Mom, you really could be a good caddy if you just didn’t say ‘good shot’ when it isn’t.
Me: OK, but what if it is a good shot?
Rob: Well then I will say it.
Me: OK, I won’t say ‘good shot’ anymore. So can I caddy for you on Saturday?
Rob: You’re still my third choice, mom !
The mom of a playing partner was very sad to see Dad on the Bag ……. She had been inspired by me and seeing her son was partnered with Rob today decided to give it a try …… Sorry beautiful Meg!
The morning was early, cold and very blustery. I was in Starbucks wrapped in the warm ambiance and sipping frothy soy chai latte when the text came in.
Text from Max : Rob played great with excellent attitude. Started on tough first hole with 2 balls in the water for an 8 (snowman emoji, horrified cat emoji) but only went 1 over for the rest of the round. 5th place medal. He wants to play another 9 this afternoon when we get home.
Our post-game review dealt largely with Rob’s great attitude and ability to remain focused to play a solid medal-worthy round after a dismal start. Max also reflected on how impressed he was with the two other boys Rob played with. They exhibited excellent etiquette and kept accurate count of their own scores, correcting their mother caddies twice on their strokes played on a hole. One also thought he might have incurred a penalty (wind moved ball) and called it on himself. In my opinion, this is the mark of a potential champion and this is what these kids should be learning at this age.
Rob scored better that the usual ‘Big Guns’ this tournament. He usually doesn’t but he said afterwards that he felt that because he kept his head calm after the disaster on hole 1 it really helped him to keep his scoring low for the rest of the round.
I’ve seen it with Bear’s age group and I see it again with Rob. There are extremely talented players here, but there is no guarantee that the junior who is a superstar at 10 years old will be one at 12 and even still playing at 15. My money is on the child who keeps his cool and plays a solid round after a quadruple bogey on hole 1. Or one that calls a penalty on himself when nobody even notices. Or one that encourages and complements and takes his hat off, looks you in the eye, shakes your hand and says “well played” even though his heart is breaking. This is the future of junior golf right here.
Maybe next season I will be back on the bag to witness the evolution first hand. Barring any untimely cries of ‘Good Shot !’ of course.
