Each Thanksgiving, a good sized group of guys from North Hills Country Club meet up at 9 in the morning for a great annual ritual: The Thanksgiving morning one-club championship.
The tournament always starts out at the bar for bloody mary’s, followed by a jaunt to the tenth tee for opening tee shots.
The buy-in is $5 a guy, and friends and relatives are welcomed. I won last year’s event and came away with $55. We played ten and eighteen for that event. For this year’s tournament we had 20-25 players, started on the tenth and finished on nine.
I’ve played a bit of one-club in my time, and my weapon of choice is the six-iron. I can hit it a decent distance (170-185), it’s accurate, lofted enough that if I do get in the sand it won’t be impossible to get out, and of course it’s low enough lofted that putting and chipping can be played low to the ground.
I had little choice this year if I wanted to get any distance, as in the past three weeks both my four- and five-irons snapped at the hozzle, creating an unfortunate gap between my six-iron and three-hybrid.
The best score on the tenth hole was a six, and I was one behind at seven. The ninth was playing tough, but I nearly holed out my fifth shot and tapped in for six. I refrained from announcing what my upcoming putt was for as I was stimied and would have otherwise had to pitch over the ball in front of mine to stay in contention.
Four of us were in a playoff with a score of 13. We dropped balls around 75-100 yards out, and closest to the pin took all. I went last and never gave it a chance, leaving my chip shot just short of the green.
I didn’t win this year, but like every year it was a great time with great guys. On this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for so incredibly much, and somewhere in there is golf and everlasting traditions, in general.
What’s your favorite golf tradition?
Also, North Hills is nearing our optimal membership level of 300 golfing members, but they are still running a new member promotion for 2017. This past year brought about 70 new members – the majority of whom are under 40 – and next season looks to be a great one, too.
If you are interested in joining or checking out the club, please send me an email at wiscosportsaddict@gmail.com so we can connect on the opportunity.
Wishing you and yours’ a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving,
Paul