Written by Scott Dunford
Why do golfers love movies like “Tin Cup” so much? I’ll tell you why. Because all of us have, at one point or another, made a bad decision to hit an impossible shot, regardless if we’re in the lead in a tournament or trying to come from behind playing with the guys. It’s something we can all relate to and yet know better, usually after the fact. That was exactly what happened to me on the second day of the Huntsman World Senior Games at the Green Springs Golf Course with my new-found friends from Draper, Utah, Alaska, and Minnesota.
I played well on the first day at Coral Canyon, my old stomping grounds as a volunteer. I was tied for the lead in my division, destined for gold, with visions of sugar plums dancing in my head that night. But Green Springs has a few holes that should be in “Guinness World Records” as the most difficult to play. Holes like 11, 13, and 16.
Everything was going great after my first 14 holes. I was only three over and past the tough holes as I approached the 18th, playing with the confidence of Kevin Costner as he teed it up on the final hole of the U.S. Open. If you’ve played the 18th at Green Springs, you know it’s a severe dog-leg right with desert and trouble on both sides. We’d been teeing it up from the gold tees, about 5 feet back from the ladies tees, which isn’t what I’m used to. There’s no advantage for most of us, who usually play the white or blue tees.
As I sized up my tee shot, I felt like I could take a shortcut over the desert on the right with my power fade, giving me a chance to get there in two. Unfortunately, I got lazy with my swing and it was more like a slice, putting my ball firmly in a thick desert bush.
My provisional shot was perfect! Why did Doug from Alaska have to find my first ball? Now, I had no choice but to play it, pushing me back in the line of sight from the flag. I had two options: Take it all the way back to the tee box or hit it out of the desert. Since my mojo was rising, I elected to hit it off the desert floor, taking an unplayable with a narrow window to glory, just 220-230 yards to the green! An easy 3-wood, right? Stupid even if I had a decent lie on grass. Needless to say, I hit that exact same desert bush again.
So, I went back on that same line again, only this time I thought I’d be smarter by hitting a 5-iron, taking a less aggressive route to a safe, grassy lie, with the goal of a short wedge to the green. Unfortunately, the same result. That damn bush! I was losing it at this point and holding up the guys behind us, who were already looking for their ball right next to me!
To make a long story short and a short story longer, I pitched it out with an 8-iron and proceeded to post a double-digit 10 on my scorecard. Hey, at least it wasn’t a 12.
Lesson once again learned. Still not myself, I took a good swing with my driver on No. 1, only to choke a chip shot for a double bogey. How many times has that happened to you after a bad hole? The following par 3, I made a beautiful birdie for a final score of 84. If I had just popped it out with that 8-iron in the first place, I would have made an easy bogey. I could have been a contender, posting a 77 or 78 for the round and in contention for the gold!
So, to sum it up, think twice — no, think three times — before you attempt a “Tin Cup” shot. It’s just not worth it, but oh, how fun it is when you pull it off. It boils down to how badly you want to win versus have a memorable day with friends. For me, a 10 on a par 5 in a tournament like this was very memorable. It’s something I’ll never forget. The difference with this particular event was that I had the time of my life! Win or lose, the new friends I met and the great shots I pulled off will be what I choose to remember most. A definite must-do again next year.
I see now why this event draws more competitors every year. Over 10,800 participants played their favorite sports events this year, nearly 400 more than last year, circulating hundreds of thousands of dollars into our economy and spreading the word about our amazing active lifestyle here in southern Utah.
The Senior Games posted its largest participation yet in the 28 years it’s been held here. Athletes from all over the world came to compete and enjoy our little piece of paradise. About 2,500 volunteers shared their time and talents to help pull this event off, along with Kyle Case’s full-time team of employees.
And even though I didn’t hit that 220-yard shot off the desert floor to the green, I would attempt it again. Well, okay — maybe not. (See, I’m still going to “Tin Cup” it again! Damn this game!)
By the way, I still won a bronze. Yeah, baby! See you on the links!
