I got up this morning at 5:30am to play nine holes of golf – I have a deal with the course I play at. As long as I am off before 7:15am and don’t interfere with the course workers doing their morning grooming, I am allowed to walk the back nine.

I played very well, given the fact that I forgot to take any pain pills with me. Usually, to reduce the pain in my back caused by playing golf (I know, why do I inflict such torture on myself), I take a pain pill or two when I play. Today, I forgot them and paid the price, but still played well.

First of all, I decided to play the front tees. I am not a long hitter, so playing the front tees brings most holes within my range.

Hole #10 (429 yard par 5) – hit my 17* four wood off the tee, then a five iron that I pushed right. From the rough, I hit a nine iron just short of the green, then “putted” a seven iron to kick-in range for my par. [Even]

Hole #11 (358 yard par 4) – again, used the four wood off the tee into the right rough about 180 out, then laid up with a six iron to about 75 yards. Hit a pitching wedge hole high around twenty feet and two putted for my bogey. [+1]

Hole #12 (275 yard par 4) – this hole is normally my nemesis. For whatever reason, I usually can not play this hole. Today, I hit a five iron off the tee into the left rough about 120 out, then hit a eight iron just short of the green. “Putted” that seven iron once again for another kick in par. [+1]

Hole #13 (329 yard par 4) – here, I made my first mistake. I hit my 15* three wood and managed to slice the ball out of bounds. Changed to the four wood, leaving myself 170 out and hitting four. I laid up to about 75 yards, then stuck a pitching wedge to about eight feet and sunk the putt for a six with a lost ball. I did have a four on the ball I finally put into play (more about that logic later). [+3, +1]

Hole #14 (130 yard par 3) – I hit a seven iron, not enough club, into the left front bunker. Blasted out to fifteen feet, then two putted for the bogey. [+4, +2]

Hole #15 (286 yard par 4) – here, I really screwed up. I hit my driver off the tee and sliced into the alfalfa growing beside the fair way. Lost ball #1. Changed to my 17* four wood and sculled my ball into the Environmentally Sensitive Area, so now I am lying four on the tee. Finally, I hit a decent drive out about 190 yards, leaving me about 95 yards uphill to the center of the green, with the flag up forward. I hit a nine iron just short of the green, then hit that seven iron putter that I am so good at for another kick in – this time for a quadruple bogey. Again, however, I had a par on the ball I actually got into play. [+8, +2]

Hole #16 (343 yard par 4) – finally, I decided to play within myself. I hit the 17* four wood off the tee to the 150 marker, then hit a six iron just short of the green. Another seven iron putt, this time leaving about a six footer for par, which I sunk. [+8, +2]

Hole #17 (128 yard par 3) – I hit an eight iron off the tee, but hit behind the ball and left it short of the green in the rough. I pitched the ball long, leaving myself about a thirty footer for par. Apparently, someone had replenished the nuclear reactor on my putter, because I bombed it eight feet past, leaving that length for a bogey. Alas, it was not to be and I took my only natural double bogey for the day. [+10, +4]

Hole #18 (422 yard par 5) – Again, I played within myself and hit the four wood off the tee about 200 yards into the left rough. I decided to hit a seven iron and lay up, but managed to decelerate as I was coming into the ball and topped it about 40 yards. Hit the seven iron again to about 25 yards in front of the green, in the left rough. Pitched it long about 25 feet, then rolled my putt to one foot. Kick-in for a bogey [+11, +5].

Now, I nominally call myself a 23 handicap, which means I should be shooting around 48 for nine holes – I finished with a 47, so I shot my handicap.

What is the good news (and the reason that I keep a second score when I have penalty strokes) is that I shot a 5-over 41 excluding the penalty strokes. This score is what I see as my potential. Regularly shooting a 41 would make me about a 10 handicap – boy, would that be an accomplishment for me.

BTW – the new clubs are great, for the most part. I am getting used to the extra length in the shaft and find myself making some very good iron shots. My inconsistency off the tee is hurting, but my short game is clearly improving.

Lessons learned today:

1. Put the big dog (driver) and 15* three wood away until I can learn to tame them. Frankly, I do not hit them much longer than the four wood and I rarely have a problem hitting that four wood, so, for now, the four wood will be the longest club in my bag.

2. The putter I played with today, a Wilson Harmonized center shafted model that I picked up last year, is my most consistent putter right now. I tried an Odyssey two-ball putter, but never got used to it.

3. My back still is not up to playing eighteen holes, much less nine holes. I had to stop almost every hole and rest my back to eliminate/reduce the collapsing feeling I get. Taking pain pills during the round helps, but I need to lose weight and strengthen my core if I want to continue playing this game.

So, despite the three lost balls and all the pain that I had to endure, the morning was going well – right up until I was putting my clubs into the car.

As I was putting the clubs into the back, my cell phone rang. It was my middle brother calling me with news about my mother.

Now, you will recall from the Mother’s Day blog that my mother has not been well the last few years, suffering from dementia and living in a nursing home. My brother called me with the news that she developed an urinary tract infection last week and has not eaten for the last several days. The prognosis is not good. He is going to call me tonight after he gets back from going up to see her – he lives about four hours from Mom.

My mother was a strong woman, but is now 85 years old and no longer recognizes anyone around her. It is sad to see her in this state, but I do not believe that she is physically suffering. She is suffering, however, mentally, as her frustrations overwhelm her and she gets very angry.

I also have to admit to being a little selfish here. We are scheduled to leave for our cruise on Thursday. Do I cancel now? Make alternative plans? What to do?

So, I ask you for your prayers for the following: peace for my mother, that Saint Peter may welcome her at the gates of heaven and she will be reunited with the love of her life, my father who passed away in 1997; for my family – we have all prepared ourselves for her passing, but the event is still difficult for us all; last, for me that I may have the courage to make whatever decisions I must make in the coming week.

This morning started out well, but has turned somber. Today is Memorial Day and I am remembering happier days of the warmth and love from the woman who bore me into this world.

God, be with your faithful servant Betty Jane this day. Grant her peace and serenity as you guide her to the gates of heaven and reunite her with her beloved Charles.

Grant my entire family the ability to be strong during this difficult period. We are all your faithful servants and seek the comfort of your words during these coming days.

In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen