Sunny and warmer for KP and Wags on the second tee at Westvale for an April 10 start to the Syracuse golf season.
As the best pro golfers in the world were traversing the hills and negotiating the fast greens that mark the Masters in Augusta, Ga., this morning, KP, Wags and I were rapping putts on the ruddy greens of Westvale.
I have to hand it to my two playing partners on this first day of our golfing season in Syracuse, N.Y.
They both registered a birdie.
I did not.
My greatest feat was to roll in some long putts for par.
I even shocked and thrilled myself by ramming one home on the front nine, when the ball wasn’t really rolling at all.
The greenskeeper had aerated the putting surfaces on holes one through nine. Wags came and walked the course yesterday to enjoy a stroll and check out the conditions, and he said he did not think the greens were like that on Wednesday.
To say you had to hit the putt hard to get it to the hole is an understatement.
KP gets set to putt on the 11th green today at Westvale as Wags looks over the line.
The putting greens on holes 10 through 18, however, had not been turned into a bumpy, soggy, squishy, pock-marked puzzle by a machine poking air holes into it.
The ball actually rolled on these greens.
Wags chipped one in from just off the green for his birdie.
I decided to take an iPhone photo of KP putting on the 11th hole. I did not remember that my iPhone 4 indeed clicks like a camera shutter when you push the little white button on the screen. I clicked the gadget before KP stroked his putt.
He reminded me of the rules against such noisy in-game photography after he completed the hole. His admonishment came with a smile, of course.
I did not take a photo of KP on the 18th green. He drained a long twister to end the first round of our season with his birdie to make me wish that I had.
That is indeed snow still hanging in there at the woods line behind the green.
Yes, I did wear shorts. The temperatures hit the 60s. (Photo by KP)
That 3 on 18 should make KP more than ready for round two.
Wags and I will be enthusiastic, too.
We do not know when it will be.
Yet we are always checking our schedules to find common free time when the greens are green, the chill is gone, and the air smells sweet with spring.
At one point today, I declared that we almost had beaten the buds to Westvale.
But there were little signs of great things to come on the tips of the tree branches.
Have you started your spring and summer activities yet?
Mark Bialczak 
No spring activities yet, but writing outside. It’s been nice being able to relax outside, enjoying what we have and anticipating what we get to look forward to. I’m dusting off the shorts, however.
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Writing outside is a great way to welcome spring, Chris, and with dusted off shorts to boot.
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I can hardly believe that all the snow has gone and you are back on the golf course. Fantastic.
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Yay. It felt like forever for it to arrive this year, Rachel.
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Oui
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looks like a great day for the three of you, mark. the official kickoff to my spring was passing on my massive white puffy winter coat. next up, who knows? sky’s the limit and i am so happy about spring!
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I am happy you too can do something springy in Ann Arbor, Beth. What a long and cold winter we had.
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Dropping some lbs Beels? And look at that sunshine! So strange around this blog. Where did all that snow go? Didn’t you just celebrate your 1 year WP anniversary? I just noticed you have more than 4,000 followers?! Wowzers!
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I still had plenty to put into the shot, but thank you, Sandra! The snow is gone except for little piles that were the biggest piles before the warm spell. And the followers number includes 4,000 Facebook friends built up starting when I worked at the big daily, but I am just shy of 400 WordPress followers, and climbing slowly but surely.
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Bravo friend! Impressive stats! Glad it’s warming up over there.
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I’m glad you had a fun day Mark. I always enjoyed a stroll on the golf course. Just the strolling part though. Never could see the point in fanning the ball with that little club thingy. Since I run into walls, no way I could hit a ball. I always missed the baseball and it’s bigger than a golf ball. Have a good summer on the greens.
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I do enjoy the exercise, camaraderie and occasional good shot. Thanks, Angie.
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How fun!!! I’m not a golfer and not really an avid fan but I do looooove The Masters. Part of it is the tradition, part of it is the silence, and part of it is the beauty of Augusta!
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I love watching the Masters. It is such a gorgeous setting. You are so right about that, Barb!
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Mark, I like your jaunty hat and attire! Robin
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This hat is my winter weight fedora, Robin. Thank you!
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Mark, this sounds like a pleasant outing and a nice day to try out the skills! Practice and less aerated holes, will help the scores, I am sure! I hope that the greens will be sturdier and not so smushy the next time you all get a chance to golf! I wrote a gross note about a rumor going around about Arnold Palmer… today on my post, you have to wade through Winnie the Pooh story first, though! Smiles, Robin
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I will look for the Arnie story now, Robin!
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I can’t find the Winnie or Arnie post on your blog for some reason, Robin.
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I don’t speak golf, so I only understood about one word in ten. Although the only thing I do know about the sport is that Mark Twain supposedly called it “a good walk spoiled”, I *think* you had fun?
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Mark Twain had it wrong this time. Golf is good hours enjoyed outdoors with friends. For me. Thanks, Barb.
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Actually, I’ve always wanted to learn to play. It seems like the perfect combination of social, scenery, and exercise—once you get past the language barrier.
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You should and could learn, Barb. A lot of places like to give group lessons to beginners, where everybody starts out at the same level of knowledge. I recommend it highly
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I don’t know much about golf. Or fashion. But you had fun, that means ‘win’ to me. And you look stylish in your golfing layers. Double win. 😉
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Layered was the way to go today. The top two had to be shed as the day warmed. I loved it, indeed, Colleen, a big win spirit-wise.
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