The Blind Man Society

So, I’m over at the shop today thinking about golf. I’m remembering going golfing in Birkenstocks at a rather prestigious club/golf course years ago, and telling myself and others that it just showed I was the only one who was truly comfortable with his swing as I out-drove the guys with all the choice gear and clubs. Of course, my drive went sideways, but MAN I looked good doing it…

I was out for a walk this morning (a six miler before sunrise) and took the below picture as I stopped to adjust my backpack on the way home. This got me thinking about golf rage, and body English (I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about) and doing a blog on golf today. So here we go!

To me, there is nothing more calming and serene than the golf course. Perhaps that is why Leslie Marmon Silko wrote in the character of Max the gangster who left the city to move to and buy a golf course. He hosted all his colleagues and visitors there as a way to get them out of their element and on to his home field advantage. And, he won every time…until he flagrantly disregarded a weather report on storms and got struck by lightning and welded to his putter one day.

ANYWAY. You pay the money, you get your cart and cards, drive out to the parking lot to load the clubs and drinks, hip flasks and cigarettes/cigars, one last round of smack talking about whooping the others, and head out to tee up. Plenty of impressive practice swings in front of beverage cart girls, and then the first beer is cracked open and the first smoke appears, and the crew is on the way.

By hole three, a mulligan has been used. Two beers down, and business and networking talks are on the way. At this point, people are golfing well, accurate, and business like. Let’s see what happens when we fast forward a couple holes. Shall we? (Laughing to myself as I type this right now…)

By the time the front nine is done, people are having trouble remembering strokes for their score cards, business and formality has gone right out the window, and private challenges for gambling, and an open competition to see who can charm the cart girls fastest has begun. Talking of concerts, and the weekend, lead the charge to my favorite part of the game. And, that is having a great beer buzz, talking some serious life in a scenic and relaxing setting where nobody can hear, and just having FUN. Ranking up there at this point, is trying to keep the ball on the fairway, and not over putting. People are freely mistaking golf carts for formula one cars at this point and racing each other (gas carts work best for this) or monster trucking all over the rims of the sand traps.

Uber competitive types are relaxing and danger of umbrellas and clubs and mosquito spray ending up in the lake in a fit of tempest, is low. Likelihood of unnecessary body English after shots (mainly putts) and for me Capoeira moves on the green (or in the sand-trap) is high. Most people are out there taking breaks from business, bachelor parties for weddings, and there is a plentiful supply of college students working on their game and their networking future.

This basically, is what happens whenever I go golfing. Which, these days is not often because it is a expensive sport, no doubt. But, I still love getting a basket of balls and hitting them on the driving range from time to time. It’s kind of like the Cuckoo Clock, in that sometimes, the guy in the golf cart with the cage over the sides is out there picking up balls on the driving range. We always aim for him, and pegging this guy is kind of like a right of passage. Please see below…

When it comes to my gear for golf, I like Big Bertha clubs. Calloway makes these oversize clubs so that people with my level of proficiency can look like they are hanging out with people of Mizuno proficiency. Calloway, has a big sweet spot, and they are my personal preference. I love Odyssey putters too, but I still have the wooden one that looks like Billy Berul from Caddyshack that I use almost religiously for all the tricky putts. And, yes, looking around me and in hushed tones…I talk to it. Others, sometimes take the below approach…

When it comes to golf gear, one of my favorites is the Driver cover. My old roommate in college had a stuffed Tiger that went over his. The right umbrella is key and they have some REALLY cool ones at golf stores these days. Golf shoes are nicer at these places than most dress shoes, and the right golf glove will save the day. I used to get blisters all the time on 18 holes, and putting a fresh supply of tees in the velcro glove flap is handy as well. A good hip flask and bug repellant rounds out the list of must haves, and you are on the way.

I have played a few courses in my time, but I think that Missing Links – a Par 3 course designed by Jack Niklaus, and Bobby Jones remain my favorites. More fun has been had, problems solved and schemes come up with at these courses than I can say. People are able to really THINK on a golf course, like I can at the coffee shop. And, its a great place to make new friends and settle disputes between existing ones.

Finally, golf is a great way to network and getting a job is far easier when you are able to have fun and get to know a prospective employer on the course! As an example my old roommate and I went golfing with his future boss and their associates. It was very formal in the beginning and people were on eggshells at making mistakes. By the end of the day, the future boss invited us to a Ziggy Marley concert on him. And, my roommate got the job.

Have a GREAT day out there everyone! Its Friday, so just about anything is possible today – if you can, go have FUN. Thank you for reading as always, and please feel free to leave a comment in the box below…