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June 4, 2008
Golf: Pursuit of madness
After years of buying golf clubs, shoes, balls and assorted gear, shelling out more money to have my clubs extended, and paying greens fees — sometimes exorbitant enough to make my wife’s eyebrows shoot up — my game has remained remarkably mediocre. So I decided to invest more money and take lessons. (Smart, huh?)
In the past, on a good day — OK, a very good, very rare day — I’ll shoot an 85. Most of the time, I’m grinding so hard to overcome my weaknesses, I’ll be happy with a 95 or 96. And days when my game is worse? You don’t want to hear about it.
I’ve just completed my fourth and final group lesson, and I have to wonder how I ever broke 120.
Now, the first three lessons were very instructive and had me feeling relatively good about myself. On irons play, I learned how to greatly reduce my backswing and introduce a sweeping motion. I’ve played four nine-hole rounds during the same period as these first three lessons, and I struggled on the first two rounds, but shot a 47 and 46 on the next two.
So far, so good. The few pointers I’d picked up were working.
Then I went to the fourth lesson.
That could have been my mistake.
A pro at the golf course that gave the lessons really challenged me. He saw my swing for the first time, saw my potential (or the chance to make a lot of money in future lessons). He said I shouldn’t shoot 95 any more. He said that without chipping or putting well, I should be shooting 85. Later during the session, he said if I do the drills (and practice), I should be hitting 7-irons 170 yards. Normally to that remark, I would say something like, “What have you been smoking?”
Now, you’ve got to realize that I’m often the butt of jokes at the course because of my short distance off the tee. Once, after I hit a measly driver, a buddy asked if my husband plays, too. Sure, it’s a tired, sexist joke, but he delivered it well and his timing was perfect — another foursome (of guys) had just arrived on the same tee.
But 170-yard 7-irons? You’ve got to be kidding me.
So I did every drill the pro asked of me, even though I admit that in a couple of instances, rather than learn anything, I was simply trying not to hurt anyone else at the range by plunking them with my golf ball. But I took all his advice, tried to commit it to memory, and I will do the drills some more.
I will try to golf well, for a change.
I did like the pro, who said I should come see him again if I have problems. He may regret that statement when I do my Bill Murray impersonation from “What about Bob?” with the pro as my doctor.
Posted by Dave on June 4, 2008 12:58 AM
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