O65 League, Harbor Lights, Eagle

 So: Some Messy Details:

This wasn't league play, on a Monday.

My playing companion was Dave, also, from the league. I never'd met him but knew who he was: half of the first place team in the league and the owner of the only other Eagle in league play this year (he holed out from 60 or 70 yds on number 2)

This was for the Harbor Lights Club Championship Qualifying round (him), which is two circuits in the company of another competitor (me)

Dave was playing 9 holes this day, to combine with 9 holes next Wednesday, league play for his qualifying 18, if you see how I mean . . . 8^) . . . so, like, a semi-official round . . . 

We played amiably around the 9 pretty quickly, not really having to wait for anybody, me better'n him, 41 to 51 (2 under for me and 2 over for him), but he was obviously off his game, I just hope it wasn't me put him off, personality wise, if you see how I mean . . . but there was events to mention

On #1, I ripped my drive over the creek and back up the hill. I only had 60+ yards to the uphill green, and 66 is one of my "numbers". I dialed in and popped the ball up 4 ft from the pin. Made sure of the birdy, which ought to be a winner on #1 in league play, regardless of the handicap-gap . . . 8^D . . . 

It was not the harbinger of THE Low Round I am seeking. I muddled around the course leaving makeable putts just-short, even on #7, after 2 perfect shots and yet again on #8 after a miracle shot out of the trees and over the trap.

But i was still confident on #9, where I very recently made an eagle. Well hit drive tailed-off just right of the sandtrap at the top of the hill, which is ok by me, it makes a little launch pad, and I hit another bullet 7wood straight at the pin on a green we couldn't see .  I was still pleased when I got to the drop-off and saw my ball 15 ft away from the pin, on the collar. With my 9iron chipping I felt I could make it, but it jumped on me and rolled 4-5 ft past. Which, short-putt, I missed, 3-putt par . . .

Now the Club Championship involves 9 holes from the White Tees, and 9 from the Blue Tees, so we played 1 & 2 again, just to get a familiarity with the Blues. I spanked my drive over the creek again, despite the extra distance, with a confidence I did not completely have. I was 30 yards more away from the green from the first time we played 1, but at another 'number' for me, 90 yds. It landed short of the green going to the short pin, and I thot it would even roll up onto the back tier when I saw it first bounce, but when I climbed the hill it was nowhere to be seen on the green. So i peeked in the hole before I went up behind the green, but there was my ball in the hole.

I have a witness, my new friend Dave from the League . . . .

Aces & Eagles as of 25-07-02

 

Over 65 League at Harbor Lights, 2 birdies and an Eagle

 It quit misting by the 3rd tee. Musta been what I needed. Always thought of myself as a "mudder", but now squishy footing throws me off.

First eagle at HH, I've missed a bunch on # 9 from 30 ft to 6 ft, but this one was 18 inches.

bumblepuppy

 

1. noun The game of nine-holes. from The Century Dictionary.

2. noun In whist, a manner of playing 'either in utter ignorance of all its known principles, or in defiance of them, or both'. from The Century Dictionary.

She was again and publicly invited up to the parlor, and she came, though she said, rather shortly, that she didn't play Five Hundred, but only bumblepuppy bridge, a variety of whist which which Mr. Wrenn instantly resolved to learn. Our Mr. Wrenn, the Romantic Adventures of a Gentle Man

And, in performing this task of hers, she has developed a technique of politeness which is to the amateur's technique what the professional golf-player's style is to the form of the mere bumblepuppy. Walter Prichard Eaton, Penguin Persons & Peppermints

The origin of this word is unknown. However, 'bumble' is imitative in origin and influenced by 'bungle' and 'fumble.'

Wordnik Word of the Day for May 18, 2024

Watching Thursday coverage of Amen Corner

So many guys were bailing out right on #11, 

away from the water on the left of the green

that my wife and i started calling it "the sissy side".

Then came Sergio, so natch, he went right at the flag,

(I mean, HE HAS TO, don't he?)

and came up short into the water,

proving something-je-ne-sais-quoi . . . 

ACEs & EAGLEs as of 23-08-21

 

An Undocumented Ace

If you make a hole-in-one, but have no witnesses, does it count?

The short answer is “no”, according to the USGA.

The longer answer is “yes”, if you keep it to yourself . . . 

Scorecard from Harbor Lights GC, 23-08-21

Hole         1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Par         4 4 4 5 3 3 4 4 5

Score 3 5 4 6 1 4 6 4 5

#5 is 127 yards, with a smallish green protected by bunkers 

both left and right. 

In between the right bunkers and the green  

that curls around the bunker

which is where the sucker pin was this day.

I’ve made more 5s on this short hole than 3s,

mainly due to the trough 

between those bunkers on the right 

and the green,

like an additional hazard,

a grass bunker, itself, almost, since it is so deep,

that catches any almost-errant shot 

and buries the ball in deep rough, or

throws it into a bunker.

So I hoped just to plonk the ball

into the center of the green 

and two-putt. 

I hit what I would call a half-8 iron

because either I’ve lost a club-length

due to my age, or else the ball just doesn’t carry

as far at sea-level.

The trajectory was medium,

with a fade that made me pessimistic

about being in the rough trough, again,

but the ball bounced straightish,

a little rightish, off the frog hair

toward the pin, 

but I didn’t see it go in –

I thought it had run off the back of the green,

to where I was trudging,

with only a perfunctory look into the hole,

but there it was.

I looked around,

but on Monday early afternoon,

the course was almost deserted.

So, that’s my 3rd hole-in-one,

depending on how you count