Friday, July 15, 2022

A Birdie at Conqistador

Written on 6-14-22.

        We are boondocking just outside of Mancos, and we are on top of the mountain past the Target Tree Campground.   Amanda is staying in her RV right across from us.  Eric just got here, but he will be going back tonight, because he is watching Dorrie.  I wish he could have come to play golf with me this afternoon, but I had fun working on my game.  The only drawbacks were the slow play and the wind.  I did manage to get a birdie, though!  


Conquistador Golf Course-Hole #7-Birdie #7 of 2022


This hole is a par three, and the flag was on the front of the green.  My Garmin told me it was 140 yards to the front, but the wind was in my face, so I chose my 7-iron.  I had worked on some things on the range, and they were mostly working, so I used them here.  One of them was changing where I was looking at the ball.  Instead of the back of the ball, I focused on the front, and that helped me to get my contact with the ground after the ball.  The other thing was putting a ball cleaner in my right armpit as I swung through.  That helped me to keep my right arm closer to my body to turn my body more than just throwing my club to square the face.

Both of these things helped me get a satisfying contact sound, and my ball sailed into the wind and landing to the right of the hole and on the green.  

The putt had a little bit of right to left in it, and that was the perfect read.  My ball rolled slowly to the left and fell in the hole.  I was glad to grab a birdie during this round.  It was similar to a putt I have done many times on my putting green from hole #2 to hole #3.


I shot a 44 on the front, but I didn’t complete the back nine.  I let a couple of youngster brothers play ahead of me while I ate my lunch at the turn, but I knew they were not headed towards more slow play.  One of them was going into sixth grade, and the other would be starting third grade.  They had very smooth swings, and they made it look easy off the tee.  

After they played #12, they walked off the course their beautiful home.  They lived there, so they simply stopped for lunch.  

I thought it (the slow play) would get better after that, but it got worse.  The two ahead of them were beginners, and then a group of five or six let those guys play through after hole #14, so I just started over on the back.  I played back to #14, and I met up with boys and their father when I came back to the par three #12.  That’s when I learned how old they were.  Exhausted, and not willing to continue (it would not have been right to play more holes than I paid for), I decided to stop playing.  I had gotten what I had wanted out of the round, and I was in charge of bringing dinner from Pizza Hut for dinner.  I stopped to fill up our Canyon ($40.00 for eight gallons!) while waiting for the pizza.  Thankfully, the golf was inexpensive.


Until next time…

Thursday, June 30, 2022

Nine Under Didn't Even Place at Robbie Ward

Written on 6-11-22.

        We played in the Robbie Ward Memorial Tournament today, and we played really well.  Here’s a quick summary to help me remember, and I will fill in more details later.


15-I started us off in this tournament, and I used my 7-iron.  It’s a bit rough to start a scramble on a par three, but I missed the green a little left.  It was on the fringe, but it was also up against the taller grass.  At least it was even with the hole.  

We ended up using Bruce’s tee shot that went right over the flag and landed farther away.  We agreed that being on the green was better.  My putt ended short, but it was closer than the rest.


16-Bruce’s drive was just past mine by a yard.  Bruce had the best approach, and once again we used my putt, even though it was short.


17-Roger got it all, and we got our first birdie.  His tee shot landed near the hole in the back, and he made the 12-footer.


18-Bruce got the best drive even though it...

Wednesday, June 29, 2022

My 11th Birthday Post

Written on 6-28-22.

Well, what do you know?  I'm 11 now.  Hooray for me!  I survived my brain surgery on this day in 2011, and I have received 11 more years on earth.  What a gift.  Many would want the same, and I know this.  I do NOT take it for granted.  Thank you, Lord.  Here are some things I have been able to experience this past year, and a few I am looking forward to seeing.

I am thankful for my wife.  Belinda has stood by me through it all, and she will never leave my side.  She is my greatest blessing, and I am so glad to have my best friend to navigate it all.  I love you, B.

I am thankful for my children, James and Danielle, and they are closer now that they both live in Albuquerque.  I was able to visit them more often due to my job, and I cherished those extra conversations.  I am SO proud of them and what they are doing.  Keep going, kids!

I am thankful for my job.  I get to do what I love, and few can say that.  I work with teachers and students, and they need all the help and support they can get.  Hopefully, I will get the opportunity to do it again this school year.

I am thankful for the Bisti Writing Project.  When the tumor was discovered, I was...

Wednesday, June 22, 2022

Fluke Visit With Danielle in Durango

Written on 6-9-22.


Am I writing on a Thursday?  Yes.  I just wanted to break the pattern of writing on Sundays that I have had for a while.  I just finished waxing the Jeep, and I am cooling off in the computer room.  It’s going to be hot this weekend with temps in the 90’s.  I am going to take a moment to read the last post to see if I have any updates.

I found a video of Jon Rahm playing Tiger in the Ryder Cup from 2018 on FaceBook, and it’s a great match.  Tiger is one down with two to play.  Rahm ended up winning 2 & 1, and it was exciting to watch.

I have no birdies to report from our last round at Hillcrest, but it was great to go to Durango again.  We enjoyed seeing Greg and Mike, but Mike had some very sad news.  First, his 93-year old mother...

Friday, June 17, 2022

Freedom and the White Knight Returns

Written on 6-5-22.


I am watching the U.S. Women’s Open this Sunday, and it’s Minjee Lee leading by…a lot.  She is 13 under, and the next player is at nine under.  Minjee just hit a marvelous draw off the tee on #10.  I am on our bed, resting and catching up on some writing.  I’ve been doing that often on Sundays, and it’s a super habit to have.

I must write that our Bisti Writing Project wrote its final chapter in its 18-year story yesterday at Wines of the San Juan.  Our leadership team gathered one last time to reminisce, reflect, eat (of course), celebrate, and share our hopes for the future.  I will write a post of gratitude soon.  BWP has had such a tremendous and positive impact on my teaching career, and it dynamically changed the way I saw myself as a writer.  I know many others would say the same thing.


On to golf…


We played again at Riverview this past Thursday, and the weather was incredible.  Sunny, breezy, and just a beautiful summer day.  I finished up my work at McCoy on Wednesday, so I felt the summer...