GEEZE!!! Did he really hit it that far??

So what do I do for fun you may ask? I'm an avid golfer. I play it, live it, read it and breathe it. I originally started playing with my Dad as something to do to spend some time with him and to get to know him better. Now that he's gone, whenever I play I feel closer to him in a way. And I was hooked as soon as I hit my first good ball and had the photo finish stance. I've played off and on for 6 years, but in the past 3 years I've gotten pretty serious about it and dedicate a lot of time, and a lot of money (Sorry Mrs. JP!!), to the game. I decided to really learn the game well, so two years ago, I took lessons from a Golf Magazine Top 100 instructor and spent countless hours on the range, on the course, and in the mirror practicing. I ripped apart my swing several times and I think now I may actually have something decent.

It's sort of an obsession. My wife remarks that I don't have much of a wardrobe and it consists of just one brand of clothing. OK, for the most part she's right. But you stick to your brand as any golfer worth his salt will tell you. Although, maybe I should take a hint from coworkers who ask me if my tour sponsor gives me all shirts I wear to the office:

Yep, I'm a Callaway golfer. My philosophy is that if you have the best equipment, you cannot make any excuses about your score. It's all just you at that point. Every club I use is Callaway. I have X-14 irons, Forged wedges, Big Bertha 4 and 7 wood, a Callaway Tour Blue TT2 putter, and the newest club in my arsenal is a 9.5 degree ERC Fusion driver with a stiff Aldila shaft. And is it ever sweet!!!! It makes a thud when it hits the ball, but the ball just flies off of the face.

The good news is, I'm getting better. I was a 34 handicap at the start of last year and at the end of the season I dropped to 25. I was shooting in the low 40's per 9 holes off the blue tees, so this year my goal is to stay in the 80's and get the handicap below 20. It shouldn't be too hard, because there's a few high scores that will fall off my handicap so it should shoot down pretty quick. I think I finally have found my swing, but I'll hold judgment on that until mid season. I'll keep you posted on how that goes.

On another note, I was watching the FBR Open yesterday and saw something I have never seen before. This guy who's no bigger than me, hit a ball 354 yards dead straight. Now this may not seem all that impressive to people who do not golf, but those of us who do just sit there with our jaws wide open in awe, like this:

It's unreal. It's not natural. It's one of the coolest things you've ever seen though!

The guy's name is J.B. Holmes. He's brand new on the PGA tour. He's only 23. His second shot on a par 4 or par 5 is usually with a sand wedge. He drove a par 4 yesterday that was 302 yards with a 3 wood. I wouldn't have believed it if I weren't watching it.

And a guy like him gives golfers like me hope. Because his swing isn't the most pretty swing you've ever seen, not like Tiger's or Fred Couples or Stuart Appleby, and he takes the club just 1/2 to 3/4 back. But when he rotates through the ball, you've never seen a ball fly so far and so straight. Look out Tiger, there's a new guy in town and his name is J.B.