An Answer Even I Could Understand | Doug Stroupe |
Shortly after I retired I decided to purchase a new golf putter. The one I was currently using had been purchased in 1956 and I had modified it several times and felt that it was time to change and go with new technology and really, I had used the old putter for over 35 years. I went out to the Langley Golf Course and looked at the huge selection of styles of new putter models. I browsed among the shelves of putters picking them up and feeling their weight and balance and admiring the appearances of the various designs. Finally after much thought, I made a decision. I asked the clerk if I could take some putters out to the practice putting green and try them out. "Take whatever you want," he replied. "Putt with each one to see which one really fits you." The practice green was quite large with various holes all around the green. I thought about methods of selecting a new putter and finally decided the best approach would be to take a putter and putt to every hole circling the green and see the results of how many putts it took to get around the green. I repeated this with every putter I had selected from the pro shop. This took quite some time but being retired time was no problem. My plan seemed simple, record everything and compare the strokes it took with each putter. However in the end, I checked my figures and there was scarcely any difference. I shook my head asking myself: "where did I go wrong with this grand evaluation plan of mine?" I decided to repeat the testing of all clubs again, but the results were about the same as the first time with nothing favoring one putter over the rest. I tried it again around the green with all putters counting the putts and was about worn out and still had no feeling of which putter was the best for me. It was obvious my plan was flawed and I had no clue what to do next. I thought about this for a moment and decided I should try one more time. However before I started I looked up at the sky and said "Lord Jesus, I need help here. Will you show me which putter I should purchase? And could you do it in a way that even a doubting Thomas could not mistake what you show me?" Then I decided that instead of going around the green again to all the holes I would putt one ball with each putter all the length of the green to one hole. So I reached down and randomly picked a putter up, dropped a ball down and putted the ball the full length of the green. As I watched the ball roll towards the hole I thought that maybe this test might not be any better than what I had already tried. The ball rolled and rolled and then dropped into the hole at the far end of the green. To say I was amazed would be a big understatement on my part. But my first thought was "Thank you Lord Jesus. I saw that. And there is no doubt about which putter I will purchase." Maybe all the putters would have produced exactly the same result, who knows? But I know the first one I picked up went in the hole after I had prayed for help. And it was like magic. And there was no way I could argue with what I had seen. My prayer was clearly answered. I still have that putter today and without a doubt, it is without question my favorite putter ever. Over the years since I purchased the putter I have bought many more and won a few at golf tournaments. I have given them all away over time with never any regret. I can still see that long putt rolling into the hole on the putting green with my favorite putter after I asked for and saw an answer to prayer that even I couldn't mistake or argue away. I do believe in answers to prayer, always will, and just might take this putter to Heaven with me.
| |