HOLE IN ONE!!!

Today I took Matt (9) and Mark (7) golfing at a nearby Par 3 course, English Springs. Matt has had clubs for a couple years and Mark just got his starter set a few weeks ago. We've been hitting balls in the backyard, etc., and this was Mark's first time to go out on a course.

As we headed out the door, Terri suggested I take our camera to get some pics of the boys since it was Mark's first true golf outing. So we get to the second hole and Mark tees off, Matt tees off, then I tee off. As I "skull" my ball, I think I said something like, "Ohh, I skulled it."

The three of us watch the worm-burner scorch up the fairway and land just before the green. The ball then begins its roll across the green right in line with where you would want it to be, heading toward the pin, gradually turning an ever-so-slight left on the slope of the green.

Matt says, "Dad, I think you might hit the pin!" from my left and Mark is on my right watching with BIG EYES. Suddenly, just as it is going to hit the pin, the ball dropped from sight. Matt yelled, "Dad, it went in!". Mark yelled, "Dad, you got a hole in one!"

I reacted differently than I would have thought. There was no Tiger fist pump or extreme celebration. I think I was too shocked that it went in. The boys gave me high fives and we were all happy and excited. Most of all, I was excited that if I was ever going to hit a hole-in-one in my lifetime, it happened on an outing with my two boys.

There was a single playing behind us so we let him play through and asked him to take our picture and explained it was Mark's first outing and my first hole-in-one. He was excited for us and said he'd been playing 35 years and never hit a hole in one.

Here's the pic. I thought it was funny when I got home a realized my eyes were closed. I wish it had been a better pic but that's probably how my eyes were when I hit that ball! So maybe it's appropriate.