Important Question

     This post will be short and simple.  I have to pose a very important question, given the extreme sacrifice I am about to make on Monday.  The temperature is supposed to soar above the 110 degree mark and my group is planning to tee off at 1:00.  As I have said, I am going to play but the important question is...At what point do golf balls melt?

Something cool and refreshing on this hot day.

I WILL do my duty!

     During the summer, most sane people play golf in the early morning in Fresno before it gets to the normal daily heat.  Temperatures this time of year soar into the mid 100's, so you want to get your round in as early as you can.  Most tee off before 9 A.M., and I prefer dawn patrol and teeing off as the sun is rising.  This means at the golf course with coffee and breakfast in the clubhouse at about 5:45 or earlier.
     I have a solunm (dikshunary time, solemn) duty to you as my readers to bring to you the stories that make golf fun and interesting.  I will go to any and all lengths and risk to get that story or tidbit that I know I should share with you. It takes a lot of courage, but it has to be done. Monday, I will sacrifice myself to you and the gods of golf and play in the oppressive heat of midday. Temperatures are supposed to soar to around 111, so this may turn out to be the supreme sacrifice.  It is after all a selfless act of giving, and all for you.
     Three of us are going to brave the intense heat of day and play a wonderful course in Dinuba, Ca.  I like the course and plan to do a spotlight on it next week with pictures should I survive the ordeal.  As you know, Denise plays golf as well, but she is the sensible one in the group--actually the one who has half a brain--and thinks it is going to be too hot. She refuses to play in such stifling heat--wimp.  I have written the burial instruction and funeral requests should I expire on the heated plain of battle--uh course.  Sorry, I'm getting a bit too carried away.
     I pan to drink a lot of water between then and now and hydrate myself.  I know that there is the possibility of heat stroke, so I will be very careful. I still have some gift certificate money left over from the wedding so I plan to go to Home Depot and buy one of those cool towels and see if they work.  I will let you know.  Maybe this is a good opening to the company to seek an endorsement for the product.  I do need sponsors if I am going to make the rent.
     Wish me luck---I'm going in!

I will have this on my mind on Monday as I play in the 111 degree heat  Monday.  Oh,  I forgot it was hot there too.

   
       

Quick Post Today...Got To Go To Court

     Can't write much today as I am on my way to Merced with Denise.  Her son's dog ate a chihuahua and she is being sued for the damages.  It wasn't ever her dog.
     There is a fine golf course near Merced in the town of Atwater.  It is called Rancho Del Rey and I have played it.  Hopefully, I will get up there soon and have a review with pictures.  Stay tuned, I have to run. Enjoy today's picture, which has absolutely nothing to do with today's post.

No golf course or dog picture, but you can enjoy these wild turkeys.  The shot was taken on a golf course, if that counts. 

 

I Miss It A Lot!

     Today is Monday.  I am really sad because I miss playing with my normal group on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  I really miss these guys.
     I want everyone to know that I am not playing because I have got married two weeks ago and my new bride is taking up all my time.  In fact, she wants to play more than I do.  That is not it.  It seems as though life is just not going in the direction I want it to.  I take that back, it is going in a way I want it too, its just that I may have to take care of business and work on that business instead of having fun.
     You may say that golf is my business.  That isn't exactly true.  Writing is my business and I write about golf.  Right now, golf is not paying the bills, writing is. I have been blessed with picking up a couple of new clients, which is great.  I must also do the business of getting business. That takes up a lot of time as well.
     Here's to the Monday, Wednesday, Friday Seniors skins group.  I have had many a fun time playing with you guys and I miss you a lot.  Don't worry, I will be back and hopefully soon.

I really miss this.

It's Sunday...

Hi everyone.  Thanks you for tuning into my blog on golf.  Today is Sunday and tomorrow I have a very busy writing day ahead, so I am taking today off.  Tonight I going to a B.B.Q. and am watching the Giants on T.V. right now. This is relaxation!. I will have a post tomorrow.

Time for a little libation.  

Saturday

     It is Saturday and should be a day off.  I should be out chasing the little white ball around the course.  That is not to be today as I have a lot to do.  At some point, soon I hope, things will get back to some state of normalcy and I will be able to play golf once a gain on a regular basis.
     I miss playing golf. Denise misses playing golf.  There is nothing better to do than to chase that little white ball around a grassy field.  It is not to be right now. Maybe when the house is put together as we want it and there is nothing else to move or place in that special spot.  Oh well, life goes on.

Maybe I'll take up wing walking.

Small Ball v. The Home Run

     Yes, I do know that my title is a baseball reference.  Some of my readers in other countries probably won't understand what I am trying to compare here.  Bear with me on this and I hope that I can make it clear.
     In baseball, and most baseball fans know this, there are two ways to score.  The first way is what is called "small ball" where you try to get as many base runners on the bases and move them over with small hits.  You score by moving runners in small increments, not all i one fell swoop.  Then there is "The Home Run", where you score a run in one swing of the bat by hitting the ball a long way and out of the ball park. Either method scores runs.  "Small Ball" uses strategy and finesse where as the "Home Run" in baseball is nothing but brute strength. Which is better? It depends.
     What does this have to do with golf.  Funny you should ask. The same principles apply in golf as to how the sport is played.  You have the long hitters and you have the short hitters.  Among amateurs at least, most long hitters don't have a great short game and most short hitters don't hit the ball far but they score using a fantastic short game.  You have to remember now that this is a generalization and I have seen long hitters with great short games, and I have seen short hitter who couldn't putt. But in most cases, the generalization holds true.
     I am a bit prejudicial toward  "small ball".  I am a short hitter.  In fact, I have trounced many a long hitter by having a great short game as my weapon of choice.  I love to have a long hitter go driver wedge on a long  par four and get on in two. I may use driver three wood and be off the green, but recover with a great chip shot close to the hole and make my putt for par.  The long hitter on the other hand three putts and I win the hole.  I am in awe though of that long hitter and wish I could hit the ball further.
    I suppose with some lessons and some conditioning, I could hit the ball further, but my question would be "Why"?  I shoot in the middle 80's to low 90's and I am happy with that, so why work on it?  I am happy with it and I do chip and putt well. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I am almost sixty years old and enjoy the game. Why cause disruption to my well-being.  I have all the frustration in my life so don't add to it by messing up my golf game.
     Golf courses are meant to be played, not brought to their knees by going past all the interesting parts of the course.  They were designed to be enjoyed and to be a challenge.  The game is supposed to be fun and a challenge.  Length is a good thing, but it isn't everything. Even if you do hit it far, you still must do the little things well in order to score. I like a good baseball game where there are a lot of walks and singles and strategy is used to get the runners to score.  I also like a game with a lot of home runs.
     At 6996 yards, Merion is a short course. It took its toll on the long ball hitters.  The short game was a premium. Golf is a skill game as well as a power game.  You could have the strength, but you also must have the skill as well. Merion showed us that.  To me, skill wins.

Don't drive the ball far, but I can putt!

Golf Is Life...But So Is Moving and Getting Married

     As I get older, life and golf have a tendency to collide. When they hit, there is a massive crash that can be heard the world over.  Things have a tendency to order themselves into priorities in ways we don't always want them to align.  Sometimes we have to just "suck it up" and be mature about life.
     To be honest, I would rather be out playing golf, especially with my wife. That is not going to happen.  I am going to take the mature road and stay home to do the chores that need to be done here around the house.  We just moved into a house and there is unpacking to do.  The yard beckons.  Oh well, choices and priorities.
     Hey wait a minute.  Something just dawned on me.  I am a golf writer.  That is my job.  Playing golf is part of what I do for a living and work is a very mature thing to do.  It is a great day, the weather is beautiful and I think I am going to go to work.  Where are my sticks?
     What's that dear?  I need to hang the pictures in the living room.  We have to cut the grass and weed the flower beds.  All the moving boxes need to be broken down and placed in the recycle bin.  OK, I'm coming.   Can we play golf tomorrow? We'll see?  O.K.

Here's the first tee and starter.  Haven't seen one of these in a long time.

Merion: What An Open

     I was a bit skeptical.  The decision to return to Merion Country Club was a good one and I was excited. However, I thought that the course was too short to host a U. S. Open and I was not the only one with that line of thinking. To that, I want to share this story.
     About three years ago I played in a tournament that was played in Monterey, California at  a course called Monterey Pines.  The course is one of my favorites and was celebrating the Grand Opening of the course after several years of renovation.  Owned by the Navy and referred to as the Navy Course, it is located on the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey close to the Monterey Airport and Monterey County Fairgrounds.  I am not going to say much about the course other than it is short and a fantastic test of golf.  I got to the course and was eager to play in the tournament.  I wondered who was going to be on my team as it was a four-person scramble event.
     The three other players on my team were an interesting mix.  First there was Al, who was the director of the Naval Postgraduate School.  Next, there was Jim, who was the commanding officer of Naval Air Station Lemoore.  We became good friends, by the way, and played golf together in Fresno many times.  The third and last member of our group was Ron Read, who is the starter for the U.S.G.A.. Ron rode with me and we chatted about many things golf and otherwise.
     Just a short time before we played the Monterey tournament, the U.S. Open rotation was announced and Merion was on the list.  I was curious about this, but very happy.  Lee Trevino's victory and the wicker baskets were very clear in my mind.  So, I started to talk about the 2013 open and Merion with Ron.
     "So Ron, I saw the courses slated in the U.S. Open pool and was very excited.  I also noticed that The Open is going to return to Merion.  That is great that The U.S.G. A. is going to return to such a great classic course.  I am kind of wondering what the winning score is going to be on such a short course.  What is your prediction?  Would you say about ten to twelve under?  The long hitter of today should tear up such a short course."
     A wry smile came over his face. It was as if he knew something I didn't.  I get that smile from a lot of people.  Maybe I don't know as much as I think I know, but that is another story. He very calmly and simply said to me in a very authoritative voice, "They are going to be lucky to break even par. We're ready for them."
     That was the end of our conversation about Merion.  It wasn't that we wanted to continue the conversation about Merion, its just that the tournament was progressing and we had shots to hit. We proceeded to talk about many other golf related topics, but never returned to the subject of the open at Merion.
      What was Justin Rose's winning score at Merion?  Oh yes, it was +1. I guess Ron was right. The great lady of Merion withstood the onslaught and won.  Sometimes, bigger is not better.  
   
   
   
     

I Feel For Phil

     I know how you feel, Phil.  I have been there before, maybe not with the U.S. Open on the line but I have been there and feel your pain. I am with you, and you are my brother.
     I couldn't watch the final round of the U.S. Open this year as I was at a Father's day gathering with family.  I was curious as to what was happening, but didn't want to know because my wife was recording the tourney so that we could watch it later when we got home.  I was pulling for "Lefty".  There had to be a first Open for him. But alas, this was not to be this day.  Also, we wound up not watching the tourney because we found out the results while we were eating hamburgers at Red Robin and the basketball game was on.  Unfortunately, as Ricky Bobby would say, second place is first looser. Second place hurts, especially when you are so close.  That is part of the game, I suppose but it still hurts.
     As many of my friends know, I play tournament golf.  It is not at the caliber of  "Lefty" as my challenges are of the local club variety, but they are tournaments nevertheless. When I play these tourneys I am subject to the same emotions and pressures as a professional, maybe not as intense but still the same. Lee Trevino said it best when he said, "Pressure is when you are playing for five dollars and you only have three dollars in your pocket."
     I have won many times, as has Phil. I have also felt the hurt of coming in second or of finishing "out of the money" as well. If you look at it though, that is the beauty of the game.  There is always a "next time" and we always come back. Tomorrow is another day. We play because we enjoy the game and competition.  Winning is great and we play to win but don't always.  The bottom line is that we play a fun game,sometimes a strange and funny game but we don't give up because it is so much fun.
     In a tournament, I blew an eleven stroke lead with four holes to play.  Another tournament saw my partner and I needing a three putt to win and wound up six putting to finish out of the money.  I have been beaten 6-5 in match play, but I still keep coming back to play. One tournament saw me playing with a pulled hamstring which was healthy at the beginning of the round and hurting badly on the last seven holes.  I finished the tournament and my team was only one stroke out of the money. Yes, it is only a game, but a game that is addictive and I will be back for more.
     Happy 43rd birthday Phil!  I am with you and you will get your Open.

We just keep soldiering on.