Don’t Hit It Fat!
What do the Scrambler and Henrik Stenson have in common?
No, the Scrambler has never played Golf in his underwear. However, I do have a story similar to this shot – I’ll get to that below.
Actually, the correct answer is that both of us haven’t accomplished squat since the 2009 Players Championship. I am involved in a non-Yahoo Pool for each of the Majors (with the Players thrown in to keep us occupied). However, after capturing the 2009 Players Championship Pool (largely based on my Stenson Pick), I haven’t contended in an event ever since. Yes, I am the Henrik Stenson of my Fantasy Golf Pool. Unlike Henrik, I have a chance to turn that around today, entering the final day of competition in 4th place among my fellow Fantasizers.
On the golf course, it’s good to see that the Pros sometimes have to resort to Scrambling like above. During our BuffaloGolfer trip to Virginia last summer, we ventured to Kinloch – an Augusta-like Lester George creation. On the Par 5 11th, the Scrambler and Mo Golf both came up just short in our attempts to clear the greenside creek and reach the putting surface in 2.
As we neared the green and surveyed the results, we saw one ball sitting on the grassy bank, and another resting upon a two-foot wide swath of black muck. Mo & I exchanged knowing looks, realizing what could happen soon. If the mucky ball was Mo’s, a prudent (and clean) drop was doing to be taken. If it was mine, we knew it was going to get dirty in Richmond.
For the record, Henrik’s picture does not even come close to capturing the full extent of muddy carnage. With experience, I completely understand why he foresaw the need to shed his clothes. Unfortunately, Kinloch didn’t seem the type of course that would tolerate such an option. After ensuring I would not sink to the bottom of the creek, I secured my stance and told my caddies, “you’re either going to have a story about the biggest idiot to pass through here, or one of the most heroic recoveries for birdie ever.”
Unfortunately, the result was somewhere in the middle. The ball came out, but still short of the green, leading to a “meh” bogey, along with a splattering of mud to rival the best spa treatments in the world.
Hopefully, my luck will change today!
