Another Update to Break Up the Excerpts

Written on 5-18-23.

        I am sitting in the basement at 1542, and I just did a workout.  Mostly running up and down the stairs for cardio and some other full body stuff in between.  We are going through the rest of the stuff on this trip before the estate sale, and this is our last chance to grab anything personal.  Then we are going to Colorado Springs to celebrate Mother’s Day late and their 60th anniversary early on Monday evening.  I told B that this is more of a celebration this trip, but it feels weird to not  be doing more work.  I am betting it will take a bit more to go through the last bit of stuff, however, when we start in on it tomorrow afternoon.

On to golf…

I have played with Herman (not his real name) three times at Pinon Hills the past couple of months.  We would have played many more, but I have been busy with coming to Lakewood and the end of work.  He has also done some traveling to go watch his daughter play.  He beat me...

16th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2

Written on 3-24-03.

Guy, AM, and I played at Herndon yesterday.  I enjoyed it very much and was pleased with my play.  I shot a 45 on the front, which included two pars on #7 and #9, a par three and a short par four.  I shot 46 on the back, with two pars on #12 and #17, a par four and a par five.

The addition to my routine helped tremendously.  Thinking “time to focus” before every shot is not only a good trigger to start my routine every time, something I never really had before, but it also helps quiet my mind, focus on a small target, and really do what I say-Focus!  The part where I was supposed to think “time to relax” really didn’t work.  I usually was too caught up with where my ball was going to remember to think of that.  It did help me, though, in between shots.  I would just remind myself sometimes to just relax and not focus so much when I wasn’t addressing a ball.

I have a goal that I have been trying with every round that I have not been able to achieve yet, but I will continue to set it until I can do it consistently.  It is simply to hit every green in regulation or one over, and to double-putt every green.  I did much better on the green in regulation goal on this round.

There.  I am all caught up with what I wrote in my journal while I was gone.  Of course, I still have more to say, so before I go I want to write what I want to write about next time.  First, I want to talk about all of my rounds when I was in Virginia and the driving range we went to.  Also, I want to write that I remembered the names of the guys we played with where we played.  Steve was at Herndon, and Don was at Pine Crest.  At Algonkian, Guy and I actually got to play alone.  

        I also want to write about all the good holes that I played including a 215-yard par three.  I came up with something profound to say when playing with Guy at Algonkian about targets.  Then I want to talk about the “impact bag” swing thought, and how it was very successful for me.  I can’t think of anything else, so until next time…

15th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2-A Big Dream

Written on 3-22-03.

I am flying on my way to go see Guy.  It’s my spring break, and I will have three days to spend with him.  We plan on playing golf, lots of golf!  I look forward to this like I used to look forward to my birthdays and Christmas when I was a kid.  Actually, I still look forward to those.  Now I look forward to my birthdays due to my dream.  I want to play on the Champions Tour.  So, every birthday gets me closer to my dream.  I look forward to Christmas because of James and Danielle.  Christmas is excellent family time and watching my children at Christmas makes me feel young and happy.         James, Danielle, and my wife Belinda continue to be the pride and love of my life.  

I continue to read and enjoy Bob Rotella’s book Golf is Not a Game of Perfect. His books are the best of all the golf books I have read so far.  His books help me maintain my focus and re-invigorate my desire.  

Last summer, I was able to get my handicap down to 16.3.  I plan on getting it down to 10 before the end of this summer. Last summer, I played in my first two “individual” tournaments.  I placed third in my first tournament, and well… learned a lot in the second.  This summer, I plan on playing in at least three.  Last summer/year, I earned thirty birdies and my first eagle.  This summer, I want forty and my first “ace” would be nice, too.  Last summer, I played my best nine holes ever, shooting a 37, just two over par.  This summer, I want my first even with par round or better.

Only one thing will keep me from my goals…me!  If it is to be, it is up to me.  I am going to practice every morning.  I am going to work out every morning early, and then head to the course.  My biggest focus will be on the short game.

Here’s my dream; here’s what excites me. 

14th Excerpt From My Original Golf Diary-Part 2

        This post was from just over 20 years ago when we got a new pro at Hidden Valley. Now, Hidden Valley is closed down.  I have heard rumors it might open again, but they are just rumors.

Written on 3-10-03.

        I got to play yesterday with the new head pro at Hidden Valley.  His name is Gerry, but I am not sure if that is how you really spell his name.  His brother works at the Aztec Car Care and Tire Center for Eric.  His brother’s name is Kerry, so I am assuming it is spelled the same way because there are a couple of other brothers with names that rhyme in their family (it's actually Gary).  He is very nice, and I hope he does a good job with/at Hidden Valley.  

        I played hot and cold for eighteen holes.  A nice bonus is that we got to play for free because I am volunteering to help with the high school golf team sometimes.  The weather was very warm for March, in the sixties.  The bad holes were either double pars or double bogeys, but the good holes were pars or just plain bogeys.  I got five pars and four bogeys.  I scored 100. The course is not in great shape.  Gerry said he was going to go around with spray paint and markers the next day to mark the greens and all of the ground under repair.

My two best pars came on #16 and #17.  On the par three 16th, I hit a smooth 9-iron just the way I had pictured it.  It went high and it flew right over the tree and landed just beyond the hole.  I missed the birdie putt by rolling it over the edge on the right side.  It then broke for one foot right behind the hole, so when I looked up I thought it had gone right over the hole.  Gerry said it was a great swing on my tee shot.

On #17, I hit a great tee shot with my 4-iron to about 126 yards out.  I had a bad lie, and it was uphill, so I used my 9-iron.  I hit this shot to the left of the green, which was really a safe miss.  It’s hard to get up and down from the right side with the traps there.  I chipped on, but left myself with a big breaking downhill putt.  I picked out the right spot, though, and it rolled in from about fifteen feet for two pars in a row.  I was scoring better than the new pro on some of these holes!  On #13, I got one of my other pars, and on the next par five, the toilet bowl, I hit a great drive with my 3-wood.  Once again, I got a very nice compliment from Gerry.  He said it was a great stroke!  He said the club stayed down and there was no way I was going to hit it anywhere but straight and long.  I really needed to hear that after screwing up so badly on some of the other holes.  Spring is coming and I can’t wait until summer.  I am going to practice longer and harder than I ever have so far.

I am also looking very forward to spring break with Guy.  I am flying out on Saturday to go spend three days with him.  We are planning on playing golf every day.  Hope the weather cooperates.  

Until next time… 

A Brief Summary of How Life is in Our Family

Written on 4-16-23.

        Belinda and I are sitting out on our deck on a lovely Sunday spring afternoon.  Where to begin?  Dad is in rehab in Colorado Springs.  Phew.  It was a chore to get him in there, and it might not have happened.  Joe advised that within the medical field, things usually happen in the last minute, and he was right.  

Mom is living at Legend, and we are so happy she is in there.  Except Mom.  She is miserable, because she is missing Dad and their home for 53 years.  Bev arranged to have a doctor prescribe some “happy” drugs, and her mood appeared to be better when we would FaceTime.  She cries less, and she smiles more.  She recognized that she had asked me something once, so that was weird.  We are so used to hearing her getting stuck in a dementia loop.  We just need to keep praying that Dad will get out of rehab and move in with her, because we know that will help the entire situation.

Danielle just called. She is talking to us on...