Now, it isn’t as if I’m clamoring all winter for the fairways to clear up so I can get on the course again, but when its warm enough, and my dad and I have the day off, we go golfing. That’s just the way it is. I’m not much of a golfer, but I’m coming around, so a round of golf isn’t too much of a stress anymore.
Today was the first day we both had off, and the weather was cooperative, so we decided to hit a local short course in order to get my bearings on the links again. My first tee shot of the season was, frankly, atrocious, a little squibber that would have been embarrassing on any other hole, on any other course. I recovered, chipped and had an easy two putt. My dad didn’t fair so well, and he shot a 5. I was ahead by one stroke.
The next shot, I was worried. The first tee had sent shotting pains in my back, reminding me that I was too young for arthritis, but instead, I sent a beautiful 7 iron to right behind a tree. At least I had been able to take a full swing without wincing. Small victories. My chip shot came up, and I expected to bump the ball under the tree, but I got a little too much air under it and it instead went in between the tree trunk and the lowest branch. And it it stopped 6 feet from the pin. This was going to be my day.
And it was. I shot a mere 6 over par, which for me is thrilling. I didn’t lose a ball, except for a tragic accident while walking up a hill, three or four fell out of my case and rolled off into oblivion. I think I have a quota for lost balls per round. The most important statistic though, is that for this season, I’m up 1-0 on my dad. And for this summer, I’m hooked on golf. – Ryan
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