A friend of my brother and I discovered he couldn’t play in the Slav tourment because of future engagment,he asked me to take his place, at a cost of 380 dollars. I realized I hadn’t played in 6 years and had no clubs at all but my brother playing was enough fo me to give it a try. There is a difference from when I quit at 67 to 73,I knew I was going to look bad.

My first day of the tourenment at the Sundance course in Gulport was almost a bust. I was hitting off the old man tees and doing bad at that. My chipping was more than laughable; my strength was almost gone by the 8th hole when I made a par. This gave me renewed energy and I started playing not great but a few good shots to keep my interest. I ended up with two pars and a couple of bogeys, and super tired. I finished thats the best i can say.

On my second day at Diamondhead on the Pine, my muscles, surprisingly enough, loosen up relatively quickly. I had made up my mind that night that I would hit the white markers like everyone else. My first hit was pretty good. It wasn’t online like I would have liked, but it was as far as everyone else. My drives kept me in the fairway, which keeps you mentally in the game. I did not do great, but good enough to realize at 73, and I wasn’t bad for my second game.

Third day at Diamondhead at the Cardinal; My drives picked up distances, my irons got me close to the greens. My chipping was still dead and putting wasn’t on line but I felt I could play golf again, it was fun. My right hand has to have shots all the time to keep it from killing me, but it didn’t stop my play.

I went and bought some old used clubs to renew my adventure in golf; I realized greatness isn’t winning sometimes but being able to compete makes you whole.