Give me golf

 I was playing golf with Someone yesterday, and “something” happened. Something exciting - exciting to me, anyway. When something like that happens to me, every single dopamine receptor in the deepest convolutions of my brain lights up. It must be true that I’m addicted to golf, but don’t be thinking to do an intervention (or exorcism) on me. I plan to chase this dopamine rush until my last breath, or at least, until I’m just unable to hit a ball and be happy about it.

AI generated at my request (yes I know it's wasteful)

So, after two hip replacements and now with two functioning hips, the old KyLady-on-the-golf-course is almost back, but in some ways, better! I’m more consistent thanks to lots of buckets and drills at the driving range. I’m getting way more distance with irons since I’ve finally learned to compress the ball. My drives are still 10-15 yards shorter than they were 20 years ago, but maybe that will come around. If not, as long as I can keep them in the fairway, it’s OK. Accuracy is way more important than distance (in my most-humble opinion). Not going to lie though, distance is FUN!

So yesterday, Someone and I were playing River Bend. Neither of us were having a great round, but perhaps just a little below our usual performance – it’s still so early in the season. Regardless, we only count pars and birdies.  We have fun rather than documenting our mis-hits and bad luck. On the 18^th (par-4) hole, we both hit marvelous tee shots that were positioned in middle of the fairway about 10 yards apart. Keep in mind this green is surrounded on the left and back sides by a bend in the river. The green itself is the size of a postage stamp, it’s elevated, and it’s really hard to stick a ball on it no matter what time of year it is or how much rain we’ve had.  Someone had about 90 yards and hit his 9 iron over the green. Bye ball.  I had about 82 to the green. It’s too far for my 54 wedge which goes about 65 yards for me, and too close for my pitching wedge which goes about 100 yards with a full swing. I choke down on my pitching wedge and try a ¾ swing. The ball hit the front edge of the green and rolled backwards down the embankment, stopping some 20 yards from the pin. Finesse is not my forte *sigh*

This fox and I had a standoff (foxes live all around the golf course)

So, here we are, nobody behind us. I said, “Dammit Jerry, gimme your A wedge! I’m going to try something here.” I don’t have a gap wedge, but I’ve been thinking about buying one for over a year. I dropped a ball and hit his wedge. It sailed high and plopped on the green, stopping quickly at what looked to be within a yard of the pin. Woohoo! I was excited about it, but when we got up close to the green, we could see that the ball was actually within one inch of being an eagle. Immediate hallelujah full-on dopamine rush. Of course, the shot didn’t count, because, you know, reality.

Still, with that shot on my mind, I searched the web (high and low) and found a used gap wedge that matches my Taylormade irons (someone is married to Calloways). It’s supposed to be good condition…we can hope. I should be in business with it by the middle of April. It excites me to think about it making its way from who knows where into my very hands. It excites me even more that I have another tee time for tomorrow morning. 

Beside #2 (par 5) at River Bend