At the time it was only $180 per round, so I knew I was standing on the 18th tee at Pebble Beach for the one time in my life.

I desperately wanted to go home with a par so every time I saw this hole on television, I could say I parred it.

It's the most famous hole in golf. With the Pacific Ocean bordering the entire left side of this dog-leg left par five, and out of bounds creeping in from the right, this is the ultimate risk-reward hole.

The hole begs you to hit far down the left side, crossing as much ocean as you dare, and still put your ball on dry land. Of course you can use less club and lay up safely down the right side, but then you have to contend with a much longer hole and two trees in the fairway blocking your second shot.

What a parable of life! We constantly make choices between what is safest (read controllable) and what is more risky but potentially more rewarding. Few places make that choice more clear than opening up church gatherings to spontaneous contributions of those ...