MAKE MY DAY

That was a great Eastwood line from a great Eastwood movie. Not that it got to that point yesterday. Not quite.

When it's hot in the valley, it's really hot. Last night when we got home from another DbAx loss, it was still 100 degrees at 9:30. Of course, they opened the roof at the old ballyard to waste lots of air conditioning. It's at least the third occasion this year when I haven't agreed with Those Who Control at Chase Field.

Earlier, in fact much earlier in the day, three of us were stuck behind a slow, slow foursome on the golf course. Having been hitting most sand traps while missing most greens for the past couple of weeks, I wasn't in the best state of mind. The course marshall had already told us that he had told them to speed it up or allow us to play through. They didn't do either. The marshall, in an Obama/Iran mode, also chose to hide or at least turn his attention elsewhere. So we waited.

On the tee box after having avoided the sand on the previous hole, I tried to set up one of our playing partners. "There's a twosome right on our tail. Do you want to let them play through?"

The golfer I addressed has played 100 or so rounds with me. Never has he suggested anyone play through. On only a few occasions has he allowed it at the suggestion of another player in the foursome.

"No," he said, authoritatively. And I laughed. Then he knew. "I'm going ahead and play. If you and Jeff want to let them go through, go ahead. We all drove to the course separately."

His retort broke the tension of having to wait. Which we still did for the rest of the round.

Maybe if someone had just joked with Clint Eastwood...