River Valley Outdoors

Normally, my involvement in the outdoors has been a blend of hiking, hunting, and fishing -- but lately my oldest grandson, Cody, has expanded my world.

After years of watching Cody mature as a high-school athlete, he has now moved on to college and started golfing with a passion. My wife Nancy, and I, have followed Cody’s new sport by joining him on the golf course.

This past week, the three of us were treated to a nine-hole game at the Bethel Inn Resort (bethelinn.com) for a spectacular autumn round of golf.

The “Northeast Golf Magazine” describes this course as “…quintessential mountain golf at its best.” I would whole-heartedly agree with their assessment of this course, from the first smashing drive, to rolling the last put in the ninth hole.

As a child, I used to work as a caddy for extra cash and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere of a well-designed golf course. I didn’t even have to play the game, just walking around, from hole to hole, completed an invigorating day outdoors.

The Bethel Inn Resort has purposefully designed their course to take full advantage of the awesome views of the colorful, mountainous terrain that surrounds the smooth green fairways.

Between shots, while waiting for others in the party to take their shots, golfers are treated to soothing vistas of mountains covered in autumn’s glorious splash of changing foliage. Burning red and gold maple trees line the fairways, intermixed with a variety colorful landscaping that almost takes the breath away – or maybe that was my excitement of attempting the next challenging shot at one of the well-planned greens?

I never realized golfing could be so much fun. As a caddy in my youth, I never really played the game much. Occasionally, we were allowed golf, but I never took advantage of the opportunity.

This past season of golfing, my first real attempt at the sport, has rekindled a love of strolling down the spectacularly-groomed green paths. Winding our way through Bethel Inn’s mountainous course this fall has confirmed the fact that this sport will play a large part in a further appreciation of all that this region offers.

Looking forward to next season, I find a need to improve my game – extensively. During this past summer of golfing outings, I have found that simply playing the game without formal instruction isn’t enough. Next year, the plan will include some “higher education.”

In the brochure I received at the Bethel Inn Resort, I noticed that they offer programs of golfing instruction of two, three, and four day sessions sanctioned by the Professional Golfing Association (PGA). The wording on the brochure that struck me the most says, “Our promise is that your game will improve. Guaranteed!”

Well, count me in for some “guaranteed” improvement. After a few rounds of hooking and slicing shots into the colorful trees that line the fairways, I’m certainly up for some golfing improvement.

As in any sport, proper instruction that leads to some measured improvement will surely make for a better day afield. And with an awesome golf course like the Bethel Inn Resort such a short distance from home, I may be able to squeeze in a few more rounds before this season ends.