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Ben Stephens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #75 on: April 01, 2012, 03:35:27 PM »
Dear Mike,

Blimey - thats a really scary episode - get well soon Mike!. Thank you for giving us an update on your current condition.

I was at the Cotswolds Quirk with Niall Carlton, Sean Arble, Adrian Stiff and Tony Muldoon. I was talking about the best and worse of Whitty - golf wise that Robin + I was on the receiving end of a thrashing from Ran and yourself at Liphook!

My mouth dropped to the table when I saw the first topic of this thread and now relieved that we have a second chance to play again hopefully at Sillioth if you are well enough.

Take care mate!

Cheers
Ben

Michael Whitaker

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #76 on: April 01, 2012, 03:36:57 PM »
Mike smokes another great drive on 11 and has 190 to a back pin. Same wind on hole 6, which should help...He hits a safe 5 iron but NO WIND and now has a LONG birdie putt, which he weakly leaves 6 feet short...and lets the next putt break under the hole.

Damn... I shouldda hit the 4!!!!!!!
"Solving the paradox of proportionality is the heart of golf architecture."  - Tom Doak (11/20/05)

Michael Whitaker

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #77 on: April 01, 2012, 03:39:28 PM »
Dear Mike,

Blimey - thats a really scary episode - get well soon Mike!. Thank you for giving us an update on your current condition.

I was at the Cotswolds Quirk with Niall Carlton, Sean Arble, Adrian Stiff and Tony Muldoon. I was talking about the best and worse of Whitty - golf wise that Robin + I was on the receiving end of a thrashing from Ran and yourself at Liphook!

My mouth dropped to the table when I saw the first topic of this thread and now relieved that we have a second chance to play again hopefully at Sillioth if you are well enough.

Take care mate!

Cheers
Ben

Ben,

If you remember, I was ready to quit golf before that match until you had a heart-to-heart talk with me and convinced me to suck it up and play. Sorry for the whipping... but, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!  ;D
"Solving the paradox of proportionality is the heart of golf architecture."  - Tom Doak (11/20/05)

Lester George

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #78 on: April 01, 2012, 03:43:45 PM »
Mike,

My sincere wishes for a speedy and full recovery.  I recently had a similar scare.  I hope to talk to to you soon.

Lester

Ben Stephens

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #79 on: April 01, 2012, 03:53:26 PM »
Dear Mike,

Blimey - thats a really scary episode - get well soon Mike!. Thank you for giving us an update on your current condition.

I was at the Cotswolds Quirk with Niall Carlton, Sean Arble, Adrian Stiff and Tony Muldoon. I was talking about the best and worse of Whitty - golf wise that Robin + I was on the receiving end of a thrashing from Ran and yourself at Liphook!

My mouth dropped to the table when I saw the first topic of this thread and now relieved that we have a second chance to play again hopefully at Sillioth if you are well enough.

Take care mate!

Cheers
Ben

Ben,

If you remember, I was ready to quit golf before that match until you had a heart-to-heart talk with me and convinced me to suck it up and play. Sorry for the whipping... but, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!  ;D


I do remember it very well! Just helping a mate out even if I was on the receiving end it was definitely a pleasure to play with you, Ran and Robin. Those awkward stances in the bunker apparently has had an effect on Robin's knees meaning that he had a knee operation last month and was unable to play in the Cotswolds this week!

Maybe I should be a golf psychologist for GCA'ers rather than a golf course designer!!  ;D

Robin_Hiseman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #80 on: April 01, 2012, 04:37:59 PM »
Dear Mike,

Blimey - thats a really scary episode - get well soon Mike!. Thank you for giving us an update on your current condition.

I was at the Cotswolds Quirk with Niall Carlton, Sean Arble, Adrian Stiff and Tony Muldoon. I was talking about the best and worse of Whitty - golf wise that Robin + I was on the receiving end of a thrashing from Ran and yourself at Liphook!

My mouth dropped to the table when I saw the first topic of this thread and now relieved that we have a second chance to play again hopefully at Sillioth if you are well enough.

Take care mate!

Cheers
Ben

Ben,

If you remember, I was ready to quit golf before that match until you had a heart-to-heart talk with me and convinced me to suck it up and play. Sorry for the whipping... but, it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy!  ;D





Well thanks a lot Ben!!   Couldn't you have saved your pep talk until AFTER our match?!  Glad you're on the mend Mike.  I hope the weather is real bad in Greenville for the next few weeks, so you don't feel so bad about not teeing it up until May ;D

All the best

Robin
2024: RSt.D; Mill Ride; Milford; Notts; JCB, Jameson Links, Druids Glen, Royal Dublin, Portmarnock, Old Head, Addington, Parkstone, Denham, Thurlestone, Dartmouth, Rustic Canyon, LACC (N), MPCC (Shore), Cal Club, San Fran, Epsom, Casa Serena, Hayling, Co. Sligo, Strandhill, Carne, Cleeve Hill

Craig Disher

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #81 on: April 01, 2012, 05:55:31 PM »
Mike,
I just opened gca and my heart sank. We're so relieved you're on the mend already. We'll raise a glass to you this week and look forward to the next time we can get together with you and Nancy. Please take care of yourself - you'll be in our thoughts.

Chris Shaida

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #82 on: April 01, 2012, 06:42:15 PM »
Is there anyone on this site who ISN'T playing with Mike this summer?!

 ;D

Well I WAS going to play Mr Whitaker in the Match at Deal but heh, Mike, if you didn't want to play with me I'd have been happy to just bow out.  You didn't have to go to THESE lengths!

More seriously, I'm with Eric Smith and want to be like Mike! Particularly, I'm praying for the grace and strength to someday 'be like Mike' who was able to take the time to respond to these raw expressions of sympathy with an elegant and useful summary of what he went through AND encouragement for the rest of us to understand what the symptoms are and to pay attention and take care.  Yowsa!  You da man!


John Kirk

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #83 on: April 01, 2012, 07:27:45 PM »
Hi Mike,

Happy to see you are up, at 'em, and talking sh*t with the other golfers.

John

Michael George

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #84 on: April 01, 2012, 07:30:38 PM »
Mike:

Glad to hear that you are doing well.   Hope your recovery is quick.


"First come my wife and children.  Next comes my profession--the law. Finally, and never as a life in itself, comes golf" - Bob Jones

Kevin Pallier

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #85 on: April 01, 2012, 07:50:50 PM »
Mike

Glad to hear you are bouncing back quickly. All the best from "down under"

Maybe a chance of another Boomerang in Aust. next year ?

Steve Lang

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #86 on: April 01, 2012, 08:20:43 PM »
 8) Best Wishes Mike!

Inverness (Toledo, OH) cathedral clock inscription: "God measures men by what they are. Not what they in wealth possess.  That vibrant message chimes afar.
The voice of Inverness"

Michael Taylor

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #87 on: April 01, 2012, 08:40:19 PM »
Jeez that was a big shock followed by some relief! Glad to know you are alright now mate and hope you recover very quickly.

Morgan Clawson

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #88 on: April 01, 2012, 08:50:55 PM »
Mike -

Get well soon!

I'm looking forward to seeing your famous 1 arm practice swing at Dixie Cup!

Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #89 on: April 01, 2012, 09:06:49 PM »
Mike smokes another great drive on 11 and has 190 to a back pin. Same wind on hole 6, which should help...He hits a safe 5 iron but NO WIND and now has a LONG birdie putt, which he weakly leaves 6 feet short...and lets the next putt break under the hole.

Damn... I shouldda hit the 4!!!!!!!

Well, you don't carry the 4 iron anymore, you replaced it with a graphite shaft 4 rescue that sometimes seems to  jump off the club, and you were afraid of going long...plus you expected more rollout.



By this point the guys in my foursome all know about Mike and what I am doing, so they are naturally rooting for him and giving me grief for my putting. :) But don't think I am missing all these putts for Mike on purpose... Each one is costing me dearly in my fourball match...

Hole 13 is under construction (wait til I post pictures of the before and after...) so we all play two balls on the short par 4 Hole #14. Brightly will play the blue tee, Whitaker the white. Bill hangs a three wood into the right rough. Overcorrecting for Bill's push, Mike releases his hands and hits a hot hook into the left bank of the left fairway bunker. While Bill has a great angle to the green from the short rough, Mike is in heavy rough with the ball way below his feet. He has to invent a stance, and then deal with a huge tree that blocks the left half of the green from this angle. Mike does well to get it out into the right greenside bunker, while Bill hits a perfect 8 iron to the middle of the green. However, this ball decides to release and rolls over the back!

Mike hits a superb long bunker shot to two feet above the hole. Bill's pitch is also good, 5 feet below the cup. Bill drains his par putt, and thinks about conceeding Mike's putt, but it is for sandy in the 4-ball... Bill drains it. Bill still one up.

 
« Last Edit: April 01, 2012, 09:35:58 PM by Bill Brightly »

Bob Jenkins

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #90 on: April 01, 2012, 09:30:21 PM »
Holy cow! I just saw this news and it blew me away! Smiling Mike, laid back and always looking fit. I wish you nothing but good health to come. I have a hunch you will be playing a lot of golf for years to come.
Bless you, Mike

Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #91 on: April 01, 2012, 09:34:22 PM »
Mike plays the par 5 15th perfectly: great drive, good 3 wood and 75 yard wedge 15 feet past the hole. Rocky reads the putt just off the left edge, Mike sees it straight and hits a perfect putt. Except it breaks two balls to the right and just misses. Geeze Mike, I  TOLD you Rocky was a good caddie...

Bill hits a good drive, but is tired of hanging his 5 iron right, so he releases this one and hits a hot hook way left. Mediocre chip and putt, makes bogey.

All square with one to go.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2012, 09:56:13 PM by Bill Brightly »

Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #92 on: April 01, 2012, 09:50:11 PM »
Mike has a simple 160 yard par 3, while Bill has to play the tough Road Hole 18th dead into the wind.

Mike has a front pin, distance is 153, but he must carry the "it's there because the committee wanted a pond" pond. 7 iron is the safe choice, but Mike hits 8 to go for birdie. He hits it very well, good thing because he barely cleared the water... but is safely on the front of the green. He faces a 25 foot putt along the front of the green that Bill has never had before. Rocky sees it going left right, but Mike sees it right to left... Did I mention that Rocky is a great caddy? Well, once again Mike overrules Rocky and the putt breaks right, leaving a tricky 3 foot downhill sidehill. Shove right for bogey. SORRY Mike!

Bill kills his drive down the middle, he is a tad bid mad...and has only 140 left to a front pin cut just over the pot bunker on the road hole. It's an uphill shot into the wind, but Bill only adds one club. Hits it perfect, but it comes up one club short. Wisely, Bill aimed right of the bunker. He blocks his pitch right, but has the perfect distance, leaving a tricky downhill sidehill par save putt. Bill says to Rocky: I am hitting it wherever you tell me, no more overrules! Rock say 1 and 1/2 balls off the right, Bill listens and the putt goes in center cut! Bill wins one up.

Sorry for any GCA guys who were naturally rooting for Mike, I was too!

Mike, hope you enjoyed this and get well soon!
« Last Edit: April 01, 2012, 09:54:57 PM by Bill Brightly »

Jay Flemma

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #93 on: April 01, 2012, 09:51:59 PM »
Said some prayers for you buddy.  See you non the course soon I hope:)
Mackenzie, MacRayBanks, Maxwell, Doak, Dye, Strantz. @JayGolfUSA, GNN Radio Host of Jay's Plays www.cybergolf.com/writerscorner

Howard Riefs

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #94 on: April 01, 2012, 09:54:35 PM »

Sorry for any GCA guys who were naturally rooting for Mike, I was too!


We're all pulling for Mike. Rematch.

"Golf combines two favorite American pastimes: Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick."  ~P.J. O'Rourke

Tom Dunne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #95 on: April 01, 2012, 10:06:56 PM »
Mike, what a relief to hear you were able to receive treatment so quickly. Here's to a swift recovery--hope to tee it up with you one of these days.

Michael Whitaker

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #96 on: April 01, 2012, 10:08:02 PM »
Bill,

I can't believe how badly I putted today! I hope you gave Rocky a good tip for that birdie on the last hole.  ;D

I think I am going to give up my 4 hybrid and go back to the 4 iron.
"Solving the paradox of proportionality is the heart of golf architecture."  - Tom Doak (11/20/05)

Ron Csigo

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #97 on: April 01, 2012, 10:15:26 PM »
Mike,

Glad to hear that you're feeling better.  Best wishes on a speedy recovery and I look forward to seeing you in Scotland!
Playing and Admiring the Great Golf Courses of the World.

Bill Brightly

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #98 on: April 01, 2012, 11:54:26 PM »
Bill,

I can't believe how badly I putted today! I hope you gave Rocky a good tip for that birdie on the last hole.  ;D

I think I am going to give up my 4 hybrid and go back to the 4 iron.

Ya think? OK, 4-iron is sitting in the locker waiting for the call. Good bye hybrid!

I also bought a new slightly oversized grip for your putter, but I accidently got one that was too fat. That is going too!

Rocky got an extra tip from you today and he too wishes you well.
« Last Edit: April 02, 2012, 12:06:31 AM by Bill Brightly »

Daryl "Turboe" Boe

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Mike Whitaker
« Reply #99 on: April 02, 2012, 12:10:14 AM »
Mike,  I just saw this and wanted to pass along my best wishes and prayers to you and your wife.  If you or your wife need help with anything let me know.

I have some very bad news for you though.  Tough luck for you choosing the St Francis Hospital system instead of using Greenville Memorial though...  That means that when you go through St. Francis's cardiac rehab department you will most likely have to consult with their dietitian, someone known by some as the "Food Nazi".  Say hello to Mrs. Boe for me when you meet her...

By the way if you give me some advance warning on when you are sent to the cardiac rehab department over at the Millennium Center off of Butler Rd.  I will try to be a little nicer at home so that she is in a better mood when you meet her.

I was actually a little relieved when I read the thread, for just a split second when I saw the title my blood ran cold as it just sounded quite ominous.

Glad to hear the prognosis was good, and I was serious when I said to let me know if I can help in any way.

Instagram: @thequestfor3000

"Time spent playing golf is not deducted from ones lifespan."

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm."