Lead, Follow or Get Outta My Way

I had ANOTHER incident at TPC yesterday. Played in a threesome and was chasing another group of 3 hacks for the entire front 9. The guys we were trailing (of course) all played from the back tees although they could barely hit it past the ladies tee box, zig-zagged all of the fairway in their golf carts like the keystone kops on a car chase and took their sweet-ass time lining up to hit every-single-shot. They each stalked the greens like Tiger lining up their putts as if a gold medal was on the line. Watching this unfold before me was pure torture. For someone with zero patience, the term "ballistic" quickly comes to mind. On #9 we were 250 yards out and I groaned, somewhat audibly, "C'mon guys. Give it to him." (meaning to let the guy have his putt [to speed things up] and to put us out of our misery). We finish the hole and raced up to #10. One of the guys says to no one in particular,

"Go ahead and play through."

Being polite, I say, "You sure?"

He goes, "Well, we heard you on the last hole."

Another guy in the group sarcastically quips, "And why are we letting them play through? There is another group in front of us!"

The tension in the air was palpable.

Finally, I had had enough of this crap, and told the guy to put his dukes up so we could "get it on." Fists were flying. After I decked him, bloodied his nose, bent his driver and stomped on his glasses, I told him we'd play through his group AND the group in front of us AND anyone else who wanted to hold us up and that he'd ALSO better keep his mouth shut. What's the big deal with letting people who are faster play through? It's golf etiquette 101. Heck, it's an unwritten rule. Golf is a gentleman's game - doesn't anyone get this anymore or is it just me?

I managed to shoot a 76. This was after the 75 I threw down on Wednesday. I bought a new Taylor Made "Spider" putter the other day and as with any new club purchase, I have had a wonderful honeymoon phase. After the first 6 holes on Wednesday I was 3 under. It was my first day with the new flat stick and I was rolling the ball nice and tight. I have a bad habit and it's that I often take the putter back too far and often decelerate on my stroke - both are bad tendencies. My new putter looks like something I would put together in the garage with discarded plumbing stuff and sheet metal, but you know what? It works. I also like all the chrome on it.

"Hottest putter on the market," quipped the assistant golf pro.

"Yikes, I have to have it then," I said. "I need all the new stuff I can lay my mitts on."

Admittedly, the thermometer in Las Vegas in late July and early August robs my body of energy AND, unbelievably, the desire to play golf. Frankly, this happens each summer...gets worse each year too. We always leave our summer vacation in comfy Oceanside's 75 degree weather, blue skies and nice environment to come sizzle in the oven that is Las Vegas for a few more months.

Next year I booked Oceanside for 1 month.

The fellas on the golf course down there are nicer too.