My local golf club just held its first golf tournament of the season on St. Patrick’s day. Great weather brought out a large crowd of eager golfers, tired of the winter snows and ready for spring. The sixty+ golfers were split into teams of 4, — A B C D players mixed in together so that the teams were roughly even in ability.

I was the only woman on my team, and being the D player (the one with the highest handicap) in the group, I relied on the guys to lead the way. It was a straight scramble format with two twists: at least one drive from each player had to be used during the round, and on four of the 18 holes only one of the team could putt. It was my luck to be the first designated putter on the 16th hole. (At least the pressure would be off right away.)

As the D player in the group I felt I should hold back and let the fellows hit first. The 16th hole at The Old Barnstable Fairgrounds course is a par 4 straight ahead hole with trees on both sides and a couple of bunkers near the green. With almost 70 yards between the white tees from which the men hit and the red tees (my designated spot) I had a distinct advantage, and my first drive of the day was the best of the bunch. It landed half way down the fairway, right in the middle. I was just happy not to hit into the woods.

The team captain decided to use my ball to set up for the next shot. Unfortunately, one shot landed in a bunker, a second hit a tree and went flying into the woods and a third hit into the rough. The fourth we chose to use, landed just an inch or so on the green about 80 feet from the cup. Normally this would be fine, but I was the designated putter for the hole. If only the ball had been two inches back and off the green, one of the other guys who chipped well (and two of the three were great chippers) could have got us close. I can putt fairly well when I’m within 8 feet of the hole. But no, it was my fate to be the one to try to putt it out – 80 feet uphill to a hole that sat at the top of a descending slope.

Would it be kind to say I was trying to get “the rust” off my golf game? After 4 months of no-golf there was a lot of “rust” to shake off. So it was a three putt. Not the end of the world, but not a great beginning.

Our team, needless to say, did not win the tournament, but we had a lot of fun and that, after all is one of the best reasons to play.

How do you prepare for your first round after a long time away from the course?