Back From Golf

I am back from my Tampa golf excursion with my - as my MIL calls them - GutterBuddies.

It was a good trip. On the way up (from Naples) I stopped to play a round with my godfather in Sarasota. There, on an unseasonably cold and blustery day, I shot a respectable 85 at Seranoa. Not bad considering I've only played one round since September; in fact I haven't even been to the range.

Then, it was up another 110 miles to Spring Hill which is well past Tampa. Our Friday round was played at Hernando Oaks. What a great track! And it only cost $30.02. The cashier asked me if I had "two pennies" on me. I flat out lied. I had precisely two pennies in my pocket, as I always do when golfing to mark my ball. So I got the low, low price of $30 even.

Shot a horrific 93 there. It was horrific because I was blasting the ball down the middle most of the day. I just couldn't hit a green, chip it close, or make a putt. That's the fiendish brand of frustration known as GOLF.

Saturday we drove even further north to The Dunes. There they hit us up for the ultra-low fee of $42. Let me just tell y'all....this course was awesome. True to its moniker, there's sand everywhere. Though most is deemed "waste areas" and one can ground their club. I didn't hit into a single one all day. Even with bogeying the last four holes I still managed a respectable 83. What made it such a great course (besides the price) was that it was a Florida layout with tremendous elevation changes. Just about everything I've played down here has been boring and flat.

This short but long (602 miles on my rental car) trip was a success. We had a good time in spite of being in the middle of nowhere. There was enough of us that we could take over the otherwise deserted local bar. The guys danced, performed normal karaoke, AND demonstrated a more crass form of the art.

We also played a little pool. C-Nut was ON!

I beat the *6th ranked player in the State of Pennsylvania* at 8-ball three games in a row. I dusted him him twice and then, shaken and discombobulated, he scratched on the 8 in the third game.

[There are no *rankings*. This guy told the jabronis he was *ranked 6th* and they've been parroting that talking point for years. He's a good player for sure - one of the best in Philadelphia. The last time I played him I think I got one turn. He's played for big money (with backers) and can break at 30 mph. The suspect is the fat kid in the top picture with the white jacket.]

Some of these guys can really play golf. Here's a glimpse:



Fear not, my flock. I have a long list of blog ideas scribbled in my notebook. Mrs. C-Nut just flew back to Boston this morning so I'll have more time, albeit late at night, to catch up. We'll get to this shaky stock market and our friend Ken Lewis soon enough.