IT'S STILL WINTER!!!

From time to time, Elk City has a mild winter, as this year has been the case. Not mild enough to have a lot of play, but mild enough to have some really nice days like last Saturday where over 100 people enjoyed the challenges of our beautiful course, nevertheless, it is still winter, so get used to bringing warm clothes, gloves and winter caps when you come to play.

My first round of the year, on a windy Wednesday, was as expected: bad, but great company made it pretty pleasant. On the back nine, I birdied #13 and #17, and still did not manage to break 40! In fact, starting on #15, I vowed that if I did not finish even par or better for the last four holes, it'd be my first and last of 2016. I hit two good shots to the back of the green on #15, but three-putted for a par; bogeyed #16 (a good bogey considering I pulled my second shot so bad, it almost went to the back of #17's tee box from where I proceeded to shank down the hill, 20 yards below the green, and from where somehow, I got up-and-in for a 5). Then I birdied #17 and barely parred #18, saving myself from the embarrassment of going back on my word of not playing any more rounds in 2016. So, being one under par for the last two played makes me feel optimistic of 2016! Enough of me, though!

Saturday, among 118 rounds, we saw members' faces we don't often see this early in the year. It was not windy and the temperatures reached the low 70's!  Had it been the middle of the summer, I doubt if we would have had that many players... see? it'd be too cold for a summer day, no matter the temperature is still 72! But a few days of mild weather always beat none!

Juniors will jump-start our 2016 season with a 9-Holes junior tournament on March 19 (officially two days before the start of spring, but hopefully, a nice day to play a round of golf!). This will be a special kind of tournament for kids 7-18: 1) You are allowed a caddie 2) Players and caddies must walk 3) Tournament is free for players, 4) All players receive a small gift or two, and 5) We all share lunch after play, prepared cooked and donated by members of your friendly Elk City Golf & C.C. (by the way, if you want to donate and/or help, give me a call soon!) Pretty neat uh? So, bring your kids. Tournament gifts are limited, so, get his or her name in! That same night, we'll host the Annual President's Ball at 7:00 p.m., so, again, make plans to have a full day of fun, walking on the grass in the morning and wishing Brad Gilbert a successful 2016 while dancing to the tune of Gabe Edney's  music hat night!

April will be busy!! Two High School Tournaments (Mondays 4th and 11th); first day of the Ladies Night Out 9-Hole Scramble (starts Monday the 4th as well), Tuesday the 5th will be our first Men's Tuesday Night Scramble, and we will host a "Demo Day" on April 19th from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Meanwhile, I am doing book work, receiving orders to stock the pro-shop in 2016 -there will be some great new products from Ping, Callaway and Titleist-, reading, making plans for 2016, and the all important watching of TV (golf around the world, some interesting politics) to see what's going on elsewhere.

I've learned that the PGA of America, an organization I belong to, and which I have respected so much for its lessons and contributions to golf, has become pretty much "too political correct", first, they fired the president because he said some golfer was acting like a little girl and people called that "sexist" and worthy of impeachment! (no kidding here!); then, in November of 2015, they were supposed to host the annual Grand Slam of Golf featuring Jordan Spieth, Zack Johnson, Jason Day and Rory McIlroy, only to cancel it because of what Donald Trump proposed and said about illegal immigration. Come on! If you don't want to use a Donald Trump owned course because of his political stance, you change venues , but don't punish the public who wanted to see these four golf stars!

Among the "Quick Nine" things I've learned are:

1. Jordan Spieth is truly the "real deal", on and off the course. 
2. Tiger Woods still has an iron curtain around himself and no one knows when he is coming back, 
3. On March 19, outspoken and crowd favorite, fun and former PGA Tour player Ken Green is undergoing a surgery that might cut off his second leg (his right leg was cut off at the knee because a horrific car accident) - prayers for him always needed; 
4. At 45, Phil Mickelson still has the heart and desire and confidence to win (I look for him to win a major this year) but his skills are on the way down... when he is at 100% now, it's like at 85% in his good old days, which is still good enough to win many!
5. You can talk Trump in golf and politics
6. If you play in cold and windy days, don't keep score, keep "G's" (Good) and "B'" (Bad). Depending on your handicap, a "G" may be par or better, bogey or better etc. If you have five "G's", consider it a good day, then go have some hot chocolate.
7. M&M's come in seven different colors in the brown bag (if you doubt me, get a bag)
8. Anthony Kim will never make it back to the PGA Tour.
9. and finally, I've learned that I can swing anywhere close the (click link) ten guys in this video!