Yesterday we talked a bit about things we wish we could have done over (e.g. the 13th hole at fox Hopyard) to take the trip from fantastic to perfect. In other words, not complaints or regrets, but things we’d certainly do next time based on what we learned this time. Today I want to take a little voyage through some of the things we did right…
Golf
Sbj: Melanie’s suggestion of doing a mini-tour was significant to the point that not doing it might have ruined the trip. I spent about 8 months (4 of which were no golf because of winter) adjusting to the overlapping grip I now use, after discovering my pinky cannot do interlocking day after day. Trying to make that adjustment on the fly while playing these rounds would have done quite a bit more than dampened the trip.
Mj: Thoroughly researching courses, which insured that we had a good mix of difficulty levels and unique/interesting features and/or history. This also ensured that we had enthusiasm from the course itself.
Sbj: Intentionally playing a few rounds in bad weather (including the infamous “snow day”) proved valuable as well. Having a routine for dealing with wet clubs (grips, mostly) and being used to playing *very* wet made our rain days on the trip something we could simply take in stride.
Mj: Stocking up on golf balls before the trip which made us aware that Soren’s favorite ball was being discontinued, causing us to redouble our effort and get even more.
Sbj: Got good golf shoes (specifically two pairs). The waterproofing is worth my weight in gold and having two pairs I could alternate added significant value in the form of a car that does not constantly smell like a locker room.
Mj: Buying a hardcase for storing Soren’s golf bag in during the drive. This allows us to stack copious amount of %#$@ on top if it… and… copious amounts of ^$%# have we!
Non-golf
Mj: Entering the trip with the correct expectations – at no point did we think it would be a vacation; we knew it would be mentally and physically exhausting (and we welcomed it!) – and we knew things might go wrong, and didn’t freak out when they did.
Sbj: Took the time to craft a decent press release on the trip. Having a relatively concise document covering all the salient points about the trip when we had media inquiries was very helpful. There was enough going on during the trip that it would have been difficult to try to remember everything on the fly.
Mj: Recognizing from the get go that this was Soren’s “baby” and therefore taking the passenger seat, when I would have rather stuffed him in the trunk and driven this trip in my own direction!
Sbj: Took the time to develop actual relationships with many of the courses we played before heading out. In many cases arriving at the property felt like visiting friends rather than showing up at a business; there is no way to quantify the value of that when you arrive at 6:00am with just a couple hours of sleep from the night before.
Mj: Planning, planning, planning! The route, courses, lodging – all set up before departure. Developing processes for properly handling laundry, club removal from/insertion into the car each day, efficiently getting in and out of our accommodations, etc.
Sbj: Married the best project planner/manager, I’ve ever met. Melanie’s card says “Logistics/Amazing Wife”… while there is no question that “logistics” should be listed second, there is also no way this trip comes off (let alone as well as it has) without her steady hand.