Went to MCAS Miramar for to whack the little white ball around this morning. Was driving it like a champion, and the putting game came along in time. Never really got the short irons dialed in, but I did manage to eke out a quasi-respectable score of 80. My playing partner was a young man named Ryan who never missed a fairway and had a rock solid long iron game to go with his utter fearlessness around the greens. He beat me by three strokes.
Ryan was 11 years old, and finishing up his 5th grade year. Pushing a golf bag on a cart that was nearly as big as he himself. Olive skinned, square shouldered and preternaturally quiet. Focused.
How long have you been playing, I asked him at the fourth tee.
Oh, he replied. Scrunching his eyes. Since I was young.
Now in my own defense I was playing from the blue tees while he was off the red. That notwithstanding, I was fully fifty to eighty yards past him on each drive. The difference was that I when I missed my approach I missed into trouble, while young Ryan missed away from it. I tried slippery flop wedges to get close while he played straightforward chips that settled by the pin. I had a case of the yips with the flat stick early on, but Ryan – eschewing the driving range – had spent a good ten minutes on the practice green and sank just about everything he looked at. Kid was a demon, and I – perversely – felt my competitive juices flowing.
Until we got to the ninth green, that is. I was away for the putt for birdie while Ryan was marking his ball. By the ball mark was a lady bug, and Ryan – lacking all self-consciousness – laid down upon the green and cupped it in his hand while waiting for me to putt out.
Eleven years old, and his dad is a hospital corpsman chief just departed for a seven month deployment aboard USS Dubuque. Which, enjoy your Memorial Day Weekend, kid.
Am I smarter than a 5th grader? Maybe. Better educated certainly.
But Ryan was the better golfer.
I should have gotten his autograph.
Awesome post Lex. My 91year old Dad will be here next week to play the game with his son and 9 year old grandson.
Maybe you played with the next Tiger Woods. Just think, you could tell people he beat you when he was in the 5th grade and you were….
I think I’ll leave it there.
Man,. I hate it when that happens. Though i admire the talent in those so young. Still, and all, aren’t they supposed to lose out of respect for their elders?
Skipper – Humbling, ain’t it? We had a high school junior just win our club championship here at Carlisle Barracks 74 – 77. The most quiet teenager I’ve ever been around.
A young defier of sand traps and defender of lady bugs! More of these kind of golfers and men, an’ it please God to make ‘em.
I love 11 year old boys. One minute they’re having some deep philosophical conversation with you, making wonder how they have aged beyond their years (or in your case, playing golf like they’ve been playing for 30 years) and the next minute, without self consciousness (as you put it) they are cupping lady bugs in their hands or playing in the rain. As I like to say of that age, one foot in both worlds.
Does the young man aspire to fly? If so, based on your description of his ability to concentrate, not get rattled with plentiful doses of self confidence and humility, he sounds like he might fit in to the go fast community.
Lex, as I recall when we played some year ago on the same course you shot an 82. A very respectable score for one who doesn’t play much. Maybe you’re on to something. Keep not playing and in another 15 years or so you should be a scratch golfer,
Best Regards,
Mark
I truly enjoy it when you take the happenings of your life and report them here. There is a unique style, your own touch in how you tell the tale. Thanks, Lex.
What a grand age…11…on the cusp of discovery. He’s already fearlessly mastered golf, which will teach him to be fearless in the mastery of life itself. All of it tempered by a ladybug…how cool is that?
How wonderful that you could be there to have such an experience with him, Lex. Thanks for stepping in while his Dad’s away…
A gifted youth clearly. Maybe you should have gotten a few tips from him! You know the ol’ cliche, “from the mouths of babes”…
Here’s wishing all a lovely Memorial day and weekend.
Had a similar encounter once, back when I played frisbee golf more often. There I was, with my driver disc, dogleg disc, putter, a couple of other specialized discs, and alongside me was a 10-year-old with a $1.99 Whammo. He cleaned my clock.
Heheh… Miramar Golf brings beck some very fond memories. I too have come in second fiddle to a youngster… me in my College Years and this youngster a young LADY of 12 years existence and 8 years of golf experience! Wasn’t really humbling as much as humiliating. My 84 was the best of my age group (there being 2 of us) but it didn’t hold up to the 65 year old Rear Admiral Rucci’s 76 (and he was pissed about that) and the young lady’s 75. She played from the whites no less (Miramar ain’t short either).
At least Adm Rucci bought me a beer… and an Arnold Palmer for the Lady.