Life Observation # 48

The Masters Golf Championship

The only thing worse than a quitter,

is the man who is afraid to start.

This is Easter weekend and there are so many traditions and events that usually occur this time of year. One is the kid’s faces waking up on Easter morning and seeing things that brighten their uncomplicated day.

Another is The Masters, the special golf tournament founded by Bobby Jones that brings together the world’s best golfers for a trying week of mental exercise played out on one of the world’s most beautiful and trying golf courses.

Bobby Jones once said, "Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a-half-inch course, the space between your ears."

I enjoy the game . . . I’m not that good but I do enjoy the time outdoors. It has some great things to teach you about yourself that I always find interesting . . . how people score themselves . . . how different people approach taking that shot from 130 yards out from the green . . . the excitement watching a long put with a good break in the green slowly wind its way into the cup.

Sunday at The Masters on eighth hole Rory Sabbatini’s long curving putt.

I have only played a couple of rounds in the 80’s so you can see that I’m not in it for the fame or money . . . but I have been lucky to hit a hole in one during a business tournament a few years ago when I live in Utah. It was almost anti-climatic as the ball gracefully sailed through the air on line to the pin. It hit in front of the hole and rolled out of sight down onto the lower terrace where the pin was placed. You could not actually see the hole from the tee box so as we made our way from the tee we looked around for my ball not knowing it had gone into the hole. One of my teammates looked into the hole and found my tee shot had gone in and started yelling for everyone . . . In that one instant, for me . . . I had hit my perfect golf shot.

I have been close several other times since but not perfection. I try to remember what GOLF spelled backwards is so I can stay grounded playing the game.

But it is The Masters Sunday and the weather is great today in Georgia . . . it is a little cooler than normal but the flowers and smells are probably how I remember them the several times I had the opportunity to watch The Masters live from the gallery and the two times I actually played the course . . . it was magical . . . extremely difficult but the history and hallowed ground still sticks with me today after over 20 years since I played there.

Thanks gentleman Bobby for such a wonderful place . . . Augusta National Golf Club for it’s continued integrity . . . and a wonderful week in springtime Georgia. It’s the best.

Now for all of you who watch the television broadcast I can only say that we are probably a lonely bunch, as who watches golf on TV? Who do you know that calls eight friends over and gets a keg of beer (Guinness) to come over to watch golf? The only ones I can think of would possibly be landscapers. I can see them sitting there around the TV, yelling, "Will you look at that golf path? Pure pea gravel." Or screaming at every divot brought up by the players.

This year’s so far could be anyone’s game . . . some new names . . . some old ones fallen by the wayside . . . and always Tiger . . . lurking in contention . . . but not the precise machine of years past.

More as it unfolds . . .

Congratulations to Zach Johnson, The Masters Champion for 2007

Ice