The WeekEnd Golfer

Our regular foursome plays Glen Abbey just about every Saturday morning and we usually honour really memorable shots as "shot of the day" - informally of course, no points are awarded for shot of the day.

Well last Saturday I hit what may be the shot of the year. It was a dream scenario. We were on #7 which is a "simple" par 3 if you hit it right, but a sure double if you don't. We were hitting into a fairly brisk wind, and it's all carry over the water to a fairly steep bank. If you come up a bit short and hit that bank the ball will almost always roll into the water.

Well, that's what happened to me. I hit a pretty good six iron, but it got hung up in the wind, hit the bank and trickled down the bank into the water. I jokingly said, "Hey, I'm not dead yet that might be playable." I was only half joking because I could see the water was very low, and I knew it is quite shallow right there in front of the green.

After the other guys hit we went over to the green and I took a look at my ball. There it was about two feet out from dry land, fully submerged with the top of the ball about 1 1/2 inches below the surface.

Now Fritz will confirm that I just wait for this kind of situation to try out these "shots that can't be made". But this one didn't look too hopeful.

I know from past experience that a partially submerged ball is pretty easy to get up and out. One that is just below the surface can work too. But when it is that far below the surface you need a big swing and a lot of luck to pull it off.

The other problem was there was no place to stand. I didn't really want to do a Jean Van de Veld (take off the shoes, roll up the pants, flail away at the water). Fortunately there was a rock of just the right size sitting by the shore. I just rolled it out to where my back foot should be and tried standing on it. Perfect! "This should work" I said to myself.

About ten seconds later the SW came slicing down at the ball followed by a mighty splash (fortunately it was fairly warm) and the other guys started hooting and hollering. Of course in the great gush of water I couldn't see it, but the ball came out beautifully, rolled slowly past the hole and came to rest about five feet away.

I missed the putt of course, but that was beside the point. The shot of the day was in the books and will live in golfing lore for ever more.