The Perfect Sport - Could It Be?



90% of what I write about is from the perspective of a parent raising two children with type 1 diabetes.  This topic, however, is one that actually ALL OF US wanted to write about.

Ladies and Gentleman... Drum roll please.....

GOLF.

Yep.  Golf.

My husband has played for over three decades and is admittedly a very good player.  In fact, so good, that in college, there was a time when he toyed with the idea of becoming a professional and spending his days managing some Midwestern course. 

Since he is a level, rational sort of fellow, after taking a few finance courses, he decided the best idea was to finish school with a degree that could lead to a professional... just not on a golf course.  Since he now works at a university, this sort of thinking has lead to even more advanced schooling and less time for golf. 

Oh the irony of being a responsible man.

With our little ladies now at the ripe age of 8 and 10, we decided to put them into their first series of golf lessons.  To be a trooper, I also agreed to sign up for another round of lessons (my, ahem, 3rd time) and a beginner's ladies league to help get additional practice.  In this way, during our summer, we can play as a FAMILY.

Which is ultimately the plan - allowing our kids to spread their wings (kids first and diabetes second)but still keeping them family oriented.

The girls played for the first time this weekend and it was marvelous!

The best part?  The equipment.

One of first decision makers in playing sports is how are we going to tote all of the type 1 diabetes supplies?  Where is it going to go?  Who will be responsible for it and how will we store it?

First thing our oldest daughter said, "I love my new golf bag!  Look at the huge pockets for my diabetes stuff!" 

My husband had to explain that those pockets were usually for things like gloves, extra golf balls and tees.   "But hey!  Why sure those pockets would be AWESOME for blood sugar meters, low snacks and cell phones!"

And those pockets worked out beautifully.  Whenever the need to test or have a snack or even just a bottle of water came up, the girls could simply self serve without any hassle.

Which brings me to the second best part of playing golf -- down time!  During those moments where someone is looking for a lost ball or chipping from a sand trap, or even just putting, there is plenty of time to check blood glucose, even discreetly, and head back out to the game without a moments delay.    No one felt like they were missing out or being benched or even letting down the "Coach".  The opposite reaction was no one even noticed and nothing was missed.

The walking was pretty awesome too.  Just the right amount of exercise to keep their blood sugars hovering in the low 100s for most of the day.  There was a slight drop in blood glucose a few hours post playing but the drop was gentle enough that the girls caught it around mid 60s and mid 70s.  A little snack and they were good to go.

There you have it... the magic sport appears to be golf.  We'll be playing, I mean practicing, all summer long so if I learn anything else, I will share it with you.

And if you see me, try to pretend that I made a good shot!