Gumpy's Hole-In-One

Among the many memories I have of playing cow pasture pool (Gumpy's favorite term for golf) with my grandfather, one of the most exciting was the day he hit a hole-in-one.  It was a somewhat cloudy day, just warm enough for shorts but cool enough to keep us moving.  In the early days, we always walked the course so the little exercise we got walking was enough to keep us warm.

We arrived at the ninth hole of the original nine at Centenial Acres in Sunfield, MI.  My memory of the exact time of day this happened is a little fuzzy given it has been over 20 years since he hit the shot heard around Vermontville.  Since the grounds keeper was still mowing the greens, I am assuming it was still fairly early.

The ninth hole was always a little deceptive.  I say was because the course added a third nine several years ago, changing the original links I learned to play on.  It was a par 3, approximately 160 yards to the pin depending on placement.  The green followed the natural contour of the hill that climbed up around the creek that ran through the middle of the course.  The tee box was at the base of the hill, so when Gumpy hit his drive and we lost track of the ball, nothing seemed unusual.

I hit my drive and it did not go far.  Sometimes I would try to muscle the ball up to the hole, instead of taking a nice, relaxed swing which always resulted in frustration.  I aimed for the east side of the green at the top of the hill so my ball might roll toward the hole.  I put the shot a little short of the green, on the surface Gumpy called the frog hair.  He went looking for his ball while I chipped onto the green.

Gumpy could not find the ball anywhere.  After my chip shot, I started to help him look.  It did not make sense that the ball would have gone into the woods because it did not seem like Gumpy hit it hard enough for the ball to make it to the woods.  There was a little sand trap, but the ball was not there either.  The grounds keeper had stopped mowing and was waiting for us to finish up, so Gumpy decided to drop another ball and take the penelty.  I went to pull the flag for his putt.

I do not recall exactly what I said, but what ever I said Gumpy came running.  The grounds keeper came off his mower to congratulate him.  He stayed on the mower because he wanted to see the surprise on our faces.  Trust me, we were both surprised!  After a few minutes of hootin' and hollerin' I putted out and we went to the clubhouse with the grounds keeper to register the hole in one.

Gumpy saved that ball.  It is with the Hole-In-One trophy he recieved to commemorate the occasion.  His picture appeared in the newspaper too.  Gumpy was normally a pretty happy guy, but I do not remember a time where he was quite so jubulant!