Well, the big day has come and gone. Jolly Saint Nick has returned to the North Pole for a well-deserved rest and I sincerely hope that all of you good boys and girls got everything that you wished for. Was it a new set of clubs, a dozen golf balls, or a new golf outfit? For me, it was a year like every year. No gifts. My wife and I don’t exchange gifts and we haven’t for some time. It’s just the way that we do things.
That said, I didn’t go totally empty this Christmas as I received a special gift. The gift of golf. If you would have asked me a week ago if I would be playing golf anywhere, any time soon I would have said in a dejected matter. No. The cold came in and gripped us hard and so did another wintry blast where it had me cursing “Elsa” from the “Frozen” movies. But then it happened.
A reprieve. I watched the forecast with tempered excitement as the temperature looked as though it was going to slowly creep upwards. High’s of near 50*F and rain too. The latter usually not something I’m too happy about (except for Steelhead season. I’m a fly fisherman). But “Golfer Alex” knows that that would be a recipe for melting snow. And where there’s melting snow, there’s surely grass to be had. And there it was. December 23rd. Festivus, sunny skies, and an air temperature of 50*F. So I called one of two courses in the area that stay open all year. The phone rang, there was a click and a voice.
Queenston Golf Club: Hello, Queenston Golf Club
Me: Hi, I was sort of hoping for a Festivus Miracle. Are you open today?
QGC: Well, we are but we only have 5 greens open and 80% of the course is playable. The rest snow covered. Tomorrow looks better.
Me: Okay, thank-you. Hope to see you tomorrow.
So with my spirits somewhat dashed, I ended up at a local driving range. And hit a bucket of balls. It felt so great to be outside, comfortably watching the flight of golf balls. All was right in the world. The session went well.
So I woke up the next day. It’s Christmas Eve and in typically “me” fashion I had last-minute running around to do. In the blink of an eye I had my running around completed and I made it back home. Without calling, I grabbed my clubs, Clicgear 3.5+ pushcart, and made my way to Queenston Golf Club. I went to the pro shop, paid my fees, and went to play golf.
The 9 holes lasted 1 hr 19 min according to the SkyCaddie SX400 that I’m currently testing for review. I have to say that I’m really impressed with that unit. It also gave me the opportunity to test a product out for the first time that I’m also reviewing. Golf Gum (introduction to that product tomorrow). But more importantly, I was playing golf on a golf course. The conditions were not favourable, but it is December 24th and I’m just thankful to be playing golf. The course itself was about 90% free of snow, and snow did cover most of or at least big parts of 5 greens. But golf is golf. And I was happy. I hit some nice shots and some less than mediocre. All that I know is that I ended up having a very Merry Christmas.
Until The Next Tee!!
The Next Tee (TNT) 