Howls

As you may recall (or deduced from the handle LoneWolf), I am a solitary golfer.  I enjoy hitting the links on my own — especially in the early hours of the morning.  There is just something ethereal with the rising mist, the warming sun and the rooster tails of dew spraying from the ball as it rolls across the pristine greens.

However, there is something to be said for playing with your buddies as well.  Good golf buddies will share many of the things you love about the game (and life in general).  They will also have quirks that you love to hate.  The best of golf buddies will elevate the experiences you share both on and off the course.  Often, they will be among your best friends.

The First

I’ve had several great golf buddies through the years.  Unfortunately, moves and life changes have separated us all (although I still manage to keep in contact with most of them).  I miss them very much — not just because of the golf we’re missing out on, but because of the many ways they blessed me and made my life richer.

The first golf buddy I ever had was Ron.  We met in university.  We both grew up in northern Ontario (he lived about 300 km farther north than I did).  The first time I recall meeting him was in university, but it was as if we had known each other since birth.  We became fast friends during the university years, rooming together for much of that time.  We both ended up in Oakville for a couple years.

It was only natural that when I took up golf he decided to try it as well.  Throughout university and for a couple years after we golfed as much as we could afford.  We shared a lot of experiences together on the course.  We helped each other learn the game.  We even tried to teach our girlfriends once (but only once — we both ended up marrying those girls by the way 8=).

One of my favourite memories is running from lightning at a course in Burlington.  We were almost to the 3rd green (about as far from the club house as you could get) when the storm rolled in.  Running back down the 1st fairway a bolt of lightning hit so close behind us that we felt the tingling of electricity — I wonder if that’s what happened to my hair?  It was both frightening and exhilarating.

However, marriage, careers and family separated us over time.  I moved to Hamilton, he to Toronto.  Getting together happened less and less.  His career took him to South Carolina, then to France and back to South Carolina again.  We’ve lost contact, but I hope that someday I’ll be able to sneak in a round or two with him again.

See what happens next: Buddies — Part II

In the mean time, why not share a story about one of your golf buddies.

Image is by mrsmas at stock.xchng.