Our Skins Game at Hillcrest

Written on 7-10-26.

        It’s a Friday, and I have no work.  B went paddle boarding this morning, and I went to Ancient Grounds, the restaurant on Main Street where Ramsey Realty used to be.  She joined me when she was done, and we have been relaxing at home since.  We watched a couple of more episodes of the Netflix show called I Will Find You.  It’s been relaxing, but I have felt a weight on me all day.  I am grieving.  

Rob chose to take Kody’s dog bed that we inherited from C.J.  It was great to catch up with him.  I called to see if he wanted it back, but he told us it was ours now.  I asked if he knew anybody who might want it, but he couldn’t think of anyone.  That’s when I texted Rob and Danielle.  Rob’s dog, Frankie, will get the use out of it next.

I should do more, but I need a day.  It’s a relaxing day, and I need it.  I am using writing to keep busy.

Back to golf…

I was one point behind when I wrote last time.  Thankfully, Eric and Grant pushed one point by tying each other on hole #16.  I struggled to a 7, but they both got double bogeys.

We came to #17, and I remembered the...

 gopher tees Eric gave us at the start of the round.  Thinking all of us could use a bonus, I suggested a long drive competition on this par five.  Grant suggested one skin for the winner.  Eric did something I have never seen before.  Instead of wanting to do this, he shied away from it.  He said Grant and I were bullying him into a contest he couldn’t possibly win, because we had a higher chance of booming a long drive.  I was incredulous.  Was Eric rolling over and exposing his soft belly?  Normally, he would go for this kind of a challenge.  It was weird, to say the least.  He did agree to it, however.

Grant stepped up first.  He had honors from #14.  He smashed a drive up the right side, but it didn’t kick in his favor and ended up under a tree.  Eric was up.  His attempt was pitiful…for Eric.  His drive snap-hooked and headed for the water.  I have seen Eric hit incredible drives under pressure, but he had talked himself out of this one. 

For my turn, I teed up my gopher sideways (no reason), so its face would be aimed at my left foot.  I swung a beauty!  It went up the right side, and I knew immediately it would land in the fairway.  Well done, Swope!  I earned the extra point, and it was now tied 5 apiece.

It wasn’t over yet, though.  Grant and I both got a double, repeating what he and Eric did on #16.  It was anybody’s game at the last hole, and could you ask for anything better for this summer mountain round?  Eric came back at Pagosa to win it all, so anything could happen at this point.  Grant has steadied his game and gained more confidence.  He had a legitimate shot, too.  I was thinking my experience playing there would really help me.  I remember closing out matches with Eric on this hole many times in the past.  Grant was playing here for the first time.

My drive went up the right side.  I thought it would be fine, but it stopped under a tree.  Grant had a terrible drive this time.  He went left and hit a tree.  He was very far from the green after that first shot.  Eric had the best drive by far.  His went up the line of the left edge of the fairway and rolled closer to the green than Grant’s and mine.  Was he going to do it again?  Steal all the points that had been pushed to this final hole?

Eric and Grant rode in the same cart the whole round.  I was alone in mine, and John had his own, too.  When I assessed my second shot, I found out that I had a full swing despite being under the tree.  I chose my Wishon 5-iron/wood club.  Somehow, the turn of my swing did not bring the low hanging branches in the way.  Often, I get out of rhythm on a shot like this.  I worry that I might come into contact with a branch, and I rush.  Not this time.  I made the best swing of the day considering the weight of the situation.  It was too good.  What I thought would end up on the green settled off the back instead.  They were still coming up to Grant’s ball, so I went ahead and played my chip shot.  I used my Sandy Andy, and popped it up near the hole.  That thing had saved me with the thick rough around the greens.  The weight of the head helps squirt the ball out.

Grant thought he got his approach past the tree, but I saw the entire thing.  It hit the branch on the other side and dropped straight down.  He mistakenly thought it was up by the green, and I tried to point to where it really was to no avail.  When they came up, and he could hear me, I told him what had happened.  

As they drove back, I chose to putt.  I barely missed on the high side, and then I finished my round with a final bogey.  Hopefully, it would be enough to tie or possibly win.  The last three points were up for grabs.  Eric was next to the green in two shots.  Grant was out.  I watched off to the side to see what would unfold.  The grass was deep.