Following the final day of the Tee Times AM / AM, played in idylic weather conditions during the past week, several of the Competitors, most who are members, decided to play in the Society Competition at Pinheiros Altos GC.
Once more and contrary to the weather forecast the sun shine and provided ideal golfing conditions for the 14 players taking part.
The course as normal was in good condition and the newer 9, which we played, has now knitted in to give a substantial challenge to all, in particular on the greens where straight putts are rarely found, but are all the same pace as the older greens.
The previous weeks golf obviously took toll of some players with several only scoring in the twenty odd point area, however some came through well with Frances Falconer picking up the Nearest the Pin prize, Alison Sinnamon on 32pts, and Trevor Ward on 33pts, not quite being able to catch the winner Donald Adams on 34points
The awards for the day were presented back at the Chez Carlos Restaurant ( Clubhouse ) where all enjoyed the usual nibbles and beverage, discussing where it went well or badly wrong, just the usual postmortem we swap at the end of every round.
Next Week: Saturday 5th December – 12:50 at Laguna GC
Golfers Speak
‘These greens are so fast I have to hold my putter over the ball and hit it with the shadow.’
» Sam Snead
‘A hungry dog hunts best.’
» Lee Trevino
‘You can talk to a fade but a hook won’t listen.’
» Lee Trevino
‘I was three over. One over a house, one over a patio, and one over a swimming pool.’
» George Brett
‘Actually, the only time I ever took out a one-iron was to kill a tarantula. And I took a 7 to do that.’
» Jim Murray
‘The only sure rule in golf is – he who has the fastest cart never has to play the bad lie.’
» Mickey Mantle
‘Sex and golf are the two things you can enjoy even if you’re not good at them.’
» Kevin Costner
‘I don’t fear death, but I sure don’t like those three-footers for par.’
» Chi Chi Rodriguez
‘After all these years, it’s still embarrassing for me to play on the American golf tour. Like the time I asked my caddie for a sand wedge and he came back ten minutes later with a ham on rye.’
» Chi Chi Rodriguez
‘The ball retriever is not long enough to get my putter out of the tree.’
» Byran Weiss
‘Swing hard in case you hit it.’
» Dan Marino
‘My favorite shots are the practice swing and the conceded putt. The rest can never be mastered.’
» Lord Robertson
‘Give me golf clubs, fresh air and a beautiful partner, and you can keep the clubs and the fresh air.’
» Jack Benny
‘There is no similarity between golf and putting; they are two different games, one played in the air, and the other on the ground.’
» Ben Hogan
‘Professional golf is the only sport where, if you win 20% of the time, you’re the best.’
» Jack Nicklaus
‘The uglier a man’s legs are, the better he plays golf. It’s almost a law.’
» H G Wells
‘I never pray on a golf course. Actually, the Lord answers my prayers everywhere except on the course.’
» Billy Graham
‘If you watch a game, it’s fun. If you play at it, it’s recreation. If you work at it, it’s golf.’
» Bob Hope
‘While playing golf today I hit two good balls. I stepped on a rake.’
» Henny Youngman
‘If you think it’s hard to meet new people, try picking up the wrong golf ball.’
» Jack Lemmon
‘You can make a lot of money in this game. Just ask my ex-wives. Both of them are so rich that neither of their husbands work.’
» Lee Trevino
‘I’m not saying my golf game went bad, but if I grew tomatoes, they’d come up sliced.’
» Lee Trevino
South Africa’s Million Dollar Par 3
Forget pitch and putt – this tee-off point on top of a 430m mountain in South Africa is the hardest golf shot in the world, and more than $US1 million awaits the player who can score a hole in one.
Players must take a helicopter to the top to play the longest – and highest – par three on the planet. Taking the shot also requires courage – the player needs to teeter terrifyingly close to the edge of the mammoth hillside. Indeed, the Extreme 19th Hole is so high the ball takes almost 30 seconds to reach the ground.
Channel Nine cricket commentator Mark Nicholas recently joined an elite list to have the shot in just three swings. ‘It was awesome, riveting and phenomenal,’ he said. It’s like the end of the world when you get up there and it’s an awful lot of fun. It’s such an adrenalin rush taking the helicopter up and then rushing back down.’
The hole is based at the Legends Golf and Safari Resort, within the Entabeni Safari Conservancy in South Africa’s north-eastern Limpopo Province. The other 18 holes were designed by world golfing legends including Trevor Immelman, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington and Australia’s Robert Allenby.
A round of golf – including a buggy and lunch – will set you back R450 ($A70).
The Extreme 19th cost is R6700 ($A1060) per four ball, that includes helicopter ride, souvenir cap and glove and a DVD of you playing the hole.
So far, no one has even come close pocketing the million-dollar prize, but Harrington became the first golfer to conquer the hole within par.
Harrington said: ‘This is the type of innovation and excitement we need to get more people playing golf. There aren’t many new innovative ways to play the game but this is certainly one of the best. I think this hole is awesome – I love the whole experience, the helicopter, the views, the drama and having the green the shape of Africa. And now I’ve got bragging rights over all the other professionals who have played this and not managed to make a three. I love everything about it.’
