--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've seen lifelong friends drift apart…" description: "\"I've seen lifelong friends drift apart over golf just because one could play better, but the other counted better.\" — Stephen Leacock" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png" --- # I've seen lifelong friends drift apart over golf just… ![“I've seen lifelong friends drift apart over golf just because one could play better, but the other counted better.” quote by Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png) > “I've seen lifelong friends drift apart over golf just because one could play better, but the other counted better.” [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Friendship can be strained by competition, where skill in a game may outweigh personal values. **In simple terms:** Competition can damage friendships. Key Takeaway Prioritize relationships over rivalry. Themes friendship competition values Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical reflective When to use this quote - team sports - workplace competition - social gatherings Key Concepts social dynamics ethics Questions to Reflect On - When has competition hurt a friendship? - How can you balance skill and kindness? A Different Perspective May generalize beyond golf. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Apart Golf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apart-golf-4948183/) [Drift Apart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drift-apart-307346/) [Friends Drift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-drift-2121788/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Golf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/golf/) [Lifelong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifelong/) [Lifelong friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifelong-friends/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-better/) ## Related quotes > [Apart from golf, it was a great week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/webb-simpson/apart-from-golf-it-was-a-great-week/) [Webb Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/webb-simpson/) > [“Sometimes, friends drift in and out of our lives like fashion accessories—in one season and out the next.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jess-rothenberg/sometimes-friends-drift-in-and-out-of-our-lives-like-fashion/) [Jess Rothenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jess-rothenberg/) > [One of the odd things about middle age, he concluded, was the strange decisions a man discovers he's made by not really making them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-russo/one-of-the-odd-things-about-middle-age-he-concluded-was-the-strange/) [Richard Russo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-russo/) > [I went to elementary school in Goodeve, Saskatchewan, a small Ukrainian town. I played a lot of hockey, a lot of ball. Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-bellegarde/i-went-to-elementary-school-in-goodeve-saskatchewan-a-small-ukrainian/) [Perry Bellegarde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-bellegarde/) > [I'm glad I went through the training because I've met such great mentors and lifelong friends/collaborators along the way. Also, any training (acting, movement,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-hassoune/i-m-glad-i-went-through-the-training-because-i-ve-met-such-great/) [Jade Hassoune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-hassoune/) > [After an acquaintance of ten minutes many women will exchange confidences that a man would not reveal to a lifelong friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-smith/after-an-acquaintance-of-ten-minutes-many-women-will-exchange/) [Page Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-smith/) > [I promised myself as a kid that I would not become that guy. So I have my finger on the pulse of what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-bunting/i-promised-myself-as-a-kid-that-i-would-not-become-that-guy-so-i-have/) [Shane Bunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-bunting/) > [The two things I've been told most often since my career took off - by taxi drivers, lifelong friends and everyone in between -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margot-robbie/the-two-things-i-ve-been-told-most-often-since-my-career-took-off-by/) [Margot Robbie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margot-robbie/) > [Work is something you can count on, a trusted, lifelong friend who never deserts you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-bourke-white/work-is-something-you-can-count-on-a-trusted-lifelong-friend-who/) [Margaret Bourke-White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-bourke-white/) > [My own experience with being interviewed is mixed. I suppose they're a part of my job, and as I would like readers to connect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/my-own-experience-with-being-interviewed-is-mixed-i-suppose-they-re-a/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Oh yeah, 'Starship Troopers' was one of the best experiences of my life, and I made some lifelong friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-busey/oh-yeah-starship-troopers-was-one-of-the-best-experiences-of-my-life/) [Jake Busey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-busey/) > [I'm a very honorable person. I have lifelong friends from birth, from grammar school, from five years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-vlachos/i-m-a-very-honorable-person-i-have-lifelong-friends-from-birth-from/) [Tony Vlachos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-vlachos/) > [I count myself really fortunate that I have some lifelong friends. The best thing about a friend is when you are being your own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-grant/i-count-myself-really-fortunate-that-i-have-some-lifelong-friends-the/) [Amy Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-grant/) > [My lifelong friend and mentor Frank Barsalona is gone. And the music business as we knew it went with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-van-zandt/my-lifelong-friend-and-mentor-frank-barsalona-is-gone-and-the-music/) [Steven Van Zandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-van-zandt/) > [The first track is the end of a string. At the far end, a being is moving; a mystery, dropping a hint about itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-brown-jr/the-first-track-is-the-end-of-a-string-at-the-far-end-a-being-is/) [Tom Brown, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-brown-jr/) ## More by Stephen Leacock > [My parents migrated to Canada in 1876, and I decided to go with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/my-parents-migrated-to-canada-in-1876-and-i-decided-to-go-with-them/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [You frequently ask, where are the friends of your childhood, and urge that they shall be brought back to you. As far as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/you-frequently-ask-where-are-the-friends-of-your-childhood-and-urge/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [The parent who could see his boy as he really is, would shake his head and say: 'Willie is no good; I'll sell him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/the-parent-who-could-see-his-boy-as-he-really-is-would-shake-his-head/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [It's called political economy because it is has nothing to do with either politics or economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/it-s-called-political-economy-because-it-is-has-nothing-to-do-with/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [How can you shorten the subject? That stern struggle with the multiplication table, for many people not yet ended in victory, how can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/how-can-you-shorten-the-subject-that-stern-struggle-with-the/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [A silk dress in four sections, and shoes with high heels that would have broken the heart of John Calvin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/a-silk-dress-in-four-sections-and-shoes-with-high-heels-that-would/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [Humor may be defined as the kindly contemplation of the incongruities of life, and the artistic expression thereof.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/humor-may-be-defined-as-the-kindly-contemplation-of-the-incongruities/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [Chess is one long regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/chess-is-one-long-regret/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [A lone maple leaf resting on sand Have you ever been out for a late autumn walk in the closing part of the afternoon,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/a-lone-maple-leaf-resting-on-sand-have-you-ever-been-out-for-a-late/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [In ancient times they had no statistics so they had to fall back on lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/in-ancient-times-they-had-no-statistics-so-they-had-to-fall-back-on/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [“Suppose a would-be writer can't begin? I really believe there are many excellent writers who have never written because they never could begin. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/suppose-a-would-be-writer-can-t-begin-i-really-believe-there-are-many/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [We think of the noble object for which the professor appears tonight, we may be assured that the Lord will forgive any one who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/we-think-of-the-noble-object-for-which-the-professor-appears-tonight/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [Many a man in love with a dimple makes the mistake of marrying the whole girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/many-a-man-in-love-with-a-dimple-makes-the-mistake-of-marrying-the/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [The writing of solid, instructive stuff fortified by facts and figures is easy enough. There is no trouble in writing a scientific treatise on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/the-writing-of-solid-instructive-stuff-fortified-by-facts-and-figures/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) > [Advertising: the science of arresting the human intelligence long enough to get money from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/advertising-the-science-of-arresting-the-human-intelligence-long/) [Stephen Leacock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) [Explore all 105 Stephen Leacock quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/) ## More Friendship quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/) [Maureen Andeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-andeson/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) [Unknwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/) [Unknow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknow/) > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) > [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/) [Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) [Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've seen lifelong friends drift apart over golf just because one could play better, but the other counted better.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Stephen Leacock" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-over-golf-just-because-one/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friendship" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-over-golf-just-because-one/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/552/stephen-leacock-4891_friendship_i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-o_1585724.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've seen lifelong friends drift apart over golf just because one could play better, but the other counted…” — Stephen Leacock", "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": "Stephen Leacock", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-leacock/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've seen lifelong friends drift apart...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-over-golf-just-because-one/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-leacock/i-ve-seen-lifelong-friends-drift-apart-over-golf-just-because-one/#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 } } ] } ```