I'm a pretty lucky golfer!!!

I'm about five inches from being an outstanding golfer. That's the distance my left ear is from my right. ~Ben Crenshaw

The only time my prayers are never answered is on the golf course. ~Billy Graham


I could write a book about golf – so reasonable blogging will take serious editing ~ but it probably means that I’ll have to write more in later blogs ~ we’ll see where the writing spirits take me. It’s not that I’m a good golfer ~ or even addicted ~ just that I have a great respect for the game.

Golf is an opportunity to get in a nice walk, and focus on something else. More often than not I am relaxed on the course. I like walking – you have time to reflect on your game, or the day, or whatever you want. While I play some rounds in a cart – it’s just not the same game. You don’t get the exercise, and you spend most of your time between shots chatting. When walking, I get a little more needed exercise, but you also have a lot of time to just mentally wind down. I believe a person enjoys the game if they take it serious enough to want to get better, but understand you will never truly conquer a golf course.

Golf is just like any other game or sport ~ they more you play, the better you get. You can take lessons, buy the best clubs, and the newest balls ~ but you are not going to get better until you play – a lot. While physical strength can help, a lot of the game is played between the ears. The more you play, the better you get ~ both physically and mentally!

I’m a pretty lucky golfer. My boss loves to play golf. My wife loves to play golf. There is no problem getting out. I had to institute a 40 degree rule at home. We play year round, whenever we can get away for a few hours ~ which is most weekends. This includes the winter which can get a little chilly. Connie is worse than me; she’d play in any weather. Thus the 40 degree rule – we don’t go out until the thermometer hits 40 degrees. There are a lot of days during the winter when Connie will be checking the thermometer every 20 minutes. The only complaint she has is when the wind is blowing. She’ll play in rain ~ or even snow, but hates the wind.

I had the chance to visit my boss today - after his triple bypass surgery last week. WOW - he's doing great thanks to everyone's prayers. Our conversation quickly turned to golf. Kelly indicated since he couldn't play again until August - he wanted me to hit a few for him. He added that anytime I hit a bad shot - that could be his shot - I could drop another ball for "my" shot.

While I seldom talk business during golf, I’ve had many work related golf days. You get to know people a lot better when golfing. That may be true of other social activities – but golf exposes how the player reacts to events on the course – both good and bad. Some people definitely take it a little too serious – or at least more serious than me. I don’t mind a little smack talk – it reminds me that we should just be a having fun.

I’ve had the good luck to play on some great courses, and play with GREAT golfers. I’ve played with a lot of golfers that think they are good – but probably only 3 that are really good. One friend actually played on the Senior golf tour. You realize what a really good player is when you play with him. The rest of us better just be having fun – ‘cuz the guys that are good are having fun.

Here are a few golf pics:





Leavenworth, WA

Bandon, OR #18

Lake at Bandon

Bandon, OR

Bandon, OR

Bandon, OR

Bandon, OR

Mike in a little trouble at Pumpkin Ridge - Portland ~ yes, I did get through the trees!

Golf is so popular simply because it is the best game in the world at which to be bad. ~A.A. Milne

It's easy to see golf not as a game at all but as some whey-faced, nineteenth-century Presbyterian minister's fever dream of exorcism achieved through ritual and self-mortification. ~Bruce McCall

Hockey is a sport for white men. Basketball is a sport for black men. Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps. ~Tiger Woods