Page 61 - Vol. VI #9

courts baseball diamonds football field plus a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 3-hole golf course Nothing fancy it consisted of one one one “long” hole hole maybe 300 yards and and and coming back the the the the the the the other other way way way two shorter ones a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a par par par 4 and and and and a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a par par par par 3 3 3 It was was perfect for practicing driving from from the the the the the the the the tee iron shots from from the the the the the the the the fairway fairway chipping to to professional golf golf on on on on Sunday afternoons while grading student papers volume dialed low The The last time I I I I stood on on on on on on a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a golf golf tee was was the the occa- sion of of my my brother Chuck’s 50th birthday birthday It had been thirty years since I’d put away my my clubs Rusty doesn’t begin to to describe how out of of prac- tice I I I I I was was The The birthday birthday celebrations began with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a day day day on on on the the the the links at at at the the the the Ocotillo Country Club in in in in in in in in Phoenix where Chuck lived We played “best ball” in in in in in in in in in pair-teams with with with his friends and and workmates Using borrowed clubs I I I hooked sliced or or or or or just duffed most shots my ball ball landing in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the rough in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the adjacent fairway or or or or or or in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the water water water with with with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a disheartening plop I’ll not soon forget the the the the the the the the irony of of that that course in in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the middle of of the the the the the the the the desert with with more water water water hazards than any links I’d ever previ- ously played I I I I I I I lost a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a dozen balls in in in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the the water water water that that day Afterwards in in in in in in in in the the the the the the the the the clubhouse I I I I I I I made jokes at at at at at my own expense: “I could tell I I I I I I was was getting better after the the the the the the front nine I I I I I I was was hitting fewer golfers on on on on on other other fairways ” In college I I I I I I I I continued to play both golf golf golf golf and chess chess but was was was was only only serious about chess chess joining the the MIT inter-collegiate team team pushing pawns alongside nationally ranked masters The golf golf “team” in in in in in in in in in con- trast was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a joke: one other guy besides me me me I I I I only only joined to to to to to to gain free access to to to to to to Boston area country clubs clubs My enthusiasm quickly dampened however after hauling my my heavy clubs clubs clubs around
on on on on on on on on on buses and subways sometimes needing to to to to to to to to transfer three times times to to to to to to to to to get to to to to to to to to to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a match I I I lasted just one season Dad Dad on on on on on the the the the the the other other hand went on on on on on to to to play quite liter- ally to to to his his dying day For reasons of his his health he he he he he he he he and and Mom Mom had moved from frigid snowy Buffalo into a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a small bungalow in in in hot sunny Phoenix Dad Dad Dad was was was 74 Mom Mom 70 Sunbird the the the the the retirement com- munity they chose like like many similarly-named others—Sun Lakes Sun Sun Sun Sun City Sun Sun Sun Sun Village—was constructed around
a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 9-hole golf golf course But Dad Dad Dad was was was only able to enjoy its proximity for one year Just like like Arnold Palmer’s father father Deke also in in in his 70’s who died died after playing a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a round
round
of golf golf golf Dad Dad age 75 suffered a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a massive coronary on on on on on the the the the 9th green under a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a blistering hot July sun I’m sure my father father would have wished for another five years to to enjoy stroking golf golf balls but I I like to to think he he he he he he died died a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a happy man doing what he he he he he he he loved most Another factor contributed to to to to to to to laying down my my my my clubs clubs Just days before graduating high school I I I had had dislocated my my my my right knee in in in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a freak acci- dent I I I I had had to to to to to to hobble around
on on on on crutches my my my my leg encased in in in in in in in in in in in an an an ankle-to-hip plaster cast the the the whole sweltering summer That injury left a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a slight hic- cup in in in in in in in in in in in in my my my my downswing resulting in in in in in in in in in in in in sliced tee But though I I I I I no no longer longer trudge the the the the fairways with a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a bag of clubs clubs slung across my my my shoulders I I I I I haven’t lost my my my my passion for for golf I I I I I watch it it it on on on on on on on on TV now instead Media coverage today is more extensive the the the the the the season starting earlier and and and lasting longer longer than when I I I I sat before our black-and-white console TV TV with Dad and and and my my brothers on on on on on on on on Sunday afternoons cheering on on on on on on Arnold Palmer as as as as he he he he he he he he he charged up the the the the the the leader-board during the the the the the the final round
of the the the the the the Mas- ters U S S Open Open or or the the the the the British Open Open Now I I tune in in in in Pawlak is is is is the the author of of nine poetry collections and and the the editor of of six anthologies His latest book is is is is Reconnaissance: New and and and Selected Poems and and and and Poetic Journals (Hanging Loose Press) Pawlak’s poems essays and and and and memoirs have appeared widely in in in in literary magazines and and and and journals and and and and and in in in in such anthologies as The The Best American Poetry Writ- ers and and and and Their Notebooks and and and and Denise Levertov in in in Company His work has been translated into German Japanese Spanish and and and Polish He lives in in Cambridge Massachusetts and and and and and putting The parallel fairways blurred one one one into the the the the the the the the the other other but the the the the the the the the the grass was was was kept mowed and and and and watered so that it didn’t parch in in in in in in in in summer I I I I I I could play round
round
round
after after round
round
round
there anytime I I I I I wished weekdays after after school during team practice and and and weekends Although golf golf golf was was was was the the the the the only sport I I I I I I I I let- tered tered in in in in in in I I I I I I I I I never challenged par par on on on on any any course I I I I I I I I I was was was was a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a mediocre golfer A A good round
round
round
for for me me me was was was was when I I I I carded an an 80 for 18 holes and and fairway fairway shots ever ever ever after I I I I could never never fully correct for it it After that one season on on on on on the the the the links in in in in in in in in in in Boston I I I I I put my my my my clubs clubs in in in in in in in in in in a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a closet and and never never picked them up up again To Die Happy
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