Golf is not the most important thing
in Yoichi's life. He
knows how to set
priorities and put things into
perspective. It is not true that Yoichi once played an
entire round of
golf in a tornado.
He played 17 holes - his golf clubs
blew away!
Every golfer dreams about a perfect
round of golf. This is a game where
every drive is down the middle of the
fairway, every green is hit in
regulation, and every putt is knocked
into the center of the cup.
some golfers even aspire to the
ultimate accomplishment - shooting
one's age. Yoichi has
no trouble
shooting 54. The problem
is, he does
it on the first few holes.
Most "good" golfers have
a collection of
shots for every occasion. These include a
fade, a draw, a bank shot, and a bunker
shot.
Yoichi also has a collection
of golf shots
including the worm burner, the skull, and
the pop-fly. His best shot is called,
"Ooops, that' a mulligan, "so named by Kimura, Nakai
and Inagaki.
Years ago, a golf handicap system
was
invented. This system was designed to
let golfers of different skills and
abilities play against one another on
an equal basis. The idea is to take
the best 10 rounds of a golfer's last
20 rounds and use these to determine
one's handicap.
The system has one major flaw for Yoichi:
he has never played 10 rounds of golf
worth counting.
One of the reasons Yoichi
plays golf is
for the exercise it provides. Other
activities were just not right for Yoichi. He tried swimming,
but kept
sinking to the bottom. He tried
tennis, but the net kept getting in the
way. Jumping to conclusions was fine,
but tired him out.
Golf provides exactly the right amount
of exercise for a finely tuned athletic
body like Yoichi.
After most rounds of golf, Yoichi
usually
joins Kimura, Nakai and Inagaki for a visit
to the 19th hole. This provides them
with a chance to rehash the shots of
the day, settle the wagers, and plan
their next outing.
The scene is usually the same. Yoishi delays
in the pro shop until the drinks are bought. Then he rehashes all of
his unlucky bounces, pays off his
debts, and leaves just before it is his
round at the bar.
Despite his apparent lack of skill, Yoichi still manages
to hit the
occasional good golf shot. There is
still talk about the birdie Yoichi
got
last year when he miraculously hit
his shot out of a deep bunker right
into the hole.
Yoichi
Ogihara and his partners play
golf for the love of the game. For
them it's an outing, a chance to get
close to nature, and a way to
relive tension. Yoichi
once said,
"Every time I hit the golfball, my
stress level goes down."
Otherwise, why would he hit so many
shots?
Yoichi
has always dreamed about writing
his own golf book. Some of the
titles he has considered include:
Yoichi's Tip on Lining
Up Your 4th
putt
Golf and Divorce: Do It Yoichi's
Way
The 19th Hole: How Yoichi Never Buys
Despite suffering through years and
years of frustration playing golf his
way, Yoichi has always
remained a good
sport. His demeanor is beyond
reproach, he never loses control, and
his voice is never loud enough for
anyone over a mile away to hear.
This, together with the fact that Yoichi always pays off
his losing bets,
makes him the perfect partner.
The game of golf is certainly a
challenge to Yoichi Ogihara.
Many
friends, including Kimura,
Nakai and
Inagaki, ask why he even plays the
game. The reason is simple. Yoichi
enjoys watching miraculous events
such as a long putt dropping in or an
iron shot finding its way into the
hole.
Yoichi would enjoy it
even more if he
were the person hitting these shots.
Dear Yoichi:
Enjoy the
game as you play it. Don't
let your scores ruin your day. Think
of golf the same way you think about
bowling: the higher the score, the
better.
