My dad got my brother and I out golfing at an early age. We grew up on two courses. The first was Burden Lake where we took golf lessons. The second was Frear Park. The following things have happened on this course:
- I didn't make the Varsity golf team one year on this course. I missed it by one stroke.
- My dad used to run a night golf tournament at this place. It was awesome as a kid to see my dad hanging out and laughing with local celebrities and news personalities.
- Also at these tournaments, my dad was given access to a work jeep that was a manual speed, "three in the tree" type cart. With my sister bouncing along with a huge smile on her face, I learned how to drive a stick shift. The only problem was that it was about 3 or 4 years before I could legally drive so I've lost that touch for a while now.
Frear Park also has one of my most feared holes in all of my golfing experience. I give you, the gorge
Now this may not look like much in the picture above but as a kid and as someone who was trying to make the golf team, this thing was a monster. No need to see the bottom. All there is is grass, despair, and golf balls of years past. A few weeks ago, my brother, sister, and I headed home to help out around the house while my dad was recovering from surgury. To get him out of the house for a little while, we ended up on the course. (Yes mom, he didnt play).
Anyway, back to the villanous 5th hole. Right from the beginning of the round, I had told my brother and dad that my goal the whole day was to drive the gorge. We pull up to the tee box with my brother invoking the movie Tin Cup saying you're probably not going to leave until you do. He steps up to show the way and blasts one clear over, inches from the green on this Par 4. He then says, "Over/Under for you is 3 balls". Damn it if he wasn't right that on that one. Third ball goes sailing over. Another check mark off the list:-) Here's a few more pics from that day. Thanks dad for the tips and Chris for kicking my butt yet again at golf. One of these days...
