What's the Weirdest Thing That Ever Happened to You?

I'm sure everybody has had strange and unusual things happen on a golf course. For example, when I was an assistant pro up in Montgomery Pennsylvania, the head professional would tell of one of the members who was practicing his putting. A big storm was headed in the direction of the White Deer Golf Club. Any one who has half a sense knows, when lightening is near, you best leave the course. Well, this braggadocio decided he was staying put. How foolish can one be? You become an electrical magnet standing out in the open with a steel club, not Lake Champlain monster mention steel spikes. After the man was hit by a bolt and flipped upside down, student loan consolidation interest rates was the last time he ever challenged Mother Nature. Thankfully, he was not hurt physically, he certainly learned one lesson he'll never forget.

It was in the mid 1970's when the PGA Tour held qualifying for the now defunct Whitemarsh Golf Club Tournament. This was a Monday as per the Tours days to qualify are usually always on Monday.

The day was fairly cool and it was raining slightly. I was paired with three other local pro's, though their names escape me. Everyone was around five over par for seven holes. Some of the others who I remember asking, as the course had some parallel holes, were no better than the five over. The course was playing long and the greens were the Fox sisters to read. Incidentally, we were playing another golf course. Just in case you didn't know, qualifying rounds are not held on the same course you are trying to get into. It may have been Meadowlands, as I said this was around thirty four years ago.

Anyway, I was playing very well in the tough conditions and I knew I had a chance to make the tournament. I just had to keep the ball in play and make some key putts. The weather started to get really bad and the rain was picking up to. My playing partners were going to pack it in after nine holes. They were saying that the conditions and their scores were dictating they had no chance, plus they were cold. I was just one shot over par after seven holes. The eighth hole was a tree lined par three measuring 230 yards. I was standing on the tee telling myself, I just wanted the tee shot near the green, the wind was against us and no way am I going to hit driver here. Unfortunately, my choice of a three wood was equally as poor a selection.

The shot was topped and only went around forty yards! Not what I was hoping for. What made this so much worse was the proximity of the ball to the tree that was in front of me. I had no where to go Illinois Lemon Laws chip out and give myself a chance for a four, at worst a five. I took my stance with a wedge and just before I was ready to chip, I hear this weird sound. Startled wasn't the word! I looked up and staring me straight in the face was this huge looking bird of some kind. My playing partners were roaring with South Dakota Lemon Laws I told them, I had no clue what it was and didn't know if it was in attack mode. The wing span was far wider than I wanted to see and that noise scared the heck out of me. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't take my regular chipping stance because this creature really had me spooked. I backed up and then tried something I never heard of ever, I attempted to hit the ball on the run. I messed that hole up so bad, wound up with a big fat nine on a par three. My playing partners called it a day and I did to.

It wasn't just the fact I was soaking wet as the rains really came hard, I was royally miffed that that would happen to me and in that position, trying to qualify. We all went in to the club house and had a hot lunch. That was the strangest thing that I have had happen to me on a golf course. Oh, I found out the big bird was a Chicken Hawk, he must have been laughing at my expense.

See you on the green ~ Dave Mark

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