I have a new passion in my life. Don't worry; I still love God, my wife and my ministry as a Salvation Army officer. I have to confess, though, that the game of golf has become very important to me. What started out as a fun experiment has developed into a captivating pastime.

When I walk up to that first tee box early in the morning and see the bright yellow flag in the distance, my competitive juices start flowing. I like to win and improve in all that I do, so this game gets into my skin. With golf, it's important to learn the fundamentals and try to improve in every area. And for you golfers out there, you know that this takes a lifetime.

It's a personal competition against myself that can be best described as a roller coaster ride that is both exhilarating and nauseating, depending on what day you ask me. Bobby Jones said, “Golf is assuredly a mystifying game. It would seem that if a person has hit a golf ball correctly a thousand times, he should be able to duplicate the performance at will. But such is certainly not the case.”

When I started learning last year, I honestly thought it would be a cinch to blast that little ball to its desired destination. Boy was I in for a surprise! I quickly learned that golf was a fascinating game because there were so many variables to consider when it came to getting the ball in the cup, such as proper grip, good posture, position of the club head and a good follow through. Then, once these things are achieved, the course itself has to be meticulously studied by figuring out proper club selection for each hole, identifying changes in altitude, assessing the surrounding trees and bunkers in the area. Then, to top it all off, there is the battle against the weather conditions such as wind and rain.

While the natural tendency is to focus on all the practical elements of the game (and this is important), there is also a great deal of psychology and mental management that need to be addressed as well. As Jones also said, “Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course─the distance between your ears.”

As I reflect on the game of golf through a theological lens, in many ways, our daily walk with the Lord can be approached in a similar manner. It is very important to get the fundamentals down first. Things like prayer and Bible study cannot be taken for granted. They are essential to the way we grow and mature in our relationship with God and we need to follow through on these things. Then, as we mature in our daily walk, we can assess the course of our lives and the many obstacles or “bunkers” we might encounter with better judgment.

By being prepared both practically and mentally, we can all strive for victorious living in our walk with the Lord. This past year, I took three golf lessons from a former PGA professional and the tools he gave me were invaluable. As we approach the Father in the game of our lives, he, too, will equip us and enable us to sink our spiritual “hole in one.” I realize that the writer of Proverbs didn't have golf in mind when he wrote these verses but work with me here: “He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.”

Captain Kristian Simms is the corps officer of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. His pursuit in life is to live every day to the fullest for Christ. He has a strong passion and love for youth ministry and cheers for the greatest hockey team of all time: The Montreal Canadians. He has been married for eight years to Lesley, the best lady in the world. He also has a really cute dog named Mickey.