I enter the Tucson City Amateur Golf Tournament every year. Since it begins next week and I haven’t played since September of last year, prudence dictates that I dust off the clubs and practice by endeavoring to coax a dimpled ball into eighteen different holes scattered around a square mile or so of devilishly designed landscaping. It is also an opportunity to get a little exercise. (Emphasis on little). If you walk an eighteen-hole course, you’ll probably cover over four miles, which actually isn’t bad. You likely won’t notice (because you’re so focused on that cursed little ball and its indiscretions) that you’re essentially walking back and forth, as the holes tend to line up laterally. When you stop to think I was just under this same dang tree twenty minutes ago you start to realize how stupid the game really is.
Mark Twain is generally credited with having said that “Golf is a good walk spoiled.” Only during the ten times or so that I’ve actually played to my expectations (you may have read that I claim to be a “glass half empty” guy, but this does not apply to golf until after the first swing) have I truly taken the time to appreciate chirping birds, the rare glimpse at a mammal in its habitat or breathtaking panoramic views. These are the very things I seek whilst hiking with family, but put a club in my hand and I am instantly transformed into Neanderthal man, reduced to roars of frustrated rage as I fruitlessly pursue my vexing prey. (That ding-dang ball).
Basically, every round of golf follows a familiar pattern. For those of you who wish to pursue the sport of gentlemen (apparently, a gentleman is someone fat, decidedly unathletic and dressed in neon green or orange plaid slacks), I offer you the following guidelines with which to fit in and enjoy the experience to its fullest:
1) Enter the pro shop and present your credit card to the “gentleman” behind the counter. Engage him in light-hearted banter whilst simultaneously cursing him in your mind for playing his part in raping your finances and denying your children an inheritance.
2) Wait at an appropriate distance for the twelve groups ahead of you at the first tee to hit. Whisper to the rest of your group various criticisms of the golfers who tee off with respect to their obesity, hideous attire, poor athleticism and sense of direction; mutter disdainfully about how long it will take to finish because of playing behind so much incompetence.
3) When it is your time to hit, establish the order in your group by tossing a wooden tee in the air; whomever it points closest to is the first to hit, and so on until the full order is established. This is your first clue to how ridiculous the game really is.
4) Depending on how well you know those in your group, openly deride them for their poor tee shot. Often they will laugh. If you don’t know one or more of them, do so anyway and establish bad blood for the round. This makes golf more enjoyable.
5) Once it is your turn to hit, waddle to the tee box confidently. Take the time to enjoy the chirping birds, various mammals going about their day and splendid panoramic views. It will be your last opportunity. Stick the wooden tee in the ground and place your ball atop. Silently curse, bend back down and replace the ball after it falls off the tee. Address the ball, but don’t use the one for your home, lest a serial-killer golfer find it and seek you out.
6) Remind yourself to take the club back slowly, and begin your downswing likewise. Remember at the last moment how much farther the ball will go if you swing as hard as you can. Remove your scrotum from off your left shoulder (right if you’re left-handed) and ask those in your group where your ball went.
7) Waddle the roughly twenty-seven paces to your tee shot; remind yourself that one poor shot does not a round make. Endeavor to make a better swing this time. Choose a club that will allow you to advance the ball as far as you can without hitting the overhanging tree limb in front of you. Take a slow, purposeful swing, then pause for several seconds to allow your boys to stop vibrating after having hit the subterranean tree root hidden under your ball with your club.
8) You’re back in the fairway. One good swing and the damage done can be minimized. Choose the appropriate club and swing easily but deliberately. Watch your ball one-hop and hit the golfer in the next fairway squarely between the butt cheeks. Yell “fore” and blame the snail-like speed of sound for not having given fair warning. Silently congratulate yourself for having hit your ball into at least one “hole.”
9) Make it eventually onto the green where you can use your “putter”. After “putting” several times, curse the choice of cheap Mexican food for last night’s dinner, then pull out the club with which you’ll knock the ball into the hole. Strike the ball back and forth past the hole, leaving yourself with hopefully shorter putts each time. Be sure to mention to the others how badly “you were screwed” after each effort. Scroll down your mental chart and bleat out the first of many swear words you’ll use today. Finally cajole the ball into the hole; conduct a mental tally of your attempts at the cursed orb, subtract by two, and confidently announce your score to the others.
10) Repeat seventeen more times, with increased animation for each increment. Upon finishing, tell the other players to go (occupy) themselves and vow to never play again. Forget how bad you really suck after a couple of weeks and repeat the entire process again.
thestrugglershandbook 
My step-dad, who calls himself “GOLFGOD” online was a semi-pro golfer at one point, and well known on the amateur circuit when I was a kid, but being that he was also a Marine Corps Drill Instructor, I never could bring myself to witness the terror of him on a Golf Course. However, I hear some of the grandkids have braved the endeavor…
I would never presume to refer to myself that way. “GOLFSERF”, perhaps. Drill instructor, eh? Bet you kept your room clean.
Eat off the floor clean. Thank God my hubby is more of a “shove it under the bed” kind of guy!!
Hmm..your husband and I have something in common. Thank God for the better halves!
I can tell by your story you really love the game! I don’ t play golf, unless you count mini golf, but i listen to my friends tirades after the first games of the year. They sound just like that – funny!
Enjoy your week.
Ed
Golfers are funny people. They see something in themselves that no other observers can see: talent.
You made me laugh so hard…..thanks! Isn’t it weird how the most inane things are so addictive?
Truly. Of course, if it’s not inane, it’ll rarely hold my interest, so I have no other frame of reference. Thanks for laughing!
Sounds like a blast!
It’s probably like wave-jumping. You might get nailed time after time, but the one perfect ride is the only one you remember. Same with golf: one great shot forgives all the others!
My old Dad played for years. I love the outdoors and all and tried walking / playing the course with him a few times but just couldn’t get into it. But I see your point! Good luck with your next round.
Thank you. I’m hoping by Saturday to be excited to play again. By Saturday afternoon, I’ll likely be feeling vexed once more.
By the way, you owe $2 after yesterday’s round. And the color puce looks very attractive on you.
Stupid game. As for the puce, good thing; it’s my natural skin color every summer.
On a recent vacation, I took the opportunity to hang out in the sun at the club house while everybody else ran around chasing their little white balls. Silly, silly people… 🙂 Good luck at the tournament!
Silly indeed. Maybe I’ll try that sometime; a large pitcher would make golf a lot more enjoyable. You probably won’t hear much about how I did, which will tell you how I did.
Waddling … yes older gentlemen often waddle down to the next hole. Most choose to take the golf cart and drink beer. But I like step nine…putting is probably the most frustrating and I hear constant profanity on that one…
One of my weekly photo challenges was about golf…did you get a chance to read it…it’s pretty amusing — seeing how you’re going to a golf tourney, you’ll get a kick out of it.
http://thewishfactor.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/weekly-photo-challenge-through/
I enjoyed it very much. And a picture really is worth a thousand words.
Could never figure out a game where you pay to hit a ball, and the fewer times you get to hit it, the happier you are. I truly get my money’s worth out of my games. Comes out to pennies a stroke. Of course, I only play one game a year and I am several years behind.
Ooh! I’ve been playing this game wrong all along. Embrace the big number! I’ll start this weekend in the tournament. Bob’s my caddie; it’ll all be his fault.
I am passing the Versatile Bloggers Award your way –
http://nonstepmom.wordpress.com/2012/04/26/do-re-mi-a-b-c-1-2-3-baby-you-and-me/
Thank you so much. I really appreciate your consideration!
As a former golf player- this made me laugh. I finally gave it up and now I play tennis. Much cuter outfits!
I’m glad I made you laugh. As for the outfits, definitely depends on the model. In golf plaid, some look like a 70’s couch and in tennis whites, more like a UNICEF collection bin.
Awesomely funny.
Thank you!