This is a question I've often considered since my official re-entry into the game in 2016. I grew up without any formal training in golf — as a kid, my father simply handed me a 7 iron and told me to swing straight back and straight through on little par three courses in Salem, Ore. I never played high school golf, nor did I take any lessons. But despite structured youth golf, I only really took four years away from the sport.
All that is really to say, in comparison to many of my friends, my sights might be set lower than others. As a 36-year-old, my athletic proprioception can only take me so far. The golf swing is not part of the fiber of my fast twitch muscles, and like most of us, I don't have time to grind my way through to a low single digit handicap. There are other things to do every week. As such, each round under 80 is a cause for celebration.
But that's not to say I don't want to get better. I'll admit that my first range session in a year came just a couple of weeks ago, so I've been slacking on my end. But that's also because the swing has come easier as time has gone on. I know my body, what I do wrong, and I've paid for too many golf lessons; I know what I'm doing, even if I don't know how to fix it.
For me, I think the perfect slot to sit is perhaps the next level just below my current ability, where a round below 80 is the goal, and even par is in play on a stellar day.
That's all well and good, typed out here on the safety of the internet with the days here in the Willamette Valley starting to cool at night while the sunset slowly creeps its way around the clock face. But how do I actually make that happen? And am I ready to actually put in the effort needed to make that leap?
The life of a small business owner is busy, and stressful. The question I get most from folks is, "You must golf all the time, right?"
But much like when I was a professional basketball writer, where inquiring minds wanted to know how fun it was to go to all the games, the answer is disappointing. In truth, there's much to do and not enough hours in the day. My dog, Murphy, for all her assistance to me personally, cannot yet use Illustrator or run a cash register. It's all on me.
So what can I do? How do I set myself a program that guides me in the right direction — the same direction I've been on — without it turning into the grindfest I found myself in during COVID? When money and time was plentiful thanks to a summer of layoffs?
The answer for me, funnily enough, will likely lie The Expedition: an upcoming event I'm throwing for others. In October, I'm flying my friend Liz Breed out to Portland to host a four-day camp at Wildwood and Astoria.
A former pro golfer, Liz is one of the most sought-after golf instructors in New York City. We've been friends for years, and she's started to put on these traveling golf instruction camps that aren't for the faint of heart. It's three days of heavy instruction, group drills, course management, rounds of golf, putting instruction... it's for people who really want concentrated attention. The whole thing culminates in a final day tournament round out at Astoria Golf & Country Club, a treat in and of itself.
And as much as I'm excited to put this event on, it's also exactly what I need, too. I've had instruction on-and-off, but I've lapsed. Even still, I'm playing better, more consistently, than ever before. What I need now is a concentrated attention to my golf game in the whole. So selfishly, I'm glad Liz is coming out.
My 2024 golf season has been an odd one. I got a late start, went too hard, and then got too busy. But I'm moving into that zone where maybe, just maybe, I'll be satisfied with my level of play. It feels so close, and the hope I feel for 2025 is already exciting.
Here's the link if you want to sign up for The Expedition.
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