Writing During the Family Reunion

     I am going to get these last two birdies in here right away.

Pinon Hills Golf Course-Hole #8-Birdie #11 of 2017

      Norm, Bruce, and I played Pinon Hills, and we played the Points Game together.  This birdie, of course, really helped my score.  I got every point possible, and I got the most points a player can get, except for getting an eagle of course.  

My drive was long and straight and just a bit to the right of center on the fairway, so I got one point for that.  

     *Dad just shuffled out with his walker and plopped down right next to me.  I handed him his book, Old School, by Bill O’Reilly.  I brought it out here, too, just in case I wanted to read instead of write.  He let me borrow it when we were up in Lakewood for the 4th of July, but I only started it last night.  I gobbled up the first five chapters, though.  Too bad Bill has gotten in trouble and lost his show for alleged sexual misconduct/harassment recently.  Sigh.

     I chose my...

Midsummer Musings and Merriment

Written on 7-16-17.

     I am half-watching Matchstick Men on Netflix.  Earlier, I witnessed Bryson DeChambeau win his first PGA Championship, the John Deere Classic.  Good for him.  Amanda Balionis, the one who interviewed him right after he learned he had won, asked if this victory justified all of the hard work and the unique way he plays the game.  He said it did, and he mentioned that there are plenty of ways to do it (play golf), and whatever way you want to do it, just go for it.  

     I know this has been brief, but the movie is almost over now, and the Edgertons are almost here for a taco salad dinner.  Next time I write, though, I have two new birdies to report.  The first one happened at Pinon Hills when I played with Norm and Bruce.  We played the points game, and it was an exciting finish.  The other one came when I played with C.J. on Thursday after we had another session with the Special Olympians.  It came on the new hole #11.

Until next time…

Written on 7-25-17.

     I am sitting out on the deck at the cabin home.  It’s the first time we have had the Swope Family Reunion here vs. Grand Lake, and it’s been fantastic!  This spoiled, youngest son got his way by having everyone come his way this time.  

     This morning, we went...

Oops! A Short, Funny, Golf Ball Mix-up Story

Also written on 7-2-17.

     So, here’s a funny story that made the remainder of the back nine interesting and different.  On the very next hole, I chose to go for the green, so I teed it higher than usual and gave it a rip.               
     Unfortunately, it popped up, but I had no idea where it went.  I looked up, but I saw only blue sky.  I chose to assume it went in the water, so I took a drop and finished with an ugly double bogey.  Yuck!

     On the next hole, the new #16, I chose to go for the green again.  I have been trying, with no successful results yet, to drive the triangular area between the ditch and the “pond,” where the trees are.  My goal is to get it to land in that area and hop forward onto the grass next to the green.  

     A guy was trimming the tall grasses along the ditch near the bridge that goes over the ditch.  I waved, and he nodded, so I teed off.  The ball flew over his head, and it looked as if it would fade all the way to the rough circular area that is past the fairway and next to the new hole #17.  However, I never saw it land.

     When I got near him, I saw my ball on the fairway, though.  I thought it had gone much farther than that, but I was happy it wasn’t in the rough.         From there, I got up and in for a birdie!  When I pulled it from the hole, however, I noticed it was one of my older Bridgestone e6 golf balls, and I knew I had teed off with one of the newer ones.  The old ones have a bigger arrow for lining up putts.  Hmmmmm.  Then it dawned on me what had just happened.

     I had just played the ball that I couldn’t find from the hole before, and that means I had also played the wrong ball on hole #16.  Oh well.  No official score or birdie for the back for me.

Until next time…

TopGolf and a Birdie Catch-Up

Written on 7-2-17.

     Belinda is driving our Escape as we escape to Lakewood for the 4th of July.  The idea was to go help out Mom and Dad some weekend, but this works out really well for us to come for the holiday, too.  Tomorrow night, we will have a barbecue at Bev and Curt’s, and the great thing about that is we will get to see all of their kiddos, also.  I’m thrilled about that, because none of her kiddos (I include Katie and Carter now when I write that) will be able to come to our Swope family reunion in Mancos on July 23rd.  Emily will still be in California for her internship, and the other three have been hired for a volleyball camp at Colorado College.  At first, I was really...