The last round of golf I played was October 15th, 2022. Dad was in the hospital. Stable. Sleeping. Not unusual for this time of day. He knew how much I love this game and told me several times to go play on previous days while I was with him, so I decided to go a mile down the road to a little municipal course and cram 9 holes. I had just putted out on 9 when my mom called to tell me his BP dropped and his O2 was dropping. I hurried back and within the hour he was gone.

I haven’t played since. My score that day was 18 on 9 holes. I don’t regret going because he always wanted me to and enjoyed hearing my stories and my scores, but I am sad that I couldn’t share it with him or that I won’t be able to anymore.

Tomorrow, I hit the course again with the remembrance of the man who bought my first set of clubs, taught me how to putt, and who never played a round of golf in his life.