Sand Saves 2000  |  Proudest Monkeys

Shaking Off the Rust

WASHINGTON, DC - Four months is a long time, at least as far as one's golf game is concerned. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Godking and Lone Star had to shake off a little rust when they took to the golf course on March 25. Puff Daddy, the group's dedicated member, had been playing golf all winter, while his playing partners, save nine holes the day before, had not swung a club since the former was a bachelor. These brave hombres nonetheless paid a visit to Hanes Point in southwest DC, hoping to work out a few kinks and get back into the flow of the game.

Each participant discovered through the course of nine holes that certain aspects of his game had mysteriously vanished. Godking learned that any ability to chip had disappeared during the cold winter, while Lone Star realized that his new driver - The Whipping Boy - was not quite as reliable as his previous mainstay, The Boomstick. Even Puff Daddy, with countless chilly rounds under his belt, found that his putting had deserted him, even if his iron play foretold a good score. Sounds pretty glum for a warm, March morning? All was not so bleak, however, as each golfer found a few gems to treasure.

The ground may have been moist and the weather not quite spring-like, but Goldfinger was already in midseason form. Lone Star's all-purpose wedge, a distant cousin of Avon's Equalizer, swung true throughout the morning, bailing the lefty out of many precarious lies. As was mentioned earlier, Puff Daddy's irons were smoking, allowing the two-year veteran to repeatedly stick his approach shots. Godking unleashes a barrage of iron tee shots, most of which traveled a great distance and some of which hit the fairways. No one came expecting greatness, but rather, a stepping stone on which to build throughout the year. With Puff Daddy and Godking entering Year #3 of their golf apprenticeship, this is a season for results. Who knows? The Senior PGA keeps getting closer every day...