---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's…"
description: "\"Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's sins.\" — James Reston, Jr"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg"
---

#  Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's sins.

![“Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's sins.” quote by James Reston, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg)

> “Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's sins.”

[James Reston, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston-jr/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote suggests that golf is a divine retribution for human wrongdoing, implying a moral judgment on the sport.

**In simple terms:** Golf is portrayed as a punishment for sin.

Key Takeaway

Reflect on the moral framing of leisure activities.

Themes

morality leisure punishment

Mood

skeptical thoughtful

Type

critical philosophical

When to use this quote

- recreational clubs
- personal reflection
- ethical debates

Key Concepts

theology sport criticism

Questions to Reflect On

- Does this view affect how you enjoy golf?
- Can sport be a moral lesson?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Golf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/) [Golf Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf-lord-3234759/) [Lord](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord/) [Lord Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord-punishment-3234760/) [Man Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-sins-2006524/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Punishment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment/) [Punishment Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/punishment-man-483645/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins/)

## Related quotes

> [The broad effects which can be obtained by punishment in man and beast, are the increase of fear, the sharpening of the sense of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-broad-effects-which-can-be-obtained-by-punishment-in-man-and/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [“You cannot judge one man by another's sins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-livingstone/you-cannot-judge-one-man-by-another-s-sins/)

[Loretta Livingstone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-livingstone/)

> [“The death of a man is his sins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evans-biya/the-death-of-a-man-is-his-sins/)

[Evans Biya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evans-biya/)

> [No matter how weak and negative a good man is, he has as many sins on him as he can bear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/no-matter-how-weak-and-negative-a-good-man-is-he-has-as-many-sins-on/)

[John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/)

> [“Both salvation and punishment for man lie in the fact that if he lives wrongly he can befog himself so as not to see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/both-salvation-and-punishment-for-man-lie-in-the-fact-that-if-he/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“there is no punishment man can bring down on another man's head more powerful than forgiveness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-r-albers/there-is-no-punishment-man-can-bring-down-on-another-man-s-head-more/)

[K.R. Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-r-albers/)

> [It is a most just punishment, that man should lose that freedom, which man could not use, yet had power to keep, if he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/it-is-a-most-just-punishment-that-man-should-lose-that-freedom-which/)

[Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/)

> [“When man subverted order he did a great deal more than merely fall away from the rationality of his nature, diminish his own humanity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etienne-gilson/when-man-subverted-order-he-did-a-great-deal-more-than-merely-fall/)

[Étienne Gilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etienne-gilson/)

> [Secondly, man sins against nature when he goes against his generic nature, that is to say, his animal nature. Now, it is evident that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/secondly-man-sins-against-nature-when-he-goes-against-his-generic/)

[Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/)

> [If a man sins and denies it, saying, 'I have not sinned,' do not correct him, or you will destroy any intention he might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/if-a-man-sins-and-denies-it-saying-i-have-not-sinned-do-not-correct/)

[Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/)

> [Memory is earth's retribution for man's sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusta-jane-evans/memory-is-earth-s-retribution-for-man-s-sins/)

[Augusta Jane Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusta-jane-evans/)

> [A man of discernment, meditating on the healing Divine Providence, bears with thanksgiving the misfortunes that come to him. He sees their causes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maximus-the-confessor/a-man-of-discernment-meditating-on-the-healing-divine-providence/)

[Maximus the Confessor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maximus-the-confessor/)

> [Often even a whole city suffers for a bad man who sins and contrives presumptuous deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesiod/often-even-a-whole-city-suffers-for-a-bad-man-who-sins-and-contrives/)

[Hesiod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesiod/)

> [“In sinning, each man sins against all, and each man is at least partly guilty for another's sin. There is no isolated sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-sinning-each-man-sins-against-all-and-each-man-is-at-least-partly/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Leave a man to his own sins, and hell itself surrounds him; only suffer a sinner to do what he wills, and to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/leave-a-man-to-his-own-sins-and-hell-itself-surrounds-him-only-suffer/)

[Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/)

## More by James Reston, Jr

> [As General Eisenhower discovered, it is easier to end the Cold War or stamp out poverty than to master this devilish pastime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston-jr/as-general-eisenhower-discovered-it-is-easier-to-end-the-cold-war-or/)

[James Reston, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston-jr/)

> [There isn't a single professional sports season now that doesn't go on at least a month too long. Baseball starts in football weather, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston-jr/there-isn-t-a-single-professional-sports-season-now-that-doesn-t-go/)

[James Reston, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston-jr/)

[Explore all 3 James Reston, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston-jr/)

## More Golf quotes

> [It's difficult for people to come to the understanding that only a small minority of the people ever really get the word about life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-nightingale/it-s-difficult-for-people-to-come-to-the-understanding-that-only-a/)

[Earl Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-nightingale/)

> [When I get a chance to play golf or go on a boat with good people, take the boat out and put some lobsters…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-mac/when-i-get-a-chance-to-play-golf-or-go-on-a-boat-with-good-people/)

[Bernie Mac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-mac/)

> [I am a millionaire today and my wife deserves all of the credit. Before I met her I was a multi-millionaire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chi-chi-rodriguez/i-am-a-millionaire-today-and-my-wife-deserves-all-of-the-credit/)

[Chi Chi Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chi-chi-rodriguez/)

> [I think one reason people play golf is it allows them to obsess about something other than the daily crap. It takes your mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-black/i-think-one-reason-people-play-golf-is-it-allows-them-to-obsess-about/)

[Lewis Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-black/)

> [I don't think you play golf just to make money. I think you're just good at it, and that ends up being a profession…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-cantlay/i-don-t-think-you-play-golf-just-to-make-money-i-think-you-re-just/)

[Patrick Cantlay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-cantlay/)

> [A good golfers métier is his or her golfing skill. A great golfers métier is his or her golfing skill, coupled with the mastery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/a-good-golfers-m-tier-is-his-or-her-golfing-skill-a-great-golfers-m/)

[Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/)

> [It's a great feeling to know that I've played the best golf throughout the season of any of the guys for the second time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/it-s-a-great-feeling-to-know-that-i-ve-played-the-best-golf/)

[Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/)

> [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/)

[Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/)

> [I don't think you would have missed that putt, but in these circumstances, I would never give you the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-don-t-think-you-would-have-missed-that-putt-but-in-these/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [“Someone’s coming.” Terry McCaleb looked at his wife and then followed her eyes down to the winding road below. He could see the golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-connelly/someone-s-coming-terry-mccaleb-looked-at-his-wife-and-then-followed/)

[Michael Connelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-connelly/)

> [I think people like players they can relate to. It seems as if people think they know me. I just think I'm an ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-couples/i-think-people-like-players-they-can-relate-to-it-seems-as-if-people/)

[Fred Couples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-couples/)

> [The interesting thing is that everyone in golf is just nice. You learn a lot about people playing golf: their integrity, how they play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-interesting-thing-is-that-everyone-in-golf-is-just-nice-you-learn/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/)

[Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/)

> [Being in the fairway, I think the fairways are a little bit more overrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooks-koepka/being-in-the-fairway-i-think-the-fairways-are-a-little-bit-more/)

[Brooks Koepka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooks-koepka/)

> [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/)

[Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/)

[Browse all 3,917 Golf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's sins.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "James Reston, Jr"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston-jr/golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s-sins/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Golf"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston-jr/golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s-sins/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d20/james-reston-jr-79012_golf_golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s_350248.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Golf is the Lord's punishment for man's sins.” — James Reston, Jr",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "James Reston, Jr",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-reston-jr/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Golf is the Lord's punishment for...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston-jr/golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s-sins/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-reston-jr/golf-is-the-lord-s-punishment-for-man-s-sins/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
