::) 8)Archie that was a great story... more, more!
As my illustrious caddie career ( :-X ) was nearing it's end as I couldn't stretch my college career much longer the head pro at Pine Valley gave me an extension on my childhood. He offered me the job as as assistant pro to my surprise and I accepted. I had thoughts with an opportunity to practice and play at the best golf course I had ever seen was a blessing from heaven.
My job there was wonderful, other than the fact I took a quantum pay cut from my job as a looper. I continued to live In Ocean City, NJ , renting an old beach house with my friends every summer. It took me exactly an hour to commute to work each day so it made for a lot of tough drives after being out every night. In the early 80's there were few places more fun than the Jersey Shore, with live bands playing every night at places like the Bongo Room , Ocean Drive , Merrill's, Maloney's, the Rock Box, Anchorage I could go on and on.
It was year two in my pro job. I was pretty good at hiding my nightly debauchery but my boss wasn't fooled and decided to teach me a lesson. I arrived a minute before the shop opened at 6:59 am one weekday morning in late June and was definitely hanging a bit. Surprisingly Charley (boss) sauntered in said hello. I replied you're here early and he smiled and said he was going downstairs to get an orange juice.
Strange ! If nothing else Charley was a creature of habit and you could set your watch on his 7:30 arrival. My spider sense was tingling. When he got back he said grab your clubs they need a fourth out there. Normally I'd love it, as the best part of my job was getting so much opportunity to play, an unusual perk for assistants in my capacity.
However it was Wednesday and Tuesday was kamikaze night at the Anchorage . Yep, any of you who has enjoyed the mix of equal parts Vodka,Triple sec and Lime juice knows what large quantities can do to your central nervous system even at the height of your physical powers.
Sensing a set up I parried adroitly suggesting he take my place as he never got the opportunity to play! Nope he said, go have fun.
As I walked towards the front door he said hurry up and get to #5 tee, they are already out there and they have your sticks. Now , most of you have heard of the 5th, one of the toughest three pars on planet. Taking the short walk to the tee I spied my playing partners. Marty West was one , Buddy Marucci and Henri DeLozier. Three of the best ams in country and me, hung over and disheveled.
Walked onto the tee said my pleasantries and looked over at my caddie who was well aware of what was going on. Shit, I thought, this could be embarrassing. No warm up , no putts, no nothing. Oh well, such is life. Grabbed my baffler three rescue ( the one with the rails) and teed it up. When in this state if you see three balls hit the one in the middle was the rule. I said a quick prayer and ripped one on the left side of the green. A miracle! Walked up the hill drank a half gallon of water out of the fountain and ended up shooting a fairly easy 73, another miracle. Sometimes the light shines on the unworthy 8)
Memorable neutral - 1997 one month sojourn playing English and Welsh courses was at Isle of Purbeck and teed up at a medium par 4 with a creek running across the fairway, as usual at the bottom of the hill. Counseled to lay up I replied with the standard "I didn't fly 6,000 miles to lay up" and added there was a bridge down there. Knowing it was out of reach I drove flawlessly and the ball rolled across the bridge.
I have had 38 holed shots, ie 4 proper hole in ones, 14 other 1s on par 3 courses and 20 holed shots from the fairway. They are shots you always remember.It is amazing that you have kept track of those shots.
1st (and only :( ) trip to Bandon. Arrive in Portland and drive to Bandon, tee off on Pacific Dunes, trying to get in 18. Reach 13th hole, sun going down over the Pacific on my left, Surfer Dave hands me the 3 hybrid, pretty good breeze in my face. Perfect swing, and all we could see was the ball drawing right at the pin, but sun and approaching dusk make it hard to see. I get an "ooh" from Dave, and as we walk up the hill he says "you won't hit a better shot this week." 3' behind hole. The memory of that ball in the air, drawing perfectly toward the hole still gives me goosebumps.
In the company of Adam Clayman at Quintero I once hit a teed ball backward without it striking any object. Done it another time since then.
How you ask? Talent.
Mike
... I hit a magnificent high shot that landed on the front of the green and quickly ducked onto the hole for an albatross 2. ...
The one that rises above the rest was without a doubt my greatest golf highlight thus far - an albatross on 16 at Ballyneal.
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