Hi, guys and gals. I’m thinking of starting a petition to have July and August removed from golf calendars. I mean, is this weather cruel or what? The heat has enabled me to accomplish a couple of things, though. I still can’t shoot my age, but I can shoot the temperature on most days.
One of the neatest things I’ve done this summer was to cover the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at the Country Club of North Carolina. The ages of these girls ranged from 12 to 17 and, believe me, they can golf those Titleist. It’s hard to understand how well they can play unless you see them in person. I’m still trying to figure out where a 12-year-old who weighs maybe 80 pounds gets the power to hit a tee shot 220 yards.
In my case it’s just opposite. How does a guy who weighs 220 hit the ball 80 yards? Crooked.
One piece of good news is that our esteemed Executive Director Dick Mitchell is able to get back on the course after hip replacement surgery. Word is that once he gets to the point where he can tie his shoe laces again, he’s going to be a terror on the links.
Funny, I thought he was already a terror on the links.
When you read this, we’ll be only a few days away from our Hall of Fame outing at Pinehurst. Looking forward to seeing all of you again, and those of you who can’t make, well, we’re talking about you.
This is probably going to be the briefest newsletter you’ve ever received, basically because our members haven’t done anything newsletter worthy this month. Well, at least apparently nothing that they wanted to see in print.
As for me, well, everything is fine except my golf game. The birdies have apparently flown away without me even noticing, although I did have two at The Country Club of North Carolina in an outing earlier this week. Our renowned and infamous President Betsey Mitchell can verify that oddity as she was one of the victims.
As for the Great Birdie Race between Steve Williams and me, well, he’s history. He claims his wrist is hurting, but I think he’s just bailing out. Anyway, my personal count for the year now is 51 birds and two eagles. Yeah, I know most of you probably have twice that many. But, hey, this is a personal vendetta between me and Ess Dubya. OK? So I’m calling it a forfeit. That way maybe I won’t have so much pressure riding every time I stand over one of those 80-foot birdie putts.
Wish I had something exiting for you this month, but other than hoping fellow member Phil Werz makes it through Myrtle Beach’s hosting of another World Amateur Championship without losing his mind, this is about it.
Don’t forget, if anything exciting happens in your life, let us know.
Oh yeah, one last thing, I am now a proud great-grandfather. Yep, that’s GREAT-grandfather. Aiden John Russell came in weighing 9.2 pounds two weeks ago and he’s looking good in that Carolina Panthers T-shirt his dad bought for him. That’s going to change, though. He’ll be wearing Redskins burgundy just as soon as I can find a Sonny Jurgensen shirt that fits him.
Take care and let me hear from you.
Howard (Aitch Dubya) Ward
PS From El Presidente’
Besides working on the World Amateur, Phil and beach-guy Al Blondin are working on pulling something together for November. We may see the annual Four-Ball back at Myrtle Beach. It will also be a good time to us to meet to discuss how this year has gone and what’s ahead for the CGRA.
We are days from the Hall of Fame and I’m pleased to report that we have over 70 folks in attendance. It will be good to have some of our alumni there – including George Thompson, Peggy Kirk Bell, John Derr, Bill Hensley, and Terry Florence.
Even in these busy times, we managed 18 entries for the championship. We are coming after you Bouts!
Stay cool.
Betsey (Bmer) Mitchell
