When the news came out a few days ago that Tiger Woods will not be playing in the British Open as he continues to recover from his second back surgery, it was not a surprise. It was more of an underlying possibility he may never participate in a Major again, perhaps any tournament at all. He has not played in a year and a half and will miss his third consecutive Major. The contortions, twists and turns that allowed him to strike the ball further than anybody during the prime of his career came at a stiff cost: his health. It is said that we are nothing without our health, and for Tiger Woods this means it will take some kind of medical miracle, or an otherwise incredible amount of rest and physiotherapy, to be able to swing a club with any kind of proficiency.

Golf can be a frustrating game; one look at Shane Lowry’s face Sunday at Oakmont could tell you that. In a world filled with oversized drivers, easy-to-hit hybrids, forgiving irons and dual-balanced putters, sometimes the best tool in a golfer’s bag can be a sense of humor. In many cases on the golf course, laughter can be the best medicine. You can’t erase the double bogey you just made on the previous hole, your pencil can. So in the words of one Bobby McFerrin, don’t worry, be happy. Smile at mistakes and laugh off shanks, after all, golf is a game of managing mishits. In honor of Father’s Day (honestly, what’s better than a perfectly executed “dad joke”), the team here at LostGolfBalls has compiled a list of 10 amazingly accurate and hilarious quotes on golf.

When Muhammad Ali passed, among those who paid tribute to him was Lydia Ko. “Thank you very much for being an inspiration to all! RIP Muhammad Ali.” Anyone who follows golf has to appreciate Ko’s words. She’s a 19-year-old who would have known Ali only by what she has seen on video or read on the Internet. Sadly, she grew up in an era in which the greatest boxer of the ‘60s and ‘70s – and arguably of all time – had already descended into the depths of the disease that would lead to his death at the age of 74. But it takes one great athlete to recognize and appreciate another.

Yesterday, millions of Americans honored the brave men and women who have lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military. Memorial Day originated shortly after the Civil War when the Grand Army of the Republic – the Union Army’s veteran’s organization – established the last Monday of May as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the fallen with flowers. From fighting for independence to liberating the oppressed, America’s history is deeply intertwined with its military exploits. Did you know that golf and the military also have a past? Long before Rory McIlroy cruised to his maiden U.S. Open title at Congressional Country Club, the Bethesda, MD club was home to some other major firsts. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) – the predecessor to today’s CIA and Special Forces – leased the club as a training ground for spies and commandos. Marksmanship training on the driving range put a whole new spin on picking your target while practicing throwing hand grenades into bunkers certainly defined the explosion shot.

Photo cred: http://nichehacks.com/ Here’s an idea to have some fun watching the U.S. Open next month. Get together with a bunch of friends and put some money into a “pool” in which the winner collects the entire share. I’ve been involved in golf pools for several years, usually involving 20 teams, each investing $10 a piece. We each pick four players, but to make it interesting we automatically eliminate the major contenders such as Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy. These two will automatically be considered favorites to win, along with Jason Day. The winning team is the one with the lowest score.

Did you know that golf is one of the country’s most popular sports? Every year more than 24 million Americans play 455 million-plus rounds of golf. That equates to roughly 20 rounds per golfer annually. Did you also know that golfers lose more than two golf balls per round on average? It’s ok to admit; we’ve all been there waiving sadly as our golf ball takes a hard right turn and splashes down in the pond just off the 18th green. Losing a golf ball can be an emotional experience. You may have had your first birdie with that golf ball. You might have used it to shoot your best round ever. Heck, people even frame their hole-in-one golf balls if they don’t lose it first.

During the off-season, when I’m trapped indoors by literal mountains of snow and rampaging polar bears, I like to read. Of course I like to read about golf, because I’m a sucker for self-punishment and there’s no other way to torture yourself than by reading about something that you can’t do for another five months. So here they are – twelve books (in no particular order) that every golfer should have on their bookshelf for those rainy (or snowy!) days.

We aren’t denying it – if you’re here, you love the game of golf. And while it’s normal to have some golf-themed decorations around the house, some people take their obsession with the game into new levels when designing their perfect rooms. Some of them are gorgeous, some of them are tasteful, and some of them are just downright bizarre. But is too much of a good thing really that bad? Look at the rooms below, and let us know – how far would you go to bring your love of the game indoors?

This Christmas, add some golf magic underneath the tree. We’ve been playing Santa’s helper to make sure you score a hole-in-one in the gift giving game this holiday season. Check our list (and check it twice!) for the best golf ball gifts to give this year!