January 30, 2013 at 5:54 p.m.
The emotional side of golf
Why have I put that in this golf column, you might reasonably ask? I'll tell you why - because I got mail! Yep, someone sent me an e-mail ([email protected]) and provided me with a comment on progress to date.
This column has now been running for about seven weeks. I've never before been a writer but I now appreciate what real writers mean when they wonder whether anyone actually reads what they write.
The writer wonders whether what they've written, has it stirred anybody's emotions?
I now know that at least one person has read this column and felt an emotion because they have told me so and for that I'm grateful.
Mind you, the e-mail I received wasn't exactly full of praises and recommendations for Pulitzer prizes.
I read it a couple of times, looking for the part that said what a genius I was and that clearly Tiger could learn a thing or two from me.
However, no matter how many times I read it, I couldn't find such comments.
Actually, it was a better email than that for it was an e-mail with constructive criticism.
Anybody who has ever undertaken anything will welcome constructive criticism as its intention is to improve what is produced.
It seems that the writer of the email was disappointed that I had not included women and juniors in my articles. It was fair comment, especially in light of my article on the Ocean View/Mid Ocean team match.
That article dealt only with the men's team match when, in fact, there was also a women's team match being played on the same day, at the same time, but being played at MOC.
Frankly, I had forgotten that the women were holding their team match at the same time but, quite understandably, ignorance of what is going on is no defence.
What the e-mail writer was implying was that I should have included a comment on the women's team match. I have since discovered that the women's match was even more disturbing for Mid Ocean than the men's match.
When asked, the cautious response from the MOC pro shop was "We cannot recall exactly what the MOC Ladies lost by but we can confirm that it was a shellacking."
I happen to know that "a shellacking" in golf parlance represents a very, very serious spanking, one that is not forgotten for quite some time.
When it is suffered on home territory, the entire home team is expected to hang their heads in shame and mutter phrases like "We have sinned greatly" and "Woe is me".
Suffice to say, the OVGC Women's Team did themselves proud and soundly beat their MOC counterparts.
On a more serious note, it is perhaps worth pointing out that I write these articles not as a reporter but as a journalist and so their content will be naturally biased towards my personal experiences.
My interest in doing the column is to try and raise the awareness of golf in Bermuda.
It is my opinion that Bermuda golf has lost its sparkle and I'd like to see it sparkle once more.
I also believe that there is scope in Bermuda for a more robust tournament programme.
As odd as it may seem, I believe that these articles will somehow help start the journey towards that goal.
So, with regard to my email correspondent, I hereby offer my humble apologies to all the women and junior readers of this column, together with my pledge to try and do better. In the meantime, I hope you will keep reading, keep thinking, and above all, keep feeling.
When you've done that, if an emotion has been stirred, feel free to send me an e-mail.[[In-content Ad]]
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