My Dad and I must have played more than 10,000 holes of golf. Every weekend in the summers at the Ocean Pines Golf Course, rain or shine the Keith's always made their tee time. To be late is a major breach of proper golf etiquette (to him more important than any score). I hear his voice so clearly when I'm playing now I end up talking to him. His favorite DaddyOism was to say, "Hardly worth looking up for!" Whenever I would take my eye off the tee to watch my drive sail and in doing so duff miserably. In sports there is always exception to the rule. Keep your eye on the ball is the secret to every sport known to man, but with golf it will get you in trouble. In golf, keep your eye on the tee until your follow through is complete. "OOOh.... Hardly worth looking UP for!" Must have heard it a thousand times. Once, I through it back on him after a particularly embarrassing hack and was the recipient of a full force blast of the Jefferson Donald Keith stink eye. That man could throw a look that could make you want to crawl in a hole. When my Dad was mad it was best to just stay out of his way. He would usually cool down by the next hole and say something like, "Your dumb dumb daddy o really lost it back there didn't he?"
He loved golf.
He took us to the Kemper Open at Congressional Country Club and I couldn't help but think of him during the U. S. Open this year.
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