Ryan Smither
Super Moderator
I was playing in a PGA Playing Ability Test today and encountered a funny, stupid, miraculous finish to our round...
Target Score: 156 (36 holes, must shoot on or better than the number to pass)
My playing partner is 2 over the number standing on the #34 tee, so he must play the last 3 holes 2 under par to pass the test...
#34: Tree-lined short par 4
He hits driver into the trees 50 yds from the green...runs a long iron up through the trees to 6 feet...makes the downhill slider for birdie (a miraculous putt in itself as he had a 5-putt and a 4-putt during the 36-holes: another story for another day)
#35: Medium-sized dogleg right par 4
Driver over the tree-lined dogleg to 60 yds in front of the green...chunked a wedge short of the green...krappy chip shot to 15 feet...if he misses he's done...rams it home for a miraculously, krappy 4
#36: Goofy short par 4, downhill...a big pond covers the entire right side and directly in front of the green...Out of Bounds 30 feet over the green...I hit 7-iron, 52 degree wedge...the official lasered the yardage from the tee box to the flag as a 294 carry...not to mention, the wind was a half club into our face and coming out of the right...
I had joked all round long that if I was clear of the number by a good amount I would give driver a rip (I was only joking of course)...
Well, my playing partner walks onto the tee with a mid-iron and a driver in hand...again, he must make birdie to pass...simple right? hit the mid-iron, stiff the wedge, make a putt and go home...
He has the honor and stands on the tee for a good 30 seconds, measuring the wind, iron in one hand, driver in the other...
My brother, who was caddying for me, is standing off to the side laughing at this guy becauses he's even thinking about it...I have to turn around because I'm about to start laughing too...
As I'm sure you guess, he throws aside the iron and starts making hard practice swings with the driver...Again, I turn around to disguise my laughter...
He ABSOLUTELY MURDERS the ball, flying 5 yards right of the pin...5 people are watching and not one of us sees it hit...
We all decide that IF it's possible to get there, that ball is there...
We drive down the hill and sure enough, he's sitting on the back of the green, 2 feet behind the ball's divot...
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
He two putted for birdie and made it on the number...
I'll be telling this story for a long time so I figured I'd share it with you all...
Target Score: 156 (36 holes, must shoot on or better than the number to pass)
My playing partner is 2 over the number standing on the #34 tee, so he must play the last 3 holes 2 under par to pass the test...
#34: Tree-lined short par 4
He hits driver into the trees 50 yds from the green...runs a long iron up through the trees to 6 feet...makes the downhill slider for birdie (a miraculous putt in itself as he had a 5-putt and a 4-putt during the 36-holes: another story for another day)
#35: Medium-sized dogleg right par 4
Driver over the tree-lined dogleg to 60 yds in front of the green...chunked a wedge short of the green...krappy chip shot to 15 feet...if he misses he's done...rams it home for a miraculously, krappy 4
#36: Goofy short par 4, downhill...a big pond covers the entire right side and directly in front of the green...Out of Bounds 30 feet over the green...I hit 7-iron, 52 degree wedge...the official lasered the yardage from the tee box to the flag as a 294 carry...not to mention, the wind was a half club into our face and coming out of the right...
I had joked all round long that if I was clear of the number by a good amount I would give driver a rip (I was only joking of course)...
Well, my playing partner walks onto the tee with a mid-iron and a driver in hand...again, he must make birdie to pass...simple right? hit the mid-iron, stiff the wedge, make a putt and go home...
He has the honor and stands on the tee for a good 30 seconds, measuring the wind, iron in one hand, driver in the other...
My brother, who was caddying for me, is standing off to the side laughing at this guy becauses he's even thinking about it...I have to turn around because I'm about to start laughing too...
As I'm sure you guess, he throws aside the iron and starts making hard practice swings with the driver...Again, I turn around to disguise my laughter...
He ABSOLUTELY MURDERS the ball, flying 5 yards right of the pin...5 people are watching and not one of us sees it hit...
We all decide that IF it's possible to get there, that ball is there...
We drive down the hill and sure enough, he's sitting on the back of the green, 2 feet behind the ball's divot...
UNBELIEVABLE!!!!
He two putted for birdie and made it on the number...
I'll be telling this story for a long time so I figured I'd share it with you all...
