No more kidding myself...

I've been "off-golf" for about a month now. When I say "off" I mean not playing, not watching, not reading about, not daydreaming about, not practicing, not walking around the house with a club in my hand... you get the picture. How ever you examine it "off" is exactly wht I've been.

Here's a quick test so you can get a better idea of what I'm really talking about. Close your eyes, relax and DON'T THINK ABOUT AN ELEPHANT! It just doesn't work that way does it? The minute you try not-thinking-about something, it becomes the #1 thing on your mind. So, the more I tried to be "off-golf" the more golf became what I was thinking about. Too bizarre, huh?

I found myself avoiding the garage because I knew I'd dink around with my clubs if I went out there. I avoided the mailbox...golf magazines arrive there. I stopped reading the Sports in my newspaper. I avoided my email because that's where everything would really fall apart because the new golf "stuff" is announced there! I had a pretty good handle on things, or so I thought. Then, the night of my son's wedding, it all fell apart. The wedding was being held at my home club, Dragon Ridge Country Club. I couldn't avoid seeing the course and the golfers finishing their round in the early twilight. I could smell the grass. I was toast.

The wedding ended and I was wired! We got home around 1:30 AM and everybody dragged themselves to bed. I was WIRED. I watched some TV. I cleaned the kitchen counter...twice. I paced. Finally, I gave it up. I went into the garage and grabbed my golf clubs. First I just chipped with some whiffle golf balls in the living room. Then I cleaned all my clubs, all my golf balls and my shoes. At 4:00 AM I grabbed my putter and stroked some putts across the carpet. It was about then that my youngest daughter came downstairs to take her dog outside. I didn't hear her until she exclaimed; "What the hell, Dad?" I had to laugh out loud as I turned around to catch the pained look on her face when she said "Take a sleeping pill!"

I put my toys away and went to bed. I am addicted to golf. I always will be and, if the truth be known I don't really care. I love the game so I'm going to embrace the elephant and go tee it up!

Head Nut #0001