Most of you know I just completed my Masters Degree in Theological Studies. I have worked harder than you can imagine to achieve that goal in my life while at the same time trying to be a good husband, father and pastor. There have been times when a church visit was missed here or there, but the ones who really paid the price for my education commitments were my family. They were great, but I know Janelle, Ben (almost 15) and Will (almost 12) really felt it.
I received some money gifts to celebrate my graduation. Believe it or not, I was going to spend most of the money on books. Janelle looked me dead in the eye and asked, "Did it ever occur to you to buy some new golf clubs?" I got a sleepy, far away look in my eyes and immediately started drooling. "Golf clubs? Golf good... books bad."
You see, I love golf. I'm not very good at it, but I love being out there. It doesn't matter who I'm golfing with because they are not my competition. I compete against myself, and how well I know I should play the course. When I lived in Georgia I only golfed about once a year because I didn't have anyone to golf with, but since moving to Pennsylvania I've been involved in a golf league where we play nine holes every Monday evening. Four other guys from my church play in the same league, plus a pastor friend of mine (but he's a Calvinist, so his score is pre-determined -- I don't even know why he plays).
I bought my first set of golf clubs at a garage sale. None of the clubs matched; even the grips were all different. When I lived in Nashville (during the early 90s) I bought a brand new set of golf clubs (the cheapest clubs Wal-Mart had available), and they've served me well. Anyway, back to my wife (did I mention she's a goddess?): When Janelle suggested golf clubs might be a good present for graduation, she didn't have to coax me very much. We went to Dick's Sporting Goods yesterday and picked out a nice set of Adams irons and Orlimar woods. The retail price was over $1,000, but they were on clearance so I got the entire set for under $400.
Mind you it's very difficult for me to spend money on myself (athough back when I used to drink Coca-Cola, I think I probably spent close to $100 a month at the McDonald's drive-thru; I just didn't feel it because it was spent incrementally). I just want to make it clear how difficult it was for me to spend that money on golf clubs... but back to the story. This morning I was abducted from my office at knife-point by two crazed church members who forced me to go golfing (okay; they invited me and I said, "Yes."). We went to a golf course I had never played and went to work.
My opening drive was terrible, into the right rough (barely past the women's tees). I was uncomfortable using my new fairway woods from the rough so I chickened out and used my 3-iron. I dug the clubhead into the sod and the ball scooted forward maybe 20 yards. I laughed it off and tried again with practically the same results, exept that the ball was finally lying in the fairway. It's terrible to be laying three and still not have reached the 150 yard marker. All I could think was, "What have I done? I spent $380 on golf clubs that don't work!"
My next shot was a nice long shot just to the left of the green, and from there I went to work. I've never had a lob wedge, so I'm going to have to learn how to use it, but the rest of my game came together pretty well. In spite of a slow start, I finished with my second lowest score ever! (It was high enough that I'm not going to admit it here.) I was really smacking the ball from the tee, and I had the best fairway wood shots I've ever had. The irons have heavier heads than my old set, and that really made a difference. I would say I'm hitting my woods a good 25 yards further than my old ones, and I'm hitting my irons further, too.
Anyway I had a great time today. My new clubs and resulting score were a big part of it, but it was also the fellowship with guys whose company I thoroughly enjoy. Some days I finish a round of golf, and all I can think is, "I hate this stupid game!" Today I'm feeling like maybe I should join the PGA tour (if you saw me golf, you'd know how ludicrous that is).
Now, as far as my wife is concerned, the improvement in my game is from the clubs. But just between you and me, "I'm pretty sure I'm just a lot better than I thought I was!"
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