Just Me

What a bummer…the last day of league and it was so cold yesterday and ungodly windy, with predictions of ever colder weather today, they cancelled the Halloween festivities

Folks were going to dress up, each hole was to be decorated, some of the husbands were going to camp out on several holes and pass out goodies…but they figured (rightly so) that folks wouldn’t show up if it was cold, so they cancelled.

I just came in from the store and it is cold out there…low 40s with wind chills in the 30s. I think, since no one probably showed up, everything, including just going out to play, was cancelled. It’s a shame…I was so looking forward to the festivities. Each hole was to be a different or fun format….but now we have to wait until next year as no one followed up with the pro shop for a rain date (which would have been tomorrow when the temps will warm up) so there’s already a substantial tee sheet….so we wait until next year to try again.

I’m supposed to play in the last tournament of the year on Friday…but I’m still debating whether to do that. My back is really hurting and I’m just not swinging the club well….but it’s supposed to be in the 60s and since we quit Monday and didn’t play today, I need to take advantage of my opportunities as they are, as you can see, dwindling as we move into November. I suspect we have another 2 months of many good golf days (if past times are any indication) but once January rolls around, they will be few and far between until mid-March. So I’ll wait until tomorrow to see what’s predicted.

So no golf news today…just frustration at not being able to play

The inevitable result of any golf lesson is the instant elimination of the one critical unconscious motion that allowed you to compensate for all of your many other errors.

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We played 6 holes. It was cloudy, extremely windy and that wind was nasty cold, and it was awful playing. It seeemed that none of had our heads in the game as we were all playing abysmally. I even tore up the score card after 4 holes.

It was not a pretty day to be out there. Too many clothes hinders preformance and I’ve got too much going on in my head to really concentrate. And, even though my friends wussed out, I wasn’t unhappy and went along without hesitation.

We went across the street for coffe and good talk. Sat there for about an hour (but I spent about 20-30 minutes chatting with the pro who is just too cute) and chatted and enjoyed the warmth.

So Wednesday is our last league day. It’s the annual Halloween golfing event so it will be a lot of fun, even if it’s going to be frigid out there. It being the last day, I will be there.

Enjoy another sight of our beautiful community….

Never try to keep more than 300 separate thoughts in your mind during your swing.

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It was cold out there today. Cloudy and no wind until about hole #8. Then a cold, north wind pulled in and it got ugly. The sun popped out for about 3 minutes, but that was it.

So why did i go out there? Well…my good frind, who I worked with before I reitred, came out to play. I asked another couple to join us and off we went like crazy people, playing in this cold weather.

I birdied the 3rd hole. It’s a long par 5 but if you keep it on the fairway, at least paring it is easy. I had four very nice shots and in she went. It was actually the highlight of the  round. I did have several bogeys, which isn’t bad. I didn’t break 100 but I was very, very close

It was a nice day…good folks to be playing with and I didn’t get angry when I got stupid, so I waws happy. All in all, a good day to be on the golf course….so I avoided all the work I left sitting for me to do

Another opportunity arises Monday. Tomorrow it will rain, if we get what they’ve promised. I’ll sit and watch it from the comfort of the house where it will be dry and warmer than it will be outside!

Golf is like marriage: If you take yourself too seriously it won’t work , and both are expensive.

Another image by our wonderful photographer:

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That, my friends is another $64,000 question. It was very cold and with the wind chill (yes, the wind chill is definitely a factor now), it was in the 30s and 40s today. Winds gusted to 25mph. Saying playing was a challenge today would be an understatement.

Seems my scores are going back up. Shot 10 strokes higher today than I did last Wednesday. That’s a bummer!! I played with great folks though, so that makes up for the terrible conditions. I never broke a sweat…so I know it was cold.

As an afterthought this morning, I checked by bag to see if my winter golf gloves, winter cap and ear protectors were in my bag. They weren’t so I’m glad I checked. I needed the ear protection badly, especially when we first started out and I needed the winter gloves, just for the first hole. Then my hands were OK. Those gloves warm my hands nicely, but they makes it most difficult to to get anything out of your pocket (like tees and balls and repair tools).

I’m not particularly fond of playing in those conditions, but you do what you have to do to play. I do like it a bit warmer and the wind less blowy!

I took a couple of more pictures…not much has changed since Monday, but there was one very yellow tree on Hole #2 and the view up to the tee boxes from behind the green on 18 was pretty so I’m sharing them with you today.

Golf is the only sport where the most feared opponent is you.

Tree on Hole #2

Hole #18

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I was clobbering my tees today. Decapitated all 5! Poor babies. Only lost 1 ball on a pretty second shot on the #1 handicap hole. I should have been on in 3…but I won’t go there because i wasn’t even close.

I had another good opportunity to break 100 but it wasn’t meant to be. I did come in First Low Net last week in the league’s tournament, so all is not lost. Ended up a with a 68 net. If only I could shot that gross!! I can dream can’t I??

Anyway…I ended up with a decent score…for my handicap. Of course, I always want to be under my handicap so I’m never happy. Oh well!

Fall is starting to show it’s colors. Below are some shots I took today on the course.

An interesting thing about golf is that no matter how badly you play; it is always possible to get worse.

http://picasaweb.google.com/dfsmetsfan/Fall2008

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I didn’t play on Monday…my nsaid stopped working last week. Had to get an same day appointment to see a doc to get more meds. I needed a couple of days for it to get into my system. This stuff doesn’t work as well (but it’s better than nothing) so I was hoping I’d be pain free today. I wasn’t but since I hadn’t played in a week, the good Donna showed up.

I only 3 putted a couple of holes, one or two putted most and got a birdie chip-in putting just off the green. All in all, it was a good day.

I didn’t screw up too badly…my worst score was only a 7 and that was on par 5’s so I can’t complain. Now…why can’t that person show up every day to play? That is the $64,000 question (for those of you old enough to understand that reference!) 

Anyway…first time in a month I broke 100. It looks like I’m going to have to wait until next year to break 90, but I still have 2 1/2 months left to this year, so anything’s possible…hope springs eternal!!

I only got in one bunker today and had a great out! I really have nothing to complain about…oh I suppose I could find something, but I won’t. I’m actually a happy camper today.

Only thing that makes me sad is there are only 2 more weeks for league play. I do enjoy it….but now we can get tee times for any day since all the leagues end the last of October. And, the leaves are starting to change, so I’ll try to remember to bring my camera out and take some pictures. Some of the holes that are wooded are so pretty this time of year.

Below is a picture of our 17th hole at sunrise. We have an amazing photographer who lives here and takes the most glorious shots around the community. This is one of his…thank you Ed…

If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age.

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League Day!! Why would I think I would get on.

Today was the Susan G. Komen Rally for the Cure. Everyone was pretty much decked out in pink! We had a closest to the pin event on 18.  We were the 5th group to play 18. I was the only one (up to that point) who even drove the green and stayed on. I’m sure someone beat me….but that’s OK. It’s always fun to not only get on the green, but to play it well and par it!

Then I bogeyed the 1st hole, pared the second na dbogeyed the third!! Off to another good start…chance to pull out a decent score - NOT!! I played like crap. I did, at least, find some of my short game. It wasn’t a total bust like yesterday, but close enough for me.

These are not tournament rounds so after 20 rounds they’re gone anyway. sigh!

I’m not playing again until Monday…so maybe I can get some rest and regroup!! Let’s hope, anyway!!

It’s not a gimme if you’re still away.

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I’m taking up shuffleboard, even though I was told i wasn’t old enough. Golf is not my game…at least lately!!

Tournament! How to screw up a totally decent handicap? Screw up majorly in a tournament…where the score lasts longer and affects you longer!! Oy Vay!!

The ONLY thing I did right yesterday was drive, and they weren’t perfect either. I could do nothing else. The greens were lightning fast and I just couldn’t figure them out. That and the fact that my eyes are crooked and I need a tiny screwdriver to adjust them. If I went over the edge of the cup withour going in once, i did it 10 times! It’s so damn frustrating!!

But…I’ll try again. I always do!! I am not a happy camper

If you really want to get better at golf, go back and take it up at a much earlier age.

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But I still screwed up! I totally died on the last hole…oh well. Story of my life.

I had a decent round…played mostly OK. Of course, I got a case of the stupids on several holes. I also was very stiff…my back wouldn’t loosen up so I wasn’t staying down on the ball like I should have. I really had to concentrate on that.

I did have a couple of nice pars, which always helps.

I learned a new acronym today that cracked me up. We have a lot of them while playing golf, but this one was totally new to me. It was so good, I wrote it on my scorecard so I wouldn’t forget it: BIPSIC.

Now, let me explain, for those of you who don’t play golf. If you maintain a handicap, which we all do because we play in a league (that’s the Wednesday thing), you have a maximum number of strokes you can take for that handicap. So, let’s say your handicap is in the 20s. Your maximum number of strokes is 8. Basically, except in league or tournament play, when you reach 8 you pick up the ball to speed play. So you’re on a hole, have hit your eighth stroke and you’re still not in the cup. You pick your ball up and put it in your pocket. Hence, BIPSIC – Ball In Pocket, Sulking In Cart!!   I love it!!

Anyway…I didn’t do that today. No BIPSICs for me….but I did sulk anyway on a few holes. I also made some monster divots…but none landed on top of the golf cart, so I wasn’t too much of a menace today.

And, I did not play at the beach at all today. I managed to avoid all of the bunkers…YIPEE!!! There’s always something to be happy for

As usual, I had a wonderful time because I was on the golf course and I ended up with a decent score (for my handicap). I just hope I still have some good shots left for tomorrow’s tournament. The course we’re playing on is LOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGG!!

When you look up, causing an awful shot, you will always look down again at exactly the moment when you ought to start watching the ball if you ever want to see it again.

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But alas, it’s not to be. Today was the last day of the three session league championship. I wasn’t awful…I wasn’t good. I couldn’t putt. The course was so soggy and smushy and awful, when you hit, the divot was twice as heavy as normal. I hit a ball in a low area by a stream. Needless to say, it was my second hole and I played the remainder of the round with wet, soggy socks. It’s after 8pm and they’re still wet! That’s how wet it was.

Makes it very difficult to get a good stance as well. You want to find one that keeps you on the driest land possible and that was most difficult on several holes today.

I also had such fun at the beach…but I must say that every time, except once, I got out in one swing. Today I was determined to get out. It’s normally hard to get out for us hackers and duffers, but when the sand is do wet, it’s hard to grab the sand so the ball will come up with it. You usually end up with too much sand and dirt. It’s all in the game.

I played with one gal I played with last week and another friend. We had a great day and it was a beautiful day for golf. We finished just in time. Black, ugly clouds were rolling in and big drops started falling as I was driving home. Then, the heavens opened up. It didn’t last long, but it was nasty.

We had no one behind us but we caught up with the foursome in front of us. We had to wait for them on every hole. The marshall told them to pick up the pace, which they did, but there were only 3 of us, so we played pretty fast. Life on the golf course!

Since my playing partner for Friday finked out, I cancelled my tee time. No reason to be a fool about this. I’m playing in a tournament next week so I don’t want to be too pooped to pedal. Last time I played this course we’re playing on, it was cold, about 35mph winds and it was before the shot in my back…so I played horribly. It’s a long course and I want to give it my best shot to play it well.

If you’re afraid a full shot might reach the green while the foursome ahead of you is still putting out, you have two options: You can immediately shank a lay-up or you can wait until the green is clear and top a ball halfway there.

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