In the Zone

Rarely, very rarely do I ever get into the zone. When it did happen it usually involved fishing or more often rock climbing. The zone to me is a time where the adrenalin rush makes me concentrate on the here and now and it was always the best high I have ever had. I always likened it to being in a zen like state that shuts out ever thing that's not important,.
Today I actually achieved it while golfing and that has never happened before. Usually I have one or sometimes two good holes and then lose concentration and an eight jumps out of the bag and messes up my score. No matter really as the real reason I golf is to meet people, to get some exercise as I walk the course, and mainly to just have a fun nice day.
So when I teed up on the first hole I was pleasantly surprised when the ball sailed down the fairway. The next shot was on the green and I made a nice putt for a birdie. Good thing I did't get in the Men's League Birdie pot.
The next hole was a par three and I drove the ball within about five feet from the hole. Again I birdied and for me two birdies in a round is as good as it gets. On the third hole and I missed a hole in one by a foot. Of course I two putted for a par.
I followed that with another birdie and then had my first bogey of the day. By this time I realized something special was happening and on the seventh hole I got another birdie. Now I am a nineteen handicap and the others in my foursome were smiling and accusing me of sandbagging.
Another bogey and then a par on the par five ninth. I made five birdies on the front nine and my gross score was a twenty nine. Then just like that I awoke from the state and the wheels came off. I started to play like I usually do and it is what it is.
I ended up with a forty one on the back nine and a seventy one for the round. Still it was my best round ever. It was a nice day, with new friends, cool weather, and a pleasant round of golf surrounded by our mountains.
Oh and I almost forgot, clear skies.

Golfing At Corpus With Friends, Gabe Lozano Golf Course

The rule is if you don't use it in a year you should take it out of the rv. While this rule is usually followed, I simply couldn't get rid of my golf clubs. So when our rv park neighbor got to talking about his golf game I managed to worm my way into an invite to join a group when he had an opening.
Now I was sitting, standing ready, on the first tee and wondering if I could even get the ball past the ladies tee. It had been two years since my last golf misadventure and I was hoping that I wouldn't hold Jerry and Frank back.
I addressed the ball and took a swing, only to slice the ball into the rough by the next fairway. Not a good start. Luckily I have some Irish blood and I asked for a Mulligan. My second chance was actually pretty good. Luck is better then skill sometimes.

Ending up with a seven on the first hole, a triple, I really didn't feel too bad and I doubled the next two holes. Doubles seemed to be the name of the game until I got a bogey and then another! Now my friend Bob had told me years ago that my goal should be to be a bogey golfer and that shooting in the mid forties would place me in good stead, so I was pretty happy to end up with a fifty two for the front nine.
Of course  I started the back nine with a double but then things started to click, even though I was getting a bit sore from walking the course,(the real reason I should golf more as walking is good). I then settled down and shot a few more bogeys, hoping for a least one par on my return to the links.

We got to a par three and it was two hundred and ten yards from the white tees. I took out my driver and actually kept my eye on the ball. It hit in front of the green and rolled to within five feet of the cup! Oh my goodness a chance for a birdie put. Carefully lining up I stroked the ball and it went into the dead center of the hole,my first birdie in four years!
I never did get a par and I ended up with a forty eight for the back nine. It really surpassed my expectations and I found myself wishing, or looking forward to another day on the course. Good friends, a rosette in the water on the third hole, and a birdie......Clear skies.