a rough patch

"some days are diamonds, some days are rocks, some doors are open, some roads are blocked"

from "Walls" by Tom Petty

One of the first times I met Lincoln Jackson was when he was walking off the football field in Mt. Clemens, Mi. after a Macomb County Arrows semi-pro game. He was all muddy and sweaty and an imposing figure. My mom took me to see one of his games. I was around 11 years old. I knew that he was a local golf pro so the football thing was kind of strange. Within a year or so he would become step-father to my sister and brother and I. Our sister Suzanne would join us within the next year. Linc would also become my one of my bosses at the golf course in the years ahead.

Linc was nicknamed "the Bear" in local Michigan golf circles, he was a big guy. He would always tell you how important it was to get that belly button around to the left of the target with the golf swing and how extra hard it was for him, but he could do it. He was a respected golf instructor and taught thousands of children and adults at Hillcrest Country Club where he worked as a golf professional for many years. Linc passed away this past week while in Hospice, he had a cancerous brain tumor removed in November and complications made it so he would not recover. He was 74 years old.

Golf is a sport that is analogous to life. You've got your nice green fairways where it is much easier to play from and do well and then you have your hazards and rough where things aren't so easy, you can get into trouble or down on yourself. You have a terrible round, want to quit but then you hit that one good shot that makes you come back for more. As in life, there are rough patches and we all go through them. It is what makes us stronger, tests us to see if we will try again, can or will improve, see the positive in our game and in our lives. See that there are folks around us that will support and help us work through those times.

My last visit with Linc was about 10 days ago while I was in Detroit, assisting my mother after her heart surgery. It was a good visit, we discussed some sports, the rare sunshine, some of the pain he was feeling and he seemed to understand what had happened to "his bride" as he called her. On my way out of the room, the firm squeeze of the hand was still there. For some reason I told him to keep "walking on sunshine", he responded with a Linc classic, "indubitably". I figured that would be the last time I would see him on this playing field and it was.

Linc was a teacher of golf, he knew the game held a lot of life's basic secrets and he helped others see that if you worked hard at it, played by the rules (most of the time) maybe you will get better and keep it in the fairway a little more the next time out. Many of his stories that he told over and over were golf related stories. I know this rough patch will pass and tomorrow is another day to swing away. Oh yes and as Linc used to like to say, "Don't rush your back swing".