Golf

Last night I mentioned to my dad that I hadn't gone golfing once this summer and it was high time he take me! He brushed it off and I figured we wouldn't be going. Lo and behold this morning at 7:30am I awake to him leaning over me and whispering "Were you serious about going golfing?" I rolled out of bed to throw on some shorts and tank and get my game face ready (in case you don't know me well I am horrible at golf, I'm lucky if I even hit the ball). We drove to Tarkio and teed up at the first hole. I take aim and...hit it like two feet away. This causes my dad to sigh and remember that I stink really bad at this game. Dad hits it (like a pro) and I get to put my ball where he is, the game goes on like this. Sometimes I'll get ready to swing, miss, and get instruction to 'keep your head down'. By the eighth hole (we skipped 3, 4, 5 because he doesn't like it when people are in front of us OR behind us) I tee up and rocket on right onto the green. I'm pretty sure my dad's jaw hit the grass. He drives our cart to the green and says "If you concentrate you could putt this in for a birdie, here I'll tell you where to aim" in my head I'm thinking 'This is the same hole I got a bogey on last time because he made me nervous by instructing me'. Sure enough I miss, he sighs, I putt again for a par. I miss, he sighs, and I get a bogey. As my dad walks back to the cart he smiles and says "You're uncoachable". I laugh and say "Yeah, I stink". We put up the cart after the ninth hole and head to Hy-Vee to get fixings for biscuits and gravy.
I don't go golfing because I love the game. I do enjoy the quiet scenery, the cool crisp feel of the morning, and the easy pace of the game.
I don't go golfing for the exercise because we have a golf cart so there isn't a whole lot of that.
I don't go golfing because I'm good at it...umm, I think we've all established that!
I went golfing the first time because it was something a 'Fisher' is supposed to do and be good at(or so I thought), but I keep going golfing because it is something that makes me feel closer to my dad. I love that we can joke and laugh about how horrible I am (he's never been a pushy dad). I love that we can use this quiet time for just the two of us to talk. My dad never judges me for the choices that I make, I guess every child is worried that their parents will. I knew that he loved me just for getting up and trying my best because even when I swing and miss he quietly says "Try again" and I know that not only does he mean it in golf, but he means it in life.