Senior Golf

Golf and I are acquainted but don’t get along too well.  Yes, I have two arms, solid legs and a semi-flexible spine.  All the ingredients of a good (maybe fair) golfer.  Besides, I can walk, and I can usually see the ball because my drives don’t go very far.  When I heard of a paraplegic who sits on a rigged-up seat on his golf cart and smacks a ball 200 yards with his putter, I realized I might be doing something wrong.

When some joker asks if I shoot my age, I mutter something like I’m not 100 yet.  Golf is an interesting game.  It’s a combination of luck, skill, humidity, more luck and cohorts.  I swear that playing with experts enhances my game by at least one stroke.  Playing with mediocre players, however, could enhance my game by a couple of strokes or more, especially if they are older or less skilled.  Or perhaps not so good in arithmetic.

The senior moment comes into play during that precise instant when an unusually good shot is made.  A long drive down the middle of the fairway, a chip shot within a foot of the pin, a 30 foot putt downhill slanting deviously toward an intimidating pond are great senior moments.  One shot (moment) per round is all it takes to go golfing again.

Now, since it’s never too late to learn, why not take a few lessons?  Been there, done that.  If anything, my game is worse after professional instruction so why take lessons?  Actually, there are good reasons for not taking lessons. This was highlighted by I.J. Schecter in Golf Journal (October 2002) in an article 10 Reasons I’ll Never Take Golf Lessons.

Here is the gist of some of his excuses: 1. If all my shots are good, I can’t brag about that one good shot I made. 2. I don’t need all those extra clubs which makes my bag too heavy. 3. I get more for my money. 4. Shot making is my specialty. I never make two shots alike. Not bad, Schecter. I like your attitude.

Now, let me add to his reasons for not taking lessons. 1. The money I save will pay for more green fees. 2. Learning to do it right is a lifelong pursuit (ask any pro how much he or she practices). 3. My lack of progress can be very disheartening for the pros who pride themselves on their success rate. 4. No matter how good I get, someone else will do better (maybe a child or a young, petite, pretty maiden).

Speaking of women golfers.  Perhaps you heard about the gal who won the 2001 women’s long distance driving contest with a drive of 291.3 yards. Alas, Lee Brandon’s best score is an 82, sort of an embarrassment to her she said. I’d settle for an 82 any day or even 191 yards.  Her secret for driving is simple: lessons, practice, physical fitness (she’s a strength and conditioning specialist) and stability of the spine.  A stable spine, huh?  She takes a deep breath before swinging.  If you exhale at the incorrect time, you’ll lose power.

So, before you take a swing, take a deep breath (but don’t hold it too long or you won’t finish the course).  Golf is a remarkable game.  It keeps one humble.  It takes only one or two good shots to make you feel triumphant and you can compete against yourself, not against your cohorts or the pros.  Besides, it gets you out of your rocking chair and into the great outdoors. Best of all, there is always a tomorrow where there is room for improvement.  We all need that one moment, in any arena of life, to propel us onward.