Nice Putt

A few weeks ago I ventured into the closet in my spare closet. While there I found several memory triggers scattered about, in addition to the boxes of pictures stacked up.

In addition to old show ribbons, running medals, and a pile of games, I saw my golf clubs on the far left.

I am a terrible golfer with little patience for the game.  I

cannot last more than 9 holes; I just get bored.  I do love being outside, hanging out with friends, and driving the cart though.

 

My poor skills make it hard for people to believe that I actually played on the golf team in high school.

I had never played golf in my life.  Besides trying to whack balls into the field across the road when I was young, I hadn’t ever actually been on a course before.  I knew virtually nothing about the game.  But when my friends came to me in the spring of our sophomore year and said “we’re joining the golf team, wanna come?”, I shrugged and said, “sure, why not?”  My mam encouraged me to join, saying “business deals are made on the golf course” (which, unfortunately, as a teacher hasn’t helped me at all).

I’m so glad I made that decision.  Despite never really learning how to be a great golfer (mostly because I’m not competitive so I didn’t try that hard), I have a TON of memories from those three years and after.  Here are a couple:

• The four of us (white girls) who rode together blaring rap music in a little 90’s Cavalier, stopping at 7eleven for Slurpees with our clubs stuffed into the trunk on the way to practice at our embarrassingly run-down home course.
• Whiffing on my very first tee.  Since I was the worst player on the team, I had to tee off first.  Sadly, I was teeing off in front of EVERYONE at the tournament.  And I missed.  Twice.  With everyone watching.  For some reason, I kept playing.
• Spending the weekend in Mackinac Island at my childhood best friend’s condo with some of our golf buddies, playing at the course there and tearing around it in the cart.
•  Watching the movie Friday at our end-of-the-season slumber party before TPing some classmates’ houses (in full disclosure, I cowered in the car as “look out” because I was absolutely sure we’d get caught and get in big trouble.  I was kind of a fraidy cat kid.)
• Playing some of the nicest courses around our county–the country clubs, the place where the Buick Open was held for 50 years–for free! You can’t beat that!
• Making great friends, one who became my college roommate and lifelong best friend!

Not only do I have great memories from those three years in high school, but golfing opened the doors for many more memories later in life.  Two of the best being one of my first dates with my husband and getting engaged on the 7th hole at our local course.

I might still be a terrible golfer, but at least I know how to enjoy myself on the course, and that’s all that really matters.