Maggie's Farm

Sometimes we need to separate process from gratification. I was talking to an old golf buddy this morning and the question came up "Why are we better at skiing than golf?" We decided it was because we learned skiing when young and we "just did it". Flying down the mountain, or more likely lately cruising down, not caring about anything but the fun. Not like golf where we are trying to keep our arm straight, our shoulder down, our hip from over-rotating, and on and on.

There are sometimes in the evening when you can go out golfing by yourself and just enjoy it. The low sun casting shadows across the fairway. The hawks on #7 protecting their nest and creating a ruckus. The herons by the pond. Trying to time your round to the sunset behind the mountains. You don't usually have time for a full 18 holes but you can play 10-11 and 12 on the back. Then the trick is to make up your own hole by teeing up on the bank next to #12 and playing across the driving range toward the 7th green. The second shot is difficult because from that angle the green is not receptive. The next "hole" a difficult par 5 of 250 yards involving a wedge shot over the tall cottonwoods lining #8. And then another between 8 and 9. Lay up too close to the trees and you're dead. That leaves you an easy 3rd to the 9th green that is now deeply shaded and difficult to read in the best of conditions. Finally you get to walk past the guys at the patio bar, the last one off the course. They're thinking it must be lonely playing by yourself. They probably played 18 holes by process and missed most of the gratification.

Wish this board had an edit feature. It would help "sometimes", "some times".