Hole #18
Finally! Hole 18.
This has been a tremendous day with great people. Being on a golf course for 18 holes and over 4 hours definitely gives you time to become more acquainted and familiar with people. You just can't beat a good day out on the course with friends.
You get time to focus on relationships and think about what is important in life (and no I am not talking about golf).
Hole number 18 is an up and down hole. The Tee elevation is about the same as the green elevation, but the fairway....
...The elevated Tee gives way to a downward sloping fairway, only to climb back up to the green.
If I was to give you a visual description, it would be "bowl" shaped. It is a Par 5, 525 yard hole. This hole plays "short" if the Tee shot is hit correctly. If you can keep your drive in the fairway after 200 yards you will get an additional roll of 20-50 yards based on the slope of the fairway.
Well it was a good drive.
Smack dab in the middle of the fairway with a GREAT roll. That drive will leave me about a 215 yard shot into the green. Our often distempered "friend" Sam that we picked up in our group a few holes back hits a good Tee shot as well.
The second shot actually landed on the green...and stayed on!
This might be a great ending to a great day...if I can hit my putt close and follow with a birdie that would be awesome.
Sam took a couple of shots but he is "dancing" (putting) now as well.
This green is kind of tricky with its varying slopes. Turns out I have about a 10 foot putt. Sam's is about 15 feet and right behind mine. He is putting for birdie....and rolls it just past the cup (less than a foot) which leaves him a tap in for Par. The best part is he showed me the line (the way the ball will break).
My putt is in! At which cheers are heard around the course (only to realize I am the only one shouting). What a hole! That was AMAZING! My first Eagle!
Sometimes in life we receive those blessings as well.
…Admiration from a friend.
…The privilege of scoring the winning points for the team.
…The ability to make money and bless others with it.
…Good life skills that afford us the ability to “fix” things (cars, plumbing, etc) for others at no charge.
But let us not become arrogant in those things or do them for the praise. Help us to walk humbly (Micah 6:8) sharing God’s love in our own way. Help us to walk in confidence knowing God is the One who gives…
Ending a day this way sure does build some confidence in me for the next time I am out there. There is a difference between confidence and arrogance. Confidence being that I now know I am capable of playing well (improving my score). It would be easy to take the arrogant way and be prideful in the last hole...walking and talking as if I am some amazing golfer.
Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
I know it is easy to get off course…
Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
…I could have just as easily triple bogeyed that hole if my focus had been off.
…Once again the reminder of being focused on what is important. Focus on the little things (fundamentals) and do them diligently and all things will turn out for the best.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
Well we shake hands after the round and invite our new friend back to the clubhouse for something to eat.
On to the 19th hole (as it is sometimes referred).
