Wow!! this raises so many issues
where to start?
Blader and Blader Jr would not communicate after he checks in at the first tee less it be construed as giving advice to the golfer
(see current LPGA Koreans-always-cheat because it is in their and their parents nature kerfuffle). To talk with the progeny once the match gets going creates a weird dynamic but is probably best for all parties involved to simply avoid if at all possible.
So, no, I wouldn't count his clubs and he has to learn how to do it himself.
Anyhoo, since you asked, here's the typical conversation just before the round starts and I head down the cart path:
Blader: "Want anything from the snack shop?"
Blader Jr: [inaudible]
Blader: "Have anything in the bag you want me to put in the car? Need anything else?"
Blader Jr: [inaudible]
Blader: "OK, well, good luck, hope you play well and have fun. I might have to peel off after 9, got some work to do, check in with the secretarial pool, etc"
Blader Jr: [steely death stare, not quite sure what his message to me is]
I'm pretty sure in the starters tent they almost always ask the kids to count their clubs almost as a condition of getting a scorecard. At least on the tours Blader Jr competes.
So maybe this little "hero" plays on a suck jr tour that doesnt do that or maybe the little moron can't count?
But, Colleague Stroh, I can sort of see one of these kids "missing it" accidentally for an entire round. You'll see when your kids grow up, they get enveloped into an almost supernatural
Cloud of Stupid that is virtually impenetrable and whisks them into a deep catatonic state.
And yeah, Colleague Gleek, kids that age shoot 77. All the *goshdarn* time. Down here a 77 sucks and won't win a kid *feces*. When Blader Jr shoots a 77, we're sorta glad he's in the 70's but a 77 ain't his best stuff and he spends the whole ride home rationalizing away all the missed opportunities and by the time we get there he's pretty much convinced himself that he shot a 71 or 70 or maybe even something in the 60's so the 77 only 'counts' because it was a tournament and he had no choice but to report it as a 77, even though it really wasn't. Is that clear? I hope so.
Still, I do agree with your general premise.
Why is this kid getting lauded? What he did totally sucks, accidental or not. It was his responsibility to play by the rules, and sign a correct score card and he couldn't even do that. *fudge* you kid! Worse, he totally *fudge*ed over some other kid who didn't break the rules and *8==>*ed that kid out of perhaps the most glorious moment of his golfing career, which is having his picture taken by a scoreboard with his name at the top and all highlighted in yellow etc and so forth and holding a shiny new trophy or medal and grinning from ear to ear.
I've done the calculations and it turns out that this poor little losers chances of ever being in that moment again are improbable, because in a few months time he will be completely obsessed with drugs and girls, for all intents and purposes ending his golf career.
This is why, whenever I have the option, like if I tie for something in a tournament or in a little chipping contest or whatever, I take the tournament bling let the other guy have the money. Every time. Because bling is hard to come by and because even I won't stoop to the level of buying and engraving trophies from mythical tournaments I didn't win just to make my shelves look better.
But I've obviously thought about doing that.
Does not going ahead and buying fake golf trophies even though I can make me a hero?
Hope this helps. Call or write for any clarification, etc and so forth.
