A little reflection on what has been a great golf season despite COVID-19 and a Derecho and countless other weirdness. No idea how long this thread is gonna be.

With COVID striking I ended up working from home. While this was an adjustment, there was also nothing to do outside of work but golf in April and May, so I played a to of golf at my club, Indian Creek in Marion.

In May I had the good fortune of playing in a @GolfAdvisor Local Advisor event at @ErinHillsGolf. I fell in love with that place, and it ranks #1 on my list of courses played. I've wanted to go back every day since.

In June I went to Northern Minnesota with @zack_thomps, @RaphaelEivots and @STOV3TOP and fell in love again with the courses up there. I find myself wanting to make an annual pilgrimage to @GiantsRidge. The golf is so pure.

In July we had our club championship, I got to experience a little Texas golf with @StretchZEllis and I got to play my first Pete Dye course with @ReillySmidt and @BradlyLoughren at Des Moines Golf & CC South. I also got to have a Twitter meet-up with @DevonDembinski!

In early August I got to play Rice Lake for the first time...a true hidden gem with @RaphaelEivots @scottberntsen and @jeffgalowitz. Then Indian Creek went out and won the Marion Cup in dominating fashion! Little did I know things would get really weird/devastating after that.

The Derecho storm hit my hometown on August 10th. In addition to the home and business damage, our area golf courses, including my home course, were hit really hard. My home course will open again for a few days this weekend, then close back up for more permanent clean-up.

The Derecho really put things in perspective. I realized I took Indian Creek for granted. Not having a place to go with my friends to destress and enjoy ourselves for a few hours is truly a first world problem, but it's also something I just always expected to be there.

I know when Indian Creek does reopen fully, I won't take it for granted. I've been fortunate that my friends and I have managed to play a few rounds here and there through August, and then we had #GreaverCupII...

Speaking of #GreaverCupII, it was the most fun I've had playing bad golf in my life. Seeing incredible courses with even better people in a relaxed environment is what this game is truly all about. I don't know if I've ever appreciated that in my life before all of this.

So I don't know what the rest of 2020 will hold for golf. I don't know when Indian Creek will be fully cleaned up and reopened. I know work is gonna be crazy and school is starting again, and the days are getting shorter. Golf time is getting more precious.

But I do know that I'm going to work on being a little more grateful when I play, and a lot easier on myself in terms of self-talk. I'm fortunate to have played and experienced as much as I have. Feeling very blessed this morning.