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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, May 25, 2008

Staying on course at golf season

By Michael C. DeMattos

It is that time of the year again, for golfer folks like me to re-immerse ourselves in the game we love so much.

Maybe it is the end of the wet winter weather or perhaps the arrival of the first Major Championship of the PGA tour. In either case, spring has sprung and golf-love is in the air.

If you do not find me knee-deep in a greenside bunker, odds are I will be in front of the TV, especially during a Major Championship telecast. There are four golf "Majors" — The Masters, U.S. Open, British Open and the PGA championship. They run from April through August creating a sacred, season that only I, in my household, fully enjoy.

I feel for the golf season much like my daughter feels for the holiday season that stretches from October through January. And like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's, the "Majors" require major preparation.

While there are no gifts to buy, only limited decorations and rarely a costume (I have been known to don a kilt for opening day of the British Open), still there are things that must be done. There are menus to prepare, statistics to review, past seasons to relive, and of course debates to be had. Perhaps most important of all, I have to make room on the DVR.

In late March, I called a family meeting to prepare for The Masters. Top on the list of things to do was editing down the DVR. I made it very clear that "we" had to delete every unnecessary show on the recorder. No exceptions! Just to be crystal clear, I informed the family that any show failing to start with "The" and end with "Masters" should be considered unnecessary.

This did not go over well with the girls.

Still, we pulled up to the sofa as a family and went through each show one by one. I was ready for an all-nighter. My daughter can be a little packrat and will often "collect" her favorite shows.

Sadly, it did not take long for the truth to be revealed. Of the 17 recorded programs, one belonged to my wife, four to my daughter, and 12 to me.

Turns out, I was the collector, and I overestimated my daughter's packratty-ness. Yep, I recorded everything. There were fishing shows, golf shows, home-repair shows, cooking shows, even an infomercial for a home gym. My wife and daughter smiled broadly and then both broke into giggle fits.

In the end, my wife refused to erase her one and only recording while my daughter cleared everything but "High School Musical 2."

I am happy to report that I erased everything but one episode of "Hawaii Goes Fishing," an episode of "Iron Chef America" and the infomercial.

The Masters Week went off without a hitch and my family even joined me — between shopping expeditions — for three of the 32 hours of TV coverage. I am now getting ready for the U.S. Open, but I am decidedly alone.

My first and most important task: Clear out the DVR. My wife and daughter giggle at me when they walk by and ask if there is anything they can do to help and promise to join me for a portion of the telecast the moment they return — from the mall.

I guess I am not the only one who enjoys the golf season after all.

Michael C. DeMattos is a member of the faculty at the University of Hawai'i's school of social work. Born and raised on the Wai'anae Coast, he now lives in Kane'ohe with his wife, daughter, two dogs, two mice and 1,000 worms.