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Well, when your game goes and you’re out on a brutally difficult course it goes without saying that you are going to have to grind with all you have in order not to shoot a ridiculously high score. That was the case today on the Crosswater course, all 7550 yards of it, in the chill and rain and with no roll in the fairways. Man, what a test. I think back on my win here and marvel at what I accomplished, because this is one great test of golf. The massive difference in what was happening in 2001 as opposed to today was never more apparent than on our last hole of the day, the 18th. In 2001 I hit driver-9 iron pin high. Today I hit driver – 3 hybrid just past the pin. Different conditions, different time.
So, I have a dilemma. I love to play golf, especially to compete, but I am no longer in the mix competitively. I blame it on my physical pain and thus lack of practice, but whatever the reason (excuse) the fact is that I am not as good as I used to be and it hurts when I play. It also hurts mentally to be out of the picture when I used to always be in the hunt. When I’m out there and it’s not going well I always think that the proper thing to do would be to just retire from playing and concentrate on teaching. Then I think of all the times I have written and spoken about the need for instructors to play competitively, and I struggle with the chance of being viewed as a hypocrite. I know that my struggles are shared by the members of the site, and it wouldn’t seem right to exempt myself from the difficulties of playing competitive golf. Too many instructors have done that, and I have to admit that I lose some respect for teachers who quit playing with no physical reason for doing so. I have that reason in spades, but I will soldier on, avoiding walking tournaments for the most part and trying to find a way to strengthen the areas of my body that seem to break down the most. I can still hit the shots and get it up and down, but if I am going to win anything again I am going to have to apply myself, which means practice more, and if I am going to practice more I am going to have to figure out how to be more physically able. I’ll let you know how it goes.
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