Golfthink

Another entry about one of my fav-o-rite subjects:  THE FIRST TEE.  Things are going really well for this group in terms of “making things happen.”  We’re On-The-Move, with lots of good projects and opportunities for the kids around the corner (lots of cliches, sorry).

Anyway, tomorrow I have helped pull together a Big Pow Wow (and I mean, BIG!) on behalf of this great organization.  I am hopeful it will net some additional support – potentially financial – but support that will go a very long way in creating a platform from which many programs that support the kids can be launched.

Someone was thanking me the other day for my work & help.  I laughed.  Maybe it’s just that I don’t take compliments very well, but I was simultaneously shaking my head.  As I expressed to them:  ”First, it’s for the kids; second, it’s a lot of fun to work on this stuff; and third, selfishly it is one of the few things going on in my world that I can actually point to & feel like I’m really contributing, and for which I have a sense of accomplishment.”  Truly.

In case you’ve forgotten, THE FIRST TEE is about helping kids “find their way;” this organization creates opportunities for kids who might not have otherwise had hope, much less a shot at a good job.  I’m not talking about golf.  With The First Tee – golf is the catalyst.  Golf is the “vehicle” that gives kids a place to go, a sense of ‘possible’, an opportunity to meet future employers, a chance at higher-education scholarships…and so much more.

So tomorrow.  Big Meeting.  With many other significant meetings to occur over the coming weeks.  We’re gearing up for the largest fundraiser of the year.  The fundraiser that will help kids find their way.

This is exciting stuff !

Golfthink of the Day:  Golf can propel life

Yep.  That was my score today !!!  Golf is good to me – well, at least it was today.  So it wasn’t a beautiful, bent grass greens course – it was incredibly windy today, and right on the water (making the winds even stiffer)…so, I’m taking that 93, by golly!  I’m proud of it.

(I wish you had been there.)  Good stuff.  I actually shot par the last three holes – coming in, it felt great.  (I even had to wait on two old guys on 18 so I could make my approach shot  & yes…I was on in two; and even waiting on them, I still made par; good thing I waited ’til they were outta the way!)

For anyone who has played with me in the past, this will be astounding news.  And particularly for those people – and you, dear reader – who know of my multiple accidents over the last several months…well, this must seem unreal.  You may think it:  fooey.  But HOORAY!  It is not unreal.  It was very real, and FUN!

There are some real ‘playuhs’ out there who I know will think “Big Deal…93…?” – get over it!  It’s mine, and I’m proud of it.  ALL IN A DAY’S WORK…ha.

Don’t know when I’ll see this number again, though I hope soon.  And – hope you will, too.

Golfthink of the Day:  Strive for Personal Best

I was looking through some of my golf books this morning (I know…nothing better to do ?!), and saw this story/quote:

Baseball player George Brett hit the links often:  ”I was three over: one over a house; one over a patio, and one over a swimming pool.”

I actually laughed out loud.  One – I’ve actually had a few “overs” in my day, but Two – I actually witnessed a very similar shot just recently.  Really.  A friend & I were playing with a pair we did not know.  Like many (me included) “consistency” is not always our friend….  Anyway – there was a long tee shot that had to carry the water & maneuver some trees.  Well – one of the other players was AT LEAST “three over.”  His shot “carried the water” by skirting waaaaay to the right – hitting a roof, hitting a nice black pick-up, bouncing off the pavement to hit a trash receptacle….needless to say, he was at least “three over.”

It was hilarious.  Now I try not to laugh at folks, ‘cuz I don’t have much room – but this was pretty darn funny.

I’ll say in that same outing (different hole), the very same guy had a TIN CUP moment, too.  We did not know what he was doing.  On an approach shot, trying to once again carry the water to make the green, he hit the first ball into the water – then the second, then the third, then the fourth, (I’m NOT kidding!), then the fifth…I think there were six total that went in.  Yeah.  Not ONE of them carried the water.

It was quite the outing that day.  There’s one more story I’ll share another time.  Ain’t golf great ?!

Golfthink of the Day:  Golf is FUN !

OK.  We are “officially” in March.  Yes, yes.  March First was/is the official first day of March – I know that.  But with weather & a start to the month in the middle of the week, well…I golfthink THIS week makes it “officially” March.  (Many have their fiscal calendars…I have my golfthink calendar – so there.)

Spring has Sprung – which also means you don’t really know what the weather is gonna do on any given day.  So you watch the forecasts…you line up a couple of possible/tentative dates with people…you keep calendars as flexible as possible…and then you have to be READY TO GO !!!

I’m gonna try.  I’m gonna try to be at-the-ready this month, and next.  We’re going to have some Golf-Perfect weather days.  I DEFINITELY HAVE THE ‘BUG’ (for anyone out there listening…)

March then leads the parade of golf dates to come.  WhooHooo !!!

Goflthink of the Day:  Green(s) Ahead !

I’m still pluggin’ along.  And – Voila!  Such a deal I find!  This is just a quickie, made-me-feel-better story (you know, shopping can do that):

Made my way to my favorite golf retail store to exchange a glove – wanted to find another one like my (now) favorite one.  Well…interestingly, apparently I managed to find & buy a ‘freakishly’ sized glove that just does not really exist…!  I know.  Strange.  There were three different sales people that had to check it out.  They couldn’t believe it.  Where did this glove come from…?!  Unfortunately – I’ll likely never have that (my favorite !!!) glove again.  Sigh.

But alas!  The “such a deal” portion of this entry.  I gave in to the no-glove shopping spree, and found…a GREAT top – and it was on deep discount sale, AND…I got bonus points to boot !!!

This is great stuff.  At least it was a little “pick me up.”

Golfthink of the Day:  Keep moving forward (my mantra)

If you’ll indulge me…I am a little sad today.  I know.  Not like me at all.  But what golf brung me, golf taketh away…at least it seems that way.  The weather?  Yes – I’m talking about that.  Time to play?  Yes – I’m talking a little about that, too.  A playing partner – yes.

At least for a while it seems, it just became more difficult to play.  Playing partners are hard to come by…really hard to come by.  Why is that?  ”Lots of fish in the sea,” and all that – right?  Not.  Certainly it’s hard to find the “right” fish – the fish that’s really FUN to play with….

You know how it is:  all these people play golf, but they never seem to have time to play golf.  And as much fun as I have playing no matter where, or with whom – there are those with whom it’s best.

My whoa will subside…the sun will come out…I will find more time in my schedule.  And with Spring springing, and with the time change just around the corner, I do hope this Spring is eternal…I do hope golf is eternal…I do really hope….

Golfthink of the Day:  Eternally yours

Here I come…!!!  Yep.  I get to GOLF today.  WhooHooo!!!  I’m not sure there is anything that can compare to a beautiful day in the middle of the week when you get to go play golf (well…there are a FEW things – but we’ll leave that for outside-of-blog talk).  Ain’t life GREAT ?!

Needless to say:  I’m excited.  I’ve got some of my new togs on…I’ve got some new balls…my attitude couldn’t be better…who cares how I play ?!?!  OK.  I kinda do; but not really.

I’ve had a pretty crazy week, and I have a full day tomorrow – so…I say it’s very alright that I get some golf in; whaddayou say ?

Golfthink of the Day:  Savor the day

It’s coming!  Well…it’s underway.  People are starting to go a little nuts about their golf.  They can’t wait to get out there.  They can’t wait to throw on that new outfit.  They can’t wait for the weatherman to say “sunny and 70.”

Me?  I’m working on a few outings as a type this very blog – well…in-between my typing.  There’s the 9-hole reunion outing.  There’s the take-advantage-of-coupons-before-they-run-out outings (plural).  There’s the “meet someone new” opportunity outing.  Whew!  It’s getting kinda busy.

Are you ready?!?!

And I must say – I continue to be very excited about golf.  I know.  It seems kinda weird – that I would think THIS much about this silly little game; but…it’s true.  I’m hooked.  OH – and I haven’t “hooked” in a while.  In fact, I’ve been hittin’ em pretty darn well.  (Hope I don’t jinx myself – kinda like the sports announcers always do…they say “this guy hasn’t done….fill in the blank here” – and then…he does it.  And it’s usually something not so good.)  Ugh.  Damn sportscasters.

Anyway – GOLF…Bring It On !

Gofthink of the Day:  Golf may be the answer

I won’t dwell on this (promise!), but in case you missed it…

“Woods Knocked Out in First Round” – FOX News

MARANA, ARIZ. (AP) - The slow road back for Tiger Woods took another detour Wednesday when he followed a crucial birdie with a shocking shot into the desert and lost to Thomas Bjorn in the first round of the Match Play Championship.

It was only the second time that Woods, the No. 3 seed, had been eliminated in the first round.

Read more – click here

Golfthink of the Day:  What goes around….

Coupla days behind on this entry, but…I said this very thing – expressed this sentiment, you might say – several times on this most recent Monday, which was President’s Day.  Did I go buy a new mattress?  No.  Did I partake of the various sales at WalMart?  No.  Even better…I PLAYED GOLF !!!

Not only did I play golf, I played at one of the most enjoyable courses I’ve ever played on.  Yes!  Was it the most beautiful…the toughest…the friendliest…the cheapest…?  No.  It was none of those things; and yet, it was all of those things.  Honestly – I felt like I was at a resort.  It was lovely.

(I will not be revealing this course to you as I would kinda sorta like to keep it to myself and close friends – sorry.)

Ahhhh.  Golf.  On any day.  And on a holiday – when the sky is blue and the temperatures mild, when the wildlife is a part of the experience and the wine is wonderful….THAT’S a Holiday!

Golfthink of the Day:  Golf brings out the ‘holiday’ in us all