My Second Most Favorite Golf In The Rain Story

     It did rain yesterday here in wonderful Central California.  No, I didn't play in the rain and I didn't marshal either.  As I said in yesterday's blog, in my younger days I was very happy to play in the rain. As I get older, I probably would once again battle the liquid sunshine as long as it isn't coming down in buckets and the wind speed isn't exceeding 75 MPH. I'm not sure what that is in KPH, but I'm sure that cultured set in Canada and the rest of the world can figure it out.
    Yesterday I shared a golf in the rain story.  It was on New Year's Day about eight years ago.  The weather was raining from the get go and many that were signed up asked several times if the tournament would be canceled because of the rain. he said no and told us to have another of the free breakfast burritos.  The tournament was a go. I was the only one in the room that was not suffering from an intense hangover from the night before, so I pondered my sober sanity as to me playing in the thing.  Most of the other players had an excuse as they were suffering from their hangovers or were still fairly plastered and pickled from the night before.  We played and the rain came down in buckets-- and the wind blew hard.  But you know that story because I told it yesterday.
    Let me share my second most favorite me playing golf in the rain story.  I have a friend--a retired policeman-- who used to live where I live and we used to play a lot of golf together. He has since moved away to Las Vegas. Whenever he comes to town we still hook up and play golf when we can.  A couple of years ago he came to town and wanted to play, but the only problem was that he could only play on a Sunday.  I go to church on Sunday and very rarely skip. On this occasion, after some rather heavy lobbying by him and another good friend I haven't played with for a long time I relented. I agreed to skip church and play, but only this one time.  I also said in jest, I hope it doesn't make God mad.  We all kind of laughed that comment off, ha ha.
     I know that the phrase "It was a warm and sunny day" is a bit cliche, but it was a warm and sunny October day, except for a very small cloud off to the Southeast.  It had rained the day before and the air was warm but fresh and clean.  Our tee time was set for ten o'clock.  Conditions on the course couldn't have been any better as we arrived at the course and went in the coffee shop for coffee before our round.  That little cloud was still small, but seemed to be growing. I told the guys, "I see that cloud over there and I don't know how happy God is that I am playing on Sunday." They laughed.
     We went to the first tee and began our round.  The drive were certainly picturesque as they soared into the blue. My drive went deep down the middle, but my friend's ball hit a rock and flew majestically out of bounds.  Was this an omen of things to come?  That little cloud grew a little bit bigger. I took a seven on that par four and my friend took an eight.
      We teed off on two without incident.  It was a par three and I actually pared it.  Three's tee shot was uneventful, but the little crowd grew a bit bigger and seemed to have invited some friends along for the journey.  It was just a little bit darker, but there was no sign of any liquid sunshine. There was a bit of concern among the three of us undaunted golf warriors, but the consensus was that the weather would hold.  On to the fourth hole.
     I love that fourth hole on the course we played.  It is an extreme downhill par four where you tee off from the top of a hill and the green is in a sort of valley below. It really sets up to the eye quite nicely.  All three of us hit a very nice tee shot, long and down the middle.  That's the good news.  The bad news is that we felt a few drops of rain.  Hope springs eternal, you know. We thought that it was just a few drops of a passing shower and that this too shall pass.
     It didn't. Those few drops of sprinkles began to pick up.  Soon instead of a sprinkle, it became a full out rain, and then a biblical torrent. Off in the distance we heard a muffled rumble, and then it was a faint flash and then a rumble. It was really raining now. What should we do? Hey, we are Californians and we rarely get this kind of stuff.
     It was really coming down now.  We sought refuge in a tunnel between the fifth and sixth hole that goes under a road.  The culvert is made by a metal piece of conduit pipe and at least it was dry in there.  We heard a weird kind of sound I have never heard on a California golf course before. It was an air horn.  Who was blowing the air horn and why? I don't know where they even found an air horn to blow.  At any rate, we thought we were safe where we were in the metal culvert--remember, I said metal.
     The marshal comes out as he was clearing the course of golfers.  It was strongly suggested to us that we divert our snug little metal culvert and come into the safety of the clubhouse.  He told us that the storm was coming right over us and that it was going to get ugly.  We didn't doubt him as the thunder, lightning and rain was picking up to almost Biblical proportions. We thought we were safe until the marshal pointed out the construction of the culvert.  He suggested--not very gently I might add, questioning our sanity and manliness--that we calmly move to the clubhouse or face certain death by electrocution. We, the three of us being fairly collected of our facilities and one of our foursome being a retired policeman, decided to comply and go directly to the clubhouse.  I couldn't believe how much rain, thunder and lightning that little cloud and its friend produced that day.
   We got to the clubhouse.  Of course I just had to say it.  "See, I told you that God would get mad at me for playing golf on Sunday."  The storm did past and the sky cleared up.  We got to finish our round that day.  I wonder if God really was angry at us for me playing on Sunday?
   

The course in calmer days.

            

Hey, Its Raining Out There

  We are getting some rain here on the West Coast. It is very much welcomed, but it does play temporary havoc with everyone's golf game out here.  That's OK, what's a little liquid sunshine. Besides, I would rather play on green fairways that have been watered instead of the brownish green with bare spot fairways we had to play on many courses last summer. Rain and El Nino, were welcomed to California even though it wasn't as big a rain event as they thought. The rain we are getting now is courtesy of  "The Pineapple Express".
    Today is supposed to be my day to Marshal, but I called in to say I wasn't coming in because it is really coming down out there. I know James that in the UK rain is part of the game, but here in California it is an event.  It seems as though all activity stops in order to admire the wet stuff coming out of the sky.  Where is this coming from.  We should go to the Temple Of The Tiger and give thanks. What can I say. Rain is very important for us here in this part of California and people do play golf in it. I'm just not going to ride around in a cart and marshal today.  I would be alone in my thoughts, literally as there would be very few golfers on the course. I'm not that crazy, although my wife wouldn't testify to that.
     I don't mind playing in the rain.  I have many times before and have played many tournaments in the wet stuff. You just have to be prepared for it. You bring extra towels,cover your clubs, keep your grips and hands dry, bring a couple of extra gloves, and make sure that your umbrella doesn't have a hole in it. You can survive this wet stuff. In fact, I have played some fun rounds in the rain.
     I remember the year that our club had a "Hair On The Dog" tournament one New Year's Day. I think I was the only sober guy there and I wasn't suffering from a hangover from the night before's celebrations and parties. Some of the guys hadn't even been to bed yet.  To make matters worse, it was raining heavily. One brave soul went up to the pro to see if he was canceling the tournament. "Hell no!" was the emphatic answer from the pro. The pro said in no uncertain terms that if we were in Scotland we would be playing.  This was what golf was supposed to be like and we were just spoiled Californians.
      It really wasn't raining that hard when we teed off--yet.  About the fourth hole, the rain started to pick up just a bit. The temperature began to drop as well. As the wind began to blow just a bit harder it became obvious to us intrepid golfers that we were no longer playing in a gentle California squall, but a full blown hurricane. Well, maybe not a hurricane as we very rarely get hurricanes in California but it did get very gold, wet and windy.  We soldiered on.
     When we finally made it to the final hole, we noticed that the course seemed rather lonely. Of the fifty golfers who started the tournament, there was only my foursome and another that completed the tournament. For our efforts, we were rewarded with the first place prize and a free pint of beer. All eight of us looked like drowned rats and were frozen to the bone. I think my toes are still defrosting after fifteen years and I know that I still have that glove that I used in the tournament. It has shrunk about four sizes and I don't even think my  young grandson can get it on his hand.
      One last thing I want to ask you about with regards to playing in the rain. Maybe you can explain this to me. I was watching TV this morning and a commercial came on with William DeVane talking for Roslind Capital about buying silver. He is on the golf course and it is raining cats and dogs, yet he is not getting wet. His golf cart is dry, but it is really coming down around him. His shirt is dry as is the golf cart. He pulls out an umbrella and it is not getting wet. How did he do that? The sun is even shinning behind him, but it is coming down in buckets and he is dry as a bone. Hmmmmm.....
      Have fun playing in the rain.

Sorry, I don't have any pictures of playing in the rain. Enjoy this rainy day picture as its one of the few I have.

Golf: These Are The Good Old Days

     Hey, wait a minute.  Maybe those were "The Good Old Days" of golf, but what about what is happening now? What about the "Tiger"  years?  What about the developments in equipment? What about what is happening in women's golf?  Maybe as Carly Simon put it in her song, "These Are The Good Old Days"?
     It may not seem like it but I don't think there is such a thing as "The Good Old Days" in golf. Certain time periods in golf are not better than others, just different.  Let's look at the argument about Jack and Tiger as to who the greatest golfer who ever lived was. You have to ask what do you base your opinion on.  Jack played with "old style" equipment and Tiger played with the new technology.  When we get into this Jack vs. Tiger, we also forget a lot of the greats of the past such as Morris--Senior and Junior--Vardon, Jones, Hagen, Snead, Nelson and a lot of other names.  Each era had its own greats. Oh, and by the way each era had its own new developments in equipment technology. Golf marches on.
     As I mentioned yesterday, we had some great names in golf when I was growing up and I first got interested in the game.  We had Nicklaus, Palmer, Trevino, Watson and all the other great names of that era.  Let's look what Tiger did for the game.  What an impact one person had to the game.  There was never a more dominating player than Tiger as far as his margins of winning. That was exciting, and I for one am totally excited that he is returning although he may never achieve the level of play where he was in his prime and that's OK.
     There are a lot of strong players out there right now to carry the torch.  I am a big Phil Mickelsen fan.  He is like the Eveready Bunnie and just keeps going.  We have Jordan, Dustin and all the others in the American professional golf stable such as Ricky Fowler.  By the way Ricky, I like the high top golf shoes.  If you have bad ankles they are perfect. I just don't want to see them with shorts. Harold Varner III won in Australia last week. It was great to see this young African American break through. The world other than the US has some huge talent as well such as Henrick Stensen, Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy. There are many South Africans that win on tour as well but I won't mention their names because I can't spell them. Its exciting out there on tour. Things are changing and these are the good old days.
      I for one am glad I don't have to hit that balata ball.  It was a wonderful feeling when you hit it right, but how many of us always hit it well.  I remember that smile.  There is nothing like the sound of hitting a persimmon driver.  Unfortunately, you had to hit it on the sweet spot of the club and that sweet spot was the size of a bacterium.  You also have to remember that they were HEAVY. You almost need a microscope to see the head of an iron they were so small.
      I used to play stiff shafts--that is until I started having back trouble. I remember how tires I was and how much my back hurt after a round of golf.  I could barely get out of the car after a round until I switched to graphite shafts. My back began to sing after every round.  I can now play eighteen holes and not have to down a bottle of ibuprophen.  That my friend,
is an improvement.
     Golf club heads are bigger and with that comes a bigger sweetspot. They are cast and not forged in most cases.  Irons are more forgiving because of the larger head and who would have thought we would have a 460cc driver head with a sweetspot the size of Alaska made of some kind of metal that was found on an asteroid.? I haven't even mentioned hybrids.  I don't use a hybrid myself, I'm still a purist as far as irons go, but I still have a 5 wood.
    That is a consistent fact as far as the game of golf is concerned. Things are changing all the time. Each era is different and exciting.  We can't say that the last era was better than this era, but what we can say is that they were different.  You hit the nail on the head Carly.  These are the good old days.

How about a square headed driver?  Does it go any further or straighter?

  
       

Those Were The Good Old Days

     I remember "The Good Old Days".  You had the great golf matches involving the Big Three of golf of Palmer, Player and Nicklaus.  Lee Trevino and ChiChi Rodriguez came along and added a sense of humor to the game. There was also the likes of Tom Watson and Johnny Miller who added to the excitement of the time.  It was also the time of an influx of a huge and talented pool of international golfers such as Sir Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Jose Marie Olazabel and Ernie Els. The color barrier was broken as we saw the first African American Lee Elder play in The Master's Tournament.  Who can forget Charles Sifford and Calvin Peete?  Women's golf exploded as well with new stars such as Nancy Lopez and Amy Alcott.  Yes, heady times were these.
     I remember hitting the wound balata rubber covered golf ball.  There was nothing like the feel of a balata ball. Around the green, they were deadly.  They would stop on a dime and give you nine cents change.  What a feel.  Those balls really had a keen sense of humor as well as they had a tendency to laugh at you after you hit them a few times.  The ball would quickly smile back at you.
      If you are old enough to have hit a balata ball you know what I mean but many of you weren't even born yet to have had the pleasure of hitting the balata ball.  The cover of the ball which was made of balata rubber was very soft.  You had to hit the ball perfectly in order not to cut the cover.  If you hit the ball wrong with an iron, the cover would cut and cut very easily I might add.  There went the seventy-five cents you spent on the ball and the only thing you could do is reach into you bag and pull out another ball from the sleeve. The old ball went into your "shag bag" as a practice ball--what's a shag bag you younger folks might ask, ugh.  The ball also had a tendency to get out of round very fast because of the way the ball was made with its rubber bands wound around a core.  Those were the days my friend and in reverence to Maryanne Faithful, we thought they'd never end.
     When you asked someone back then what club they hit and they said "I hit a three wood", they really did hit a club that was made out of wood. Woods--Driver,2 3,and 4 and you didn't have a 5 wood--were actually made of wood and not high tech composite metal.  Imagine that. The average person had woods made out of a wooden laminate and if you were really good you had woods made out of persimmon.  I wasn't good, but my last set of wooden wood were made out of persimmon and in fact I still have them stored away in a safe place.  
      Irons were made out of forged steel and their heads were almost microscopic.  There was no such thing as an iron that had an oversized head.  The sweetspot was the size of a gnat on these clubs and the shafts were made by the True-Temper Steel Company somewhere in the US, Pittsburg I think. The set was  a 2 iron through wedge, and you later added a sand wedge if you were so inclined. There was no such thing as a hybrid and graphite was used in pencils.  That was the way it was "back in the day".
     I learned to putt with an old Otey Chrissman putter.  I still have it, although I don't use it. It's put away with those persimmon woods.  I would be still putting with that putter had I not bowed to the onslaught of technology and go to a Ping Answer.  I loved that Ping and made the big mistake of loaning it to my daughter to try.  Funny thing is, it never got back to me.  I found a Never Compromise that I really liked after trying a lot of other things like the "three ball". I didn't like the three ball and have had my Never Compromise for almost fifteen years now. I think the company has gone out of business.
    I sat down the other day and figured out just how long I have been playing this game called golf.  I am retired so in my life there is not much else to do so I went for it.  It seems I have been playing for fifty years, and in fact this is my fiftieth year.  Wow, that's a long time. In that fifty years I have seen a lot of changes. Those were "The Good Old Days".  

Yep, that's me putting for a birdie.  Yah, right.

We Love Fox's Golf Coverage, Don't We?

     Saturday morning my wife and I turned on the TV and searched for something to watch.  We had some time to kill before we went to a Saturday event.  We didn't want to get into the Friday evening shows we had recorded so I surfed the channels and saw that the Templeton Shootout was on TV on The Fox Network.  We watched it.  I have a question to ask all of you.  Is it me or does Fox do a terrible job of broadcasting golf?  Come on now, you can tell me. What do you really think?
      As I tuned into the broadcast Saturday I was taken a bit by surprise that the tournament was broadcast on Fox. I knew that they were the network that was going to be broadcasting the U.S. Open and a couple of other tournaments, but I wasn't quite prepared for watching other tournaments on Fox just yet. I was hopeful that their coverage would improve.  I was hoping that Joe Buck would not be covering golf, and was happy to find out that he was not covering this tournament. He wasn't and I was curious how that would effect the broadcast and the way Fox would handle the task. After a few minutes watching I was totally disappointed.
     The Fox golf commentators have a great pedigree as far as where they have been and what they have done in golf.  That's pretty impressive, but the problem is that they want you to know that they know a lot about golf. Part of a golf broadcast is to analyze the professional swing and what a pro is doing on the course.  We do want to know what is good about a pro's swing or what they did wrong when they hit that bad shot or missed that putt.  But excuse me, will you please just shut up a minute and let us watch golf without you blithering on about the club angle of the guy's driver as it descends through position six?  Do we really need that much info. How important is it to us when there is other important action going on somewhere else on the course?  Who cares what position six is, I want to see that important drive on number eleven.
      Here is a good example of what I am talking about.  I forgot who was putting but it was a very important putt.  The FOX announcer set the putt up as far as where it should be hit and the line.  The golfer addressed the putt and hit it.  Did the announcer stop talking and have us watch the drama of the putt?  No, he kept right on talking.  He didn't shut up until after the putt was missed and kept on going for about a full minute after the putt was missed.  We can see he missed the putt.  We want to watch the putt in silence and your comments are very distracting. We know you are an expert in golf, but obviously not in golf.  Good broadcasters know when to talk and when to be quiet.  They know when to let the action speak for itself.  This is not true with FOX commentators, although I thought Julie Inkster did a fine job--what do I know, I'm a huge Julie Inkster fan. Where is Holly Sonders by the way?
     Hey Fox, I love your NASCAR broadcasts. They are very exciting and I miss them when the other network takes over. Nobody does NASCAR like you do.  I don't think you have grasped the concept that golf is not NASCAR.  Until you get a firm grip on this idea, I am very happy that The Golf Channel, CBS and NBC are still covering golf. Your coverage--and I will put it mildly--leaves a lot to be desired.

Take it all in--I'm not saying a word.

Welcome Back Tiger!

     When I mention Tiger Wood's name, what thoughts and opinions go through your mind. I am sure that there are many and they go from very supportive almost to the point of golf "godliness" to he is the most pompous and arrogant person that anyone has seen.  I guess that someone who has been so dominant in sport--or any endeavor for that matter--has that sort of reputation and swagger that comes with being such a force in the sport they play or whatever they undertake--sport, business or entertainment. Image to is everything, I guess that saying is very true.  One thing is for certain and that is Tiger has been a changing force in the world of golf.  Is that a good thing or a bad thing, I don't know.  One thing I do have to say though is welcome back Tiger.  For good or bad, we have missed you.
     I am not an expert in the golf swing, although I do have my pet theories.  I try to write about the things that effect the average golfer and also my experiences playing this great game of golf.  I don't want to analyze Tiger's new swing or what he needs to do to begin winning tournaments again. I will leave that to the greatest golf analyzing minds of Johnny Miller and Brandle Chamblee. What I will say is that it was exciting to see Tiger competing in a golf tournament and not withdrawing.  He played well to and gave the crowd what it wanted as well as an increased tournament gate because he played in the tournament. That is an indisputable fact.  More spectators go to tournaments where Tiger is entered and they go to see Tiger.
     Many have argued that Tiger is the greatest golfer to have ever played the game.  There are many who would argue with this, of course. I am one of those who would argue--I'm a great Bobby Jones fan.  One thing is for certain though.  Tiger has certainly had one of the biggest impacts on the game that the game has ever seen.  And this is not only from the playing aspect. Just look at what he did for the marketing of the game and for his sponsors.  Of course we can talk about Nike, but that wasn't his only big sponsor. What a shame that a certain event in his personal life took care of that.  I'm not going to go there either.
     In his prime, there was no more dominant player on the PGA tour. I guess that during those years the suspense was not who was going to win the tournament--Tiger--but who would come in second and challenge him. The question was always, "How much did Tiger win by this week?"  Intimidation--his golf game--was the ruling factor.  There were a few weeks that Tiger didn't win and that is to be expected.  We need to just look at Hal Sutton in the Players Club and his famous "Be the club today" showdown.  Tiger was beatable, but you had to be at your best in order to win when Tiger was in his prime.
       Of course this all came crashing down beginning with the disclosures of his sexual indiscretions and divorce as well as the many injuries.  I would have to say that nothing lasts forever, and so it was with Tiger. Not only was his injuries taking a toll, but he was also getting older.  The body doesn't heal as fast as you get older and it is hard to maintain that dominant edge when your body says no, let alone playing on such an elite stage as the PGA Tour.  Add that to the fact that during the time he was out with his health and emotional issues, the guys out on tour got better.  They knew that in order to compete, they had to get better. The Tour rose to Tiger.  Like a castle that had suffered from disrepair, the castle was taken by the enemy.  I'm afraid you could say that's life.
       Is Tiger the greatest?  I don't know.  Will Tiger ever win another major?  Some say no and some say its over for him and that he will never win a major again.  Will he win on Tour?  I wouldn't know the answer to that and only Tiger can say that--who knows. One thing is for sure and it is great to have Tiger back and see him playing in tournaments again.  Welcome back Tiger.

The first tee is open for you Tiger.  Go ahead and swing away.  And...Welcome back.

         

Just Call Me Marshal Dave: Part 2

     Most courses have them.  They drive around in a golf cart with a little flag on them that say "MARSHAL" or something similar.  Sometimes the average golfer sees them around the course and wonder what do they actually do.  Many golfers see these "course assistants" as kind of a nuisance whose only job is to harass golfers and herd them on like cattle. Sometimes they are viewed as totally useless.  I know, I am a "course assistant" and proud of it I might add.
     What do "course assistants" do?  Now wait a minute. If your answer was find a shady spot and hide or was just ride around in a golf cart and hunt for good balls that they may use, your answer in some cases is correct.  However, I would not describe this as the preferred behavior of a course assistant that is on duty.  That would be far from it. A good course assistant knows their duties and is more than just a traffic cop telling golfers to play faster and be rude when doing that. Those duties do not include hunting for golf balls other than helping golfers find their own golf ball.  Don't laugh, I have come across "marshals" that feel their primary duty is to find lost golf balls in the rough to put in their own bag to use when they play.
     A "course assistants" first responsibility is a simple one.  They are a presence.  This is a very important role as they are the eyes and ears of the course and more importantly the extended presence of the course management as far as what is happening on the course.  Golf courses are very big places which are measured in acres, which is a lot of land. In most cases, the pro shop can't see all of the course so the "course assistant" is the first line of communication to the pro shop. We all know that a lot goes on at a golf course during the day, and "course assistants" are there to monitor play and any potential problems on the course. That's not just dealing with slow play or unruly golfers either.  How about a potential hazard or danger on the course?  The mere presence of a "course assistant" lets golfers know that there is someone out there.
     How important is it to a golfer to be made to feel welcome when they are playing a particular golf course?  That's kind of a stupid question, isn't it? Yet some courses don't do a very good job of this.  Its kind of like, "You paid your green fee, so I don't want to have anything else to do with you. I have collected your money, now go out and play." I know this attitude is out there because I have played courses where that is the norm. Of course the pro shop staff needs to be welcoming and cordial but that feeling must extend out to the course as well. The "course assistant" has to be a goodwill ambassador for the golf course as well.  The whole atmosphere of the course needs to be inviting and welcoming from the golf pro all the way down to the restroom attendant.  The "course assistant" is a primary contact with golfers.
     When I am on my shift I make a point of stopping and welcoming as many golfers as I can.  If there is time, I stop and chat, hopefully having a funny story or quip to tell them.  But I always finish any contact with "We are glad you are here and welcome" and always give them a smile.  If I have to deal with a problem-- however minor--I always start my contact with my "we are glad you're here" greeting.  I then gently address the problem and thank them. I then smile and say, "If you have any questions or problems please stop me and ask.  I'm here to help."
      I love my job as a "course assistant".  It is one more way for me to get out on the course.  My favorite part is the interaction with golfers out on the course. Being a "course assistant" is one way I give back to this wonderful game we play.

Hi guys, we are glad you are here.  Would you mind picking up the pace a bit, you are a bit behind.

PS: Today is my normal day to marshal, but it is raining outside and my shift was cancelled. Oh well, darn it I hate when that happens.


 
         

Pay Attention! That's Not Always Possible: Let's Play Golf

   My attention deficit disorder has two faces.  Many people don't understand that.  First, my mind is continually racing and thoughts keep popping in and out of my brain.  This makes it seem like I am going in one hundred directions at once.  The consequence of this is that nothing gets completed.
     My condition has a flip side which rears its ugly head often.  When I am deep in thought or am trying to complete a task, you can hit me with a baseball bat and I probably wouldn't know it.  I am oblivious to my surroundings. You could be jumping up and down in a clown suit hollering my name and if I am in the middle of something that I am intensely concentrating on, I won't notice.
     Believe me, I am not trying or intending to be rude.  The fact of the matter is, I just can't hear you because my mind is so focused on what I am doing or thinking.  I have stories that you won't believe, but they are true. On a positive not, I do play golf faster because I am not standing over a shot for a minute and a half trying to find the best "feel" for a shot. Sergio Garcia played his shots faster than I did.  
     When I was a salesman, I was working building a display of product in a local grocery store.  Needless to say, I was concentrating very hard on the "look" of the display as well as how to build it.  A good friend of mine said that he came up to me and said hello while I was building the display.  He was a little put out when later he told me he was upset that I had ignored him when he talked to me.  To this day, I honestly don't remember him talking to me.  Of course I apologized to him, it seems I apologize a lot and for a lot of reasons, sorry Rusell Crowe and Duckwater, Nevada whom I mentioned in not so flattering terms in earlier posts. Russel Crowe still can't sing as he showed in Les Miserables and Duckwater, Nevada is still out in the middle is nowhere. I hope that I am still in the good graces of Kuala Lampur though. See, there it goes again, off the topic because my brain is going in several different directions at once.
     Sometimes that concentration helps me to do my best.  A few years ago I was in a local Pro-Am golf tournament.  One can definitely be intimidated by something like this, but after the first hole I settled down and played well. It was great and I really was at home and played to the crowd.  There were a couple of times where I had to hit an important shot.  My concentration was amazing, to the point where there was nothing in the world but me and the shot. At times, I wasn't aware of the crowd that had come to see the tournament and was following me.
     I hit an almost impossible shot into a pin cut close to the water on a par three hole.  The crowd went wild. I remember the shot and I remember the crowd.  What I don't remember is the good friend that came up to me to congratulate me on the shot after we holed out. My thoughts were focused on what I had just done and what would I do on the next hole.  I was in "The Zone".
    Later he asked if I remembered him patting me on the back and congratulating me on the shot and the putt. Honestly, I don't remember it and later he asked me about it.  I had to admit that I didn't remember.  I did explain why.
    How does this all relate to golf? What time is it in Kuala Lampur? Oh yes, I forgot.  I must play that golf course that is close to the Arctic Circle in Alaska. Excuse me, I'm going to pour myself a cup of coffee so that I can focus.

Intense concentration.  Where am I by the way?

Just Call Me Marshal Dave: I'm Back In The Saddle Again Out Patrolling The Golf Course

     Yes, its a tough job but somebody has to do it.  I'm talking about the golf course "marshal", or "ranger" or "course assistant"--whatever your name for them is.  They have a tough job to do, and I mean that. Yes, their job is to keep play moving but that is not their only job.  It is and should be more than just riding around in a golf cart telling people to hurry up they are lagging behind--far from that.  Most importantly, they are the representatives of the golf course and as such they put forward the very face of the course.
      I refer to "marshals" as "course assistants" because that is what their purpose should be. Golf course staff is fairly limited to pro shop staff and those in the maintenance department. Once you leave the pro shop and tee off, there is very little contact with the people in the pro shop.  Yes, you may get a hot dog and soda--or pop for those in the northern part of the US--and chat with the restaurant staff, but not for long. You get your snack and walk to the next tee.  You may go into the pro shop for something and talk to whoever is behind the counter or in the shop, but that encounter is brief as you need to get to the next tee.  Who do you see most out on the course?  The "course assistant" who is there to help.
      How about the maintenance staff?  Many times they will acknowledge your wave or your attempt to say hi.  However, most of the time they have a job to complete and then it is off to the next job. Their time is limited and do not have the time to chat.  Besides, it is tough to talk to someone who is riding a lawnmower. You can wave, but the mower is just too loud and the crew member is not going to stop what they are doing.
      As I have said, I am back to being a "course assistant".  I'm not doing this for free golf.  I have returned to the job of "course assistant"  because I want to give something back to the game. What should a "course assistant" be doing on their shift.  Its more than just keeping play flowing--and there is a way to do that without being insulting by the way.  In my next post, I will talk more about the duties and attitudes of a good "course assistant". With apologies to Gene Autry, I'm back in the saddle again.

Its kind of nice being out on the course as a "course assistant" even though you are not playing. 

Played Golf With My Wife On Saturday

     I played golf with my wife on Saturday.  This may come as a shock to many, but I enjoy playing golf with my wife. What I most enjoy about the whole experience is not how much fun I am getting out of playing the game, but watching how much she enjoys the game.  I am truly blessed because she loves golf so much. Our time on the course translates into some great quality time together, which is rare as she works a lot of hours.  We celebrate the time together sharing this priceless time and delight in playing the game we both love so much.
     A lot of men feel that the time they spend on the golf course is a refuge.  It gets them away from all the clutter and noise of what has become a modern busy life.  The golf course is an oasis that is insulated from the outside world and they can find an escape from that busy world for four and a half to five hours. This is a good thing and even my wife has encouraged me to go out and find some golf buddies.  She likes playing together but works a lot of hours away from home and likes the time alone in the house when I am playing golf. By the way, she wants to find a group of ladies she can play golf with. She wants her time on the course playing golf without me as well.
     I cherish the time that my wife and I are on the course playing. The experience of sharing an activity that we both enjoy--and enjoying it together--is priceless. My favorite part about playing together is watching how much she relishes the game.  Whether she hits a horrible shot or one that Tiger Woods would envy she is having fun and is truly into the game. This is fun, and I'm not the one hitting the ball.  She is.
      I have taken the advice of many golf teachers and that is don't give your wife golf lessons.  Yes, I have to say I have learned my lesson on this.  She doesn't tell me what I have done wrong when I have hit a bad shot, so why should I. She has asked once or twice as far as what she is doing and has actually told me that she wouldn't get mad at me if I gave her a pointer. I bit so I tried to explain to her what I saw. That was a bad mistake, but what else could I do?  She asked.
      As you know, I speak "golf".  I have to since I write about it. When my wife asked me to say what I saw in her swing, I commented on it and in "golf speak" of course.  My wife is a relatively new golfer and has come a long way in her game.  She is an athlete who played high lever competitive softball and knows athletics.  She was also a certified exercise trainer. She knows the movement of the body.  She doesn't know "golf speak" which is a lot different. I explained to her in "golf speak" and her answer was simple and kind of gently took me down a peg. She told me very gently, "I don't have the faintest idea what you are talking about."  Simply put, enuff said dear. message received loud and clear. My son-in-law used to be a golf pro and can give you a lesson.
     I almost have to say that she is more of a golf nut than I am.  We will finish 18 and I am ready to go home and curl up in my easy chair, turn on a good movie and pour a tall cold one.  She on the other hand always asks as that last putt on 18 falls, "Are we teeing off on the back or front again."  I love this attitude!  I'm ready to go home, and she wants to play more. You gotta love that.  Right now I am very tired after 18, but I am working to join her on that third nine.  I'm glad that it is winter and the days are shorter.  Dark causes us to have to end the round.  Thank God for that because I'm cold and tired. She uses the flashlight on her phone to finish.
      Being together and playing golf with your wife or girlfriend who also plays is a wonderful thing. There is so much to share, not only the golf but some good conversation and quality time together. We love to go away together on golf trips to nearby courses such as those in Monterey or the San Francisco Bay area.  It makes the trip so much more enjoyable. We enjoy being together on the golf course.
 

Clunk!  It went in.  That was another birdie putt.

From Fiat to Ferrari Part 4: How Much Is That ProV In The Window?

     I have to play ProV Titlists in order to play my best. At least, that's what the TV advertisements tell me. I have to do everything the TV tells me to do, right?  Do I really have to answer that?
     Yes, I have played ProV's and don't get me wrong--they are a fantastic ball and given the choice with unlimited amount of funds I would play them all the time. But, there is just something about playing a five dollar golf ball and losing it in the trees or in the lake. That concept just doesn't sit very well with me.  In fact, that bass that you hit on the head in the water hazard isn't very happy either.
It is my intention to stay out of bankruptcy court based on the golf ball I play.
     That is the great thing about golf.  There a lot of options out there in which to choose from. Titlist has a number of balls they make that are a whole lot less expensive than ProV's with similar play characteristics. I like the NXT Tour, although I have tried the Velocity and like it as well. It too is a less expensive ball. Besides, Titleist is not the only ball manufacturer. You don't have to stick with Titlist. Nike and Callaway have a fantastic line of golf balls and compare in price to Titlist. There are many outstanding golf ball manufacturers out there such as Bridgstone. Costco even has a new golf ball that is supposed to play like the ProV.  I have in fact played the ball and liked it. Needless to say, it is a whole lot less expensive than ProV's and cost about $15 a dozen in a two dozen pack.  Don't spread this around or say too loud, but I am kind of hooked on Precept Laddies.
      If you are new to the game, try the Top Flite brand or one on the less expensive brands.  There are many out there and most sporting goods stores have house brands. These brands will fit your needs quite nicely. I still love Maxfli, although the brand has been taken over by Dick's Sporting Goods. The bottom line is that most of these are great balls. You may also want to dive into the "used ball" or reconditioned ball barrel at your local sporting goods store or pro shop. I have found gold in these buckets.
      Golf is not expensive and you can have Fiat funds and still enjoy the game. Remember, golf is for everyone.

The tenth tee at Morro Bay. The course is not as expensive as Pebble Beach.

From Fiat To Ferrari--Part 3

     Will somebody please answer me this question? Does TaylorMade have to come out with a new $400 driver that's really not that much different from the one before every six months?  Do they have to do the same thing with new sets of irons with price tags in the thousands of dollars? The fact of the matter is that you don't have to have the newest and or the best to truly enjoy the game. As far as equipment is concerned is as expensive as you want it to be.
     I play with a Nike Sumo square driver, which I got as a tee gift when I played in a tournament. I was playing an Orlimar that I think I paid $100 for at golf pro shop and to me that driver was the greatest thing since sliced bread. But you never want to look a gift horse in the mouth, especially when that horse had a Nike driver in that mouth.  There is a back story to why I chose the Nike driver, but I won't get into that here but I did think that if I didn't like the driver I could always sell it on Ebay. I still am still after seven years playing that Nike driver. It works and I still hit it a long way. Free is good by the way.
     About twenty years ago I found that I was not playing as much golf as I used to. I decided that my MacGregor stiff shaft blade irons were becoming harder to hit. At that point, I made the decision to go to a mid-size headed iron which were more forgiving. They still had stiff shafts however as my swing speed didn't change that much. I had those irons for a very long time until my bad case of sciatica flared up. The time had arrived to look into graphite shafted irons which were supposedly easier on your back. Seven years ago I bought a new graphite shafted set of irons from a club maker I know. Guess what, those irons are still in my bag, except for the original seven iron that I lost. They are serving me well, so why change. The irons cost me $200 not the $800 Nike wanted or the $950 that TaylorMade wanted.
     By the way, if you do want to spend that kind of cash on TaylorMade or Nike check out the golf shops or sporting goods stores. You can find some great bargains on new clubs that were last month's model. Its kind of like going to a car lot and buying that BMW you always wanted but couldn't afford the newer model. You can get a great deal on last year's model at a fantastic discount. Oh, and don't forget Ebay or Craig's List.  There are some great bargains on clubs out there if you know where to find them.
      As I have said in Parts 1 and 2, its your option as to how expensive this game is to play.  Its totally up to you and you can stay within a reasonable budget. There is much more that can be said about the game and how expensive it can be but doesn't have to be. The choice is your's my friend. I will have more about this in my next post.

Yep, that's the old Orlimar. I gave it to my son-in-law. Hmmm...I was a bit heavier there.

From Fiat To Ferrari--Part 2

    Golf is too expensive, or so the critics of the game say.  That may be true to some extent, but it truly depends on how you look at the game and it's costs. The choice is your's my friend. The good news is that you don't have to buy the Ferrari or settle for the Fiat. Where you play and how much you pay in green fees is a big part of golf's expense.  You don't have to play an expensive golf course to enjoy playing the game.
     I generally play at a good municipal or nearby public course. My green fees rarely exceed $40, even for weekend play. Watching the tee time booking sites such as GolfNow can also reduce the cost of the game as far as green fees. Most courses have email mailing lists which let golfers know of reduced green fees and other specials. If you watch and pay attention, finding a course to play that is fun can challenging can be very reasonable.
     By the way, not all golfers play at private country clubs. Speaking of country clubs, membership pricing can vary as well depending on the membership you want. Yes, this is the "high end" of the spectrum as far as play is concerned but even this varies. Shinnecock Hills in the New York area carries a higher cost of membership than does Merced Country Club in Merced, California. There is no way I can afford The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California but I can almost swing Belmont Country Club in Fresno, California. Location is very important and private clubs do have different membership plans should that be your choice.
    For the longest time when it was just me playing golf in my family, I was very happy playing the local muni. It is a great track and very challenging test of golf which given the amount of play it gets it is always in great shape. My daughter took up the game as did my son and it became cheaper to join a local semi-private course. For me, given the costs involved it was more cost effective to join the semi-private club. This was a matter of choice and not a matter of status. As far as the quality of golf and the service, if it was just me playing I would have been very happy to have stayed at the muni.
     Variety is also the spice of life. As a golfer I have played a lot of courses, from the very inexpensive to the very cheap. Each was an enjoyable experience mostly. Yes, I admit to playing Trump National Los Angeles--OK, I admit to cheating on that one because the round was comped and I was on assignment with a golf magazine--but I have also played Fresno Airways which is an inexpensive muni. Each course I play has it's own quirks, character and charm and although some were designed by the same designer they are all different as well as unique. They don't have to be expensive either.  
     I am very fortunate to live in a part of California that is rich in golf courses.  There are several fine courses within forty five minutes to an hour from my home and the Monterey area is only two hours away. Yes, I do take that two hour drive maybe twice a year to enjoy the courses in the Monterey area.  I can't affort the $600 green fee at Pebble and there is no twilight rate.  However, I can play either Bayonet or Blackhorse for around $70 during the week, and they occasionally run a special. If that is too rich for my blood, I go to "The Poor Man's Pebble Beach" and that is Pacific Grove which sits directly on the ocean and green fees are below $60 with cart even on the weekends. If I am still in a budget crunch and want to play in Monterey, I play Monterey Pines which is a wonderful course that is always in excellent shape and the green fees are generally under $40 even on weekends.  Pacific Grove and Monterey Pines do have twilight rates which makes the courses even more affordable.
     The bottom line is that the golfer can choose how expensive or how thrifty they want to be as to the green fee. There are some great courses out there with a whole spectrum of green fees from the extremely expensive to the downright cheap. By the way, some of those "cheap" courses can be as exciting, fun and beautiful as the expensive ones so please keep that in mind as well. The options are endless and can range from Fiat to Ferrari. I'm kind of a Chevrolet man myself.

Paso Robles Golf Course has some great holes like this par 3. It is an inexpensive course and fun to play.

From Fiat To Ferrari

   Golf is an expensive sport.  Sure golf is expensive if you are buying ProV1 golf balls, playing top of the line TaylorMade or Nike clubs and Pebble Beach is the only course you play. But golf is not like that. It may seem so to the average non-golfer, but we who play our sport know better. In fact as far as costs, golf can be very affordable.
     Most critic's exposure to the game is from television and tournament golf. They see the well manicured courses which few of can play by the way because they are very exclusive. On stage are the touring pros, dressed in their expensive golf attire, which they don't pay for and is supplied by their sponsors.They play top of the line expensive equipment and balls, also supplied by their sponsors. What critics don't  realize is that this is just a small snippet of what golf truly is.
     Golf is a game of options, especially in the realm of costs. You don't always have to go for the most expensive or that which is advertised the most. There are always an options. Whether it is equipment, clothing or courses you always have many options from extremely expensive to downright bargain basement--literally. The most expensive may not always be the best.
     You can go to the pro shop at Pebble Beach and buy whatever you need to play the game.  I will let you in a a secret.  You are going to pay a premium price.  Another option is to go to Good Will or ther thrift stores and search for you golf needs. It can be done. Granted the merchandise is going to be used but it all depends what you are looking for. What is great about this game is you can find what you need to play this game at just about whatever price point you want or can afford.   I have purchased expensive souvenirs from the Pebble Beach Pro Shop but I have also searched Good Will for hidden treasure and have found some. There are a lot of options depending on what you want to do. The game doesn't always have to be expensive.
     The same holds true for golf courses and the places you play the game. It was my pleasure to be able to play Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles. It was a beautiful and scenic course overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Palos Verde, California.  Yes, it was expensive at $395 for green fees--I cheated and played it for free because I was on assignment from a magazine.  It would have been worth the $395 just for the views and the course wasn't that shabby either. It's not something I would do everyday because of the expense.  I play at my local course where the green fees are much more reasonable and the course has a $15 twilight rate.  I think that you may agree that green fee is very affordable.  Again, its a choice and the game can be very affordable.
     You really do have options in golf that are from Fiat to Ferrari.  Join me in my next post as I go into this with more detail.

Trump National Los Angeles--Definitely a Ferrari

In My Opinion: Addendum

 You probably saw the golf balls in my last post that were skydiving. If you noticed, none of them had parachutes.  Think about that for a minute. I want to say that none of the golf balls were hurt in any way and are now having a beer in the skydiver's lounge. Remember, golf balls bounce and even from the altitude that they jumped out of the helicopter, they bounced when they hit the ground. That is part of the fun for them. So those of you who are golf ball protectionists, don't get angry. The balls do this all the time. Here is a picture of them returning to earth.

See, they bounce. They also land on nice soft grass.

Why I Am Not Playing Golf Or Posting Tomorrow

     Golf is one of my fondest passions.  The game is part of me and has shaped much of my life.  I have learned many lessons from the high and low points that make up the golf experience.  Most of us who play know that it is more than a game, it is a metaphor for life itself. There is much that I have said and written about the game.  There is much more to come, but not tomorrow. I am not going to be playing golf tomorrow nor am I going to be able to post an entry to this blog. I will be doing something much more important which will totally take up my time tomorrow.
     Tomorrow is Tuesday, November 8th. It is the second Tuesday in the month of November and in most years that is not very special a day.  Most years it is just another Tuesday, just like the Tuesday before it.  This year things are different. This is Election Day, the day here in the United States of America we go to the polls and cast our votes for our elected officials and this year the vote is even more special because it is a Presidential Election Year which only rolls around every four years. Most Americans know this as do many around the world.  What many Americans don't realize is just how special this process is. They also don't realize the importance of this action and just how special a process this is. We get to vote, and I hope that if you are an eligible voter you have either cast an early ballot or are going to go to your polling place and vote on Tuesday.  I am.
     Tomorrow, I am not going to be playing golf nor am I going to be able to post.  I am posting this today because I am going to be a bit busy all day, beginning very.early in the day.  I am taking the voting process one step further. For the first time in my life, I will be working at a polling site assisting voters and insuring the voting process is kept free of corruption and working to keep the total integrity of the ballot kept intact. This is a very important piece of the elections puzzle as there is much work to be done running an election. Its easy to cast your ballot, but what happens to your ballot after it is cast is important and your vote must be insured its integrity. I am excited to be a part of that process, my participation in the voting process being more than just going to the polls and voting. I have volunteered to be a poll worker.
     This election is historic, for a number of reasons. We will be electing a new President here in the U.S. and the world will be watching. Who I support for that office is basically none of your concern and I get to choose. That is the beauty of all this. We do this individually and in secret. This election is not only who will be President, but who we elect as our leaders from the national scene--President and Congressional-- all the way down to the local levels of Mayor. In California, we have a direct say as to how the state is governed through our ballot initiative process and there are some very important ones on this year's ballot.
      If you are an American citizen exercise your number one right and VOTE!

VOTE!

In My Opinion-You Wanted It, Now You Got It

  I have thought long and hard about what I am going to comment on.  I have been given a very important task, commenting on an issue that effects our game. Are you ready for it.  I want you to read my words and contemplate what I have to share with you. Think long and hard on this friends. The opinion I am about to express is directly related to the very foundation of our game. Here it is.  The golf ball is very important to our game. That's a pretty profound statement, isn't it?
     Without the ball, our game would be nothing. When the game first began over 500 years ago, it was little more than shepherds on the coast of Scotland would hit rocks around pastures with sticks and try to get that rock into a hole a distance away.  It was found that rocks were very inconsistent in their size and shape, as well as their tendency to break the favorite "goff sticks" of the shepherds. Not only that, they didn't roll well on the beautifully manicured greens.
     Something had to be done. Let's see, what do we do.  I know, let's take a small leather pouch and fill it with a top hat full of feathers then sew the pouch up and hit the crap--uh, feathers--out of it. That makes a lot of sense. I always wondered how they got all those feathers into that pouch. This was the introduction of the golf ball.
     The ball evolved from that leather sack of feathers. A rubber ball was introduced.  Knobs were added to the ball to give it a better flight. The ball's design changed and became a true ball that had a small liquid or solid center that was wrapped in rubber bands with a thin rubber outside cover with dimples to make it fly better. These balls had very good senses of humor and were very quick to detect bad swings. After about four holes the showed that sense of humor by smiling back at you. I think I still have a couple of those balls and they are still laughing at me.
     Then came the ultimate design, the solid ball. In my formative years of playing golf, I used to play solid balls and was laughed at. Now, that is the way the ball is designed. They can make a solid ball behave anyway designers want it to with their three, four, five, six or twenty-eight layers using different types of high technology polymers. I think I even saw a ball sing a Willie Nelson tune they are getting that technologically diverse.
      In my opinion, a ball has to be round, hard and have dimples.  The ball is a key part of our game. Now there, is that enough of an opinion for you.

All those balls that were laughing retired and took up skydiving.

In My Opinion

  My partner says that he wants a more content rich posts from me.  He would like me to write more about significant issues that face our wonderful game and what my opinion is toward that issue. He knows that I can do better than writing the drivel that I have been posting so I have decided to take up his challenge. Here goes.
      Let's see, what do I write about?...Hold on, I
hope you are patient.  This may take a while.

I'm thinking long and hard on this one.

On Life As A Golf Ball

     We all make sacrifices in our lives.  Some sacrifices are bigger than others and have a more dramatic effect on our lives. What about golf?  What can we say about sacrifices in the game of golf?  Who is it that pays the biggest price in sacrifices for the game of golf?  Have you ever taken a good look at the golf ball? That little dimpled orb pays the greatest price and in some cases gives up it's life so that we may enjoy the game we all love.
      Think about it for a moment.  The ball is created in a nice, growing environment--the golf ball factory. There they are coddled and inspected.  Remember, not all of them make it out of the factory to play on the first team.  Some are rejected and for the most minute of imperfection.  It is a brand of shame to have the Titlist brand--OK, I'm partial to Titlists although I can't always afford them and I don't play ProV's because I'm cheap--painted onto you and then not pass inspection for something as little as a spec.  Then you have to suffer the indignity of either having the word "PRACTICE" stamped on you or even worse the mark of the X painted on you.  This means you are not good enough and have been rejected. You don't even get a trophy for participating.
       Should you make the cut and pass inspection you get put into a paper sleeve with two other perfect dimpled orbs then grouped with three other paper sleeves to make a box of a dozen and sent out to do your job.  By the way, my wife bought an eighteen pack of Top Flites the other day and the balls were not placed in sleeves. That has nothing to do with where I am going with this post, I just though I would throw that in. They were Top Flites after all.  She likes Top Flites and I am not going to argue with her, especially if I want to stay out of that dog house I wrote about a couple of weeks ago. Back to the Titlists. So the balls go out to the place where they are going to be sold, unaware of the fate that  is to befall on them.
      Joe Average buys the dozen at a totally over inflated price.  I won't say where because I have too many golf pro friends and I don't want to offend anyone. By the way, there is a great sale going on over at Dick's right now on Top Flites and Maxfli's. Sorry, I got off the subject again. So, Joe Average takes the ProV's he paid too much for and and heads for the course.  He reaches into his bag and gets out a tee as well as a sleeve of the new ProV's.
       That wonderful ball is going to be smacked around many times by a stick.  It has to hurt.  Can you imagine the pain that ball has to endure?  How about the blow to the ball's pride. Does it really have to be this way?  You darn right it has to be this way.
      Joe Average is playing golf now.  He tees up the ball on a long par four with water to the right. The ball will be violently struck and fly down the middle of the fairway, missing the deep water hazard on the right hand side of the fairway. Joe must avoid that water at all costs.
      Joe takes a mighty swing with the stick and THWACK, hits the ball. It was a pretty ugly swing at that because Jack doesn't like to take lessons. If you want to improve your game, see your local pro for a lesson please. (That was for all my golf teaching buddies out there.) Guess where that poor ball flies because of Joe's wonderful swing.  Yes, it sadly flies into the middle of the water and hits a ten pound bass squarely on the head. That poor, brand new ball has sacrificed it's life so that others may have enjoyment in their lives.  I'm not too sure how happy the bass was either. Actually, I'm not sure how much enjoyment because Jack is back at the tee yelling words you wouldn't want your preacher or priest or rabbi to hear. I can't speak for a Bhudhist Monk or a Muslim Imam because I haven't met an Imam or a Monk.    
        Let's have a moment of silence for that new Titlist.  Let's not forget the sacrifices that golf balls all over the world are making, even now.  By the way, how many balls did you put into the lake today?

Water, Water everywhere. Why does it always have to be in front of me?

Where Everyone Knows Your Name: One Of My Favorite Parts of Golf

     I used to watch Cheers on TV.  My favorite character was Norm as he was the one who everyone greeted as he walked in. I can relate to that, although I have also been accused of being a Cliff Clavin as sort of a know it all. I prefer the Norm persona. At our course I was the Norm and was always greeted with a hearty "Hey Dave" from whomever was in the clubhouse, one thing that I truly miss now that I moved away from Fresno and don't play golf regularly. I have no golf course that I regularly go to as was the case when I was a member of the club in Fresno.
     That is one of the great things about the wonderful game we play. Playing is wonderful as it is a great game which requires a good amount of skill, strength and mental toughness. But when the round is over, it is a lot of fun to go over your round with golfers who have also played.  The nineteenth hole makes golf unique.  The social part of the game I think is what makes  the game so addictive.      
     There is nothing like walking into the pro shop and being greeted by your first name. What's next is truly priceless as well, and that is when you receive the good natured ribbing and teasing from the other golfers that know you. You know most of the people in the shop and they are there to play.  It is a wonderful experience and you are part of it. That atmosphere continues after you finish your round when it starts all over again rehashing the round.  You do this not only with those in your foursome, but whoever played that day. This is special.
       Even if you are at a strange course and don't know a soul, by the time your round is over you have made new friends. The nineteenth hole is still a place to tell the stories of your round and of your families It is a time to relate to other golfers who have many of the same experiences you do. Five hours ago you were strangers, now you have a very strong bond. You began five hours ago as strangers and now you have come together almost as brothers and sisters.  There is nothing like it in any sport.
       It will never be "Hey, Norm" but I miss the "Hey Dave". Maybe soon, this will change.

The stories they tell.

My Ten Course That I would Love To Play But Have A Snowball's Chance In Heck Of Playing

     We have all watched them on TV or know about them.  Many times during tournaments we look at them and ask ourselves what it would be like to play them but know for sure we will never be able to even get on the grounds let alone tee it up there.  Most of them are private and extremely exclusive or are so prohibitively expensive that it would take five year's salary to pay the caddie let alone the green fee.  As I have said, I live in California and cannot afford an airplane ticket to anywhere. Besides, my wife would kill me if I spent the money on a flight.  There is more here at issue than just money because she works long hours and would be truly upset if I was playing golf in some far off famous location without her. To tell you the truth, I wouldn't do that to her anyway.
     Getting back to the subject and task at hand, here is the list.  You have to remember that this is not a comprehensive list and is not in any particular order as far as a given criteria.  I have chosen ten as of this writing because I don't want this post to go too long. Please don't read anything into this list as far as rank because that is not my purpose.  It is just a list that I am thinking of right now. Here are the ten and I will assure you that I will think of more as time passes.  I don't know if I will write about this again, but I would assume that when I am out of ideas of what to write about I will revisit the subject.  Here is the list.

These aren't in any particular order by the way.

1.  Augusta National:  All I have to say is that you are a great FaceBook friend Bobby Jones IV.  Is there any way you can help?

2.  Cypres Point:  How is it that one of my high school golf team players got to play Cypress and I didn't. That's just not fair.  Maybe he knows somebody.

3.  The Olympic Club of San Francisco:  I know a few people that you wouldn't have thought would have been able to play there.  I guess its not what you know, its who you know.

4.  Riviera Country Club Los Angeles, California: I'm not an actor or TV personality so I don't have a chance.  Anyone know somebody that can help me out here?  I thought not.

5.  Tehama Country Club, Monterey, California:  I don't think Clint Eastwood would let me play there since I'm not a member of the exclusive club.  He's a great guy I'm told, but that great. I almost got to play here once, but my daughter quit her job.  Its a long story.

6.  Chambers Bay, Washington State:  It is very expensive and they don't allow carts.  I can't walk a course because of my heart condition--which is getting better by the way if you care and probably don't. If you look at the green fee, I still couldn't afford it.

7. Merion Country Club in Pennsylvania:  Oh how I would love to play this one.  Those wicker basket flag sticks are really cool. The course is very short, but the pros couldn't tame it during the US Open.  Its OK to dream, isn't it?

8.  Shinnecock Hills in New York.  I've always loved this course watching the US Open when it was played there. Its right on the ocean and looks like a links style course. I don't own General Electric and I won't be able to play Shinnecock Hills.

9.  Winged Foot in New York: I have been to New York.  I haven't played Winged Foot.

10.  Seminole in Florida:  Wow!  They even denied Jack Nicklaus a membership.  Now that's exclusive--or just plain stupid.  I added this course because I just couldn't forget Florida.  I like Florida and have played golf there, just not at Seminole.

     Well, there you have it. There are many more that I can put on this list but for the moment these were the ones I was thinking of. I'm sure you have your courses that you would put on this list as well. I didn't put any courses that were not in the US because I didn't want the list to get to long nor did I put on any courses in Hawaii. I'm still hold out hope for St. Andrews in Scotland and Pebble Beach is still doable. My "Want To Play Pebble Beach--Any Donation Accepted" cardboard sign which I hold up and stand on a busy street corner in the heat and cold seems to be working.  I already have $1.95 toward playing Pebble.  Wish me continued luck on that one.

Cherry Island in Elverta, California has a beautiful clubhouse and you can get on the course. Its a beautiful course and it is public.

So, I'm Retired---When Do I Get To Play Golf?

     What is retirement supposed to be like?  I have heard that it is a time to slow down and maybe take a trip somewhere exciting or exotic.  Someone told me that its great because you have a lot more time on your hands to play golf.  I don't know who that person was, but the information that he gave me was not exactly accurate. In fact, the last time I played golf I had to get a shovel and dig my way to my clubs through all the dust that had accumulated. As I have said before, I am lucky to play golf once every three months.  Why am I not playing more?  I'm retired for goodness sake.
     I retired from teaching in 2011 after being offered what is known as a "Golden Handshake".  It seems that I was an expensive quantity as far as my salary/benefits package and the district wanted to cut down on their costs. So, a "Golden Handshake" was offered to teachers that were high on the pay scale and met certain requirements. I took the offer--and it was a good one--for a number of reasons, the biggest reason being I want to concentrate more on my writing career which was taking off. All seemed rosy, and I was very much excited about what the future held.
    All of a sudden the dark clouds began to form. It reminded me of the times I was in Florida and was having fun at the beach. You see a small cloud on the horizon and you know that something ominous is brewing. So it was with my short lived enjoyment of my retirement. Things just started to fall apart and not in a small way. Hurricane Matthew is hitting the Florida Coast as we speak destroying property along with disrupting lives and with all that was going on in my life, I know their pain. It isn't pleasant.
    I won't bore you with all the details, but here is a quick rundown of what happened next.  The magazine I was writing for went belly up.  I was denied being able to substitute teach in the school district I worked for--that's a whole other story in and of itself. I started writing for another magazine and it too went belly up--not my fault folks.  I went through the "Big D"--divorce, which many of you if you have experienced know what I'm talking about--and had to vacate my house, which kind of was a good thing in disguise--the move, not the divorce. I remarried--that was a very good thing as my wife is a wonderful person and plays golf.  I wound up in the hospital for congestive heart failure--funny thing about medications, they don't work if you don't take them and that is another story as well.
     We moved from Fresno to Merced sixty miles north. Then a year later we moved again. I wound up in the hospital again for what?  Congestive heart failure of course as it seems that not taking your medication is not a good thing.  I want to put all of you at ease here though.  The doctor flat out told me that I had two weeks to live if I didn't take my medications and that little talk sunk in.  You will be happy to know that I am religiously taking my medications--I feel great and am recovering.
     The story doesn't end there and there is one more thing to add.  We moved again and I hope that this is the last move for a very long time. Out of my mouth and into God anmy wife's ear. The cloud does have a silver lining on this though.  The house we have now is exactly what we want.  We are very happy here and we are very much settled in.  It seems as though I still don't have time for golf though.
     My wife works and has a very full schedule. We only have one car so my wife has almost exclusive rights to using it for work. Since she is working so hard, I would feel guilty asking her if she would drop me off at the course to play golf while she is working.  I just don't think that would be right. I try to do things around the house as much as my health will allow to ease the burden on her. That didn't sound very good, did it. I hope you will understand what I am trying to say there. I try to help out around the house as much as I can as my health permits.
    Its not that I don't stay busy. Of course there is this blog and I try to post every day. I also have two websites that I have developed, one with a co-founder and another that deals with travel that is mine alone. Another of my endeavors is updating and posting on the website of a local golf course. I have my own personal social media sites that I work as well as my activity on three other Facebook pages as well. I have started representing Golfing Holidays of Ireland as an American contact for booking their trips to Ireland (By the way, if you are planning a golf trip to Ireland or the British Isles contact me at david@golfingholidaysireland.com and I can make it happen. I would love to be of service.). My wife is choir director at our church and I sing in the choir so Wednesday nights are out as are Sunday mornings because we are leading worship at the church. I also cook and do light housekeeping around the house.
     When I retired, I was given some advice and that advice was to keep busy. I have by default followed that advice. I have also been told that in retirement you are busier after you retire than when you were working--but broker.  This I am finding is very true. I still am very perplexed.  I thought I was going to have time to fit in a lot of golf.  Boy, was I wrong.

Some day soon I'll play more golf.

Tough Course

   Some of you are probably wondering about what I think is the toughest course I have ever played, or maybe not.  I am willing to share that with you now. You may be disappointed but I want you to also keep things in perspective.  I have not touched a club in a month and as far as golf is concerned, I am not thinking too clearly right now. My back has been out-way out-for almost three months and I really want to play but can't. Hopefully, I will be able to get out to play next week because I am feeling a lot better..
    The most difficult course I have ever played is the miniature course on board the Carnival Cruise Line Ship the Splendor.  Have any of you tried to putt on a rolling ship.  The greens are tough to putt when the ship is rolling. Speed is very difficult to judge and the break is "close your eyes" exciting.  You would swear that the putt broke one way and goes the other. By the way, the putt always breaks toward the ocean. It is a tough nine-hole track.

     OK, I know this was a cop-out.  I haven't been able to go out and play some new courses to share with you.  When I was writing for West Coast Golfer I was able to do that and plan to keep doing that here on my blog and on my website http://golfisforeveryonemd.com as well as my old website which I have revamped.  Check that one out at http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com.  Right now, given my health, I can't do that.  I ask you to be patient as I plan to write more and share pictures.  Until then, I will do what I can.