I don’t write in a journal everyday, but I have accumulated many entries over the past 50+ years beginning in 1966. Some items evolved into longer works. Among the leftovers little pieces survived. I thought a collection of these with a piece culled from the same date in a past year would make an interesting yearbook. The consistencies and inconsistencies of mind, skipping back and forth across time, provide varied perspectives. It is difficult to remember the context of the past we’ve lived; we also make suppositions about times that predate ourselves.

The few alterations from original drafts were to improve clarity. The worst of my work is not included. There remains enough mediocrity and immaturity to make me feel humble and you feel smart. There are also moments of accidental insight and incidental humor.

Author Stephen Crane referred to his little pieces as pills…apparently they were small and somewhat hard to swallow, but good for you.


Comments Welcome!

Monday, June 20, 2016

River’s Edge


June 20, 2000 (I was 55)

                           River’s Edge
         A scenic but painfully demanding Arnold Palmer Course with a
variety of narrowing fairways, large waste areas, thickets of trees,
unusually shaped greens, hidden traps to create apprehension, doubt
and indecision.  Excellent greens but spotty fairways and off-course
sections that need more time for landscaping to mature on this property
open less than a full year.  Still, in comparison with Thistle in its first
year last summer, it is lacking. 
         The holes are separated and secluded one from another, a nice
feature.  The front nine was relentless and unforgiving. The puzzling par
five ninth ended on a narrow green on a thin peninsula extending ninety
degrees and 120 yards into the marsh from the direction of the first two
shots. Hit as short as I do, even from the middle tees, and end up with
a ridiculously short lay up before crossing to the peninsula on my fourth
then leaking into the marsh approaching the green on the fifth. Do you
see that quad bogey coming?
         The back is also difficult and elusive but with three straight-
forward holes to offer some reprieve.  All in all, an exasperating under-
taking that would require multiple plays to solve and more to
appreciate.  This is the second Palmer course I’ve played, and neither
would I consider enjoyable challenges.  My impression of River’s Edge
is that a replay would not lead to improvement, but more likely, to new
ways to find trouble.  I shot a 93.  I have some tight muscles, but not
enough to blame them for bad shots and lousy putts.  Some courses
(Oyster Bay and Caledonia) took a while to love.  I don’t think it will
happen here.
Posted by at
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)