The Challenge Met

I went out to the see the boys this weekend. I haven't seen Sean or Scott since June 28th, the longest time we've been apart ever. They've been staying with their grandparents out in Sag Harbor, NY for the summer. This is the third summer they have gone out there. The grandparents, Jim and Diane, don't get to see them a lot during the year so they really enjoy having them out there. And the kids seem to really enjoy it too, playing a lot of golf and spending a lot of time at the beach.

The golf was the main reason for the trip. The grandmother gets them a summer membership at a 9 hole course in Sag Harbor so they are out there almost every day hitting balls. Sean has been telling me he's playing a lot better and wanted me to come out so he can beat me. Not try to beat me, actually beat me at the game. Since he has about 25 rounds under his belt I did my best to prepare - which was absolutely nothing. I had not even picked up my clubs until I put them in the car on Friday to drive out to meet them. We played at Cherry Creek Golf Links in Riverhead, somewhere I've never played. It took a few holes to start hitting the ball better but in the end I had to disappoint Sean. I beat him by 6 strokes. Not that I played a great round but he seemed to forget I've been playing this game for 30 years and that it would com back to me quickly.

Scott's game had improved a lot, too. I gave him a couple of tips on hitting his drives and irons and he used them and started hitting the ball much better. So much so that on Sunday he reached a short par 5 in two and lipped out the eagle putt. He was smiling from ear to ear after that one. We spent some time at the beach on Saturday, the ocean was warm and he must have stayed in the water for 2 hours just body-surfing the waves.

So I have another month without them, although I may go out there again before summer is over. It was good to see them and they seemed happy to see me. And seeing them after all this absence made me realize that I've done a pretty good job with them. They really are good young men.