golf

The Last Inning Fan

/ skidaz / Leave a comment

That’s what I am. Of course, there was a time when I was not. When I was in high school, I faithfully sat through every football and basketball game to root for my friends on the field or court. When my girls played tennis, I was there. When my youngest was a cheerleader I sat on the front row bleacher. As a football season ticket holder and alumna of Arizona State, I sat in the crumbling Pasadena Stadium and watch Ohio State beat us in the last seconds of the Rose Bowl. Admittedly, I closed my eyes when Luis Gonzales came to bat in the ninth inning of the World Series. But, with rain drizzling down my face, I saw him cross home plate, and I heard the announcer scream, “OMG! The Diamondbacks win!”

Time passed. My interest waned. Why? Perhaps because I didn’t know any of the players or I just didn’t care. In fact, some folk would ask me, Aren’t you excited about… and cite some random team name? No, I’m not. It doesn’t matter. At this stage in my life, I’ve better things to do than sit on the sofa for three and a half hours and watch football, or basketball, or baseball, or put-me-to-sleep golf.

My sports’ lifestyle today is best described as a two-minute-warning. Then and only then am I able to turn my attention to the TV, unless it’s Miller Time!

GOLF

/ skidaz / Leave a comment

To clarify, not the Gulf of whatever it’s been renamed this week, but the sport where one tries to hit a little white ball in the cup. The game that’s dreadfully boring to watch on TV, unless you’re in need of a nap. The game that’s certainly not as exciting as playing like volleyball or softball.

This weekend I was reminded of my dabble at golf when POTUS couldn’t meet the plane carrying deceased US soldiers, due to his golf tournament commitment at his Doral golf club. Sponsored by Saudi Arabia, DT managed to qualify for the final round today in the senior division. No surprise, since he’s a legendary cheater at the game. In fact, since his January inauguration, the US government government has spent over $26 MILLION on his Florida weekend golf trips.

Over fifty years ago, I decided to take golf lessons at Mill Creek Golf course. After all, I heard that golf pros were cute, young men, and I was a single young gal. My pro was a married, balding, middle-aged guy, who was an competent and patient instructor. He was highly complimentary of my ability to drive the ball but noted my putting was in dire need of improvement. (Hell, I thought putting was akin to croquet where one slammed the ball into the cup.)

“You have potential, Sue, to be good at this game, but you need to practice. Just play as often as you can.”

Really? Pray tell, sir. Where does one practice in the Lake Erie winters? Thankfully, the beer cart arrived in the St. Nick of time before I flapped my mouth. Aah. I’d found the only redeeming quality to chasing that little white ball around.