I've been thinking about what to write on this blog entry since Brian, Jeff, and I walked off the 18th green. That's probably a lie... it was probably as early as Friday morning when I woke up. I've probably changed it 10 times since then and I still don't know if what I'll write does the day any good!
We'll set the stage first... Brian, Jeff, and I have had this annual golf outing for a handful of years over the Thanksgiving holiday. The first couple were unofficial but this is the 3rd year that we've offered up a trophy to the winner. That makes it totally official! And to stroke the ego of Brian - he's won the first 2 years and looking for the "3-peat".
The first official tournament was the "Freeze Your Golf Balls Open" on Christmas Eve 2008 at the now defunct (sadly) Glen Miller Golf Course. By all accounts I think the three of us can safely say that we played the last rounds on that course. It was a surreal experience playing the course for the last time. For me it was the first course I ever played golf. For our tournament that year we used only 4 clubs (including putter). I know that I was unconscious on the greens and lost by a stroke to Brian on the 9th hole.
Last year was our first time at Liberty playing on the Friday after Thanksgiving... Though I remember taking a one stroke lead after one hole it was short lived as Brian shot 68... I shot 78... and Jeff was somewhere South of my score. I do remember hitting a sweet putt for birdie on 18.
This year we started looking at the weather about a week ahead of time. What? Worried? Only if you were weak and had to wear 2 gloves the entire day. Book ended by 50 degree weather was Friday's temperature of 35 degrees with clear blue skies and 5-10 mph winds (which later were easily 10-15 mph). Thanks to a Flip Video camera that I won in Las Vegas the event was captured for posterity. The trash talking and gender questioning started early as you can plainly hear...
I had the honor (and luck of the spinning tee) to fire the opening shot to this year's Frozen Turkey Invitational. A nice high block into the trees right kept the middle of the fairway open for Brian and Jeff's efforts. How in the world can Jeff swing looking like he's ready to race in the Iditarod?
I had an early chance for birdie on the first hole but my touchy downhill hook putt just didn't have enough borrow on it.
Brian recorded the first birdie of the day with a nice two putt effort on the 502 yard par 5 4th hole. His only real mistake was a missed shortie on the 8th hole. My two shots I wish I had back were a couple three putts on holes 2 and 8 otherwise a solid opening 9 tied with Brian at 40 (+5). After a solid start Jeff had a 2 hole stretch of +5 putting him in last.
We made the turn and had a quick warm up and words of encouragement from Bruce Abernathy in the pro shop and headed out to 10. The weather was holding up and actually was pretty warm - especially if you were Brian and Jeff who were wearing 2 gloves. We were all pretty rusty on swinging a golf club but for me I shook the rust off with the driver making the turn. But somehow this began to take more of a serious tone.
This has always been about 3 good friends getting together once a year to play some golf and endure some good natured ribbing. But knowing that Brian and I were tied at the turn.... It changed a bit for me because I wanted to take Brian down. What I hadn't mentioned at the onset of this blog was what was on the line between Brian and myself. If I won then Brian would make his way to one of my amateur golf tournaments to caddy for me. If Brian won then the next tournament I was caddy for him I would have to do 20 pushups at each tee. When did this get serious?
The next 4 holes found some birdies for both Brian and myself. Brian with a nice 8 footer on 11 but coupling his nasty double bogey to my par on 12 and then me dropping a long range birdie from 25 feet on 13 put me two strokes up.
Scott +5. Brian +7. Jeff +14. On 14 my birdie putt somehow became afraid of the dark and stayed on the lip. Brian's shorter birdie putt skirted the hole and the gap remained the same with 4 holes remaining. A stellar bogey by me and a solid par by Brian closed the gap to one stroke with 3 holes remaining. Brian was flirting with OB left on the next hole while I was ducking my head through the trees on the right we both ended up with a couple of bogeys. I hit a sweet 5 footer for mine. Then came the 17th.
Brian and I both have some opinions about this hole from our past as we just don't play it well. It's a par 5 measuring about 535 yards. Today I played it the worst. Let's just go long story short. Brian plays the hole smartly. I go aggressive... lose a ball, horseshoe a putt, take a 9 to his 6, toss my putter and find myself 2 strokes down. I ask again... When did this become serious? This is a fun outing! :)
As is standard at Liberty we hit tee balls on 18 switching clubs. Brian and I hit lefty and Jeff goes righty. I couldn't tell you who won the long drive on the first drive as we were all equally bad but what you don't see from the videos is a second round and Jeff won by about 15 yards.
With what's called hitting with some "Red Ass" I outdrive Brian by 10 yards and still wasn't out of the winners circle yet. Though Brian was nice enough to 3 putt to squeak out the 1 stroke victory. Final scores weren't all that to be proud of but this wasn't about competition... was it?
Brian - 80 (+10)
Scott - 81 (+11)
Jeff - 90 (+20)
And now a page of out of Brian's teachings...
What did I like about today? The fellowship of friends has no bounds and is significant in my life.... and hopefully forgiveness for tossing my putter on 17!
What did I learn today? That for me to be a better caddy to Brian I have to practice what I preach. Staying calm and making the right decisions under fire.
In a time of thanksgiving and counting the blessings in our lives. I'm truly thankful and blessed to have friends like Jeff and Brian. The good natured ribbing is on in good fun. The only thing I'm not liking is that I have to deal with this loss for an entire year. I'm sure there are other things in life that could be worse!
Great job Brian and I hope you enjoy your early Christmas!
