Ninth Hole

Low Profile Head: An iron or wood head that is shorter from topline to soleline than typical.

or

Shallow Face: Any wood or iron having a face height shorter than normal.

I am idealistic. I always have been and my life has been a constant lesson that ideals aren't truths. I don't have much to say about my daughter's fathers visit. I didn't say much to him. (if you can't say something nice...) Sure, he got his digs on me, I'd recant in my usual sarcastic way but hold my tongue for fear of spilling forth all the nasty things I have ever wanted to say. Rachel was there, and i didnt' want it to be a day where she was worried about how I was feeling. (See, Rachel is one of those nurturing, protective type of people. But I want her to be honest about her feelings without worrying what it would do to me, to the detriment of her own "self") I just wanted her to have some fun with her dad.

I wanted to say so much yesterday. I wanted to go on about how he has no idea, no clue, no sense of value in what it means to be a father. That waltzing in once a year and handing a child a wad of cash does NOT constitute fatherhood. How about spending some time, other than a couple hours a year, with your child and really get to know her? Just because he determined her sex with a wave of his wand (a short one at that) doesn't give him full rights to say she is his child. He doesn't know what it is raise a child through all the tears, joys and permanently impressed moments of youth. He saw a picture of her on my computer desktop and asked "Oh how old was she there?" I said "She had just turned four, it was taken on our trip to Catalina Island right after you left." Don't get me wrong, our lives have been much better than I think they would have been if he stayed around. We have been blessed in countless ways. And, my daughter has amazing examples of what father's can be, through my Dad and Brothers.

Sole Weighted Iron: An iron head with the majority of its weight concentrated near the sole of the club, producing a lower center of gravity.

I was a Daddy's Girl growing up. My adoptive Father was a good man. I do have some reservations about how he enabled my adoptive Mother's ravings, but I do believe he did what he thought was best for the whole. He was a strong man, tried to do what was right in his old world style. Even though he seemed hard to some, he was soft inside. He used to call me his "little helper". I would follow him everywhere, wanting to help him in some way or just be by his side to watch. I was his girl, he'd say. From pretty fluffy dresses and pig tails, to the baby dolls I thought were real. When he passed, I was 22, I couldn't bring myself to say good-bye. I only told him before his surgery "I will see you in a bit. And remember, you have to dance with me at the Christmas party." We always danced together at his companies Christmas parties. Always.

Rescue: A name given to any number of clubs that combine features of a wood and an iron. "Rescue" is also the trademarked name of this type of club from TaylorMade that began the trend. See also "Hybrid."

The past twelve years, I would say, have been my real raising. I have learned the most, experienced the most and have been given awesome example, the most. My birth Mother's husband has been nothing but a Father to me. He exemplifies that you don't have to contribute to the making of a child to think of them and love them as one. I don't think of him as a "step-dad", I never have. He always accepted me as one of his own. Even after so many years, I am still in awe of the kind of person he is. He is strength, hard work, love, conviction, Faith, hope, encouragment, humor (in his odd cover your ears and go "la la la la la" way) and honesty, rolled into one individual. He can say that Hard stuff, that you don't want to hear but know you have to to get it, and still maintain an unconditional love. When he is raked over the coals, he stands true to his beliefs and responds with a heart for God. I am so thankful, and really lucky, to have him for a Dad. I hope you like the Golf Ball's. :P