Well, That Outta Do It!!

by Doug
(Alamo, CA)

During our regular skins games there are always side bets between teams and individuals for other games as well. Those side bets usually consist mainly of Match Play Nassaus and we either use an automatic 2-down press, or what we call “press when you’re lonely” – which means any time you feel you need to get back in the match.

Well, we’ve got one guy in our group notorious for what he calls his “Aloha Press”. This additional bet is added to the game on either the 9th or the 18th hole as basically a “double or nothing” for whatever you may have won up to that point. It’s a nothing more than a “Gamblers Bet” but can add a good level of drama to each nine’s closing holes.

So one day I’ve got this guy down 7 holes on the front 9 (we pushed one of the holes, but I won the other seven), and he whips out the Aloha Press on the 9th tee and I’m not too happy, but I take the bet. All I’m thinking is just make a par and force him to make a birdie to beat me, so I can get rewarded for all my work up to this point.

I hit my drive just through the dogleg-left fairway and it’s sitting between two bunkers with a pretty good lie about 112 yards from the hole, so I tell myself, just get it on the green and get your par. He’s in a little trouble just off the other side of the fairway, so I’m thinking birdie is gonna be tough for him.

I had just missed holing out for an eagle on the last hole as my ball stopped about a ½ rotation short of going in on another approach shot, so I feel pretty good and confident I can get this thing down in no more than three from here. There is another guy playing with us and he’s standing near me as I take the club back and send the ball on it’ way.

It’s tracking straight at the hole and looks like it’s gonna make it to the back pin and give me a good chance at a birdie of my own, when . . . . it takes one hop and checks up right into the hole for a 2!! I turned to the guy standing next me and said, “Well, That Outta Do It!!!”