All golfers have benchmarks in their playing careers. For a junior golfer, it’s the day they get their bag tag. Just like becoming old enough to vote, legally have your first alcohol drink, or drive an automobile, a bag tag at a club signifies you are allowed to be on the course on your own. Can’t take a cart, but you may walk the course whenever allowed - usually after 2 p.m.

     My daughter, Lucy Gordon, got hers on Labor Day, September 3, 2007. Typically, junior golfers need to exhibit a cursory knowledge of the rules, course etiquette, and a proficiency to score under a certain number on any 3 consecutive holes (21 seems to be the number for most clubs) before they receive their tag. I cheated. Well, I didn’t cheat, I probably just "sandbagged" our club’s newest assistant pro. When I asked him Monday what the procedure was for a junior golfer to get their tag, he said he wasn’t sure and then quickly made one for Lucy Gordon. And I am not going to worry about it! The pure glee she had when I put it on her bag will be one of my lasting memories.

     Besides for the immediate future, when she plays, she’ll play with me; and she’ll know her etiquette. Monday, she was already replacing and filling her divots. She meticulously raked every trap where she hit an errant ball. Now, if our other club members were as conscientious! 

     Her ability to score well will come. She had some moments yesterday - at least two moon shot putts of 40 feet that dropped. She also holed out in 3 a couple of  times from within 100 yards. Soon I’ll be writing about that first true par, so stay tuned.