Walking 18 at Shawnee on a Nice Day

Even not playing well you can still enjoy playing golf on a day like this.  Sunshine and a high of 77.  A great day to be out walking 18 holes.  I didn't play that bad.  Just had a couple of bad holes that ballooned my score up a little.  A triple bogey on #10 didn't get me off to a very good start on the back nine.  I shot a 40 - 43 = 83 at Shawnee GC today.  I had a birdie on #4, after having a double bogey on #3.  I had several good birdie chances, but timid putting left me short of the hole on each one.  Overall, I was pleased with the round.  I hit a lot of good shots today.  Even the triple bogey, I didn't hit the ball that bad.  My drive went in the 'concret' ditch on the right side of the fairway and I tried to hit out without bottoming out and ruining my club.  Well, I topped it and rolled it about 15 feet and it stayed in the culvert.  I then chipped out about 50 yard up the fairway.  A nice iron to the green later rolled off the back.  So, overall, I really didn't hit that bad a shots on the hole, but had a little bad luck.

This was round 50 for the Year.

It's Official! My signed scorecard makes it so!

The Scramble I played in a couple of weeks ago is the equivalent of most league's end of the year banquets.  We play a Scramble, then eat and give out awards for our years worth of incredible golf.

I stayed around for the Scramble winners, but not for anything else.  At the time I had other places I needed to be.  But, they gave out 'Awards'.  So, I didn't get mine until yesterday.  This was the even par back nine I shot a few weeks back.  He saved the scorecard and framed it for me.

So, it's official.  Scorecard signed and everything.

You'll notice that the year, '2011', is in white.  That's because he had the wrong year, 2010.  He said he'd run me off a new Yellow sheet with the correct year.  Until then, I'll just use my white piece of paper.

Metal Detecting....Just a little bit

I got out to metal detect a little today.  I spent about 30-40 minutes in Rubel Park.
I found 76 cents, a nut, and a ring.  The ring is very cheap tin, or some other cheap metal.  Very possibly a ring from a fountain pen. 
The ground, despite the heavy rain several days ago, is still dry and hard to dig.  I was surprised at how dry it was.  It was not dusty dry, but the dirt would not clot together when you dug.  It would just fall apart.  I think I'll wait for more rain before I go out again.
I went to the Fincastle Apartments on Poplar Level Road to metal detect in a little ballfield there.  But, I checked with the maintenance people to get permission, and they turned me down.  Their excuse was that they had some residents who metal detect and that they probably wouldn't want me to.  OK.  If there are other metal detectors living there, then it probably wasn't worth my trouble anyway.  I bet those grapes were sour.

Golf at Iroquois for round 49 of the Year

I played Iroquois GC today as usual on Thursdays.  Like my round Tuesday at Shawnee GC, my game is not up to par.

Today I shot a 43 - 43 = 86.  With my 6 handicap on Thursday that netted me a nice round 80!

My game is just a little off.  Like it was early in the year.  Just a few shots here and there, a few putts fall.  I've been chipping well but can't convert the putt.  I feel good over the putts, but nothing falls.  And, on longer putts that I leave myself 3 or 4 foot putts, I miss them to 3 putt.  It'll come around.  I don't think it's left me for the year.  I really think the last 3 weeks or so, I was under a little more stress than I let myself believe.  I missed a couple of rounds, and I think my mind hasn't been on my game.  So, I really believe a couple more rounds under my belt and those 78 - 80 scores will start showing back up.

That's the plan, anyway!

Docent Training Update

Today I completed my 5th training session at the Zoo.  At the end of the session today we went to the Giraffe Exhibit and got to go behind the scenes.  I didn't get to pet the giraffe's today like the elephants last week.  However, we did go into the enclosure beside the one that 3 giraffe's were in.  the Momma Giraffe was in with her two babies.  One baby was almost 2 years old and the other 3 months old.  We were told that this would probably be her last baby, as she was getting on in years.  The Mother Giraffe, named Mariah, was 24 years old and has reached the end of her child bearing years.  It's very interesting to stand there and listen the the Keeper talk about the animals, facts about the type of animal in general, and the little quirks each one may exhibit.  How some throw fits just like a spoiled kid, some very easy going, some get upset easy.  I guess each animal has a different personality just like people.

At the end of class, we handled our '3' animals.  Today we handled:

A Zebra Mouse.  This was not taken out of it's little cage.  It is shown only in the cage when taken out on a show and tell trip.

A White's Tree Frog.  This amphibian, when handled, must be kept wet and can't be touched by the people to whom you are showing.  We had to take him out of the container, hold him as if showing him, and then put him back and close up the container.  Before handling him we had to wet our hands and keep him moist at all times.

Then we handled an Argentine Horned Frog.  The same thing applied to him as the tree frog.  This guy was about 3 times as big as the tree frog.  I guess to to describe how big, this guy as about the size of the Bullfrogs you see in these frog jumping contests.  He was pretty good size.  Pretty much covered your whole hand.

Also, after class was over today I hung around and completed one of my requirements.  We have to attend 3 interpretations. That is, go to one of the animal exhibits and help another Docent talk to the people about the animals in that exhibit.  Today, we went to  Glacier Run and talked to people about the Polar Bears and Grizzly Bears there.  We had a piece of Fur and a Claw from a Polar Bear to let the people, mostly kids, touch and feel, and tell them about the bears in the exhibit and answer questions.  That was also fun and interesting.

The weather is changing and so is my golf score

The temperature is starting to drop and the ball doesn't carry as far now.  That really doesn't help a short knocker like me.  They haven't moved the tees up for winter yet, either.  Plus, today was a windy day and I think the wind was blowing against me on every hole.  Let's see, can I think of any more excuses for why I played bad today?

I played like I played early in the year.  I hit a lot of good shots, but allowed way too many bad shots to balloon my score.  I shot a 43 - 44 = 87 at Shawnee GC.  I hit two bunkers today, but got out of each OK, but two putted.  I also hit one out of bounds on 18. 

This round might help raise my handicap.  He usually throws out the high round, but I think I shot a pretty bad round either last time or time before last.  So, he can't throw all of them out.  I've gotten a little rusty over the past 3 weeks, just haven't played as much.  And, with the wind and soft ground conditions from the heavy rains, the ball would carry as far today and didn't get much roll.  So, with those few really stinker shots and the conditions, I'm not that disappointed.  It felt when I hit those good shots.  It just didn't happen often enough.

I believe this was round 48 for the year.

Memorial Citation

Today in the mail I received this Memorial Citation for my mother from the Commonwealth of Kentucky.  I recieved 3 copies, so I'll have one for Joe and Jean.

I went to Flaget with Rep. Larry Clark and we remain good friends.  I very much appreciate him doing this for me and the family.