Here's a quick quiz: which is the most valuable sports franchise in the world? I was shocked at the answer, which will be below.
In terms of temperature, it was the hottest round of golf Cuz and I have played this season. Last night's heavy thunderstorms slowed the track down considerably. There was no extra roll to shots. I really messed up the second hole. I was in the fairway, 120 yards out and chunked two consecutive short irons, left a pitch a few feet short of the green, and walked away muttering. I then rallied, parring four of the next five holes, only to throw it all away with double bogie on eight and a triple on the par-three ninth, a hole which has been so kind to me over the years and which I've completely butchered two weeks in a row. I was pretty demoralized, especially when my drive on ten landed behind a tree root. I feared the next shot would pop straight into the air. It did, caromed off a branch of the big tree, and landed behind me. Golf can be a cruel mistress. I'm sure Cuz wanted to laugh but he held it back. On the long par-four twelfth, I hit what looked like a beautiful pitch right at the flag, which was on the upper tier of the green. It lost steam about a foot from the plateau and rolled all the way to the lower corner, and I let out an MF at the top of my lungs. I three-putted and did so at the next hole as well. By then I was suicidal. Cuz, on the other hand, was chipping and putting phenomenally, making up for his poor ball-striking, especially off the tee. It looked like he was going to smoke me, when suddenly I rallied, making three five-footers down the stretch, coming in at 89. And Cuz had the cruelty of the game bite him hard, finishing with two Mickeys (Mantle), sevens, that is, for a 92. One can't get too high or too low on the course. There are ups and downs, no matter the skill level of the player. An even keel is the best approach. Cuz exemplifies this. I, on the other hand.... I thank our playing partners, Jeff and Kevin, for putting up with me.
Answer to the quiz: Manchester United, way ahead of the second place franchise, Real Madrid. The Skanks and Cowgirls tie for third.
I'm not sure I'll be doing any book-selling tomorrow. I'm accompanying a friend to the doctor, and the temperature is supposed to climb to 95. Only nuts play golf and sell books on the streets in this kind of weather.
Visit Vic’s sites:
Vic’s Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic’s Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic’s Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic’s 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic’s 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic’s Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f