Ride Her 'til She Bucks Ya!

The definition of this term has many meanings. I am about to explain the one my friend Wade Whitehead had this Sunday. As Wade (a.k.a the Gun Slinger) said many times that morning, "Who needs opponents with partners like you guys?"

The players were Rico(no picture file yet), newly renamed HDBP(because of his spiffy,crystal clear shades), Wade, and myself(Pruner). The stage was, as usual, Countryside Golf Course. The round started out like it normally does. Rico being late to the tee, HDBP telling us again how he would change the golf course, and everyone trying to get their bets in like stock brokers on the NYSE floor.


Suddenly this round of golf took a new direction. We started making birdies from everywhere. Wade had the most. He had six birdies and one eagle. As we came to the 18th hole HDBP, Rico, myself were all eight to nine over par respectively. But the Gun Slinger was three under after making a forty foot eagle putt on the 17th. Again with the 17th. Should this hole be a par four? Here is where the story takes a drastic change for the worse.

I was reminded of a playing ability test(P.A.T) I took in Williamsburg several years ago. I was playing with Bruce Carr(ex-manager/pro/grounds keeper/wildlife manager) of Ole Monterey GC. He looked over to this guy we were playing with and said "You know if you make a three on this hole you are going to pass!" Kiss Of Death! He made Four! Shock!

Well I told Wade "You know if you make a three on this hole you will shoot 29 on the back!" The Gun Slinger hit his drive near the green. Not unlike many of us that get the ball airborne for more than 250 yards. And let the record now tell the tale.

This was the approach shot he faced.

This was the first putt he faced.

This was the second putt he attempted. This is the third putt he struck.

And he then holed out a one footer for six.
Now this is the ball mark in question. Where the hell was Stevie!!!

Wade still won all the money. One of his partners made four. He shot one under for the round(70). Not a bad score by any means Tex. As he walked into the setting sun off the 18th green I could have sworn he said "Blog that Pilgrim." I watched his cart go out of sight in the dust from the hard pan, the blowing plastic trash bags, and mildew film on the windshield of cart number 17.