To Be Like Bubba

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To Be Like Bubba

If I could spend four days anywhere in the world, these would be my top picks, in reverse order:

#5-Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
#4-Venice, Italy
#3-Lake Louise, Canada
#2-Anywhere in Hawaii
#1-Augusta Georgia, sleeping, if necessary, in the lawnmower shed, during the Masters

I love the Masters. I do not like the politics and sometimes defiant backwardness of the Masters Club. But I love everything about the history, lore, and magic of the tournament played there each year. It is the greatest golf tournament in the world. I was there one year. On that week I lost my permission to ever again complain to God about anything.

This year the Masters outdid itself. God said to the angels, “Watch. I’ve been preparing this one a long time.”

Bubba Watson won the Masters. Oh, happy day! There is so much to like about Bubba Watson.

*He’s never had a swing coach. Ever.
*He’s never had a sports psychologist.
*He hits the ball further than I can run.
*He enjoys putting himself in positions where he’s forced to hit previously unimagined shots
*He cries ugly when he wins
*He admits that his nerves get the better of him almost every tournament
*He buttons the top button of his shirt, just because he can
*He loves Jesus with an innocent, playful and contagious faith
*He hangs out with the most fun and goofy group on the entire PGA tour. Hands down.

I’ve always thought the way a cynical and smug post-Christian culture would best have a chance at responding to the Gospel would be through Christ followers who were less worried about their “testimony” and more intent on living in authenticity, love, grace, humor, innocent absurdity and audacity. Non-believers expect us to try to look better behaved than them. It doesn’t impress them. They usually imagine it’s just an externally manufactured show. But someone more outrageously fun and funny, more disarmingly playful than them, without a single agenda to manipulate, that freaks people out. That can cause folk to reassess their lives.

Bubba Watson leads such a group on the PGA tour. His bible study on the road is filled with some of the coolest, funnest, funniest, goofiest, delightful, genuine, kind golfers on tour. They are contagious. Almost everyone on the tour enjoys them and wants to hang out with them. Believers and non-believers. Reporters flock around them. Fans chat it up with them. They are on Twitter often. They film themselves golfing through a course they created in their hotel lobby.

In their free time, after practice rounds, they deal with tension by making absurd and geeky music videos. The videos are so embarrassingly absurd, they are hilarious! These handsome, talented, wealthy stars making great fun of themselves.

I recently watched one of the players in that group, Ben Crane, so winsomely and naturally talk about God after winning a tournament that the golf announcer was genuinely disarmed and laughing along with him, not wanting it to end. It was great television, great life. I’m watching more and more athletes able to express themselves in such unforced and unrehearsed delight.

Its what I always dreamed could happen. That we could talk about Him in such a way, that we could live with Him in such a way, that instead of interviewers having to endure us, they instead couldn’t wait to interview us, because we were some of the most delightful, engaging, relevant, insightful and meaningful people they’d ever interview.

Almost immediately after he won, standing on the green, there they were-his Bible study buddies. The brilliant golf stars and music video goofs who have fallen deeply in love with Jesus…and each other. There was Ben Crane, Ricky Fowler, Aaron Baddeley, Hunter Mahan, and many of the others-hugging, laughing, crying and playing like kids who’d just discovered what balloons filled with helium can do to your voice.

I honestly don’t even think they have a plan. I don’t think this is their “evangelism technique”. I think they’re just being them in Christ, loving others and almost unconsciously letting the joy and pure goodness of Christ to come out. I hope they never figure it out. Because it might change and become forced. Someone might try to market it and turn it into another 501C3.

We’ve been endeavoring to model and teach this way of life, Bill Bruce and I. And we’re finding more and more each year, who are taking the risk to trust to believe God enjoys it more than we do.

Meanwhile, I just want to emulate Bubba and his buddies everywhere I go.

No, I want more than that. I want somehow that one of them would read this…and someday invite me to hang out with them. For they are heroes of mine. Not because they are great golfers. But because they have figured out what love looks like when Jesus is trusted.

Rock on boys.

John, one of the three amigos, part of the ever-growing tribe of grace.



Posted on Tue, April 10, 2012 by David Pinkerton

22 comments (Add your own)

1. Neal Johnson wrote:
Cool.

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 2:32 AM

2. Warren Aldrich wrote:
A beautiful description of something great. Being natural. If Shirley McClaine can celebrate and talk about coming back as a frog we can certainly uninhibitedly enjoy our spirituality. Rock on!!

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 2:37 AM

3. DF Mitchell wrote:
Thanks for this John...we rarely watch golf in our home, but I love the Masters, so we caught the last two holes and the playoff Sunday. Bubba's display of athletic gifts, his fearless determination to not hold back, and the genuineness on display after his victory were inspiring, especially in our world full of contrived responses.

Bless Bubba, bless them all.

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 2:49 AM

4. Matt Thompson wrote:
I couldn't agree with you more John. I was sitting next to my fifteen year old daughter who was giggling uncontrollably during that divine moment on number one. My wife, who was in the another room, yells out "Is your dad bawling?" She knows me all to well. I could not stop the tears, even if I wanted to, while witnessing such a moment of humbleness and grace. Your right, Bubba crys ugly, but it is one of the most beautiful sights around. Thanks for sharing your heart today John!

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 3:24 AM

5. Jem wrote:
Aww I Love this John! In the beginning of me seeking God, I as well as many others tried to change my Krazy behavior (loud, laughing and silly), and even still I still fight myself and those who tell me to look "good or act mature", but this post is so freeing it almost brought me to tears!!! I love love love this post b/c I loveee loveee loveee Jesus! Hope to see you all in AZ! :)

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 5:19 AM

6. Terry Phillips wrote:
This is a great tribute to a person who lives life to its fullest. I watched a "Ferhety" special interview with Bubba last night and saw a fully grown man who is OK with childlike faith and fun. Ferhety was deeply moved by Bubba's authentic love of his father, his friends, his wife, golf, and God. He was expecting to meet a dysfunctional wierdo, but instead discovered a perfectly adjusted human being free. That's my plan.

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 6:27 AM

7. Dawn Austen wrote:
John you have a very unique way of seeing nd expressing ur beliefs. I really agree with u - I don't believe that God wants us to be sour faced, joyless testimonies to Him. Where do people think a sense of humor comes from? I think God has the most wondrrful sense of humor nd I like to think that He laughs with us. We are saved by His incredible grace - that is something we should be rejoicing about daily. I'm not talking about false smiles/joy I'm talking about deep-seeded inner joy nd peace. May the Lord bless u richly in ur ministry!

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 7:22 AM

8. Jerry Bekken wrote:
John-Like you, I love the Masters. It really is a magical sporting event. Unfortunately, I was unable to watch this year since Janie I were driving home from Phoenix after relishing our morning at ODF. Hmmm.....watching the Masters and missing ODF or missing the Masters and sitting with that sweet community on Easter Sunday. Well, I love the Masters but I really, really love ODF. I did have observations from sunday, Randy kickin' it right out of the box with Jesus is Alive, John just being John and presenting our Jesus, John standing in the background of the baptismal, Randy and the guys kickin' us out the door with Victory in Jesus like no other group has ever heard before. It was a sweet morning. Now for the Masters, fortunately for me Janie was sleepy on our drive home to Las Cruces, fortunately for me I have XM and fortunately for me they have a golf channel where they whisper for the entire 18 holes. It was great to listen. It was also a great day as I listened to Miguel Cabrera hit a 3 run homerun in the bottom of the 9th as the Tigers tied the Red Sox and Alex Avila hit a walk off 2 run homerun in the bottom of the 11th. It was a great time to be with ODF, my kids and grandkids in Phoenix, drive home with my beautiful wife and listen to the Masters and the Tigers. I love you John - Jerry

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 8:06 AM

9. Marci wrote:
I normally wouldn't have known who you were talking about - Bubba Watson? But because my son and his family were at my house this week I watched the Masters and even watched by myself after they left on Sunday. I LOVED your take on this whole thing. In fact, I find I'm loving your take on whatever I read that you write - even golf! This old dog wants to learn the new trick of living life to the fullest - thanks again for your words, John.

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 8:15 AM

10. Patti Holien wrote:
LOVE LOVE LOVE this post!!! We watched the final on Sunday, all of us on the edge of our seats, my heart pounding with nerves and joy for this sweet young man! Thank you so much for writing this - it made me smile and cry and swell with joy for our local boy Bubba!!

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 9:01 AM

11. Kelly Bates wrote:
Ive had the privilege to meet Ben and his wife. I"ve seen one of his cool vidoes His parents open up their home weekly to all who want to come and live this grace journey out together We eat, drink , share and love. It is beautiful and messy, for sure. What a joy to hear how Ben touches others without pretense, basking in His unconditional love. Stop by sometime when you're in the area. Most Thursday nights! We'd love to see you, John!

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 9:45 AM

12. Ken Stewart wrote:
Awesome blog! Wish I'd written it--though I'd probably put Dingle Peninsula as #2 (I've actually been there--it's gorgeous)!

Thanks for writing this and posting it, John. I'm sharing with lots of friends!

Keep up the good blogging!

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 3:39 PM

13. John Lynch wrote:
Thank you Ken! That means a lot. John

Tue, April 10, 2012 @ 3:59 PM

14. Traylor Lovvorn wrote:
So well said, John. You nailed what I couldn't put my finger on. May we all approach today, this week, this month, and this year with a bit more child-like fun and a giddy excitement that the Gospel is true!

Traylor

Wed, April 11, 2012 @ 2:39 AM

15. Rebekah Grace wrote:
Irony is real. And God is most assuradely alive! I saw this post shared on facebook yesterday, I didn't read it. Something reminded me today and I went to the link so I could read. Oh how I needed all of these words. Thank you Bubba! Thank you John! And last but not least, thank You Jesus!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wed, April 11, 2012 @ 7:05 AM

16. sharon wrote:
how extremely, extremely COOL! i watched the Masters on Sunday, just because i happened to be visiting friends and the husband took me up on my joking reminder to watch it.

by the time we figured out that Bubba was more than just a funny name to listen for, we were half way in and totally hooked -- even looked at the Golf Boys video! i wondered about the button, the overalls (video), and the sweet celebration afterwards. your story here makes it a million time better than what i'd imagined.

who knows -- i might authentically start enjoying that silly game, one day. but seriously -- thanks!! :-D

Wed, April 11, 2012 @ 5:20 PM

17. Russell, Coastal Oregon wrote:
God saw Bubba Watson from eternity, fore-ordained that talent in him, saw that win at the Masters, and heard Bubba say to the world on T.V., "I'd like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ"... . It amazes me the things he does to glorify himself. Bubba is a good example of "getting to do," not "having to do" God's will. Humble yourself and he will exhalt you! Great post John!

Thu, April 12, 2012 @ 4:29 PM

18. Van wrote:
Beautiful John. I have always loved golf, but played for all the wrong reasons for toooooo long. These guys are inspiring and what a beautiful picture of evangelism unrehearsed you paint. Van

Fri, April 13, 2012 @ 7:12 AM

19. Ed Reoch wrote:
Tiger Woods, Take note!!!

Sat, April 14, 2012 @ 5:31 AM

20. Ed Reoch wrote:
Tiger Woods, Take note!!!

Sat, April 14, 2012 @ 5:32 AM

21. Peggy Beakes wrote:
This was the best golf article I have ever read. I did not know that some of the mentioned golfers were Christians. I did know that Bubba was but now I see them in a new light. Their behavior on the course makes them shine. No throwing clubs, no unsing the Lord's name in vain like one golfer we know who truly needs to know Christ as his Savior. It is truly refreshing to know that good clean and goofy fun is still acceptable. I love the Lord and have for 25 years. The Lord is in control of all things. Thank you John for writing this article. Very good!

Sat, April 14, 2012 @ 10:08 AM

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Wed, November 21, 2012 @ 10:09 AM

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