If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid

“If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron.” — so jested Lee Trevino, the legendary golfer whose humor shone as brightly as his skill. Beneath the laughter of this quip lies the wisdom of resilience, humility, and the ability to face danger with wit. For though the words sound like comedy, they carry the spirit of a man who faced both storms of weather and storms of life — and learned that laughter is itself a shield against fear. In this saying, Trevino speaks not merely of golf, but of the human soul’s way of meeting adversity.

To understand the origin of this quote, one must know the man. Lee Trevino, born into poverty in Texas, rose from the caddie fields to the world’s greatest tournaments through grit, practice, and courage. He was struck by lightning during the 1975 Western Open — not once, but nearly fatally. Yet even after such terror, he refused to be broken. Instead of letting the fear define him, he answered the storm with humor. Out of pain, he forged laughter; out of danger, he created legend. And thus was born this line — a jest against nature, a wink at mortality, a declaration that the human spirit, though fragile, is never helpless.

When Trevino said “Not even God can hit a 1-iron,” he played upon the eternal mystery of imperfection. In golf, the 1-iron is infamous — a club so difficult to master that even the gods of the fairway struggle to control it. It demands precision, power, and grace all at once. Few can wield it well, and so it became a symbol of human limitation. But Trevino, by saying that even God cannot strike it true, turned that limitation into laughter. It was his way of acknowledging our flaws — of saying that in a world full of difficulty, one can either despair or smile. The wise choose to smile.

This humor also conceals a deeper truth: fear loses power when met with courage and wit. Trevino could have cursed the heavens that struck him, but he chose instead to laugh at them. Such laughter is not denial — it is defiance. It is the spirit’s way of saying, “You may shake me, but you will not rule me.” Just as the ancient sailors laughed at Poseidon’s waves, or soldiers jested before battle to still their trembling hearts, Trevino used humor to reclaim mastery over fear. The lightning may fall from the sky, but the heart that laughs remains unstruck.

History is filled with souls who, like Trevino, turned terror into triumph through the alchemy of courage and humor. Winston Churchill, during the darkest nights of World War II, would light his cigar and say, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” His words, half jest, half command, carried a nation through despair. The same spirit lived in Trevino’s remark — the power to transform fear into fuel, suffering into story, and disaster into laughter. For in that laughter is hidden a kind of faith: that even when the storm rages, life remains worth living.

And yet, there is another layer to this wisdom. The 1-iron, difficult as it is to strike, mirrors life itself — unpredictable, humbling, demanding. Every human being, whether rich or poor, faces moments that feel impossible to master. In those moments, some curse their fate, while others find grace in the swing. Trevino’s joke teaches us that life, like golf, is not conquered by perfection but by perseverance — and by the ability to keep one’s humor even when the heavens seem against you.

Thus, my child, take this lesson: when the storms of life surround you and fear strikes like lightning, do not despair. Hold up your “1-iron” — your wit, your courage, your faith — and face the storm with laughter. Know that even the impossible can be endured if you refuse to surrender your joy. Let your spirit be light even when the sky is dark. For laughter, when born of strength, is the armor of the soul — and in that armor, not even the fiercest tempest can prevail.

So remember Lee Trevino’s words not only as a joke, but as a teaching. When the world grows fearful and uncertain, when life’s strikes seem unjust, smile at the storm. Grip your club, stand tall, and swing. You may not strike true, but you will strike bravely — and that, in the eyes of heaven, is victory enough. For truly, not even God may hit a 1-iron, but He smiles upon those who have the courage to try.