The Princess Golfer

The sun is shining, the temperature is in the low 40s and I need a reminder of exactly why I’m doing this. “This” is agreeing to play a round of golf in temperatures just slightly above freezing. It’s Opening Day of the Ladies 9-hole golf league and the weather is not fully cooperating. I’ve got so many layers on; my lady golfer silhouette resembles the Michelin Man.

Understanding why I’m doing this involves a little background, so let’s start at the beginning. I tried playing golf years ago when we lived in California. Hubby, who loves the game, thought I might enjoy it and had Santa bring me a set of clubs for Christmas that year. So far, so good. In his wisdom Santa also booked a round of 18 holes for December 26th. And with warm reassurance he said, “It will be fun. You’ll see, you’ll really enjoy it!” “Huh, we’ll see!” I skeptically replied.

I’d never played before and attempting a full 18 holes from the get-go was a bit, well, daunting. With helpful intent, each of the players in our foursome (the two others being my brother and son) constantly tried to tell me what I was doing wrong and how to correct it. Very soon, attempting to smack a little white ball over canyons and onto grassy fairways lost its appeal - as did the sport.

I didn’t touch another club for nearly ten years until we retired to a lovely golf community in Northern Nevada. Yes, my hubby loves golf. And I do mean LOVES, so our new residence sits just off the 7th fairway of a championship course. Crystal blue skies and sunshine dazzle for 300 days of the year, the air is clean, and the horizon is painted with snow-capped peaks.

We both loved our new surroundings - until it snowed. A lot. To be clear, I love snow just as much as hubby loves golf. But when the white stuff settles on the fairway behind the house, all I hear is “there’s snow on my golf course, there’s snow on my golf course.” I know, it’s not exactly “his” golf course, but you get the idea.

Which brings me full circle to why I’m doing this. Of course, I wanted to please hubby and spend time with him. That was reason number one. Number two - golf seemed like good exercise and, three, it was a way to make new friends. So, I decided it was time to learn to play.

Thus, the “Princess Golfer” was born. Along the way, I’ve learned that playing golf involves oh, so much more than hitting a little ball with a variety of different sticks, all with the goal of getting that small sphere into a 4.25-inch hole located on a precisely mowed surface hundreds of yards away. I also quickly learned that to get the most out of this sport, one needs not only the correct clubs and an accurate swing and stroke. One also needs the perfect wardrobe and accessories.

To my delight, I discovered that joining a women’s golf league is not only about meeting new friends and excelling at a sport. It’s really all about the clothes and looking great. Imagine my excitement in finding that I now had an entire segment of the fashion industry to explore.

And shop I did. Within a few short weeks, an entire section of my closet was hung with a variety of color-coordinated golf skirts, pants, tops and jackets. There were new golf shoes, socks, and hats; there was rain gear, embroidered golf towels and club covers. I was in designer merchandise heaven. I was sure, for that reason alone, my golf game would improve by leaps and bounds.

Then the inevitable happened - summer turned into fall, the weather turned cold, and we were still expected to play despite the dropping temperature. No one had mentioned we’d be playing in atmospheric conditions that were anything but sunny, warm, and perfect.

And, from that moment on, the real “princess golfer” mode set in. To keep me happy (and also probably to stop the whining) hubby had a made-to-order cover put on our golf cart designed to keep out inclement weather. He also ordered custom sheepskin seat covers and a special heater to keep me toasty warm. The whining promptly stopped; to this day I firmly believe that these “accessories” did help improve my game.

So, as I drove down the cart path last week, I was excited to see my friends and play a round with them. The weather, though, was more than I had bargained for. As my fingers began to ache with the cold, I reached behind the steering wheel for the little button that would set things right - the little button that turned on the heated steering wheel. Then, to my dismay, I remembered, this was a golf cart, not my BMW. I wondered if the steering wheel couldn’t be upgraded and heated too. I’d have to have hubby check that out.

Aah, I just love being a princess golfer.

© 2024  Annie Sokoloff