Golf, An Escape From a World Gone Mad

Ronnie "The Rocket" McTaggart ready to unleash a thundering drive at one of the new golf holes at Bay of Quinte Golf & Country Club

Escaping Reality One Shot at a Time

For many recreational golfers—myself included—playing a round of golf is like stepping into an imaginary world of fantasy and excitement. Of course, it can quickly spiral into a journey through hell, but either way, it's a welcome escape from reality. And let’s be honest: these days, reality kind of sucks.

Out in the real world, chaos seems to be the new normal. No. 47 is back in office—and somehow even crazier and more dangerous than when he was No. 45. Trump is threatening punishing tariffs aimed at crippling our economy and continues to take shots at Canada’s sovereignty. Meanwhile, after more than three years, Russia's unprovoked attack on Ukraine and the ongoing war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip continue to grind on with devastating consequences.

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Here in the Bay of Quinte and Prince Edward County region, I expect that we are about three to four weeks away from local golf courses opening for the 2025 season.

That light at the end of the tunnel keeps many of us going. Because when the time comes to tee it up again, during those precious hours of golf, we get to put all the global madness on hold.

Let the Games Begin Before We All Go Crazy

There’s something therapeutic about the ritual. The trunk pops open. You lace up your shoes. Maybe your back creaks a little as you stretch. But at that moment, the noises of the outside world begin to fade. When you tee your ball up on the first hole, it’s like hitting a reset button. The news cycle pauses. The to-do list vanishes. It’s just you, your playing partners, and the course.

Golf has a way of demanding your full attention. It pulls your focus toward things that actually matter in the moment: wind direction, club selection, swing tempo, and that odd patch of crabgrass near the green. It rewards presence. The big issues of the world—eroding democracies, unhinged leaders, war—are still out there. But for four hours, they take a back seat.

It’s not that golfers are ignoring reality, far from it. Most of us are well-read, well-traveled, and well-aware of the problems that plague the globe. We vote, we donate, and we discuss. But we also understand the importance of taking a mental timeout. A round of golf offers that rare opportunity to unplug from the madness and focus on something completely different—something absurdly simple and yet infuriatingly complex: getting a small white ball into a small round hole.

Wings, Wisdom, and the Occasional Birdie

And then there’s the camaraderie. Golf isn’t just about personal performance; it’s about shared experience. There’s something powerful about walking the fairways with friends, trading jabs after bad shots, celebrating the occasional miracle, and engaging in the sacred post-game analysis over a pint or a plate of wings. These sessions can be as therapeutic as the round itself, offering perspective, laughter, and just enough exaggeration to make everyone feel like they won.

That post-game debrief is where the world returns, but in manageable doses. Someone might mention the latest headline, but it’s wrapped in humor or tempered by the endorphins of a good walk spoiled. Golf provides a buffer—a filter that makes the harshness of the world feel a little less immediate. A little less crushing.

Freedom on the Fairways: Every Golfer's Happy Place

It’s no surprise that during times of crisis, rounds of golf spike. The game flourished during the pandemic, not just because it was outdoors and socially distanced but because it gave people a sense of normalcy in a very abnormal world. That same appeal holds today. When uncertainty reigns, we cling to the rituals that ground us. For many, golf is one of those rituals.

So, the next time the headlines start to feel overwhelming and you find yourself spiraling down the rabbit hole of doomscrolling, consider this: the first tee is calling. And for the next few hours, the only borders you’ll worry about are the ones marked by red or white stakes. The only war will be between you and the golf course. And the only political debate will be about gimme putts.

Because sometimes, the best way to deal with the madness of the world is to take a walk, breathe deeply, swing freely, and lose yourself in a game that, for all its frustrations, reminds us how good it feels to just be present.

Golf might not save the world. But it might just save your sanity. And that, in this day and age, is more than enough reason to tee it up.

Stay Well, Stay Safe, and Have Fun

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