CRS Golf 2009

Ok so I come from a family of golfers. My uncles all golf, my dad golfs, even my mother and brother have enjoyed golf for many years. I took golfing lessons one summer. My dad was all pumped for me to learn the game, he took me out and even bought me proper golf shoes. Buuuuuuuuut I was a teenage girl and awkward and shy and not terribly coordinated (I believe the term of endearment most used was 'klutz') and well I just didn't really get the hang of it and was too stressed about all the other good golfers in the class (what the heck were they doing in the beginner clinic ANYWAY??? like seriously, Robin Anne needed lessons?!?!?!? freakin' golf child prodigy..... but I digress). So that was the end of my golfing endeavours..... until some folks decided it would be a great idea to have a family golf tournament for all family members related to either my Grammie or Grandad.

This was the 12th year of the tournament. I've played every year except the summer the kids were born. My game left lllllllllllllllllots of room for improvement. Each year was another humiliation flashback. I'd go up to the first tee with a load of people watching us start off and I'd be so nervous that I'd swing right on past the ball, leaving it there annoyingly staring me or I'd bump it just slightly so it would roll 2 feet off and wonder what the heck to do then? I only nudged it by accident but did that count as my drive really? Pick it up and try again and be accused of cheating or pick it up and walk away and get told to go back for another swing? Oh the agony! One of the rules in the tourney is that sometime during the 9 holes, at least one drive from each player must be used. Every year, as soon as I got something that went more than 10 feet (assuming that I was able to get that) I would argue with the team captain to take that as "my drive" because that really was most likely the best it was going to get. They would always be foolishly optimistic that I would warm up & get better as we went. They knew my dad, no way could that be my drive! Then the stress would build, as we got closer and closer to the end and I whiffed by more shots or sent them flying parallel into ditches and woods etc. Pretty soon we'd be out of options and it would be the last hole. NOW they HAD to use mine, no matter what and nerves do not do you any favours when you're playing a precision sport. Eventually ti would all be over and I could just go to the party & games & bbq and forget the humiliation on the course. BUT in the eleven years I played, I never had a win. Dad makes up the teams each year. Each year I played with a different combo. He put me with every awesome golfer we've got in this family. They'd all won in other years and had the shirt to prove it. (even Murray has a shirt for heaven's sake!) Me, nada.

Then last year I decided that being embarrassed in my parents' backyard was the lesser of two evils and asked Dad to give me a mini lesson before the tournament. Now, Rome wasn't built in a day but he was able to correct enough that I could actually make contact with the ball on more than 10% of my swings. Once I knew that I was likely to send the ball somewhere other than 2 feet sideways, I could relax and enjoy the game! I started getting some half decent shots that weren't humiliating. I had a fabulous time at the tournament last year!! and this year, after another mini lesson the week before the tournament, my team actually won!!!!!!! They used at least TWO, maybe 3 of my drives!!! I sank a pretty long putt!! I got my ball across the pond and onto the green on the tricky hole! AND and I only lost ONE ball all day!!!! Now, I know I'm not Tiger Woods but I can't tell you how exciting it was to get my hands on the big trophy!!!

The big trophy stays at Grammie's and I get this one to keep! and I got this cool shirt from the prize table. What a day!!!!!!!!!!

After the golfing is all wrapped up, we have a huge potluck supper at Grammie's house (outside). Once the food is eaten, it's time for the games. The girls had been counting down the days til it was time to go to GG's (Great Grammie's). Every morning last week, they woke up and told me how many more til Friday. Even with the flu all around, they never lost their focus on the big event. Unfortunately, Murray got hit with it as we were on our way there and we had a few stops along the way for him. I set him up in a b&b and the rest of us stayed at GG's house. The girls were disappointed that we weren't sleeping in the tent but no major drama thankfully. Then, Honey woke up in the middle of the night complaining about her sore tummy. I was half asleep and just kept shushing her, telling to stop whining and fussing and omigosh! Honey, do you feel like you might throw up??? YES!!!!!!!!! Yiiiiikes! Luckily there was a garbage can nearby and I got her downstairs to the bathroom for the rest. As she's there puking her guts up, crying and very upset, she says "oh I don't want to miss the party!!!!!!!" By the next morning she felt fine and greatly enjoyed the festivities and we did sleep in the tent the 2nd night so they got their camping experience too :)