A Game of Golf Chapter 9

Daniel's Game of golf with Richard

Chapter 9

A Game of Golf

“Damn it,” Richard muttered loudly,” I missed the green by a mile”. The golf ball he had hit with his number 7 iron had landed towards the bushes 20 yards to the left of the green.

The wind was blowing then. The heat of the summer's Sunday afternoon was obviously getting to Richard.

“I told you that you had to compensate for the easterly,” quipped Daniel, "it's blowing quite strongly”.

Then it was Daniel's turn. He walked to his ball some yards away and went into a golfer's stance.

He looked like a pro, swung his number 8 iron a couple times for practice and then made the big swing, catching the ball full face and sending it soaring into the sky. The ball picked up velocity as it plummeted downwards onto the course. The 140 yards to the green was covered in seconds. It landed on the edge of the green 4 cool yards or so away from the flag marking the 3^rd hole.

“It's a par 4 hole.” Richard remarked loudly in obvious frustration, “You might be able to get your 1^st. birdie of the day.”

“We'll see, we'll see,” said Daniel coolly. As he put his golf club into his golfing bag which was on a trolley.

“By the way, where did you take Adam to?” asked Richard still curious as he marked his score card.

“I took him to church,” answered Daniel as they both made their way to the green. The sky was blue, not even a single cloud to be seen. There was the cool breeze from the east still blowing which cooled them somewhat.

“Church!!?” exclaimed Richard, “How's that gonna help Adam?”.

Daniel smiled and said, “Believe me, it will in some way.”

“I hope you know what you're doing. I thought you would be giving Adam a lot of pep talk and building him up,” continued Richard who seemed to be getting more agitated.

“Like a coach?” Daniel answered with a question.

“Yeah, something like that.”

“Richard, you know my background, you know what I stand for. I have my own ways of doing things.”

“But the guy needs strict supervision, something military, not something mushy like people singing, preaching and dancing around with wings.”

“You asked me to take on this assignment. Either you trust me on this or I' m out!”

“Hey, come on, Daniel, I have my own ideas too!”

“Well I have mine too!”

For a moment there was a stalemate, then.

“Okay, okay I'll take it as that. I leave everything to you,” a somewhat reluctant Richard said. Daniel still sensed his disbelieve. Just then a channel 7 helicopter flew by about 500 feet overhead. It distracted them for a few moments.

“There will be the motivational speeches, but at the right time.” Daniel explained.

“I know what I am doing,” he continued.

Richard thought for a moment.

“I supposed this is what I should have expected when I asked you to help Adam. After all you are a Christian.”

“This is how I always work. It begins with God and it ends with God.”

“Okay mate. I trust you”, Richard relented, “It's just that the person on the board expects results.”

“I understand but I never promised anything except try to help.”

They reached Richard's golf ball. He paused for a moment, took out an iron wedge and proceeded to chip it. It was well chipped and it lobbed and bounced onto the green. It stopped about 3 yards from the hole.

Richard was ecstatic.

 They then proceeded to the green where Daniel took out his 'J.C. Smith' putter. It was a beveled blade putter, a family heirloom. Richard took the flag pole out of the hole and stood a short distance away.

Daniel knelled down and studied the line to the hole. There was a slight fall to the left. The rest was a gentle slope upwards.

He went into a putting stance, cutting a very fine sporting figure in his golfing slacks and Spalding collared tee shirt.

He feinted a couple of strokes and tapped the ball slightly to the right of hole number 3. It rolled and picked up speed, veered ever so slightly to the left and dropped into the hole as it started to slow down.

The familiar sound of the ball dropping into the hole was followed by Richard's exclamation.

“Stone the crows. That will go down in history as one of your better putts.”

“Must have been the “booster”........This morning's “booster”,” reiterated Daniel with a thumb's up.

Richard looked slightly puzzled, he didn't quite catch Daniel.

“That's birdie number one,” conceded Richard.

He went to his golf ball checked the line and proceeded to tap the ball into the hole. It rolled and veered slightly to the left.

It missed.

“Bugger it!” He cursed, “I must have Parkinson's disease.  I can't hit the ball straight”.

“Take a deep breath”, advised Daniel. Vehicles were streaming to and fro along the Monash Freeway 200 yards in the background.

Richard then went to the ball that was about 4 feet away from the hole.

He took a deep breath. Then he gingerly tapped it.

 It went in, finally.

“Bogey,” said Daniel, “hey, that makes it two double bogeys and one bogey.”

“Don't remind me,” grumbled Richard.

“Hey, at least your drives are improving.”

“Next time we take a golf cart.”

“You need all the exercise you can get. It's better to walk.”

Richard put his club into his golf bag. Then he thought for a moment and asked with a bit of curiosity.

“By the way, Daniel, what were you referring to when you mentioned that word “booster”?”

Daniel marked his score card and casually tucked it into his back trouser pocket. Then he answered coolly.

“Church of course.”

“Oh.”

The game continued on to just before 7.00 pm. Daniel as usual declined Richard's invitation to have Richard's favourite drink, a beer, at the clubhouse. He drove back to Port Melbourne in his Alfa Romeo with the hood down. On the way the wind which was blowing in his face was cool in the bright evening sun. He was wearing a pair of Rayban sunglasses that reflected the sunlight.  He had a studio apartment at Beach Street that faced the esplanade. Traffic was light on a Sunday evening. The radio was playing a song by James Blunt, “You're beautiful”. He was thinking as he cruised along St. Kilda road that it would be nice to settle down with someone special……..Someone special like Lynn.

 

 

 

 

 

Author's Note

What do golfer's think of this chapter?!!

Reviews

[TKBickel]

You word are vivid and visual. I can hear and feel that ball hit the sweet spot on the club. Now I’m dying to hit the golf course.

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the golf game and the good conversation in this chapter. I like the pace of the story. You give enough in each chapter to make me want to read the next chapter. I like the conversation with Lynn. A excellent chapter.
Coyote