Welcome to kernrivergolf.com the industry leader in public golf for the Southern San Joaquin Valley. One of the regulars passed this on to me and I think it about sums it up. As always if you have any new or fresh ideas, or constructive criticism, you can e-mail me at jfkrg@aol.com. Special thanks to Kirk Johnson. Head down, finish high,
It's the way the first tee feels, alive with possibility. It's that feeling, out of nowhere, that comes as you're lining up a putt letting you know that all you have to do is get the ball rolling and the hole will get in the way. It's nine holes late in the day, when the sun is sinking and the shadows are stretching, showing every bump and roll in a golden light that makes you stop and look around. It's the guys who look like they can't play a lick then spend their days around par, not needing swing coaches, just having a knack for getting the ball in the hole. It's calling your own penalties. It's a kid with his bag slung over his shoulder, cap pulled low, hoofing it down a fairway. It's nipping a wedge just right, having it bounce once and cozy up to the hole the way Sergio does it. It's a bowl of peanuts and a cold beer at the end of the day, when stories can be embellished, if only a little. It's the warm feel of a turtleneck in December, the first greening of the grass in March, the thrill of hitting it a club longer in July and greens as fast as the kitchen floor in October. It's the scent of salt air, the faint taste of pine pollen on your lips and the glimpse of a gator in a low country lagoon. It's standing over a 5-footer that doesn't matter to anyone but you and being thankful for the feeling. It's golf. And it's why we play. Amen ...