Professional Golf And The BibleSample

“Ben Crane Leans on Proverbial Wisdom Following Post-Tournament Challenge”

2005 Booz Allen Classic Final Round: Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland)

Ben Crane is known to be a slow player. If you don’t believe it, just ask him. He’ll wholeheartedly agree. In fact, Crane’s reputation for deliberate shot analysis and painstaking club selection was the inspiration for a satirical video in which the PGA golfer displayed his trademark dry-witted, self-deprecating humor.

Not everyone has found amusement in Crane’s quirky style, and that fact caused him some trouble at the 2005 Booz Allen Classic at Congressional in Bethesda, Maryland. During the final round, his quick-paced playing partner, South African Rory Sabbatini, became extremely frustrated. By the time they had reached the 17th hole. Sabbatini hit his second shot into a pond just beyond the green and immediately walked that direction before Crane had played his second shot. After Crane’s next swing, Sabbatini chipped his ball onto the green, putted out and then retreated to the 18th tee box while leaving his fellow professional (and traditional decorum) behind.

Sabbatini was visibly annoyed as he forced a brutish handshake and swore all the way to the scoring tent. The fans noticed, the officials noticed, and of course, the media noticed.

At the end of the round, ABC Sports reporter Judy Rankin asked Crane about the incident. “What’s going on?” she inquired. In that moment, a poignant Bible verse came to his mind.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” (Proverbs 15:1)

Instead of taking a swipe at his opponent, who had already been booed and accosted by the spectators, Crane put the blame squarely on himself and chose not to make any inflammatory remarks.

“That was a defining moment for me because (playing slow) was something that I needed to work on,” Crane said in the book Life in the Fairway. “I think a lot of people originally thought it was about Rory, but it was much more about me and what I could learn from it from my perspective.”

Crane finished in a three-way tie for second, but made a positive impression on the media and the fans because of his response.

“I wasn’t mad at Rory,” he told Christian Sports Journal. “I just realized that I needed to start playing faster. I also realized that every time you apply God’s word to your life, it works out perfect.”