The Perfect Round

I am very blessed to live and work in America’s Friendliest Hometown The Villages Florida.  My job is at one of the golf courses here.  I drive around and make sure the players are having fun and enjoying their round.

Last week I saw something that moved me enough to place it here in this lowly place.  I close the course one evening a week.  Part of the closing duties is to make sure the entire fleet of rental carts are back and secure before we can leave. Therefore we never like to rent a cart after 4:00pm.  Because that means we might have to stay later than the 6:30 we are all due off work.  Keeping me from happy hour at my house with my wonderful wife, well sure enough I get the word that we rented a cart at 4:45!!!  I was on my course when it happened so I didn’t see the customer’s.  There was a part of me that was a little upset but I knew this was a rule when I picked up this job but, I really needed a glass of wine this night. 

Well as the night progressed, I came upon the group.  It was an elderly gentlemen, a man of my age, and a younger man.  All playing and having a good time; I quickly ran by them in an effort to make sure they saw me but not enough to slow them down as they played in case this would make them finish quicker!!

Well as fate would have it the next time I saw them it was on a tee box.  All were out of the carts waiting on the elderly man to hit.  As I sat there it became very clear to me that this was a very special threesome.  As the elderly gentleman hit I told him great shot.  He smiled and said I should have seen the one his grandson hit from the back tees, a look of pride like a father looking at his son for the first time.  Then the middle man so to speak, told me that the elderly man was his father and they were in town celebrating his 90^th birthday!  He was his father and the younger man was his grandson.  What a threesome.  The look on the grandfather’s face was simply priceless.  At that moment I thought about my father.  I still have the score card from 1961 my first nine holes with my Dad.  I thought what would I give to tee it up with him one more time?  I knew it was almost anything I had.  Can you imagine playing golf with three generations?  What a treat.  Suddenly it didn’t matter if they ever brought that cart back.  I want to follow them around and try my best to steal a brief moment of their joy, trying desperately to put myself in their place so I could experience their joy. 

They played until dusk.  I was almost saddened when I saw them coming in.  I knew that the grandfather’s special round was ending.  They stood in the parking lot as the sun was setting and I couldn’t help but think how special this moment was for them all, even if it was wasted on the young man.  What a memory, playing golf with your father and his 90 year old father.  Really?

I know this place I live is special.  I just never knew how much until moments like this happen. 

What I would give to be able to say just one more time “Dad let’s go tee it up one more time.  I promise to let you win no matter how bad you play.  Sure wish Grand Dad was here.  Come on get in the cart I can’t wait for this Perfect Round.”

Love and miss you everyday

Peace,

The Blessed Man