BOBO The Wonder Dog
Well it wasn’t pretty a 6×12 U-Haul trailer behind me, I had a kayak strapped to the roof
of the car. The car was somewhat packed, and two of our 4 dogs BO BO The Wonder Dog, and Seve Dogostaros in the back riding shotgun! Denise had left a few days earlier with Salty Dog and Luci.
I left Friar’s Head Sunday October 18th after 9 wonderful seasons, that chapter had closed. I drove to Bel Aire, MD. to our dear friends Rick and Debbie Rounsaville’s house. Nothing like a couple of Maryland crab cakes to greet you after a 5 hour trek that grew a wee bit longer in Northeast traffic.
18th hole Bulle Rock golf course, Maryland
Rick is the GM and Head PGA Professional at a wonderful high end daily fee course named Bulle Rock in Havre de Grace, Maryland. If you haven’t played there it’s just 5 minutes off I-95 and well worth the stop if you’re passing through. It’s a heck of an 18 holes of golf and the food in the clubhouse is worth the stop by itself!
The next morning after my hosts fed me breakfast, BO BO, Seve, and I pointed the nose of our wagon train south and off we went. 22 hours later (those dogs sure do pee a lot, hence more pit stops then I would have cared for) we chugged into paradise in the wee hours of the morning.
34 years of driving up and down our east coast and although I have never truly minded the drive, I have to say knowing I don’t have to do that next year feels pretty darn good. Would I get in the car next week and drive to Sea Island, Hilton Head, Pinehurst, or any other point of golf pleasure, heck yes I would. That said knowing next season if I need to go north for some teaching or coaching business here or there, Jet Blue will work just fine.
I am curious just how many miles, with a stop here or a stop there over those 34 years I have logged on this body of mine. I have so many great memories of stops in before mentioned golf destinations solo or meeting up with friends to play some of the most wonderful places on the planet.
I remember one particular 3 day stop solo in Pinehurst with my first Golden Retriever Seve (Yes I named more than one dog Seve ….Guess that tells you how much I loved Seve!). It was a fall stop and Pinehurst was unusually quiet. I played #2, Pine Needles, and Pinehurst National. Each place let me take my best friend Seve back on the course with me. He was my favorite company at the time.
Seve Dogastarros
I remember playing pretty well all three rounds and it was actually pretty easy to figure out why. I was so damn relaxed and in love with my surroundings I could not have played bad if I wanted to. Well I guess the point of all this gibberish is that the last 34 years have been full of so many ups and downs just like anyone’s life is. I however have been blessed with so many great moments via the game we all love. Great places, wonderful people, so great shots, some clunkers. No matter at the end of the day this game has given me far more smiles then frowns.
And yes if you’re wondering in the journey is over, not by a long shot. There are plenty of places I haven’t seen and want to. There are a bunch I have been to and need to see one last time. I guess we all have a choice – every day we put our feet on the floor. Is your glass half empty or half full? Life is about choices and I have chosen to allow this game to steer me around a while longer. I hope you’ll do the same. There is so much more fun out there to be had and tons more birdies to be made.
Sit back and reflect for a minute about the places this game has taken you. Think about the hours you have spent with friends and family because of this game. Think about a couple of those awesome shots you pulled off when you least expected to. No reason to think about the bad ones, I never do. Enjoy your journey. Enjoy every single moment of it. The game is a treasure and it’s yours to do with it as you would like. Man am I glad to be back in paradise!!
Hope to see each of you real soon.
Sincerely in golf, Tom Patri
