The Wood – Golf Poetry

THE WOOD 

'Tis fine to sink a ten-foot putt, 
     There's pleasure in a mashie shot ; 
The well-played niblick from the rut 
     Delights and thrills the soul a lot. 
When I approach in manner neat 
     It pleases me and does me good ; 
But no sensation is so sweet 
     As perfect timing of the wood. 

Let experts, in opinions wise, 
     Extol the iron, as they will, 
And tell of all the joy that lies 
     Within a shot that's played with skill. 
I've read their books and papers through, 
     And some of them I've understood ; 
But there's no thrill that's equal to 
     The perfect timing of the wood. 

O, sweet the thrill that comes to me 
     When I have launched a proper drive! 
I stand and watch it from the tee 
     The proudest, happiest man alive. 
What matters if I lose the hole 
     By dubbing strokes I never should? 
I have, to soothe my troubled soul, 
     The joy that's only born of wood. 

Not all the charm of putts that drop, 
     Nor all the thrills of irons straight. 
Can compensate for drives I top 
     Or brassey shots I meet too late. 
All other pleasures I'd forego 
    And gladly, if I only could 
The game's supremest joy to know — 
     The perfect timing of the wood. 

Edgar A. Guest
from Lyrics of the Links, published in 1921

Edgar Guest (1881 -1959) was a popular poet who was known as “The People’s Poet.”

Guest was born in England, but lived in Detroit from 1891 until his death. He first began working at the Detroit Free Press as a teen. Eventually his work was syndicated in 300 newspapers across the country; his poetry was collected in twenty books.

In all, Guest published more than 11,000 poems! He published a new poem every day for thirty years in the Detroit Free Press.

Guest also hosted a radio program and a NBC television series called “A Guest In Your House.”

In 1952, Guest was named Poet Laureate of Michigan, a position he held until his death in 1959. He remains Michigan’s only Poet Laureate.