Dear Santa,

You might have thought I was too old to be putting together my Christmas “wish list,” or maybe that I might not even believe in you anymore, but you’d be wrong on both counts. Though I had my doubts about you during that immature period of about 12 to 35 years of age, I then came to realize that you were, in fact, very real.

Thanks for tolerating my youthful indiscretion back then.

So, with that confession out of the way, I thought I would put together my own personal wish list for this glorious Christmas of 2021.

1. One of my pet peeves is with those who don’t respect our practice ranges. I’ve seen it even at both my private clubs . . . too many golfers will gouge up an area of the range and simply walk away, leaving the bucket of sand not 10-15 feet away completely untouched. So, Santa, my wish is that you would leave a lump of coal . . . no, wait . . . a bucket of sand in the stockings of all these perpetrators to hopefully help them get the message.
2. And Santa, can you also help those golfers understand that you don’t have to take a full, clean unique divot with every shot on the range? Can you show them that if you just put the next ball on the back edge of the last divot, you can hit a hundred balls or more and not tear up more than a square foot or so of the range, leaving the rest of it pristine for the next golfer. And don’t forget to remind them about the sand, please?
3. While we are on the subject of course care, Santa, can you gift all the golfers with a good ball mark repair tool, and a lesson on how to use it? All our greens would roll much truer if we would just take a second or two to find our ball mark and fix it properly. And golfers, while you’re at it, how about subscribing to the principle of “mine and one or two more” when you are on each green.
4. Here’s a request for all the professional golf TV viewers out there, Santa. How about “treating” us to watching the PGA Tour professionals play more events with 15-20 mph wind so we can really see their skills tested to the max? It really gets boring watching the best players in the world hit these towering irons shots into soft greens with the flags hanging lifeless.
5. Oh, and while we are on the subject of professional golf, Santa, can you give more golfers the wisdom to watch more LPGA golf? These ladies work just as hard as the men and put on a helluva show for us, one that we can learn a lot from if we’ll just pay attention to their impeccable fundamentals and timing. And the fact that most of them smile a lot more than the guys . . . maybe they are actually more thankful they get to play a game for a living?
6. And Santa, here’s one for my readers each week, who make writing this blog so gratifying. Would you give them each a bit of inspiration to write to me and share their questions or topics they would like me to address? I run short on ideas sometime, and it would be great to hear from my readers now and again so I can speak directly to them.
7. As for me, Santa, I cannot think of too much to ask for myself. . . except to have another year of great health so that I can continue to learn about this great game we all play and to be able to share my knowledge and experience each week with my readers. {Oh, and more time on the water chasing redfish with the fly rod, please?}
8. Oh, maybe one more thing for me, Santa. Can you bring me just a bit more patience with those maddening little episodes of “yippy-ness” that creep into my short game and putting from time to time?

I hope you all enjoyed my list for Santa. Merry Christmas to you all, and may you all enjoy the happiest of New Years in 2022!