Mr. Wrong...Issue #8

To preface, I am by no means a scratch golfer... I've golfed since 5th or 6th grade when my parents signed me up for junior golf at HHC during the summer. I enjoy golfing, it's relaxing, a great social sport, and there is something about the sound your iron/driver makes when you hit the 'perfect' shot.  When I have time, I go to the range, and try to sneak in 9-holes here and there--and when I do that consistently, my game ranges from alright to decent.  When I don't practice, 'subpar' would be a compliment to my game.

I had met this certain person who we'll call Arnold through a friend of my parents--he was home for the summer, and about to move back permanently for graduate school. 

The first time we met, we played tennis.  This was at a time when I was playing collegiate level tennis, so I was on the court a lot during that time.  I can honestly say that I 'dumbed' my game down after I took the first set 6-0 in a short amount of time...and I still won.  I tried to make light of it, but Arnold wasn't having it--he mentioned some 'foot faults' and 'questionable line calls' (all lies--if anything I was too nice with some of my calls).  He said the one way to settle this was with a rematch--but this time golf. 

We met at the range a few days later, and after sizing up the competition, Arnold suggested why don't we go mini golfing instead.  I was fine with that--until he upped the wager--with the winner buying dinner for each other ending with a smug 'doesn't that sound like a perfect date?'

To his credit, he picked me up, opened my door for me, paid for the mini golf, etc.  But, that facade changed once we got to Putt-Putt, and he took his specially made putter out of his car, and his golf glove out of his khaki shorts, and changed from his flip-flops into his golf shoes...

It was at this point, I decided to not be competitive, but just have fun--mainly because Arnold was taking this so seriously--plus every once in awhile it's fun to annoy a fun-hater.  I'm not even kidding--my first 3 holes were all hole-in-one's (which at putt putt means you get an orange golf ball, coupons for free round(s) of 'golf', and your name announced over the loud speaker), which is pretty sweet within itself, but Arnold's reaction of--a mental 'golf' breakdown following that, was pretty sweet too.

I won our golf 'rematch'--which meant Arnold was going to buy sushi (his idea not mine).  Originally I planned on offering to pay for half--but after he said "I can't believe you won" repeatedly, and began to relive each and every hole (yes every mini golf hole), and further backtracked to his bafflement of me winning our tennis match to go over every game...I had no desire to be gracious.

During dinner, after Arnold finished talking about the tennis and golf games, he asked if I wanted to go 3 out of 5 with other sports (running, go-karting, swimming, and basketball)--I declined.  He then managed to bring an aspect of competition to dinner--seeing who could drink more martinis... After losing this (darn), I made sure he had a cab home--and one of my friends came to pick me up (and we got TCBY--so typical)--since Arnold drove.

Arnold called me the next day to apologize for drinking too much, and to console me on losing the supposed  drinking competition. NOT EVEN KIDDING. I've run into Arnold a few times since then, and I always ask if he wants to play tennis again--for some reason he'll never take me up on it...weird, huh?

Have you ever dated anyone who was crazy competitive (aside from a law student)?  Have you ever beaten a member of the opposite sex quite easily at a sport--how did that turn out?