It’s the season of giving and it truly is the best time of the year.
And, if we’re being honest, it’s always nice to receive a little something, too, right?
In that spirit, we asked our Caddie Network followers on Twitter and Facebook to answer the following: What’s one thing that golf has given you that you never expected?
We received so many fantastic answers. Here’s a look at many of our favorites, with a variety of funny, serious and downright painful…
“A passion to build a company.” — @Whiskey_Pines
“The love for Gold Bond Menthol.” — @imavillageidiot
“A wonderful job and countless lifelong friends.” — @GusTheCaddie88
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“Putting Yips.” — @beineker
“A life of competing. Never thought it would continue like this..” — @JDubyah67
Probably an uncommon answer, but amazing family time pic.twitter.com/jU3UAYJxE0
— Josh Douglass (@JDougESQ) December 3, 2019
“Four back surgeries.” — @wdefrancesco
“New friends in new towns! Lived in London, San Francisco, New York, Vancouver and now Petaluma and have the game to thank for some incredible long-term friendships.” — @NickS17
“Anxiety.” — @2shots70
“Sooooo many friends.” — @GolfTravelerBOS
“The friendship and the banter. The health benefits and the weather.” — @ColinIrving
“A collection of overpriced putters! Ha!” — @replicaeng
“A game for life… regardless of skill.” — @joesanders59
“Lyme Disease.” — @tvguyjake
“Inner peace and a deeper connection to my family.” — @TheSideNotes
“Another puzzle to figure out. Also knowing the pros hit them into the woods, too. Just not as ugly.” — @scheibel_s
“Empty bank account.” — @captain78140963
“A number of friends who I would never have met anywhere else except on the golf course.” — @DannyR415
READ: How I became a PGA Tour caddie | Unwritten rules to caddying
“Amazing time with my daughter!” –@BobRoge321
“About 8,500 hours one-on-one with my Dad that I would have never had otherwise. #misshimeveryday #golftalk #fatherson.” — @puppajr
“A way to eke out a meager living working less than half the year.” — @LoopersProShop
“Awareness of how to treat people and how to not treat people.” — @vedderkj
“Patience.” — @kurush_heerjee
“A great life… and a living.” — @tommysoxx
“A career.” — @ahback9
“Perseverance.” — @LuebkeRon
“Hole-in-one.” — @nathanbyrd12
“Although I have always appreciated the connections with my dad’s side of our family through golf, it was when I recently became a club caddie at a U.S. Open course that I truly joined the Golf Universe! Just wish I had done this before my mid-60s!” — Dave Hall
“A career outside of the golf business. The ability to play good golf opens many doors of opportunity. I was lucky enough to recognize that.” — Corey Brown
“The great association to other people that love the game as much as I do, and to be able to share that.” — Mark D. Kubiak
“Awesome time with family going to PGA events.” — Harry Golliday
“Great memories with my son.” — Chris Jones
“A wife… then kids.” — Chris Bourquin
“A career. Superintendent.” — Michael Salinetti
“I got to spend four hours (actually less — he plays fast) with a former U.S. President (#43).” — Sam Dalton
“To know some of the top players in the world. And on a personal level, becoming closer to my dad before he passed.” — Edward Mickey Clark
“The ability to travel and make a living because of golf.” — Sean Harkins
“Humility.” — John Albritton