Stephen Ables of Kerrville has for more than 20 years had one foot – by profession – in the courtrooms of the Texas Hill Country; and for recreation, the other foot on a variety of golf courses.
And now he’s released a paperback book of inspirational writing that combines the lure and satisfaction from all those golf courses with the lessons of friendship.
What became his first book started as a series of columns that Ables wrote for publication on Fridays in Kerrville’s daily newspaper years ago.
Ables was encouraged by a newspaper staff member to use his background as a judge and daily faith to write something that would start somebody’s day right.
Ables said he already was deep into golf.
“My dad, Billy Mack Ables, and I played golf together. He was the one who got his friend Lloyd Pool to give me golfing lessons,” Ables said. “When I was eight or nine years old, I’d go to the Seagoville course with a peanut butter sandwich and a quarter and stay all day.
“I bought my first set of golf clubs at Sears in Dallas.”
Later, he said, he and three close friends would be found playing some sport together – football, baseball, basketball, track. “But we always spent our summers playing golf,” he said.
As an adult, he said he tried to make his traveling time between towns and courthouses, include the things his faith in his everyday life needed, adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication and a devotional.
“After I wrote the column for two years for that sports page, my wife Lynda suggested I choose 100 of my columns and publish them as a book.”
In the book’s dedication, he says she is beautiful and brilliant, and has the gift of encouragement, to encourage him “to do more, be more and love more.”
“Lynda really gave me the incentive to get these out as a book.”
He said he went back to his previous newspaper columns; and chose 100 of them. And they were always something connected to golf.
He said Bill Blackburn gave him some suggestions for a publisher. And in 2019, “Teeing Up the Day” was released by Austin Brothers Publishing.
Included in the acknowledgements are Ables’ father, other family members, and Riverhill Country Club golf course which he described as “the playground for my family for more than 40 years.”
And there’s a list of “the Hill Country Hackers, my soulmates for more than 40 years,” the friends and neighbors who have been on the Riverhill Golf Course with Ables for those 40 years, too.
His introduction says he loves playing golf for many reasons, but the essence of golf is the camaraderie.
Ables wrote that for 20 years, he rode a judicial circuit; and three weeks of every month, he started his day with a 20- or 30-minute drive. And early on he turned off the radio and used the drive to give thanks, make a few confessions, say a prayer, sing a hymn, and ask for wisdom.
“For me it was the perfect way to ‘tee up’ my day … We can still find a way to slow down and make a nice slow swing into this amazing day from a perfect lie” … using the golfing terms again.
He describes a perfect day of golfing at Cypress Point, Pebble Beach and the combination of sharing a day with his dad in the grandeur of God’s creation.
He describes a good golf swing as starting with standing over the ball, at peace, before making his shot.
Ables’ titles over each short entry were chosen to be pithy titles on each subject. They include “Who You’re With,” “70 Years Young,” and “Stoops” referring to the decision by some to not stoop down to retrieve their golf tees because at their age they have more tees than “stoops” left in them.
Others include “Attaboy” or be quicker to praise than to criticize; “Small Things” as in “everyone can do small things with great love” compared to reveling in “big shots;” “Press On” through adversity when you must be at your most calm; and “Others,” the lessons that sometimes are about us, but most often about others.
Entries are about near misses and celebrating being almost perfect; how the “golf bug” isn’t the only interest or ability that’s valuable; and advice to “take dead aim” so success begins with a positive target and goal.
He also writes about the importance of witnesses when good deeds deserve to be noticed; that sometimes disappointed golfers (and others) just need a good hug; and how when playing golf with his father he tries to be a good golfer preparing for success on the course, by playing with confidence.
Ables writes that all the things people really love in life require effort, but when you love something you commit to the struggle because you know the rewards will come.
Another truism he writes about is that golf is just like life in that success is often getting what you want but happiness is wanting what you get.
About “good bounces,” Ables writes, “You can’t expect good things to happen in golf or life if you are aimed in the wrong direction.”
And another about storytelling – especially golf stories – ends with this observation from Ables, “Storytelling is a wonderful talent, but listening is the skill that changes people’s lives.”
Each of the “devotionals” is no more than one page in the book.
He said his wife did some of the editing. And golfing buddies were always concerned if they were going to see their names in his former newspaper columns. They would say, “If it’s going to be embarrassing, just don’t put my name on it.”
“If I were going to put something in my column that was personal for someone. I’d talk to them first. But sometimes they would see it in print first, especially if it was funny,” he said.
Ables said his book is listed on Amazon by his name and the book’s title; and at Barnes & Noble.
Ables said the golf pro at Riverhill Club course bought a stack of the books and keeps them at the pro shop desk in case anyone is interested in looking it over or buying one. They cost about $12 each.
Ables is now Presiding Judge for West Texas, one of 11 across the state. His assignments range from Boerne to El Paso. He said he does more administrative case studies and less presiding in court sessions. It’s a job he was appointed to by Gov. Greg Abbott in 1994 and reappointed every four years since.
“I’m chairman of the presiding judges now. I’ve enjoyed it and it keeps me in touch with everybody.”