this year.

I’m fairly sure that this is a true statement. Why some may wonder? My eyes. I seem to have horrible eyes when it comes to golf. Unless I place the ball in the direct centre of the fairway I cannot find it. If I am even the slightest bit into the rough, I cannot find my ball. I lose it in flight. I try to note the general direction, but when I get to the place where I was certain it landed, it typically isn’t there. I’m not sure what is wrong with me. I’m fairly bright, I tend to place above average on spatial acuity tests. But for some unknown reason I cannot follow a golf ball that, on occasion, wanders into the trees.

The worst part is how this affects my golf game. I start lifting my head to try and follow the ball, and that pulls my body off the ball, and the ball doesn’t go straight. Two wrongs, once again, do not make a right. If I were to just stay down on the ball, it would go straight more often then not, and I would not have to worry about tracking it — because I’d always be in the fairway.

I played 2 rounds of golf this week (Monday and Tuesday) at Carlisle Golf and Country Club. It’s a great looking course, with some challenge, even though it’s short (only 6673 yards from the tips). On Monday I got paired with these other two young guys who were pretty good. The one fellow had great ball flight. On Tuesday I got off alone, and finished my round in 2h40min. I don’t like the 6h rounds of golf, but I also don’t like the sub 3h rounds. They don’t last long enough. It feels like a rush. Golf is supposed to be a relaxing activity. In both rounds I couldn’t sink a putt to save my life, and ruined two eagle chance with the dreaded 3 putt. Missed a fair share of birdies as well. On the north course, hole 3, I drew a pitching wedge to 4 feet, and proceeded to leave my putt short. It’s immoral to waste such promising approach shots. It was after this missed putt that I knew what I must do. I knew what would improve my golf game — new equipment.

Yes. I needed a new putter. I needed a new golf bag. My putter is probably from the 1960′s or 70′s, and is an Arnie Palmer special. I’ve held onto it for years, always saying, “It takes skill to use this putter, and that’s what I have. Skill.” But to many strokes have been lost due to my pride. If magazines, TV, and celebrity spokesmen have taught me anything, it’s that new equipment is the secret to a good golf game. Off to GolfTown I went, and out came the credit card. Picked up a new putter by Taylor Made, and a new gold bag by Nike (I didn’t really want Nike, but it was the only one that fit well when I tried it on). I needed the golf bag because my current one is about 9 years old, and the individual club slots have all torn away from the sides. I was due.

So, with new equipment in tow I will again face off against the links. Only time will tell how I fare.