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Keep your left arm straight.  Bend your knees more. Swing with your shoulders, not your arms.  Shift your weight. Keep your head down. Follow through.

These are just a few of the suggestions I’ve heard in the last year.  If you spend any time on the golf course you know exactly what I’m talking about.

I remember when I first came to Arkansas nearly 14 years ago, I was asked to participate in a charity golf tournament with some co-workers at Fox16.  They thought it would be a good way to create camaraderie.  Turns out I was an embarrassment to my teammates.  They asked me if I had clubs and I said yes – but they didn’t know until I showed up that day that my clubs were so old that my woods were actually made out of  wood.  Apparently they stop making those a long time ago.  I remember one golfer from another team told me I was playing with collector’s pieces and suggested I keep them because they might be worth something one day. He tried not to laugh but couldn’t help himself.  In fact, we all got a good laugh.  My multi-colored golf bag was hilarious.  I only had this stuff because they were hand-me-downs from someone who got them from someone else.   My golf game that day was agonizingly painful because truth is I didn’t know how to play.   Several times I just wanted to grab my funny looking golf bag and antique clubs and walk off the course and pretend I was never there.

Last spring I had a change of heart.  I took another stab at it with another set of hand-me-down clubs.  This time, unbeknownst  to me the golf clubs were designed for men.  Stiff flex – one of the hardest clubs to hit with as far as I’m concerned.  But every blue moon I’d get a good hit so I kept trying.  Then,  at the end of last year I was in a golf store and discovered they made clubs specifically designed for women. Up until that point I didn’t even know they existed.

Can you say “game-changer?”

I shopped around and now have a set of women’s clubs that I love. My woods are made out of titanium and made to fit me perfectly.   It’s been worth the time, energy and money because I love when I’m on a par-3 – swing at the ball – hit the sweet spot of the club – and watch that ball pop up in the air and land on the green.  Just thinking about it makes me happy.  The other day for the first time I discovered what they call the “golfer’s high”.  It’s the feeling you get when you swing the club effortlessly and the ball goes right where you want it.  It almost feels like you didn’t even try.  Unfortunately I don’t get that golfers high every time.  I still take lessons – I practice on my own – I sometimes get frustrated  – and go back each time hoping I’ll be better today than I was yesterday and the day before.  I wish I could find that guy who laughed at my golf clubs 14 years ago.  If only he could see me now.

Golf has become my great escape.  My go-to place.  An opportunity to clear my head, release stress and get stressed out when I’m not hitting well.  It’s a challenge – but a good challenge.  I day dream about my next time at the driving range or on the golf course.

By the way – I still have the antique woods.  After all, that guy said they might be worth something one day.  I’m waiting for that glorious payday!