Admit it. You got a little cocky last year, didn't you?
You couldn't believe your good fortune when Northland golf courses were opening in March -- a month when your clubs usually are still buried by garage rubble.
But there you were, on an unseasonably warm March day, strolling up to the tee box wearing shorts and a T-shirt, whistling "Walking On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves and thinking about Al Gore.
"Gee, Al, maybe this global warming thing isn't all bad," you muttered under your breath.
Well, Mother Nature heard you and wasn't amused. She decided to delay Spring 2013 as a punishment.
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She gave you the cold shoulder and brought snow ... and more snow ... and more snow after that ... and even more snow on top of it all.
You shoveled, scooped, scraped, blew and plowed more snow in April than in November, December, January and February combined, all the while lamenting those numerous lost rounds of golf. Your favorite course was smothered by a glacier as the sun took several weeks off.
Turns out Mother Nature can be vindictive.
So April (and early May for some unlucky Wisconsinites) was better suited for skiers, skaters, snowmobilers and kids making snow angels. Your clubs were as dormant as the Snuggie you found in your Christmas stocking. Ditto for baseball and softball gloves, bats and balls, tennis rackets, soccer balls and pogo sticks.
It was Punxsutawney Phil's worst nightmare.
But before you start feeling too guilty about postponing everyone's spring, we have an admission to make.
The News Tribune is culpable, too. After all, last year we had the audacity to publish our annual Northland Golf Guide as early as April 8, complete with a photo showing a local golfer wearing a short-sleeved shirt and shorts.
The headline read, "Golf already? Yes, please!"
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Now we're printing the 2013 golf guide nearly a month later, courses still haven't opened and your shorts and T-shirts are swimming in mothballs.
Sorry about that.
But warmer and brighter days can't be too far away, right? Following all those spring snow showers and subsequent melting, our fairways and greens are more waterlogged than a sponge at a car wash fundraiser, but the waters eventually will recede and the golf courses will dry up and green up so you can tee up.
Northland golfers, you're countless rounds behind last year's record pace, but it's going to be a blast trying to catch up.
However, please don't taunt Mother Nature or mention Al Gore again.
Contact News Tribune sports editor Rick Lubbers at rlubbers@duluthnews.com or (218) 723-5317. That may be difficult once golf courses finally do open. Follow him @ricklubbersdnt on Twitter.
