Day 9 - Thursday, August 16 – Ryder Cup – 3 ways








Rob, Ed, Benny, Trevor

Today’s competition is a Ryder Cup format – three ways.  The first nine is a two man scramble, the second is a best-ball, and the third is a single’s match.  My partner for all three nines is a Scottish born now Californian Rob.  He’s been in this country twenty years and still can’t speak English that can be understood.  He was great company, but a little shaky as a golfer – perhaps a 20 handicap.  Our opponents were Benny, tournament champion for the last four years, and his pal Trevor who has a handicap close to mine.  Benny is long hitter Kenny’s older brother and the too hit’s it a mile and straighter. 

The front nine was comical to watch. I would hit it 210, partner Rob 10, then Trevor 230 and Benny 285. We were two holes down with four to go when the golf gods intervened. Rob pulled out a miracle shot from the edge of the water hazard to within 15 feet of the pin. The bad guys missed a ten-footer for birdie and I rolled the downhill slider into the cup to cut it to one down. Still one down on number nine, we made a forty-footer for birdie to tie the match. This was a moral victory against two of the better hickory players in this part of Canada made our day.

This way to Champions #1 .

The next two nines were not so kind.  Benny was two under after three holes and rest was a less than historic 4-3 loss.  In singles, Benny slapped Rob around and I took Trevor to the last hole only to lose 2 down.  I shot 39, but to no avail. 

Lloyd won his singles match on the last hole.  Gary and Joe were not so fortunate.  At the end of the day, Canada had 30.5 to the US 10.5.   

We again had our post golf recap conversations with quirky practice of the Americans drinking Canadian beer and the Canadians drinking American beer.

All the hickory golfers were invited to Ron’s home in Edmonton for pizza, beer, and a tour of his collection of golf antiques.  Ron not only has his cart collection at his golf course, but also at his house, one of the best examples of rare hickory golf clubs and rare golf literature that’s out there.  One of the most unique clubs that Ron has is a mammoth mashie called so because of the head is about the size of a pie plate.  Other unique clubs had adjustable heads or holes in the shaft or head to produce various results.  Ron would not allow us to leave without giving us each a book on the history of golf.  We offered to pay him, but he refuses to take money.  The Canadians continued to show their generosity and hospitality.