A Cold at the End of February

Written on 2-23-2020.

It’s a Sunday, but I didn’t go to church.  I was slated to read, too, but I called Inez to let her know how sick I was (she and I were going to read together), but she sounded worse than me.  She got us both a substitute, and I was so relieved.  I needed another day of rest, for sure.

I have a cold, I think.  Two nights ago, I believe (and hope) it was at its worst.  B and I went to Albuquerque for a CORE meeting, and when it was time for bed, I crashed.  I had the chills, I couldn’t breathe well, I had no energy, and I was coughing up some really colorful stuff.  What was worse, I had forgotten my Advair and my electric razor.  Instead of the Advair, I used my rescue inhaler.  B let me borrow her blade, but it was pretty dull.  It got stuck on my skin often, and I am not sure how I able to finish.  It was more like skipping a stone versus skating on a frozen pond.    

I survived to make it to today, though, and I do feel better.  I slept more easily last night, and I know I got more sleep than the night before.

Super Bowl Sunday and a Clutch Webb Simpson

Written on 02-02-2020.

I’m using my wireless keyboard as I type, and I am watching the Waste Management Open on my larger computer monitor.  It’s a Sunday in the Swope house, and Matt and Danielle (well, mostly Matt) just completed the flagstone steps down to the Alto.  He framed them in with some of the river rock we’ve had behind our house for years, and he used some concrete today (warm weather with a high of 55 helped) to make them solid.  What a fabulous addition to our home.  It’s Super Bowl Sunday, and we will be going to the Edgerton’s soon.  B just went to her school to gather some butcher paper for some project she is working on, and she just gave me an overdue haircut.

On to golf…

I played at Civitan on Thursday and Pinon Hills on Friday.  I had some time after visiting my Project Alpine people on Thursday, and Civitan was on my way home after visiting Kirtland Central High School.  The weather was miserable.  The three gentlemen in the pro shop were surprised I was going out to play.  No one else was on the course.  I told them I could only putt indoors and make slow-motion swings so much.  I really wanted to play, and the weather really wasn’t so bad.  

Some holes were better protected from the wind, like #2 and #3, and it was comfortable.  The rest were mostly exposed, like the green on #4 and all of #8, and it was uncomfortable.  But, I had my earmuffs, and that really helped. 

On Civitan, I started out making bogeys.  In fact, I only had one par on #3, and that was after my tee shot clipped the tree that hangs over the fairway.  Somehow, my golf ball continued on and found the green.  Sadly, #9 was closed due to ice.  

I figured things out, and I started making pars, though, on my second time around.  On the first eight, I would miss the green and need three more shots to finish.  On the “back,” when I missed greens, I was able to get up and in for pars.  I hit only two greens, but I managed five pars out of eight.  Not bad.  Glad I played better for the second eight holes.

At Pinon Hills, I got three bogeys on the back nine (I played the back first), so I decided if I could get ten bogeys for the round, that would be satisfactory.  Once again, it was really cold and breezy.  I had my earmuffs again, but I only used them when it got super windy. 

I got a bogey on #1 with no problem.  Then I got two more on #3 and #4. On #5, I earned my only par by hitting the green after taking a free drop from one of the grass bunkers that line the right side of the fairway.  My ball was resting on the drain right at the bottom.  

Tony Finau and Webb Simpson are in a play-off to decide the winner of the Waste Management Open now.  They are about to tee off on #18. 

I decided that a par was worth two bogeys.  I was just making it up as I went along.  I only needed two more bogeys to reach my goal.  I got another bogey on #6, and I was proud of that one.  My tee shot went left into a tough lie, but I gouged it out to a spot just off the green, and I nearly holed the long putt for par.  

I was on the green in three shots, and I only needed to two putts, but I put way too much speed on the first putt, and it rolled past the hole by fifteen feet.  I wasn’t able to get a birdie, a par, or a bogey on the last two holes, so I missed by goal by one bogey.  Still, not bad.  I was pleased with how I played, and with how I got better as I went along.

Webb Simpson just buried another birdie putt on #18 to steal away the win from Tony Finau.  He made three birdies in a row to win!  Cool.  

Okay, we are off to watch the Super Bowl.

Until next time…

Short Game Practice: A Mix of Frustration and Success

Written on 1-23-2020.

I had a day off today, and I practiced a lot of short game.  I did my travel reimbursement for my trip to Jemez Valley, and then I was free to do something for me.  I went to Pinon Hills before I took Kody to Jill’s to get a trim, a washing, and a nail trim at 3:30.  

I went to the putting green first, and I worked on my putting stroke.  I played 18 holes on an improvised putting course, and I earned +1 for the first nine and I got it to even on the second nine.  I mixed up the holes, so some were tough and others were fairly easy.

Next, I went down to the range to work on some chipping on the practice green down there, but I ended up working on sand saves.  This proved more difficult.  I set a goal to try and get 3/3 out of the sand and onto the green.  Then I had to adjust and try to get just 3/4.  I had two common errors.  I would either catch the ball with very little sand and send it over the green by about 30 to 50 yards.  That was no good.  Or, I would take too much sand and my golf ball would barely make it out of the bunker, or worse, stay in it.  Also, no good.

I learned that it was easier to be more accurate than to just blast away.  If I took an easier, more flowing swing and hit right behind the ball instead of trying to blast it out, I had more success.  It was frustrating.

I had much more success after I dropped off Kody at Jill’s.  While I waited, I went down to the park on the other side of neighbor John’s house, and I worked on my chipping, pitching, and flop shots.  I brought a black reusable shopping bag and four golf balls, and I worked on chipping first.  I used the bag for my target.  I opened up my stance and chopped down on each ball while keeping my head steady, and I had great consistency.  I try some pithing into the playground area, and I was consistent with that, too.  I flopped one golf ball into the trash container (it was empty), and I hit the sign directly behind it multiple times, too.  I also had success with flop shots over the playground equipment.  It was fun!  I am fasting today, so all of that practice kept my mind off of my empty stomach.  

Now I am back in the computer room, and it’s back to practicing with the putter indoors.  I just hit my putter head cover “target” four times in a row.  I look forward to even better weather, so I can practice full swings.

I’m super motivated to get better this year.  There’s more of an urgency, and I can’t explain why.  Maybe it’s because I am about to turn 53.  Maybe it’s because of the stroke.  Either way, I am practicing more than ever before.  

Until next time…

Birthday Golf Gifts for Me

Written on 1-21-2020.

     I am in bed at the Garden Cottage in Jemez Springs, doing some writing before I go to sleep.  This is the third time I have stayed here, and I feel more comfortable with every visit.  The little wood stove makes it quite cozy, especially with the drizzly weather outside.  Belinda will come stay with me here in March.  

     Tomorrow, I go back home, and I will be done with all of my visits for January for the CORE.  I have a staff meeting on Saturday in Albuquerque, but it will be a short meeting, Belinda will make it more fun by coming with me, and we will get reimbursed for travel.  This is the perfect job for me, so I hope it continues...forever.  We shall see if the grant is funded again next year, though.  Funding for grants can be so unpredictable.

On to golf…

     I bought my birthday gifts.  We just continued with the “Anderson” way of doing things for my birthday after Christmas, so I simply ordered what I wanted online.  I considered getting the book The Making of The Empire Strikes Back, but I chose to go with all golf stuff again.  I bought FLIGHTPATH Golf Tees.  I bought more than I wanted to, though, because I was duped.  I was going to buy one pack of eight, but they said they would sell me one more pack of eight for just five dollars more, so I chose that option, and then they said I could get three packs for just a couple dollars more, so I did that.  

     Turns out I ended up buying six packs of eight tees!  One plus two plus three.  Oops.  I could return them, but I don’t want to make a fuss.  No big deal.  I have enough now to last a loooooonng time.  I blame it on the stroke.  What the heck; it’s a birthday gift, too.

     I also bought a training aid from Golf Doctor.  It’s a little yellow plastic guide that attaches to the grip of any club, and it sets the correct form for the entire swing.  Since I started doing slow motion swings, I thought that would be perfect.  I can do slow motion swings with the training aid for better form.  Once again, they tried to upsell, and I took the bait.  I now have a lifetime warranty if it breaks or anything bad happens to it.  That cost me an additional $4.99.  I hope to use it so often, it will break.

     Okay, my eyes are getting tired and bleary.  It’s 10:22, and I teach three lessons tomorrow.

     Oh, another quick update.  I finished writing those letters to my family.  It was difficult.  But, now they are done, and they will be there for them after I’m gone.    

Until next time…