The loss of a golf trip isn’t the end of the world in the midst of a global pandemic, but that doesn’t mean the annual junket isn’t sorely missed.

Losing something heightens our appreciation for what is gone, and that is certainly the case with a spring golf vacation. With time to reflect, as opposed to needle to friends, here are five things I’ll miss most about not taking a trip this spring (and conversely, what I’m looking forward to this fall).

— The anticipation. I love the lead up to a trip – the trash talk, the jokes, bickering over wagers past and present. I love watching hole-by-hole flyovers and course tours, imagining what’s to come or reliving a previous trip. Getting there really is half the fun.

— I write and talk about golf all the time, but I’m – unfortunately – not good. But that one shot really does bring you back. Last year, I made a downhill 40-foot eagle putt to win a captain’s choice match that had gone to extra holes (we divide up into four teams in the afternoon and everyone throws in $5). Tiger Woods was only slightly less happy to win The Masters than I was to make that putt. I’m smiling thinking about it. I’ll miss that chance this spring.

— I’m lucky. I organize a trip with 16 friends, all of whom I’ve known for decades, and what I enjoy almost as much as the golf is the opportunity to have a drink with buddies I only see on our trip.

— Life is stressful; that’s certainly the case right now. A golf trip allows you to escape the stress of daily life and enjoy a few responsibility free days. You laugh louder and longer on a golf vacation than at any other time of year.

— Last but certainly not least, I’ll miss the opportunity to play golf on four consecutive days!

Let’s hope we are able to get a better handle on the Coronavirus, and I’ll see you this summer or fall!