HAVE CLUBS, WILL TRAVEL....

Yesterday I was in the shop when Dustin Gunkel stopped by to register for the Thursday Couples scramble in the evening. After a little small talk, I found out he is playing a tournament today and another tournament tomorrow.

Recently, Joby Gray and Cory Smith played the U.S. Open local qualifier in Amarillo, TX. Cory, with dad Ronnie on his bag, made it to one of 10 sectional qualifiers in the United States (there were two more around the world, one in Japan and one in the United Kingdom). Joby did not make it to the sectionals, so he registered to play in a college tournament n Austin this week, while Cory traveled to Columbus, Ohio to compete against a tough field of 80+ golfers for 15 spots in the U.S. Open, but he didn't make it.

"Just Do It"... You can see this kid's Nike T-Shirt with their
famous saying. This man has been bringing his grandson to
hit balls in the afternoon... will he "Just Do It" and  one day
start traveling to play competitive golf? Maybe! Hope so!

Ann Cowan is a traveler as well. She loves to go and compete against the young and not so young. By the way, on Wednesday we had a fun group with young and talented Kaleb Keith who has begun to take up the game more seriously and Larry and Lana Hudgens. It was a breath of fresh air playing golf as it was intended from the beginning and not take 5 hours to play. Each one of my playing competitors played without delay -and without rush- and we finished in less than 4 hours. I mention this group because Kaleb likes to find tournaments where to compete. By the way, for the record, Larry and Ann beat Lana and I in Four Ball Match, a format that is seldom played anymore.

Chase McAbee has begun to like competitive golf -individual competitive golf- and he has signed up for the Dodge City individual tournament this summer. Even Anya, my daughter who in 2014 made it to the tour that has the best 150 players in the world, and then quit playing competitive golf week in and week out, decided to play the Women's Open qualifier in Dallas. She had qualified for 2 previous U.S. Opens, she did not make it to a third this year.

Craig Martin seldom, if ever, misses the Oklahoma Four Ball Tournament and other events around the state where pure golf is played. You want t a good match? Call Craig. He is one who will play with anyone because he likes the game at a different level. Craig Phelps and Kelly Smith are other two members who like to pay golf as intended and play in senior amateur tournaments around the United States, and never miss the annual, 4,500 golfer marathon in North Carolina.

Logan Gore played several tournaments out of town last year for which he qualified as a high school player, and was the first player from Elk City to win the Oklahoma Junior Match Play tournament. Now, bound to college, he will not only play for his colors in Weatherford -along with Joby Gray-, but surely he will find places to play and hone his tournament skills. Two very young kids, Ryder Cowan and Tres Hill, are learning, at an early age, that competition at the highest level in each one's level or age group, is filled with others who like and can, take a trophy away from you in a second.

The Sunday Shuffle is filled with golfers of all skill levels, all of whom would gladly play an individual tournament anywhere where they can compete against players of similar skills. Of all of the weekly outings, the Sunday Shuffle is my favorite because I get to know each one's true skill level. We have golfers from scratch to 25+ true handicaps playing the game of golf as I learned.

I write all of this, because my respect and admiration go to Dustin, Joby, Ann, Anya, Logan, Cory, Craig(s) and all those golfers, who despite having less successes than failures, are the typical competitive golfer who gives his/her best and that is where the fun begins, and where it never ends. Sure, competing is fun, and winning is "funner", but don't kid yourself, in golf, being good at any level, means you will probably only win 5% of the time, which leaves you 95% on the losing side. And don't kid yourself either, if you ever play against these people, from Elk City or other places, you will never have an easy match... you too, unless you are a champion for the record books, are on the losing end 95% of the time!

In closing, the following quote applies to all of these people whom I truly appreciate because of every small and big moment they have shared with me and made me part of: ever tried. ever failed. no matter. try again. fail again. fail better (Samuel Beckett, English novelist). AND THANK GOD, YOU ALL WILL!