For me, the jury is still out on playing golf as a sport. I used to scoff at golfing, thinking that it was an 'old mans' game. I mean come on, can any sport get more relaxing? Sit in the cart, hit the ball. Sit in the cart, hit the ball. You get the idea. I would throw in the Robin Williams joke about golf here but its so much better when he performs it than me just typing the whole joke out word for word.

Eventually I overcame my own prejudice and started to play the game a little recently. Actually a couple of reasons why I started, both of them related to my dad heh. For one, I actually resented the fact that my dad could hit a golf ball so much further and effortlessly than moi. Haha yes I know stupid reason... but I couldn't understand how I could be left panting and cursing while my balls simply refused to sail the desired distance. Meanwhile my dad is easily whacking the balls out there without breaking into much of a sweat... and outdistancing me each time. So... take it as a competitive sort of thing I guess. =P

Second reason, I have always desired a closer relationship with my dad. He's a really great guy; smart and responsible and I really look up to him and all. My dad however is kind of the stern sort... I never really dared interact with him when I was much younger. I recall times when my dad and I would sit in the car and it would be completely quiet, no conversation between us. Its just how things were... and something that I wished was different I suppose. Thats why I hoped that maybe with golf, my dad and I would be able to share something common, do together, and eventually improve our relationship. So far I doubt if my golf game is up to his standard, but I'm glad that we're closer; perhaps cos I'm older now and he treats me more as an adult rather than just his son?

But I digress. What essentially inspired this article was a golf game this morning with Bren, Leo and XJ. Ever since Leo and I discovered this short 9 golf course (9 holes, all par 3), we've been going there on consecutive weeks (its been 3 weeks so far). Bren I think has gotten hooked as well while XJ... I think she had fun today too. =) Which is true, it IS fun. It is a really amateurish course... short distances to green, almost no golf etiquette watsoever, greens with some patches of grass missing... the list goes on. Not to say that our play is of a standard which demands a better course. Heh. Part of the fun we have I think is derived from how badly we play in the first place. The stupid shots, the time where Bren bounced his ball of a tree, how XJ patiently stroked her ball to the hole, how Leo would hit a perfect tee shot only to 6 putt to finish, how my shots just refused to get in the air. Sigh. Then there were the moments of brilliance as well. Bren's chip shot straight into the hole, XJ's long putt down a notoriously difficult green. =)

I must commend XJ on her efforts though. Her experience with golf was limited mostly to Golfland so I think her results on the course today were admirable. She did take quite a few swipes at the ball before it actually moved. =P Haha but all in all, good job la.

Fun as the whole golfing experience was, I'm irritated by my inability to hit any good shots. I mean dang it, I USED to be able to get the ball up in the air no problem! Now I'm just hitting balls which roll on the ground (although by some devine intervention they sometimes do end up at surprisingly good positions). Who would have imagined that using a stick to hit a ball would be that difficult? Sigh.