Teed Off

54 on a 9- hole course- decent; Body- here, in spirit only; Golfing with my dad for the first time- priceless. There's anther good thing about that day though; I didn't stroke out, as my dad calls my seizures when I try something new. It all started a couple of weeks ago when I was watching a round of golf on tv, for something different. That's when it all went south on me. I got in a conversation witn my dad that if we could go driving (golf) one of those days, it would really be a shot in the arm, or so. I seem to remember something about how old and heavy my dad's clubs were (37 yrs old) and they seemed to weigh a ton. Now I'm no stranger to golf having been to the driving course for the two years past, but when I saw the excitement that lit up my dad's eyes (and mine, too) you couln't blame me for getting a new set of clubs, could you? Didn't think so. Anyway, the week after, we practiced at the same driving course we'd always go to. Dad and I went through all the woods and irons (those woods just ain't the way they used to make 'em.) Since they're all pretty much the same material the irons are, there's some confusion on that front. While at practice, we worked on my stance, stroke, and my dad showed me some pretty neat tips on how to hit a ball fast, and improve your stance at the same time. A day after that, I treated my dad and I to a 9-hole golf course, just to see how it played. We first started off by renting a cart (there was a pocket for everything a golfer needed, even multiple pencil-holes in the dashboard for pencils to the scorecard, clipboarded to the steering wheel!) Our two bags secured, we set out for hole one (using the blue ground markers instead of the red ones. Duffers vs expierienced.) As we went on from there, I began to see that my area of expertiece were the longer greens, because I was somewhat proficient with the driver, 5, and 7 irons. I hit a few sandtraps,lost a few balls, learned a bit more about the sport- that the number on your ball is different from your competitor's ball, but I did not lose the form my dad taught me, not for one stroke. Hitting the ball, however, is anoter matter, but that's just about par for the course. It wouldn't be unusual for me to come in on a par-3 with a 5 over equalling 8 strokes. On longer courses, it was a little different: par-5 with a one over making 6 strokes. By the end of nine holes, we both were totally exhausted, and I couldn't shake the muscle pain for a few days, but we will go again!

Taking Lots of Heat

I have a riddle: why does the sun feel hotter in summer, when the sun is nearer to us in winter? If you can tell me that, you win a cookie. Just like the title said, the forecast here is for blazing hot heat, and a month ago, up in the North part of Texas, the windchill drove the temps down into the 40's. What a state. It's true, if you don't like Texas, just wait around five minutes.