The vagaries of golf....

I know that non-golfers have a very hard time understanding what all the fuss is about with us idiots who go and spend hours beating a little white ball around beautiful green landscapes (and it is one of the reasons I stopped listening to George Carlin).

But I just had my best golf week ever; and I am beyond ecstatic. For the past couple of years I had literally "lost my game". My handicap had climbed from an 8 to a 13, a series of lessons did nothing to cure the absolutely miserable shots I was hitting, I was getting beat for some serious money (golf bets are supposed to even out in the long run, but I was losing to the same players ALL the time), and I was seriously considering just tossing my clubs in the lake (though my wife would never believe that).

As this season started, my regular weekday game competitor gave me a very simple tip about my grip. What followed was a complete and total turnaround for me - and for my friend who cannot get over the fact that I now regularly beat him. My last 3 rounds are 76, 78, and 80, and my handicap will be 9 as of next week. I am hitting the ball further and more accurately than ever; and I feel as if I am almost in control of my golf ball (only the tour pros really are, and even for them it is only a 50/50 proposition). The sense of accomplishment is almost overwhelming. (I will NOT make the ever-stupid comment of "I've got it!" because that would only put the evil golf curse on me - and I still took a 9 on the final hole yesterday.)

Why do people play golf? Because it's the only thing that can make child rearing or running a business seem easy....... Play golf, America!!