The Game of Golf,
Mike's Way
Title Page
This book was created
especially for
Michael Jeremy Smith,
a golfer without equal!
May 25, 2000
Page 3
The game of golf, as we
know
it, was developed in
Scotland in
the early 1700's. Since
its humble
beginnings, the game
has exploded
in popularity around
the world.
From its legendary
stars like
Slammin' Sammy Snead to
the current
crop of rising young
stars on the
PGA and LPGA tours, the
game has
been played many ways.
Then, there is
Mike Smith's way!
Page 4
Mike, along with Larry, often
tees it up on his
favorite golf
course,
The Moors Golf and Country
Club. When this happens, the only
thing safe from their
golf shots is
the middle of the
fairway. Worms,
trees, ducks, fish, and
birds are in mortal danger!
Page 7
Rumors to the contrary,
Mike is
no cheapskate.
Mike may be a bit
frugal when it comes to
less
important issues like
retirement
planning, dental work
and
back-taxes, but not
when it comes to
golf equipment.
Page 8
Mike learned long ago that golf
is a game you play to
win. After
all, there's usually a
wager or two at stake.
Over the years,
Mike has learned
to hold his breath on
his backswing,
play the ball where it
lies, and
never worry about a
little water.
Page 11
Golf is not the most
important
thing in
Mike's life. He knows how
to set priorities and
how to put
things into
perspective. It is not
true that
Mike once played an entire
round of golf in a
tornado.
He played 17 holes, and
then his
golf clubs blew away!
Page 12
A perfect game happens
when
every drive is down the
middle of the
fairway, every green is
hit in
regulation, and every
putt is knocked
into the center of the
cup.
Some golfers even
aspire to the
ultimate
accomplishment: shooting
one's age.
Mike has no trouble
shooting 23. The
problem is that he
does it on the first
few holes.
Page 15
Most "good" golfers
have a collection
of shots for every
occasion. These include
a fade, a draw, a bank
shot, and a bunker shot.
Mike also has a collection of golf
shots, including the
worm burner, the skull,
and the pop-fly. His
best shot is called
"Ooops, that's a
mulligan," so named by Larry.
Page 16
Years ago, a golf
handicap
system was invented.
This system
was designed to let
golfers of
different skills and
abilities
play against one
another on an
equal basis. The idea
is to take
the best 10 rounds of a
golfer's
last 20 rounds and use
these to
determine one's
handicap.
The system has one
major flaw
for
Mike: he has never played 10
rounds of golf that
were worth counting.
Page 19
One of the reasons
Mike plays golf
is for the exercise it
provides. Other
activities were just
not right for
Mike. He tried swimming, but he kept
sinking to the bottom.
He tried
tennis, but the net
kept getting in the
way. Jumping to
conclusions was fine,
but it tired him out.
Golf provides exactly
the right
amount of exercise for
a finely tuned
athletic body like
Mike's.
Page 20
After most rounds of
golf, Mike
usually joins
Larry for a visit to the
19th hole. This
provides them with a
chance to rehash the
shots of the day,
settle the wagers, and
plan their next outing.
The scene is usually
the same.
Mike delays in the pro shop until the
drinks are bought.
Then, he rehashes
all of his unlucky
bounces, pays off
his debts, and leaves
just before it is his turn to buy.
Page 23
Despite his apparent
lack of
skill,
Mike still manages to hit the
occasional good golf
shot. There is
still talk about the
birdie Mike got
last year when he
miraculously hit
his shot out of a deep
bunker and
right into the hole.
Page 24
Mike Smith and his partners
play golf for the love
of the game.
For them, it's an
outing, a chance
to get close to nature,
and a way to
relieve tension.
Mike once said,
"Every time I hit the
golf ball, my
stress level goes
down."
Otherwise, why would he
hit so many shots?
Page 27
Mike has always dreamed about
writing his own golf
book. Some of
the titles he has
considered include:
Mike's Tips on Lining up Your 4th Putt
Golf and Divorce: Do It
Mike's Way
The 19th Hole: How
Mike Never Buys
Page 28
