It all started with me taking advantage of the discount program for custom AVX golf balls...

I had an April 21, 2021 tee time at Pinehurst with some clients. I decided to sneak down early the afternoon of April 20 for my first walking caddie experience at Pine Needles Golf Club in Southern Pines, NC. It was a typical warmup followed by a treacherous front nine, finishing with an embarrassing 13-over 48. At the turn my caddie (it was his first day on the job) said, “hey let’s start new and play the course vs the back nine now.” I settled down and quickly went even par through 12. When we stepped onto the 13th tee I looked down at the green protected on the left with waste area and trees to the left and a bunker on the front right; my miss for the day. As I looked at the 186 yard shot I murmured to my caddie, “wouldn’t now be the time to work on a draw.” I went into my backswing and started the ball just as intended to the right of the pin. As it flew high through the air with a determined right-to-left draw all I remember thinking was, “be the stick.” The surreal moment came to climax with a bounce 2 feet short of the pin, a second bounce a foot closer, and a final short roll and hanging drop into the cup. Not believing what he just witnessed on his first day, my caddie pulled his range finder and and as I dumbfoundly asked, “did that go in!?” answered, “that’s an ace, man!” The caddie’s accompanying trainer couldn’t believe it. The three strangers I was paired with couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe it.

There was never a more satisfying feeling than walking up to that cup as I reached down and pulled the Titleist AVX 4 custom stamped “CRW” from the hole.

A 93 never felt so good...