By Norgie Hester
With a lot of opportunites for recreation shut down due to COVID-19, Vineyard Golf At White Lake has really become “The only game in town.”
Everyone that plays golf has a special partner or a special group they play with. I am no different from everyone else. I love to play with new folks … or folks I usually do not play with … but I am most comfortable playing with the “senior group.”
For one thing we mostly play alike and can make the games fair. We have from 8 to 16 players show up at 11 a.m. … and have had that starting time for somewhere around 50 years. It is interesting when a new guy joins us. Summer friends from White Lake will show up occasionly and join the group.
Just recently Tommy Fitzgerald, one of our summer friends from Johnston County, showed up driving a 1950 Buick. Made for a lot of conversation.
Some days we have an odd number of players and have to come up with a plan so that everyone in included in the action. That is when the negotiations start. Who do I play with? Usually we put balls in a hat and draw for the teams. Recently one of our “A” players drew a ball out and insisted he get to draw again. He got one of his best friends and was only kidding. A lot of that goes on. Players insisting they are not playing good and need a real good “A” player.
We might start the game with 12 players, 4 teams, and end up with 8 or 9. The reasons for this are numerous … bad back, headache, wife called, pulled a muscle and the best one of all … “my stomach ain’t right.”
Over the years we have lost some of our cherished players. We remember them with stories of their golf game and cherish the fact that we have great memories of them.
This summer has really been different in many ways … but the golf course is beautiful, well kept, and the greens are magnificent. Even in 100 degree heat it is crowded most days … and that is good. Even though it takes our group a little longer to play … most of them have nothing to do and nowhere to go.
We have one player in our group that is under 70 with the oldest being 84. Hopefully we will all be here for quite a while … and will continue to show up at 11 a.m. for “the only game in town.”
About Author
