A young man who was also an avid golfer found himself with
a few hours to spare one afternoon. He reckoned that if he
hurried and played very fast, he could get nine holes in
before he had to head home.
Just as he was about to tee-off an old gentleman shuffled
onto the teeing ground and asked if he could join him rather
than that they both play alone. Regardless of the fact that
he wanted to hurry, it would be ungracious to decline the
offer and so he accepted.
To his surprise the old fellow played fairly quickly. He didn't
hit the ball very far, but plodded along consistently and wasted
no time at all between shots.
Finally they reached the 9th fairway where the young man found
his drive had landed in a difficult spot. There was a large pine
tree directly in front of him impeding his next shot to the green.
After what seemed several minutes contemplating how he should
play the shot the old man piped up,
"You know, when I was your age I would just take out my wedge and hit the ball right over that tree".
With the challenge placed before him, the youngster swung hard,
hitting the ball up. It rose majestically, soaring upward it was
so close to being a magnificent shot, but at what seemed only a
foot from the top of the tree it struck with a hard smack, before
thudding back to earth within a yard from where it originally lay.
"Of course", ventured the old chap, "When I was your age that
tree was only three feet tall".
a few hours to spare one afternoon. He reckoned that if he
hurried and played very fast, he could get nine holes in
before he had to head home.
Just as he was about to tee-off an old gentleman shuffled
onto the teeing ground and asked if he could join him rather
than that they both play alone. Regardless of the fact that
he wanted to hurry, it would be ungracious to decline the
offer and so he accepted.
To his surprise the old fellow played fairly quickly. He didn't
hit the ball very far, but plodded along consistently and wasted
no time at all between shots.
Finally they reached the 9th fairway where the young man found
his drive had landed in a difficult spot. There was a large pine
tree directly in front of him impeding his next shot to the green.
After what seemed several minutes contemplating how he should
play the shot the old man piped up,
"You know, when I was your age I would just take out my wedge and hit the ball right over that tree".
With the challenge placed before him, the youngster swung hard,
hitting the ball up. It rose majestically, soaring upward it was
so close to being a magnificent shot, but at what seemed only a
foot from the top of the tree it struck with a hard smack, before
thudding back to earth within a yard from where it originally lay.
"Of course", ventured the old chap, "When I was your age that
tree was only three feet tall".
