Dawn Patrol

      I am a morning person. I am proud of that.  As a golfer, the best time of the day to tee off is the early morning and there is something special about teeing off first on the course that day.  We are called "The Dawn Patrol".
     There is something about playing early in the morning.  The sunrise over the Sierras can be breathtaking, even though it makes following your tee shot to see where it lands almost impossible because of the glare of the rising sun.  Much of the wildlife is active this time of the day, and it is not unusual to see deer.  A couple of days ago we saw a mountain lion strutting merrily down the fairway.  In the ponds the fish are jumping to catch the insects that light on the surface of the lakes-oh sorry, that was the golf ball of the group behind us.
     Those of you who play know that the later the day gets the more players have played the course.  This means wear and tear on the golf course.  When you go out first, the course is in the best shape of the day because maintenance has worked on the course to set it up for the day.  By the end of the day, greens can become like the surface of the moon with the ball marks that players have not fixed.  The greens in the later part of the day tend to become bumpy because of the players walking on them. In most cases, greens have been rolled and just mowed first thing in the morning before you tee.  As a "Dawn Patroller"  the greens play truer and run faster and straighter.
     I like the fact that I can play early and be home for lunch and my afternoon nap.  As you get older, that nap in the afternoon gets to be important.  At any rate, you have finished your round early and have the rest of the day to do what you want, whatever it is.
     I am not playing today, but I am looking forward to once again teeing off tomorrow first thing in the morning.  I am proud to be a "Dawn Patroller".

The best time of day to play.