Old Guys Rock

Picture: Tulips Blooming in Diane's garden.

We had our first manager's scramble of the new season this morning. There were seven of us so I suggested that the 'old guys' take on the young guys plus Curt, that being Curt Johnson who technically qualifies as an 'old guy' for today. I was a little concerned about the fairness: the 'old guys' were Dave Wininger, Mike Kidwell and myself; the young guys were Trenton Kidwell, Weston Muessig and Josh Butcher. Thought the odds were with the old guys on this one so Curt went with the youngsters to add balance and experience and maybe just the little bit that would make the game fair and balanced. Curt said go with it; so did Trenton. So we headed out as the Trenton gang was unloading and getting all their weapons in order.

Old guys rock, or at least we thought we did. Not today. Had trouble hitting the green and, in some cases, the fairways. Birdied hole #2 with Dave's drive on the collar and my chip to a gimmie putt. Birdied #6 with Mike K.'s drive and iron to the corner and my chip to another gimmie putt. But that was it for excitement though we did have to scramble for a couple of pars.

The young guys, meanwhile, were tooling around taking care of business, coming in at 5 under and also getting three of the four hole prizes, the fourth being left on the table (none of us were able to hit #7 green - oh my). There was that one bit of real drama out there when we were just off the dam after hitting our shots on #8, walking along as jauntily as we could, trying not to let on that our bag of birdies was swinging pretty easy. Trenton's gang was just finishing up with their last guy, Josh Butcher, hitting into #6 from just across the way when they all at the same instant started yelling something unintelligible (not the usual FORE!). Old guys rock, and they move pretty fast too when faced with a white hot rocket coming there way from just down yonder. THUNK! It landed on the dam just behind us. Got our adrenalin pumping in no time at all. We figured it was Josh doing his little bit to rattle us as we headed for the finish line. Didn't make a whit of difference; we finished up with a couple more missed greens and a lengthy downhill slider of a putt for par on the 9th. Congratulations to the young guys, each of whom took home a hole prize as well. You taught us a thing or two today - darn it all.

More fun next Saturday; more players, too, I would expect.

Golfing and Other Things

The above picture: Golfing goddesses - Wilma Bateman and Diane Bird

Eric and his boys are out mowing the tee boxes and the collars, the boys racing ahead of Eric to clear the blocks off of the tee boxes, and then put them back. Such exuberance and energy on the part of the young. It is wet out there - though we only got a little over an inch of rain earlier this week, it's all hung around on the ground. Carts are allowed off of the paths but with caution and awareness.

Finished Cormac McCarthy's No Country for Old Men. Kind of depressing when all is said and done, life being something that kind of drifts along without one being able to do much about it. The world going to pot and other mind altering chemicals, not for the better and much for the worse. Not for old men, as Cormac says, who grew up in a supposed "better" time. McCarthy writes extremely well and I enjoy his writing immensely. But on the world going to pot, or to hell in a hand basket, I disagree though my own time on this planet, and even more so my dad's, has been full of man killing man and very little respect for life (certainly the 20th century has to be the bloodiest century of all - which reminds me of the time not so long ago when I raised a few hogs: one of the things I learned when you are trying to raise hogs in a confined space is that you cut their eye teeth and their tails shortly after they are born, or else they will be getting at each other in a serious way when they get older and bigger and space becomes a little more precious, and the vittles as well. Makes you wonder if maybe this planet is getting a bit too crowded for us humans; let me see, what is it we could do to help people get along a little better - wouldn't be wanting to cut off either their tails or eye teeth; hmmm, I have an idea for the men folk. Ah, just remembered the Bonobos and the Chimpanzees - PBS did the explaining several weeks ago on the vastly different approach these two close relatives of ours take in getting on in life, the Bonobos being the peace makers (sex for them is the normal greeting, similar to our handshake...) while the Chimps are the trouble makers. One society is a matriarchy while the other is a patriarchy. Bet you can guess which is which, can't you? Does that suggest anything else to you? Like, for instance, maybe we need our women to be more of a factor in our life? Men folk need to go play more golf; women folk need to be more dominant in the areas that matter, like government, business and education. What do you think?).

Now where was I... Oh, on disagreeing with Cormac on the world going to pot. I realize my perspective is skewed because of the company I keep, that being mostly golfers, who are out looking for a few hours of company and competition. Good company to keep, in my estimation. Best leave it there, at least for the moment.

Tulips are up and being all pretty out at our place. And the dandy lions (smile) came out during the night, filling our expanse of grass with dots of yellow gold. Red Buds blossomed just like they were supposed to, about the 1st of April; Dogwoods won't be far behind. Lots of things right with this world of ours.

Golfing with Local Celebs

Jack Butcher, not only our local legend but also a celebrity of sorts, is seen above with three golfing buddies as they start the back nine (about an hour ago). Jim Bateman brought to my attention this article in the Evansville Courier&Press, all about Jack B. and his NIT exploits. Worth a read. His golfing buddies this morning: Jim Leonard, Rex Hudson and Jack Lents. Our celeb is the one with his hands on his hips and a smile on his face though good neighbor Jack Lents says he beat him on the first nine. Can't you hear Jack B., the Coach, saying "Lots of time, lots of time".

Manager's Saturday Morning Scrambles

Hey! Good news! We're starting the Saturday scrambles again this Saturday. Nine o'clock start time for now, and, of course, weather permitting. Call in sometime before then - remember, we make up the teams shortly before the start time - nice to know you're coming at least ten minutes in advance.

Back from Bloomington by mid afternoon. Had lunch with daughter Miki at the Siam House. Of note: Bloomington is full of young people. And people from around the world. Nice international flavor - I like that. Hard to find down here in Martin County.

The Greens are Lovely

The greens are lovely. So say the experts out there, our customers, coming in from their rounds of golf. I agree - mid season form for the greens already. The grass is growing in leaps and bounds with the warm and the rain. I hauled in my small home push mower and did several of the tee boxes last night: the reels for the utility mower are being sharpened and are late in being returned from our service providers. Our apologies to our good golfers.

A little rain this morning - yes, I'm at the golf course but on my way to Bloomington in a little bit.

League notes: On players needing partners for any of our leagues, let us know and we will put you on a list here at the clubhouse.

Eric's birthday today. If you see him, wish him a happy. Picture: Eric with Danielle's Naomi in 2004.

This and that

At the golf course, where I've spent a lot of time with the warmer, more friendly weather. And while here the world has continued to turn. Of note:

Tiger wins, again - ho hum. Lorena, too.
Georgetown stuns UNC; advances to Final Four!
Grass is growing; neighbors are mowing.
Forsythia is blooming - our world is filling with Spring color.
Golfers keep coming down from the hills, being seen for the first time in months.
Somewhere baseball is about to start but I haven't heard a whisper where.
The political blogs I read are abuzz with the USA-purge story/scandal; and the Iraq mess.
Reading a Cormac McCarthy book: No Country for Old Men. Called a modern day western, it's a dilly.
The other three: Ohio State, Florida, UCLA.
Eric corrected me on the proper name of one of the contenders to the NCAA basketball crown. He says: "It's Memphis, Dad, not Memphis State". I thought about that for a minute and told him he was wrong, it is Memphis State. Fortunately, Jack Butcher, an alumnus, was out here playing golf at the time. Jack patiently told me that it is Memphis now but that it was Memphis State when he graduated. Ah, no wonder I was confused - hadn't updated my memory chip yet on the name change. Funny how that happens. Definitely me living in and remembering things as they used to be rather than as they are.

History is made

Too bad the Vikings had to be on the losing end of the Boys Class A championship and part of that history making effort by the Oregon-Davis team. First time ever here in Indiana that both the boys and girls trophies reside in the same school. That is cool... For the winners. For the Vikings, somebody forgot to break that glass door that covered their hoop. Darn the luck. But congratulations on a great season.

Butler goes home, too. Georgetown moves on to another game. No favorites here, no predictions either. (Go Buckeyes...)