took a nice easy swing with my eight iron.

I watched the ball fly in a nice high arc, thinking, “I hit that one straight for a change.” After landing short of the flag, the ball rolled to the pin and dropped into the hole. It took us a few seconds to realize what had happened and our whoops of excitement were heard around the course. Well, maybe our opponents weren’t whooping quite as loudly – but you get the picture.

That was without a doubt, a good day on the golf course. But it wasn’t my best day on a golf course. Far from it – because despite making an amazing shot, that isn’t what makes golf special for me.

Some of my best days on the golf course are the ladies nine-hole leagues, where we solve the problems of the world while scrambling for a few pro shop credits. Where lasting friendships are made, no one remembers the score and it all ends with lunch.

My best days on the golf course include the couples nine and dines where the competition might be light, but the laughter is plentiful. No matter what the score, you feel like a winner – food, friends and a fun date night. What’s not to like?

It’s those Sunday afternoon rounds with an old friend, chatting about everything under the sun between drives, fairway shots, chips and putts. Sure, we try our best and cheer each other on when we hit a really good drive – but we have fun regardless of the number of pars, bogies and yes, double bogies.

And it’s even those charity golf outings, despite the slow pace and frequent rain delays. Where errant balls hit by participants who rarely play the game may never be found, but the drink cart keeps making the rounds, and the swag bags more than make up for any embarrassing shots or damaged egos.

A bad day on the golf course, beats a lot of things.

A bad day on the golf course is a reminder to put things into perspective. To have gratitude for the gift of recreation. The gift of time. The gift of friendships.

When you think about it, every day spent pursuing activities that bring us joy is a good day. I try not to take any of those days for granted.