There’s an old saying that “The worst day on the golf course still beats the best day at the office.”

Or something like that.

Most of us find this out as adults, but I think the high school golfers might be the keenest athletes of them all.

While their schoolmates were sitting in a lecture or taking an exam or doing some science experiment on Monday, dozens of ILH and OIA kids were out on the links — deciding between a 9-iron or pitching wedge, whether their putt would break right or left.

Another gorgeous Hawaiian day, blue skies, sunshine, and while their peers were inside a windowless classroom, these golfers were working on their tans, enjoying the scenic blue water off Kahala, the swaying palm trees along the fairways, the view of majestic Koko Head in the distance.

As they came in off the 18th green, their worries were not about exams or papers or overbearing teachers.

It was, “Man, I can’t believe I missed that putt on 17″ … or “Ho, I shot junk out there.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. These are talented, great competitors who have worked hard at a legitimate sport. Put it this way: the worst score out of 32 ILH boys and girls at Waialae yesterday (100) would have beaten my score at Hawai’i Country Club by five strokes two weeks ago.

But as the years go by, when I go to these golf tournaments I can’t help but think: “What a way to spend a school day!”

So I’m glad the ILH winners, Cyd Okino and Alex Ching, are playing. Okino is a phenom, but other phenoms have stayed away from high school golf. Obviously, Michelle Wie never played a round for Punahou.

Stephanie Kono played two years, which I’m glad she did, but Ayaka Kaneko (Sacred Hearts) did not.

Tadd did for one year and part of another, but that was it.

I respect their decisions, but for their sake, I wish they played. Why not? Get out of class, play some great courses for free, have fun, compete, be with your friends, represent your school.

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Definitely beats working.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 am and is filed under Prep Talk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.