I thought I would brag a little today. I went golfing with my friends this past weekend and I have to tell you about this one shot. I was left of the 18th green in two, under a tree, sand trap between my ball and the green, with the green running away from me. I pulled out my pitching wedge, closed up the face, took a couple of practice swings then popped into the grass above the trap which slowed it down and it stopped four feet from the hole. I sank the putt to save par and couldn’t have been happier. As for the other 118 shots in my round, we’ll just leave that for another day.
The problem with making a shot like that on the final hole of a round is that it makes you think that if you come back another day and are able to replicate that kind of success for a whole round. Never happens. I should know. I’ve been playing regular rounds of golf since I was a caddie as a teenager. Still waiting for that kind of breakthrough.
I am finally going to admit it…golf is an addiction. Just as enslaving as smoking, drinking and drugs but much more expensive. Do you know how much money it takes to be a regular golfer? You have to have the clubs, and they cost about the same as a small car. Then there is all the other equipment. A golf bag, head covers, golf spikes, gloves, tees and the one item “Big Golf” uses to suck you dry financially…golf balls. It is amazing how willing a golfer is to walk away from the cost of a golf ball if they can not find it.
I haven’t even talked about the wardrobe. Most golf courses will have a sign saying “Proper golf attire required.” That means no jeans, t-shirts or street shoes. All these courses must be getting kick-backs from companies like Nike, Reebok, Ben Hogan and other golf clothing manufactures. Have you seen what golfers wear? There’s and old joke that says “The only people who can get away with dressing like a pimp in public are golfers.”
So, you have spent a fortune in preparing to golf but haven’t even paid for a round. Prices vary. Really good courses can cost hundreds of dollars, but a thrifty golfer can find a round that might cost from $20 to $30 dollars, if you don’t mind playing in a goat pasture. My buddies and I try to keep the cost of our rounds down and play lower price courses. They’re fine if you don’t mind hitting off dirt most of the time, getting out of traps that are like a concrete sidewalk and greens that are as smooth as a gravel road. One nice thing about a course like this, it gives you excuses for your poor play.
There are many courses in this world that are manicured and beautiful to see, besides play. I was given a round of golf on a Members Only, Jack Nicklaus designed golf course. It was absolutely beautiful. The fairways and greens looked as if each blade of grass was in its proper place. Unlike the courses I usually play, wherever your ball landed, you were on grass. No rolling the ball two to three feet to find a little clump of the green stuff to hit off of. If you were in the rough or a touch out of play, it was so well maintained, it felt like a walk in the park. The sand traps were immaculate and really had sand in them. It was like a day at the beach…except my score. But who’s counting when you’re enjoying a beautiful day in a park-like setting…I am. Think they can retrieve my pitching wedge from the “beautiful pond” on number 8?
The highlight of my golf life is when I was able to play the legendary Pebble Beach golf links. All golfers have the course they would want to play, and mine has always been Pebble Beach. My sons were kind enough to pay for a round of golf at Pebble as my birthday gift about a year ago. My wife joined in and said she would pay for a hotel. What they didn’t know was to play Pebble Beach, you have to stay at one of their properties for at least two days. The cost of a room is four times as much as the round of golf and the golf wasn’t cheap. My understanding wife made it happen, even after finding out what it would cost. I was able to tick one more thing off my bucket list.
It will rank as the best round of golf I have ever had (Just to be clear. Not the best score I have ever had, just the best feeling I’ve ever had golfing). The course was spectacular and the views amazing. On one hole I was 30 yards from the pin but I was so distracted by the view, I hit my ball 150 yards and into the ocean. I actually flew two holes to accomplish that. Now that’s talent. Eat your heart out Tiger.
What sealed my best day ever on a golf course was the eighteenth hole. I shanked my drive to the right but recovered with a beautiful, long second shot that gave me a chance to reach the green in three. I set up and hit the absolute perfect shot, drawing the ball by the big tree we all see on television, and landing softly on the green with a chance for a birdie. I promptly three-putted for a bogie but the thrill of my final approach shot to the green will be told to everyone I meet for the rest of my life…whether they like it or not.
I’m not giving up. I feel I still have a few good years left in me and even at my advanced age, I can improve. You’ve heard that a golfer shooting their age is a big accomplishment. If that’s the case, I’m really looking forward to that round of golf on my 106th birthday.
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