It was an interesting weekend with heavy, pouring rain Friday and into Saturday morning. We had 100 players lined up for the Master's event at Diamond Oaks on Saturday. The forecast showed the heavy rain tapering off early Saturday morning and we informed the members that we would likely be playing. We had 20 guys drop out as the conditions would be cart path only for carts and there were 5 no shows on the day of the event, but the remaining 75 played on a sloppy, soggy course, but we had no rain. It was actually a warm storm as it was a so called "Pineapple Express" storm from Hawaii. It was about 65 degrees when I teed off at 9 AM. You can see the pictures of the course. There were several holes where the water on that hole had overflowed their banks. The first picture shows number four where the water generally runs under the fairway through a culvert, but when the rains are too heavy and the stream is flowing it goes over the banks and across the fairway. It will be gone by later this week and back to flowing underground.
The second photo is of number 6 and the waterfall that I have shown you before. This week the stream completely overtook about a fifth of the fairway. The creek is fed by runoff from the housing development that surrounds the course. The waterfall is actually hard to see in the picture as the water is so high. The third photo is not of Samson, but a dog that greets us every day on the fourth tee box. It isn't Samson as Sugar is about 4 years old and a lab and overweight because about six or eight of the golfers (including Boyd and Neil) carry dog treats in their bags and feed him every time they play. The homeowner has actually asked the players to only feed him one treat as he is getting chubby. Sugar knows the players that feed him and would ignore me when I was playing with either Neil or Boyd.
The conditions were sloppy at best and I actually lost a ball on number 2 when I hit it left into the rough. The rough was so long and wet that it likely plugged. Normally you would just drop a ball and take a stroke, but in a tournament you lose a stroke and have to replay the ball from the original spot. I double bogeyed that hole on the way to a 47+44= 91. The scores were generally higher, but two of the players in the field shot 73, so it wasn't that hard for everyone. I finished out of the money, but did have a par on number 17 that was somehow good for both a net and gross skin and $22 in prize money.
Both Daniel and David have really got into golf this year and keep asking me to meet them after work to play. I haven't done that yet, but set up a golf game for Saturday and invited the boys to join me. We will play with Paul at Auburn Valley and they have a Masters special for $29 after noon that includes cart, a beer and either an egg salad or pimento and cheese sandwich. I asked the boys and they both jumped at the chance, so we will play this coming Saturday and I'll get some pictures.
The golf course picture above is number 13 at Augusta and I bought it this week after Pete and I visited a gallery in Granite Bay owned by the golf artist, Jim Fitzpatrick. Jim was a professional golfer and realized that he wouldn't make much of a living on tour, so began photographing the PGA players as well as golf courses throughout the United States. He is a sketch artist and a painter and has made his living by painting PGA players and venues. He also does commercial work and has made the posters for most of the major golf tournaments each year and works with golf courses throughout the United States on Grand Openings and things like towels, coasters, tiles, etc. I saw the picture that he took of #13 and had it lasered onto metal and signed. It is of dogwoods and azaleas that surround the green and was so lush and just popped off the picture. I will also get one of his sketches soon. They are nice, but pricey.
Daniel and Becky had us over for dinner on Thursday night and we had a nice dinner of fried rice and won ton soup that both Becky and Daniel prepared. We didn't at until 7:30 because Daniel and David met for golf that afternoon. He's hooked. It was nice to get together and see their new floors. They had a grey tile installed throughout the living areas of the house. It will be nice to be able to see them on a regular basis, especially once they start having kids
We hit our numbers are work this month and I am treating the staff to lunch on Wednesday at the Spaghetti Factory. We were up about 14% in March.
It was an absolutely beautiful day today with a high in the upper sixties and a bright blue sky with sunshine. Darla and I slept in today after going to church last night. Darla treated me to breakfast and then we went over and got my car washed. I did the lawn, pool and cleaned up the backyard before sitting down and enjoying the Masters this afternoon. Darla and I took the dog for a walk this afternoon and let him frolic in the park for awhile and he got to zoom around before rolling in the grass and had both Darla and I laughing.
This is short, but I'm tired. I already put in all of the scores from the event yesterday and updated Tournament Handicaps. I'm ready for some downtime. We have set up Sam in church camp in July this Summer. W are not doing Almanor, but will spend a weekend in Tahoe with Jennifer, Samantha and McKenny after the camp week. I hope you are all well. Less than two weeks to the wedding. See you all soon.
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