MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS...

Ron Smith... "It was
tough outside"
That the wind blew was no surprise to anyone, but gusts up to 50mph and sustained 30mph+ made it made it for very difficult conditions to play in for the short field of 26, not to mention the different format: 18 mulligans instead of unlimited, you had to use one per hole instead of having a choice on using one or more; and you had to use the mulligan ball (could not go back to the original ball).
Not a "Ian Poulter" look, Mike
Proctor here hitting into a
40mph+ gust of wind.

This format, born out of a misunderstanding, was actually kind of unique and fair for all as a field, plus, once you got past the negative thoughts that it might punish a good shot (i.e.: if you hadn't used a mulligan and you made a 30 footer, you had to make it again to count), you realize that it favored the golfer who took his chances with mulligans before reaching the green. Bottom line, you can't start a round thinking that you are going to get punished every time you hit a decent shot, otherwise, you start at a psychological disadvantage.


Jeff Donaghey, won flight
evern after a self imposed
penalty on #18.
On the other hand, with 18 mulligans, chances are that you would use more to your advantage than not. Case in point, winner Ronnie Smith shot a 66, even after wasting 2-3 shots in putting. regardless, it was a great score considering the difficult windy conditions. The results were as follows:

First Flight, 1st (66) Ronnie Smith, 2nd (70) Mark Fairchild, 3rd (71-68) Jeremy Gray and 4th (74-70) Craig Martin. Martin beat 2 other 74's in a scorecard playoff starting on #7 and going back and scoring a 3 on #6, which, he made with a mulligan from 40 feet!

Second Flight: 1st (77) Jeff Donaghey, 2nd (80) Rod Little, 3rd (83-75) Mike Proctor and 4th (83-76) Joe Wynn.

Note: prizes went to the the top two gross scores (no handicap) followed by two net scores (50% of the player's handicap), however, as it turned out, it did not alter the top four places in gross. Ties in net were broken by lowest score combination (gross-net) and if tie persisted, by scorecard playoff.

HAMMON SCRAMBLE: LIKE A FAMILY REUNION

"Gimme High Five!"
"Sure will!! Great Putt! (Bridie on #4)
The Hammon, OK Alumni Scramble, gathered over 40 golfers of all ages (14-74) and skills. What looked like a 4-5 team tournament, thanks to the insistence and hard work of Nick Baker, turned out to be an 11 team event, and we couldn't be any happier for his efforts or for the players.

"Host Team": Nick Baker surrounded
by Jeremy & Tony Robins and Kelly Travis.
Unlike other events that are played mainly by our membership or local golfers, in this event, as small as it was, I hadn't had the pleasure of meeting most of the field, all of whom seemed to be there not just for a little competition, but also to be part of something special.

Old alumni to meet new or future alumni, and current students to meet and mingle and learn from the older ones. Family and friends together. As for the weather, the day could not have been better for golf; it started a little cloudy and cool for this time of the year and ended up warm, with a little breeze that helped keep the bugs away as well as helping keeping the body temperature from boiling.

In the end, it couldn't have been more competitive, there were two scores of 60, two scores of 61 and two of 62, which shows that a putt here or there could have truly changed the outcome. Here are the results:

Mark Morris..."Ummm,
stay in the fairway!"
(won Long Drive Contest)
1st (60 - won sudden dead playoff on #1): Curtis Irwin, Derek Orange, Larry Landers, Trey Landers; 2nd (60) - Matt Creach, Adam Lewellen, Ben Chamberlain, Andy Creach; 3rd (61) - Nick Baker, Jeremy Robins, Tonny Robins, Kelly Travis; 4th (61) - Michael Payne, Harry Payne & Kenneth Payne (Note: The Payne family were short one player this year and have won 6 of the last 8 -including this one- Hammon Alumni Tournaments, sounds like there are some golfers in this family!!!)

TO SEE MORE PICTURES, CLICK HERE

See you next year folks!

A QUICK NINE...

1. Due to the high winds and tornado watch, Tuesday Night scramble only drew 26 players. It won by Jordan Williamson, Joe Wynn, Barry Trotter & Roger Gunkel. The team also won the two week "carry-over". Say what you want, you can't help who didn't show!

Ricky Nagle...
(Tuesday Night Scramble)
"Now, That's Big!!"
2. Congratulations to Craig Martin & Mike Ford in their 10th place finish at the OGA Spring 4-Ball Championship (do you all know what "Four Ball" means?). They shot 4 under par and with a putt here and there, they could have been in the hunt... there is always "next year".

3. Tee times for Oil & Gas (Chamber of Commerce) on June 3-4 are ready, and so are we and all the Chamber of Commerce's staff (check tee times with link under "Elk City Favorites")

4. New tournament added to our schedule: Memorial Day Individual. For details, clik here

5. I haven't seen my friend Bo Albert! Hey buddy, I need one of thoese smiles and a hug!

6. With high school over for the spring, I haven't seen much of the kids (don't tell me you are all working 14 hours a day!)... only one: Joby Gray. Hey guys, remember Ben Hogan's words about his "secret": "the secret is in (digging) the dirt!"... Also, Joby signs up for U.S. Junior Qualifier in Norman, OK. Qualifier will be on June 21st........ a thought for Mr. & Mrs. Doug Gray: start making plans for a Washington trip!

Brad Gilbert chekcing a pipe
under the future deck before
pouring concrete.
7. Preparations have started for the addition of a deck on the east side of the restaurant area overlooking hole #9. It'll be a great place to gather and see golfers finish their nine...
8. Entries for the K.E.C.O. are open... if everything in Elk City is similar to what I've seen, you better get your name in it soon... I hope this notice is not too late! Call Blake at 225-9696

9. Thank you to Ann Cowan & Ricky Nagle for their help during the Member-Guest tournament last Saturday. I understand you had a great time!!!! Results are posted separately.

RESULTS MEMBER-GUEST

The 2011 Member-Guest drew 84 players (42 teams) which were divided in 3 flights. The results are as follow:

Championship Flight: 1st (62) Brad O'Hara-Jordan Williamson, 2nd (61) Craig Martin-Ronnie Smith, 3rd (64) Rusty Wilson-Gary Wilson.

First Flight: 1st (68) Ricky Nagle-Mike Cowan, 2nd (68) Hailey Gunkel-Tom Windsor, 3rd (68) Chralie Kauk-Aaron Kauk.

Second Flight: 1st (74) Gary Scott-Jeanette Scoot, 2nd (74) Harry Payne-Gene Johnson, 3rd (74) Allen Robinson-John Self.

Any pictures anyone may have taken will be appreciated!

SOME THOUGHTS FOR OUR GOLFERS IN ELK CITY, OK...

Most of you know that I have been gone since Thursday, and if you don't with this post, you now know, but it all happened too fast.
Anya & Coach Muflur during
a round in the Arizona desert.

First, Anya Sarai, my youngest daughter (22), who recently graduated from the University of Washington, and her team, qualified for the NCAA Championships (may 18-21), now being played at The Traditions Golf Club in Bryan TX. When I received the news, at first, I could think of taking off for a day and coming back the next day to help our club with the Member-Guest being played today.

Anya proudly posing with
the Washington Huskies
purple banner behing #18
But on Monday, three members of your Board of Directors, Joe Wynn, Ann Cowan and Grady Lantz had the (great) idea to encourage and give me more time in order to attend until the last round, which will be played today. My release for a longer period of time was approved and encouraged as well, during the monthly board meeting on Monday as well. Thank you all!

It is an opportunity that once given the chance, I could not turn down, first knowing that Ramona with Ann's help, would be there to keep things going smoothly for a few days: but also because not only is this the last NCAA Anya is eligible for (as she just graduated) and the only one her team qualified for during her studies there, but she has also expressed that she wants to pursue a professional career in golf after this event is over, so it will be her last amateur tournament as well. This release was a Christmas present well in advance!

As a father, I am most proud that she finished school (I am sure her sister Paola had a great influence and was a great example for her as well), while keeping a a pretty decent game. It takes a lot of your time to do both. In addition, Anya has defined her life not only through golf, but through worthy programs for which she has given countless hours of volunteer time to help young girls in many social issues that are less than perfect.

Golf Professional, Dave
Elaimy (volunteer coach
in mental performance)
with Anya. 
As far as her opprtunity to attend a Division I college and get free education, I am also most grateful to coach Marilou Mulflur, the 28 year veteran coach who knows more about golf, people and students than most people will ever recognize. This year, her program was publicly honored by the NCAA for being in the top 10 in the latest multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR). This is the sixth consecutive APR recognition for the women's golf program there. Proudly, my daughter was part of the last four. Without coach Mulflur's determination and love for her team-students' well being, this would have never happened.

As far as the tournament, as we speak, the team has not played as well as they'd like to, nonetheless, they have improved every day (NCAA Championships), and hopefully do even better today, perhaps good enough to get to the top half of the leaderboard.

Individually, Anya (74,76,72) has done reasonably well and is currently sitting in a tie for 26th, only one shot back of a tie for 21st and two shots out of a tie for 15th. With a good final round today, she could get in the top 20 which I believe gives you "All American" status. That would be neat, an icing in the cake that I hope that she is able to get, not for bragging rights, but for her own satisfaction and also as a "thank you" to Coach Marilou Mulflur, the iconic figure in Seattle, WA., who made all this possible for Anya and our family, just like she did for hundreds of families through the years.

As Anya moves on, now Pittsburgh bound, she leaves a part of her in Seattle, with a bunch of great people who were part of her life for four years. A college experience is not only great for a person, but a privilege that not everyone enjoys. Thank you coach!

And you golfers in Elk City, OK,... I'll see you soon and have a great Member-Guest!

Note: (Anya finished with a 76, not what she would have liked, but she finished her college career in style, with a birdie!)

"MY" TOURNAMENT WAS YOUR TOURNAMENT...

Larry Hudgens says it was Allen
Robinson's putt that put them
"over the top".

Before going into the results, I want to say "thank you", once more, to all those who participated in the tournament on Sunday. Eighty four players in total, including several members of the Board (which without them this tournament would have never happened to begin with), which made this event even more special, something I was able to share with my daughter Paola Marie from Oklahoma City and of course, with Ramona.

Cary Cumiford & terry Dickey
(after they were told" act as if
you were winning!"
It turned out to be a great day for golf with nice warm weather and a little breeze, which was made evident when several teams signed up about an hour before the tournament, causing a little panic in the redoing of the pairings!! (we dodged the bullet!) and everyone seemed to have enjoyed themesleves, even if things did not go as well in the course.
As most of you know by now, the format was to play 6 holes in "best ball", six holes in "alternate shots" and the last third of the course was played in a 2-Person "scramble". The field was divided in three flights, where the top three scores were recognized along with the top "net" score (with team handicap) as follows:

RIG OWNERS: 1st (67) Rocky Andresen & David Dyson; 2nd (68) Brad O'Hara & Jordan Williamson; 3rd (69) Ann Cowan & Mike Cowan. Low Net (65) Charlie Kauk & Aaron Kauk.

LAND OWNERS: 1st (72) Grady Lantz & Gaylan Edwards; 2nd (73) Daryl Kelly & Jay Windle; 3rd (75) Calvin Bonner & Jeff Smoot (beat two other teams in a scorecard playoff). Low Net (69) Larry Hudgens & Allen Robinson.

STOCK HOLDERS: 1st (72) Mike Clinton & Jeff Paszkowski, 2nd (75) Gary Scott & Mitch Kendall; 3rd (77) Shawn Wilson & Allan Bradley. Low Net (67) Tim & DeeAnn Easley.

Click here for picture of the winners and here for pictures of the whole field...

NOTE: It was our intention to give everyone a picture of their team during the dinner afterwards (thank you Ann Cowan, Vera Gilbert and Country Club Staff!!!), but our "One Hour" order was not to be because Walgreens had their machine down. Since, I ordered the pictures elsewhere and will be available at the pro shop as well.

VIII CRUSADE OPEN GOLF TOURNAMENT

Clay Jordan, TV's Survivor's
runner up in 2002, had a blast,
ending up... in, you guessed! 2nd!!
The annual Crusade Golf Tournament, hosted by now new pastor Kurtis Ivey, drew a total of 96 players in 24 teams, all of whom had a great time.

Kurtis Ivey
"It's a good day!"
The tournament started a little, if not a lot, different than most tournaments, as it not only had a peculiar way of flighting the teams, but also started with a prayer to wish the players not only a good day, but also a way to recognize all the things that we usually take for granted, such as relationships, friendships and life as well, where golf is only a game.

Golf, by what we saw, was a way offer competition to those teams who like a little competition, but it was also an avenue to gather with friends and have an outing in the sunlight, at a golf course, even if this it was with a little more wind than most would have liked.

James Atkinson enjoying
the company of "Survivor 2002"
Since this is not a handicapped event, the tournament recognizes the top three teams, and the it breaks the field in two flights by taking the average of the high (73) and low scores (54), in this case 63.5, so every team that is above 63.5 is in the second flight. Pretty innovative if you ask me, it avoids having to deal with team handicaps or arguing which team should have been in which flight, etc.

The top three teams were: (representing Warren-Christian) with a 54, Ronnie Smith, Russ Smith, Joel Paden & Dr. Craig Phelps; next was a 58 (representing O'Hara Insurance) Brad O'Hara, Ricky Nagle, Jordan Williamson & Tyler Windsor, and 3rd with a 59 after a scorecard playoff (representing K.E.C.O.) were "Thumper" Galion (no one could tell me his real name), Blake Brewer, Dustin Gunkel & Paul Gunkel.

In the second flight the winners were, (Frac-Tech) 63 - Chuck Glenn, David Mulholland, John Smith & Larry Burges; 2nd (Allan Edwards) 63 - Clay Jordan, Calvin Kirk, Corey Gibson & James Atkinson; 3rd (Tommy Martinez) 65 - Michael Martinez, Alex Casias, Sean Price & Marcel Worth.

For more pictures, click here

EVERYONE LOVES A WINNER...

Elk City Boys team, L-R: Brock Walker,
Cody Lake, Keegan Hall, Berek Dyson,
Joby Gray (low Elk City player 2011).
On Monday, I had the pleasure of watching our Elk City Boys Team play their first 36 holes of the State Tournament at Lake Hefner Golf Course. It is really enjoyable to be walking alongside boys that you care for, regardless of what they score. Sure, you want them to do well, but that is secondary because you want them to succeed, not for you, but for themselves. You are there only to walk along and see their smiles and share their frsutrations. It somehow makes me think that it is easier on them when they can share the painful feeling of a bad shot, and makes them happier to share a good shot or round. 

On Tuesday, I could not attend and did not get any updates on the scores of the third round until the end of the day when I received a text message that Joby had scored a 74, for a 222 total (76,72,74), but no notice about what place he (or the team) ended up. The 74 surely kept him in the top 10, and I am sure it also gave him something to think about because he has all the tools beyond a good swing, including the sincere desire to improve and find out how far he can go.

That said, there were four other boys  who represented Elk City in the State Championship. Four other boys who gave the best, but who came up short in their goal. The four also have a good game, but this year it was not to be and did not play to their potential. Excuse me, lets include the coach, so it is five other people, who gave us the best they had. They might be down, but they did not let us down.

Here is the side that you should recognize: they played giving you and me their heart out, they played with honor and integrity, and with the knowledge, not to mention the added pressure, that there are those whose only measure of acceptance is by seeing the results and not ever recognizing personal effort, or their respect of people or the game. Many people don't even recognize the difficulty in winning, even more, winning back to back championships.

These five boys, led by a coach who wanted to win as much as they did, played with the unselfishness of giving you and me another state championship, not to make themselves happy, but our city. I saw it, I witnessed it, every day since March, and I saw it in Weatherford and in Oklahoma City. There will be other opportunties. Having tasted victory once, gives you thirst for more wins. They'll regroup and practice and do what needs to be done to get in contention again, but this year, although they might be disappointed on their performance (understandable), we shouldn't be disappointed at all. This is one time in which the more you dig for answers about why they did not perform as well some thought they should, the more character you'll find in these young men.

And that is what this game is all about.

GREAT PLAINS BANK: "GO OUT AND HAVE FUN!"

This is a tournament where no one really cares who wins.... sort of.

"Yes, we had fun... but don't think that
you can use this as our mothers' day
present!!" (Lana Hudgens, Betty Maine,
Lana Stuart, Kathy Robinson & Jan Harris) 
It is a big party, there is plenty of food and beer, and delicious "Margaritas". Lots of players (170), lots of volunteers (it seemed like 50), plenty of cooks and bar tenders, lots of prizes for winners and losers, and a prize in every hole for long drive or straight drive, closest to the ping, longest putt, and prizes for women and for men and for the field. The only prize they don't have is for shortest drive, and Brad O'Hara would have won that one.
Jason Gunter, Jimmy Monroe, Jeff Waters,
Justin Haun, Larry Haun, Tony Mikles,
Robert O'Hara, Brad O'Hara & in front
Kermit Kingsford.

Terry Schones: "wait and see,
I only like to play 7 holes"
While I was patrolling, on hole #6 Jeff Waters asked me to hit for him (he didn't know what he was asking) and I did. With roll and everything I got maybe a whole 220, not before challenging Brad to a long drive contest that I knew I would lose, however, surprisingly, Brad was so nervous about playing a shot against a 60 year old man, that when he teed up the ball, he touched it and it fell off the tee. Normally, that is not a penalty because there is no stroke involved, however, I could have sworn that it was the shortest drive I had ever seen, so I took "the win".


Oh yes, he hit his "mulligan" only about 320, so it is possible that he could have actually won both... in the same hole! (Hey Brad, It's ok, it is the only way I could beat you in long drive contest!)

For more pictures, click here

THE MEANING OF "HUSOF"

"HUSOF" is better than a mulligan, or worse, depending of how you look at it.

Winning Team (Brian, Teresa,
Jeanette & Gary) posing by the
scoreboard.
For instance, a "mulligan" can often save you a shot or two or, it can get worse. If you read the post of last week's couples (click here) the referenced story, had Ramona been playing an individual tournament, she would have wasted her mulligan, while Ricki Marr, would have done very good. One extra shot, end of story. You go to the club, have a beer and laugh it off, but....

Last Thursday, the term "HUSOF" was introduced during the Couples Night Tournament (and will probably not be used again until next year right around or on Mother's Day).  "HUSOF" stands for "HIT UNTIL SATISFIED OR FRUSTRATED".
"Now, that's the way a good
shot feels"

This is the way it works: you hit a shot that you don't like, and say you have 27 golf balls in your bag. You are allowed to repeat the shot, up to 27 times, until you satisfy yourself by pulling out the shot, or frustrate yourself (and get tired as well) by finding out, 27 times, that you just can't make that shot! In other words, a HUSOF can pretty much show you that you are  pretty stubborn when it comes to admitting you are just not equipped to pull of certain shots.

That was the case in one team, Jeannette Scott tried the same 45 footer somewhere around 25 times and could not make it, but her partner used her "HUSOF" to get them on the green, otherwise, the team would have had a 6, instead of a 4. Jeannatte was trying to "seal the deal" with a 3, "Ricki Marr style". They won anyway. The team was formed by Gary & Teresa Scott, Brian Finley & Teresa Nugent, they shot 29 to beat the team of Leon Stuart, wife Lana and Tyler & Tori Windsor.

GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE...

Brock Walker with Dad Mike
(05/03/2011)
Just 24 hours after playing his worst golf in a tournament, Brock Walker came back to practice, make some equipment "tinkering" (changed the face angle in his driver) and regain his misplaced rhythm by hitting balls under the watchful eye of his dad, Mike.

On Monday, Brock had played the slowest 36 holes he ever did and was thrown out of his natural swing pace scoring a meaningless 89, and even though he came back with a somewhat decent 81, it is understandable that he was dissatisfied since his game usually shows scores much better than that. After a couple of hours of practice and getting back in his rhythm, he decided to go play a few holes with dad watching him, just trying to get back to hitting the ball solid, and that, HE DID....

Terry Nichols, last week's best
putter, witnessing some pretty
awsome putting by the other team.
When he got to #4, playing 210 yards to a back left pin position, Brock smoothed a 4 iron to score the first hole in one of his young golfing career.

CONGRATULATIONS!!! (Hey, where is our lemonade!!!)

OTHER:
A great calm afternoon welcomed 52 golfers in the Tuesday Scramble that had a small carry over from the previous week, but, there will be no carry over for next week as the team of Jeff Rule, Gary Jennings, Rick Rex & James Ainsworth took care of that by scoring a 29 and beating 7 other teams by two shots. This was the closest scramble so far: 29, 31 (7), 32 (1), 33 (2) and 34 were the scores that were in the pot. Another team shot a 28, however, since it was a hand picked team, they were not allowed to compete for the Tuesday pot.

We've heard that Gary and James made about 200 feet of putts. Good thing, since Gary has been quoted as complaining about his short putts.... maybe he had been hitting too close to the hole!!

GOOD PLAY!

For more photos... click here

HIGH SCHOOL REGIONALS

Berek Dyson, showed
great patience and poise
Elk City, OK, should be proud to know that their boys golf team, regardless of the quality of play for a day or a season, has a lot of character, not to leave unmentioned: "fire in their belly": man, are they all competitive young gentlemen who hate to not do well!

Brock Walker: trying to
find the rythm that eluded
him most of the day.

It is fun to go as a spectator to a high school golf tournament. Aside from seeing some really good play along with the not so good, you get to study how the players you are watching handle themselves in certain situations.

Cody Lake, always a quiet
gentleman, tending the
flagpole for a fellow competitor
Whether it is a situation under pressure, a rules inquiry, how they approach the game, or their pairings, if they are respectful of the game or others or not, or just how they conduct themselves during the round if they are not playing to their own expectations, or how they handle their game if they happen to be playing very well.  Take yesterday for instance, the state regionals played at Weatheford's Prairie West Golf Course, where the pairings were not conductive to competitive golf, not to mention that these were humiliating for the not so good players.

Pacing his 300+ drive
on #14... always laid back!
How would you like to play 36 holes with a guy that outdrives you with his 5 iron and outscores you by 20-40 shots per 18 holes? Both the good and the bad players end up not playing at their best, the former because waiting too long and seeing them suffer, and the latter because they are embarrassed to be put under the microscope and realize they are holding play in their group. On top of that, how would you like to find out, as a bad player, that you were placed in that group so you wouldn't cheat? (yes, that was the "reason" it was given for such poor pairings). It was humiliating and it was wrong. OK enough of my "ranting", I hope someone using more sense makes the pairings next time and lets talk about our kids.

Joby Gray, obviously satisfied
with the tough 2-Putt he did
on #6 (his 15th)
Elk City ended up in 2nd place behind Guymon, OK who had a player who scored a 66 in the afternoon round. Our top two players in the team now, despite some inconsistent putting, Keegan Hall (71-74) and Joby Gray (74-73) placed 2nd and 3rd respectively. Berek Dyson (77-79)  was the team's 3rd best, then Cody Lake (84-83) and last, a very disappointed Brock Walker, who couldn't find his rhythm until late in the second round. Brock shot 89-81. Shaving 8 strokes from the morning round shows that he cares and that will not give up.

We are proud of you guys!

For more pictures, click here

IF YOU PLAY GOLF YOU ARE MY FRIEND...

Frankly, I wish I had invented the title phrase. Without knowing, I had the same thoughts, but it was made famous as a title to one of Master Professional Harvey Penick's books. Me? I love golf. I think people who play golf, and particularly those who play and understand its history, its rules -and play by the principles of the rules, even if not by all the rules-, and its unimaginable difficulty to master it, know that it is truly a special game beyond the skill of learning how to hit a golf ball. The beginning and end of this game is that you are the sole judge of your whole round, not anyone else.

Take for instance the unfortunate mishap to Web Simpson yesterday: he was leading by one shot with three holes to go, when he approached the ball only a few inches from the hole. Without taking his full stance, he grounded the club a few inches behind the ball to hit the obvious "tap in" and the ball moves before his stroke.  Technically, he did not "address the ball" as in the definitions of the Rules of Golf, but inside him, his conscience said he did because the shot did not require a "perfect" stance.

The consequence was a penalty stroke that allowed Bubba Watson to tie him and eventually Simpson lost a playoff that should not have been necessary. What he did cost him several hundred thousand dollars and his first PGA Tour title ever, but it gained him the respect and admiration of those of us who appreciate and recognize character and integrity. I personally hope he wins many tournaments.

It is not the first or last time that this has happened. You say, "well, these guys play for so much money that it doesn't matter". Trust me, it does, not only in your bank account, but in your conscience. Take for instance a $5 Nassau. Would you really cheat if you had the chance, for $5.00 or $500,000? Does it matter? It sure does, and that is why a majority who understand the principles of the game, even if playing "preferred lies", would not hesitate to call such penalty on themselves as well.  The small minority that doesn't, does not represent the spirit of the game.

Here is the thing: there is "casual" golf and there is "competitive golf". You can play both or a combination. You play with your friends for a few bucks and it is "serious-casual" golf. You agree on certain rules and you all play by them. You play with your wife, and it can be "serious casual" golf, or merely "casual". In short, unless you are playing a tournament, IT IS CASUAL, no matter if your wife didn't give you that 3 footer that you ended up missing... (she knows you better than your friends!).

Paola Marie
Nine years ago, my daughter Paola, now married and running her law firm in Oklahoma City, traveled from Oklahoma to new Mexico to hone her game for her last season as a golfer at Oral Roberts University. I helped her work on the parts of her game that needed "tweaking" and we had a great few days of talk and fun together. However, when she went back, she failed to qualify for the last tournament of her college career. She sent me a hand written letter -of course saved in my family mementos- that describes why some of us really love this game. It reads as follows:

Papi:
Hey! I just thought I’d write you a note about life here. Two days ago… my college golf ended in 9 holes. I was so sad on Friday and playing the “what if” game. What’s weird is that I feel that I’m playing at my best ever in college. My swing (especially irons) is on! For whatever reason it just did not work out.

My teammates were all sad. This was not the perfect finish I wanted for my college golf. I wish it wasn’t over, but this chapter is closed. It still feels strange to think “no more golf practice”. I enjoyed much of it, especially the solitude. I developed a deep appreciation for the game. It will never leave. I’ve grown as a person through my college golf experience. So it has been well worth every bogey, every frustration, every hook, slice, three-putt , etc. Also the hardships of the team and as a player, some of the conflicts with the coaches. Somehow, it all turned out for the good. When I think of how much golf has influenced my life, I am so thankful for it and for you, who introduced me to golf.

I’ve learned that honesty is priceless, endurance is strengthening and character is life shaping. This is definitely the greatest game! I hope to keep my game in a competitive form and to have an occasional round in the 70’s. Thank you for spending so much time with me and my golf swing. You really helped. I’m sorry that it did not turn out the way we desired, but it allowed for us to spend some quality time together and taught me to learn patience and innovative lesson teaching. I hope that you know that I honestly tried my hardest.

I love you Papi and thank you for giving me such an opportunity to be a golfer.

Love, Paola

P.S. Wonder why I sometimes say that "golf does not necessarily build integrity and honesty, BUT IT ALWAYS REVEALS ONE'S CHARACTER"?