Golf

I played golf this morning.  I played at Napa Municipal Golf Course.   Don’t let the name fool you.  It was a challenging layout.   I played like crap!   Golf is very funny that way.  Some days things just don’t work.  Shots that you could hit the day before aren’t there.   Your lovely draw becomes a slice, your feel for the speed of the green is completely gone, and it seems like every tree on the course wants to be in your way.  Today was one of those days. 

I played pretty good on Monday.   I shot an 81.   That’s a pretty good score for me, particularly the way I’m playing right now.   Today I shot a 97.  That’s about one stroke per hole.  It doesn’t sound like much when you put it that way, but it is!   It’s horrible.   The difference in how I feel about today’s round versus Monday’s round is night and day.    Today I felt like it was my first time to ever play.   I felt like I couldn’t do anything right.   I walked off the course dejected.  I was embarrassed because I was playing with a stranger.   I thought, “He must think I really suck at this game.”   As we walked off the 18^th green he apologized for his poor play.   I didn’t notice.   I was too busy fixating on my own inability.  

I had 4 pars today.   That must mean that I played 4 holes okay.   I should remember that, but I don’t.   I remember hitting a chip fat while we were playing through another group.   I remember shanking an approach shot and nearly hitting the poor guy mowing the fairway.   I remember stubbing two attempts to pitch out of the trees after hitting a horrible sliced 2-iron.   I should quit this stupid game.   Oh wait.   Think back to Monday.   You were good then.