YOU...ARE THE COURSE!

by Doug McAllister

First off, apologies for being "away." Where was I? I suppose I was temporarily lost in that horrible abyss known as "responsibility." But that's no excuse.

Actually I have been working on a new addition to "This For Birdie!" Remember when I promised "golf-litical" cartoons? Well, I have been brainstorming madly about a new strip — yep, not just a one framer — to be added periodically here. What will it be called. What else? "HEADCOVERS!" Wait and see. Should be fun.

But to today's post...


MYTH: DESTINATION GOLF AS A DEFINING EXPERIENCE...

Ah, St. Andrews! Just the name conjures images of golf in its purity. It's a planned pilgrimage included on many a golfer's "bucket list" — whether that's a large bucket or a small one! If one could only play St. Andrews he or she would surely achieve golfing Nirvana!

But, for many, destination golf is the rule and not the exception. Off they go to this "great course" or that one. Lists include such destinations as Pebble Beach, Harbor Town, TPC Sawgrass and Pinehurst #2. Some of the more deluded even add Augusta to their lists. And in each case the expectation seems clearly to be the search for the perfect round on the perfect course.

But does that really happen. One thing is certain. Regardless of where one travels to play golf he takes his game with him, right? Which simply means that, regardless of where one goes the same game — flawed as all golf games are — goes along.

In short — YOU ARE THE COURSE!

Golf is also a head game. The worst head game there may be! Meaning? Meaning that when you finally save enough kopecks to get to whatever golfing Shangri-La it may be, chances are very good that your best game or, You—THE COURSE, may not be along for the ride.


TO GO OR NOT TO GO. THAT IS THE QUESTION...

So my advice, then, is to stay behind? Certainly not! I have played several "destination" courses when the opportunity presented itself and played MARVELOUSLY at each site.

NOT!! I played the Geronimo Course at Desert Mountain and barely made it in with enough golf balls to finish! I played Teton Pines in Jackson Hole and could never get a fix on length — either way too long or way too short! At Silverado in Napa I killed more worms than I could count! (hopefully they weren't needed for the good of the wine industry there!) And, in each case, I came away feeling like I had somehow betrayed the game and needed to hang it up.

What I wasn't realizing is that the destination course is to be experienced, sometimes, in spite of golf! In other words, you could go to St. Andrews, simply walk the course without hitting a single ball and be the better for it. Of course, if you get there you had better play or you'd be looked upon as an idiot of elephantine proportions!


THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

But in the end I advocate playing the game between your ears. With that in mind the physical course doesn't really matter. It doesn't matter if you're playing the manicured track of a world-class course or a sorry cow patch. What matters is what happens with course that you always carry with you.

Remember! You are the course!


Now, with that, you're probably wishing I had abandoned this blog permanently!

HELAS!