Golf - The Longest Drive

25-06-24 00 / episode: 392

Hi and welcome to the English Listening World podcast episode number 392. This podcast is for listening practice. I have 26 words and expressions highlighted in today's story for you to get practice listening to. In particular, the expression 'as … as' is repeated. I will put the full list of highlighted words in the description below. 'Today's episode is about Jack and his golf tournament.

Questions

1. Why did Jack go to the golf course every weekend?
2. How did Jack feel at the start of the tournament?
3. What happened on the first few holes?
4. Where did something amazing happen?
5. How many times did Jack hit the ball on the final hole?

Jack's Favorite Sport

Jack loved golfing. He wasn’t the best golfer at his club, but he always enjoyed the game. Jack practiced as much as he could. Every weekend, he was at the golf course, swinging his club and aiming for that perfect shot.

The Tournament

One sunny Saturday morning, Jack decided to enter a local golf tournament. It was a big event, and many good golfers were participating. Jack was nervous, but he wanted to try his best.

At the tournament, Jack was paired with three other golfers. They were all very good, and Jack felt a bit intimidated. However, he remembered his father’s advice: "As long as you try your best, you’ve already won."

Rough Start

The first few holes were tough. Jack’s shots were not as good as he wanted them to be. He hit the ball into the sand trap twice and even into the water once. But he didn’t give up. He kept telling himself, "As long as I can hit the ball, I’ll keep going."

Turnaround

On the ninth hole, something amazing happened. Jack lined up his shot, took a deep breath, and swung his club. The ball flew through the air, straight and true. It soared over the trees and landed just a few feet from the hole. Jack couldn’t believe it. He had never hit a shot that well before. His friends cheered, and Jack felt a surge of confidence.

For the rest of the game, Jack played better than he ever had. Each shot seemed to be better than the last. He still wasn’t perfect, but he was improving with every swing. By the time they reached the eighteenth hole, Jack was tied for second place.

The Final Hole

The final hole was a long one. Jack knew he needed a great shot to stay in the game. He lined up his ball, took another deep breath, and swung with all his might. The ball sailed through the air, going as far as he could see. It landed on the green, just a few feet from the hole. Jack’s heart was pounding as he walked up to take his final putt.

He carefully lined up his shot, aimed, and gently tapped the ball. It rolled smoothly across the green and dropped into the hole. Jack had done it! He finished the tournament with one of his best games ever.

Proud

Although he didn’t win first place, Jack was very proud of himself. He had come a long way and played as hard as he could. Jack knew he would keep practicing and getting better.

After the tournament, Jack’s friends congratulated him. One of them said, "Jack, that was amazing! I've never seen you play so well."

Jack smiled and replied, "As long as I keep trying my best, I know I’ll keep getting better." And with that, he looked forward to the next game, ready to face any challenge that came his way

Answers

1. Why did Jack go to the golf course every weekend? He went to practice golf because he loved golfing.
2. How did Jack feel at the start of the tournament?
   He felt intimidated. He thought the other golfers were much better than he was.
3. What happened on the first few holes?
   He had a rough start and did not hit the ball where he wanted to hit it.
4. Where did something amazing happen?
   Something amazing happened on the ninth hole. The ball landed just a few feet from the hole with one hit.
5. How many times did Jack hit the ball on the final hole? On the final hole Jack hit the ball twice. He was very happy.