Golfing On Our Day Off

A slight driving problem in a small mountain town on our way to the golf course.

Claudio, "Il Naturale", teeing off with Jason in shock over this Italian phenom on his first day on the golf tour.

Three golfers enjoying a "Good Walk Spoiled".

Mt Etna

LAURIE IN ROMA: Less than 44 hours as I write this post!!!

Claudio joined us for our first round of Sicilian golf at the Il Picciolo Golf Club in Castiglione di Sicilia on the north side of Mt. Etna about 45 minutes from Malibu. It was a great setting and a nice course to play. Because golf is not big in Sicilia, we only saw two other golfers, both singles, the entire day. This made for a quick pace although walking with our rental clubs on a hilly course was a true test of my intense conditioning program. The rental club bag came without a strap, an obvious ploy to make us pay 7 more euros to rent a pull cart. As the manly men that we are, we scoffed at the very notion and started our epic trek on the slopes of a live volcano!

I know the question you all want to ask is how did I play? Let me say that when our boys Andy and Mike were about 8 to 10 years old, we bought them an adjustable basketball backboard that could go anywhere from 6 to 10 feet tall. They would play against me and I would at will swat their shots away. Today I was one of the boys and EVERY TREE in Sicilia was playing the Dad role routinely swatting my shots all over the hillsides. PAYBACK SUCKS!

For a first time player, Claudio did VERY well and we all had a great time. Golf to me is all about scenery, a good walk and fun with friends. Today was a GREAT day of golf!