Quotes and notes

“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots; you have to play the ball where it lies.” This is a quote from Bobby Jones inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1974. Bobby was born in 1902 and died in 1971.

During his golfing career, he had 34 tournament wins with 13 major championship wins. On the Little River Golf Course, when the course is wet, “Winter Rules” are declared. Winter Rules mean you can bump your ball to improve your lie and you can clean your muddy ball. Are there circumstances in the game of life when you can play Winter Rules? Where you can improve your lie or bump your ball of life? Try making an appointment with Little River Course Pro Shop staff, Kathy Shepley, Lindy Peters,

Dave Jones or Jim McDannold — they may have the answers.

Another great quote from a noted golf professional Arnold Palmer: “Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.”

It is also the only sport I can think of where players of very different abilities, genders or ages can, with the handicap system, play together and compete. Can you imagine, for example, in your 70s playing football against your 17-year-old grandson?

I had the recent privilege of playing the game of golf with my son Oscar Miller and my grandson, 12-year-old Kyden Miller. Oscar and Kyden haven’t played much golf but both have potential. We played nine holes, the back nine. On hole 16, the long three par, Kyden hit from the short tees across the canyon and put in on the green. Oscar and I hit from the white tees and were both short. We finally climbed aboard the green in three shots.

I grabbed my imaginary announcer’s mic and announced softly, “If Kyden Miller wins this hole he will win $10,000.” Kyden two-putted for par and Oscar and I got fives. Kyden won his $10,000. (I told him to contact Brooks Sheifer to collect his money.)

When Oscar was growing up I noticed he was a pretty fast runner. From time to time we would have races which I won. One morning we were leaving the Café Beaujolais after having breakfast. One time on the street in front of the Beaujolais, I said, “Shall we race?” We did and Oscar won. He was 11 years old. I never won again.

But Oscar has never beat me in golf. The last time we played I shot a 46 and Oscar a 47 birdy’ing hole 12. He was cruising then, and on 18 he got a triple. It’s only a matter of time and he will win this race.