Slice of Life: March 21 -- A Good Walk Spoiled

Several posts ago, I mentioned that golf has been referred to as a good walk spoiled.  Today I experienced that, although my round could better be described as a good cart ride spoiled.  Here's what I learned from today's round of golf, my first since July:

• Warm weather in Missouri this time of year must be accompanied by wind.  Yes, it was warm today and I appreciate the nicer temperatures, especially after the winter we endured.  However, my golf game was not appreciative of the wind.  I lost track of how many shots were blown off course or completely lost in today's stiff gusts. 
• Yes, I am partially blaming my poor round on the wind.  I couldn't possibly blame my terrible play on the eight months that passed between my last round and today's eighteen holes...
• Your short game is the first thing to go and the last to come back.  Chipping and putting is always a challenge for me, but when you haven't played for eight months, it's simply brutal.  If only that could explain my poor driving and iron play as well...oh yeah, I have the wind to blame for that.
• It's difficult to putt when your nose is running and your eyes are filling with tears from the wind.  I've been battling a cold all week and being out in the wind didn't help matters today.  Maybe I can't entirely blame the wind.  Perhaps my tears were due to my terrible play (just kidding).
• If you can't play well, at least you can dress the part.  I've learned that part of playing golf is looking like a golfer.  Titleist hat?  Check.  Polo shirt?  Check.  Fancy golf shoes?  Check.  You get the picture.
• Playing golf is a good excuse to buy cool gadgets.  I had the first opportunity to try out my new golf GPS.  It's a tiny device that clips to my belt and tells me the yardage to the hole.  Mine even talks to me.  Too bad I couldn't hear it over the wind. 
• Sometimes it takes more than one good shot or one good hole to make you want to come back for more.  I had one par today, followed by a quadruple bogey.  If you don't play golf and those terms mean nothing to you, here's a little hint:  Par equals good, quadruple bogey equals atrocious.  At the end of our round, my friend asked if I wanted to play another hole.  My response?  No, thanks.
• Time really can heal wounds.  Now that I've been home for several hours, I honestly would love the chance to play another eighteen holes.  Not today, mind you.  Rather a day that's a little less windy.
• I shouldn't complain about the wind or my time at the golf course.  I really did have fun today.  It would have been more fun had I played better, but who can honestly complain about a day at the golf course?  That's what my husband reminded me when he asked how golf went as he was on his way home from work.  And the wind?  That's just a poor excuse for my poor play.  Hopefully, however, it provided a little humor for today's post.
• I enjoyed spending time with a friend.  Golf provided me with a chance to spend time with a good friend who I hadn't seen in a while.  Regardless of how poor both of us played, it's fun to spend time with someone you care about.

That pretty well sums up my first round of golf in eight months.  Notice I didn't mention my score.  Let's just say it wasn't worth writing down, let alone mentioning.