The "grand game" is also a complete mystery.  Over the last two days, my swing and rhythm have returned, back from wherever they went.  My scores, while still not impressive to anyone but me, are coming back down.  I even enjoyed playing Eagle Ridge, a diabolical nearby course designed by Tom Kite and full of impossible angles and elevated multilevel greens.  I'm just doing the basics:  grip light, smooth swing, full turn. It's nice to enjoy golf again!

 

Funny today to read my last post, from only six days ago.  There I was, shooting the best round of my embryonic golf history and having the time of my life.  Now, less than a week later, I've had four (4) days in a row without any game at all.  The swing is a comedy, the tempo is lost, and I can't seem to hit the ball at all.  I've hooked up with a variety of impromtu partners, all of whom have taken pity on me.  Today's patient partner, a man named Al who plays to a 6-handicap, gave me what amounted to free lessons for nine holes.  Among all those swings (and there were plenty -- balls in the woods, in the pond, fat shots, topped shots, whiffs), finally I managed to hit one (1) square shot off the tee, and a few quality 5-woods, chips, and putts.  But I must say -- this is pretty freakin' miserable.  As I told Al today, I wouldn't mind it, if I'd never had any success before.  My expectations would be low and easily satisfied.  But I was making small, steady, incremental progress, up until this week.  On Wednesday, I had to walk away after just five holes with my steady partner, a cool old Korean guy named Ray.  It was just too painful to finish the round, as poorly as I was playing.

Someone call the "Waaambulance!"  This is melodrama. 

Now, from my reading, I know full well that everyone -- everyone -- seems to experience these mysterious times when the game goes away.  Many folks have long slumps, and most feel, at the time, as though their game is gone for good.  And it always comes back.  Long-time players tell me that they go through times of "I got it!  I lost it!  I got it!  I lost it!" over and over, through the years.

So I'm not worried.  Just bummed.

And confused:  should I skip playing for a few days, maybe a week or two, and gain some perspective?  Or should I continue to slog through?  I've been reading a lot on the off hours, too.  Everyone from Harvey Penick to David Leadbetter, along with Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, Golf Weekly, PGA Partners magazine, and more.  Have I developed a case of "analysis paralysis"?  Should I just do something else for awhile, and take a complete break from all things golf? 

Humph.  I can't do that.  I miss it already, just thinking about it.  "What time tomorrow?" -- that's my real desire!  I think I'll just walk onto the course like nothing's happened.  I won't fill my head with gloom and doom, or overload on the swing thoughts.  I'll just casually play, real easy-like.  I'll do what Annika calls "stwess-fwee golf."  Who cares whether I do well or poorly?  Just so long as I don't hold up the pace of play on the other guys. 

It'll get better.  It has to!

 

First, understand that I've been playing only five months, so little things still excite me.   Today on a 256-yard par-4, I reached the green in two.  My birdie putt was on-line, but a tad fast.  It missed the hole by literally no more than a quarter-inch, and rolled 15 feet past.   I was so happy with just coming that close to making the birdie that I wasn't really thinking about the par putt as I set up over it.  I just sort of stroked it, and watched it meander up hill and fall in the hole.  I failed Golf Etiquette 101 on the spot, as my "Yes!" echoed off the trees.  I ended up shooting a 44 on the nine, my best ever.  I wish I'd had the time to finish 18 and record it.  Can't wait to get back out there, tomorrow after church!