Even for Life

Work was getting in the way of my blogging this week! Also, I had writer's block. I now realize how hard it is to write a daily column or daily blog! It is really difficult to come up with enough interesting and relevant material and to try to be funny at the same time when you are not naturally funny!

Today, I played golf at the Arizona Biltmore Golf Club. The Arizona Biltmore Golf Club is a daily fee golf course. It has a tee time agreement with the historic Arizona Biltmore Hotel (but is not otherwise affiliated with the hotel) and is located within the Arizona Biltmore subdivision at 24th Street and Missouri Avenue in central Phoenix. Other than the location, the course is nothing special. We played the Links Course, which is only 6,300 yards and a par-71 from the back tees, with a course rating of 69.5 and a slope rating of 125. I am not a big fan of this golf course because it is overpriced and not very customer-friendly, but today all of the employees were friendly and very customer-oriented. Isn't it interesting to see how a recession brings out the best in the service industry!

I played with Digger, and Fred Flintstone and his son Bamm-Bamm. I know I am mixing my cartoon characters, but this is a perfect pseudonym! Bamm-Bamm is now a college freshman. I have known him since he was a baby. He was always a tenacious little athlete, as well as a very good student and an all-around good kid. At 14, he was about 5'4" tall and 125 pounds. He was a slick-fielding, punch and judy hitting second baseman, bats left, throws right. Now, he is 6'2" tall and 185 pounds and playing Division 1 college baseball. He hit a grand slam home run in the fall black and white intra-squad game. But, his golf game leaves something to be desired! He hits the driver 275+ yards with a lot of hang time, but is erratic, and that is the best part of his game! It is all downhill from there. His wedge play and putting embarrass even me! We play "even for life" so that we do not have to worry about USGA Handicap Index, course rating, bogey rating or slope rating. We just tee it up and rip it! It is like taking candy from a baby!

We played a two-man, total score game. Fred Flintstone and Digger were teamed against Bamm-Bamm and me. I was conflicted because of my "even for life" grudge match with Bamm-Bamm. Fred shot a one-over 36 on the front nine and Digger was playing as well as I ever saw him play, so after 6 holes Bamm-Bamm and I waved the white flag and we changed teams to Fred and Bamm-Bamm versus Digger and me. Digger finished the front nine with a 45 and Bamm-Bamm and I made the turn at an ugly 48! There was a lot of trash talking and I lost my concentration and wasted a lot of shots around the green.

On the back-nine, which is longer and more difficult, I shot a 43 with 2 pars, seven bogeys and no double-bogeys. Fred Flintstone could not sustain his great play on the front 9 and shot a 42 on the back 9. Digger, now that he was my partner, shot a 52 and Bamm-Bamm shot a 48. Bamm-Bamm was down four holes on our "even for life" bet after No. 15 and pressed the bet and I beat him like a drum on both bets for $2 and pride (I lost the other 4 bets)! I made some really nice up-and-downs and almost chipped in for birdie on No. 15, which is the signature hole. No. 15 is a 183 yard, par-3, that plays 165 yards due to the elevation and looks directly at Camelback Mountain. Bamm-Bamm informed us that just above the elevated tee box is the lover's lane for local teenagers. I wonder if my kids knew that!