Golf – I’ve given up!

Because my left arm doesn’t want to participate enthusiastically in the backswing. I think I have impingement of the shoulder, or some such. It’s not severe and doesn’t bother me overmuch but it does reduce my range of movement inhibit my golf swing.

Now, there have always been a number of impediments to my golf swing although some sweet people in the past have complimented me on how good it looked. But looking good as your golf ball threatens to decapitate a passing rabbit is missing the point. Nevertheless, I persevered for a number of years in the knowledge that competent golf was just another half-hour away spent on the practice range, but like a rainbow the goal of good golf was always tantalisingly just out of reach. But again I persevered when my son took the game up and golf provided a way to spend some quality time strolling down the fairways of life. Anyway, I still enjoyed playing the game – irrespective of the cost of replacing lost balls.

But this latest with the shoulder damped my enthusiasm and I played more and more reluctantly and less and less often. Then one day I realised I hadn’t played for months and was persuaded not to renew my club membership on the grounds that it was becoming a total waste of a lot of money. So that was that.

As if I had the time with all the writing, gigging and promotion I’m committed to. I miss playing with my son, though, and I cast a nostalgic eye to the fairway of the short par 4 sixth a Inchmarlo, as I drive past it on a warm summer’s evening.