Tournament Preparation

I'm playing in the Stephens County Pro Am this weekend, and I decided to try to prepare for a tournament in a slightly different way--I've been playing rounds leading up to the tournament designed to take me out of the comfort zone.

I went on a Sunday to Buckhorn because I knew it would be crowded and got in with a group. Sometimes the pace of play in a tournament can throw you off. Yesterday, I threw from the pro tees to get different looks at holes and practice throwing holes I hadn't seen in a while. This tactic also made me work on my approach game--really trying to be 100% up and down in 2 from within 150 feet.

I shot a 60 from the pro tees at Buckhorn (with a 3 putt on hole 5...grrr), so I hope I'm not leaving it all on the practice greens.

Read More

"Like the Decalogue,...

...but funny," is how director Mark Wain is quoted as describing The Ten in the new issue of Entertainment Weekly.

You know, I'm trying to think of a single sentence that would make me less inclined to go see a movie, and I'm having a rough time of it.

Possible candidates would probably include the phrases: "snuff film," "Mary-Kate and Ashley," "Deuce Bigalow" and, "Jar Jar Binks."

Read More

What I Can't Find at Blockbuster

Ever since I got Total Access, I'm catching up on some TV on DVD that I never watched (those free trade ins...)

Anyways, I started watching 24, Season 2, which is like 6 years old...and when I got to Disc 3...my Blockbuster store in Fuquay had it checked out. For like a week now. So, on my way to work, I stopped at the Blockbuster in Spring Lake, and...it was also checked out. Back to Fuquay yeterday. Disc 1 and 2 are in. Disc 4 and 5 and 6-7 are in. Still no disc two.

Today I went to Cary to see Persona at the Galaxy theater. I stopped in Holly Springs on the way home, which also has a Blockbuster. It had 24 season 2 on DVD. It had discs 4, 5, and 6-7, but disc 3 was...checked out.

Bizarre. Guess I should find some other 6 year old television show to watch.

Read More

The Sopranos

I guess my prediction is that Phil Leotardo is going to whack Christopher, but everyone (most especially Carmella) will think that Tony did it.

Then again, in six plus seasons I have never correctly predicted a Sopranos turn.

More likely to get killed: Tony or Harry Potter?

Read More

Easter Golf

Bit of a cold spell running through North Carolina this weekend, but it wasn't so cold that I couldn't get in a round of Easter Golf.

Consecutive two putts on 9 and 10 left me three over and then, wow, birdies on 11, 13, 15, and 16 to finish -1.

Must...resist...cheesy Easter cliche about come backs. Really was a phenomenal finish. I have to remember to keep fighting no matter how bad a round gets.

Read More

Lolita

So...I was doing an electronic search through the Wake County Public Library for a recorded book version of Vladimir Nabokov's Lolita.

I found it, but what caught my eye was the subject heading: erotic fiction.

Umm. Sort of. Lolita is probably the least erotic book I can think of, but whatever.

Read More

Persistence

Last week Cindy and I went out to Zebulon to play the disc golf course there. It is a long and particularly challenging course, so I was frustrated when we took a 4 on the second hole--one of the easiest on the course. We played through it, though, and eventually shot a 58.

Today I went to Buckhorn. I had a birdie on the first hole but took a disastrous 6 on hole 3. I fought back and even got under par before taking a bogey on 17 to finish the round at a respectable 54.

I'm doing better at fighting through an early set back and finding that I even have some successful rounds when doing so. I always used to feel like to have a great or even really good round I had to get off to a hot start, but really, you just have to play every hole.

Read More

Offside

My latest film column, about Jafar Panahi's Offside and other Iranian films is now available at The Matthews House Project.

Read More