Since we're telling the tales of the great ones here, let me tell another in the "I should have stepped on the sand rake" category.

I have never had a HIO although you'd think the odds would have caught up with me at some point. I played an average of 5 rounds a week in high school and then quit til I was in my mid twenties when I got very active again. A foursome of us would play a few rounds every week at different municipal courses. Generally, one evening a week we'd hit our favorite nine-hole, a beautifully manicured gem of a course just outside Columbus. The guy did testing for Scott's lawn products (headquartered here) and the course was well designed right into the terrain.   Number 3 was a par 3, 155 yard hole with elevated green and tee, well trapped with a pretty little brook 20 yards from the edge of the two tiered green. I generally preferred a solid 8 iron unless the wind was up.   There's the set-up.

On this pleasant evening I hit a nice shot that came down right on the pin which was just at the edge of the upper tier. Instead of sliding down the pin, which would have been nice, the ball hit it squarely and at just enough angle and backspin to kick it back....at a really healthy little clip! It bounces back about 6 feet, rolls quickly off the green and trickles down the hill into the brook. We all moaned and groaned and talked about it as we went to the green.

My ball was at the edge of the brook and in only about 2 inches of water. The guys are razzing my ass so to show just how great I am, I play it. I took a 7 iron figuring the club would twist and open the face and also slow down. With a wedge I might not even make the edge of the green. I figured wrong. Water flew and the guys on the green scattered, having a hard time picking up the ball in the spray. It not only got to the green, it cleared the green and struck a big tree about halfway to number 4 tee. Bruce is laughing his ass off as I walked around the green and when I got to the ball I saw why. It is in the soft muddy soil about 3 foot from the tree....no room to swing at all. The back of this green is about 8 foot above where I am standing and I have no idea what to do......although thoughts of a hand mashie came to mind. My best option was pitch and run with enough elevation to make the green and off to the left where I could get a swing and have the most green to work with. I didn't dare get too far underneath or the mud would have stopped the club. It was a beautiful shot, clearing the embankment with just enough room to spare. But again there is laughter. The ball had no back spin and went straight across, dropping into a trap.....just over the lip of course and now it lies there basically underneath the lip.

I managed to blast out of the trap but left about 25 foot to the pin and at this point I am so pissed that I 3 putt. So there ya' go.....my closest thing to a HIO was a 7. I have had two Double Eagles though and that should count for something!!!!

Spaw