Then Wednesday, less than 24 hours later (by my calculations), it again was 60 -- a 60-mile-an-hour wind blowing in from the north; causing a wind chill in the teens. And that is why I will always be in awe of the weather in Kansas. One day, you can be swinging a golf club and the next day, temperatures a penguin would find most comfortable.

Most of you know how I feel about the cold. I hate the cold! For us that do, there's always April; it hardly ever snows in April.

* * *

It is being reported that the recession has affected the golf industry. First of all, Tiger Woods lost a $9 million annual contract with Buick. If I lost $9 million of my annual income, that would just about wipe me out; but I think Tiger will be OK.

It seems people are playing less golf, buying less equipment and watching less golf.

I must plead guilty to all three. It was June before I could have played one round of golf; in the meantime, my three buddies and I couldn't get together on a date for our annual golf outing.

That being said, I have not played a round of golf this year for the first time in over two decades. I promise to do better next year.

Those that play with me know that I haven't bought any golf equipment (maybe a box of balls three or four years ago) in those same 20 years. Back in the '80s, I had a little money left over from a hail claim and purchased a set of clubs, with bag and some extra stuff for less than $200. So, I can't take much blame for the lagging equipment sales.

And without Tiger in the lineup, I don't watch as much golf. I haven't quit altogether.

Is there a better televised sport to bring on a good afternoon nap? I think not.

* * *

A belated congratulations to KAYS Radio on its 60th anniversary a few months ago. Bob Davis made his way back to Hays and reflected on his days in Hays as a sports broadcaster. He has been the play-by-play guy for the University of Kansas and the Royals for some time. To say Davis is enthusiastic during his radio call for his home team (then FHSU, now Kansas) would be a serious understatement.

I used to listen to FHSU basketball. I would get in my pickup (it was the lumberyard days; of course, I had a pickup.) and go driving around listening to the game. Sometimes during the game, I would go home and pace in the living room. Dottie would ask, "Is the game over?'

I would answer, "Bob Davis has me so mad at the officials, I can't see straight!" She would shake her head and go about her business. After I settled down, I would go back and drive around to listen to the end of the game.

* * *

The right wing of the Republican Party of Kansas went all-out again to alienate moderates of their party. As Johnson County readied to pick their leadership for the next two years, 17 precinct committee members were notified by mail the day of the meet, they would not be allowed to vote. Some had Democrat signs in their yard. One had the audacity to have a joint checking account with their spouse and the spouse had written a check to a Democrat candidate.

State Party Chair Kris Kobach and his executive committee can vote to strip these folks of their votes without any recourse. It has something to do with the loyalty oath members sign as a party leader. That's right: A loyalty oath! Some members were exonerated by the same committee -- after the vote for leadership. This is all a ruse to keep the ultra-right wing running the party at every level. It failed in JoCo, as they elected a moderate chair anyway.

Rumor has it that Kobach was not able to enforce a rule to require the members to goose-step into the meeting.

Besides signing a loyalty oath to play more golf next year, I promise to be even more loyal to my family and friends. And that's the only loyalty oath I'll ever sign.