Top Golf at Chase Field

Katie bought tickets for Top Golf at Chase Field for Uncle Jack, my Dad, Zach, and I for Christmas. We had a nice dinner downtown before heading over. They make most of their money on food & alcohol, so it was too rich for our blood. They also put us in a bay with another couple when their other bays wide open. Despite that, we had plenty of fun. Everyone thought the car in the bubble was a prize you could win if you hit. Unfortunately, it was not to be won, but it was the highest points, so everyone went after it. One round I was able to hit it every time, a perfect score, and I won the round. A great present and fun time, but probably a one-off.

St. Mary's Golf Tourney

I played in the St. Mary's High School golf tournament fundraiser this year. I got my buddy from work, David, along with Will, my usual ringer, and of course Dennis. With David and Will carrying the water, we very nearly won the thing, coming in second. It was a great day out there. On one hole they had a guy with a pipe cannon that could shoot your ball from the tee to the green on a [short] par 4. For a price, of course. I was the only one of the four of us to make the green.

2019 School Tournament

Really missed having Sean out there. He's played in the school fundraiser tournament every year. I got our #2 in command from work, Dan, to fill in for Sean. Dan carried us. Kevin also joined us. We didn't light anything up but had a fun time out at Gainey Ranch.

Golf Day

One Saturday I took the two older boys to the Cave Creek driving range and putting green to get out of the house and get some practice in. They enjoyed smacking the ball as far as they could at the range, where we took the whole right end to ourselves and re-used the balls about a dozen times. They've got a lot to work on as far as putting.

9 Holes with D

My buddy Dennis and I took an afternoon off to squeeze nine holes in at the Cave Creek Municipal Golf Course. I took Owen along as caddy. A highlight for him was seeing a coyote running through a wash. It was hot and I didn't have any spectacular holes, but fun being out there with them.

School Fundraiser Scramble Tournament

Assembled the usual guys for my foursome this year, and we did quite good, aided especially by string, which saved us a couple strokes on the par 5's. You would think a 57 would win the tournament, but I think we finished in 4th. It was a great time out with the guys.

Future Golfers

Please Don't Hit the Neighbor's Car

2017 SOTH Tournament

My dad, Uncle Jack, and I ventured out to Fountain Hills again this year to play in the Shepherd of the Hills charity golf tournament. This year's iteration was on Holy Saturday in April. The tendons in my arms hurt a lot from squeezing PVC pipe together, so I started slow and in pain, but some Advil from Uncle Jack's bag cleared that up. For as well as we played, our score of 4 under wasn't anything to be ashamed about. Afterward, there was great home-made food in the church hall.

These photos are on #8, which we managed to par.

PMGT 2016

Don't have all the photos or results yet, but we had a good Paul Memorial Golf Tournament this year. We split, with some of us in AZ and some of us in OK. Aunt Mel recruited a ringer so that she would win. The best pair in AZ was combined with the worst pair in OK, and the best in OK paired with the worst in AZ. Those of us in Phoenix played Stone Creek. Aunt Susan and Uncle Pete had to drop out because of the heat, so Kevin and I motored around the back nine and had fun.

School Fundraiser Tournament

The girls' school had their annual fundraiser scramble golf tournament at Orange Tree in June. This year it was me, Sean, Jack, and Will. We had a great time. This was one of the last times hanging out with Jack (whose drive we used twice, including on the last and hardest hole, #18). I hit a great tee shot on #4 for a tap in for birdie. That eagle was due to a gimmick but still nice. We struggled the last few holes but managed a birdie on #17, an easy (but long) par 5. It was hot and we were tired. We were one of the last 4somes to come in, for some reason.

Knights Tournament

Still back in May, I played in Dennis's Knights Council fundraiser, again at Orange Tree. Uncle Jack and Sean joined D and I. No bogeys and some fun birdies.

SOTH Tournament 2016

Played in the annual Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church charity golf tournament again this year, out in Fountain Hills. Unfortunately, our organizer, Steve, fell ill and could not make it. Zach very ably stood in his place and made a lot of great shots for us. He also got yelled at for hitting a guy's roof. He had one great drive taken away by the 4some in front of us because it bounced a couple times and hit one of them, a kid, who took the ball and threw it over the road. We found two of their clubs, though, so it evened out.

I hit a great drive on this hole. Had just enough fade to get around that big tree on the right. I'm pretty sure we birdied it with the short approach shot, even though we struggled in that area all day.

Driving Range

One Saturday I took the girls and Karin to the driving range at Orange Tree. JoJo had been asking about golf for a while, remembering her lessons last year, and MM wanted to tag along. Karin's father is a big golfer but she had never been or swung a golf club. We spent about an hour on the range hitting 100 balls or so, then another half hour on the putting green. By then the girls were losing their concentration. It was a fun outing.

End of Summer Golf Outing

D and I were having few takers on our annual end of summer golf outing at work, so this year we decided to enter a charity scramble connected to our work with just one 4some -- myself, D, Sean, and Charles. They had way too many gimmicks to raise extra money. The winning score was something like 36. I think we shot a 56. (This is an 18 hole course.) It was my first time playing this course, Lookout Mtn at the Pointe Tapatio. I drive by it every day on the way home from work. There were some fun holes. I'd like to play it 'for real' sometime on my own.

Thurs. Golf Tourney

Won't write too much about the PMGT, as we have a separate blog for that, but here's a shot of the winning team (Ryan, me, Tom, Mavis) and two of the holes.

 

 

JoJo's Golf Lessons

For her birthday, and to cultivate her interest in the game, I got her lessons with Jacobs Golf over at Orange Tree. At $50 for two sessions, the price was a little steep, and they also started at the very early time of 7am, but I think she had fun. The lessons themselves weren't all that great, so I probably won't put her in them again until she's older, when it looks like they give the kids real instruction, not just babysit them on the course. My dad got to be there for the second lesson. I benefitted a lot from him getting me lessons when I was a kid, so wanted to do the same for my child.

School Golf Outing

The Friday after Palm Springs, two of my buddies from work and Jack came out to Orange Tree for a charity golf scramble for MM's school. There were a lot of fundraising gimmicks, so the winning score was 20 under, if I remember correctly. I was pleased with our 9 under. We had a fun time despite the prospect of rain, and thunder that scared Sean.

2015 SOTH Tournament

Back in April, Steve re-gathered our foursome of himself, me, my dad, and Uncle Jack for the 2015 SOTH Charity Tournament out in Fountain Hills.  It was a beautiful day and we had a blast. We laughed at the recycle Dixon balls and failed to land the green on that par 3 (or any of the par 3's). We had a slow start behind the only foursome of all women, which Uncle Jack tried to rectify on our first tee but was swiftly rebuffed. I think we finished 6th overall. There was a nice BBQ lunch at the church afterward. Steve bid on and won a couple things in the silent auction. On the scorecard, notice our streak of birdies. We got hot there for a while. Also notice the drives - we used more of my dad's than mine!