February 21, 2020
So I played golf today. Boughton Ridge Golf Course sent me an email touting "Frostbite Friday": $12 for 9 holes, with cart, including a free soup and chili bar. Hell, I've golfed in colder than 24 degrees F (-4 C). It was a pretty bluebird day, not a single cloud in the sky all day, with a light breeze from the west veering toward the south.
Granted, putting was a challenge under the prevailing conditions. Every green was covered in an inch of crusty snow, and there were no actual "holes," per se. If I got the ball within a gimme of the stick, I called it good. Most of the flags were down on the ground, however, so I called it done if the ball touched any part of the cloth.
On a couple of greens, the flags were completely buried, so I had to improvise. I lost fewer balls than you'd think, as the snow was so crusty the balls would bounce and sit on top. I actually came out ahead: I picked up a lot of balls that I assume were left behind during midwinter fun tournaments when the snow was deeper. They were mostly Titleists, unfortunately, of which I'm not a big fan and will use for water hazard shots.
On most of the tee areas, the ground was frozen solid so I couldn't get a tee in the ground. In those cases, I used a 3-wood off the rocky "turf." (I parred the first hole that way!) Finally, on the 5th hole, the snow was deep enough to use a tee. I'm guessing — with some confidence — that I'm the only member of my family to tee up a Top Flight golf ball in two inches of snow and hit a pretty damn good 180-yard drive down the middle. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Tip for all you winter golfers: keep a chemical hand warmer in the same pocket with your golf balls -- the balls will retain their elasticity and go farther. Otherwise it's like hitting concrete.
Tip for all you winter golfers: keep a chemical hand warmer in the same pocket with your golf balls -- the balls will retain their elasticity and go farther. Otherwise it's like hitting concrete.
Finished with a mid-season-average 44, thanks to my generous scoring rules, and headed for the clubhouse for clam chowder (a bit bland) and Italian wedding soup (very tasty). Tom, the course manager, told me I was literally the only person to take advantage of Frostbite Friday today, for some reason. I would recommend it highly; I didn't have to wait at a single hole.
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