In this post Covid-19 era, much the game has come back now that we have returned to playing some of our favorite golf courses. The question is, “is it still the same?” It may be all in how you approached this game before the outbreak of the COVID-19 Virus. If may, let me explain.
The golf again experience has been a welcome relief over, what seems like endless hours of around-the-house projects, Netflex/Prime/Hulu streaming, jigsaw puzzles, and way too many trips to the fridge and liquor cabinet. The first “Post-Covid” round was a learning and relearning experience on many levels. Other than some practicing with plastic or whiffle balls, many had not swung a club in over 6 weeks. That is just totally unheard of for the diehard Southern California golfer. It might be the norm for those in the Midwest and North East part of the country, but those of us out here were going through some very severe withdrawals. Talk about 1st tee jitters. The time off has also taken its toll on the short game too, but overall, the game, under these new condition, hasn’t been much of an issue at all.
Physical distancing is pretty much built into this game. See my other blog post on this subject. The issue with not touching and removing the flag stick is probably the one issue that has made some minor changes to the approach of the game. Some of the course played so far have modified the level that the cup is sunk into the green. Some to a point where the ball cannot even drop into the cup at all. It just bounces back or deflects hard to either side of your putting line. For me that was sort of a mind game and I keep coming up short. Other courses have inserted pool noodle rings at the bottom of the flag stick to take-up space and minimize hand to cup contact. This has been a better technique. The ball does drop down into the cup and can be easily retrieved with two fingers. Wearing a mask and swinging a club is a challenge, most courses want you to wear the mask on the 1st tee, while making the turn, and when you finished and coming near the club house. It has been workable part of playing the game. During the first week of available playing the roughs were playing to U.S. Open standards. Most of the course where initially focusing on greens, green side and fairway cuts. Rough mowers seem to break more with the long grass and that was an issue too. Even that has been rapidly corrected on most of the courses we play. Even though my ball seems to find these things way more often than I like, bunkers without rakes have not been much of an issue. That was surprising to me, but maybe I find those pesky bunkers more than others.
The biggest change by far has been the 19th hole. Here is why this has been the hardest part for many out there. There have been many things that have changed in golf over the course of the last four decades. Rule have changed, equipment has become high tech, handicapping systems much more elaborate, etc. I started playing golf in 1977 and played very regularly, like almost daily for about a year and half. My US Navy assignments to sea duty curtailed my golf for about 3 years until I was assigned back to shore duty. I resumed playing golf, yes, pretty much daily for another 3 years until the next sea duty assignment. Things happened and other events changed in my life and I didn’t return back to this game until some 35 years later. I mention all this to put this one thing in perspective. The 19th hole in 2020 is no different than what the 19th hole was in the late 70’s and early 80’s. There is something about this game and the people that play it that is incredibly unique. The bonds and comradery that fellow golfers make on the course and over a drink or two at the 19th hole has always been something special. The enjoyment we all get from someone’s successes in this game and the jeering we all dish out in honor of their failures is a major reason we stay with this somewhat unforgiving game. We’ve all heard the term, “That’s golf”; Yes, when you crush the ball off the tee and can feel all that perfection as the ball compresses and leave the club head like a rocket; only to chunk the approach shot on the next swing and start looking at a bogey or worse. I believe that what it takes to remain with game is this unique bond within the game and the friends we make playing it. It teaches us all, that to be humble in our successful accomplishments and embracing humility in our failures is a good thing, it is enjoyable and it’s fun to actually laugh and joke about. Being humble when victorious and then being able to maintain one’s competitiveness in times of defeat and humiliations is not an easy thing to do. Yet this is exactly what we celebrate at the 19th. It’s why the jeering, joking, and congratulating that is done at the 19th is just as important as that first tee shot that gets the round in motion. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 has taken that away. Let’s hope just for the time being, because until we get it back, the game right now is there, but not quite the same.
