The love-hate of golf

There is no zen of golf. It is love-hate. Period. And that's what's so cool about it.

Saturday. We're playing up at Avila. I had 3 birdies -- not one a miracle-dunk-from-the-gunk or a cruise missile into the stick that falls in -- in 13 holes and lipped out a fourth, it actually horseshoed and hung on the edge. Now I of course had 3 Xs to go with all that glory.

Give me a call for your member-guest best-ball. My 16 travels well if you can carry 3/4 of the holes!!!

(Oh, why 13? Because the idiots we letting fivesomes and twosomes out at about 7 minute intervals. We coulda probably made it through 16 but we just decided to walk off and get down to dinner at Full of Life in Los Alamos!)

 

I am going on just about month three of a self imposed "sabbatical" from golf.

I figured it out while in Las Vegas with my wife actually. We were at the bar at The Golden Nugget playing video poker on separate machines. I look over and she's sort of sobbing. "Honey! What is wrong?" She says, "I've lost, sob sob, $18!" (Footnote, she is not a huge Vegas fan.)

I laughed out loud. I told her, "But hon, remember last night when you cashed out $80 to the good at Main Street Station?" She says, "I don't care. I hate losing money."

That clarified how I feel about golf. When I am on the tee, I expect to hit the ball into the middle of the fairway. When I do hit it there, I merely think, okay. Not "happy happy joy joy" just merely "okay."

But when I do the unexpected and hit it into the woods, I , uh.....get upset. So just like my wife who's disapointment about losing is never offset by any amount of a win, I have come to realize that my golf failings are never offset by the meer meeting of my "expectations." Therefore I finish the day upset.

Why pay money to get upset? Makes no sense.

I do miss my golf group though.

 

That's sad to hear, tip.

Many many many moons ago I quit skiing after being VERY much into the sport and the industry. I told myself if/when I got off the snow I'd never go back because I never could be where I once was, ability-wise. I now realize I just lost 25+ years of something that still could've been fun and cool, if only I'd had a different mindset. (It also hit me recently I'm leaving a lot of work opportunities on the table.)

I'm not chiding you or suggesting you do otherwise, because I do get.

Thankfully when it comes to golf, though I'm very serious about the game I don't take it at all seriously. I mean, sure, I'll get miffed for a second when I hit a hosel-rocket chip. And I like to have more good holes than bad holes. But at the end of the day my golf experience is not about some finite number, an 82 v. a 102. It's about friends, scenery, looking at the birds and critters, needles for the Munsons and high fives for the shots hit dead solid perfect. I've never played in my club championship and I never will. I'll play my media events, pro-ams and the like when I get a chance, tons of fundraisers, but none of that is about comparatives or finite numbers (though I do have some cool trophies from the Phoenix Open and Reno and the Kraft Nabisco and the like).

Hopefully you can get back to it. Maybe we should have the VMB Idiots Open some dead of summer in Vegas?!

 

Sign me up! Any excuse to go to Vegas.

I did go with my group to Vegas the second week of December. We were going to have a mini 3G trip. But it was forecast to be too cold to play, so we didn't even take our clubs. I was very okay with that. But I would also have been okay golfing the two days that we had planned to.

So I am not adament about never golfing again. Just taking an attitude readjustment period.

 

Okay - now don't rub it in, Ken - as I look outside at 4 feet of snow and -35 degrees.

I gave up on most tournament golf for one major reason - slow play. I generally play well until about the 3 hour mark, then.......... I get impatient!!

I am lucky for one thing - our local course is a really good track - which is not busy at all - first group out - 2 1/2 hours - 3 hours for 18 holes walking is the norm!!

This was the first winter I didn't get down south to do some golfing (for about 10 years) - it's going to be a long space between hitting balls (October - May).

I am, however, looking at buying a new lob wedge - need something that has less bounce off hard/tight lies on the fairway. Currently looking at Hopkins or Scratch for their special grinds - expensive to ship to Canada, though!

Have fun golfing - all I got is my golf calendar to dream about!

 

I'll not make a blanket condemnation of golfers, gotta keep all things in perspective... a bad day at golf, still beats a good day at work. It's fun, even though my skill level is weak. The opportunity to spend 4-5 hours with some friends in generally beautiful setting is usually a lotta fun. I don't do it near as much as I should!

 

It's a game you can play well into your senior years also

It used to drive me nuts years ago,I'd be getting into the car at 6am heading to work and my neighbor would be loading his clubs into his. Well,he paid his dues and I paid mine so I can pretty much play as much golf as I want.
Playing golf with people can give you a great window into someones character also,how they conduct themselves,do they cheat etc.

 

The VMB Idiots Open has potential and please sign me up!

 

Hmmmmmm, might be just the thing to get me back to Vegas.

 

VMB Idiots Open ?
I'll sign up, too !
.
I missed the entire Autumn golf season ( beautiful weather )
with a bad back.
All I kept thinking - while doing physical therapy -
"I gotta get better, so I can swing a club, again !"
.
It gave me some perspective being unable to play.
And.......
BEND YOUR KNEES when tee-ing up your ball -
as well as - picking the ball outta the cup !
I used to just lean over......no more.
.
I've stopped ALL practice swings....I take no practice swings, at all.
( I've only got so many swings left ,in my back, now )
I also, don't bend over my putts anymore - I use a straight back style.
And my game is pretty much just the same.:evillaugh

 

Im in for the VMB open as well.

If there is going to be awards for the best idiot look, I get first dibs on the dunce cap and Mylie Cyrus pants

 

Between 3/25-3/31 I'd be up for that

Anybody interested in possibility of the Atlantic City VMB Open?

 

Jerseyguy,

I'm interested but can't make the dates of 25-31 March 2014

I'll be taking my daughter to see her grandparents in Albuquerque NM... Looking forward to golfing at Sandia and Twin Warriors!

Charlie

 

This looks promising...

 

Charlie, if you can sneak in another …

Pa'a Ko Ridge … I think it's the best course over there, and NM has an inordinate number of excellent courses in a somewhat constrained field.

Pueblo de Cochiti … sleeper, best word for it. Sinuous sleeper. Unbelievable vistas.

And of course with a drive, the nasty bad boy at Black Mesa.

Oh, screw it, it's only time and gas money … Pinon Hills in Farmington.

Wait, then there's Santa Ana Pueblo right across from TW.

UNM.

Isleta.

Taos Country Club.

You're gonna be busy!!!

 

HAHA!!! I might be divorced if I golf all those places... Especially taking a 3 hour road trip to Farmington LOL

When I visit ABQ, I usually play Santa Ana or Twin Warriors so I may take your advice and play Pa'a Ko Ridge instead...

Isleta is great for the $$$ but I think UNM is a bit over-priced for what you get. I think Sandia is the best bang for the buck as the course, views, clubhouse etc. are AMAZING!

Charlie

 

Pretty rich golf state, when you get down to it.

So, on other fronts: AC? Y'all go for it! Not my coast, however.

As for the VMB Idiots' Open, since we're idiots what about late summer 'round about the annual PGA Fall Expo? The fall show sucks but I often attend, and idiots would tee it up at 108, now wouldn't they?

I think Shadow Creek should host it. Where's beej????

 

A couple of years ago we played at Legacy when it was 107° or so. We played nine holes and my three partners were ready to call it quits, and they did. I was even par, a rarity for me, so I was not quitting. So I went on by myself. I got a double on #17 the rest pars. Two over, one of my best rounds ever.

I don't mind the heat. We get 100°+ here in Austin all the time. WITH humidity. It's a cliche, but Vegas heat is a dry heat. It is almost refreshing to me.

So yes, this idiot would play in 108 heat, no problem.
The Shadow Creek would be a problem though. Unless somebody could finagle a REALLY good deal!