GOFFLE ???

I watched pieces of the Mercedes Benz Championship this weekend. The sun glinting from Chopra's hair was damaging my retinas. I looked outside for relief and was reminded there was 20 inches of snow on the ground. My golf season begins in perhaps April, but plugged balls in the fairway are expected until Memorial Day. If we have a dry spring. It wasn't always this way.

My friend Tom Vidulich, P.G.A. Professional, opened an indoor golf facility here a few years ago. He had a beautifully done golf center, complete with a range area, two state of the art simulators, teaching area with video, a short game section, beer, wine, and food. What else is there? In the winter with snow? Tom's place was THE hang out for my golf posse and me. You could hit a great shot on the simulator, walk three feet, open your beer and try the sandwich. It made getting in and out of a cart seem tiring. Unfortunately Tom moved to Louisville. He was back here for a visit this fall. I asked him if he missed being up north. He said no.

Without Tom in the winter I'm reduced to playing Goffle. It's played with Wiffle balls and a couple of those putrid, yellow, foam balls. The Wiffles are great off the tee and the foamies are better around the greens. Mine is a three hole layout. #1 starts in the kitchen, doglegs left into the dining room and an easy green. Good starting hole. #2 is the signature hole. Tee off up the stairs to a landing area that doglegs again left to a narrow hallway green that's trickier than it looks. The temptation is to hook your tee shot and fly both sets of stairs to set up an easy birdie opportunity. The risk is missing both stairs, have your ball roll back down, and essentially have three off the tee. The finisher is a mild dogleg right that ends in the master bedroom with one quirk. If the bathroom door is left ajar this hole can be a real beast. Reverse the order and that's six holes. Play it four times and there's your 72. I play it to Willie Nelson par though. When asked what par was on the course he owned, Willie said, "Whatever I shoot."

So, there you have it.

Til' next.... corr. Louisville for Nashville