As I stood on the No. 6 tee box at Lakeview Golf Course on Monday afternoon, I knew one thing for sure — I wasn’t going to hit my drive into the lake that has lined the right side of the dogleg left Par 5 for as long as I can remember.
I first played Lakeview, the public golf course in Meridian, in the 1980s, and more time that not the water on that hole, and its partner in crime, the Par 3 No. 7, has owned me. But not on this day, it was impossible.
It had been 15 years or better since I last put a little white ball on a wooden tee on that hole, and much has changed. Instead of ducks walking across the fairway, and enough water to drown every golf ball I’ve every owned, there stood pine trees. The water had dried up and the lake had become a forest.
At last the intimidation was over. I stood at the tee box relieved, relaxed, assured, and determined.
The crack of the ball being greeted by the face of my Big Bertha driver was resounding. I looked up in anticipation of the ball sailing down the middle of the fairway, only to find it taking a big right hand turn heading right toward a lake that no longer existed. It hit a clump of those trees and fell to the ground no more than 50 yards from the tee box, falling out of the air like an anvil on a mission and coming to rest on the edge of the fairway.
Well, at least it didn’t get wet.
The nine holes my wife and I played on Monday was a tune-up for my big “worst golfer ever” showdown today (Thursday) against former West Alabama head football coach Sam McCorkle and Meridian TV personality Lindsey Hall.
I played 45 holes of golf in a 16-day span getting ready for the fundraising event that is being held at Livingston (Ala.) Country Club. That’s 45 more holes than I have played in the decade and a half prior.
Here are the highlights of the nine holes of magic I pulled out of my golf bag on Monday.
• I actually putted for a par;
• Picked up a one-putt bogey;
• Had one bogey, and three double bogeys on my card;
• Didn’t lose a golf ball (that may be a first for me);
• Found two nice golf balls, which actually gave me a plus two for the day;
• Actually made decent contact with the driver on four holes.
As for the lowlights, well, here goes:
• Recorded a pitiful 12 on that legendary No. 6;
• Hit a half-dozen shots that probably didn’t cover 60 yards between them;
• Three putted the blooming Par 3 No. 5 hole that I had a legitimate shot at making par on;
• Almost played the wrong hole once;
• Took a wrong turn after putting the golf clubs on the cart in the parking lot and wound up across the street from the course;
• Chipped the ball back and forth across various greens more than once;
• Missed at least two putts inside the ‘gimme range.”
• Finished the nine holes with a 27-over par 62 and sadly enough was pretty proud of it.
But the greatest part of the day was enjoying the round with mid wife Barbara. She is a true beginner, while I’m trying to finally learn to actually enjoy the game, and “starting all over.’
I can absolutely tell you the last 45 holes of golf sharing the course with Barb has provided me with the most fun I’ve ever had while playing golf.
Here’s hoping it becomes part of our future together; as well as more drives in the fairway, a bucket full of two-putts, and maybe even a few bogeys, or a par or two.
Hey, it’s never too late!
Austin Bishop, AKA The Old Sports Dude, has been covering high school, college, amateur, and professional sports since 1975. He is currently pastor of Great Commission Assembly of God in Philadelphia, Miss. He may be contacted by email at starsportsboss@yahoo.com or by phone at 601-938-2471.
