BILL AND LISA VISIT NEWPORT, R.I.

After our round at delightful Port Judith. we journeyed along the coast to historic Newport.  We did not have time to tour the  magnificent mansions that are the city's hallmark, but did manage to hike the Cliff Walk Trail which features striking vistas of Newport Harbor to the west of the trail and the backyards of  the mammoth homes to the east.  With the brisk sea breeze and mist in the air, Lisa and I felt transported to Scotland's  Firth of Forth.  

 

Cliff Walk Trail

 

 

The most imposing of the breathtaking Gilded Age homes found along the trail is "The Breakers," shown  below.

 

 

 

The Breakers 

 

We had good luck with our B & B in Newport. The Ivy Lodge was happily situated  close  to the attractions and restaurants,  while at the same time  offering a peaceful and secluded respite on the tree-lined Clay Street. Darlene, the innkeeper,  made us feel most welcome. When we entered the lodge's front door, we were blown away by the 33 foot high oak-paneled hall. Our quarters in the "Victorian Room" proved to be sumptuous. We were tired from our full day, but eagerly anticipated our 8:30 game with the Donald Ross Society at Newport Country Club on May 8th.

 

 

Ivy Lodge

RHODE ISLAND'S POINT JUDITH GOLF CLUB- a Donald Ross classic!

 

Have you ever been to Rhode Island?  Lisa and  I never had  prior to our golfing  adventure in May  with the Donald Ross Society.  Joining that group afforded us the opportunity to play five Rhode Island classic venues. But was that enough golf for the two of us? Of course not!   Having previously  perused a copy of Michael Fay's  homage to Donald Ross entitled "Golf, The Way it Was Meant to Be Played," I was aware of  an out-of-the-way Ross design- Point Judith Golf Club. With assistance from Brookside's professional, Brad Zeiger, we scheduled a game on May 8th, the day prior to  the start of the Ross Society activities at Newport Country Club.  

 

 

 

 

All was pretty quiet when we arrived at Point Judith. Weather conditions for our 1:30 tee time were not ideal. Spring arrives late  here, and there was not much  greenery on display.  But as we eased into our tour of Point Judith, the accompanying drizzle dissipated and we enjoyed a very pleasant round.  Look at the stone wall pictured below that was just behind the first green. There were many such barriers scattered over the course.  Professional David Marcotte later told us that local law prohibits their  destruction because walls  were often used in deeds to reference  boundary  lines of   properties.  Some of the walls of the course are  covered by grass embankments which was not illegal so long as the underlying wall remained intact. Lisa and I were reminded of the omnipresent stone walls of  Scotland's North Berwick.  

 

 

 

View from the tee to the 3rd hole- clubhouse in background- Don't skull a shot into the wall!

 

 

 

Point Judith  boasted several short par 4s  that could prove  surprisingly penal  if your drive was off-line or your pitch shot to their tiny greens was not on the money.  Fortunately, this pitch to the 4th was OK.

 

 

 

 

The rambling gray shingled clubhouse is old New England at its best. 

 

 

 

 

Above is a classic Ross green-bunker complex. Green shaped like an inverted saucer rejecting shots not hit into the heart;  a false front with a foreboding bunker poised to snare fat pitch shots. This is the 11th.

THE PINE NEEDLES COUPLES JAMBOREE: Bill and Lisa Team Up!

Pine Needles 10th hole, par 5, dogleg left

 

 I enjoy playing golf with my wife! I particularly enjoy taking golf vacations  with her. Traveling with Lisa affords certain  amenities  that are not available on buddy trips. Better yet is the opportunity to play with Lisa as my partner in mixed tournaments on  golf vacations.  We have competed in several mixed competitions on excursions to the U.K. and Ireland, but few are available in the U.S.

                                                                                                          

One notable exception is the "Pine Needles Couples Jamboree" annually  held in early November  at the adjacent Pine Needles Lodge  and  Mid Pines Inn resorts in Southern Pines, North Carolina- only four   miles  distant  from golf mecca Pinehurst.  The event is played over two of  Donald Ross's many Sandhills masterpieces:  Pine Needles- the site of multiple U.S. Womens' Opens, and Mid Pines- just across the road.

                                 Peggy Kirk Bell and Pat McGowan
                                                                   
The two resorts are owned and operated  by the extended Bell family. 91 year old Peggy Kirk Bell is the matriarch of this remarkable clan, and for that matter, womens' golf!  She is a pioneer  member of the  LPGA, having battled  the likes of Babe Zaharias, Patty Berg, and Louis Suggs in that tour's earliest days. She then forged a renowned career as a teaching professional,  and is  still recognized as one of the  top 100 teaching pros. Mrs.  Bell  and her late husband, Warren  "Bullet" Bell, bought the Pine Needles golf course in 1953.  Even before Bullet Bell's death in 1984, Pine Needles was a family enterprise.  Son Kirk and daughters Bonnie and Peggy joined their parents in the business.  Sons-in-law Pat McGowan (Bonnie's husband) and Kelly Miller (Peggy's husband and Pine Needles' COO) also became integral parts of the operation.  Pat, a successful PGA touring pro circa late 70's-mid 80's,  now serves as  Pine Needles "Director of Instruction."  Pine Needles' golf school ( in particular its "Golfari" program  for women) enjoys a national reputation.  You will  encounter all  members of the extended Bell family in the course of a visit,  but  Mrs.  Bell and  McGowan  provide an especially  ubiquitous presence at the array of golfing  events taking place at  Pine Needles and neighboring Mid Pines, (acquired by the  family  in the 90's).

Lisa and I arrived early  Wednesday afternoon at  Pine Needles,  played a practice round, and  checked in.  We  were delighted with our spacious wood-paneled accommodations  on the top floor of  the  lodge overlooking the putting green.  The welcoming cocktail party afforded us a chance to meet the other 13 couples.  The Jamboree generally sports a larger field, but Hurricane  "Sandy"  which had recently smashed  the eastern seaboard,  caused many cancellations. We learned that a majority  of the players  have such a wonderful  time that they count on coming  back every  year. The Moores from Maryland have competed  in the Jamboree for over 30 years, and the Jones's from Sarasota have attended for  almost as long a duration.  As oft happens when you are thrown together with folks  you don't know,  I discovered   connections with them.  Bill Stemple worked in Hudson, Ohio- my hometown- and he was well-acquainted with several members of my family. Maureen Wegenek's deceased husband was the professional at Oak Knolls in Kent, Ohio, where I played golf as  a schoolboy. The Albrechts hailed from Akron, very near where I grew up.  I knew of the Albrecht name as it was the family that owned  the foremost  chain of  supermarkets in the Akron environs.  The cocktail party featured a fascinating assortment of card tricks from master magician Rick Allred.  We did not overindulge in the alcoholic spirits, but it was comforting to know that the price of the entire event (5 rounds of golf apiece , lodging, all meals, lunch on the course, parties etc.) was all-inclusive.  The convivial Pat McGowan welcomed us, introduced the contestants, and explained the tournament format. The first round  was to be played at Mid Pines with a modified "shamble" format.  Both players drive;  the best drive is selected; both players play their own ball from that spot with the best score of the two players counting as the team score for that hole. No handicap strokes were to be allotted.  However, after the first  two rounds, the field would be divided into four divisions based on the teams' 36 hole scores.

   
                                                Bill :  18th  at Mid Pines                                    

Thursday dawned with brilliant sunshine, but we did encounter a 45 minute frost delay. Once we were  underway, conditions were perfect for golf.  Of course Mid Pines, with its brilliantly bunkered small greens and beautiful pine-bordered fairways was  a treat.  But what made the round really memorable was the buffet featuring delicious fried chicken which awaited us at the 10th tee. Just too good! Lisa and I carded  a decent  77,  five shots  back of the leaders .  Given  Lisa's 24 handicap and my 9, we knew it would be difficult to go toe-to-toe with  teams where both  the man and the woman played off single digits. Our dinner in the Pine Needles dining room featured jokes  by Mrs.  Bell and
knee-slapping  repartee between  her  and  bemused son-in-law Pat. An example:  Peggy remarked that if she ever "lost her marbles," the family should stick her in the cheapest nursing home possible since she "wouldn't know the difference." Pat immediately retorted, "Don't worry Mom, we will!"  While I can't prove it, I suspect that Peggy and Pat may have performed that routine at previous events.

                                                   Lisa enjoys the fried chicken             

                                                  Bill drives at Pine Needles               

The format for Friday's play at Pine Needles was modified alternate shot (i.e. the "divorce maker").  Both players hit from the tee. Each plays their partner's second shot. The team then selects the ball to be played and then the players hit alternately until the ball is holed. Our team struggled. Our poor play featured a four-putt! We returned an ugly 89 and while we did not discuss divorce, we plumetted down to the third of  the four divisions. Several of the teams performed brilliantly;  defending champions Ryal Lancaster and Mary Kozak broke par and  led the championship with the final  round remaining. The bright side of our tough day was getting to know our fellow competitors Ray and Rosemary Parlade from Daytona Beach  and Jay and Judy Davis from Weeki Wachee, Florida. The two couples  took Lisa and me under their wings on Friday, and in short order, we made great  friends.  There is no doubt that a shared passion for the game of  golf  leads to lasting friendships.

Ray Parlade and Jay Davis

Another highlight of Friday's events was the golf clinic featuring Pat, Mrs. Bell, and assistant pro Maggie Simons, a former  Wake Forest golf team member, and two-time  North Carolina amateur champion. Pat expertly worked practical advice into his shotmaking repertoire. He offered  us an  anti-flipping tip urging  us to make sure the "little horse" (the symbol on a golf glove) arrives at the  the ball before  the "big horse" (the symbol on the grip). He demonstrated how differently the ball reacts when it is properly compressed as opposed to the glancing contact that characterizes way too many of our shots. With Pat explaining the process,  Maggie demonstrated how to alter the flight of the ball with swing path  and alignment.

We were curious whether Mrs. Bell would make an appearance on the tee. But Pat helped the great lady from the cart, and while holding her arm, slowly escorted her to the tee. Pat handed her  a 7 iron and teed one up. With a club in her hand, Peggy  seemed to undergo a transformation. She addressed the ball with perfect posture and an immaculate grip. She demonstrated the proper way to make a waggle, and then self-assuredly whacked a couple solid shots. And yes, she did compress the ball! It was a cool moment!

  Mrs. Bell- perfect posture!

 

Day three was a better ball at scratch competition. Lisa and I managed a so-so 81- disappointing since I shot 74 on my own ball in a practice round.  We did not win our division. Jim and Pattie Parsons emerged as the champions of the Jamboree with the  Mooksang and Ewing-Chaney teams in hot pursuit. But that did not end the games. A putting contest with tricky obstacles followed. Flight winners and  friends Jay and Judy Davis  stroked   their way to victory thereby adding  to their booty.

Then the Davis, Parlade, and Case teams headed for the Pine Needles four hole practice course for yet another  game for prizes. The memorable moment was Ray Parlade's incredible escape from the pine straw on the third hole. This was a blind shot   which required filtering a low punch-cut through the pine boughs and bracken. Ray did all that, and saw his ball take a sharp but controlled bounce to the right, ultimately bobbing up four feet from the hole. Ray promptly converted this unlikely bird. I photographed Ray's incredible second shot below.

 I salvaged some respect by contributing to the our table's winning the oldies trivia contest at the awards banquet. (I made a great guess that Brian Hyland sang "Sealed With a Kiss" only because the singer sounded like the same guy who performed "Itsy Bitsy etc.")

We played one final round at Mid Pines on our get-away day furthering international relations with Canadians Garland and Bonnie McLaren. The McLarens were great company and fine players (they were the winners in the four hole contest) . Lisa had a great time too, and insisted we sign up for the 2013 Jamboree.  She is positive we can do better! Hope to see you there!

Bonnie and Garland McLaren

 

Lisa- looking good at Pine Needles!

MATT WENNING- World Ranked Powerlifter and our Trainer!

Some folks  truly enjoy working out.  But most of us eye a training  regimen  with varying degrees of dread. Regretably,  I fall into the latter category. Lisa has a better attitude,  but she certainly falls far short of gung ho!  Nevertheless, both of us have kept  a consistent  twice-a-week schedule of weight training for over four years. The reason:  our remarkable trainer-  33 year old powerlifter Matt Wenning!   He tips the scales   at 300 pounds of massive  muscle with no discernible fat.  Touch his arm, and you  sense that he is composed entirely  of granite.  And Matt  is a major figure in the "under the radar" sport of powerlifting- a most demanding form of weightlifting competition in which the lifter seeks to attain the highest combined squat, bench press, and dead lifts.  Until recently,  Matt  held the American record for the heaviest squat- 1197 pounds! He is still a force to be reckoned with in the 308 pound class. Search his  name on You Tube, and you can watch  several of his milestone lifts. 

                                            Bill tries to outmuscle Matt         

But a trainer's sparkling credentials alone would not have been sufficient to overcome our  hardened resistance  to long-term training.  What is it about Matt and his coaching that has enabled  Lisa and me to stick with it?  First, he knows what he is doing.   Matt has made a lifetime study of how  to make  a body stronger. His masters degree in Biomechanics from Ball State speaks to that. He focuses on a trainee's weak spots. Before  I started my training, I was plagued with back pain, and my balance was poor for someone who  always aspired to be an  athlete.  Matt devised unique lifting and training techniques to attack these deficiencies.  As a result, I have been pain-free for years, and my balance is much improved.

Second,  Matt introduced us  to several eastern European and other novel training methods that made our work outs  anything but routine.  You might see  us pulling weighted sleds on the sidewalk outside Matt's "Ludus Magnus" gym on West Rich Street in Columbus's near west side. Another routine has us  pounding a sledgehammer into an industrial tire. How about bench-pressing with large chains attached  to each end of a barbell instead of weights (helps with balance)?

Third,  Matt is a great communicator, and somehow he  has figured  ways to make  our  hard work fun. While hard-nosed about getting the most out of us,  and generally unsympathetic to whining,  he nevertheless is good-natured and flashes quick-witted , though often politically incorrect, humor when we are flagging.  It is then when   Matt launches  into his Arnold Schwarznegger impression imploring, "Come on, girly-man, do it or I will put you in the hurt locker!" He works us at a brisk pace and  stretches our limits, but not for too long. Our typical workout lasts about 35-40 minutes.

Finally,  there is something about  the  no-frills  Ludus Magnus gym  itself (the name comes from the place  where the gladiators trained before entering the Colosseum to do battle) that we find  appealing. The entire focus of the place is training. No one pays attention to  the peeling paint  in the austere old warehouse or to the lack of amenities.   The ambience calls to mind the starkness of Rocky's Russian  training venue  in "Rocky IV" (although Mr . Wenning has not yet  made us chase chickens as  did  Sly Stallone's movie character).  Ludus Magnus  carries  an authenticity which  luxurious athletic clubs  cannot hope to match.

An interesting mix of people train at Ludus Magnus.  You will encounter  super-strong power lifters, including Matt's fellow trainer Christian Mello.  Most of the serious lifters  sport  facial hair, but precious little on their respective heads.  MMA fighters are on hand as well. Several female fitness competitors hone their bodies under Matt's tutelage. Firefighters,  cops,  housewives,  high school athletes, and retirees sweat  away.   Even NFL players and  old OSU coach Earle Bruce have responded to  Matt's  exhortations.

The only adornments on the walls of  Ludus Magnus are several   military units'  flags  signed by  grateful  soldiers whom Matt  trained pursuant to six figure contracts with the U.S. Army.  How  did this young trainer, relatively unknown outside  the  powerlifting community,  manage to land  these mega-deals?  He did his homework and capitalized on some good fortune. Matt made a study of military methods, and concluded  that there was far too much emphasis on building stamina (forced marches etc,)  rather than strength. Making the most of an unexpected audience in front of an army  general, Matt persuaded the top brass that today's soldier is often engaged  in house-to-house guerrilla warfare  requiring  explosive strength (knocking down doors etc.) which Matt specializes in providing. His ability to communicate his ideas resulted in the general's recommendation to contract with Matt. After Matt's methods were adopted by the units he trained, their levels of injuries and casualties dropped significantly.

Matt is an interesting character who is full of surprises. Best example: He took his over 70-grandmother on a cross-country motorcycle excursion last summer. Yes, Matt  definitely makes our lives more interesting and fun- not to mention healthier!

WE TEAM UP WITH FRIENDS IN THE DONEGAL LINKS CLASSIC

Our 2012 Irish trip  concluded with a competitive event which I found on the internet. The Donegal Links Classic is played in early June over three classic links in Donegal:  Rosapenna's Sandy Hills links, Portsalon, and Ballyliffin's  Old Links. The event required that we field a team of four players. Scores would be kept by the stableford method for the team and individually. But where to find two other players to comprise our team in this far-away land?  We called upon golfing friends Derek Guthrie and Pauline Mackie. We came to know them in another event, the Carnoustie Country Classic, some years before. And Derek and Pauline subsequently hosted  us at their home club in the Midlands of England, Burton-on-Trent Golf Club. Derek,  a  Ayrshire, Scotland  born and bred former rugby stalwart. is a fellow  of delightful   wit. He  plays off   a very capable 7 handicap. The winsome Pauline plays off a  solid 15 and she more than  matches   Derek's  repartee. We were most pleased when  they agreed to take their caravan (we would call it an  RV) across the Irish Sea and meet us for the competition. It was like old times  reuniting with Derek and Pauline at Ballyliffin's Glashedy links where we played a practice round together, and lifted a couple of pints thereafter. They elected to overnight in their caravan while we stayed at an inn in Letterkenny which was midway between the three golf clubs.  The tournament itself was a bargain!  Our entry fee was 100 euro apiece for three rounds at great courses plus a tournament awards dinner! This is  an  example of how playing in competitions in the U.K. and  the Republic of Ireland can minimize your cost of golf. Our team finished  middle of the pack. Lisa was our star finishing with 36 points at Portsalon and 37 at Ballyliffin. My best effort in the event was   a 78 at Ballyliffin's Old Links. It should have been several shots less.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

Derek, Pauline and Bill-Ballyliffin

                Bill eyes his approach at Ballyliffin





















                                                             The Old Links                               















Lisa, Bill, Derek, and Pauline congratulate Rory                                                                                       
                                                                                           
              
























    

BAYSHORE MUNICIPAL GOLF COURSE- THE PRICE IS RIGHT!

                                 Typical bunker at Bayshore Municipal


Since their marriage in 2001,  my daughter Hadley and son-in-law Yannick have resided  in Miami Beach's  South Beach in the Bayshore area not far from the posh Miami Beach Golf Club and the bustle of 41st Street. When I first visited Hadley at her home, we would  walk  her Doberman "Atlas"  to a nearby parkland area featuring  immense banyan trees where he frolicked with other dogs.  But this was no ordinary park!  It  was the home of the Bayshore Municipal Golf Course- a sporty 9 hole par 3.  It was not well kept in 2001. I would  charitably describe the condition of the greens at that time  as  shaggy,  and weeds prevailed in  the bunkers.  The City of Miami Beach exhibited  little interest in maximizing the revenue from the par 3.  Rarely  would  a city employee man the humble  hut at the Prairie Avenue  entrance  to collect greens fees.   Despite the shortcomings of the layout,  I enjoyed   sneaking in  some quick  practice when walking the dog, and I can recall paying to play only once.  On my periodic visits to Miami Beach ,  I would always look forward to checking out Bayshore Muni.  However, every year the course deteriorated further. The greens became completely unputtable, and I would have to  hole out   using my wedge.  Worse yet,  development nibbled around the edges of the golf course. Expanded facilities of an adjacent  youth center and school  resulted in the loss of two of the holes on the course's periphery around 2005. Collection of greens fees ceased altogether.  My understanding is that the only reason the derelict course still existed  is that  a condition of the  grant of the land to the City is that  it must be used as a golf course. Otherwise, title would  revert to the descendants of the grantor.  When visiting this Christmas season,  Lisa and I grabbed a couple of clubs and took the traditional  dog walk  up Royal Palm Avenue from Hadley's house to the old par 3 muni. This time, however, it was   our corgi pup   "Angus" who accompanied us  (Hadley's wonderful canine Atlas has gone on to doggy heaven).  I was sad to discover  that a third  hole of the original nine (and my favorite on the course) had been lost to the youth center.   Lisa and I  batted a couple  balls  around the remaining 6 holes while Angus cavorted in the bunkers and banyans.  Lisa had some misgivings regarding the value of chipping and pitching  on holes so poorly maintained. But after a round the next day on a full 18 hole course, she acknowledged  that her  short game practice at Bayshore helped.  For me, trying to hole the ball with a wedge on unkempt greens harkens me back to my youth when I wedge-putted to a hole I had planted in our  backyard.  I played to that hole from 9 different tees from various distances from all over the neighborhood. This helped me acquire   versatility  with my wedge  which unfortunately time has taken away.  So Bayshore is still golf, and its still fun. (And for now at least, its free!) When I stood on the 180 yard first hole and eyed  the green, I was still excited about the challenge of trying to hit a green   well guarded by a yawning (though unmaintained) bunker.

So golf continues  on in a fashion at Bayshore among the dogs and kite-fliers. Golf has been played there since 1940.  Well known player and architect Bruce Devlin has his name on the  redesign of the course which occurred several decades ago.  The city has considered various plans for fixing the place up, but the multi-million dollar price tag has so far discouraged such efforts. I don't know what the future holds for this little course, but I was heartened to see several city workers tidying up a couple of  the bunkers later on in our stay.

                                        Daughter Hadley holds the pin

LISA CARDS AN ACE! BILL TAKES CREDIT!

Lisa and I  did not anticipate playing much golf on our recent winter holiday to Miami and Key West. Our corgi dog Angus traveled with us, and we were visiting family (Hadley and Yannick in Miami) and friends (Tom and Terese Houle in Key West) who were not going to be playing. But we took our clubs along "just in case." Tuesday, December 27th dawned  bright and sunny though a mite cool for south Florida-  in other words perfect golf weather!  I checked out the Key West Golf Club website and was surprised to learn  that the famed  Rees Jones had designed the layout. Also getting my attention was the site's description of its "infamous  'Mangrove Hole'  (143 yards, par 3) that is played completely over a field of thickly intertwined tropical mangroves."  So I convinced Lisa that we should give the course a try. The club paired us with John,  retired Air Force and only an occasional golfer.  We found the course to be an attractive challenge and I mentioned this to John as we were putting out on the sixth hole. He smiled and remarked, "Wait 'till you get to 8- the Mangrove Hole! You won't believe it!" So it was with much trepidation that we approached the 8th tee. John had not exaggerated. The mangrove growth was such that the shot is semi-blind; only the pin was visible. The shot was all carry!  I teed off  first playing slightly downwind from a measured distance of 168 yards and though I could not see the result, I guessed that it might be on the right edge of the green  not far away. So now it was  24 handicapper Lisa's turn  to deal with the  intimidating mangrove. I measured her shot at 131 yards.  Lisa asked, "What about a 5 wood?" I  was concerned that  since the shot was all carry, that might not be enough club, and  told her so. She said, "OK, I'll hit driver."  Her bypassing the 3 wood  was no surprise because it is not her favorite club.  However,   driver was   too much club.  But this shot is so scary that a player should pick  a club in which   he (or in this case she) has confidence. And the bunker behind the green (the likely repository if Lisa hit her driver cleanly) was certainly a preferred outcome to the thicket.  So driver it was. Because the Mangrove Hole presents such an interesting  and beautiful  challenge,  I elected to take a picture of   Lisa's shot as she  was going through the motions of her pre-shot routine. Fumbling with my I-phone (yes I finally got one at Lisa's behest in December)  I managed to click off a shot of Lisa's well- balanced follow-through. I looked up  in time to see her low bullet of a tee shot. Indeed, if you enlarge the picture below, you can actually see the  flight of the ball  just over the tree line. In the brief moment  I observed  the ball airborne, I could tell  that clearing the mangrove  would be a  close call. But Lisa  struck her screaming shot  with authority, and we were relieved  to see the  hard bounce of her Titleist on the far side. Now at that moment, my assumption was that the ball would careen  through the green and settle in the back bunker. Just then, the  resounding but unmistakable sound of a ball crashing into the flagstick reverberated  back to us at the tee.  But  the mangrove growth  hid sight of the ball's ricochet from our view. There seemed little hope that the ball could have settled near the hole, and indeed when we arrived at the green, it was nowhere to be seen. My assumption was that her Titleist  had caromed  into  the back bunker, but an inspection there revealed no ball!  I was disappointed to find my shot had landed  in the right-hand bunker- but still no sign of Lisa's ball!  Of course, when all else fails, CHECK THE HOLE! 

 Wonder of wonders, there it was- Lisa's first ace- a   truly astounding   shot on the signature hole of the southernmost golf course in the United States!  After hugging  John and me, she did the modern thing and  immediately commenced  texting her friends. Thus, she missed my sweet (though overshadowed)  bunker shot, which fittingly spun  in for a 2!  I couldn't wait to tell everyone that  "Lisa  made a hole-in-one, and  I photographed the actual shot- (certainly a rare occurrence).  I  clubbed her too!  Oh by the way,  I holed my  bunker shot after her ace." After hearing this account a number of times , Lisa , I think kiddingly, suggested  I was making the  hole-in-one  more about my involvement than her actual shot.  Well, I can't take the credit. After all,  it was Lisa who  hit this memorable blow,  and I am very proud of her.  I should add that she kept her composure, and went on to shoot a creditable 96.  Did I forget to tell you that it was my idea to play golf that day?

Lisa's ace; Key West G.C.

8th hole,` 131 yards

driver 

Fun facts about the Case family aces:

(1)  we have made three between us, all with our spouse looking on;

(2) all of our aces have been on public courses (no buying drinks) even though most of our golf is played at private courses;

(3) two were on courses we had never played before, the third was on a course we had played only once;  (4) two of the three aces were holed  in Florida even though 95% of our golf is played in Ohio.