It seemed like my off season was going to start early when we had a cold snap and snow in early November. Fortunately, 2022-2023 is an El Nino year for the Mitten and we had a very temperate December with very little snow. I managed to play four rounds in December, including New Year’s Eve. My 2023 year started early with a round at Lake Forest GC (Ann Arbor) on January 3.

The round in January was a real lifesaver. My previous attempt at golf on the last day of December had been a mess. I could do nothing right, and my ball striking was horrendous. That round was going to sit in my gut like a batch of bad clams.

When I arrived at the course on January 3, my expectations were extremely low. In fact, “low” is not exactly correct. More accurately, my expectations were that I was going to stink-out the place. I was really surprised when I hit 3 solid shots on the opening par 5 and made par with 2 putts. I continued to strike the ball very well. When I was unable to reach a green in regulation (primarily because of the very soggy turf and low temperatures), my short game kicked into high gear. I missed all my birdie putts but Made loads of par putts and shot 77.

The correct approach to golf is to quickly forget your last shot or round and concentrate on the next one. Unfortunately for me, I tend to dwell on the season’s last round, and it often colors future play. As the cold and snow descends upon the southeast corner of the Mitten state, I can now look back on my last round and feel good. Yes, 2023 is going to be a great golf season.