GOLF GYPSY--UP TO HER KNEES

 

"If your knees aren't dirty by the end of the day, you ought to seriously re-examine your life."  Bill Watterson

I ponder whether this quote is meant for gardeners or golfers.  I do, however, have a golfing friend who found out the hard way what it means to have your knees dirty by the end of the day. 

During a warm fall day, she (who will remain nameless) duck hooked her ball into a nearly dry pond on hole #8 at The Trails Golf Course. Normally, this pond is full of intimidating water, although I personally believe that the water table rises in the summer and spring because of all the golf balls that are covering the bottom of the water. 

Playing with her son and best friend, she was determined to hit the ball, lying 20 yards away, out of the drying sucking muck. Her first mistake was thinking she could even get to her ball. The muck showed prior footsteps that a dinosaur could have made squishy sticky and deep. 

Her first steps were down the embankment covered in grass and rocks, allowing her to sidestep any slippery slope. Her next few steps were sticky and slippery. Luckily, she carried her 8 iron with her for balance and to strike the ball. She took another few steps confidently getting deeper into the muck allowing her to walk and not lose her shoes.  She knew she could hit her ball out of the muck and onto the green grass near the hole. 

In the final approach to her ball, she began to tip from side to side while her friend and son looked on, already realizing that she might be in trouble. 

No one remembers whether she hit the ball or if she even reached the final destination. What they do recall is her sudden high-pitched scream heard 'round the golf course, "I can't move! My feet are stuck!" 

"Seriously," her friend called out, "pick up your feet slowly, one by one, and turn around."

"I can't," came the scream.  Like Tonto sinking in the quicksand, they watched as she mucked around shoeless and sinking deeper with each step. The Lone Ranger was not there to rescue her. What were her friends to do?

It was serious enough that no one bothered to take a picture. 

Her son grabbed his driver and slowly made his way towards his mother. Her friend took the arm of the son and a saving lifeline was created. However, it was noted that the people playing on the green on hole #7 watched and could not or did not choose to help. An imagined cartoon picture shows the on lookers laughing and pointing in disbelief.

At last, her son hollered, "Mom, this is serious. Forget your shoes and turn around and grab the driver." 

"But my hands are sticky, and I'll ruin your new club." She replied. "I can't balance myself enough to carry my club and reach."

"Mom, throw that club up on the bank after you take two steps toward me."

Whether in anger or fear, she took two sucking steps and threw the club out of the mud hole and past the golf cart to the middle of the fairway, and in the same action grabbed her son's club head and nearly fell face forward. 

With the strength of Sampson her son stood still and pulled slowly allowing his mother to take one small step at a time until the ground could hold her. 

Slowly methodically two people stepped backwards crawling out of the mud and muck, while the golfer stepped forward toward the shoreline. 

When all were safe on the dry fairway their laughter could not be contained. 

Her knees were dirty brown by the end of the day.

As she thought about her decision to hit the ball out of the mucky pond, she could only laugh. Those of us who witnessed the event or heard about it from others, who saw and heard the live action, won't forget the sight, and recognize that only a truly dedicated daredevil golfer would ever attempt that shot and we love her for that reason. 

**For images of Bill Watterson quotes click on this link Calvin and Hobbs

The Golf Gypsy--KICKS THE OLD WOMAN OUT

Letty and Hayden 2022 Celebration Golf 2022

In the heat of this summer, on a 100 degree day I found something I had lost a decade ago. I noticed it on the first hole at The Trails Golf Course when my drive nearly reached the creek. I couldn’t believe my eyes when we pulled up beside the ball and I had the longest, not the shortest drive of the threesome. Smiling inwardly my voice emitted a slight grunt of accomplishment. On hole #14 my body, usually tired, sweaty, and limp after thirteen holes of golf I realized that I hadn’t lost it. My swing felt young, my step felt light and springy. I hit my second shot onto the green pin high. Walking up to the green with putter in hand I felt younger but the temperature was climbing to 102 and the heat index blazing in RED. What exactly had I found? Where did this distance come from?

The sixteenth hole, a par three over water, over a winding drainage ditch, and between two bunkers filled with sand, a player may find the green at a 130-160 (195 for men) yards away. I had become so weakened with old tight tired muscles and lazy butt syndrome that I often pulled out a club that carried the water and gave me an opportunity for a decent chip shot to the green. Lately, I’ve been bolder and daring, like those decades of being 10—65 years old. At 74 I’ve felt my age and let it shrink me inside and out.

I stepped up and envisioned my tee shot flying to the green. I settled into my ready golf position, slowly swinging the club back, and allowing my hips to turn back right, with hips and legs working together then pulled the arms and club downward to contact, and through to the target, and on upwards until I completed a full swing.  My eyes briefly saw the ball land on the green. Instantly, I jerked back to my ready golf position and wiggled and jiggled over the ball, relaxing. My feet danced. I knew what I had lost had been found.

My legs and hips were stronger. My core was tighter. I felt muscles pulling the club downward and muscles pushing it forward and my feet vibrated with energy at contact. I nearly danced a jig on that tee box realizing that I had SHUT THE DOOR AND KEPT THE OLD WOMAN OUT, at last. The fact that my tee shot was on the green in regulation added to my delight.

Having played golf most of my life, I have spent many hours since 2008 in and out of physical therapy, all of which have kept me walking and playing golf. The last few years I could see and feel that I was not progressing nor getting stronger. I vowed to remain active not matter what.

Last fall I quit playing golf. I hurt, too much and the pain caused stress that my body could no longer handle and remain healthy. I continued to walk and stretch regularly but noticed that I could not strengthen nor relax my muscles, the old woman was taking control.

Then I learned about “pelvic floor exercises."  I had these issues and a few more, with which many of us over 70 are facing.

Symptoms Treatable by Pelvic Health Physical Therapy

• Difficulty with normal activities such as, sitting, rising from a chair, standing or walking 
• Difficulty with recreational activities 
• Pain in the groin, buttock, low back, hip, sacroiliac or abdominals 

P T Central in Norman, Ok

Step up strengthening, helps lift the foot off the ground. 

Psoas stretch, helps to life the legs for steps and loosening hips for turning. 

In mid-May I began weekly appointments with a PT Doctor who specialized in pelvic floor issues. By July the gentle work she performed on me loosened my tight hamstrings. We then began to work on the hips, lower back, and the connecting muscles, tendons, ligaments, and surrounding tissues.

*I highly recommend needling to loosen our tight muscles.

I can jump, not high, but I can get off the floor. I didn’t realize as I grew older that one day I would not be able to play hop-scotch, jump rope or that my muscles would be so tight that I lost all flexibility to be physically playful. In two and half months of 3-5 workouts weekly I’ve regained what I lost. I have two sets of workouts at home: Odd days and Even days. I use stretching, 2-5 pound weights, and stretch bands. Stretch bands and home health workout.

Like the old commercial, Relief is Just a Swallow Away 1958 or in my case “relief is just a knotted muscle away.”  (If nothing else laughter is the best medicine and these old videos will cause hysterics.)

My youthful exercise guru, Denise Austin, now 65 years old still exercises regularly but not like she did in her 40’s and 50’s. She writes, “I’ve always said there are three important elements of fitness, and I do them every week: cardio, strength training, and flexibility: cardio I walk, no more high-energy aerobics; strength training involves light weights and resistance bands; I maintain my flexibility by doing some form of stretching every day.”

If physical therapy is not an option then at least consider using a tennis ball to roll away those knots in the hips, buttocks, lower back, and leg muscles. Place the ball on the tight spot on your leg, hip, or buttocks area. Back into or lean into a wall keeping the ball between you and the wall. Doing squats or slide movements, roll the ball up and down or around stopping each time you come to knot or painful location. Stop rolling, lean into the knot to release the tension, letting the ball press into the muscle. I only do this for a short period of time once or twice a week, but it does give the muscles release of deep tissue massage.

Above all else: Release the tension and build up strength to KEEP THE OLD WOMAN or MAN OUT.

Tennis Ball Therapy use these ideas on the floor or on the wall, which ever is easier. 

Tennis Ball Therapy

  

Golf Gypsy's Mantra

During our time of Covid, I found time to rest, to heal, and to clear my head of cobwebs and focus on a thought, an activity, a moment.

I found in my quiet time on the golf course the need to focus. To focus on one shot at a time; to focus on my breathing, my stride, my rhythm.  The beauty of the trees filled with green leaves and the songbirds surrendered calm. Because of Covid I often played a few holes of golf, alone, and then came home. I was happy and relaxed. 

I can hear the pro say, strengthen and straighten that left arm.

Slowly, I began to piece together my thoughts. Why do I walk and enjoy walking without talking, without music, without listening to a book. The search for silence, yes, but....what was missing?

Tai Chi has been a call and a need that I have enjoyed because it requires s l o w  flowing movements.. (Slow is not part of my lifestyle. I walk hard and with purpose.)  Tai Chi is often thought of as moving meditation. After a year, then two years, then well into my third year I knew the 24 moves, but could not, absolutely could not, memorize them. I always needed the teacher to call the next step. 

In my childhood dance classes I never had that trouble, but then I could follow the steps by the beat of the music and found success. Tai chi doesn't go by beats or music. It has its own flow.

One day, my teacher suggested that my eyes follow my hands in movement, to focus on the movement. In other words, she was saying to me, don't think of what you need to do after class. Don't write a story. Don't create a grocery list while practicing Tai Chi.

    Inhale as you raise your hands, exhale as you drop them. 

Move the body as a unit.

Let the hands follow the movement of the waist (core, sacrum). 

With the thirty minutes left in class that day, I focused totally on my hands, and felt the movements of stepping by leading with the core. I had found focus but no words to describe it. 

Sleep is a solvent for most of my woes. In sleep, in rest, and in good health the answers flow like spring water bubbling up from the ground. In my writings this spring, In Search of Light, and Listening in Silence,  I found some answers.

The next day on the golf course, there was noise everywhere around me, a distracting noise but fun because some people prefer music, others like to talk, and others like to talk on their phones. My head was spinning and I wanted to leave. In a moment of grace I heard my own voice say,

"This is where I am. This is what I do. This is what I enjoy." 

So simple.

Walking to the first tee, with all of the distractions around me, I smiled. My lips synced in rhythm, "This is where I am," in a slow breath. 

As I bent to tee up the ball, I continued, "This is what I do," in a slow breath.

With both eyes on the ball, I hummed, "This is what I enjoy." 

Watching the ball fly down the middle of the fairway has its rewards. Later, even topping the ball or pulling it left, which sometimes causes me to grinned my teeth, still brings a smile to my face because 'this is what I enjoy.'

I am still practicing this mantra, and even though my golf game is no longer a practiced and steady game, I still am finding the need for this mantra. It may be age or maybe lack of practice, but my focus is most certainly lacking on the golf course and in daily life.

When I do focus and repeat the mantra, I hear no words, no music, only the birds. I am only there in that moment, surrounded by fresh air.

What could be more beautiful?

The Trails Golf Course

This is where I am.

This is what I do.

This is what I enjoy. 

The Golf Gypsy Gets Derailed

It is no fun to write about golf when the game plays havoc with the body, or perhaps it is the body that plays havoc with the game and the mind.

“The first thing golf teaches us is humility.”

spoken by every man and woman

Last spring my right shoulder gave out, teaching me to comb my hair, eat my food, and stir the cookie batter left-handed.  I tore my rotator cuff two decades ago, and yet thanks to therapy and perseverance I survived without surgery, and continued to play competitive and social golf.

This time the pain sent me to a doctor first (good idea!). When she explained that I needed rotator cuff surgery, and continued to explain in detail what it would involve and that the outcome might be limiting to my golf swing, I shed tears.  "NO," was all I could say. "I do not know how many more years I can play and I want to play well." 

"Then go to the gym and see if you can strengthen it. Know, that no matter how much you strengthen your shoulders, you will have lost distance because of the tear, and the years of overuse."

A vague memory crept forth through the brain fog, and I saw a young woman carrying a leather bag on her right shoulder through high school and college, and even well into her thirties. No wonder the doctor used the term “overuse.”

Within the week I was in the gym and found a trainer who worked specifically with me on my shoulders and core. Amazingly enough it worked. By May I felt sore but happy to be playing golf. The doctor was right. I have lost 20 yards and sometimes more with each club in my bag. (And I don’t like it one bit.)

Worse yet, the inconsistency I experience with my swing builds frustration in my soul. Water holes at The Trails Golf Club became my nemesis. Strength training gave me the ability to swing. Core training kept me turning. But confidence let me down and suddenly, water holes, trees, and Pampas grass derailed my thinking. 

I felt myself top the ball into the water; hit the ball high and watch it drop short of the bank; shank the ball into the Pampas grass; and scuzz the ball over my left toe and hit a tree that wasn’t in my line of sight. Still I persevered because I love the challenge of the game and the friends I meet. 

This course will take a bit out of you. 

When a lady at a golf tournament this fall asked me why I wasn't writing about my golf, it was easy to reply," because I'm not playing good golf." 

She laughed and replied, "Then that's a story in itself. I certainly don't play good golf every time I want to either." 

Point made.

"Have more humility. Remember you don't know the limits of your own abilities. Successful or not, if you keep pushing beyond yourself, you will enrich your own life--and maybe even please a few strangers."  A.L. Kennedy 

 

This last two months I have finally been able to generate some speed through the ball thanks to working with a trainer in the gym from March until August.  But I wasn't satisfied. I felt like something was still missing.

I turned to my good friend Dr. Beth Brown from SupHER Power Golf and have been shouting with joy and playing steadier golf since I heard her metaphor and followed her swing advice. 

"Keep the engine going through the swing. If the 

hips stop turning the arms collapse." 

Dr. Beth Brown 

Dr. Beth’s suggestions grounded me and reminded me of what I already knew but had lost.

One: Swing with the intention of swinging out to the target.

Two: Place a tee in the ground a few inches in front of the ball when practicing and swing the club through the ball and touch the tee. (On the golf course visualize this happening.)

Three: Create a smaller swing. (This worked better for me than to think about shortening my swing.)

Four: Keep the engine going. (Not as easy as it sounds when the body over takes us, but it is the goal with every shot.)

My husband and I enjoy watching college football. An article in the Boydstreet Magazine (October 2021, Issue 10, Vol.20) on Gabe Brkic, OU football kicker and current hero, caught my attention. The interview shares how Brkic enjoys playing golf in his free time. Brkic explains,

“I can translate some things from golf into kicking field goals and punting. In golf, I’ll pick a target line and make sure my club swing goes through my target line, same as with field goals. I’ll pick a target in the stands and as long as my leg swings straight through that I’ll hit a good ball.”

Gabe Brkic, kicker, pg. 46
Boydstreet Oct. 21

 How simple the game can be when it takes on a visual meaning that is attainable and visceral. Practice is necessary and it is one part of the sport I enjoy.

Now the Golf Gypsy is back on the tracks and moving through the ball.

 

** Dr. Beth Brown is now writing children's books with her favorite characters, Divot and Swish. If you have children or grandchildren please consider going to her website to learn more about the Confidence Divot and Swish learn through sports. Look for her second book to come out in December.  

The Adventures of Divot and Swish