I played miniature golf with Ruth, David, Lindsay, Brady and Eva last Saturday. We were in Myrtle Beach for a few days and decided to go “old school”. We have played a lot of miniature golf in Myrtle Beach over the years. David first made the trip to MB when he was three years old. He turned forty-four on Friday. Time flies.
I don’t recall when I first played miniature golf but I enjoyed playing right from the start. The first game that I remember playing involved my Uncle Jack. I’m not sure how old I was, probably in my early teens, and he gave me my first golf compliment.
“You’re really a good putter, Rob. If you learn to play golf that will be a strong part of your game.”
Uncle Jack turned out to be a prophet. I do golf and putting has always been my strength. I had the opportunity to play with him a half-dozen times and he taught me a lot about the game.
Another memory moment involved my childhood friend, Mitch. A new Putt, Putt Miniature Golf Course opened a few blocks from our home on Campbell Road. The two of us went to play a game one afternoon during the first few days that they were open. They were holding a miniature golf trivia contest. A question came out over the loudspeaker.
“Attention golfers! The first person who can tell us how Putt, Putt Miniature Golf Courses selected their name will win a free round of golf.”
I immediately flashed back to my conversations with Uncle Jack and was “pretty sure” that I knew the answer.
“Mitch, I think I know the answer. Par on a hole is figured by the distance to the green plus two more shots. The two shots are putts, so that’s probably Putt, Putt.”
“Go tell the guy.”
I wasn’t sure so I said, “No, you tell him.”
“Ok”
Mitch told the the man on the loudspeaker what I said, and sure enough, I was right.
As life tuned out, my putting skill on the miniature golf course, and my golf discussions with my Uncle Jack, altered two lives. Mitch got a free game of golf and I have another story to tell.
When Ruth and I first brought the kids to Myrtle Beach, we traveled with several families. The “dads” all went golfing and the “moms” and kids sat by the pool, went to the beach, and explored the area. I didn’t think much about it at the time, but the ladies in our group threw the toughest duty. The guys got to play and the moms had to still be moms.
The guys did take the kids to play miniature golf several times. It was on one of those early trips to Jungle Golf that I decided to cut down on my drinking. Having a daily cocktail was a part of each day’s ritual. We even had a “drink of the day”. I occaisionally allowed myself to be over served. On the final hole of out trip to Jungle Golf, five year old David got a hole-in-one. I picked him up, raised him over my head, and yelled a joyous obsenity. (Not my proudest moment.)
One of the guys in the group, John, took my arm and told me to “tone it down”. That was the moment that I realized that I was setting an example for David that I wouldn’t want him to follow, so I did just that. I toned it down. I didn’t stop drinking entirely but I’ve done my best to “tone it down”. I haven’t always been successful, but the older I’ve become, the better I’ve done.