More Bitter Than Sweet

I played my first 18 yesterday. The plan was actually to play an early 9 holes, but circumstances allowed us to extend it to a full 18 holes. The first two holes were deceivingly good to me, but I should have noticed the signs of things to come. The first hole, a 510 yard par 5, I was within 10 yards of the green in 2 shots. After a two chip and two putt, I bogeyed the hole. The next hole was a long par four, again close to the green after two shots, and again a two chip and two putt. The rest of the front nine was abysmal, easily my worst 9 hole score of the year at 60. The back nine was a little better, at 51 for a slightly embarrassing 111 score. The good news? I did drop my putting average, which really is my goal right now. My statistics, which are updated to the right, are telling. The glaring weakness in my game is approaching the green. But I am still going to stay focused on my short game with the ultimate goal of bringing my putting average below 2.00. Stinkin' wedges.

Just Not in the Cards

Golf took a backseat the last couple of weeks to make way for a rare vacation without the kids. Stephanie and I took a week off and went to Costa Rica. So of course, the weeks before were busy with preparations and long hours at the office. For a more detailed synopsis of the trip you will have to refer to Stephanie's blog (check for an update in a few days). I diligently tried to find a way to play golf while I was down there, but to no avail. There were a few obstacles, the most formative being the serious lack of golf courses in Costa Rica. I really shouldn't have been so surprised. Golf truly is a luxurious hobby and I was humbled at how much we have in the United States compared to less fortunate countries. A thought crossed my mind once or twice of how I could play golf when there is so much poverty and those without. But it didn't affect me so much as to give up the game and donate the money to a Costa Rican charity, just a thought of gratitude I suppose for how much we really have in this country. Maybe I'm not sensitive or mature enough to make a serious change, and right now I am OK with that.

The other formative challenge was that the few courses we would be passing by or near were just outright expensive. The only real option I had to play would have cost nearly $250 with club rentals, cart, a riders fee for Stephanie, and transportation to and from the course. I probably could have rationalized taking half of that from the golf budget and half from the vacation budget, but I just couldn't do it. We saw some lava and went surfing instead. But I am rested and ready for a great season. Tune in for more frequent entries as I hope to play a little more in the coming weeks.