Written on 9-12-13.
I am on the bus again. This time we are headed to Hope Christian High School for another tournament. “Hope” we win again. I am confident and secure with how well this team can do. We have more hitters, more firepower than last year. We have a great back row, too. It’s going to be a fun season!
On to golf...
I have big news. I have set a new standard for myself. The last time I played with Bruce and C.J., something wonderful happened. I went...
eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie on holes #18 through #3. I got another birdie on #6, too. I have never, ever been five under after just four holes. It was fabulous! Here’s how it happened...
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #18-Eagle #3 of 2013
I was losing...badly. The only money I had earned was due to the bonuses on #14 and #16. I had not won a hole yet.
Another group was teeing off on #15, but they waited for us to go first. It was the other Terry, the one they called a Sandbagger after he had won the net score in a tournament once, and some of his playing partners. He had some Fred Couples type shoes that he said he was frustrated with because they kept spinning out on him.
One of his partners is probably the longest hitter at Hidden Valley. I forgot his name, but when C.J. and I played #7 the time before, he was teeing off on #14. We were both waiting for him because our tee shots went way left. He hesitated, as if to say, “Are you sure you want to stand there? Okay?”
We were safe; we thought we were safe. We were near the spot where my longest drive came to a stop, so who could possibly drive it on the fly this far. He could. He did. Thankfully, it was behind us, but it was still in the air, and we knew it was because it hit some of the trees‘ leaves behind us less than twenty yards away.
Terry pointed to where he had driven it on #14 earlier that day. It was probably inside the 100 yard marker. With the downslope, it might have been inside 50 yards. Wow!
I teed off last, and it was pressure-filled. Everyone was watching. I aimed for #18’s fairway to get the bonus. It was a smooth, long draw that hit the fairway. I got the bonus, and then I got some more. My 7-iron got the call for the approach, and it was a not-so-great swing that turned out to be more-than-great. It came out low, but that helped. My ball landed on the front of the green, rolled forward and turned left with the slope to head for the hole. It stopped about five to six feet away.
I was proud of my attitude for the putt. I followed my routine like it was a "routine putt." I picked a spot that was right of the hole and short about six inches. When my ball caught the hole, it was on the bottom, left side. It rolled around the outer rim in a clockwise direction and dropped in on the opposite side, a good all-around putt!
Becca just came up to talk to me. We are both excited about this weekend. It’s going to be busy with volleyball and family. Her Aunt Debbie is coming up from Las Cruces with Kyle and Cameron. Bev, Curt, Emily, Mom and Dad are coming down from Colorado to watch Erica play, and our team, too, of course. James is coming, too! He and his friend/mental twin Rich will be driving together. It will be a family reunion of sorts, with volleyball at the center of it all.
I told Becca I had the DVD with the footage of B’s and my trip to New York and the World Trade Center from July 3rd of 2000 with me, so we watched a bit. I showed it to my class today, because yesterday was the sad anniversary of the attacks, and Belinda had shown it to her class already.
It also had scenes with Kelly (not her real name) visiting our house when she was almost two. Kelly is on JV this year, and she is coming along as a manager for varsity this trip. She is also the step-daughter of Chuck (not his real name either), one of the first third grade students I ever taught. It shows Kelly and Danielle grabbing and holding up a docile cat in our living room. The cat just hangs there in Kelly's arms with its feet hanging straight down. Poor cat.
We also saw Danielle and Becca kissing each other at Mesa Verde. I remember going there for Mother’s Day. Kyle is getting carried by Eric, but Belinda and I forced our kids to walk. We were so tough on our children. Kyle does look wiped out, though. That was a long time ago.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #1-Birdie #30 of 2013
Okay, the drive on this hole was with the driver, of course. It was fairly long and right of the fairway. It was near a bush I have lost a golf ball in before. I used my 9-iron from there. It headed towards the flag, and I remember it bouncing up high and slightly to the right, and I was pretty sure it had made it on the green.
I had another putt for eagle, but this one was not a six-footer. The hole was below the ridge in the middle of the green, so this putt had to go to the top of the ridge, turn left and hopefully stop in the hole. I did not put enough speed on it, though, so it turned left earlier than I wanted, but it did stop about three feet away and even with the hole. That putt went in, though. Three under after two holes. Sweet.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #2-Birdie #31 of 2013
This road trip thing is swell. I can get caught up on this kind of stuff. I chose my 8-iron. It worked...really well. It landed over the bunker, just off the green, bounced onto the green and stopped about thirteen feet away, below the hole and to the right. I made that putt, of course. Four under after three holes now. Oh yeah.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #3-Birdie #32 of 2013
My tee shot caused C.J. to comment that Pat had come to play today. It was a smooth swing with my utility club. Afterward, I was close to the 100 yard marker and on the fairway. Another smooth swing with my sand wedge and my ball flew right over the flag and stopped between four and five feet directly behind and a little to the left of the hole this time. The putt was mostly straight. I picked a spot and let it go. I said out loud that it didn’t have enough, but it kept going and it rolled in. BAM! Birdie #3 in a row (after an eagle) and the best stretch of four holes I have ever played...ever. Five under after four holes. Awesome! I live for this kind of stuff. It truly was the golf of my dreams.
I ended up shooting an 80 after all of that, and it was adjusted to a 77 for handicap purposes. I had a big hiccup on hole #5 where my tee shot was nowhere to be found. It was not that bad, in my opinion. C.J. thought we would find it, and so did I, but it wasn’t meant to be. It was up the right side, heading towards the trees, but it wasn’t close to the fence. After that and a shot that went in the ditch, I earned a 10. Then I bounced back right away and got one last birdie for the round.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #6-Birdie #33 of 2013
Bruce had already made an excellent swing for his tee shot. He was behind the hole and close, really close. I chose my 7-iron this time, which might have ended up long if I had really gotten a hold of it. My ball, however, stopped short of the hole, but it was on the green and also near the hole. I knew Bruce was closer for the bonus, but they weren’t so sure. He was nearer, though. He was six to eight feet away, and I was closer to ten to twelve feet. I made my putt first, and I was certain that Bruce would make his to tie and push the money. We were playing Skins again. His putt, however, turned to the left at the very end.
Bruce still beat my stroke play score. He shot a 78. One day, I’ll make birdies (and maybe another eagle) like that again, and when I do, the rest of the scores will back those up, and I’ll get par or under par. That’s twice I’ve earned six strokes below par and not had the rest of the round backing them up. The first time, I shot my best score ever, a 74.
Until next time...
I am on the bus again. This time we are headed to Hope Christian High School for another tournament. “Hope” we win again. I am confident and secure with how well this team can do. We have more hitters, more firepower than last year. We have a great back row, too. It’s going to be a fun season!
On to golf...
I have big news. I have set a new standard for myself. The last time I played with Bruce and C.J., something wonderful happened. I went...
eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie on holes #18 through #3. I got another birdie on #6, too. I have never, ever been five under after just four holes. It was fabulous! Here’s how it happened...
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #18-Eagle #3 of 2013
I was losing...badly. The only money I had earned was due to the bonuses on #14 and #16. I had not won a hole yet.
Another group was teeing off on #15, but they waited for us to go first. It was the other Terry, the one they called a Sandbagger after he had won the net score in a tournament once, and some of his playing partners. He had some Fred Couples type shoes that he said he was frustrated with because they kept spinning out on him.
One of his partners is probably the longest hitter at Hidden Valley. I forgot his name, but when C.J. and I played #7 the time before, he was teeing off on #14. We were both waiting for him because our tee shots went way left. He hesitated, as if to say, “Are you sure you want to stand there? Okay?”
We were safe; we thought we were safe. We were near the spot where my longest drive came to a stop, so who could possibly drive it on the fly this far. He could. He did. Thankfully, it was behind us, but it was still in the air, and we knew it was because it hit some of the trees‘ leaves behind us less than twenty yards away.
Terry pointed to where he had driven it on #14 earlier that day. It was probably inside the 100 yard marker. With the downslope, it might have been inside 50 yards. Wow!
I teed off last, and it was pressure-filled. Everyone was watching. I aimed for #18’s fairway to get the bonus. It was a smooth, long draw that hit the fairway. I got the bonus, and then I got some more. My 7-iron got the call for the approach, and it was a not-so-great swing that turned out to be more-than-great. It came out low, but that helped. My ball landed on the front of the green, rolled forward and turned left with the slope to head for the hole. It stopped about five to six feet away.
I was proud of my attitude for the putt. I followed my routine like it was a "routine putt." I picked a spot that was right of the hole and short about six inches. When my ball caught the hole, it was on the bottom, left side. It rolled around the outer rim in a clockwise direction and dropped in on the opposite side, a good all-around putt!
Becca just came up to talk to me. We are both excited about this weekend. It’s going to be busy with volleyball and family. Her Aunt Debbie is coming up from Las Cruces with Kyle and Cameron. Bev, Curt, Emily, Mom and Dad are coming down from Colorado to watch Erica play, and our team, too, of course. James is coming, too! He and his friend/mental twin Rich will be driving together. It will be a family reunion of sorts, with volleyball at the center of it all.
I told Becca I had the DVD with the footage of B’s and my trip to New York and the World Trade Center from July 3rd of 2000 with me, so we watched a bit. I showed it to my class today, because yesterday was the sad anniversary of the attacks, and Belinda had shown it to her class already.
It also had scenes with Kelly (not her real name) visiting our house when she was almost two. Kelly is on JV this year, and she is coming along as a manager for varsity this trip. She is also the step-daughter of Chuck (not his real name either), one of the first third grade students I ever taught. It shows Kelly and Danielle grabbing and holding up a docile cat in our living room. The cat just hangs there in Kelly's arms with its feet hanging straight down. Poor cat.
We also saw Danielle and Becca kissing each other at Mesa Verde. I remember going there for Mother’s Day. Kyle is getting carried by Eric, but Belinda and I forced our kids to walk. We were so tough on our children. Kyle does look wiped out, though. That was a long time ago.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #1-Birdie #30 of 2013
Okay, the drive on this hole was with the driver, of course. It was fairly long and right of the fairway. It was near a bush I have lost a golf ball in before. I used my 9-iron from there. It headed towards the flag, and I remember it bouncing up high and slightly to the right, and I was pretty sure it had made it on the green.
I had another putt for eagle, but this one was not a six-footer. The hole was below the ridge in the middle of the green, so this putt had to go to the top of the ridge, turn left and hopefully stop in the hole. I did not put enough speed on it, though, so it turned left earlier than I wanted, but it did stop about three feet away and even with the hole. That putt went in, though. Three under after two holes. Sweet.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #2-Birdie #31 of 2013
This road trip thing is swell. I can get caught up on this kind of stuff. I chose my 8-iron. It worked...really well. It landed over the bunker, just off the green, bounced onto the green and stopped about thirteen feet away, below the hole and to the right. I made that putt, of course. Four under after three holes now. Oh yeah.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #3-Birdie #32 of 2013
My tee shot caused C.J. to comment that Pat had come to play today. It was a smooth swing with my utility club. Afterward, I was close to the 100 yard marker and on the fairway. Another smooth swing with my sand wedge and my ball flew right over the flag and stopped between four and five feet directly behind and a little to the left of the hole this time. The putt was mostly straight. I picked a spot and let it go. I said out loud that it didn’t have enough, but it kept going and it rolled in. BAM! Birdie #3 in a row (after an eagle) and the best stretch of four holes I have ever played...ever. Five under after four holes. Awesome! I live for this kind of stuff. It truly was the golf of my dreams.
I ended up shooting an 80 after all of that, and it was adjusted to a 77 for handicap purposes. I had a big hiccup on hole #5 where my tee shot was nowhere to be found. It was not that bad, in my opinion. C.J. thought we would find it, and so did I, but it wasn’t meant to be. It was up the right side, heading towards the trees, but it wasn’t close to the fence. After that and a shot that went in the ditch, I earned a 10. Then I bounced back right away and got one last birdie for the round.
Hidden Valley Golf Course-Hole #6-Birdie #33 of 2013
Bruce had already made an excellent swing for his tee shot. He was behind the hole and close, really close. I chose my 7-iron this time, which might have ended up long if I had really gotten a hold of it. My ball, however, stopped short of the hole, but it was on the green and also near the hole. I knew Bruce was closer for the bonus, but they weren’t so sure. He was nearer, though. He was six to eight feet away, and I was closer to ten to twelve feet. I made my putt first, and I was certain that Bruce would make his to tie and push the money. We were playing Skins again. His putt, however, turned to the left at the very end.
Bruce still beat my stroke play score. He shot a 78. One day, I’ll make birdies (and maybe another eagle) like that again, and when I do, the rest of the scores will back those up, and I’ll get par or under par. That’s twice I’ve earned six strokes below par and not had the rest of the round backing them up. The first time, I shot my best score ever, a 74.
Until next time...
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