Home Territory

My dad and brother are up for the weekend to fish and golf. We hit the links tonight for 9 holes. I figured I had to win - it was my home course and my dad and brother neither has played the course. My dad has a sore elbow and my brother has 13 stitches in his back - and not really supposed to golf. My brother is a better golfer than me, but with the stitches I still figure it's my round to lose.

Well, I'm playing ok, and by about the time we finish hole 7, I pretty much know I'm gonna win. I think I told my brother something like 'Go ahead and make the winner's check out to me.' The 8th hole I play ok, but miss a short putt for bogey and take a 6. Oh, I forgot to mention that back on the 7th it's getting pretty dark to the point where I'm not sure if we'll finish.

Hole 9 par 5 - I'm pissed from the missed putt, but know I have the match pretty much in the bag (as I should) so I just whack the shit out of it. Well, it's pretty dark now and I don't see the ball for a second and neither does anyone else. Shit. So, I hit another one and I see it go into the rough kinda behind a tree on the right. I'm laying 3.

Then I look at my score card. I was at 42 coming into this hole. Shit! If I'd have only paid more attention, I'd have hit that first drive more under control and take a round in the 40s. I need a 7 on the hole to shoot 49. After the lost drive, I basically have to par the hole on my second ball - in the damn near dark.

I'm swearing myself, but calm down by the time I get to my ball. I looked for the first one, but never found it. 4th shot (2nd for the second ball) - I rip a 3 wood across to the left side of the fairway, right over and past a tree then slicing back to the fairway (I think, it's so damn dark I can't be for sure). After my dad and brother find their shots and hit, I walk up and find my ball when I get about 15 feet away from it - indeed in the fairway. I'm about 150 out, and decide to hit a 7 (since I'm a pussy). There's a sprinkler going 1/2 between me and the green. 5th / 3rd shot I step up and hit what looks like a great shot - right at the green, but I don't see it land, have no idea where.

My dad and brother search for awhile in the rough, find their balls and hit. I walk towards the green and am looking around and finally find my ball resting about 15 yards out in the fairway. Shit. I thought I was on and could two put for the 7 and the 49.

I can barely see the pin - even only 15 yards out. But hell with it, I step up and hit my 6th / 4th shot and it looks like it's close. I can see it near the pin, but how close? I finally get up there and I'm about 18 in away. 18 inches from a 49 - only the second time under 50 all summer. I can barely see the break. I kinda remember it from before. I line it up, stand over for a minute - felt like I was putting to win the Masters.

Drano.

Dead center - I'd hope from 18 inches, but it was dark and I was nervous.

So, I effectively parred the last hole in the dark on my second ball, but since I lost the first one took a 7 and shot 49.

My brother shot 54 and dad 58 and I defended my home territory.

The weird thing was it didn't feel like I was playing all that great. I had a few 6's and a couple 7's, but I think on the par 3's I went bogey, par, bogey, which helped.

Anyway, good time golfing with them, glad I beat their ass though.