Washington: Check!

I know it’s been awhile since my last post but I’m still here and ready to explode with words to make up for it. I’ve been on the road and flat out busy for the last two weeks. On July 12, I walked on for a twilight round at a course called Maplewood in Renton, Washington, near Seattle. I got hooked up with a lady’s league that plays every Tuesday night. I didn’t think I would have time to play on this trip so I didn’t even bring my clubs. Had I known, I totally would have brought them since I was also playing at Apple Mountain that coming weekend and could have checked them as luggage when I flew from Seattle to Sacramento where I met Greg instead of having him cram them into the car with the rest of our stuff on his way driving up. Whew... I told you I had a lot of words stored up. Back to my story – I get so distracted! So, it was pushing 6:oo and I was scrambling because I wanted to play 18 so I could post a whole round. Plus, unless I play 18, I don’t feel I can count it and couldn’t have checked off Washington on my list of states where I’ve played! I had a glove and some tees in my purse, but I had to buy a couple logo balls from the barrel in the pro shop. I had my full travel-packed purse, camera and the thrashers I rented (the bag didn’t even have a stand) and they’re telling me they’re sending me out with these women who are walking. So my lazy ass took a cart anyway and rushed out there.

The first hole at Maplewood. My drive ended up near the little tree to the
right of the third bunker. Not great, but not as bad as I'd feared.

It’s still intimidating for me to play a new course because it’s not yet instinctual as far as where to hit and how the course will play. Fortunately, I had a nice group to help me decipher it. Shout out to Justine, Dale, and Carla from my foursome and Dawn and oh-damn-what-was-her-name from the group in front of us! (Who do I think I am with the “shout out”?) I was also nervous because the starter told me about this league and how these ladies play here all the time. I was worried that I would embarrass myself, what with the unfamiliar course and the rented clubs and the fact that I’m still struggling so much learning the game. I had looked over the scorecard and had been thinking I was going to play from the whites because it looked kind of short. Then when I got hooked up with this group and they were all playing from the reds, my decision was easy.

The driver in this “set” was the size of my three wood, and I’ve mentioned before how comfortable I am with my enormous driver. So I was a little worried when I teed up on the first hole. It didn’t turn out that bad, though, and it kept getting better. I didn’t hit it as far as I do with mine, but I was hitting it straight up the middle of the fairway for the most part. I didn’t embarrass myself and it all turned out fine. All the women were friendly and hospitable and I was thankful they let me join in. They even invited me to participate in the friendly wagering but I thought I’d never be able to compete and didn’t really want to impose further anyway. They stopped after nine, as they do every week, so we parted at the turn and I went on to finish the round.

Here are some guys fishing as we crossed the bridge on the way to #8.
Must be a Washington thing.

I rushed myself on the back nine a little to make sure I’d get them all in and ended up with a couple big numbers. Overall, I shot a 99, which is higher than I’d have liked on a short course like this but still under that 100 threshold which is where I feel I belong from the red tees. I’m still waiting for the next magical milestone of breaking 90 from the reds. I saw the ladies again at the clubhouse when I was finished, just before dark. Golf people are awesome. This fact inspires me to write a whole separate post.

It turns out this lady’s league isn’t just a local thing. They are a part of the Executive Women’s Golf Association, which has chapters in cities all across the country. I would probably seek out my local chapter and join up, but I’m not in town enough to commit to something like that. I will definitely keep it in mind in case I have a career change in the near future. (Does anyone need a golfer with artistic, design, and marketing talent with a knack for technology and learning who can apply all of those things in relational, language and presentation skills? Surely there must be a business that can benefit from all those abilities that doesn’t require travel so I can golf in the evenings and on weekends.) Meanwhile, I might be able to track down EWGA chapters and be able to join up with them in other cities like I did this time. It was interesting playing with women for a change. Maybe since it is an association of “executives” I should just join and participate when I can for the networking and could affect my career change through golf! What a concept.

Next post.