Golf…

I pushed the tee in the ground today and smiled as I stretched my tight left hip. I was by myself in my happy place – Muirfield. It was a glorious afternoon carrying my bag and playing 18 holes of my favorite, childhood game. The mourning dove greeted me with her sad song on about the 15th hole. Took me back to the Elks CC in Salina, Kansas. I was nine years old and had nobody to play with. Mom would drop me off at sun up and pick me up at sundown. I. Freakin’. Loved. It.

So, today, I felt like a kid again. I talked to my two dads most of the way ‘round. It was a great walk with thirteen clubs, a handful of balls, some wooden tees, and a well worn glove. Golf is a game most often played with four. I prefer to play it as ONE. I play the ball as it lies. Putt ‘em all out. I play the blue tees (getting a bit longish these days). I play my best when I trust my swing and play it left to right. Next week I’ll play three rounds with my son, Jordan, and his poker playing friends. It will be freakin’ magic to be with him in my happy place. We will walk and talk. We will laugh and trash talk. We will gamble and I’ve already won, you know. We will be two foursomes. Won’t matter, really. You see, golf is always a game of one.

One golfer playing one course. You can compete with a couple or a couple hundred. Does. Not. Matter. It always comes down to a game of golf – a game of one. A game you can’t win – only play – thanks Steven Pressfield. Today, I played a game of golf. One. Good.

Live hard. Love harder…