Golf and the Cabin Guy

I lead two lives. On the one hand, I’m a cabin guy. I could easily spend the rest of my days like this: My wife, Carey, stretched out and happy in a hammock, smiling as the deer stroll by; my dogs sleeping in the sun; me kicked back in an Adirondack chair with my feet up, sipping a cold beer and listening to a ball game.

On the other hand, I’m a certified golf nut. I could just as easily spend my every waking hour on the course, hacking my way to yet another 93 with a grin on my face and a firm belief that I can probably squeeze in another nine holes before it gets really dark.

Problem is, these two lives of mine are like oil and water – They just don’t mix. We all know the problem with having only 24 hours in a day and seven days in a week. We spend eight of those hours each day sound asleep (good) and at least five of those days each week working (necessary evil), so we have limited time to spend either at the cabin or on the course. And both cabin and course are pretty big time eaters.

In my book, the time spent at either is, of course, time well spent. And over the years, I’ve made some attempts at combining these two passions. There are a few golf courses near the getaway, and I’ve actually slipped away to play once or twice. Thing is, I feel like a cheater, like I’m going to get back with lipstick on my collar and then there’ll be hell to pay. And, needless to say, my golf game has been on the far side of lousy those few times, making the whole experience even more unpleasant. So I’ve given up. For me, at least, the twain just don’t want to meet.

For now, the only way I’m able to enjoy both golf course and cabin is to enjoy them separately. Golf this week, cabin the next. It’s kind of like being a child of divorce, but I’m making it.

I have this dream, though. In my dream, the cabin is surrounded by a golf course, my own, private, nine-hole course, kind of like Willie Nelson’s Pedernales setup. Then, I could be at the cabin and the course simultaneously, but I wouldn’t have the noise and hassle of other people on the course when I want to be up on the deck, taking it easy. The cabin as clubhouse. Has quite a ring to it, yes?

The only thing standing between my dream and me is a winning lottery ticket. But as any golfer or cabin guy will tell you, hope springs eternal, so I’m hoping the next ticket I buy will be the one that makes my Course-and-Cabin dream come true. Until then, I’ll keep dividing my time, playing on the course this week and playing at the cabin next.

Because, you see, I lead two lives. The Golfer and the Cabin Guy. And to tell you the truth, for me, two lives are better than one. Well, until I win the lottery anyway.

Writer Dave Kelley frequently contributes articles to Cabin Life on vacation home technologies and boating.

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