I don’t know about you guys, but it pains me knowing that the off-season is so close!
This weekend we were blessed with a couple of nice days. Yesterday morning was mid-forties – with a lot of sun and no wind, it was ideal for golf at my home course of North Hills Country Club.
I spent the night before at the Club for their annual Halloween party. I stopped by for a happy hour drink at 3:30, but with a couple of friends there ended up having three. Then, I was talked in to coming back for the Halloween party. Living across the street, I walked home and checked out what I had available: The best I could find was a Ryan Braun jersey with an old pair of baseball pants and a Brewers hat. I drew a syringe on my left arm to complete the outfit.
While at the party, I agreed to play at 9:46 the next morning. When my alarm went off at 8:15, I remember thinking to myself, “Why is my alarm going off? Do I have to work this morning? Isn’t it Saturday?” It was. I hit my snooze button four times before remembering that I had to golf, and made my way across the street. I couldn’t find my playing partners, Dr. Hauser and Bob Suycott, and was told they took off a little early on the back nine. I had Evan take me out to the eleventh hole, where I caught up with them and joined in the fun on the twelfth.
My first swing of the day was a bit awkward on the 178-yard par three twelfth with a six-iron, but was pin-high and ten feet from the pin. It was really thin, but worked out. “Thin to win” – “Who invited this guy?”
My tee shot on thirteen was pretty awesome, and my six-iron approach drew in perfectly. Another skin.
I shot 29 on the seven holes of the back nine and felt great. “He’ll sober up eventually,” Hauser said. I did, and three-putted five times on my way to a 47 on the front nine.
Saturday marked the first time since I’ve been at North Hills that I’ve actually won money! I won five dollars – a huge win for me, considering the other three times I’ve played money games I lost eight dollars, $73, and $43, respectively.
North Hills is a tough course. It’s not long but it’s tight and tree-lined, and the greens are absolutely lightening fast. My best round of the year there was an 85, which was the final round of the Ryder Cup tournament.
Today, I got out of Church and was going to meet up with my buddy, Scott, for a quick nine. I started out hot, but had sevens on eight and nine, finishing the front with a 44. I got hot on the back, though, finishing off my best round of the season at North Hills with a back-nine 40 and an overall 84.
Why in the world are my best two days coming at the end of the season? I’m not losing any balls, putting decently, but more importantly hitting fairways and playing great iron shots.
What gives? This is just like birdying eighteen on your worst round of the year, or hitting an eight-iron stiff after three wayward shots to start a hole. It’s November third, and this is not fair at all! I will obviously have to put together an off-season golf trip this year, and obviously hope for this [fairly] mild Fall weather to continue for a while!
