I hadn’t see Stan in a while. A former regular golfing partner of mine, Stan and I hadn’t shot a round together in ages. Our conflicting schedules simply hadn’t allowed.
Last Friday night, I happened to be outside the bar on a break when I saw him turn the corner sidewalk with a little more than usual pep in his step. He had some news for me just as I had news for him.
I hadn’t yet informed him of my recent 83. His news was far more exciting.
Stan had hit up Pebble Creek lately, a local favorite course of ours. He and I have drunk our fair share of whiskey out there. We’ve snuck in the occasional extra nine before sundown, lost a ton of balls and had a blast of times. None of those times would compare to Stan’s most recent tale.
Stan patiently allowed me to tell him of my 83 only because he knew what he had in store for me was far more delectable. He soon topped my story with the sentence every golfer loves to hear but rarely ever does.
“I shot my first hole in one,” he said. We quickly embraced.
Now, all things considered, Stan is not the greatest golfer in the world but he does work pretty consistently on his game. He and I are about compatible with most of the rounds we’ve played, competing for the proverbial “cup,” ending in a dead heat.
But Stan’s tee shot from the 15th that day had to have been the best he or I have ever hit.
He told the story, weeks after it happened, still with a beam in his eye. He told of the club he used, how he struck it, how it landed on the green and how it gloriously rolled back into the cup. Ker-PLUNK!
“That means I don’t have to play anymore,” he said jokingly. But I knew what he meant.
A hole-in-one is every golfer’s white whale. Harpooning that sucker means that, for one brief moment in time, you were perfect. All those shots hit, all those rounds played, all those near misses, all those slices into the woods or someone’s back yard or a fucking lake nowhere near what you were aiming at, for once, finally, you did it. And you’ll remember it for the rest of your life. Or at least, so I’ve been told. If Stan’s smile was any indication, I’d say those rumors are true.
I could very well have been with Stan that day. It would have been the millionth time we’d played together. Then the obligatory rounds upon rounds at the clubhouse bar would have ensued, on Stan’s dime as is tradition when one gets his first hole-in-one, although knowing Stan and the way he spends money, the rounds would have consisted of mostly well liquor.
But seeing Stan strut into the bar that night reminded me once again of why we play this game. Even though I followed up my 83 with a shoddy 97 the very next round, that perfect shot is out there.
It’s just a matter of finding it.
I am one generation away from a hole in one as my step dad Sam hit one back at his County course in NJ. He had been playing that same course, 3 days a week for decades when he finally dropped one!
He played deep into his 80s and lived to 98. I am glad he got at least one in his life!!
One of these days, PJD.
Awesome for Stan even tho I don’t know him. I saw 1 HIO in my life and it would have been embarrassing to see how we reacted. Even the group behind us freaked out with us. Drinks all around!
Welcome to the club. I remember how it felt when I had one at Haile Plantation. Don’t forget to tell him to send his card to the pro shop and to the club and ball manufacturers. They give a way a lot of cool stuff.
Moose…
I envisioned gang-tackling him then getting the clubhouse on the phone to tell them to send the cart girl out there IMMEDIATELY.
The rest of the day would probably not be remembered.
That’s the whole point, right, Mony?
I mean you STILL remember yours and how long ago was that?
Good lookin’ out on contacting the pro shop. I’m assuming he already did that. I can only imagine walking by that clubhouse the next time we head out there with his plaque on the wall with him pointing it out every damn time.
Hole in one…schmole in one. Have you ever tied a seven-iron around a tree?
I’ve done it twice. Once on a public course by the Van Nuys airport and once at El Caruso. Both were par 3 holes and both were way back when. Haven’t played in years but I still remember those gems…Which in and of itself is an achievement as the primary objective in going was to finish every joint and drink every beer we had stuffed into our bags before hitting the 18th green.
That’s comparable to an occasional video poker player hitting a royal flush. Never experienced the ace, but it musta been a helluva rush!
No, Dub, but I’ve wrapped a few 7-irons around a tree.
That’s what you meant, right?
Bleed…
Two holes in one?
Now you’re just showing off.
Bets….
I’ve hit three royals at viddy poker in my lifetime.
Once at Harrah’s in New Orleans, once here at the Hard Rock in Tampa and another on a gambling cruise.
Here’s the worst part of the gambling cruise hit.
I was playing at a machine next to my buddy who was playing Keno. I sat next there to be at the machine next to him not realizing… that it was a nickel machine.
My five credits in paid a couple hundred instead of a grand. Needless to say, I was not happy.
Nope. Was just young, dumb, wasted and lucky when it happened.
Chris,
I learned a life lesson playing video poker recently. Waiting for the casino to post next weeks #s and sat next to a lady and was enjoying a little conversation while both playing. I was watching her being dealt a full house(3fives/2 queens.. All of a sudden I notice she was discarding the 2 queens. “Hold them all I yelled.” She replied, ” I play for 4 of kinds”. I’m mocking the hell outta her………….HTG, she drew the 4th 5 and began chirping like a bird. I’ll never offer my “lame” advice again.