Winter has arrived but that did not prevent me from starting to golf here in Michigan.
It was golf through Xbox. I’ve never been a gaming enthusiast.
Evan, a Recreational Therapist at Hope Network, doubled as my caddie. He helped me get set up with some adaptation. Evan connected a tennis ball so I could grip the joystick around bit easier. He also set up the buttons to select clubs and set yardage for my shot.
Evan asked if I wanted to warm up on the range before starting my round of golf. I told him that warm-ups are for sissies. The first few holes of the round are for loosening up.
I played a PGA course that had wide open fairways. I needed to swing the club by moving the tennis ball back then forward on the joystick.
Easy peasy, right?
Not so much as this video will attest.
Not so much as this video will attest.
I bogied the first hole. But then the shit hit the fan. I triple bogied the second and third hole, which was a part three.
If you’re thinking by now that it can’t get worse, then you don’t know the game of golf. Because I did much worse.
I got an 11 on a par four. My drive off the tee was decent and on the fairway. From there I took the scenic route to the hole.
My ball flew behind trees, into trees, into tall grass, in the bunker, over the Green. Then a three putt to wrap a bow on the hole.
I punched the tennis ball in frustration three times. This was my version of slamming the club into the ground.
All this brought back memories of the emotions and the frustrations I had playing real golf. It felt good.
I had a give and give relationship with golf. I loved the game more than it loved me. The game would drive me to tears at times. And I couldn’t wait to play again to prove my self-worth.
The expressions of joy, frustration, anger, and determination would ride a wavy round of golf. The game brought out the best and the worst of me.
The feeling of frustration playing the Xbox game brought back some of the passion that has been missing in my life. I want more of that and my sense of purpose back.
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