Sound track for the long ride home

[moosepalm]

Today was getaway day from the Spa, and after three days of getting my butt kicked eight ways to sundown, and a fourth in which I extracted less than even money value out of 8- and 9-1 shots, I assure you, it was a looong ride home.  About an hour from my I-90 exit, my iPod, in shuffle mode, cynically dialed in \"Gambler\'s Blues\" by legendary Chicago bluesman, Otis Rush.  The refrain goes \"I don\'t know nothin\' \'bout gamblin\'...\"  It is at moments like that I know the Great Spirit is having sport with me.  

All that notwithstanding, a losing week-end at the Spa beats just about anything else one does standing or seated except a winning week-end at the Spa.  I\'ve read some comments here about TGJB turning in a virtuoso performance at the Saturday seminar, and while true, it was not his most astounding achievement of the week-end.  That distinction goes to his tee shot on the 16th hole at the State Park golf course, a 360 yard dogleg right, Par 4.  Facing that challenge, JB went rummaging in his bag of spoons and mashie niblicks, and pulled out his driver for the first time in the round.  He proceeded to crush a power fade right along the dogleg tree line, well out of our visual range.  After spending a few minutes trying to locate it in a wooded area, JB hit a provisional, and as we approached the green, we then spotted his original Pinnacle lying about thirty yards in front of the green, having flown not only the dogleg, but quite likely the group in front of us, as well.  Having established a new top, I think the big dawg went back in the bag for at least a 72-hole layoff.  

JB also gets credit for the line of the day when, as we trudged off the first green after hooking and dribbling our way to triple and quad bogeys, he said he was thinking of changing the name of the event to the \"Ragozin Open.\"  Fortunately, we came away with three pars on the next hole, and he regained his comfort with the Thorograph name association.  All in all, it was a very enjoyable day of mediocre golf, meeting some great guys (shout out to Bob and Dave) and getting a new hat.  

So, now I\'m licking my wounds and counting the days until I return to the Spa (as luck would have it, the number is thirteen).  I love that track and town like no other.  Previously, I had written about a good friend, who left us very unexpectedly a few years ago, and whose name and remains are scattered throughout the town he loved.  One of my fondest memories is a night when we were sharing some adult beverages at a Saratoga watering hole, and he looked around the bar where all the TV monitors were tuned into the horse racing channel, and said, \"This... is a civilized town.\"

[TGJB]

Roger-- thank you for the flattering description of a drive that went 40 yards right of where I aimed it. Like you, I minimized the results of my handicapping, the same way I did on the golf course-- by swinging too hard.

One stroke for the first 300 yards, four for the next 50, for bogie.