Ling's 19th Hole

 
Signs of spring are so surprising in Florida, so where I thought there would be few, there are so many. First, we have former Troy residents and friends Vicki and Chris. They were both in Tampa for the week to attend the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four,and journeyed north to The Villages for the day.HOW ABOUT THOSE LADY VOLS!! They were subjected to the royal tour, lunch at RJ Gator's, and nine holes of golf at Glenview CC before they had to return. A fun day was had by all. (thanks to all our golfing buddies, Jan, Nancy, and Marylou for loaner clubs and a cart!)
Vicki and I have only known each other since about 1975..ah...all those years of coaching weren't nearly the fun we have on the golf course..Anyway, secondly, there are so many beautiful spring wild flowers in bloom. Yesterday, on a trip to Ocala, they blanketed all the areas beside the road, and all over the meadow-like areas of the horse farms we passed...it was a sea of purple. Also, when out riding in the golf cart, one can smell the jasmine and see all the hedges in bloom. And...since the developer loved buffalo, we have many areas right in the Villages that have buffalo inside designated grazing areas, and we have a newborn BABY BUFFALO less than a half a mile away. Have a great spring!

 On March 19, I made my first trip in three plus years outside the Villages to play in a golf tournament.Like any other day,before I left, I patted Callie on the head, and gave her a kiss and told her to wish me luck. As we found out when we got there, it was more of a "golf outing" with the tournament part being a blind draw at the end. We all headed out on a very windy day to play this beautiful course called Red Tail. Many affluent houses surround the course, and it was fun playing a course that was so different than ones in The Villages. There were many undulations in the fairways as well as waste bunkers, marshes, etc. After the third hole, there was even a Martini Bar for the lady golfers.
Martinis were free, and one could buy a chance for a purse (stop laughing)...I didn't need a purse, nor a martini (don't like them) so I declined. There were also free chances, from a BACK TEE to win a golf cart IF one got a hole in one. We all tried, and didn't make the green. Then we continued our round, and went to our tee, and I was first to hit...on the edge of the green, bounce, bounce in to the hole for a hole in one! It was fun because we all got to see it.My playing partners were Donna Lawson,Janet Colleatie, and Sharon Muzerall, all from The Villages.My last hole in one was in 1959 at an executive course in Dunedin, FL. The next day, my dad, Kenny (a very good golfer in his day) drove all the way back to Dunedin from Clearwater Beach to buy the local paper with my name and the hole in one. (I still have that) It was a thrill,and maybe it was Callie cheering for me from her perch at home, but it is ironic that I probably have played over 300 rounds of golf, at least, in The Villages, but I leave JUST ONCE...........