This was my sixth King Putter which means that I've been to twice as many as Dan King himself. The first one set a very high standard which, in my opinion, has not been approached since. However, this latest King Putter came close. Special thanks go to the organizers, recommenders, and hosts.
As Mr. Huntley so eloquently noted in his toast, none of this would have been possible without Ran Morrissett's creation, golfclubatlas.com. Though not without problems and controversies, Ran through his site has successfully brought together a fairly diverse group of people from throughout the world. The face-to-face interactions have been tremendously harmonious and enjoyable, and many warm, lasting relationships have been established. Thanks Ran!
There has been some turnover over the years, and while the new faces are most welcomed, the absent veterans are sorely missed. I hope that Mrssrs. Ball and Stamm make the KPVII so enticing that they will come back.
BTW, some things seem pretty constant: 1) a few guys like Spaulding, Wall, Benham, and Ball can really play the game while the rest of us aspire to; 2) a wide variety of opinion regarding the architectural merits of the host venues; 3) someone spilling a drink on someone else; and 4) Shivas quitting the game.
As to pace of play, four hours on the dot at Del Monte, 5:05 at Bayonet, 4:55 at Pasatiempo. Difficult greens at the latter two courses don't help play along.