Hi there! Just a few words before we go any further to say that I hope that you enjoy reading my stories and that I welcome all feedback – positive and negative – to my e-mail address. I may not be able to reply to you all, buy I do value your comments!
With regard to the content of my stories, although there are certain aspects of truth woven throughout what I write, ALL of my stories (unless otherwise stated) are works of fiction.
Finally, may I state that I do not condone any form of illegal act – sexual or otherwise – and that any reference that I may make to the above in my stories, is purely there for the sake of the story!
I sincerely hope that you enjoy this particular offering
Best wishes
Zeldas Slave.
I didn't start playing golf until I'd turned 50, but if I'd known as a kid that you could have this much fun out on a golf course, man – I'd have started bloody years ago! Let me explain.
I was just turned 50 as I said, when my lady-friend at the time said to me that I should stop sitting around watching t.v. all the time; that I was becoming a couch potato and that I should – to use her words - 'Get a bloody hobby!'. (Truth be known, I think she resented me being under her feet all day, but having taken early retirement – and with time to kill – what else could I do!). Anyway, to keep the peace I began looking around for something to do.
As luck would have it, an old friend of mine phoned me that same day for a chat and during our conversation, he mentioned he was 'going down the range' that night. I asked him what that meant and he told me he was going to practice at our local golf range and then, out of the blue, he asked me whether I would like to go with him and then have a couple of beers afterwards. I thought about it for a few moments and, never being one to turn down the chance of a couple of pints, I said, 'Yeah, why not – sounds like fun.'
We chatted some more and as we were about to close our conversation I reminded him that as I'd never even held a golf club before – much less used one – he'd have to be gentle with me. We both chuckled at my weak humour (friends do that for you, don't they!) and arranged for him to pick me up at around 7pm. So that was that.
To cut a long story short I hit a fair few balls that night, enjoyed the feeling, enjoyed the beers afterwards even more and decided that I could really get into this game.
So the very next day, I went to our local range again, collared the 'Pro' and an hour or so later, I left with a new set of golf clubs and assorted kit and a large dent in my credit card!
Over the next few weeks I took several lessons with that same golf Pro and I must have had some kind of aptitude for the game because after only a few lessons - and numerous sessions of practice on the range - I was hitting the ball quite long and straight and indeed it was the Pro who suggested that I go and book a game and see how I got on out on a course.
As it turned out, my girlfriend was going away to see her mother the following weekend and, as the old dear and I didn't exactly see eye to eye, (she hated me in fact!) I decided to book a round of golf and see how things went on.
My girlfriend made no fuss about my decision and in fact seemed to welcome the fact that I wasn't trotting out the usual excuses for not wanting to spend time with her mother (actually, we broke up a few weeks later - but that's another story) so she went off to her mother's and I went off to play golf.
Near to where I live we have what they call a municipal course. That is, a golf course operated by the local council and on which anyone can just turn up, pay their money and go and play a round.
Looking back now, I have to say that the general standard of the course was actually quite good and that in fact, it was better than some 'proper' courses that I have played since! But to return to my story.........
It was a Saturday afternoon, around 2o-clock, when I arrived at the course. I'd been warned-off the weekend mornings as apparently, they could be really busy and I was told that if I turned up then I may well be paired up with two or three other players who would be much more advanced than I was. This, they told me over the phone, would not only spoil the other player's game, but would probably put me off golf for life! So, heeding the given advice, I arrived at about 2.
As I walked into the pro-shop to pay, I noticed that, apart from the pro himself, the only other person there was a youngish woman who I guessed was around 30 years of age. She was dressed smartly in golfing slacks, a nice pink golf sweater, which clung tightly to what looked like being a nice firm pair of breasts and she had on a short sleeved golfing blouse and a shiny pair of pink and white golf shoes. She had shoulder length dark hair, which was held off her face in a nice tight ponytail and she looked every inch the golfer!
'Ah, Tom' said the pro when he noticed me 'I hope you won't mind, but I've paired you up for a round with Lisa here. She plays off a low handicap I know – 4 I believe – but her partner hasn't turned up and she's agreed to play with you, if you're amenable and in any case' He said grinning 'at the very worst you'll get a free lesson. Are you okay with that?'
I'd explained over the phone when I booked that this was my first round ever on a golf course and that I'd really like to go out alone to practice - and now, here I was, going to go out with an ace.......I shook inwardly
I looked closer at the young woman, taking in the fact that there seemed to be not an ounce of fat on her lithe body (me, I have the regulation middle-age-spread and a pair of 'love-handles to go with it) and the fact that she looked every inch an 'ace' and for a few moments I was unsure what to say. She had lovely warm, brown eyes and when she smiled - as she did as the Pro was introducing her, I saw the most perfect set of teeth this side of Hollywood.
For sure this young woman would be able to teach me a few things – but would she, in her turn, have her game spoiled by a complete novice such as I? My heart sank.
I was just about to reach into my store of useful excuses for a reason why I perhaps shouldn't go out on the course with her, when she thrust out her petite though muscular right hand and said 'Lisa, Lisa Jones - pleased to meet you - I hope we have a good round.'
My excuses died still-born on my lips at that and I found myself fumbling to get my right hand out of my pocket, rubbing it self consciously on my golfing trousers to remove the sweat that bathed it and shaking her proffered hand. I introduced myself in return and a few minutes later we were approaching the first tee.........
Lisa, as is the way with golfers all over I guess, gave me the privilege of teeing off first (the 'Honour' they call it) and, trying to remember how I'd done it in my lessons and at the driving range, I tee'd the ball up, took a few practice swings and 'whack!' smacked my ball forward about 70 yards and then it swung sharp right and into the trees that lined the first tee. I cursed under my breath..........
'Oh, bad luck!' said Lisa. 'You certainly sliced that one. Still, we've all done it, so don't let it worry you! We should be able to find it anyway as it wasn't going too fast.'.
We walked down to the lady's tee which was a few yards further up the course and then, when she stepped up to the tee herself (and after asking me to stand in front of her or well behind- but not the side - so that she couldn't see me and wouldn't be put off by my presence), she proceeded to hit the ball so hard and far that I lost sight of it!
'Blast!' I heard her say 'I miss-hit that one........must be 'first tee' nerves!' She turned to me, smiling 'See Tom, we can all make mistakes' she continued. Yeah, right I thought. Here's me, stuffed into a bloody tree about 40 yards past where we were now standing and there's her ball – to my eyes at least – out of sight! A real bad shot.......
We walked off down the course in silence and after about 50 yards we turned off to the right and into the small wood where my ball had gone. After a couple of minutes we found my ball – well to be more accurate, Lisa found it (I was looking in quite the wrong place!) It was lying, half-hidden in long grass, beneath the large tree that had finally stopped it.
I confidently selected a 9 iron from my bag and after a couple of desperate swings with which I missed it completely, I managed to get it out and back on to the fairway – albeit only a few yards further on – but at least I could see it now. I felt quite embarrassed and could feel the sweat on my brow and on my palms, but Lisa was great! She didn't criticise my playing at all and in fact she offered me some tips and encouragement so that my next shot actually travelled in the right direction and for a reasonable distance and finished up close to Lisa's own ball.
Continuing on down the course, presently we arrived at where our ball's had come to rest.. I had taken some 6 shots to reach where she had got with her first, but she was calm and polite and, having hit her second shot, which I saw land on the green, she advised me to play a 6 iron and just try to gain a little distance and not try to emulate her shot. Yeah, right!
My male hormones kicked in and I hit quite the wrong club and in quite the wrong direction!