I first started golfing because I was getting too old for softball and other action sports that could leave you with at least a sprained ankle. Many guys my age opt for fishing. Here is how I fish. I drive to Pensacola and visit Joe Patti’s Seafood Market. I always catch grouper, pompano, dolphin (mahi mahi), and other delicacies that slept in the Gulf of Mexico last night. They are cleaned, filleted, and wrapped in white paper. I don’t have a boat payment, huge gas bill to fill the boat, and a lot of “friends” who go fishing on the boat I don’t have. I get my shrimp, oysters, and crabmeat from my brother-in-law Greg at Lad and Dad’s Meat and Seafood Market here in Mobile (best ever). So much for my adventures in fishing (plus I am usually the guy “chumming” as I get nauseated when deep sea fishing.
Sharon had to attend a medical conference at Doral while Paul HAD TO PLAY GOLF on the Blue Monster. It is a tough job, but someone has to do it.Golf is incredibly challenging. You hit a small hard ball with a club ill designed to do so from a tee box 400+ yards from a hole in the ground a little bit larger than a coffee cup. You have four shots to make it in par. Last Thursday I make it in 2 shots. My second shot was with a 7-wood from 187 yards out. At that instant, I made all the proper moves and loaded up my backswing like Tiger Woods and unleashed a line drive that found the cup like a heat-seeking missile finds its target. Of course, the next hole was an awakening as I knew Tiger’s number one world ranking was not in jeopardy, even though I almost birdied that par five hole.
Paul's tee shot on #9 hole of the Blue Monster at Doral CC in Miami. So close to a hole-in-one.
Paul's tee shot on #9 hole of the Blue Monster at Doral CC in Miami. So close to a hole-in-one.I played many sports and I have to say golf is the best game I ever played. As great as a game golf is, it is not the reason I love it so much. I have deeper reasons.
I gave my granddaughter Payton Brooke Fulford a set of junior golf clubs two years ago for Christmas. They sat in her room untouched until this year when she said, “Grand Paul, I think I would like to learn how to play golf.” She had to say no more.
I set up her first lesson with Duke, the head pro at Spring Hill College Golf Course. Duke was amazed at Payton’s natural posture and ability to hit a draw the first time she ever hit a golf ball. He seriously believes if she dedicates herself to the game, we could be watching her on Sundays at the LPGA. Now that cranks my tractor!
I befriending Chad Applin and volunteered to assist him with the golf team at Cottage Hill Christian Academy. Payton made the team and we had a marvelous time practicing and playing. We continue to take lessons and Duke believes in her more each time she hits the ball. I do too. She is a natural. We go out and play and I don’t give her anything as it won’t be long before she will be beating me like a drum.
The great news is that a female athlete in high school can get a free ride to college if they can consistently shoot in the low eighties. If they can shot in the low seventies, they can name the college they want to play for and get a college education at no cost. That is good news for her mom and me.
God is so good. He put me in a position where I am now also assisting another golf coach, this time on the college level. I am now working with Steve Hodges at Spring Hill College. I will be the assistant coach for the men’s team. Could it be that God already knows Payton Brooke will be a big time college star and he is preparing me to be her guide? I pray so as she is such a great kid and the world needs to see how wonderful she is too (even though I love hogging her for myself).
2006-2007 Middle School Team Members
The following are the CHBS Middle School students which are on the CHCA Golf Team:
Joshua Bethea, Grant Davis, TJ Dressler, Payton-Brooke Fulford, Tre' Larsen, Gabi Oubre', Adam Spiller.
Gospel Outreach League Fellowship (G.O.L.F.)
God laid this title on my heart in 2003. That fall, I started a golf league through Cottage Hill Baptist Church as an outreach ministry. Sharon and I felt it would honor God if we gave away one of our timeshare weeks to our condo located in Maui on Kapalua Golf Course. The winner each year gets that one-week vaction as the grand prize.
We tee off at 8:00 AM on the last Friday of each month at Spring Hill College Golf Course. We play the 36-Point System where we subtract a player's handicap from 36 to determine how many "points" he or she must pull to breakeven. Players get four points for a birdie, two points for a par,and one point for a bogey. Usually a player has excess points (around plus 4 to 8) and becomes the winner for the month. After play, we have a badger burger and hot dogs for lunch while either I or one of our staff at CHBC shares our testimony and the good news about Jesus Christ.
Anyone can play. Just show up between 7:00 - 7:30 AM on the last Friday of the month to get registered. The fee is only $35 and that includes lunch and prizes. We have golfers shooting anywhere from 68 to 108 so come on down and play a round with us.
One must play in eight of the tweleve events to be eligible for the grand prize and other annual awards. Monthly awards are gift certificates in the SHCGC Pro Shop for merchandise.
Now you know why I love golf!
I gave my granddaughter Payton Brooke Fulford a set of junior golf clubs two years ago for Christmas. They sat in her room untouched until this year when she said, “Grand Paul, I think I would like to learn how to play golf.” She had to say no more.
I set up her first lesson with Duke, the head pro at Spring Hill College Golf Course. Duke was amazed at Payton’s natural posture and ability to hit a draw the first time she ever hit a golf ball. He seriously believes if she dedicates herself to the game, we could be watching her on Sundays at the LPGA. Now that cranks my tractor!
I befriending Chad Applin and volunteered to assist him with the golf team at Cottage Hill Christian Academy. Payton made the team and we had a marvelous time practicing and playing. We continue to take lessons and Duke believes in her more each time she hits the ball. I do too. She is a natural. We go out and play and I don’t give her anything as it won’t be long before she will be beating me like a drum.
The great news is that a female athlete in high school can get a free ride to college if they can consistently shoot in the low eighties. If they can shot in the low seventies, they can name the college they want to play for and get a college education at no cost. That is good news for her mom and me.
God is so good. He put me in a position where I am now also assisting another golf coach, this time on the college level. I am now working with Steve Hodges at Spring Hill College. I will be the assistant coach for the men’s team. Could it be that God already knows Payton Brooke will be a big time college star and he is preparing me to be her guide? I pray so as she is such a great kid and the world needs to see how wonderful she is too (even though I love hogging her for myself).
2006-2007 Middle School Team Members
The following are the CHBS Middle School students which are on the CHCA Golf Team:
Joshua Bethea, Grant Davis, TJ Dressler, Payton-Brooke Fulford, Tre' Larsen, Gabi Oubre', Adam Spiller.
Gospel Outreach League Fellowship (G.O.L.F.)
God laid this title on my heart in 2003. That fall, I started a golf league through Cottage Hill Baptist Church as an outreach ministry. Sharon and I felt it would honor God if we gave away one of our timeshare weeks to our condo located in Maui on Kapalua Golf Course. The winner each year gets that one-week vaction as the grand prize.
We tee off at 8:00 AM on the last Friday of each month at Spring Hill College Golf Course. We play the 36-Point System where we subtract a player's handicap from 36 to determine how many "points" he or she must pull to breakeven. Players get four points for a birdie, two points for a par,and one point for a bogey. Usually a player has excess points (around plus 4 to 8) and becomes the winner for the month. After play, we have a badger burger and hot dogs for lunch while either I or one of our staff at CHBC shares our testimony and the good news about Jesus Christ.
Anyone can play. Just show up between 7:00 - 7:30 AM on the last Friday of the month to get registered. The fee is only $35 and that includes lunch and prizes. We have golfers shooting anywhere from 68 to 108 so come on down and play a round with us.
One must play in eight of the tweleve events to be eligible for the grand prize and other annual awards. Monthly awards are gift certificates in the SHCGC Pro Shop for merchandise.
Now you know why I love golf!
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