Each week this summer, Citizen editor Neil Godbout will share his experience learning to golf at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club. Want to get in a free round with Neil? Just drop him a line at ngodbout@pgcitizen.ca
Part 3
“I hope she kicks your ass.”
With those sweet words of encouragement from reporter Christine Dalgleish, I headed out last Thursday afternoon for 18 holes at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club with Susan Pendleton.
I had no idea what I was getting into as I had never met Susan before. A recent retiree, she had quickly taken me up on my offer for a free round after reading the first column.
Christine’s wish came true, of course.
To add insult to injury, Susan informed me that her score (which I shall not reveal) was “the worst game I’ve played in years.”
I must have rubbed off on her. Susan is a fine golfer and an even finer golfing companion to spend a few hours walking the fairways with.
I required that companionship during my second time playing this course. After shooting my baseline round of 148, I thought there was nowhere I could go but down, especially after my first lesson with club pro Blair Scott.
Enter the humility of golf.
I shot that 148 from the silver tees. At Susan’s request, we played the bronze tees, meaning we were even closer to the pin on every hole. But even with that, it was a long afternoon. By the time it was all over nearly three-and-a-half hours later, I had shot a discouraging 153.
In my first round, I cleared the pond at 14 on my first try, avoided the bunkers entirely, recorded a 4 on the very first hole and a couple 5s on two other par 3 holes. With Susan, I never shot less than 6 on any hole, hit three balls into the pond at 14 alone and spent time playing in the sand on four different holes. By playing in the sand, I mean that on three of those bunkers, it took multiple hits before I was able to escape.
Maybe this was the round I needed. I headed to my lesson with Blair the following afternoon with determination and a belly full of humble pie.
He wasn’t discouraged at all, stressing how small improvements put all together lead to better scores. He immediately set me to work addressing my swing.
He had me take some swings with a whip club. This training aid is a flexible club with a baseball-sized weighted ball at the end. The goal is to swing it without any jerking or vibrating motion from the start to the follow through. The only way for a beginner like me to do that is to slow down and make a smooth, graceful swing, which is exactly the point.
He had me take some swings, from the pitching wedge up to that big dog driver, and some good strokes showed me how if the mechanics are sound, the club will do its job successfully, hitting the ball for distance and accuracy.
Then it was time for chipping torture - shot after shot from just off the practice green, trying to only hit it about 10 feet or so in a low, gentle arc. He’s trying to break me from using my hands so much, my worst bad habit. The finesse of a controlled and coordinated swing will pay huge dividends on my entire game.
Susan and I have agreed to play again in September, near the end of the season.
She’ll probably kick my ass some more but I’m hoping it’ll hurt a lot less.
