27 Holes

I was up just ahead of 7am and quickly downstairs prepping coffee. I enjoyed about 30 minutes of quiet before David & Anita were up. They joined me for coffee on the deck. It was already quiet warm and steamy and expected to approach 90 during the afternoon.

Mindy was up around 830am and started making breakfast burritos. Sometime near 9am I excused myself and headed off on a run. I ran the full 4.1 miles in the bright, warm and steamy sunshine. I worked up one heck of a sweat but never felt overheated.

Everybody had their PCs out, Anita her laptop, David his iPad, and Mindy on her laptop. We’re living in a connected world, indeed. The breakfast burritos were ready. Mindy got everybody’s started with the basics but left the customization to each of us. They were very good. Soon after breakfast we discussed how our day might unfold. We had loosely discussed a couple options, including boating and hiking. David shared that Anita wouldn’t be up for a hike due in part to her asthma. No worries. Even though David and I were scheduled to golf later that evening with members of our HS graduating class, I asked if he was up for some golf during the day. He jumped on the offer right away. We made plans to play Phoenix.

In the meantime, it sounded like Mindy & Anita were going to find a place where Anita could have a broken finger nail fixed. I hustled off to the shower around 1030am. I’m thinking that it was near 11am when we left for golf. David invited Jacob to join us but he declined the invite. I wasn’t surprised. I’ve taken him twice but he hasn’t yet gotten hooked. David offered to drive.

Arrived at Phoenix near 1130am. In the pro shop, I told the guy working the counter that we wanted to play 54 holes. Without missing a beat he nodded in agreement citing there one price play as many holes as you’d like policy. We paid for 18 holes. I picked up the tab.

This was David’s first time teeing it up at Phoenix golf links, but more importantly, the first time he & I had ever golfed together. I was fully expecting to be humbled and schooled given his strong golfing past. He slammed his first drive long but into the dry heather on the right. Uncharacteristically, I hit a rather poor drive, but at least it was safely in the fairway. I think David took two lost balls on that first hole and carded a nine to start. I, on the other hand, salvaged a par.

David has a graceful swing that more often than not produces a beautiful ball flight. His game was a little rusty otherwise he would’ve beat my pants off, I am sure. I managed to stay on top by a few strokes through the front nine. At the turn we were fortunate enough to get out in front of a twosome just starting off the back nine. There wasn’t anyone to hold us up within two holes. I managed to hold on to my slim lead through the first couple holes on the back, but David eventually started making some key shots about the time I started missing. Soon he was up by two or three. He dropped a couple ‘f’ bombs earlier somewhere near the turn after a couple bad breaks. I reminded him that first and foremost we were there to have fun.

We played fairly even on the back nine with me playing bogey golf. Realistically, that’s about all I can ask of my game. I was happy. David, on the other hand, not so much. He wasn’t pleased with that kind of scoring, and understandably so. I figured the match would be decided on holes 17 & 18 and it ultimately was. We both managed pars on the treacherous par 3 - 17th. On 18, we both hit fairly nice drives, but mine was resting in some dry rough. I hit a safe 2nd shot putting me just in front of the stream guarding the green. David’s 2nd shot ended up in the creek just left of the green. In the end, he took a 7 while I took a bogey. All added up, we tied with 92’s. I was pleased, especially given that this was only my fourth round of golf all year.

I had told David earlier that tips and critiques of my swing were welcome. He gave me a few throughout the round but was largely complimentary of my swing/game. I’m thinking we finished up near 330pm. We stopped at the UDF and then drive-thru on the way home so David could get some Dos Equis. They didn’t have it at UDF. They had it across the street at the drive-thru.

Not remembering that we’d be leaving for golf again in two hours or so, I insisted we not leave our clubs in the car. We toted them to the garage as we headed inside. I made the two of us sandwiches. Mindy left a note on the island sharing that they were off to Penzone’s. I worried that they made Jacob go along. Bet he’ll pick golf the next time. 
The girls actually phoned a few minutes later and Mindy shared that they were on their way home. Mindy said Jacob went to Zoombezi Bay with friends Cody & Kyle.

Mindy, Anita and Bella were home around 430pm. Anita got her nail fixed and Mindy & Bella got pedicures. We shared some snacks and listened to some music for the next hour or before we needed to leave for the Wilson Rd golf course outing. Until then, I opted to drink only Gatorade, not wanting to start drinking beer too early and then fizzle out. Jimaken showed to pick-up the kids around 515pm.

I freshened up before we left for golf again near 545pm. Of course being so close, it took only five minutes to get there. We quickly learned from Rusty R., the organizer of the 2-man best ball golf tournament, that our outing wasn’t really supposed to start until 630pm. We didn’t have a very big turn out, but then again, I wasn’t expecting there to be. I’m thinking that there were 15 golfers. That doesn’t include five or six others that were there just to help cheer us on and take photos.

David and I were paired up with our HS class president, Jeff C. and Rusty’s wife, Wendy. We tee’d off first. We birdied the 1st hole after I sunk about a 15’ putt. We eventually got to -2 under until the 7th or 8th hole where we took a bogey. Lucky for us we birdied hole #9 to go back to -2 under. And as it turned out, that score was low enough to win the outing. Yeah! David was overtly happy about the win and promptly posted a pic of the score tracking sheet to his Facebook account. “Bragging rights for the next 5 years!” 

Sounded as though several folks were heading to Lucky’s bar & grill afterwards. They asked David and I to join them. We declined due to our dinner plans downtown at Milestone 229. It was 830pm or after by the time we headed for home. I was really hoping we could’ve gotten downtown earlier. No biggie. We didn’t have a reservation.

David and I both wanted showers after two rounds of golf. The girls were already ready. We both showered fast, but it was still after 9pm by the time we left for dinner. We chose 229 was so they could see/enjoy the downtown waterfront. It was almost dark by the time arrived, so they didn’t really get to appreciate the stunning sunsets it’s quickly becoming known for. And even though it was dark, the fountain park right next door was still surprisingly loud and crowded. Not only that, but the strong smell of chlorine hung heavy in the air. Because of that, we left our seating choice to David and Anita, who both quickly shared their preference for dining inside.

We were quickly guided to a table by a window over looking the south patio and fountain park. John was our server. He brought us the drinks we’d just ordered from the bar then two appetizers: four snacks and pretzel bread. The four snacks appetizer includes the amazing bacon wrapped gorgonzola stuffed dates. Yum-yum! Both David and Anita were excited to see they had a dish they were familiar with from back home in S.C., shrimp and grits. However, come time to order, only Anita went with the shrimp and grits. David ordered the scallops as did Mindy & I.

When David and Anita finished their Mai Tai’s, David impatiently went to the bar to order another after seeing our waiter tied up at another of his tables. Our meals came in a timely fashion. And by all accounts, the scallops were deliciously tender and sweet. However, the shrimp and grits weren’t at all what David and/or Anita expected. David went as far as to tell our server that the dish was prepared incorrectly. I didn’t take issue with their displeasure as taste is a personal thing. However, what I did take issue with was that it was made ‘wrong’. I liken a food dish to art, in that it can and will be expressed differently by many. Either way, they didn’t care of the local spin which boasted a spicy tomato base, which David cited as wrong. Anita, being the shy one of the two, seemed content to leave it be. In hindsight, we probably should have shared her displeasure with the dish with John in a positive way and then asked for another dish. Without question, it wasn’t at all what she expected. I am certain they would’ve have willingly replaced the dish with something more pleasing to her palate.

I was admittedly concerned that David might make too much of the mishap but in the end he didn’t. He did, however, go back and forth with John a little, but nothing one would dub inappropriate. True or not, John expressed that others have shared that the shrimp and grits dish wasn’t what they expected either. David picked up the tab despite me planning to get it. Rather than order another round of drinks, Mindy & I suggested we head to CBC for a night cap. I was craving a Bodhi.

We arrived at CBC near 11pm. There were only employees sitting around the bar, but they politely agreed to serve us drinks anyway. David and Anita ordered Bailey’s and coffee while Mindy & I went with Bodhi’s. I drank mine fast and ordered a 2nd. Yum-yum! They offered David the opportunity for a 2nd at the same time to which he refused. Little did he know they were putting away the top shelf booze for the night. Later, when he changed his mind, he was told that it was too late. He expressed a bit of displeasure to which I could only cringe. After all, CBC is one of our favorite places in the world and we’ve built strong ties with most of the help. We left for home near midnight. I drove.

As soon as we were home I headed out back with the pug for a few minutes. Back inside I cracked another beer then made a batch of buttery nipples. Everybody had one, David and I enjoyed two. By then it was approaching 1am. We all headed off to bed.