Each year, a group of 12 of my high school and college friends gets together for a golf trip at the Lake of the Ozarks. We usually plan it for August so we can combine it with our fantasy football draft, which inevitably turns the whole event into a bit of a booze fest—just like any good golf trip. Last August (2023) was particularly memorable, with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees and all of us nursing hangovers. We were staying near Old Kinderhook and scheduled to play the course that day.
By the time we reached the 7th hole, nobody was drinking anymore; we were all in survival mode. The hole was a 156-yard par 3, requiring a shot over a wide and deep ravine. I lined up and hit a nice little fade, landing just left and above the pin. The ball spun back perfectly, and as it dropped in, all four of us erupted so loudly that even the marshal heard us a few holes away.
Once everyone else finished their shots, the marshal caught up with us on the green and made sure to tell every group behind us that I should have a high bar bill after the round. That kicked off some serious drinking that carried on through the night.
Getting a hole-in-one with your best friends is one of the greatest feelings there is.
P.S. I did not win fantasy last year