CLIPPERS FANTASY BASEBALL CAMP! Bill journeys back to the future!

Bill's story:  Yes,  as improbable as it may seem,  I took part in the Columbus Clippers Fantasy Baseball Camp held at beautiful Huntington Park, home of the Triple A  Clippers, on August  16-18.  For a 64 year old who had not touched a baseball in nearly 25 years, it was a daunting but very worthwhile experience. But to tell the story properly, I am going to supplement the fantasy by having Hall of Fame broadcasters Joe Buck and Tim McCarver bring you the action.

Buck:   For those listeners who just tuned in, we welcome you to a sunny Sunday afternoon at  Huntington Park. Yes, the Clippers will be hosting  the Norfolk Tides a little later, but we got a pretty well-played  preliminary game going right now, Tim,  between two teams of fantasy campers. It is a 7-3 game heading into the bottom of the 7th inning.   Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins'  team trails  the squad managed by former Indians  pitcher  "Perfect Game" Lenny Barker!

McCarver:   I  played over 20 years in the big leagues, and I can say there was no tougher pitcher I faced than Fergie Jenkins. 300 innings every year!  Won 20 or more 6 years running. Never had a sore arm. And now that he is retired he runs a foundation that benefits many worthy groups. At this fantasy camp,  Fergie's  foundation will  make contributions to the Mid Ohio Food Bank run by Matt Habash who is one of the campers this week. Military veterans are also benefiting. In fact  four  gentlemen who have served our country overseas are participating in this camp , Andy Francis, Justin Nuzum,  Rod Jones and Brian Heft. Their expenses are being paid by the Crowne Plaza Hotel located on Nationwide Avenue, near to the ballpark..

                                                         Matt Habash

                                                              
                                   Ferguson Jenkins and Len Barker

                                        Rod Jones and Brian Heft

Buck:    These campers reported to the park on Friday for the first of their three day stint. The camp is managed by Mike Talis who has been running this particular camp for 26 years, and a couple of the campers have made all of them!

                                                    Mike Talis

Super Joe Charboneau, Cleveland Indians Rookie of the Year in 1980  instructed the players on  the fine points of playing the outfield on Friday.

                                                    Joe Charboneau

McCarver:      I   didn't hear that Super Joe replicated any of the amazing feats of his playing career  such as eating glass  or  opening a coke bottle with his eye socket. But he did tell plenty of stories! And he is the host of  a new reality show - "Catastrophe, Inc."

Buck:    Two other major leaguers, Tommy Helms, National League Rookie of the Year for the Reds in '66 and Bert Campaneris,  the great shortstop on the 3 time World Champion A's of the 70's  tutored the boys on infielding and how to turn the double play.   Tommy's best tip  to the campers is that, "infielders get more girls! "                      
     
                                                             

Bill with Tommy Helms

                                                   Bert Campaneris

McCarver:      Campy  looks like  he could still  make the plays and run the bases. You know he was a 6 time stolen base leader in the A.L.

Buck:     Friday's activities at the park included extensive batting practice under the stands and then on the field against live pitching.

                                            The "Big Bopper" Lee May

McCarver:    Yes.  And Joe , some  of the boys struggled  getting their timing  back. The players ranged from their 30's up to Medicare age. I saw rookie camper  Bill Case, age 64,  struggle horribly against the machine. He missed like 10 in a row. But Lee May, the "Big Bopper,"  gave Bill some advice  that helped him get untracked a little bit.  He told Bill  he was swinging too early, and that he  had to get his weight behind his swing. . And certainly there is weight behind the advice too because Lee May belted  354  homers during his great career.

Buck:    Tim, the campers also were put through their paces by Clippers trainer  Mitch Salisbury  with calisthenics to get the muscles loosened up. Talis told the players at the outset of the camp that, "the trainer will be your  best friend!"  I understand that despite the  range in ages,  everyone got along famously.  And they had the opportunity of dining with the ballplayers every night.  I understand many  great baseball stories which can't be repeated here  were told.

McCarver:  Yes, Case told me that he made friends with the much younger Shawn Jones, who was a camp favorite. Everyone teased Shawn  in batting practice for using an aluminum bat. Like the big leaguers, the boys are using wood. Case also made friends with  two of our  military servicemen , Rod Jones and Brian Heft, both of whom were on the team with him that was managed by Ferguson Jenkins. The Jenkins team played the Barker two games yesterday, so the fellows had a chance to get to know each other and establish some team spirit. Alright Fergie's team - is  still down 7-3 as we head  to the bottom of the 7th.
                       

               
                                           Bert Campaneris and Lee May

Buck:  Yes,  the players are rarin' to go as  this game winds down. The fans are starting to fill as we get closer to the start of the Clippers game. It isn't just family and friends viewing now. We probably have 1,500 people in the stands.

Bill Case will be leading off the bottom of the 7th for Fergie's team. He has played several innings for Fergie at 3rd base. Handled two chances cleanly ; had a little trouble with one of the throws across the diamond- it's a long way when you haven't made it for over three decades.

  

Bill patrols 3rd base for Fergy's team

McCarver:  In his first trip to the plate, Bill hit a roller out toward second. It was bobbled several times. On the  throw, the first baseman dropped the ball before picking it up. Despite all the mishandling, Bill was still out on a close play. The speed simply is not there anymore. Fergie with his friendly abuse pointedly asked Case, "Why weren't you  running down the line?!"   But sad to say, Case was giving it all he had. I would say Bill has "Peggy Lee speed!"  What was the name of that song she sang?  Wasn't it  "Is that  all there is?!"

Buck:  Wait!  What is going on here! Case is due up to bat but he is posing with his groupie-wife Lisa in the stands!  Tim, that is taking the fantasy way too far! And Case's other fans  Deb, Brett, and Dar , seem to be enjoying his antics.

The umpire has  told  Case to stop his schmoozing and get to the batters box. So now it appears  we are ready for action. And Case stands in. Catcher Matt Habash waves centerfielder Shawn Jones to move way in. There is no respect on the Barker team for Case's power.

                                 Shawn Jones flanked by  ex-Indians Len
                                         Barker and Joe Charboneau

McCarver:   Joe,  there is absolutely no reason why there should be any respect  given. Case has barely been able to hit the ball out of the infield  to date.

Buck:    The pitcher is ready. Case swings!  A  drive to right!  It is going to fall in. I don't believe it! The veteran has turned back the clock and  started the rally with his single to lead off the inning.

Bill Case  preparing to lead off with a single

McCarver:  Hold on! They are are stopping the game. Talis's assistant Alan Rubin is retrieving the ball. It is going to go in Case's very small trophy case to commemorate his unlikely hit!

 

Alan Rubin   

                

Okay, that is the end of the fantasy broadcast. Fergie's team did not take advantage of my timely single, and we lost 7-3. But it was a wonderful experience.  This is one time when the old baseball cards came to life. What  made the camp special was that all the major leaguers gave of themselves, and enjoyed the experience as much as the campers. Mike Talis has chosen the most amiable  stars  to enhance the experience. Lee May said it best when he remarked at the closing ceremony that he  always looks forward to the camp with anticipation, and that Mike is the best "ringmaster"  of all the fantasy camp operators.  I could readily see why the guys come back year-after- year to savor this big league experience.

I must say the experience had me harkening back to my youth when  I was  12  playing for my hometown  Hudson Hornets. Like many  kids my age, I dreamed that  one day I  would  make my way to the big leagues- maybe even  play for my beloved Indians!  Well the dream ultimately faded,  and none of that happened.  But thanks to the Clippers Fantasy Camp,  and my good friend Mike Talis,  I (1)  got a chance to don the Tribe uniform and play ball again with big leaguers on hand;  (2)  did not get hurt;  and  (3) managed to stroke a base hit  in the big Sunday finale.  That was more than enough to call the experience a success.

12 year old Billy  Case  Hudson Hornet second baseman - 1961-argyle socks were not regulation

BILL AND LISA VISIT A QUARTET OF RHODE ISLAND ROSS COURSES

    On Friday May 10th, we bid an early morning farewell to Newport's Ivy Lodge, and drove north to Rumford, an eastern suburb of Providence. Our  destination was Metacomet Country Club, a 1925 Ross design.  Metacomet, like the other Ross courses we visited in Rhode Island has a  storied past. The likes of Gene Sarazen, Bobby Jones, and Glenna Collett Vare strode these fairways in the "Roaring 20's."  Metacomet (named after an Indian chief who befriended the Pilgrims) reminded  Lisa and me  of Granville Golf Course in Ohio which is one of our favorite Ross courses.  Like Granville,  Metacomet features lots of undulation with  significant elevation changes on the shots into the greens making club selection difficult.
     The highlight of our game  was playing with a delightful couple from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Karlton and Staci Creech. Karlton is the Assistant Athletic Director at the University of North Carolina  while Staci teaches. Karlton is a solid 7 handicap but it is Staci who is the star player in the family. One look at her textbook  swing (honed by fomer tour player Jim Ferree) confirmed   she had indeed played college golf with the Tarheels.  I cannot  recall a missed shot by Staci during her round.
.

Staci and Karlton Creech

On Saturday, we played venerable Rhode Island Country Club designed by Ross in 1911. We were greeted by a thundershower, and we donned our rain suits. We were  beneficiaries  of another great pairing: former Ohio Women's Amateur champion Alison Reifers (and mother of Kyle- a current tour player) and Steve Kress.

Rhode Island C.C. clubhouse

Bill with Alison Reifers and Steve Cress

   

                                                                

                                               Yawning fairway bunker at R.I.C.C.    

     The rain did not adversely impact our enjoyment of this immaculately groomed course. RICC features a mix of parkland, woodland, and seaside holes. The final four are hard by Naragansett Bay. I snapped the picture below of  Alison who with her classic swing  played an  excellent shot on the par 3 17th.

The Society's annual meeting followed at the club after dinner. The Society has a relationship with the Tufts Archives which houses many of the original Ross course design drawings at its facilities in Pinehurst, N.C. Audrey Moriarty, the Archives' executive director brought the Society up-to-date on the ongoing effort to digitize the archives.

       Our Sunday game was played at Little Compton's Sakonnet Country Club. This area of Rhode Island is chock full of visual appeal. Charming seaside cottages, many held by  families for generations, are in evidence here. One of those cottages was Donald Ross's summer retreat.  A current generation of the Ross family still owns the cottage, and they were gracious enough to host a brunch for the Society prior to our round at Sakonnet.

                                                    
                                                                Ross cottage

We loved all of the Ross courses we played in Rhode Island, but Sakonnet C.C. was particularly special. Another great combination of seaside holes coupled with bucolic marshland characterized this Ross design. The clubhouse was Lisa's favorite on this trip. Our convivial foursome was completed with Tennessean and Society president Mike Miller,  who played to a very low handicap, and Shawn Pierson from Sarasota.

Lisa on Sakonnet's putting green

As was the case with   Point Judith, we encountered several stone walls flanking the fairways on the holes close to the water.  We faced strong breezes in our face when playing toward the water as was certainly  the case on Lisa's windblown tee shot below on the par 3 2nd.

The  drivable  par4  17th  was a noteworthy hole with its rocky outcroppings threatening any off-line shot into the green. The mix of Sakonnet's s entertaining and scenic holes proved testament to the fact that a course's  lack of length  is no barrier to a wonderful and challenging golf experience.

Outcroppings on the 17th

Bill, Lisa, Shawn Pierson, Mike Miller

Shawn Pierson

                                                                 

                                                     Bill tees off on Sakonnet's 3rd hole

Sunset at Sakonnet C.C.

                                                                             

     A distinct  advantage of joining the Donald Ross Society (www.donaldross.org ) is that its  members are afforded the opportunity to play courses that would otherwise be extremely difficult to access. Also, you meet kindred spirits who share your love of the game.

     Our final game was held at the 1914 Ross design, Wannamoisett C.C. in East Providence.  This club held  the 1931 PGA Championship, and still hosts the Northeastern Amateur, previously won by the aforementioned Kyle Reifers. Wannamoisett  presents  a scorecard anomaly. Despite the fact that I played it at only 6400 yards, there were 8 par 4s measuring over 400 yards on a par 69 layout. We played with Marla Flinn, a fellow Ohioan who is a fine player.

Marla Flinn at Wannamoisett

                                                                                                                                                            

  

LISA AND BILL JOIN UP WITH THE DONALD ROSS SOCIETY- Newport Country Club

    Lisa and I have enjoyed some memorable  times at events sponsored by  golfing societies including the American Seniors Golf Association (ASGA) and the James Braid Society in the U.K.. When we got wind of the Donald Ross Society's  planned May excursion to five notable  Ross courses in Rhode Island, it was time to join this society too. The mission statement of the Ross Society states that its purpose generally  is "to recognize and safeguard the integrity of courses from the 'Golden Age' of golf course architecture," and in particular those of Donald Ross- arguably  the greatest of all golf  architects.
     May 9th marked the first day of this event. A brief five minute drive from the Ivy Lodge  brought us to  historic Newport Country Club's entrance.  This is the ultimate blueblood club. The Astors and Vandberbilts were among the founding members. To say that the 1895 Whitney  Warren designed Beaux Arts clubhouse is an eye catcher  does not remotely  do it justice. It is really an architectural jewel box!

Jongleux, Case, and Callahan into the mist

We  explored  the interior of the clubhouse. Many relics from the club's early days were on display. The club has every right to be proud of its history as the  first U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur were  played here in 1895.  Our golf professional at Brookside in Columbus Brad Zeitner,  who has visited the course many times,  points out that you could actually watch the America's Cup races from the second floor locker room. After getting our bearings, we met our two assigned  playing partners for the day, Jack Callahan from Easton, Pa.  and Dave Jongleux, a CPA  from Indianapolis  and a strong player. The daily rounds we played with the Society had a friendly competitive aspect  in which  we counted the two net better balls of our four players on each hole. The heavy fog rolling in from Narragansett Bay enveloped the course during our front nine. After a brief rain delay on the back nine, the fog burned off and we finished our game in brilliant sunshine. The beauty of the venerable layout was finally  revealed in full.  Seascape views of the bay  coupled with rolling meadowlands satisfied our visual appetites.

The privilege of playing Newport would have sufficed to make this a memorable day. But there was more! One of the Society members treated us to  a sumptuous luncheon and cocktails at his mansion "High Tide," also built by Whitney Warren in 1900. This afforded us an opportunity to make friends with the other members. We encountered  an interesting array of folks including golf writer and historian Michael Fay, a couple of refugees from hickory golf club societies, and former Ohio Women's Amateur champion Alison Reifers.

  

High Tide Mansion

Our stellar day was concluded with a tasty lobster dinner at the Bristol Yacht Club. After dinner,  member Shawn Pierson  made a pitch for assisting the renovation of the Bobby Jones Golf Course in Sarasota, Florida- a muni course designed by Ross. This is the type of project in which the Ross Society takes great interest. Our stint with the Donald Ross Society was off to a flying start!

Bristol Yacht Club 

                                Newport C.C. provided us  all the amenities       

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!