adjustment. By this time, I was maybe 14 and
could shoot a score good enough to beat him
but hadn’t done it yet. I could break 80 most of
the time and 75 was a really good day, so the
strokes were gone, and we were playing head up
from the back tees. Unfortunately, I could never
come up with the goods when it was just he and I
mainly due to the father-son mental hurdle.
Then one day it happened.
I got off to a great start and made a couple of
birdies over the first seven holes. After bogies at 8
and 9, I made the turn at 36 and had a two-shot
lead heading into the back nine. For some reason,
I knew where the ball was going on this historic
round and continued my good play on the back.
He also played well on the back as his adrenaline
kicked in along with his gamesmanship. I was
clinging to my two-shot lead as we stepped onto
the 17th tee. Number 17 at Briarwood also
has a ditch running across the fairway around
200 yards. However, the ditch was the nothing
compared to the out-of-bounds on the left side
and the lake of the right.
My dad striped his trusty Lee Trevino fade
right down the middle and reminded me of the
trouble while picking up his tee. I decided to take
my driver and let the big dog eat. My swing felt
effortless as I compressed that Tour Balata Titleist
against that wooden Palmer Peerless clubface.
As I looked up, my ball was still climbing as
it passed my Dad’s in the middle of the fa irway.
We both made pars from there and another rock
solid par on 18 gave me a three stroke win as he
made bogey – too aggressive trying to catch me.
Our final scores were 73-76, and the Barqs
root beer I had earned for my efforts never tasted
so good. Perhaps only my Mom was as happy
and surprised as I ate dinner that night due to my
Dad having to clean the dishes. I can remember
that round and meal as if it happened yesterday.
On June 17, 2018, I’ll go through that round
and day again in my head as I’m watching the
U.S. Open in my favorite chair. At some point,
I’ll start crying when a commercial by the USGA
comes on about how golf brings fathers and sons
and entire families together. My wife will role
her eyes and say “not again” and my kids will
make fun of me. I won’t care though because my
favorite golfing buddy ever will be doing the same
thing as he looks down on me after just playing
another round on the best golf course in Heaven
has to offer. He earned it.
Jake
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