A Simple Round of Golf

This story is fiction and all characters are over 18.

Lucy and I went to a smaller state university located in a medium sized Texas town. Everyone knew Lucy and I was no exception. We had several classes together during our first two years in school. The first year she pledged a sorority and dated one of the stud athletes on the baseball team. The second year she didn't date any one person regularly but went out with different people.

I didn't date much my first year as I was trying to adapt to college life and keep my grades up. The second year, I started dating a girl named Nancy that I liked a lot and we had a lot of fun together including fairly regular sex. At the end of the year, she told me that she was transferring to another college and we broke up.

One of the things Nancy and I always did during our year together was go to the sporting events especially the women's sports. Nancy liked to support the girls since most people didn't pay much attention to them. I came to admire the grace and beauty of women's sports because they had to depend more on skill and hard work whereas the men relied on strength, size and brute force to compete. As a result, we quickly became very aware of Lucy. She played volleyball in the fall, basketball in the winter, and softball in the spring. At 5'4", she wasn't the biggest girl on any team but she earned her place by being the most competitive and hardest working member of the group. She was one of those that people called the "spark plug" of the team. In volleyball, she was the one who went to the floor to dig out saves. In basketball, she was stealing passes and feeding others so they could score. In softball, her play around second base was superb. The result was that more often than not she left the floor in the fall and winter with bloody knees and in the spring, she usually left with a dirty uniform and a limp.

I came to admire her for her leadership skills and her competitiveness. I admired her because she was many things that I wasn't. I was tall enough at 6' but I only weighed in at 160 lbs. I also had grown up with limited strength and motor skills. I played sports when I was young but my body wasn't developed enough to be any good. So I began playing golf with my father and focused on school. It wasn't until I was a senior in high school that I started to develop strength and coordination. As a result, I had missed the opportunity to participate in high school athletics as well as many of the social skills that come with being part of the social center of school life; I was more of a loner and quiet type. I really started to develop in college. I was well liked and participated in many school activities but I was still outside the major social center of the sorority and fraternity crowd. I didn't mind because I had found my place and I was comfortable with where I was.

I was 20 and after my second year in college, I decided to stay for the summer and take additional classes hoping that I might graduate early and start working in my father's business. As I matured physically, my golf game improved to the point where I was a consistent player who shot in the low 80's. I was playing with a couple of the teachers in late May and mentioned that I was staying for summer school. One of them asked me if I would like to assist him with the golf class he was going to teach that summer. We talked about what he needed me to do and I agreed. I would get to the course early and get the teaching clubs out for the day and mark off an area of the practice range for the class and then help with individual students during class. He gave me a schedule for the summer and what the subjects would be for the eight week class. The class met three days a week and for the first couple of weeks, everything was on the practice range. After that, two days were classroom and range and the third was set aside to play a couple of holes on the course. The final exam was a full 18 hole round. I thought that it was a good program and didn't foresee any conflicts with my schedule.

On the first day of class, I arrived early to get things set up and was drinking a cup of coffee when Lucy arrived. "Hi Rick, it's nice to see you again. We haven't had a class together in awhile."

"Hi Lucy, that's true but I have been following you from the stands. I really like the way you play all of your sports."

"Thanks. I always noticed you when you were there. Is Nancy here this summer?"

"No, we broke up because she is transferring to another school in the fall."

"I'm sorry Rick; you two made a nice looking couple."

"Thanks. So you decided to take up golf to go with all of your other sports?"

"Actually, I am taking it up because of them. I love to play and compete, but it is really taking a toll on my body. Besides, once I'm through with college, I'm through with sports unless I can find something to replace them with. So I am taking both golf and tennis this summer along with an English class I missed last year."

"I can't imagine you not being good or not enjoying either sport. They are individual sports rather than team efforts." She nodded in agreement.

Just then, the other students started to arrive and the teacher drove up. We gathered under a big tree around a picnic table as the instructor began the class. He introduced himself and briefly talked about the game of golf and then handed out the class schedules. As he began to describe how the class was going to work, he motioned me over and said, "I have asked Rick Phelps to assist the class. He is a pretty good golfer and a patient teacher and partner. During class, I will probably do most of the talking but Rick will demonstrate a lot of the things we talk about. Then he and I will work with you individually to refine your skills. We aren't trying to turn you into pros but to give you a feel for the game. It is one that you can play and enjoy for the rest of your life. So let's go over to the practice area and warm up." I felt proud of the introduction he had given me and was also proud of the fact that Lucy looked at me with a smile when she heard that I was to assist the class.

As we walked to the practice area, she said, "Why didn't you tell me that you were teaching the class?"

"Because I'm not; he is. I'm just assisting and I'm not real sure how I would teach golf anyways. I just play it."

"Well, plan on helping me a lot. I don't plan on leaving this class as a girl duffer. I want to be a golfer who happens to be a girl."

"I don't think that anyone will miss the fact that you are a girl." As soon as I said it, I blushed. I never said flirty things like that to someone I didn't know well.

She laughed, "I'm thrilled that you finally noticed I was a girl and not just a jock." If anything, I got redder.

The teacher began talking about warming up routine and had me show how I prepared for a round. I went through my stretches and things while he continued talking. I was keenly aware that Lucy was watching me closely. Then he talked about gripping the club and I took my grip and walked along to show everyone how I took it in my hand and interlocked my fingers. Lucy wanted to watch again as I did it and then tried it with the club in her hand. I could tell that she really wanted to start properly and made a note to show her everything I knew as she picked things up.

Then the teacher talked about the stance and had me demonstrate both a proper stance and a couple of improper ones. With each, I hit a couple of balls to show the results of an improper stance. Once again Lucy was setting her feet and moving her body to get the feel of how different stances affected her balance. Then we got to the swing. I demonstrated a smooth and several choppy ones. Lucy was already practicing a smooth swing without a club in her hands. There was only thirty minutes left in the class by then, so he told the class to get a bucket of balls and hit them for the rest of the time. He then told me to work with them as he had to go back early to attend a faculty meeting.

It was no surprise that most of the students had forgotten most of what we had talked about and I spent several minutes refreshing their memories. Lucy was the exception as she tried to put everything together. She hit a number of balls poorly, but she hit many solidly. Each one she hit like that brought out her winning smile. As a result, I spent little time with her during class. She just needed to get comfortable with what she was already doing.

When the class was over the other students left quickly and I began to gather the clubs together. She came up to me and said, "I thought you were going help me. You helped everyone else but didn't even notice me once."

"Trust me, I noticed you on almost every swing." Her face brightened into a big smile. "And besides, you don't need much help. You studied what we talked about and put it into practice. That and with your natural athleticism, you picked it up quickly. All you need is practice and confidence in what you are doing. After you get that down, there are some things that I can show you, but it is too early for that yet. In case you didn't notice, everyone else forgot everything we talked about and I had to go over it again with them but I still kept a close eye on you."

"Well then I guess I did two things right today. I've got to go to my English class. I'll see whenever."

I smiled and waved goodbye. I finished putting things away and got ready to go to my class. I felt good about the first day of class and was surprised but pleased to watch how well Lucy did.

It was raining during the next class and we met in one of the private dining rooms in the clubhouse. The instructor talked about clubs and how to choose the proper one to use. Lucy was the only one taking notes. I carried each club around as he talked about them and pointed out the features that he was talking about. Then he talked about putting and I demonstrated several putting stances including a couple that no one would ever use. He then had the class go to the indoor putting green and try out different putters and try their hand on the practice green. Soon the others were slapping balls around like they were billiard balls. Lucy was trying different putters and different strokes. I helped a couple of others and then went to her.

"How are you doing, Lucy?"

"Be still my heart; then man paid attention to me."

"Don't be a turd; I told you that I notice you. So what is the problem?"

"He thinks I'm a turd; but then I think his is a shit, so we make a good team." She smiled her winning smile at me and I blushed again. "I'm having trouble picking a putter. Some are too long and some too heavy or light. How do you pick one?"

"That's one of the tricky things in golf. There isn't a right one for everyone. It is a lot about your personal preference. Some people change putters weekly and the manufacturers get rich off of those people. Others find one and play with it for years. Don't worry about the length, they can be shortened. Choke down on the grip to find a comfortable position and then focus on the way the club feels in your hands. Do you feel like you can line it up every time and does it feel comfortable when you swing it? Ultimately, you want one that feels good in your hands and that when you line it up, you can see the line and swing it to hit that line."

"Oh, well I sort of feel that way with this one but I don't like the grip and length. This one feels good in my hands but I don't feel confident in how it lines up. This is frustrating."

"The more you learn about golf, there are a lot of things that will frustrate you until you find the right mix that works best for you. The ball you choose to use, the grips on all of your clubs, which putter and wedges you like; all of those things will come up as you get better and figure out how much you are willing to spend on equipment."

"Well, right now, I want to buy my own putter. Will you take me and help me find one?"

"Sure. When are you available?"

"After this class on Friday, I am free until my 2:00 class."

"I'm free then too. We can go to the golf store and try out a lot more types. They have a big selection."

"Let's plan on it and I will buy you lunch for going with me."

"Um, if you don't mind, let me buy lunch. I'm kind of one of those guys who likes to pick up the check."

She eyed me closely and then said, "Alright, but you aren't going to pick up all of the checks for lunch if we do that again."

"Ok, that's a deal."

Just then I heard my name being called as one of the other students had bounced a putter blade off of one of the girls and she felt like her ankle was broken. It wasn't of course but she might get a bruise from it. I then had to remind them that putting was about finesse not strength. When the class was over, Lucy was already gone and I put things up. Then I went to class.

On Friday she was again early and we warmed up together. I noticed that today she was wearing shorts and a polo shirt. Previously, she had worn slacks to class. When I looked at her legs, I saw why. There were a number of bruises that were about to go away. When I asked her about them, she replied that they were bruises from a sorority softball game the previous week; she blushed when I asked about them.

When class was over, she waited for me to put the clubs away and then asked, "Do we go in your car or mine?"

"I guess it will have to be yours. I put my truck in the shop for the day to get new brakes. I had my roommate drop me off this morning." She brightened at that and took my hand and led me to her car. It was a fairly new Japanese model but not a luxury one. But it was sporty and fit her personality to a tee.

I gave her directions to the golf store where she quickly got lost in the clothes and clubs and things. Then we went to look at the putters. She quickly dismissed most of the ones designed for women and focused on several other models, all of which were fairly high end putters that I could dream about but couldn't afford. After an hour, she had narrowed the choice down to two. She really liked the design and feel of one club but liked the grip on the other. I suggested that she get the one which she liked the design and walked her over to the grip counter and found the grip that she liked. I told her that I would fit the putter for length and put the new grip on it. She beamed with excitement. I used the store tools and checked out her grip size and the proper length for her and she bought it along with a pair of golf shorts and a skirt.

We went to a Chinese buffet for lunch and she seemed thrilled with the choice, saying that she hadn't had a lot of Chinese food but what she had tried she liked. As a result, she sampled a wide variety of things and discovered a number of items that she really enjoyed. We talked throughout lunch about ourselves and our backgrounds.

I learned that she grew up in a mid-sized town 150 miles to the west and that her parents had died in a car wreck when she was a freshman in high school. She spent the rest of her high school living with her grandparents. Her dad had left her with a college trust fund that covered her costs and a spending allowance. She had enjoyed sports in high school and then college and had decided that she was going to be high school teacher and hopefully coach girl's sports.

I told her that I grew up fifty miles east and that my dad had a garden center there. I was on a partial academic scholarship majoring in small business development and intended to return to help run the business end of his garden center. I told her about learning to play golf with my father and that I hadn't been much of an athlete or socialite in high school.

We lost track of time and had to hurry back to the campus in order to get to our classes on time. I promised that I would have her putter ready for class on Monday when we would be working on putting and chipping. The smiles on our faces never left during lunch or the drive home.

On Monday, I handed her the new putter with the grip she liked and she went immediately to the green and found out that she was deadly with the putter in her hand. She also picked up the subtlety of chipping and around the green play. After the class, she thanked me with a hug and kiss on the cheek before she went to class. On Friday, she stayed after class and practiced with me for an hour and we went to lunch and then to class again.

The next week we started playing three holes each class. We started with three easy par 3s the first week and then moved to par 4s the next week and then par 5s. Then we tried out some of the trickier holes until the end of the class. After the first day on the par 3s, she asked if I would take her to the golf store again as she had decided that she wanted to buy her own clubs rather than use the class clubs. I agreed and we went on Friday. She had been studying various clubs and pretty well knew what she wanted to get. She wisely chose to not buy a complete set but bought a driver and fairway clubs, and then bought a set of irons, and finally two wedges along with a bag and another set of golf clothing. She picked out the grips she wanted and I measured her for each club and had them ready for her on the following Monday. We continued our habit of practicing after class on Fridays and then going to lunch.

During the last class before the final exam, the teacher announced that the final was optional and that he already had grades for everyone. If they came for the final, I would be there to work with them during the round and he hoped that everyone had enjoyed the class and would continue playing in the future.

I showed up on Friday not knowing who would show up but I expected that Lucy would be there and she did show up with one other pair. I explained that we would play as a foursome so I could help everyone. The other two looked at Lucy and smiled.

"Um, Rick I think the two of us are just going to play a casual round and stop after nine holes. You and Lucy go on and play. I think that you two will enjoy it more without us chasing balls in the rough all day." I turned to Lucy who had a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

"OK, Lucy, what is going on?"

"Nothing much. I just want to play you because I am going to whip your ass." She grinned.

"That's a pretty bold statement for a little girl."

"Just for that, I am going to whip your ass after I whip your ass on the course. Bring your A-game because you are in for a tough day."

"We'll see about that. So what are the stakes for this challenge match?"

"If I win, you take me out for dinner tonight. If you just happen to get lucky and win, I will take you out to dinner tonight."

"You're on. But don't expect me to show you any mercy."

"If I even think that you are easing up on me, I will whip your ass for that too. I want you to play your best so I can see just how good I am."

We agreed that she would use the ladies tees and I would use the middle tees to even out the differences in the length of my drives versus hers. We warmed up and were called to the first tee at 10:00. When we made the turn after nine holes we stopped for burgers and I looked at the score card and found that I was two shots ahead. I had missed three twenty foot putts while she had not missed from inside fifteen feet. On the tougher back nine, we played fairly evenly until the 17th hole when she left her tee shot short and it landed in the water. I won by five but was really impressed with how far she can come in only eight weeks. She shot an 89 even with the water ball. I hadn't broken 90 until I had been playing for three years. I told her how impressed I was with her game.

We stopped in the clubhouse for a beer. When we sat down, I asked, "Did you really expect to win?"