Yesterday was magical; a full triathlon, my first since 2012, and in my usual unorthodox way!
My daughter was working and my wife is out of town with her best friend from childhood, so I had nothing to do… but golf with my friends. I rolled out of bed later than usual and got ready to go. Unlike a normal golfing event, the weather outdoors was unfit for golf (well below freezing), so we took it indoors at a local course that has several indoor screens for the winter months. This was to be a first for me; I’ve never played video game golf before.
I showed up early and took a few minutes to get some practice swings in, and then we were right into it. It took several holes to get loosened up and to get the feel of it, but Dale and I ended up with a real shoot-off going into the last two holes. He was up by two strokes after 14. He bogied 15 and I parred, pulling to within a stroke.
16 was a disaster. Dale birdied and I bogied for a two shot shift. I was down, but I wasn’t ready to say I was out.
17 was a beautiful par 3 at 155 yards and a gentle crossing breeze from left to right. a perfect 8-iron for me. I put it on close enough for a 2-putt for par. Dale bogied, pulling us within one.
18 was a gloriously long par 4 and I absolutely uncorked one on my drive, ending up at 280+. Dale hit his normal 215 from the advanced tees, right in the middle of the fairway. He had a way to go, though and parked one 30-yards from the green. My second was a dead-on 7-iron from 172 with a bit of a helping crosswind. I parked it within a few feet for a tap-in birdie. Dale laid up a little short and ended with a bogie for a two-stroke swing and I took the indoor Sunday title by a stroke. I had a 79, Dale an 80.
Next was a stint on the bike. I didn’t go very long, just 30 minutes, because I knew we were bowling in a few hours… so, the second and third legs of the indoor triathlon.
Bowling was tricky in the second game. I was over-hooking my usual go-to ball and couldn’t move far enough right to get the angle right. First game 211, second was a 158, but I switched to a lighter hooking ball for the third game and hit a great run at the end for a slick 214… but Dale’s run was just a little bit better and he pipped me in the last frame for a 216. He took the title back!
We laughed about that for quite a while before departing. I headed home and watched some TV with my daughter before turning in for the night. I slept, surprisingly, like a baby. I miss my wife. I miss having her here to talk with, to sleep with.
And for that, I am so thankful.
