Passions

My biggest passions involve my faith and my family.  One, however, is also golf.  I’ve been playing the game for…dare I say, decades now.  I played through high school and college.  I enjoyed every bit of it and would love to pass this passion on to my kids. 

Over the past several years I’ve taken my kids golfing with me.  I’ve started on the green and worked our way back to the tee box.  My son is now strong enough to do just that.  Several weeks ago I took him to a local golf course and I was rather impressed with the outcome.  He had, we had a great time together, but it wasn’t until I looked at this pictures that I saw his form and was impressed.  He is a great student, gets frustrate (but who doesn’t in the game of golf), and could be pretty good.

 

Last week I took him to the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club.  This was his first experience at a Pro Golf Event.  I had gone for years and worked their during high school and college, so I had been there…done that.  A lot has changed over the years and it was a lot of fun and a great fan experience.

There was a ‘fan experience’ demo set up by Bridgestone that let you drive, putt and chip.  So we did it.  I think he could have stayed there all day.  Confession…I could have too.  The putting event incorporated a 20 foot put over a mound with a heavy break to the right once the ball gets to the hole.  So I put my dad hat on and…

Me: “Alex, line yourself up.  Take your time and do your best.”

Alex: “Ok Dad.”

Result = 1 putt…1 ace

Ace = 2 free Bridgestone golf balls.

 

I could have sat there with 100 golf balls and not made the putt.  With 2 golf balls he had a 50% success rate and nearly made both.  There had to be about 20 people watching, 'And the crowd went wild!!!!!"  It was impossible to get the smile off his face.  I just don’t think he thought about the difficulty of the putt and just…putted the ball.  I’m going to do that from now on.  He might not remember that day as we walked the grounds, watched some golf, observed the dew on the blades of grass and shared a Pepsi, but I will.  It was a blessing to be able to do this with him and I pray that I’m around for many more small moments like this.

Coach Bill