Fifth Golf Game of 2008

Andy and I played 18 holes on a hot Saturday at Pine Shore golf course, near Ocean Pines in Maryland. Pine Shores is a small, mature course that is adjacent to the larger and newer River Run course. It is less expensive and more laid back; that's what we were looking for.

Andy has been off the course for a couple of months for health reasons. He was not sure how his game would react and didn't want to be part of a foursome with folks we don't know and who might have paid a great deal for their game. He's polite like that; I just look to see if the people we play with have a sense of humor before I start swinging.

In any case, Pine Shore was the right course for us on this particular week-end. It is short -- par 60 -- but challenging in a way that only mature courses can be. It has trees that have grown up as part of the course layout, rather than having been carved around. And there are rolling greens. We don't see rolling greens so much on the newer courses.

I started rather poorly, but shaved strokes off the back nine and finished at 91. I had a few pars and only one bad blow-up. I find that I can achieve a decently straight, if short, golf shot if I don't try to hit too hard and if I accept that my lower back issues mean an odd, twisty follow-through.

It feels funny when I do it right; which, if you think about it, is an apt description of golf.