Round #3: The Golden Horseshoe

THE GOLF:

I awoke early on Friday, packed my things and said goodbye to my good friend Tom Iden. It was then time to head down the road towards Williamsburg for my appointed 11:40 round at The Golden Horseshoe. After arriving, I hit balls for 45 minutes and teed off. I was grouped with a couple named Rhett and Susie and a man named Forrest. I found out during the round that Forrest is married to a woman from Winchester with the maiden name McAvoy who I'm sure my father knows. The course layout was exceptional - tight and rolling as my friend Nick James stated on the phone the night before. The older design does not hold up well to today's standards, as 2 of the 3 par 5 holes measure less than 500 yards. The length was irrelevant as I played the par 5's to a cumulative +6 over par. So much for contemporary relevance. This course has 4 par 3 gems which are all beautiful, different, and memorable. I carded a par on all but one. Regardless, the 93 I ended with is still borderline unacceptable. All I can do at this point is continue to hit as many balls as possible while telling myself that my game will come around. Let's hope that happens sooner rather than later. For now, it's off to Pinehurst.

Today's Course: The Golden Horseshoe - Gold Course
Today's Score: 93
Current Handicap: 8.3
Overnight Location: Mid Pines Inn
Tomorrow's Course: Mid Pines
Tomorrow's Overnight Location: Southern Pines, NC

THE TRIP:

While sitting in Barnes & Noble's cafe yesterday, I received a call from Chevy Chase Club Assistant Golf Professional Extrodinaire and good friend Nathan Hoffman. Nathan said he had good news and bad news. The good news: he had secured me complimentary lodging at Mid Pines Inn in Pinehurst the following day along with a tee time at Mid Pines on Saturday, and a tee time at Pine Needles on Sunday, along with PGA rates (this means paying a cart fee only and having your green fee waived). After hearing this INCREDIBLE news, I'm wondering if the bad news is bad at all. The bad news was that the room was for only one night - no problem, I can swallow the hotel fee for 2 nights now that he's saving me money on green's fees - and that the tee time on Saturday was at 1:30 PM. Yeah - real bad news! You mean to tell me I get a free room for a night, waived green fees, a few extra hours of sleep the night before, and the chance to hit balls for about 2 hours before the round? This just seems unacceptable! Props to Nathan for hookin' me up this weekend at Pinehurst.

The drive after the round at The Golden Horseshoe was pleasant and my first moderate length drive of the Odyssey thus far. With the windows down and the sounds of Bela Fleck's banjo pumping through my speakers, I smiled for 4 1/2 hours as my car winded through roads lined with pines and heated by the unexpected warmth of the high spring sun.