Par for the Course

The 2018 Golf season has officially begun, Tiger Woods is back in the field!

I know the 2017/2018 professional tour schedule technically began in October with the Safeway Open. But talk to any Golf aficionado and you will quickly see the “Tiger” effect on professional golf at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

Google queries for Tiger Woods, specifically “Did Tiger make the Cut,” (at the Farmers Insurance Open) is in the top 10 trending searches on Google.

The Golf Channel, golf promoters, golf courses, driving ranges, golf merchandise sales, and television ratings are way up. Attendance this weekend (Jan. 27 & 28th) at Torrey Pines will soar. Try it, do a Google search for Tiger Woods and see what turns up. Profits.

Yesterday, after months of procrastination, I got off my duff and made the trip to the Carlsbad Golf Center to have a new grip installed on my TaylorMade three wood.

While shopping I eves dropped on the conversations in the golf shop. And yes . . . it was all about Tiger Woods.

“You think Tiger will make the cut?”

“He looks pretty good, we’ll have to wait and see.”

“I will say this, since Tiger announced he would be playing again in 2018 our business has been up.”

Admittedly, I’m a fan of professional golf. My interest in golf was sparked one day unexpectedly when Lori said to me, “I used to love to play golf with my Dad growing up.” The radiant smile and twinkle in her eye said it all. To my utter astonishment, golf was something she truly enjoyed!

“So - let’s play some golf.”

For her 40 birthday, with the help of my friend Chuck, we purchased Lori a complete set of Lady La Jolla clubs. I happened to be working in New York that week so Chuck’s mission was to deliver the clubs and surprise her on her special day. Alas, it appears that company has gone by the way side. But she still enjoys playing her clubs. You should see her antique Wilson set we have in our garage.

Now, it’s important to understand, this idea of playing golf, I had never really played golf, didn’t own a set of clubs, and no clue how to get into this sport reasonably.

“Are you kidding me, look at the price of this stuff.”

My participation in sports has always been cycling, softball, running, swimming, and walking, for exercise. Golf, to me, was not a sport. Really, how can you consider golf exercise when you’re riding around in a cart, chasing a little white ball, then back to the clubhouse for a beer?

So, my next step was to get my own set of decent, reasonably priced clubs.

This Golf thing can’t be that difficult. I thought.

Lessons, hah, who needs lessons, look at Bubba Watson he never took lessons. He can drive the ball a mile. When you watch the professionals on TV they make it look so easy.

“The short game, that’s where it’s at. Very few can drive the ball like Bubba.”

It’s obviously all about style, look at Rickie Fowler.

Boy was I wrong. These guys are good.

So for a number of years Lori and I would treat (frustrate) ourselves and play golf together on the weekends. Lori as my coach, I quickly learned that swinging hard did not work.

Lori would step up to the tee and with a silky smooth stroke, straight down the fairway.

Me, I would step up and bust it - Pow! Out of bounds.

“Why does that stupid ball keep shanking to the right,” I grumbled.

“You’re hitting it off the toe of the club.”

“Ok, now it’s curving to the left.”

“You’re swinging the club like a baseball bat.”

“We need to spend some time at the driving range.”

“That’s boring, let’s just play the game.” So we did.

For practice, we play a Par three executive course, 1822 yards. Lori keeps score. Turns out I was able to shoot par within the first six holes.

“That’s good, right?”

“No - not really.”

“Ok, what’s Par?”

“This pitch-n-putt is a Par 54 course. That means a good golfer should be able to take 54 strokes to complete 18 holes. Three strokes per hole, not 10.”

“You’re kidding me, right?”

We were consistently shooting 90 strokes or higher.

“Think geezer swing,” she would say. “That’s why you practice at the driving range.”

Yes, I’m stubborn.

Well, to make a long story short, as they say, Listen to the wife. She was right all along.

So this year we’re going to spend some time on the driving range. Practicing my swing and learning which iron to use for different distances.

“It’s muscle memory, repeating the same swing using a different club for distance.”

“Ok, I get it - let’s go to the driving range."

On Friday, Tiger did make the cut at Torrey Pines, Par 72, over 7600 yards, he shot -1, (one under par). How they do it I’m still trying to figure out.

I wonder? If I practice enough, could I shoot Par for the course?

What do you think?

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