Golf

Last Saturday it was nice out. The snow is melted and my eight year old son wanted to go out in the yard and play golf.

So we went out. There's an OK green space in my back yard around 25yd where you can hit some short chip shots. My son was just doing regular swings with his junior clubs. He hit it pretty well a few times. I grabbed the 7 iron I use for chips and hit a few with him. First time this year I've had a golf club in my hands.

I've had little success at golf, which has been disappointing. Last year I was motivated to get under 100 at a regular course, or at least under 50 over nine holes. I practiced at the driving range, my yard, and on a putting matt. I didn't quite get there. I played OK at times but could not sustain it over a round.

One time last year at River Oaks south course I was +1 after the first 3 holes. But then things went bad. Another time at the River Oaks north course I had a 37 after 7 holes. I was in great shape to break 100, or at least 50 at the turn. Alas, I finished the front nine with 7-8, and the back nine was a writeoff.

That time at the River Oaks north course was a personal setback for me. I wanted to break 100 and I wasn't able to. Discouraged, I didn't touch a golf club after that in 2005.

For 2006 I am taking a more relaxed approach to golf. I don't have time or money for lessons, so I've given up on getting under 100. I find that liberating in a way so now I can relax more with no expectations.

I'm not going to pursue golf this season. I'm not going to spend time or money on my own on the driving range or practice. If my son wants to go hit in the back yard I'll go out with him but that's about it.

This year I will work on exactly one aspect of my golf game. Keep my head down through the swing. I will not bother at all about grip, stance, swing or anything else. Just keep my head down and hopefully I'll hit it consistently and good things will happen. It seemed to go OK out in the yard concentrating on head down only. If I can achieve that one thing then this season will be considered a success.

I'm not going to organize other people to go and play. If people invite me to play I'll go out for fun, but that's it. My son says he wants to play so I'll take him out once in a while. We'll go to the Fairview Hills pitch and putt to start out. If he's hitting consistently and well then we'll go for the longer Harbour Ridge course.

I don't expect to be writing much more about golf. The next time I write about it will be when I reach the 50/9, 100/18 goal. I still faintly hope it will happen this year but I don't expect it to and I'm not going to be disappointed if it doesn't happen.