Golfing at Shoal Creek

Hello all,

This morning my wife Jennifer, Father-in-law Larry Thompson and good friend Jon Bremer played wonderful links of Shoal Creek that is located near Liberty Missouri. The teams for our game were Larry and Jennifer vs. Jon and I. My wife's team took an early three stoke lead. It was not looking good for Jon and I. On the ninth hole I watched Larry hit the best shot I have ever seen. His ball was positioned on a hill overlooking the green. The hole was guarded by five very large trees with a narrow gap that meandered through them. Larry, before hitting his ball, called his shot. He said he was going to cut the ball from the right of the hole and bring it around the second tree and then shoot the gap between the next two trees to put the ball on the green. We all waited as he took he addressed the ball and swung. The ball started right, curved on command and slipped through the narrow gap and came to rest less than a foot from the pin. Larry had just executed a perfect shot. Way to go.

After a quick stop in the clubhouse at the turn for a hot dog and a bottle of water, it was time to start the back nine. Jennifer hit a great drive and set her team up for a great approach. Jon and I had a difficult shot from the right rough, but managed to get it on the green for a birdie attempt. I'll skip what happened next and just say both teams finished with par for the hole.

Things were rolling for my team until the thirteenth hole. Jon and I had a three stroke lead and were playing well. Then our luck turned. We both hit our drives out of bounds. Then hit our next shot out of bounds again. My approach to the green missed and John's was just on the fringe. It was not looking good for our team. Our three stokes evaporated before our eyes and we would have been behind if it was not for Jon's key put to save a seven.

On 14 my driver returned and both Jon and I were in the fairway. Jennifer had been driving the ball well all day and really gave her team a great opportunity to score well. But it was not their team's day. Jon and I walked up to the eighteenth green with a three stoke lead. Victory was ours.

I know it was not the Masters or the US Open, but it was nice to play today with the people I care about the most. I hope to play more this year and continue to improve. Thank you all for making this day as much fun as it was.

-Andy Scott