Now I’ve experienced (just about) everything…

[Obee]

Yesterday after work I headed to the course for a late round. Tuesdays at my club are usually pretty slow so I figured I would be able to get in 18 without much trouble.

 

I wanted to play an actual round for four reasons: I have a senior amateur qualifier on Thursday; I am trying out a new grip (weaker with my left hand); I got a brand new Cleveland Frontline Elite putter; and I wanted to input a full round into the strokes gained app, “GolfStat.”

 

Boy, was it an interesting day…

 

I started off the day normally enough with pars on the first couple holes. I then birdied 3, 4, and 8 to turn at 32 (our front nine is par 35. Back is par 37). It was on the back that things got ... interesting: I parred 10 and 11 then hit a nice approach on 12 and made the putt for birdie. As I walked to the 13th tee, I noticd two boys up on the hill to the right of the tee box — probably 13 or 14 years old. Carrying on and being being loud and sliding down an ice plant hill toward the tee.

 

They get to the bottom of the hill, laughing and joking and I look over at them. And I “Shush” them. Much to my amazement, they politely listened.

 

I then step into my shot with my trusty 6h to a back-right pin. Hole is playing 170, slightly downhill and downwind. I put a perfect swing on it and right as I hit, one of the young boys gives a “golf clap.”

 

I laugh, but also say, “go in.”

 

… and it does.

 

Both boys jump up and down and immediately start running toward the hole. I jump in my cart, and as I approach the green, I tell them to not take the ball out of the hole because I want to film it. It has been almost 20 years since my first hole in one.

 

 

I then just parred the 14th and 15. As I stepped up to the tee on the par 3 16th, I thought to myself, “wouldn’t it be crazy if I holed out here also.”

 

It’s weird how perfect my golf swing felt. The new grip was doing something to the rest of my motion, and I felt like I was literally throwing darts. 
 

I stepped up to the tee and hit a perfect 5h that never left flag. As the ball was about halfway to the hole I actually said, out loud, to no one but myself and the golf gods, “Do NOT go in.”
 

I drove up to the hole, and this is what I saw:

 

 

I tapped that in for birdie, then knocked a wedge to 8 feet on the par-5 17th and made birdie there. I stood on the 18th tee -- another par 5, but unreachable for me and dead into the wind -- needing a birdie to shoot my all-time low score. I have shot 64 several times, including once in competition a couple years back, but never 63. At this point, I didn’t even care if no one was playing with me — a personal best 63 would feel fantastic. I was actually nervous.

 

But that was not to be. 
 

I drove it down the middle, laid up, then knocked another wedge inside 10 feet … but missed the putt and shot 64.

 

But oh what a day. One I will never, ever forget ….

Edited December 26, 2023 by Obee
Clarity

[kmay__]

Wow, best case scenario for making a HIO playing alone! That's awesome they were there to help you enjoy the moment.

[Ferguson]

Outstanding recount of the events.  Thanks for sharing.

 

[Jose c.]

Great story,Your a legend to those kids!

[Gsea]

The kid is wearing a Yankee hat in so. Cal, I love it. Great round

[jordan2240]

Nice, but I wanna see your swing!!!

[Ross_Albatross]

And here I was, coming in this thread to read something spectacular like a round with two hole in one and/or someone shooting his personal best but, none of that!

 

Haha congrats on the great memories and thanks for sharing them!

[Nels55]

How did the putter work?  Must have been pretty good!

[Obee]

5 hours ago, jordan2240 said:

Nice, but I wanna see your swing!!!

In all its glory…

 

 

[Obee]

2 hours ago, Nels55 said:

How did the putter work?  Must have been pretty good!

It is considerably lighter than my current putter. I tend to put a lot of weight into my putters in both the hands and head. This one, less so. But I love it.

[Hawkeye77]

Fun!!!!!!

[BlackDiamondPar5]

Congratulations! What a day! Like the Bishop in Caddyshack 😂

 

Hopefully you were playing alone? Otherwise you'd have to post and risk getting whacked with the dreaded Exceptional Score index reduction 😊

[PJE]

Congratulations!

[jordan2240]

10 hours ago, Obee said:

In all its glory…

 

 

IMG_0880.mov

I get an error when I try to access the file, which is probably for the best, as I've already tried to copy far too many swings.  I hope the grip change keeps working for you.  Thanks.

[Enjoi]

That’s a great looking swing and what a story! What course is that? 

[electroleum]

On 5/3/2023 at 7:35 AM, Obee said:

“Do NOT go in.”

 

That has always been my one fear in golf...that I get an ace while playing solo. 

[Obee]

52 minutes ago, Enjoi said:

That’s a great looking swing and what a story! What course is that? 

Victoria Club in Riverside, California. 1903 club with a 1923 Max Behr redesign. 

[LeoLeo99]

7 hours ago, jordan2240 said:

I get an error when I try to access the file, which is probably for the best, as I've already tried to copy far too many swings.  I hope the grip change keeps working for you.  Thanks.

I've seen the swing and his bag of clubs.  Dude is a hustler.  

[Desert Golf]

Congratulations and nice video of you and your gallery.

[zdtallan]

Well, sounds like you're ready for your qualifier! Awesome stuff.

[LeoLeo99]

Congratulations and good luck in the qualifier.  Glad to see that you made some new golf friends.

[Obee]

4 hours ago, LeoLeo99 said:

Congratulations and good luck in the qualifier.  Glad to see that you made some new golf friends.

shot 72 today and  was2nd low qualifier.  🙂

[Texasaggie2016]

Hell of a cool story for a slow afternoon! My goal is to break par by 2025. Low round since coming back to the game is 79 on a par 72. Lowest ever is a 73 on the same course. 

[2bGood]

shooting your age or better is always a treat. 😁

 

 

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

Great round, and congratulations on the qualifier.

 

One thing, though; I make your score as nine-under, which would be a 63, no?

 

Make the turn in 32: 3 under

 

Par 10 & 11, birdie 12: 4 under

 

Hole-in-one eagle on 13: 6 under

 

Birdied 14: 7 under

 

Parred 15, birdied 16: 8 under

 

Birdied 17: 9 under

 

Parred 18: Still 9 under

 

Or are you giving yourself a one-shot penalty for having too many hybrids in the bag?😋

Edited May 8, 2023 by No_Catchy_Nickname

[kmbean]

Awesome story, unbelievable round.  Congratulations!

[mshills]

Reckon the weaker left hand is working!

[Obee]

2 hours ago, No_Catchy_Nickname said:

Great round, and congratulations on the qualifier.

 

One thing, though; I make your score as nine-under, which would be a 63, no?

 

Make the turn in 32: 3 under

 

Par 10 & 11, birdie 12: 4 under

 

Hole-in-one eagle on 13: 6 under

 

Birdied 14: 7 under

 

Parred 15, birdied 16: 8 under

 

Birdied 17: 9 under

 

Parred 18: Still 9 under

 

Or are you giving yourself a one-shot penalty for having too many hybrids in the bag?😋

 

Re-checked the card and I got a little ahead of myself in the re-tell. I had about a 7 or 8 footer on 14, but missed it and made par.

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

15 minutes ago, Obee said:

 

Re-checked the card and I got a little ahead of myself in the re-tell. I had about a 7 or 8 footer on 14, but missed it and made par.

 

Still a great round, and I don't think there's anything in the RoG about earning disqualification for incorrectly retelling your round on GolfWRX😜

 

Ivan and Aidan put in pretty good cameos, too, with a nice bit of ad-libbing at the end.

[Cliffy2020]

Fun story!  The end of the second video is my favorite part.  You can hear it in your voice that feeling of catching lightning in a bottle!  
 

Honestly though, since retelling the story and now having some extra time to reflect on the round shot by shot, do you play those stupid mind games and internally kick yourself for missing the 7’er on 14 or the 9’er on 18 !  The woulda, coulda, shoulda been your lowest round ever.

 

I got absolutely waxed by a high school kid back in the day.  I shot 69 to his 64 and to this day I can’t stop thinking about the sloppy double bogey he made on 16 that would have carded him a 62 that day.

 

I hate it when you actually put a good round together but are still able to pick something out that would have made it better.  Silly game, perfection is unattainable.  

 

Congrats on the HOI & awesome round.  Thanks for sharing the story too.