27 at The Club w/ May, Capt, and G-Money/Gary Playa

March 10, 2024

Daylight Savings Day

45-52 degrees w/ Carnoustie Winds… WAH (windy as hell)

Pillow Fight

We knew we had an extra hour of sunlight due to daylight savings so 27 was a given today. As I left the house, Millicent (my beautiful and golf loving wife…) asked me if I was playing 18 holes today. I squared up like a good prize fighter, owned the moment, and said, “it’s a 27 hole kind of day.” I claimed the day and the golf that awaited like a champ.

We got to the range with enough time to have a nice warm-up session and hit the putting green. I had put the old Ping irons (most of them, I’ve lost a few over the years) back in my bag. I had accepted a “newer” set of clubs from Buck via his father in law but wanted to go back to my old friend. I think I’ve had the Ping G10’s for close to 20 years. They’ve seen my game at its best and I wanted that mojo in my hands. Truth be told, I could play all day with only a driver, 4 iron, 8 iron, and a putter in my bag. Come to think of it, I might try that next time out…  

We played the standard game of switching partners every 6 hole, $1 a hole, $1 birdies, par or better to win. G-Money walked the dog on us today and had 14 points, Capt had 11, May 10, and yours truly ended up with 4 points… Scores were 87-88-88-89 and then 44-44-46-46 on the extra 9. We did play most of the day having to navigate the Carnousie winds again. Well struck balls could pierce through the wind unfazed but our group didn’t hit many balls squarely on the club face. It was all fairly forgettable golf if I’m being honest- not a ton of highlights and that got me thinking that is one of the things that draws me to playing golf. The thrill of the dramatic and special is only topped by the mundane and routine. Not every shot can be historic but there is always that hope, that moment, that chance that each shot could be a memory and a story to be told or written about forever. Today was beautifully mundane and I’d do it everyday if I had the chance. 

The golf was not our best but I’ve seen and played much worse. It was classic Nerds Tour golf- lots of bogeys, very few birdies- like maybe one… but it wasn’t a total disaster. The course was still a bit swampy from the rain over the last few days so the CPO was a pain in the ass but it also helped keep us moving and staying warm. We finished the 27th hole and I think we were all ready for it to be over. That doesn’t happen much with me. I’m usually always up to play more but not today. I had opened the first two holes making nifty putts for bogey and that was the standard of the day. I parred every hole when I hit the green in regulation sans one, I hit #2 green in regulation the 2nd time through and promptly 4-putted. It was special. My short game was feast or famine- I chipped one in from 10 yards off the green on 6, had some other nice chips to gimme range, but also chunked/dipped/skulled several that led to more bogeys and doubles. So when our last putt fell on the 27th hole, we all were ready for the final bell. 

At least the skies were blue and we had the extra hour of sun and the impending break this week. G-Money is headed to Hilton Head Island, May is headed to the doctor, Capt is headed to work, and I’m headed to Murfreesboro to watch basketball. As the principal at Fulton High School, our boys basketball team is a consistent source of pride. They represent the best we have to offer at Fulton and play the game so well- together, tough, coachable, and fundamentally sound. We are hoping for back to back state titles but this team could not disappoint me or Falcon Nation if they tried. I have said this to many over the last few weeks, this is my most favorite team I’ve watched in 27 years in education. I know I’m not supposed to have favorites but these young men are so good on and off the court. I will miss watching them play and will miss the impact they have on our school but we aren’t done yet and this team will rise to the occasion one more time. 

I’m also hoping to squeeze in a little golf while at the state tourney… Stay tuned.