Lakeview

I come from a family of golfers. My Dad's younger sister was a fine golfer before she entered the convent and Dad himself could get around a course as a social event, admittedly having more fun trying tricky shots from the trouble he got himself into rather than going for a low score. The real golfers were on my Mom's side. She learned to play as a 7 or 8 year old when her Dad took her along as he was teaching her two older brothers. Even when she played her last 9 holes at age 80, she could hit a golf ball as straight as an arrow and often would be heard muttering (with a twinkle in her eye) when anyone's shot went off line, "I just don't see why people can't hit it straight--you just take the club back and bring it through the ball!" Many of the grown children of her oldest brother and now their children are avid golfers---to the tune of family golf outings as part of any get-together they have: picnics, reunions, weddings, whatever.

My sister was the best golfer of all, playing on what was then called the Mini Tour for the LPGA tour. She often said that she never had a professional give her any better advice than what she learned from Mom during her years in Erie.

I didn't take up the game till I was 30, but I have enjoyed it ever since. These days I get out about once every 2 weeks, which explains why my game never gets better: no practice, no improvement! Near us there are two old fashioned family-owned courses that we like to support and I took my camera along this week just to share with you the beauty of a "country course." This one is literally in the midst of acres of grape fields that fill the countryside along the lake shore here (The huge Welsh's plant is 1/2 hour from us and the grape farmers grow for both it and many local wineries).

Enjoy the scenes of Lakeview Golf Course, right on the PA/NY state line on Rte. 5.