Some Memorable Holes

I have played a lot of rounds of golf over the years. Every once in a while you get some memorable moments. Sometimes they are just funny things. I don’t specifically remember all of the rounds, but there were great moments.

We’ll start off with a good one. I was playing Rock Hill in Manorville New York. I caught up with the guy in front of me. We greeted each other, had a good laugh, then we hopped on the 11th hole. I drove the ball well. I took my 2nd shot, but didn’t see where it went. So I’m looking short of the green for my ball. He looks at me ‘What are you doing?’ which I thought was self explanatory. Then he points to the hole, there is my ball, 5 feet from the hole. I made the birdie putt. It was my first birdie at Rock Hill.

Different round at Rock Hill, I’m on the 8th hole with 3 guys playing competitively. They left me out of it. So one guy takes his shot and ends up against a tree. One of the guys with him was a stickler for ‘play it as it lies’. So I’m watching them argue about this. It got pretty heated. He had to hit, I would have given him the drop, but oh well. I’ve seen rules debates before, but this one was over the top.

Let’s move over to Swan Lake, also in Manorville. There are a few instances here. On the 11th hole, they flipped the nines, so now it is 2. I drive the ball, slicing into the woods. So I walk up to about where I went in, then there is someone standing there, ‘your ball is right there’. Who this guy was and why he is hanging out in the woods is beyond me. They did have a small tower over there at the time, so I guess he belongs there. At least he found my ball.

Another time on the 12th at Swan, now 3rd, I did something wrong because I drove the ball beautifully, just catching a mid fairway bunker. Based off the scorecard, it was ~ a 270 yd drive, based off the fact I was by the 150 marker. It may have been teed up a bit, but for me it was a great drive. So I pull out the 9 iron to get out, I wasn’t getting a lower iron out of the lie I had. I put the ball 10 feet from the hole. I made the putt for birdie. This hole is known to crush me.

Next up, the 6th hole at Heatherwood in Setauket, which sadly has closed. So I have a birdie putt, with a nice old couple. The green was bowl shaped. Instead of aiming towards the hole, I went along the edge, the ball turned right and rolled right into the hole for birdie. So far it is once in a lifetime, as I have never even had a putt in hundreds of rounds since where it was even possible.

Let’s go to Mill Pond in Medford. This course crushes me every time. I may have had 1 off worse rounds at other courses, but this one crushes me every time. So after one of my usual struggles there, I get to the par 5 18th. I hit a decent drive and 2nd shot. I flubbed the 3rd shot, but was within range of my gap wedge. I put the 4th on the green with a 30 – 40 ft putt. I sank it to end the nightmare on a par.

Islands End on Long Island’s North Fork wasn’t even a golf moment. It was out of season, so the bar/ restaurant wasn’t open. So they let us take the cart to the lil place next door. It was the 2 of us, the bartender and 2 locals. Their kitchen was closed as well, so we stayed for a drink. It was comical watching the bartender give the locals the boot, and so obvious that it was a usual thing. This is the only bar I have ever left completely creeped out by the people. The bartender was nice. As far as the course goes, the view on the 16th hole is incredible.

Spring Lake in Middle Island gave me a laugh. My 8th hole drive went deep in the woods, surrounded by trees on dirt. The person I’m playing with decides I should hit my ball, instead of dropping on the other side of the tree line. To get out, I had to find a line between 20 – 30 trees. So I ‘find’ one, hit the ball ‘perfectly’. For my view, picture going on a hike through a forest. I have hit trees before, but this was the loudest it ever was. I watch my friend dive out of the cart. The ball just missed him. He did laugh after I replied ‘I told you to let me take a drop.’ I realize this could have ended poorly, but I thought it was funny and laughed. He never made me hit out of the woods again.

Now on to Riverhead and the Vineyards. I was struggling on the 15th hole, playing with a friend and another 2 some they matched us with. Let’s just say coming up the right side is not the way to go. None of us could get out of the rough we were in, and we found it funny and started laughing. Apparently the golfer on the hole next to us did not find it funny as she

screamed at us. This is a private club, so we didn’t fight over it, just apologized, and watched her flub the mulligan too. At least she didn’t get us kicked out.

I’ll finish this off with Middle Island in Middle Island, New York. We decided to play pair vs pair. My partner is a good golfer, and we went with it. We proceeded to lose 16 or 17 holes. So we get to 18, which is the 9th on Spruce. I drive 250ish in the middle of the fairway, my boy hits the worst drive I have ever seen him hit. They offer double or nothing and I won the argument that we should take it. Despite my partner’s lack of faith in my ability, I don’t blame him, I’m putting for par, about 30 feet away. The other team, they are both putting for bogey. I made the putt, and think everyone was actually rooting for me.

Moments like these are what keep me invested in golf. Some ended well, some not so well, but they are memorable. Even when you are having a terrible round, there is still entertainment to be found.

By Sebastian Wyczawski