The cool thing about golf is that the embedded creativity and optionality means you never master it, even if you play your best round. There is always a shot you could have done differently, played the wind differently, hit a putt differently, chose iron instead of driver off the tee.

And you play against yourself - other people too, sure - but mostly against yourself. 

Because expectations can widely vary depending on who you are, what your life experience has been, and your level of play - you playing bogey golf might be the equivalent to a PGA tour professional making the cut. Winning a club championship could feel like winning the Masters. Shooting over 100 might feel like Tiger Woods missing a cut.

That damned, little white ball. 

 That's cool. I guess I get that feeling of playing against myself when I lift weights every morning. Same kinda thing maybe.