Farewell to golf, at least until next Spring

The Ritzville lady golfers have officially played their last round for the season.

That doesn’t mean that diehards like Patty and I won’t be seen out there as the cold winds blow and the temps nosedive, leaving the cozy warmth of her heated cart only for the time it takes to line up a shot and execute it, and then hurry back to thaw out while the other one plays.

I expect there are those who question the sanity of we who play until the snows fly. Only another golfer would understand.

Last Monday, the lady golfers gathered for lunch and to bid farewell to the Monday Morning gatherings.

We won’t meet again until the snows melt, greens and fairways thaw and harden, and tulips and daffodils break through bringing with them the promise of warm breezes and cutoffs-and-tees weather. In other words, Spring 2017.

The weather, which has been cold and wet for weeks now, precluded the ladies playing together one last time prior to lunch being served.

That seemed strange, however the taco salad bar (provided by Chris, proprietor of the Fairway Café) helped us overcome our sense of loss. We thank Chris for the excellent meals and service she has provided us through this year’s golf season.

For those who think that we who golf from motorized carts are exercise wimps, please allow me to correct that misconception. Of course, pushing a cart around the course is optimal.

But consider that while pushing a cart, loaded with all that we require for a golf outing (clubs, towels, counting beads, distance tracker, assortment of balls, tees, gloves, mosquito repellant, sunscreen, snacks, water, lipstick or chap stick, face wipes, phone, scorecards and pencils, etc.) is a great way to maintain strength, work off a ton of calories, get a dynamite tan, and show off a new outfit, it is also conducive to muscle/joint injury and strain.

I opt for the motorized cart for several reasons: First, it precludes injury or stress to my body, which is (gasp) aging and thus more prone to such things; second, my golf partner and I can chat as we travel to the next shot or hole, and how else do we get to know one another if we don’t interact; third, protect fragile skin and enhanced hair from the sun, just to name three.

I have a Fitbit, which indicates that playing nine holes from a cart works out to approximately 2,000-3,000 steps depending on the quality of game that day.

That, combined with the usual activity of Monday post-golf which can range from gardening or washing the car to housework or shopping, will usually guarantee the nominal 10,000 steps Fitbit claims to be the standard for optimal health.

And often we play another nine holes after lunch. Nothing wimpy about that!

Thank you, ladies, for another great spring, summer and fall of friendly games. We look forward to Spring 2017 when we will break out our clubs and sandals and hit those fairways once again.