Alright, let’s talk about something simple but kinda essential I figured out on the golf course – the pen, or more accurately, the marker.
When I first started hacking away at this game, I didn’t think much about stuff like pens. I was too busy trying not to lose a dozen balls or slice one into the next county. Scorecards? Yeah, the course usually had those stubby little pencils, right? And marking my ball? Pfft, wasn’t playing serious enough for that, I thought.
Then came a day I hit my ball right next to another guy’s. Same brand, same number. We stood there scratching our heads for a minute. Whose was whose? Bit awkward. That got me thinking maybe I should put some kind of mark on mine.
So, next time out, I grabbed a regular old ballpoint pen from my car’s glove box. Found my ball, tried to draw a little line on it. What a mess. The ink beaded up, smeared instantly. Useless. Tried it on the scorecard later, pencil was definitely better than that pen.
Figuring Out What Works
Okay, plan A failed. I needed something permanent. My wife had one of those fine-tip permanent markers, like a Sharpie, for labeling stuff. I nicked that and threw it in my golf bag. Next round, found my ball in the rough (standard procedure for me), pulled out the marker, and drew a quick couple of dots. Hey, presto! It worked. Stayed put, clear as day.
- Doesn’t smudge on the golf ball dimples.
- Works even if the ball’s a little damp.
- Makes a nice, clear mark.
Since then, I always keep one, sometimes two, of these markers in my bag. Usually a black one, sometimes a red or blue if I feel like mixing it up.
My Routine Now
It’s become part of my setup now. Before a round, I check:
- Tees? Check.
- Balls? Check.
- Glove? Check.
- Marker pen? Double check.
I mark every ball before I put it in play. Usually just three little dots in a triangle pattern. Nothing fancy, but it’s my pattern. No more confusion on the fairway or green about whose ball is whose. Saves potential arguments or penalties in a more serious game.
And yeah, I use it for the scorecard too. Way better than those tiny pencils that always break or get dull. The marker writes smoothly, doesn’t smear much even if the card gets a bit sweaty or damp. I can actually read my scores (and my playing partners’) at the end of the round.
It seems like a small thing, just a pen. But finding the right kind of marker made a surprising difference. Just smooths out those little annoyances on the course. One less thing to worry about, leaves more brain power for figuring out why my drive went sideways again. Simple, but effective. That’s my take on the ‘pen in golf’ situation.
