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 to 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 my professional positions, including as press secretary in Washington, D.C. for a Democrat Congressman from Oregon (Les AuCoin), as an Oregon state government manager in Salem and Portland, as press secretary for Oregon’s last Republican governor (Vic Atiyeh), and as 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.  I could have called this blog “Middle Ground,” for that is what I long for in both politics and golf.  The middle ground is often where the best public policy decisions lie.  And it is where you want to be on a golf course.

This weekend for me dealt with a lot of sports, so…

SOLHEIM CUP STAYS IN EUROPE:  The cut stayed in Europe even though the event ended in a 14-14 tie.

Which prompted several TV commentators to contend there should be a way to break a tie.  Perhaps like is done at the Presidents Cup where many golf fans remember the epic playoff duel between Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, the one that ended in a tie because it got dark.

One idea that came up on TV:  Have the team captains participate in a playoff.  Good idea.  Would have been fun to see who prevailed – Suzanne Pedersen for the Euros or Stacy Lewis for the Americans!

TAYLOR SWIFT UPSTATES EVEN KANSAS CITY CHIEFS:  Here is what a column from ___ in the Wall Street Journal said:

“Taylor Swift is perhaps the only star on earth with the fame to overwhelm an NFL Sunday.  Her appearance happened at the perfect moment, as that other nexus of football and celebrity — Colorado and Coach Prime — is sliding down the charts after a 42-6 thrashing Saturday by the webbed feet of Oregon.”

AND ABOUT THE U OF O AND COLORADO:  As I watched football Sunday, Colorado coach Deion Sanders got a lot of air-time in various commercials.

None of them mentioned the thrashing Sanders’ team took from the Ducks. 

The Buffalos may recover and it would be good for college football if they did.

But, the Ducks?  I suspect they continue to get better, including a run for the Heisman by quarterback Bo Nix, the “bo-dacious” one whose mug is all over huge advertising photos in New York and elsewhere.

PLAYING GOLF IN A SANDBOX:  That’s what I was doing this weekend as the golf course where I play – Illahe Hills Golf and Country Club in Salem, Oregon – continues to recover from what every course has to endure from to time…aerification.

That’s a big word, one hard to spell correctly.  It describes tearing up the course (call it thatching on steroids) to allow grass to grow better.

Regarding the sandbox, better for me to play there than not at all.

AND THE PACKERS:  The team loved by one of my best friends will be just fine after the departure of all-pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers.  In his place, the Packers are playing Jordan Love and he, with help from others, course, brought team back from a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter to an 18-17 win.

Good for him – and for my Packer friend.