My goal prior to the season was to get under 50 on either the front or back nine of our city's moderately difficult 18 holer--near bogey golf would thrill me. (This article is for hackers.) I had never been real close to 50 though I had beaten 60 so this seemed a reasonable goal. Early on I flirted with reaching it--two 51's, both a result of falling apart on the 18th. I quit dancing and started hacking slice-aroni's all over the place.

Then I entered a period of frustration in the middle of the summer. Tried to think too much and things went downhill for awhile. I fought to carry through on my 1-2-3 1-2-3 plan and much to my dismay, it did no good. I went from giving my college freshman son a pretty good run for his money, of which he h

So, I watched him. He was relaxed and smooth and fearless and smacking the ball like I've never done. Then I realized I had forgotten the most important thing, the dance. Dancing is relaxing, a release of tension and a rhythmic exercise all in one. So is golf when it's done right. I had reduced golf to a nerve-wracking, tension-filled struggle and wasn't improving because I had lost the dance.

A long story short, I did two things. I relaxed--- and borrowed my kid's clubs when he went to college. His clubs were used to relaxation, and I thought it would help. Result: 45 on the back nine, and I haven't played since. I think I'll wait till this article is published before I go out for another waltz.