What do you do on the most important day of your life? I guess that really depends on what day you consider that to be and the outside factors that might influence the ability to do said activity, i.e. weather, season, etc...

I'm 27-years-old and a little over a week ago, I experienced what I would consider, to date, the most important day of my life. I got married. 

With all of the nerves, pressure, and chaos that the day was set to bring, I decided to find a familiar comfort zone that would help curb some of the nerves I was feeling. I decided having very close friends and family around me would be good to. I decided to do what I do best (not in practice, but in thought). 

I played golf.

I'm not the first or last man that went golfing on his wedding day. In fact, I've participated in rounds of golf with friends on the morning of their wedding's. But, it was going to be different this time, because I was the one making the leap, and if you've read any of my previous entries in this blog recapping a round of golf, you know that I need all the help I can get... not the distraction. 

After about 30 minutes of sleep, I woke up at 6:45 am and checked the weather. Needless to say, I've woken up to much better weather reports the morning of a most crucial tee time. Layers were going to be needed, for it was 33 degrees outside and wouldn't crest 40 degrees during the entire nine hole journey. I was prepared, though, physically at least (mentally was yet to be determined). Temperatures in the mid-30s don't usually bring about frost bite, but it would be just my luck to show up and give my black, frost-bitten hand to my bride to slip a ring onto.

My group had spoken the night before about calling it off if the weather dipped below 40 degrees, but my best man decided rain, snow, tornado or hurricane, we were playing golf. He hadn't lugged his clubs from North Carolina so they could share the hotel room with he and his wife after all. 

So, we bundled up, grabbed some coffee and went golfing. My initial thoughts about playing nine holes hours before my wedding led me to believe that it would be the worst nine holes I ever played. That was no where near the case, however. What I believed would be a round filled with nervous swings and poor decision making turned into a sense of calm on the course I had not previously felt. 

Somehow, it was the most at peace I had ever been on the course. The life changing events that would happen later in the day put golf in perspective. It didn't matter what my score on the card was at the end of nine holes in the grand scheme of life. That knowledge helped me not over-think every shot, nor get too down when my ball yearned for an outing at the beach (which happened more times than any other round I've ever played). The sense of nerve that could have proved crippling never surfaced. No flood of emotions made me unfocused and unable to decide if a nine iron or pitching wedge would be the right club on that day. 

There are times in life when we are pleasantly surprised at the way events play out. For me, those nine holes on my wedding day were exactly that. It was more than the best company a guy could ask for, or a beautiful day despite the chilling wind. 

You might say, it was once in a lifetime.