Reflections on a Cool Clear July 4 Sunday

"Oh, the mind is a fragile thing." I am sure that's a quote by someone more famous than I am. Yesterday, I needed to buy broccoli seeds so I could sprout them. I understand they are some of the healthiest of greens to eat. I picked up my cell phone to look up the phone number for Dodson's Health Food store to ask if they had seeds to buy, while my husband looked down on my July 4th Golf Hat. 

He asked, "What is the Solo Cup on your hat stand for?"

My dear fragile mind heard him and typed in S O L O instead of Dodson's. Before I could regroup he had answered his own question and gone on, leaving me staring at my phone. "Oh, Brother?" I cried as I looked at S O L O. My poor mind has the attention span of a vacuum. 

And then, I looked up "Oh, brother" the idiom, wondering where it came from or what it meant. I thought it sounded rather 'Jane Eyre' of me to use a word showing such frustration.

Warning: Don't look in the Urban dictionary for the meaning.

And that is why I decided to take short notes on memorable things I did this week. 

Ironically, the big news is that I finished reading a novel The Rose Code. I must say it had my attention totally bound to the story line. Reading about code breakers in World War II is intense, but adding the role women played in saving Britain is spellbinding when in the hands of author Kate Quinn. 

The weather this week has been the topic of conversations and news alerts. While the west coast and east coast are baking in the sun, we are building canoes and arks to save us from the  Rains of Rancipour (click to watch a trailer of this 1955 movie), and still managing to play in golf FUNdraisers and conduct a WOGA Jr. Girls State Championship at Oak Tree Country Club. 

Kathy Hines and Jill LeVan

Our FUNdraiser team had exactly. We also experienced some honest frustrations with a par 3 with water on the left and in between, and tree lined on the right side. We just needed one perfect shot. Golf is not a game of perfect, and we managed to play the hole in a bogey and were proud of it. 

Letty, and Holly Hawk

The event to raise money for junior girls scholarships and grants to high schools is in its 7th year. We play in a shamble format meaning that we each tee off, go to the best tee shot and then play our ball into the hole. We played 15 holes before the clouds built up enough moisture to open and drench us. Sadly, we were not able to finish our round, but we did enjoy the day and the company. 

The next two days I volunteered to help shuttle girls from hole 18 to number 1 or to the clubhouse. I can't say I enjoying bouncing and bobbing up down and sideways while driving a golf cart, but I my soul glows when I listen to the stories and the positive attitudes the young girls display. They are amazing young women who exhibit grace and honestly in the face of total frustrations. The rains poured on them Tuesday, and for two holes they steered their push carts and golf balls through the driving sheets of rain. At last play was halted and we raced to the clubhouse. 

The last day of play flew by as nerves rattled instead of lightning. The emotions flowed as they do with all young competitors, and I found joy in watching the girls finish.  We must persevere. Congratulations, Maddi Kamas, our 2021 WOGA Girls Jr. Champion. 

Life is a game

Golf is serious...

The rains continued throughout the week, by Saturday we could smell fresh dry air and watch the fluffy clouds float by rather than build into cumulonimbus storms. 

We celebrated our Nation's Birthday last night, on a cool mosquito biting evening at The Trails Country Club amongst cheerful screaming children of all ages. How fun to sit back and watch the parents of these children, as they suddenly chased a child, put a broken neon necklace back together, held children in their laps when the fireworks began, and carried the sleepy little ones in their arms already laden with ice chest and lawn chairs.  My body often recalls those evenings and smiles. 

My wish for America is that we take the time to listen to each other for understanding and listen with empathy. 

 

Golf Gypsy: Getting Serious

Decorated carts for good cheer at Belmar.

Some things in life are worth getting serious about, but a game of golf is just another opportunity to play for a great cause (Susan G. Komen Foundation), to meet new golf gypies, to play scenic golf courses, to test our hand at hitting great golf shots, and to enjoy hours of summer fresh air.  Sometimes keeping score is painful, but honesty and facing adversity is just part of the game.

Two golf gypsies doing the math.

Dawn Stork, a new golf gypsy friend, and I began our week of golf on a Saturday in August at Belmar Golf Club in Norman, OK as many women gathered to raise money for breast cancer research, a serious cause because I have friends who know the importance of this research.  One special friend is traveling this path, and I'm sure with the help of great doctors, research, friends, and family will make a speedy recovery...Manon you are on my mind and in my prayers.

Although our score for the Charity event didn't merit a "Win" we all went home with good cheer thanks to the generosity of Toby Keith and Barry Switzer.

Dawn and I continued our golf journey with three days of golf at Shangri La Golf Course on Grand Lake.  This was our first time to play in the Women's Oklahoma Golf Association's Partnership Tournament.  Imagine being able to spend three days on a golf course where you can take a deep breath between golf shots and look out in the distance and see the waters of Grand Lake.  It was truly a grand setting.  What's more we stayed with friends, Josie Armstrong and Ellen Cantrell,  in a home nearby where we relaxed every morning and evening on a deck with cool lake breezes and some gray cloudy skies in August.


The practice round gave us an opportunity to seriously study the golf course and its contours.  Since putting is one skill I enjoy practicing and executing I found these greens to be filled with undulating challenges, some with three tiers, but all with trouble lurking way too close to the greens for comfort.  Day one we were thrilled to shoot a 78 (using Dawn's best ball or my best ball on each hole.)  I do enjoy having a partner with which to share the anguish and celebrations.  Day two began with a par on a hole that we had previously double bogeyed, so for a moment I thought we could wag the dog's tail.  Then the golf bitch arrived to slap us around and remind us to be humble.  Eight holes of chaotic golf challenged our patience and perseverance, but in the end, and with the thanks from our gallery, we pulled our games back together and finished with another 78.  Our two rounds gave us the honor of winning our First Flight.

There is a time to be serious, a time to laugh, and a time to be thankful for each day in our lives and the people who surround us.  To all of my golf gypsy friends across the country, I am abundantly thankful to have each of you in my life.  Be of good cheer dear friends.

Letty Stapp Watt
historian, golfer