move over Arnold Palmer

Mini golfing, I was surprised to find out, wasn’t just a game.  It was a skill that only few possess and those few are nuts!  Mark was excited when the weather warmed up to take me mini-golfing.  He evidently thought that everyone had the same level of anticipation as he did and was shocked when I said I had never been there.  We went somewhere in North Syracuse on a beautiful, sunny day.  Mark hopped out of the car and came around and opened the door for me.  Then he walked over to the trunk and pulled out two golf clubs in fabric sleeves.  He also put on golfing gloves!  Once again, I found myself tipping my head to the side with a look of awe and confusion over this guy.  He was really odd.  When I found out that they actually let you use THEIR golf clubs but Mark had is own, that was even more interesting.  So, we picked up our golf balls and our scorecards and away we went to play.  Mark offered to go first so he could show me the proper technique.  He set the ball down on the little rubber square with the “tees” and began a process that would carry through the entire game.  He knelt down, put his golf club out in front of him on the ground and aimed it toward the hole.  The trajectory, evidently, needed to be just right before you could swing.  Then he stood up, bent his knees like a pro, and did a “mock” swing several times.  He proceeded to put the club up close to the ball, then away, up close, then away, up close, then away.  And finally, he swung, ever so slightly.  The ball made a beeline toward the hole and missed by a couple feet.  He repeated the process again as many times as it took to get the ball to score.  Then he turned to look at me.  His face had the look of serious accomplishment.  Mine had the look of “you are certifiably insane.”  I found out that Mark was an avid golfer.  He would use any excuse throughout our married life to go.  His golf game started in mid-March and ran sometimes until December if he could find a course that was open.  We had many a “discussion” about the time he spent on the golf course over the years but without much success on my part.  I often said that if we were to divorce, it would be because of his other mistress, golf!  I remember just before Mark had his surgery in September of 2000, he was going to be home for approximately 4 weeks recovering without being able to do much activity.  The day before his surgery, I planned for the children, Mark and I to go to Buttermilk falls and have a picnic.  He chose instead to spend the day golfing, the entire day!   I was so upset with him that he took this “free” day and spent it golfing that I know I didn’t talk to him for hours after he came home.  It turned out that it was the last time Mark ever golfed again.  He spent that beautiful day doing the one thing that he loved and I looked back on my attitude many, many times over the years and thanked God that He gave Mark that day of fun with his friends.  We still have his golf clubs in the attic.  They are probably too old and heavy for anyone to use now, but they are good for getting the dog’s ball out from under the couch every once in awhile.  As his putter leans up against the closet door in his room, it reminds me of this man who never did anything without intention of finishing it well.