Warning – this is not the No Spin Zone. I have an agenda. Everyone has an agenda. Yeah, the media is supposed to be unbiased … but really?

Here’s my agenda: A passion for personal freedom and individuality.

What a minute – isn’t this a golf magazine? Yeah, and this is a golf column. Why do you think that I love golf? Because it’s a team game? Not so much.

Sure, I played team sports, sat in classrooms and went to school, and joined organizations, etc. But, fundamentally I’m an individualist and believe in individuality.

Golf was originally a game of Scottish shepherds. The game was just hit a rock with a cane to a spot, and the winner gets a belt of the other guy’s whiskey. The rule(s) were simple: play it as it lies – if not possible, take a penalty and play a new rock.

The point was to hit the rock to the spot in the fewest amount of swings. Which is also, supposedly, the point of modern golf. But, somehow this has “evolved” into the modern rule book.

Maybe you like control freaks – I don’t. I don’t relish spending four hours with some wacko reciting obscure, ridiculous golf rules while I’m trying to play a game. I wish golf went back to just playing the ball as it lies. Bad lies? Bad breaks? Sorry – deal with it – that’s the game.

If I wanted to waste my time and boggle my mind with ridiculous rules and regulations, I’d spend my time watching Congress in session.

The problem with all of these rules and regulations and other attempts to make life “fair” is that we have a limited amount of time. It’s the same with perfectionists … there just ain’t enough time.

Common sense is the ability to weigh options and probabilities and make a sensible decision. Perfectionists make terrible poker players and they usually make terrible golfers. They’re always trying to make the perfect swing and play the perfect shot. They don’t understand the concept of the low percentage shot.

A few weeks ago while watching the Vikings-Bears game, the Vikings were leading 21-7 at the start of the 4th quarter. The Vikings disregarded the time factor. With the best runner in football – Adrian Peterson – at their disposal, all they had to do was just keep running the ball on offense, and not give up the long ball and sideline passes while on defense – not exactly rocket science. They did neither one. Thank God Chicago kept dropping passes and committing penalties, else the Vikings would have lost a lay-up of a game.

This is a constant mind-set in all sports. Ever watch Ridnour run the offense on the Timberwolves? The other night against Cleveland the Wolves were winning at the end of the game and needed to use up time more than to score points. Ridnour would race up the court and just fire off a shot even before any of his teammates were under the basket – it was a miracle that the Wolves won … Cleveland was even more incompetent. These are talented athletes – that’s why they’re pros – but it’s still hard to watch.

Ever meet a person who balances their checkbook to the penny? I knew a woman who spent two days finding the missing penny. What’s her time worth? Her search only makes sense if she has unlimited time – I don’t think she’s immortal (but I could be wrong).