In which golf101 shoots a 'bucket list' score.
I'm still undecided.
Was the atmosphere more or less awkward because the pro shop was empty?
To be honest, as I sidled up to Terry, proffered him a Sharpie, and asked if he'd be good enough to 'sign one of my balls' it felt plenty embarrassing enough.
Maybe the presence of another couple of punters would have reduced the intimacy of the occasion.
It definitely would have made it more embarrassing for me making the request.
But probably made it less so for Terry as the recipient.
Either way, Pro that he is, Terry didn't take a backward step.
Barely looking up from his desk he gently enquired:
"Hole-in-one?".
"No Terry, I've just shot my first level par round."
Now while a potential ace/eagle/hole-in-one didn't seem to impress him, this news got his attention.
Terry Marshall is in his fourth decade as the professional at Eastbourne Downs Club.
You rarely see him get animated about much.
He's seen it all before.
So when he stood up, came round from his desk and shook my hand I knew this was significant.
"Well done. That's great. And now you've done it once you know you can do it again."
"Cheers Terry. Yeah hopefully I can back it up. Thanks for all your help."
And that was that.
A level par score.
On my home course.
In competition (Pros 4BBB).
Achieved alongside Barry Wooller, one of my great golfing pals.
For the record, I'm pretty clear in my own mind how that par score was achieved...
...by giving less of a fuck about how to hit the ball, and by just trying to be target focussed.
In other words, and in a Gross simplification of the facts, for four hours on Sunday 11th February 2024 I managed to play like Simon. ‘Simon Says'. (golf101.co.uk)
It may never happen again.
But maybe that dream of scratch golf is now fractionally less delusional than it may have seemed in July 2022...Gross Zero (golf101.co.uk)
