On the very next day, I played golf in Durango with...Eric! Yes, Eric. I invited him to come play with me at Hillcrest since Belinda and I had originally taken a day off to go pick up James from college after his freshman year. It worked out, though, that Amanda and Kyle were able to take our van down a couple of weeks before for Kyle to register, so James just came up with Michael instead, and Belinda and I saved ourselves a trip. Eric said he could clear that day of any work, and when I agreed that we would eat at Cuckoo’s after, that was the clincher.
I thought Eric would be rusty. I thought he would not come close to beating me. He hasn’t played for five years or more. I haven’t stopped playing. I’ve improved.
It was close, though. Belinda, James and I were talking tonight about...
what a competitor he is. He is about to host the grand opening for his brand new Big-O Tires Store, and switching to a franchise shows how ambitious he can be. At a meeting for Big-O owners in Arizona, he had a chance to earn a prize in a money booth where the person who could snatch the most pretend cash would get a prize. Guess who won. Yes, Eric did. We could all see him waving his arms about wildly, grabbing cash like an orange harvester on speed. He won an iPad Mini, a secret gift that he will give Becca for her upcoming 17th birthday.
I recommended we not play a game until the back nine, so he could figure his game out a bit on the front. He also went to the range before we played to see where his swing was at. Right away on hole #2, though, he made a putt from 40 feet. It was for a double, but it was impressive. He shot a 47, and I shot a 41.
I must include that we played with one of the better players I have ever seen before. He played from the Blacks, and he was more impressive than Eric's putt (no offense, Eric). When we got to hole #3, he earned an eagle. I was so proud of my summer eagle last year, but this guy did it from the Blacks, and he didn’t chip his in, he got on the green in two and made a putt from about 12 feet. His drives were “pro” worthy, high towering draws that stayed in the air as long as the time it took for the lady at the turn to grab a few snacks and ring up the total for us. He was driving it farther than I was on my best drives, and he was 20 yards or so farther back most of the time. I was impressed, and so was Eric.
When we got to the back, I suggested the Escalating Skins Game, a game where Eric could win if he happened to get low scores on the correct holes.
I got a triple on the first hole. Eric made another long putt from just off the back of the green for a bogey. I then got a double on the short par four to his par. I scrambled back with a par save on the “over the water” #12. He made another clutch putt to earn his bogey, but I felt full of confidence with my par putt, and thankfully it did fall. Then I got a bogey to his double on the longer par four #13. He drilled another putt for a par on the next hole, and my putt barely missed for my par, so he got back on track there. At this point, he had won $80,000.00, and I was at $70,000.00, but he was ahead in stroke play. He was three strokes better at this point.
The “pro” we were playing with earned another eagle on hole #10. This time, I got to witness his approach more closely. His ball landed just on the green where it rolled up to the flag and hit it, caroming off and just past the hole by about six feet. He made that, of course. Wow! Two eagles on two very long par fives, made even longer since he was playing as far back as anyone can go at Hillcrest.
He mentioned that he played college golf at Kansas, Division 1 Kansas. He said that the young leader of the PGA tournament that weekend was 15 years old when he used to play against him, and that he, the young kid, regularly beat him. I believe it was David Lingmerth, and it was the TPC Sawgrass Tournament. That makes sense since Lingmerth played golf at the University of Arkansas.
On the next hole, I missed a tap-in for par that the “pro” said was good, but Eric wouldn’t give it to me, which is fine because I didn’t want him to give it to me anyway. We always putt out, and that’s exactly why we do. Someone might miss one of those.
Then we tied with two pars on the uphill par four #16. He was still ahead by three strokes, this guy who hadn’t played in years! It came down to the last two holes. The money was just piling up.
Thankfully, I ended with two pars. Eric blew up on hole #17 with a 9. My tee shot looked great, but it must have hit a tree and bounced straight back into the rough. I played a risky 7-iron that cut the corner on the out of bounds and landed safely in the fairway.
On #18, I had one of those better long drives that was embarrassed by the “pro’s” drive. Then I ended up in the bunker on the front right side. I got up and down for a sandy save for my final par. That putt was from about 20 feet. Phew! I did it. I held off a charging, competitive, rusty Eric. I hope he wants to play again. After his performance, I would want to play again. He’s not far from where he left off years ago. He shot a 94, and I shot an 85.
I played on the last day of school with Chris, Cory, and James. It was mostly just for fun. I wasn’t really trying hard, and it showed. Today, I really struggled. I played with Cameron and C.J., and I shot a 91, one of my worst performances in a while. Cameron and I might play in the Memorial Day Marathon coming up in just two days. After the way I played, though, he might choose to just skip it. I am having problems with my left knee. It’s catching, and it hurts during and after playing. I hope it’s nothing serious. I think it’s because of all the working out and playing I’ve done lately. 36 holes on Monday will either correct it or wreck it.
Until next time...
I thought Eric would be rusty. I thought he would not come close to beating me. He hasn’t played for five years or more. I haven’t stopped playing. I’ve improved.
It was close, though. Belinda, James and I were talking tonight about...
what a competitor he is. He is about to host the grand opening for his brand new Big-O Tires Store, and switching to a franchise shows how ambitious he can be. At a meeting for Big-O owners in Arizona, he had a chance to earn a prize in a money booth where the person who could snatch the most pretend cash would get a prize. Guess who won. Yes, Eric did. We could all see him waving his arms about wildly, grabbing cash like an orange harvester on speed. He won an iPad Mini, a secret gift that he will give Becca for her upcoming 17th birthday.
I recommended we not play a game until the back nine, so he could figure his game out a bit on the front. He also went to the range before we played to see where his swing was at. Right away on hole #2, though, he made a putt from 40 feet. It was for a double, but it was impressive. He shot a 47, and I shot a 41.
I must include that we played with one of the better players I have ever seen before. He played from the Blacks, and he was more impressive than Eric's putt (no offense, Eric). When we got to hole #3, he earned an eagle. I was so proud of my summer eagle last year, but this guy did it from the Blacks, and he didn’t chip his in, he got on the green in two and made a putt from about 12 feet. His drives were “pro” worthy, high towering draws that stayed in the air as long as the time it took for the lady at the turn to grab a few snacks and ring up the total for us. He was driving it farther than I was on my best drives, and he was 20 yards or so farther back most of the time. I was impressed, and so was Eric.
When we got to the back, I suggested the Escalating Skins Game, a game where Eric could win if he happened to get low scores on the correct holes.
I got a triple on the first hole. Eric made another long putt from just off the back of the green for a bogey. I then got a double on the short par four to his par. I scrambled back with a par save on the “over the water” #12. He made another clutch putt to earn his bogey, but I felt full of confidence with my par putt, and thankfully it did fall. Then I got a bogey to his double on the longer par four #13. He drilled another putt for a par on the next hole, and my putt barely missed for my par, so he got back on track there. At this point, he had won $80,000.00, and I was at $70,000.00, but he was ahead in stroke play. He was three strokes better at this point.
The “pro” we were playing with earned another eagle on hole #10. This time, I got to witness his approach more closely. His ball landed just on the green where it rolled up to the flag and hit it, caroming off and just past the hole by about six feet. He made that, of course. Wow! Two eagles on two very long par fives, made even longer since he was playing as far back as anyone can go at Hillcrest.
He mentioned that he played college golf at Kansas, Division 1 Kansas. He said that the young leader of the PGA tournament that weekend was 15 years old when he used to play against him, and that he, the young kid, regularly beat him. I believe it was David Lingmerth, and it was the TPC Sawgrass Tournament. That makes sense since Lingmerth played golf at the University of Arkansas.
On the next hole, I missed a tap-in for par that the “pro” said was good, but Eric wouldn’t give it to me, which is fine because I didn’t want him to give it to me anyway. We always putt out, and that’s exactly why we do. Someone might miss one of those.
Then we tied with two pars on the uphill par four #16. He was still ahead by three strokes, this guy who hadn’t played in years! It came down to the last two holes. The money was just piling up.
Thankfully, I ended with two pars. Eric blew up on hole #17 with a 9. My tee shot looked great, but it must have hit a tree and bounced straight back into the rough. I played a risky 7-iron that cut the corner on the out of bounds and landed safely in the fairway.
On #18, I had one of those better long drives that was embarrassed by the “pro’s” drive. Then I ended up in the bunker on the front right side. I got up and down for a sandy save for my final par. That putt was from about 20 feet. Phew! I did it. I held off a charging, competitive, rusty Eric. I hope he wants to play again. After his performance, I would want to play again. He’s not far from where he left off years ago. He shot a 94, and I shot an 85.
I played on the last day of school with Chris, Cory, and James. It was mostly just for fun. I wasn’t really trying hard, and it showed. Today, I really struggled. I played with Cameron and C.J., and I shot a 91, one of my worst performances in a while. Cameron and I might play in the Memorial Day Marathon coming up in just two days. After the way I played, though, he might choose to just skip it. I am having problems with my left knee. It’s catching, and it hurts during and after playing. I hope it’s nothing serious. I think it’s because of all the working out and playing I’ve done lately. 36 holes on Monday will either correct it or wreck it.
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment