The Green Jacket Rests on New Shoulders

It's been quite some time since I was actually able to sit and watch an entire round of televised golf. I'm glad today was one of those days; Zach Johnson, Tiger Woods, and several others who were in contention for the green jacket at Augusta until the very end made it an unforgettable viewing experience. And while I have a tremendous amount of respect for Tiger Woods, I have to admit that I was excited to see an unheralded underdog come out on top in the end.

My Love-Hate Relationship With Golf

As much as I love golf, it doesn't seem to love me in return. I've been at this game now for nearly 20 years, and have yet to break 100 (my career best did bring me within 2 strokes of a sub-100 round, but that was most certainly a fluke). I tried it again today with my old set of clubs -- and by old, I mean I think they date back to the Eisenhower Administration. Friends have told me my game will improve if I invest in a new and better set of clubs, but I grew up with an innate ability to be incredibly stubborn -- and I'm determined not to switch clubs until I break 100.

And therein lies the paradox: breaking 100 will require a new set of clubs, but I won't get a new set of clubs until the barrier is broken. It's thinking like this that really amazes me to no end that my family has such boundless patience with me.

It's funny that I can see certain of my traits (like my ability to be stubborn) already in my child: a similar stubborn streak; the desire to be incredibly organized and have everything just so; a really lousy attitude first thing in the morning (I think both of us would prefer to sleep until noon each day if we could); and a big desire to maintain total control of the television remote.

I have to wonder if my wife feels ganged up on by the two of us. Truthfully, if I have to battle my wife over my eccentricities, I can't think of a better teammate than my little one!!