Bye, Bye, Birdie

We were lucky this evening that the sky over SentryWorld was just cloudy with no threat of rain. If it had rained, I might have – for a moment – thought we were plunked down into the Caddyshack movie during the bishop's unbelievable game of golf. Movie fans remember the priest getting struck by lightning moments after missing a birdie putt for his greatest round ever.

The moral lesson: Don't yell at God when you miss your putt. It's all on you.

As I can attest.

We had our second work golf league session tonight (after a rain-out two weeks ago) and were playing the back nine at our lovely course next door to the office. Traditionally the back 9 is more challenging. In my opinion.

Of course we start out with a Par 5 and already the golf committee in my head is exclaiming how long that is and how I need to swing hard to get it anywhere. Happens every time.

Almost. Tonight, for some reason, I found myself putting for birdie on our first hole! What is happening? Years and years ago a friend of ours nicknamed me Birdie because I was putting for birdie... and ended up not parring the hole, but bogeying (that's one over par versus hoping for one under).

Things haven't changed. I missed the birdie and par putt tonight and ended up with a bogey. It's the Happy Gilmore short-game syndrome.

I would have thought it was a fluke, but I was putting for birdie on the next two holes as well! Really. What is happening here? Well, I missed the birdie putts of course. But actually made the par putts. My first par of the 2018 season and I got back-to-back pars for the first time in, well, ever.

Those who know how much I simultaneously love the game AND suck at it, can understand my excitement! I should probably credit the new hot pink birthday balls I got from my in-laws. Thanks!

No more pars the rest of our 9-hole round but I came close. I shot my age – which is incredibly amazing for me – and really wished I was still in my 40s. Ha. If I hadn't had to take a penalty shot on the lovely Flower Hole, I would have been under 50. I think that happened once in my life.

My partner Tom as also on fire and had his best round. He was pretty motivated to not lose to me, so you're welcome.

Anyway, if you don't know anything about golf and don't care, sorry I put you through the play-by-play. I was obviously please. But this is the part where I remind myself the next round could be a 180-degree turn.

And that's when it's known as "a good walk spoiled."