A Walk Spoiled

I have to confess that I’ve never disagreed with Mark Twain’s assessment (did he say this?) of the game of golf. Maybe it’s because I never really played it growing up, but somehow golf never really captured my imagination, even though everyone around me plays the game. I probably never would have even tried it had N not wanted to give it a go. A few years back he developed an interest in golf, so naturally I tagged along for the ride. He takes it pretty seriously, and is into the gear. He has a set of clubs, complete with all the drivers and irons, not to mention the putter. It’s a cool set, and he loves taking care of it, making sure everything is where it belongs. That’s just the way he is, it’s really cute.

We’ve golfed a few times at the 9-hole course nearby, but mostly we go to the driving range, which I enjoy, maybe even a little better. I like whacking the ball, and going to the driving range is not only cheaper, but it doesn’t take all day. This past week, we had all day with some decent weather, and he asked if we could go golfing. R agreed, and even A said she’s tag along and ride the golf cart and search for balls. That meant the guys were going out for a round of golf.

We tried a new range, as well, and headed off to Carter CC in Lebanon. I’d never been there, but had driven past it countless times. It’s actually a decent course, nice than Windsor, in my opinion. N and I played a 9-hole round, and if you can believe this, I really had fun. First off, N has really come along in his game. As I said, he takes it seriously, and you can see when he swings that he’s all about form. The thing about golf, at least in my opinion, is that when you maintain proper form, things don’t work out that well at first. A person’s first inclination (at least for me) is to ditch form and do what works, or at least feels more comfortable. However, if you’re patient and do things properly, eventually things will fall into place, and I think that’s what’s happening with N. He struggled a bit at first hitting the ball, but gradually his swing developed, and now he’s hitting the ball well. Bear in mind, he’s just a kid, but I’m impressed with how he can hit the ball. It’s really cool to see.

We did 9 holes and maybe it was because it wasn’t too hot, but we had a blast. The course is nicer so it made it fun, as well, though it’s hard when people come up behind you and are waiting to tee off. Also, since it’s a small course and people are doubling back, it can be a little treacherous with golf balls flying all over the place. Treacherous for us and them.

We played for several hours, golf is such a time drain, but enjoyed it, and even I came away from it seeing some of the merits of the game. So much so, in fact, that I think we’ll do it again, soon.

No argument from N on that one. Until then, thanks for reading, and thanks to Fevi in Pictures for the pic.