Tommy and Babe Play Golf

[PokerBabe(aka)]

As is the annual tradition, Babe and Tommy tee it up once a year. This year, I gave Tommy a choice between playing a "real" golf course and a par 3 course. He chose the later. As he notes, they put "holes so far away from the tee boxes" that it seems impossible for anyone to ever reach them without a "par 20". We were scheduled to play with Barry Tanenbaum and Roy Cooke, but Roy didn't make it. Barry is a beginning golfer, so he was thrilled that we opted to play the "newbie" course. It's called the "Cloud Nine", which is really strange because there are actually 12 holes on the course. Since Tommy got seriously lost last year trying to find the first tee, I decided to pick him up so we would not be late. He was in his usual golf-wear : shorts, converse sneakers (no holes in them) , "collared" shirt, and green hat. Tommy looked more like a poker player than a golfer, but that seems appropriate. Tommy had no golf glove, no clubs, no balls and no sunscreen, but he did come prepared with a large bottle of water. I brought a few of my husband's irons for Tommy to use and we put those clubs in my bag and walked the course with my pull cart. Before the first tee, we went to the range to "warm up". Tommy's swing still looked flat and a little fast (like last year), and he explained he hadn't played in months. Good thing I'm not competitive about this stuff or I may have thought he looked "easy". After he hits a few balls with the "men's clubs", he picks up my 7 iron and decides that he likes that one alot (can you guess what is coming next?). Anyway, we go to the first tee and find that there is really only one set of tees (despite the fact that the scorecard has both "bronze" and "silver" yardages). Great! Only question is whether these are the men's or ladies tees, right? I decide they are "unisex" and it doesn't matter anyway, since Tommy always plays from the ladies' tees when given a choice. We all agree that we are playing from the "tips" and I dig all this macho "male bonding". Babe is looking good on the first hole, with a bogie to Tommy's triple. We both par #2 and then I make bogie to his double on #4. Cool, I think....in 3 holes, I'm 3 strokes ahead (but who is counting?). Did I mention that he is now using my clubs on almost every shot? Is this guy unpretentious or what? Anyway, back to the game...... On holes 4-7 we play dead even ( so I still have him down 3 total). I double #8 when I hit my ball in the rocks and then the sand. Tommy lands his shot just off the green and nearly chips in for birdie!. His ball literally jumped out of the hole and he "only" made par, but it was quite an outstanding sight. I must say that he was "playing good and running good" at this point. Ok, only 4 holes to go, and I need to keep it together because the "island green" on #10 is next. This is really a cute hole, modeled after #17 at TPC Sawgrass. The green is sloped, with water all around and a bunker right in front of the pin. The yardage says 100 from the "tips". Since Tommy made such a stylish par on the last hole, he's up first. He nails it - perfectly....right on the green about 6 feet from the pin. I'm up next and yank a 9 iron dead left into the water. This costs me 2 strokes and I am now one stroke behind with 2 to go. I look good on #11 with a smooth par to Tommy's bogie and we are even going into the last hole. There is a nice bunker on the right side of the green on #12 and Tommy finds it. Not only that, but there is a bunker ON the green just awaiting any errant shot. Now Tommy starts talking about the "luck" element in golf. The "luck" element in golf? You know, like when you get an unlucky bounce into a trap or when your ball misses the fairway and stuff. "Golf luck". Right....well, Tommy needs some "luck" now, because his shot is not an easy one by any means. The ball is in the sand and below his feet. There is a bit of a ridge (lip) he needs to clear and of course, there is that nasty bunker ON the green. He takes a perfect swing and hits a darn perfect shot right on the green, as my jaw drops and Barry looks on with awe. He bogies #12 for a total score of 48. I must do the same to tie, and I do. Good thing there is so much "luck" in golf.! LGPGGG, Babe /forums/images/icons/heart.gif

[Tommy Angelo]

"Now Tommy starts talking about the "luck" element in golf. The "luck" element in golf? You know, like when you get an unlucky bounce into a trap or when your ball misses the fairway and stuff."

And there's more. Much more. It's just like poker. In poker you could say there is short term luck, like hitting flops, or flushes. That's like the bouncing-ball luck in golf.

But there's more. In golf, for me, there is a luck element in the swing itself. Sometimes I am lucky and swing well and connect well. Sometimes I don't. I can only call it good luck or bad luck. I don't know any other words for it.

But there's more. Just like poker. The main main most importantest kind of luck, is finding opponents you can beat. For me, at golf, I've been very lucky. Just about every time I've played for more than a few bucks, and I've done it a bunch, I've played against ego-bloated ball-crushers who are pathetic negotiators. They see my hopeless tee shots a couple times and they can't wait to give me however many stokes I need to beat them. Then they watch my chips roll right toward the hole and stop, and they watch me sink putt after tester putt, and they say, "Well, you just got lucky, that's all. How much do I owe?"

Tommy

[Abe]

These are funny posts, but Tommy's golf thoughts are a little disturbing.

Long term and short term luck at golf-- a new concept for me. And theres this quote; "Sometimes I am lucky and swing well __"

Then there is the "game selection" component too. Maybe all this will be in Tommy's next article ----the theory of GOLF for advanced players.

I was supposed to golf today, but now I can't --- not with these thoughts in my mind.

[Easy E]

You're screwed- don't play golf with him.

[andyfox]

I loved your post.

FORE!