So ... not much golf to report on over the last year. In fact, I think the last time I went out was for the parish golf tournament last July/August.

Which brings me to this year's parish golf tournament (see "not much golf to report on"). 

Actually, did pretty fun. Went around with some folks who I've golfed with before, playing a best ball game at the Links G.C. in Highlands Ranch (where we were last year), netting a par for the group, which was pretty good. Despite not having golfed for a year, I felt pretty good about what I did -- not too many truly awful shots, and enough cases where mine was the best ball that I felt like I was pulling my weight.

Despite the fact that it was supposed to get to the high 90s or 100 today, a nice breeze, plus late afternoon light overcast, kept it from being too ghastly hot.

Overall, a nice way to spend the afternoon. Many thanks to Margie for making it possible. :-)

Filed under :: Golf :: Weather
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Thursday

Went to Katherine's karate class, then had dinner at Via Baci.  Everyone then watched my karate class, which was fun (and occasionally embarrassing).

Friday:  Margie had to work and Kitten was at school. I slept in (aaaah), and then the 'rents and I took in lunch at Gunther Toody's.  Afterwards we swung by Best Buy to look at GPSs.

Margie and Kitten got home anon, so we went off to Sweet Tomatoes for dinner, then went over and saw Stardust.

Saturday:  Various prep for the afternoon/evening dinner party, to wit, Cheese Fondue, Surf-n-Turf Entree, and Chocolate Fondue for dessert.  Yummy food, good company of a dozen or so.

Sunday:  Brunch, church, then rush off for Doyce, Dad and I playing 9 Par 3s at South Surburban.  The less said about which the better, save that Doyce lost more balls than I did and still beat me on strokes.  We really ought to play more.  Really.

Dinner at Le Central, which was yummy as ever.

Monday:  Slept in a bit.  Lazed about a bit.  Put together decor for Kay's room a bit.  Dinner at Maggiano's.

Tuesday, et al.:  Folks leave in the morning.  We fast for the rest of the week.

Filed under :: Food & Drink :: Golf :: Home Improvement :: Karate :: Media - Movies :: Potpourri
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Went out and golfed yesterday afternoon for the first time in -- well, probably a year.  It was the parish golf tourney, competing foursomes playing best ball.  We were at -1 going around to the back nine, but ended up +2 by the time all was said and done.

I've been very lax on the golfing, obviously.  Doyce and I haven't been out in ages, and my Dad and I haven't played the last couple of visits out.  I should really work to change both of those.

That said, I played about as well as I have been (i.e., the skills haven't deteriorated, they just haven't improved from their low level).  I lost a fair number of balls, but on the other hand had the "best ball" often enough to make me feel like I was pulling my own weight.  I also sank a couple of really nice putts.

We were playing at the Links, an executive-length course in Highlands Ranch, pretty much just over the freeway south of us.  Despite having driven past it eleventy-zillion times, I've never played there before.  It's a nice course, well-maintained, with plenty of terrain hazards to keep things visually interesting.  It's a bit cheaper than South Suburban's full-length course.  The term "executive length" basically means its a par 60 for 18, not the traditional 72; there are a lot of par 3 holes, interspersed with enough long par 4s to keep the variety up.

The weather was a seriously mixed bag.  When we started, it was lightly overcast, but still warm and quite humid (for Denver).  Later the cloud cover vanished, leaving it hot.  By the time we were at 15, clouds were beginning to roll in, and on 18 it started to rain lightly -- perfect timing.

All in all a good day.  I should really do that more often.

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Nike ran a set of high-speed digital cameras on Tiger Woods driving a ball. The resulting slow motion replays are like watching ballet (in a good way).

He makes it look soooooooo simple.

The key? Watch the head shot. His eyes are nailed to the ball. Far as I'm concerned, if I could learn that trick, I could die a happy man.

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Made it out onto a course Sunday for the first time in (mutter mumble) months, for my church's parish golf tourney.  We played at South Suburban, which is as close to a "home course" for me as I'm willing to admit, and nicely balances variety and challenge level for, well, folks like me who only play golf occasionally.

The format was foursomes playing best ball, and it was one of the best-balanced best ball teams I've been on.  Everyone contributed, and there were very few shots where everyone fell apart.  Yours Truly did his share from the tee, fairway, and on the green, and I was quite pleased with myself, esp. given my lack of practice.  We ended up coming in at par for 18, which is pretty decent, in my book.

I really need to play more ... 

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While there are times when one gets more than a little irked at the foursome ahead dawdling their way through the course, I suspect that this behavior is not according to PGA rules ...

An Orange County sheriff's reserve deputy was ordered to trial for allegedly pulling a gun on two slow-playing golfers and threatening them at Los Serranos Golf & Country Club. Witnesses said Raymond Yi, 44, pointed a gun at the golfers and flashed his sheriff's badge during the July incident.

In fact, considering my own frame of mind when golfing, I'd suggest that carrying a gun on a golf course is a bad idea for all sorts of reasons ...

Filed under :: Golf
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From my folks ...

I have just finished my new book on golf that I believe gives the reader valuable playing tips and insider information that I have gained through 50 years of experience. The cost is only $29.95. Cash only please

The following is the chapter listing to give you an overview. Don't wait until they're all gone!

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 - How to Properly Line Up Your Fourth Putt

Chapter 2 - How to Hit a Nike from the Rough When You Hit a Titleist from the Tee

Chapter 3 - How to Avoid the Water When You Lie 8 in a Bunker

Chapter 4 - How to Get More Distance Off the Shank

Chapter 5 - When to Give the Ranger the Finger

Chapter 6 - Using Your Shadow on the Greens to Maximize Earnings

Chapter 7 - When to Implement Handicap Management

Chapter 8 - Proper Excuses for Drinking Beer Before 9 a.m.

Chapter 9 - How to Rationalize a 6 Hour Round

Chapter 10 - How to Find That Ball That Everyone Else Saw Go in the Water

Chapter 11 - Why Your Spouse Doesn't Care That You Birdied the 5th

Chapter 12 - How to Let a Foursome Play Through Your Twosome

Chapter 13 - How to Relax When You Are Hitting Three Off the Tee

Chapter 14 - When to Suggest Major Swing Corrections to Your Opponent

Chapter 15 - God and the Meaning of the Birdie-to-Bogey Three Putt

Chapter 16 - When to Regrip Your Ball Retriever

Chapter 17 - Can You Purchase a Better Golf Game?

Chapter 18 - Why Male Golfers Will Pay $5.00 a Beer From The Cart Girl and Give Her a $3 Tip, But Will Balk at $3.50 at the 19th Hole and Stiff the Bartender

I think I could use several of those ...

Filed under :: Golf :: Jokes
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Well, my folks were out, for the main thing -- arriving mid-day Thursday, leaving early Tuesday morning. No CoH, but plenty of other fun-filled activities:

Friday
While Kitten was in school, the folks and Margie and I did 9 holes on the executive Par 3 at South Suburban. Well, that was the plan. Margie got stuck doing Work work, and missed out. I played pretty respectably (a 41 on the Par 27), and netted many more balls from the partially-full water hazards than I lost.

Saturday
Big fun in the morning was going swimming. Kitten was in hog heaven, and everyone had a good time.

In the afternoon/evening, we hosted the Testerclan over -- Jackie, Justin, Kaylee, Doyce's mom, Doyce's sister, and Doyce's niece and nephew. Randy and Stan were there, too. Doyce evidently made the mistake of lying down for a nap and never quite making it back up again. Burrito bar in the kitchen and a good time had by all.

Sunday
After church, headed up to Rocky Mountain National Park and Trail Ridge Road. Much alpine scenic beauty, with occasional glimpses of elk and moose. A long trip, but a lot of fun.

On the way home, we pinged Stan for suggestions of somewhere in Boulder to eat. He suggested Sunflower, but we decided it was a bit too ... organic for us. We ended up at Trattoria on Pearl, which was duly nummy.

Katherine crashed on the way home, and after I got her upstairs to bed and to sleep, I quickly followed. It was a long drive and a long day.

Monday
Dad and I played golf at Littleton (formerly Centennial, renamed since it's not in the city of Centennial as subsequently constituted) with Doyce. Nine holes, par 31 -- and not so good results. I ended up with a 52, despite a par and a couple of bodies, largely due to a couple of really godawful holes. Driving was actually remarkably good, as was some of the chipping and pitching, but the middle game and the putting was nothing to write home about.

So need to play more ...

In the afternoon, I took the 'rents to Best Buy to discuss digital cameras. I think the plan they ended up with was to get a digital with a decent zoom on it (like my recently-purchased-and-currently-in-Africa-with-the-in-laws Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20S.

After that, Margie (who'd been slaving away on actual Work work) joined us for a game of miniature golf -- which she proceeded to win at, huzzah. Kitten had a pretty good time, too.

Head home, have a nice steak dinner, watch some Nero Wolfe, and call it a night.

So, overall, a fun weekend, albeit a bit exhausting -- despite being able to sleep in, I feel like I've been running at high speed the whole time. Back to a fairly normal schedule this week -- except for taking the 'rents to the airport on Tuesday morning, flying on a one-day business trip to Pasadena on Wedensday, and getting back into the CPG rehearsal schedule Thursday and Saturday.

Oh, yeah, and hopefully some time with Margie, and a bit of CoH, too. :-)

Filed under :: Golf :: Personal :: Travel
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Filed under :: Golf
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On golf, no less.

Filed under :: Golf
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