The Isleta Eagle is Revealed

Back to golf…

     So, that round yesterday was another fantastic one.  I was the one who suggested the points game, knowing Bruce typically enjoys this one more than others.  Like I had mentioned, he was ahead after the front nine, but not by much.  He faded on the back, however, getting some double bogeys, and C.J. won the highest number of points for one hole after winning hole #11.  

     This was the hole that we had a bit of a controversy.  The tees were where the ladies’ tees usually are, so we all were faced with a new decision.  Bruce and I chose to go for the green, but his tee shot went right and most likely out of bounds.  Mine, however, headed straight for the green, a smooth and high 3-wood shot that soared over the trees.  I was confident we would find it.  C.J. played for the fairway, and he was the only one who ended up receiving a “real” score.  

     After the three of us spent an overly extended time searching for my ball, I chose to use the “leaf rule” and drop.  From there, I earned a par, too.  Bruce thought C.J. should earn all of the points, though, and I agreed.  So, he earned 21 points on that hole, and it was so high because...

One Hole, Three Players, Three Birdies

Written on 10-26-16.

     I don’t have much time to write.  Belinda and I are treating her parents to dinner as a thank you for their paying a big chunk of one of our medical bills.  We saw that $2000.00 was taken off of Belinda’s bill for her recent hysterectomy surgery, but we thought it was due to an insurance adjustment.  Nope.  It was for a love adjustment instead.  Amanda was the one who ratted them out for us.  I’m glad she did, though.  It will be great tonight to look them in the eyes and sincerely thank them for their kind and wonderful gesture.  I can only hope we can pay it forward someday for our children.  We are blessed.

     Bruce, C.J., and I played 18 holes today. Bruce is mostly done with Rei’s car (he sent pictures in an e-mail), and it looks amazing.  Reilly is going to be thrilled when they drive it to him this Friday.

It was another gorgeous day for golf.  I don’t want the colder, nastier weather to come.  Colder weather, please stay away.  Sigh.  

     Every round has a story or two, and this round was no different.  It started when we all earned birdies on the first hole.  Now that’s something I know has never happened before.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #1-Birdie #53 of 2016

     I like how birdies can be achieved in so many different ways by different players; the variety is endless, and it makes golf a very unique and individualized sport.  

     C.J. drove his ball off the fairway to the right side near some roots.  Then he recovered right back onto the fairway to a spot just before the hills.  After that, he made a pitch to less than four feet to get his birdie.

     Bruce drove his ball onto the fairway, and his second shot sailed to the right of the cottonwood where it stopped on the green below the hole.  He cleaned up with two putts to get his birdie.

I drove mine onto the fairway, left of the cottonwood.  Then my 7-iron put my ball just off the green on the right side.  I chose to putt my ball up and over the hill and onto the green, where it stopped short with about eight feet to go.  I made that next putt, and that is how I got my birdie.

     We agreed to give C.J. a pop on this hole, so he won the hole with a net eagle, but we didn’t figure that out until hole #9.  It didn’t really matter, though, because he chipped in for a par on the next hole after putting his tee shot into the ditch.  So, even if we had pushed the points from #1, he would have won them right back on hole #2.  It turns out he just won them outright without any point pushing.  Make sense?  

     This was a very close competition.  At the end of nine holes, C.J. and I were tied with 24 points, but Bruce wasn’t way ahead like he normally is.  He had 26 points.  

Gotta go to dinner now.  Until next time…

Written on 10-27-16.

     We had a swell dinner, eating at the new Italian restaurant in Farmington.  Even the foodies, Dale and Anna, were happy with our choice.  Dale, Jess, and Belinda ended up reminiscing about the various cars, accidents, and adventures they had when B was in high school.  Anna and I became the fourth and fifth wheels at that point, but it was fun to see them having such an enjoyable time reliving some memories together.  And, we got to do what we set out to do, thank them for their super generosity by treating them to dinner.

Life is Rough, More Than 50 Birdies in One Year

Written on 10-23-16.

     Boy, life is so rough right now.  Play golf.  Write about golf.  Play golf again because the weather is phenomenal right now.  Write about it again.  Sigh.  

     Today really was another incredible day for golf, too.  Wow!  Bruce chose not to play.  C.J. chose to wait until 1:00 for me, so I could go to church.  It was the 70th anniversary celebration mass today, and Bishop Wall came to help us celebrate.  It was a beautiful celebration with the Knights of Columbus and our church all spiffed up.  I was shocked when I realized I’ve been a part of that church for close to 25 of those 70 years already.  I’m proud to be a part of this church community.  

     C.J. and I chose to play skins today, and it was a close match, but he ended up being the victor.  I beat him in stroke play by one stroke, 41 to 42, but his two birdies on holes #4 and #6 really helped his cause.  He also earned some crucial bonuses.  He got the bonuses on holes #5, #6, and #7.  On #7, even though he teed off from the reds, he outdrove me by less than a yard.  Those bonuses were the difference.  His final money total ended up being $400,000.00 to my $260,000.00.  On the last hole, I had to earn the bonus and win the hole, but C.J. got a pop on this hole, and we both earned pars, so he got the last of the money and won the match.

I earned three birdies in this round, but only one on the front nine.

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #1-Birdie #50 of 2016

     I had very little time to warm up.  I teed off quickly because two guys in a cart were waiting for us to get going.  Despite the fast start, I had a big drive that ended up...

Caught in a Cat Fight and a New Eagle!

Aztec Municipal Golf Course-Hole #18-Birdie #48 of 2016

     This hole was super strange.  I saw the one group of ladies playing in the tournament many holes ago.  I was on #8 when they were on #13, so I thought they would be done by this time, but I slowly gained on them and then I caught them on this last hole.  I saw Shelby looking for her ball in one of the bigger bushes, so I waited to tee off.  I waited and watched.  I played my own solitary version of the poison game.  I waited and watched some more.  I could not see if their carts had gone up the hill to the green yet, so I played some more poison, waited, and watched even more.  

     Thinking I had waited more than enough, I went ahead and teed off.  My ball headed to the left of the trees, so I thought it would be near the cart path and safe from hitting them.  I headed down the hill, and as I walked I spied a yellow and black soccer ball golf ball near a tree just off of the cart path. For some reason, I didn’t pick it up, and then I promptly forgot about it.  I found my ball another fifty yards ahead of that one, but the ladies were on the green, so once again I had nowhere to go for a while.  

     They were so incredibly slow, I decided to kneel down to rest until they finished, fascinated that it was taking them this long.  One girl had to use three putts just to get her ball to go from the left side of the green to the right without having it roll back again.

Written on 10-22-16.

     When they finished, they got in their carts and drove back up the cart path to where I was waiting instead of heading to the clubhouse.  I thought for a moment that...