In 1989 I was a steadily improving junior golfer, having gone through the same school as future PGA Tour pros and sons of captains of industry. However, I was also immature and would rather listen to rock music and read comics (both of which I still do far too much 21 years later).
That year, I shot 44-41 at The National Golf Club of Canada. I remember this because it was my best round ever, and a mark that I thought would be lowered on a regular basis with each successive round.
As you all know, THAT'S NOT HOW GOLF WORKS. Especially if you're an easily distracted head case. So I went through a couple of decades of sporadic golf and declining scores.
I did finally join another golf club (Springbank Links) in 2005, and worked in earnest on my game. Slowly, the scores started coming down again, but each time I flirted with breaking 85,I blew up and ended either with 85, or something slightly higher. Sometimes weird things happened, like last year when I shot 50-37 in a round. From hacking to can't miss all in the same 18 holes.
On more than a couple of occasions I stood on the 18th tee thinking "All I need to do is bogey this hole for an 84" and then I would triple-bogey the damn thing.
Then June 26 came around. I was playing with two excellent golfers (one a former club and city champion, and it was just solid from start to finish.
On the 18th tee I stood yet again, and this time it was "If I can par this hole I'll have an 84". My approach shot from 180 yards out was referred to by one of my playing partners as "one of the gutsiest shots he's seen me play" and it settled ten feet from the pin. I hit a solid putt that lipped out. Had it sunk, I would have shot an 83. Still, as I tapped in that par putt, it felt as though 50 pounds had fallen off my shoulders, as this mental obstacle had finally been shattered.
Of course, my game didn't come back to challenge that mark again in 2010, and my season was cut short with the birth of my son. I hope to raise the bar once more by lowering my score in 2011.
I mean, I can't lose - check out this golf swing!
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