Josh Olson

Crossgar Golf Club
Last Wednesday night the fairways on Crossgar Golf Club resounded to the sound of one of the world’s longest golf driving professionals. Josh Olson. His driving power has to be seen to be believed and on the Long Drivers of America tour he averages over 350 yards, with his longest going 462 yards in competition. He's so long, in fact, that three of his hole-in-ones were on a par four. He aced the 361-yard par four eighth hole at Buffalo Hill Golf Club in Kalispell; the 338-yard par four 11th hole at Eagle Bend in Bigfork; and the 329-yard second hole on the north course at Whitefish Lake Golf Club.

During the Day
The day had started with Josh joining golfers on the first couple of holes at Crossgar Golf Club and giving much appreciated advice to club members and visitors on improving their game. In the evening Josh held a master class on golf technique for many members and friends. However the evening was not solely about the serious business of golf as Josh demonstrated some of his baseball talent in driving a thrown ball, a ball from a 3’ tee and also made effective use of a human tee.

Evening Display
As the evening progressed Josh also demonstrated his use of a 9’ golf club and gave a demonstration of his driving power as he started with a 130 MPH swing and progressed to sing at in excess of 150 MPH. Possibly the highlight of the evening was when Josh successfully drove a golf ball at about 200 MPH through a piece of ½” plywood.

Josh, Golfers & Friends

However, Josh is not just a consummate golf professional, he is also excellent company and a capable entertainer; he kept everyone enthralled with his humorous explanations of some of the technical aspects of the game and encouraged many of the audience to volunteer to assist him in some of the more “interesting” exercises.

Background
The son of Jon and Rhonda Olson, Josh never played competitive high school golf during his time at Flathead High School and Flathead Christian School, but he excelled in baseball and basketball. While his father was building homes at golf courses around the flathead Valley, Josh might sneak off to hit balls.

After high school he qualified for professional mini tours in Washington and Canada before a friend convinced him to try out for the Long Drivers of America where he was placed seventh at qualifying school

Golf or Baseball?

The event was jointly supported by Crossgar Golf Club and Lissara Presbyterian Church as Josh is not only a professional golfer but a dedicated Christian using his skills on the course to explain the importance of his faith.

Golf and Life
Josh breaks the golf swing and life down into four crucial areas: -

Grip - How you grip the club is the beginning of the golf swing. "What are you holding onto in life?" Josh said. "What are the important things in life, and what are your priorities?"

Aim - The aim is one of the most critical pieces of the golf swing, Olson said. "Where are you focused?" Josh asks. "What are your dreams? If you're not setting goals, just playing away, you're just wandering aimlessly. "When you aim a golf club down a fairway, you have to be able to see that target."

Stance - Your balance and your stance are the foundations that your life (and your golf swing) are built on, Josh said. "Is your house built on rock or sand? Everything has to start with balance ... a balanced lifestyle."

Posture - This is where all the fundamentals come together, he said. "What are the tools you're using to get you to your goals? "Posture is the most neglected part of the golf swing... as well as life."

Spreading the Gospel
Could there have been a more direct command that that issued by Jesus in Mark 16;15 when we were told to "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation". When we consider how often  

Jesus met people, not where he wanted them to be, but where they were and measure our attitude towards mission or ministry. Yes, we throw our doors open and invite them in – but how do we appear, is a new face warmly welcomed or are our traditions standing in the way of the Gospel.

In moving out of our traditional buildings and endeavouring to speak the Gospel in love and compassion there is no question of compromising on the message or of diluting it’s life changing and eternal importance.

The Bible is God’s instruction book of how His relationship with man was broken by sin and of God’s plan to rebuild that relationship through the death and resurrection of His only Son, Jesus Christ. God has only provided one method of salvation and as Christians (disciples or followers of Jesus Christ) we have a duty and the privilege of bringing this Gospel to a lost world.

The circumstances within which we do this, providing that they are not in themselves sinful, are irrelevant and the closing section of the evening allowed Josh to share his love for the Lord and his profound Christian faith with a new group of people.