My Grandson Troy

Today I wanted to tell the world about my grandson Troy. He is 12 years old and he is a terrific kid. Now as the good grandmother I am I love each and every one of my grandchildren with a powerful and blind love. I only see good and if they are misbehaving I am sure it is because they are either tired or sick. I am sure all of you grandparents out there get the picture. But with Troy it is a little different. He was the first baby in our family after 10 years so he was the family baby. He was a precious newborn chubby and so happy. He quickly became a toddler who always had a ball with him. Big balls, tennis balls, footballs, golf balls, whatever ball happened to be around. You needed to always be ready to catch a ball or you might get binged by one when you weren't looking. By the time Troy was 3 he was on a tee-league baseball team and he loved it. The whole family would come out and cheer for him. He could hit the ball a mile and catch any ball that came near him, but he had one little problem and that was his chubby little body that we all loved to cuddle wasn't able to quickly get around the bases. He would run as fast as he could, but unless the ball was hit a mile he would struggle to get around the bases. It really never bothered him that he wasn't fast of feet until he got older. When he got on a traveling baseball team it just got harder. Also, after getting hit by several balls it was interfering with his hitting. We all tried to encourage him, Bill and his dad assured him he would work through his batting slump, but after 7 years he wouldn't go out for baseball last summer. His mom told him he needed to do something that summer so he went to the local golf clinic with many other kids. He loved it. Yes, he was hooked. He played in the Don McNabb Tournament which took place after the golf clinic and he came in 3rd. place. He has been on the golf course ever since. He wasn't even 11 when this all started, but he understood his limitations better than we did. Now he is really coming along in his golf. Spanky, the golf pro is working with him one day a week and he is back at the clinic with 59 other kids. He has joined the Florida Youth Golf League and has played at two golf courses in Jacksonville. Next week Bill will be taking him to a tournament at the golf course at the Naval Air Station. He has not placed yet, but he has learned a lot about water hazards. His ball seems to always land in them. Spanky is working with him on how to stay out of the water and maybe he will end up with a trophy by the end of the summer, who knows? Troy really doesn't care...He loves that golf is a competition with himself. He wants to improve his game and better his score. He has met some wonderful men on the golf course who encourage him and give him advice. He has played with the guys on the high school golf team and they have treated him with respect, he has even played against the golf pro in the Presbyterian Golf Tournament. Troy has found a gentlemen's game to participate in and Troy is a gentle man. He loves to play a round with friends or he enjoys just playing alone against the course itself. Troy found a sport for him, one where he doesn't have to be the fastest guy out there. It is a sport where he can be Troy and take it as far as he wants to go. Whatever happens it is a game he will enjoy his whole life. Your family is so proud of you Troy and good luck this summer in all your matches....We love, love, love you.