PERSPECTIVE FROM THE 19^TH HOLE: This is the title I chose for my personal blog, which is meant to give me an outlet for one of my favorite crafts – writing – plus use an image from my favorite sport, golf. Out of college, my first job was as a reporter for the Daily Astorian in Astoria, Oregon, and I went on from there to practice writing in all of my professional positions, including as a Congressional press secretary in Washington, D.C., an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and a private sector lobbyist. This blog also allows me to link another favorite pastime – politics and the art of developing public policy – to what I write.

You can tell I have too much time on my hands because I have enough of it – time, that is — to write a blog on this subject.

But, the golf phrases listed below have been on my mind lately and, as you will see, some come from real golfers and real TV golf commentators — and a few come from me. After all, I, too, am a golf expert, at least in my own mind.

• If he would have hit it harder, it would have gone farther.

I remember the time I heard this phrase uttered by a commentator. Stop for a moment and think about it. Stands to reason, doesn’t it! Someone got paid big bucks to say the words. So why not pay me big bucks to utter such obvious notions?

• Callaway pays Mickelson and many others to play their golf clubs and golf balls; I pay Callaway to do the same.

I am the author of these semi-famous words. Why, given how much I have done for Callaway, doesn’t the company invest in me? Who knows?

• Better than most! What do those three words really mean?

As we have just passed the annual Players golf tournament in Ponte Vedra, Florida, we have been reminded again and again about those three words.

They were uttered by golf commentator and former player Gary Koch several years ago as he watched Tiger Woods hole a very long putt on the iconic 17^th hole at the TPC Sawgrass course.

As the putt trailed toward the hole, Koch said the words, “Better than most.”

Think about it. What do those words really mean and are they worthy of such high status? Perhaps not, though I add that I like Koch as a TV commentator. He has an understated way of calling a golf tournament, adding to the action without distracting from it.

• Jack Nicklaus, Dustin Johnson and I all play fades.

This is a quote from me – and, surprisingly, it is true.  I have have no particular ability to hit a draw on command.  However, when it comes to Nicklaus and Johnson, they both hit their fades farther than I do, which, I guess, is not surprising, given my advanced age.  Plus, the longer I play the shorter the distance.

• He has a lot of green to work with.

If you watch golf on TV, you are likely to hear this phrase multiple times. A pro player hits a shot long and there is a bit of distance between where his golf ball lies and the pin. So, the commentator intones, “he has a lot of green to work with.”

Where did the phrase originate? Work with? What does that mean? Who knows?

• I’ve just got to stay patient.

You don’t have to listen and watch much golf on TV before you hear this phrase. I’d love for someone to define the word patience as we hear it repeatedly.