It's been a couple of weeks since I've been on the golf course...and boy did that show today!  My front nine was the worst its ever been on this course.  The back nine was better...but still not "good."

Nevertheless, I was pleased with the round for a couple of reasons.

1.  I got out and played!  My new friend at the club, Tina, and I have made a sort of loose pact to play together on Tuesdays.  I was tempted, after little sleep last night and fighting of a cold this weekend, to give it a pass today.  But I stuck with my plans and got a good workout (cart path only and 118 strokes means a good workout)...and I enjoyed the time with Tina.

2.  Moira didn't show up.  Some of you may know my evil twin, Moira.  She usually only shows up on the golf course these days, when I'm not playing well.  As an evil twin, you might imagine that she's not the most pleasant person to be around.  She pouts.  She pounds the ground with her golf club.  She calls me an idiot, a loser and (sometimes) worse.

Quite refreshing that she didn't show today. 

3.  Instead of Moira, Laura showed up.  I had reasonable expectations of my play for the round (that proved to be wildly optimisitic in retrospect).  When the first two holes turned out so horribly, I was able to adjust those expectations even lower.  As a result, the round never turned into a referendum on myself.

4.  I enjoyed playing with Tina.  Two great things about Tina as a golf partner are that she plays her own game (so she doesn't worry about yours) and she is an encourager at heart

At the end of the round, I was exhausted, hot, mildly annoyed by my disappointing score and happily surprised by my ability to stick with myself through a horrible round.

Honestly, I think golf is more than a game.  It's a growth medium for (appropriate) self-esteem and life skills.  (And, apparently, a way to exorcise one's evil twin.)

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