It’s been a while since I’ve blogged, so let’s see if I can remember how to do this. You’ll have to excuse the rust. I just got back from a four-day excursion to Nevada: three nights in Mesquite, Nevada, and one night in Las Vegas. The group I went with is, I guess you could call it, an interesting bunch. The age ranges were all over the place.

I’ll go ahead and make this joke, as I don’t gamble. I was able to break even. Even stayed even the whole trip 😎

Why do I go on this trip? It’s for the golf: golf and the company.

However, the company is becoming tougher and tougher as most of them have a bedtime of around 7 pm.

You seem like a golf snob – Bob

Well geez. I’m not sure how to respond to that. Ah, a Golf Snob, you say? Guilty as charged! Yes, I do have a thing for lush, green grass on the course. I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a fairway that looks like it was rolled out by a team of OCD garden gnomes? But let’s set the record straight: I’ve never had a caddy. I had a motorized electric push cart and got rid of it. I prefer to lug my clubs around, mainly because it gives me an excuse for my frequent pit stops to ‘admire the scenery’—or, you know, catch my breath.

And about the cost, I’ve never shelled out more than $150 for a round. I guess my snobbery has a budget! $10,000 Pebble Beach Golf Trip. Not me 😂 You might say I’m a connoisseur of the finer, yet frugally priced, things in golf. There’s a certain joy in finding those hidden gems where the greens fees don’t require a second mortgage. So, sure, call me a Golf Snob, but I prefer to think of myself as a thrifty enthusiast with a taste for verdant vistas and a penchant for DIY club schlepping.

I have nothing against those who pay for more expensive golf or those who like dirt golf fairways/bumpy greens; they are not my style.

Overall Early Impression

This year’s golf courses were quite a mixed bag. While the trip overall was enjoyable, it’s hard to overlook the disappointment I felt with the quality of the courses. Two of the three courses proved to be rather quirky and, dare I say, average at best. The playing conditions also left much to be desired, and there was nothing worth boasting about in a letter home to mom. Now, before anyone jumps to conclusions and says, “You just didn’t play well on these courses,” let me assure you that this wasn’t the case. I managed to perform quite well on two of the three courses. At one point, I found myself an impressive four-under through three holes, culminating in a stunning hole-out for a two on a par 4.

A big shout out to my friend Keith, who kept me awake on the entire drive. I enjoy our conversations more than you know.

Eric made these quite cool shirts with everyone’s faces on it. It makes it rather unforgettable.

I enjoy the camaraderie with the guys during golf. I also enjoy hanging out in the pool after golf while having a brew and sharing a laugh or twelve. I still laugh at the abuse the young lifeguards took from the old men. While we were in the pool, a mid-sixties woman in her swimsuit came over to talk with us after hearing our lifeguard commentary all afternoon.

You guys should do something nice for the lifeguards. Pool together money and make their day. Also, I’ve watched you guys in the pool for three hours and none of you have gotten out to go to the bathroom.

Later in the week, I’ll share a funny story about the evening in Vegas.

One More Thing….

Happy Birthday to my good friend Doug Babington.

It looks like you had a rather excellent dinner in Vegas, buddy. Why aren’t there dancers when I have dinner? See what happens when you don’t have a 7 pm bedtime 😂