Early in the Morning

I looked outside this morning and saw the dew on the grass in our backyard.  I was reminded of something that I experienced for many summers playing golf at Pokegama County Club near Grand Rapids, Minnesota: the water trails left by a golf putt early in the morning.  

My father worked at the local paper mill and his shift began at 6:30 in the morning.  My three older brothers and I would pack our golf bags in the car, make sure we had the lunch mom prepared for us and off we went - ready for a full day of playing golf.  This was a big deal for my mom because it meant that the four of us were out of her hair for the day.  She would only have to deal with six other children - yikes!

Normally, my dad would not be able to bring us all the way out to the course, so we would walk from the start of the Golf Course Road and HWY 169, a total of about 3.5 miles.  (Funny, when we were kids, it felt like six.)  Actually, there were not too many times when we had to walk the entire way.  Someone driving by would see four boys carrying golf bags and determine that we were not a threat - they would offer us a ride.  That was great because it meant we could get started sooner.  Back then golfers didn't start that early in the morning.  Even the grounds crew didn't start until later.  We had the course to ourselves. 

I'm getting to the point of my short story - you know, what reminded me of the dew on the grass outside of our backyard.  Because it was so early and (as I mentioned) the grounds crew had not started their work, the greens were always wet with dew.  If you were the first to putt, everyone else could see the line perfectly.  As you hit the ball, water would spring up from behind the ball as it made its way to the hole.  We never had to worry about the ball washers being empty - they were cleaned on their way to the hole.

What makes this memory so special for me is the time I was able to spend with my brothers.  If you were to ask me then if it was special, I would not have had a clue what you were talking about.  It was golf and I was only hoping to beat the pants off my older brothers (which almost never happened).  But years later, as I have been able to process some of these memories, I understand how important that time was for me, for my brothers and for my entire family.

We learned some things about life other than just how to swing a gold club.  We learned the rules of golf etiquette, which had a lot of "politeness" built into it.  We learned that you needed to treat each other with respect.  For me that was a big thing because I not only had to learn how to respect my brothers, but they also had to respect me.  I'm not saying that our behavior was wild at home, but there were moments.  I mean, you are bound to have that in a family of ten, right?  

Those mornings on the course helped us all with lessons which could translate into life.  You're not always going to hit it straight down the middle.  Sometimes you get penalized and you have to find your way out of a trap.  You can help someone else find their ball.  And there is no need to throw your five iron into the nearest woods just because you think your brother was talking in your backswing and you missed a shot (details on that incident are a bit fuzzy to this day).

Today, my brothers and I try to get together once or twice a year.  We reminisce about our early days of playing golf, assuming we can remember.  I look forward to those moments because they remind me of those days when four boys were in search of being like Palmer, Nicklaus, Player and other greats of that era.  What we discovered was how to be more like gentlemen, treating others with respect and dignity.

I'm sure my parents appreciated that learning!