FAIRWAYS AND GREENS

The skies were beautiful today at the golfing range, but I was distracted by a particular cloud on my left.  I felt like Yukon Cornelius was watching me.

Although the mustache in the cloud formation lacked the length and was a tad less defined than Yukon's, I found myself drawn back to looking at him.  It's easy for one's mind to wander.  I then pictured him licking his ice pick while Herbie and Rudolph looked on, and then . . . the clouds grew into an amorphous blob so I could focus on my game again.

Yes.  Golf.  I am here to practice my swings.

The negative effects of Covid are too numerous to list, and none of us want to read about them anyway.  I found myself unable to find topics to blog about after remote teaching, statistics, and Lori Lightfoot memes.  But some positives have come from Covid, I think we all can agree, such as time to return to life's simplicities and priorities.

For years I have wanted to return to golf, but the only sport present in my life has been volleyball.  I miss it and pray that it will be back in my life this year.  But the time is right for me to pick up my game again for many reasons.  

One, I cut my teeth on the golf course with my cousin Sean at a very young age.  It was what we did every summer, sometimes every day.  So not only has my muscle memory on how to swing a driver returned but also have my fondest childhood memories on the Grand Beach golf course with Sean.  

Two, I have given myself permission to pursue a hobby.  I've had a hard time allowing myself to pursue something that makes me happy that doesn't involve my hubby or my kids.  Don't get me wrong.  I begged Bill to give it a try, but he just doesn't have any interest.  Never has and never will.

Third, I'm a teacher.  I have summers to do this.

Fourth, plenty of friends have asked me to golf with them over the years and I'm tired of saying no.

The danger of taking up golf is I am very competitive.  And impatient to master new skills.  Not great qualities on the course.  Am I capable of chucking a sand wedge in the tree?  Hell, yes.  Will I consider myself a failure if I am not Nancy Lopez by the end of the summer?  Probably.  But I won't let these possibilities stop me.  So first I had to get some clubs.

I hit up my friend Scott, a science teacher whom I have taught with for 16 years.  He sells clubs on the side and if I'm going to give my money to anyone it's going to be a teacher.  And a friend.  So Scott hooks me up with a basic starter set and we meet at the range.  I score a free one-hour lesson from him as he describes the features of the clubs.  I now know words like face, hybrid, and sole.  

Scott, my brother Bobby, and my buddy Karen, all terrific golfers, have validated that my rhythm/tempo, posture, stance, and finish look good.  This is the first time in my life someone told me I got rhythm!   Wow!  It's definitely not on the dance floor.  I am flattered, and I am also stoked that everything I know about how to golf is coming back rather easily.

Karen loves my backswing and follow-through, but encouraged me to bend my knees like I'm resting my bum on a stool and to lift my chin a "Tad Martin."  If anyone understands this reference, he/she will win a prize.  She added, "Feel like your anchoring your toes in the sand to gain stability and square yourself up to the ball.  Swing back on that great path, getting your left shoulder under your chin and START the downswing with your left foot planted in the ground and follow through with a FULL FINISH, club resting on your left shoulder!!!"

These are all text responses to Bill video recording my swings at the range.

So it looks like I have the support I need, eh?  I'd say so.  I knew my choice in instructors was spot on.

So today I head over to the range with my new clubs and try to remember all these pieces of information.  I slice, I choke, I nail it.  There was more mishmash in my drives than there are in a White Claw Variety Pack.  As my frustration intensified, I remembered the great advice Scott gave me.  "Some people will have fun only if they play well.  Not a good approach considering they are out in nature with friends and they are going to get upset over a number on a card?  Celebrate the good shots.  Forget the bad shots."  

He then texted, "Fairways and Greens."

I'd say the chances of my students getting life advice in the form of golf metaphors is pretty high this year.