Golf Notes: Batch Device

I arrived at the Little River Golf Course a little early last Friday, February 18th. Uncharacteristic for me, I usually show up just in time to tee off. Butch Carlstadt saw me by the driving range and said, “Hey, I have something to show you.” Butch walked toward me, reaching into his pocket, and pulled out two small plastic cylinders held together with a key chain. “Look at these.”, Butch said. What could these be, I thought. Holding one up to my eye and l looking through the tiny spyglass eyepiece, I saw Butch, tall, athletic, young, standing over his golf ball getting ready to swing. “What?” The other cylinder showed Butch finishing his golf swing. “Where did these come from, Butch?” In 1976 Butch was playing in a golf tournament in Rohnert Park. As part of the event, someone took pictures, inserted them into these little devices, and passed them out to each participant. Cool. Butch would have been around 43 years of age and played golf for four years, and was a three handicap.

Butch ended that golf day last Friday, shooting an 86, three strokes under his age, and winning first place partners in the Stableford drawing Larry England. Butch also became the second individual winner being bested by Jim Ehlers by only one stroke. And no, as we know, Butch does not have any swing thoughts.

Meanwhile, the group playing Stableford behind the Carlstadt foursome, Phil Dunn, Bill Speake, and the Golf Notes Writer, all Millered it on the 16th hole. Yes, we all hit our balls into the 16th hole sand trap, but of course, Men’s Club Champion Phil Dunn hit his ball in the trap from the tee while Bill and I hit into the trap from our second shots. Bill suggested we change calling hitting in the trap a Miller to calling it a Speake. That way, Bill said, you can say I Spoke it. Alright, with me.

The Little River Men’s Club has, so far, six twoplayer teams signed up to play in the Two-Person NCGA Zone Qualifier to be played March 6th, teeing off at 9:30 am. The two best qualifying teams in the Best Ball Net event will play on April 11th and 12th either at Poppy Hill in Monterey or the Old Del Monte course in Monterey. Good luck, one and all.