Hole 1 we manage a bogey by avoiding the fairway completely and relying on lucky bounces off trees.
Hole 2 has a 100 yard valley of shrubbery directly in front of the tee box. If he takes out a 5 iron I’m going to scream!
A hole like this is guaranteed to have me clenched up and reaching for the rule book on lost and unplayable balls before it is even hit. I always tell my boys we attract what we think about so avoid negative thoughts. I should take my own advice. I take a pump of Rescue Remedy instead. We are bottle-necked so we watch the 2 in front of us plough their balls directly into the mess. Finally we are up, he takes a 3 wood (thank you!) and even asks me to line him up (precious boy!) He lands it safely just short of the green! When I try to line him up for the chip he reads me the riot act: Only when I ask you to. Let me not get too far ahead of myself …….
Next drive plunges into a lush clump of the deepest, greenest grass ever. Fortunately its sitting on a drain which gives us a free drop into more manageable rough. Small mercies …..
On one excruciating hole he topples his Gap wedge all the way up the semi-rough beside the fairway and finally puts it beautifully on the green with the Pitching wedge I had initially suggested. Things would be so much better if he could just put the drive on the fairway. Hole 5 he slams it into a tree and has to hit his next shot from the Hole 4 fairway through the woods. Experience ! Breathe !
While Caddy Daddy 1 gives advice on every single aspect of every single shot his child hits I ask Rob, since all the other fathers give advice ad nauseum, why can’t I help him ? Because I want to help myself.
By the time we hit hole 7 its been a rather bumpy ride (with a par on hole 6 giving some redemption). We’ve played a blue ball (impossible to see), red ball (with a divot in it), yellow ball (bad luck bounces) and settle on a white for the remaining holes.
The most positive aspect of Rob’s game was his encouragement to his fellow players.
On a less positive note he asked if we can hire a caddy for him next week.