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Journal Entry #43 |
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 WALKING STICK CLUBHOUSE |
 PIONEER STATUE AT GOLF COURSE |
On Thursday night, December 30, 2004, I received a phone call from a new friend, Don Powers. Don is in Colorado Springs for the winter. For the winter? Who would come to Colorado, and not to Arizona, for the winter? I'll tell you who. Folks who live in Minnesota. Don is the PGA head golf professional at the North Oaks Golf Club in North Oaks, Minnesota. He plans to make a move to Colorado Springs next year and is looking for a head golf professional or general manager position. If you know of any opportunities let me know by email and I'll get the word to him.
DON POWERS PICTURE PERFECT BACK SWING
Back to the story. Don asked if I would like to play golf in the morning at the Walking Stick golf course in Pueblo. I checked my calendar and found that I could rearrange my schedule. He told me we would meet at 7:45am at Pikes Peak Community College and drive down together. A friend of his, Don Morrow from Larkspur, Colorado, had arranged for us all to play with Mike Zaremba. This was special for me. Mike is the Director of Golf of the City and County of Pueblo. His domain includes the City Park, Desert Hawk, and Walking Stick golf courses. In addition to managing these courses, he also is known as a competitive tournament participant.
MIKE ZAREMBA CLASSIC FOLLOW THROUGH
After being the first human beings to arrive at the club house this morning, we learned our tee time was not until 9:45am. We had time to go back into town to enjoy Croissan'wiches at the Burger King on Highway 50 west of I-25. When we got back to the course, I went down to practice putting. When I dropped my golf balls on the surface, I had to laugh out loud. As they it the surface, it sounded like pool balls clicking or like a bounce on concrete. By now it was probably up to 35 degrees from the 29 at the time of my awakening that morning.
DON MORROW SWINGS THROUGH
I rode with Don Powers and Morrow with Mike. Both Don and Mike have played a number of PGA tour tournaments and Don Morrow is a low handicapper, if not a scratch golfer. We played from the back, black, tournament tees. Bad decision for me, but being a gentleman I played the blacks as well. After all, I did not want to spend the day by myself down on the senior tees. I paid the price and shot the worst round I have played in a long time. We did not use score cards, so we just kept track of our day by remembering how many strokes we were individually under or over par. I lost count of mine. I doubt I will ever be invited back. Mike's high school age son, Zack, played a few holes with us, and he, of course, played the back tees too.
DON MORROW, MIKE & ZACK ZAREMBA, DON POWERS
Walking Stick's course is in very good condition considering just about every night this time of year drops below freezing. The course is a links course and is void of trees but has desert bushes a plenty. Carts are not allowed in the rough to preserve the ecology. Arroyos are in abundance though water does not come into play on many holes. Bunkers are strategically placed to challenge approach shots on many holes. The greens were exceptionally good for this time of year. Although they did not hold shots during our first nine, they thawed out for the back. I believe the temperatures were well into the sixties, although only 54 was forecast.
NUMBER EIGHT THREE PAR IS A SKILL TEST FROM ANY TEE
Watching these guys tee off and make shots was a pleasure. I don't think any of them scored as well as they were used to. I have an idea I might have been the anchor on their game. Usually when I play with scratch golfers, it lifts my game, but not today. There was a bright spot, however. On one hole we had a putting contest from about 30 feet. We all put up a dollar, and none could watch the other putt, so the break could not be given away. That lasted for about one putt. The first putt, I forget who's it was, rolled about three feet past. I putted next to about one inch from the cup. I won! The two Dons paid up after we finished play. Mike, you still owe me a buck.
JOHN K. DARLING'S FINISH IS BETTER THAN HIS SHOT
All in all, playing with these three guys was a pleasure. These were three gentlemen to be sure to have put up with me. I lost at least six balls.
To contact John K. Darling, Founder of SeniorFriendlyGolf email: GolfGuy@SeniorFriendlyGolf.com.