12 - 29 = 83

            Who knew I would find a way to make locating a magazine so difficult? During my first attempt at the library, I thought I would easily type in Time into one of the computers and head on over to the location. Wrong. I spent a little over an hour walking up and down each aisle in the periodical sections on both the first and basement floors confusedly searching for any magazine that may have anything to do with coming-of-age. The more I searched, the more helpless I felt. The only magazine I had stumbled upon was Better Homes and Gardens. Not my first choice, but I was willing to try anything. Sure enough, the oldest copy was from 2000. Additionally, the library was busy- I can’t count how many funny looks I received as I wandered up and down the daunting stacks. I imagine it looked pretty funny. I clearly didn’t know what I was doing. I left the library, somewhat discouraged by my fruitless search.

            On my second trip, I swallowed a bit of my pride and resolved to ask someone at the information desk where I might find the copies of Time. Sure enough, the lady was able to point me in the right direction. I found the magazine collection in all of three minutes. As I flipped through a 1929 issue of Time magazine, the title “The Greatest Golf Ball Record Ever Made” caught my eye. The article gave a brief summary of Judge Manning, who played 828 holes on a single Kro-Flite golf ball. It may seem silly, but I was amazed at the feat. He completed 46 consecutive rounds of golf without ever losing the ball. I used to be an avid golfer, and in my experience, learned how easy it is to lose a ball.  I amazed that Manning never hit the ball too far into the woods or sank it in water.

            Manning’s record of playing the most consecutive holes with a single golf ball is an incredible form of coming-of-age. Imagine how small the percentage of people with a world record is! I’m sure he felt quite accomplished for achieving such a distinction. Interestingly enough, the previous record holder of most consecutive holes with a single golf ball did so with a Kro-Flite as well. Not only was this a blessing for Spalding’s marketing of their golf balls, but essentially set a precedent for right of passage. It’s almost as if Manning had to use a Kro-Flite. It was necessary for him to join the ranks of serious golfers who complete hundreds of consecutive holes. It may be ridiculous, but I’m sure using a Kro-Flite was meaningful.

            Perhaps the reason I find so much value in this detail is because of the presence of Kro-Flites in my own life. I want to be a professional musician more than anything. I view part of my –of-age story as receiving my first real guitar. My Gibson Les Paul is my child. I love that guitar so much, it may actually be unhealthy. Anyway, the guitar players I look up to all have a Les Paul somewhere in their rig. The Edge, Jimmy Page, Drew Shirley, and countless others use Les Pauls. For me to own the same guitar as the people I aspire to play like is an incredible feeling. It’s as if a part the musicians I love became a tangible part of me. John Mayer has said in several interviews how unbelievable it was for Fender to ask him to make his own custom Stratocaster, the guitar that made his heroes Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton famous. It’s a right of passage.

            I imagine the Kro-Flite ball Judge Manning used holds a similar meaning to him. The article goes on to describe how the ball must have incredible endurance because of the beating it took over 46 rounds that averaged around 82 strokes. Once again reminding me of my guitars. I remember how pristine they looked when I first picked them up at the stores. Now, the general shine of the hardware has faded, the cases are beat up from being on the road. Still, I can only say I love the guitars even more today. Michael Gungor, lead singer and guitarist for the band Gungor said it best, “All the dents and scratches are just part of our (the guitar and Michael’s) story.” That’s the reality of coming-of-age. It’s rough and unclear, yet somehow produces a large, usually lasting change. No surface scratch could change how much I love my guitar, or how much I learned and continue to learn with it. I’m confident no dent in Judge Manning’s golf could change his love for what he accomplished with it, what he learned about golf and himself during those 46 rounds. The ball is an integral part of his story, of how he became a proficient golfer and probably a perseverant person.

            The article has a shameless plug for Spalding stating, “Try the Kro-Flite the next time you play. Compare it for distance and for durability against any other ball the world produces.” I’m confident that even if Judge Manning found a better ball, none would be as special as his Kro-Flite. It’s interesting to me how much of what appears to elicit some type of coming-of-age in the Time magazine was the purchase or receiving of items. Advertisements say buying a new car or a light up clock will somehow cause your life to change. It seems ridiculous on the surface, but I can’t deny there is a bit of truth to this; it’s the experiences that may not have been a part of your story that result. When I was given a car to use, my life changed drastically. I was able to go places without having to rely on others. Likewise, my sense of responsibility, being a good steward of my parents’ property and respecting their trust rose. So, perhaps some of the purchases from these advertisements were life changing. If I had never received my Les Paul, I’m not sure I would be in the same place musically as I am today. If Judge Manning had not purchased his Kro-Flite, he may not have achieved a world record. I’m not trying to say it was the items that caused a coming-of-age experience, rather, the items acted as a catalyst to them. They ushered in a new perspective, encouraged us to try things we hadn’t before, and taught us to think in new ways.