Carpe Diem

Gary Nicklaus apparently is taking another shot at the Tour by entering Q School this fall. The son of the Greatest Golfer Ever previously spent three years on the Tour (2000 - 2002), compiling a record of 122 starts, that one top-10 finish, five top-25 finishes, 33 made cuts and career earnings of $693,571.

Trying to return at age forty after such a lackluster younger career might expose Gary to some ridicule—or at least scoffs—particularly when your father is the Greatest. Golfer. Ever. But I for one admire him, and am glad he’s pursuing the opportunity. That’s not because I expect him to do particularly well; it’s because he’s making the effort. As I too am in my forties, I think I understand what he’s thinking—that you reach the point where soon there will be no more second chances. That at some point you have more yesterdays than tomorrows. And you don’t want to spend all your tomorrows sorry for what you didn’t do yesterday.

So this weekend, in my own way, I’m taking the plunge. I’m driving back to West Virginia University to my college homecoming. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for nearly twenty years, but never seemed to have the time to make a long drive for a short weekend. This year, however, I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to make the time.

I frankly don’t care much about high school, but college is a different story. Those years in Morgantown were in some ways my best, and the friends I made there are, and will be, my friends for a lifetime. Ten of us will be there. A couple I see once a year or so. Some of the others I haven’t seen in seventeen years. I’ll also get a chance to see the son of one of my closest friends. I held “stinkybutt” when he was a baby. He’s now attending WVU.

We’ll play golf, see the game, and tour some of the places we did back then—if they’re still standing. But mostly, I’m going to enjoy the moment.

Carpe Diem