Some Fun Golf for Me

In mid-February, I caught a bug that I couldn't get rid of. I'd feel better one day, and then the next day I was exhausted. After five weeks of this, I had a trip previously planned for Lake Havasu City, AZ in mid-March. It was just the medicine I needed. I still had a nagging cough and after two days in the dry heat of AZ, it was gone.

So, I got to enjoy my golf outings in AZ. I played on three courses: Emerald Canyon Golf Course, The Refuge, and the Olde Course at the London Bridge Golf Course. The holes at Emerald Canyon wound through the canyons and had beautiful vistas. My favorite though was playing The Refuge. It had beautiful views of Lake Havasu and was a fun challenging course.

The recent highlight of my golf career though was playing in the Pro-Am of the Stonebrae Classic, the inaugural stop of the Nationwide Tour in nearby Hayward, CA. My playing partners included Nationwide Pro, Steve Friezen, former Raider and now 49er Barry Sims (see picture below), and 49er Jay Moore. I also played with a gal who is a member of Stonebrae.

It was a two-day affair, which included the Pairings Party the night before where I got to meet my playing partners. We also had a long drive show by Long-Drive Champion, Dan Boever, who can do amazing things with a golf ball, like hit a ball and make it travel ninety degrees, probably a total of 420 yards.


On the morning of the Pro-Am, I have to admit that I was a bit nervous. I was the highest handicapper at 11.3 and didn't want to embarrass myself. Funny thing happens to me though when I'm in competition or nervous, I swing easier and end up being more accurate. As a result, I shot three natural birdies from the forward tees, and had a stroke on each, for three net eagles. The gents will admit that the gals held up the team!

If you ever get a chance to play in a professional tour stop Pro-Am, treat yourself to playing. It was a memorable experience indeed and one that I won't forget!