Happy first day of winter this Dec. 21!
Winter has certainly has set in upon the golf course, as most days it is either rainy or very cold with frost on the course until after 1 in the afternoon. We have had to cancel many of our skins games as the sun refused to come out and our poor hands can’t take the cold any more. I’ve heard more crying about thinly-hit shots and the sting it makes as the vibration goes up the shaft and into the frozen fingers!
Regardless, we have been able to meet up on some rare days of nice afternoon weather. Monday, Dec. 12 was a very nice afternoon and we had quite a group. I’ll list every one as there is not much news this week: Zion, Troy (Florida boy braved the cold), Eugene, Todd, Jakob (returning after being extremely busy this fall with excavation projects), Larry (also a busy guy with his Second Hand Store in Selma), Colby, Rhino, Dustin, Dusty (a friend of Rhino’s from Klamath Falls), Roland, Scotty (says he was just playing to keep in the game), Woody and myself. All ties on #10 and #11 with a bunch of pars. Todd took the first skin with a decent tap-in par on #12. Eugene surprised everyone with a chip-in on #13 for a two and the second skin. Colby got the KP but didn’t make the long putt. All ties with bogies on #14. Todd got on #15 and fairly close and got another birdie for skin. Nobody hit the green on #17 for KP although Me, Dustin and Colby were on the fringe and made pars for a tie for skins. Colby, Roland and I were on the green on #17, Colby was closest for a whopping $18 KP payout and I sunk my putt for a two-birdie for the skin. On #18 everyone hit balls out of play except Eugene, Colby and Todd. Bogies ruled that hole and no skins. Skins paid out $15 per winner, so that made me even for the past two weeks. The warm afternoon sure made it fun as so many guys showed up and we were able to play in just sweatshirts, without parkas and mittens.
It was too frosty the rest of the week until Saturday. It was cold but the sun came out early and even though the thermometer was only reading 35, it felt cozy and warm. I could only get Zion and Todd to come down, but a new guy, Connor was just arriving and he played with us for a $20 skins pot. Zion won the first on #1, then Todd on #2 with a birdie. Connor surprised us with a par on #3, but Todd spoiled his win with a tie. Everyone was on the green on #4, but all us of missed putts, including a shocking missed 4-footer from Todd. Todd won the next five holes as the three of us hacks fell apart. Zion cashed out with $3 for his $5 bet, but he felt better once we reached the clubhouse and his Cleveland Browns beat the Ravens.
That’s all that happened this week, hoping that Christmas vacation attracts a bunch of people to come out and enjoy the course. The greens are nearly perfect and Eugene has raked a substantial amount of leaves off fairways, so they are looking very nice as well. Of course the beavers are working night shifts and keeping standing water in the rough on #1 for a little extra muddy fun. I actually found a brand new ball in the shallow lake that they made for an extra bonus, but of course I lost it on the next shot.
