Private Mars Rocket II

Yesterday, I had the chance to play a round of golf on the first true golf course created in the Chicago area. It's now the Downers Grove Golf Course. Per this history and review, the course was founded in 1892 as the Chicago Golf Club. Alas, that well-funded group moved to new digs in 1895, and that course became the oldest 18-hole course in the US.

The club's original home went through various hands, and in 1968 ended up as property of the Downers Grove Park District, and they cut it to nine holes. They also built a modern clubhouse, and other than a couple of signs, there's no indication one is playing on a historical venue.

Regarding yesterday's round of golf, we had as good of weather as one could expect in Chicago in June. It was overcast, not too hot or humid, and low wind. I had my usual inconsistent round, shooting a trio of sevens, then getting a par and two bogies. Still, it was fun, and given that this weekend in Chicago is due for record heat and humidity, I was glad we were able to get out.

I had the opportunity to play golf in an outing yesterday. Golf, even bad golf, is better than work, and outing golf (with free beer) is better still. Not only that, but we had nigh-unto perfect weather. Color me pleased.

On Sunday, I attended the Chicagoland Lithuanian Rotary Club's 5th annual Lu Volodka memorial golf outing. The weather was absolutely perfect - cool but not cold with a light breeze.

At the golf outing, I had a wardrobe malfunction. I was getting "one more day" out of a pair of old jeans when I crouched down to retrieve a golf ball. Alas, the crotch of my pants ripped out. Unlike Ms. Jackson, I was wearing appropriate undergarments, so the damage was minimized, although things were noticeably more drafty. After the golf, I adjourned home to clear the malfunction, and got back just as happy hour was in full swing.

There was a charity auction during the dinner, and I ended up buying (somewhat by accident) a bottle of Suktinis Meade Nectar. I over-paid a couple of bucks for the bottle, but the cause was good. The liquor was interesting - it tasted to me like liquid mincemeat pie.

Now I'm back to work.

From an email forwarded to me by a church pastor (and equally bad golfer):

Golf can best be defined as an endless series of tragedies obscured by the occasional miracle, followed by a good bottle of beer.

Golf! You hit down to make the ball go up. You swing left and the ball goes right. The lowest score wins, on top of that, the winner buys the drinks.

Golf is harder than baseball - in Golf , you have to play your foul balls.

If you find you do not mind playing golf in the rain, the snow, even during a hurricane, here's a valuable tip ......... your life is in trouble.

Golfers who try to make everything perfect before taking the shot rarely make a perfect shot.

The term 'mulligan' is really a contraction of the phrase 'maul it again.'

A 'gimme' can best be defined as an agreement between two golfers, neither of whom can putt very well.

An interesting thing about Golf is that no matter how badly you play, it is always possible to get worse.

Golf's a hard game to figure: One day you'll go out and slice it and shank it , hit into all the traps and miss every green ..
The next day you go out and for no reason at all you really stink.

If your best shots are the practice swing and the 'gimme putt,' you might wish to reconsider this game.

Golf is the only sport where the most feared opponent is you.

Golf is like marriage, If you take yourself too seriously it won't work, and both are expensive.

The best wood in most amateurs' bags is the pencil.

SENIOR'S DAY AT THE COURSE

David Letterman's Top Ten Reasons Why Golf Is Better Than Sex......
#10... A below par performance is considered damn good.
#09... You can stop in the middle and have a cheeseburger and a couple of beers.
#08... It's much easier to find the sweet spot.
#07... Foursomes are encouraged.
#06... You can still make money doing it as a senior.
#05... Three times a day is possible.
#04... Your partner doesn't hire a lawyer if you play with someone else.
#03... If you live in Florida , you can do it almost every day.
#02... You don't have to cuddle with your partner when you're finished.
And the NUMBER ONE reason why golf is better than sex.....
#01... When your equipment gets old you can replace it!

You attend a golf outing that includes 18 holes of golf, cart, beer on the course, a steak dinner, $200 prize money, and the entire outing costs $45!