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.

My "I Want To Play That Course Someday" List That I Did Play Finally

     One of my earlier posts was about the 10 courses on the way somewhere that I want to play. We all have that kind of list. These are courses that we say we want to play and most of the time don't get around to playing.  Mine is still pretty long, but I did get to play some of these courses.
      I recently took some of them off my "I Will Play Someday" to my "I Have Played" list because I did get the opportunity to play them. Some I even went back to play again on another trip.  My "I Will Play Someday" list keeps growing. At some point I will play the ones on that list and I will replace those courses.  You know what? My "I Have Played" list off that "I Will Play" list keeps growing as well. We all know that there enough courses to keep us going for a very long time.
     I know that all that sounded a bit confusing. That's OK, I guess I am a bit confused by it too. At any rate, here is the list of  5 courses that I said I really wanted to play because I would pass by them or be near to them and finally decided to play.  More will be added to that list soon.:

1.  Coronodo Golf Course, Coronado, California: I have been to San Diego many times and there it was, right underneath the San Diego-Coronado Bridge. I kept saying on the Harbor Cruise and when we went to the beach in Coronado "I have to play that someday."  Someday came and it was a treat.  This is one great course that has scenery all around it and is fun to play. Coronodo is always in great shape as well. I like it so much that I did a feature article on in for West Coast Golfer Magazine. When you are in the San Diego area, make sure to put it on your list.  Plan ahead and make a tee time because as you can imagine, the course is very busy.

2.  Balboa Park (The 18 Hole Course), San Diego, California: Yes, it is located in Balboa Park in San Diego.  You turn left to go to the zoo, and right to go to the course. I wasn't sure about this one because it was completely redone in the 90's I think.  I did want to play it though. It is hilly and has some great holes on it.  I do remember one thing about the course.  I was playing with a couple of ladies and I asked about how to play my second shot.  They said just don't hit the ball to the right, there is a baranca there.  So I made sure to hit my ball to the left.  Guess what, there was a baranca on the left as well and I lost my ball. I asked the ladies why they didn't tell me about the baranca on the left and their reply was, you didn't ask. It is a fun course and was in pretty good shape.

3.  Lake Tahoe Golf Course, South Lake Tahoe, California:  As you drive into the South Lake Tahoe Basin you pass a large flat meadow and discover that there is a golf course built in it. You wold think that a golf course built in the mountains would have some hills on it. Not at this course.  It is flat. I drove by it several time as I went to Lake Tahoe the many times I have been there but wondered if I wanted to play it.  It was flat.  It couldn't possibly have any character to it. I was wrong.  What I didn't know until I played it is that the Truckee River runs through the property and cuts across the course in some very strange places. It is a fun course to play and very beautiful with the high mountains of the Sierra and around Lake Tahoe as a backdrop. It is a fun golf course and well worth it.  I never have hit a 5 iron 200 yards or a wedge 140 yards before.

4.  Manteca Park Golf Course, Manteca, California:  I was told so many times when I lived in Fresno that I should play Manteca Park. I finally did and I was glad.  The course is a kick to play and it was in very good condition even though we played it just soon after a heavy rainstorm.  It is short, but I was a bit confused by the high slope. It can't be that tough, why is it rated so high? It was tough.  The fairways are tight and the greens are small. I want to go again soon.

5.  Lake Chabot, Oakland, California:  A par six, are you kidding me.  Nope, the eighteenth hole is a par six and you kind of wonder when you haven't played there why it is a par six. OK, it is 633 yard of pure downhill bliss. The City of Oakland brings in snow and lets people ski down it during the winter. The cart path snakes back and forth through the fairway because if you went straight down the middle of the fairway it is so steep that you probably would turn the cart over.  Needless to say, the rest of the course is hilly as well. It is a fun course and not punitive but the greens are small and the course does get some getting used to. Ask the marshals for some local knowledge, they will help.  Listen to them, they know.

     I have many more courses that can go on this list and I will probably revisit this soon and talk about those courses. But for now, that's it. Don't forget to check out my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com to see some of the courses I played. Take a look at some of my course U-Tube videos and the instruction pages. Until next time, hit 'em long and straight.  Don't forget to not leave that birdie putt short.

Number eighteen at Lake Chabot.  It looks like Lombard Street in San Francisco.

The First Tee at Coronado.

Some Thoughts About The Ryder Cup: Brad Patterson

Congratulations to the American Ryder Cup team for bringing "The Cup" back to The United States, but not without some controversy. The play was outstanding on both sides but there were some pointed criticisms about the American fans. Here's what I find puzzling.  You don't hear much about European soccer fans from the European side.  That's just a thought. I also think that the PGA of America did the right thing in putting out the memo concerning fan behavior and enforcing that policy.

I found a post on Facebook by our colleague Brad Patterson that pretty much says it all.  I want to share that post with you.  Here it is.

I'm not one to hold back on an opinion but I'm at a loss on this one. Please read and offer your thoughts. Preface this to say whenever the Americans win a Ryder Cup on US soil there is a "trend" the Euros are quick to cite the over the top behavior on the part of our players or our fans. It happened in 1999 with Justin Leonard and "The Putt", Louisville in '08, and it happened again this weekend. (These are the only victories on US soil in the past 17 years).

Many of you heard the exuberance from the fans during the event. Most notably the cheering when the Euros missed putts. We simply don't do that in golf. Even Mike Tirico commented as many of you have that "many of the patrons are sports fans and not necessarily golfers." Sports fans all across the board cheer, trash talk, and heckle. How we get the 6th man, the 12th man, the aura of playing in "their house." But as golf transitions and appeals to the masses it also attracts a multitude of people not educated on the etiquette and traditions of golf.

Maybe it began with the Euros calling out a heckler Thursday in an attempt to embarrass him with playing on a stage in front of millions for money. Their plan backfired and Insurance Man made the putt. Did this give the hecklers even more fuel? Or was it the heckler screaming vulgarity at Rory Saturday on every hole?

Apparently it did. So much so, the PGA of America published this statement before the singles matches yesterday....

"Rooted in the ideals of sportsmanship and international goodwill, the Ryder Cup is about having a spirited passion for not only the victory, but for the game of golf. We are encouraging all spectators on Sunday to be passionate and support their team in a way that is respectful to those around them, the players, and the Ryder Cup.

"Our security staff will continue to enforce a zero tolerance policy, removing from the course any fans who are disruptive in any way, including the use of vulgar or profane language directed at the players. We look forward to a strong finish today that reflects the spirit of the Ryder Cup and provides a positive experience for all."

Sergio even gave an interview where he cited "I feel ashamed for my American girlfriend."

Rory's heckler was booted. Others were booted following the PGA's statement yesterday. Yes, you could see a decided behavior change from the fans yesterday. At the same time you have perhaps the most emotionally charged match in golf history occurring between Patrick Reed and Rory to lead off America's charge to victory yesterday.

Where does it end? How does it change? Personally? I actually take offense at The Euros attempting to put an asterisk on American victories in The Cup due to hostile playing conditions. But I also know The Euros are our guests and they do deserve to be treated with the utmost respect during the matches.

http://www.independent.ie/…/i-feel-ashamed-for-my-girlfrien…


Brad Patterson
PGA



Thanks Brad for those comments which really hit the nail on the head.

Way to go Lads!

Fifteen Yards, Maybe: Golf Memories Growing Up

    God bless my mom. She was an interesting person.  I kind of felt that she was always in a state of anger, but most of the time it was because of the pranks I pulled on her and my Dad's extracurricular activities. Let's just leave it at that. At any rate, there were times in my golfing career that she went out of her way for me, that is until I really got hooked on golf. That's a different story that I may share a different time.
     I practiced a lot when I first started the game. Our living room turned into a makeshift putting green with one of those putting discs being the target. I putted on all the surfaces in the house, whether it be carpet, tile or kitchen floor.  I'm a pretty good putter because of that. The back yard, which was very large, looked like the surface of the moon from all my divots and practicing my short game back there. Lesson were few and far between because the salesman who sold Dad the tuna kind of went back on his word about giving me a lot of lessons. When he did schedule a lesson, I was sure to be there no matter the weather.
     I remember very vividly a lesson I had one cold January evening. It gets cold and damp--I know you North Easterners are saying Oh, poor California boy, playing in the cold--and very foggy in the part of California I live. In fact, we measure how bad the fog is by the number of lines you can see down the middle of the road. A one liner is the worst because you can only see one line on the road in front of you and then the world dissolves into this thick, grey wall. Needless to say, this was not the night to go to the driving range for a golf lesson.  Unfortunately, it was the only night that was open for my teacher and it would be a very long time before we could get together again, so I wasn't going to miss my lesson.  Mom agreed to take me to the range.
     It was a true one liner. In fact, it was hard even to see the traffic signals when they went from red to green. We were not deterred though. It was my lesson day and I was not going to miss.
     We got safely to the driving rage and pulled into the parking lot--I think. There were a couple of cars there and there were people on the range hitting balls into the murky grey wall fifteen yards ahead of them that was the fog bank. I payed for my balls and took my 5 iron and balls out to the range and had my lesson. It was a good one, and we focused on making good contact on the ball. Where the ball went was of no concern.  We couldn't see anyway, but what was important was what my ball flight was when it left the club. Looking back, it was one of my best lessons because the swing was the key and not where or how far the ball went. I will never forget that lesson.
     We made it home safely.
     There is one last thing that I must say today.  We have surpassed 40,000 views mark for this blog. I want to thank you my readers from the bottom of my heart for tuning in and reading. We have a lot planned for our "Golf Is For Everyone" brand, so stay tuned. Again I say a heartfelt THANK YOU!

Fog has gotten better here in The Central Valley of California