Bringing it all back with some father/son golf in Charlotte

Posted by Jamie on 17 June 2010 | 0 Comments | Tags: , , , ,

I love playing with a father / son duo.  It brings back memories of trying to impress my own dad on the links during my days as a wee nipper (I stress the word ??trying?).  And of the absolutely intense life changing frustration that I??d feel if my performance wasn??t what it could be.  Today at Carmel Country Club we had the pleasure of playing with Kevin Gibbons and his son Michael.  We had a smashing time under the beating North Carolina sun.

Kevin was kind enough to contact us out of the blue a few weeks back, offering a bed and the use of a washing machine in Charlotte ?? which at the time wasn??t on our route.  But a washing machine is a washing machine.  And Kevin??s washing machine is a particularly nice one.  Mike and I accepted his kind invitation ?? as we tend to do ?? and took a day out of Kiawah to make it happen.  A decision that turned out to be a very good one.  Kevin and his family are some of the nicest people we??ve come across all year.  After the hustle and bustle of the last week or so (and the lack of opportunity to attack our huge laundry pile!) their amazing hospitality couldn??t have come at a better time.  

The directions we had to Kevin??s house were on the laptop that died 20 miles short of Charlotte.  So we had to call him and be guided through the last few miles turn by turn...  One thing that struck me: what a beautiful area South Charlotte is.  (Maybe Kevin directed us along the most impressive streets on purpose?).  Along the likes of Providence Road and Colony Road the houses are grand; the sections big; and the trees huge.  While I was driving along with my jaw by my feet Mike was visibly unimpressed and in fact trying to catch 10 minutes more of sleep before our arrival!  Lazy blighter.

What followed was a perfectly laid back evening with the Gibbons family.  We had a dip in the pool; munched down a Top Drawer BBQ dinner outside on the patio (Susan??s pulled pork buns are making my mouth water just thinking about ??em); and told lies into the night.   The kids ?? Claire, Michael and Ellie ?? were full of chat.  Most of their questions were more insightful than some we get from professional journalists!  I can??t help but think that if I was in their position I??d be totally bemused by a couple of foreign 25 year olds turning up in my house for a few days.  



Because Carmel Country Club is only a mile or so round the corner we got a very welcome lie in.  Until 8.30!  Feels like I haven??t slept that long in years...  Refreshed and raring to go, we all hopped into the family wagon and were there in a jiffy (which is a very short period of time indeed).  Mike and I had arranged to meet another new friend there ?? Norm Swenson is his name ?? for a pow wow about grand plans for the next few weeks.  (Norm has more memberships at top golf clubs than I??ve had hot dinners, and by some fantastic coincidence he??s been kind enough to offer his help with a fixture or two).  Complete coincidence that Norm was in town (wedding the night prior...long story...take my word for it: eerie coincidence).  No sooner had we said hello and put our heads together than it was time to step up to the plate.  

With one golf course out of action at the moment ?? Rees Jones is revamping the South Course (big brother of the two courses, I understand), which won??t open until the second quarter of next year ?? there??s a lot of play on the North Course.  So it was a case of miss your tee time at your peril sunshine.  

Another new format.  Wolf.  The designation of wolf rotates between the 4 players on each hole.  When you are the wolf, you pick a partner ?? based on their tee shot ?? or decide to go lone wolf.  If you or your partner win in a best ball format, you get points.  If you go as lone wolf, you get 2 points.  If the lone wolf chooses you as his partner, you have the option to rebuff him and go lone wolf yourself.  The lone wolf must choose to take or leave each player before the next player hits (i.e. The wolf can??t wait until he??s seen all 3 tee shots then choose ?? after A has hit, he must choose whether to take or leave A before B hits).  All In all, good clean fun.  Hope I??ve described it right...

Wee Michael hit a few crackers!  A couple of sleeves of brand new pro-v1s that I??d given him last night disappeared into the lakes, but golf balls are golf balls.  Start as you mean to continue ?? he??s got good taste!  Speaking of starting as you mean to continue, Gibbons Senior came flying out of the blocks with a couple of pars (when he was taking a shot a hole from me!) - leaving us wondering whether his 17 handicap was actually 17 or whether the decimal point should shift one place to the left...  



We all suffered in the heat.  One of the hottest days of the year, according to the big man.  Just our luck...  Anyway no complaints from me ?? we had a good few laughs.  The course itself was relatively benign compared with a few of the monsters we??ve been playing of late (think Kiawah Ocean, TPC Sawgrass, Olympic etc).  Would love to return and see what Mr Jones does with the South Course ?? certainly the members are excited, from what we??ve heard.



Back at base camp we caught up on laundry and blog duties while a violent storm was raging outside.  My aspirations of jumping into the pool to cool off were shot when lightning bolts forked right, left and centre.  God it can storm here.  

Kevin & Susan very kindly took us out for dinner to a local spot where they serve pretty sharp seafood.  I forget the name, but it??s something of a chain (although they probably wouldn??t like calling it a chain...).  By the end of the evening we??d spent a good 24 hours in their company, and really felt like we??d known them for a long time.  Like cousins.  Truly great people; we??re looking forward to having them down to home turf in NZ.  (They??re making noises about coming down for Day 365...!).

JP

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