Most Memorable Personal Golf Memory?

[Spankapotamus redux]

First Eagle. Number 2 at Banyan Tree GC in Okinawa. Perfect 3i from the deck to 3 inches of the hole for a tap in eagle.

 

Second would be the rounds I played with my FIL before he passed.

[DoughBack18]

Going to the US Open with my Dad. A buddy had tickets and couldn’t go, so I drove 8 hours round trip to get them first thing in the morning, then another 7 hour drive with my Dad down to Pinehurst that night. We sat in the front row of the grandstands on Sunday on hole #1 right above the tee markers and it was so cool seeing the whole production going on. Players on the putting green, all the NBC stuff, 18th hole right across the way. Had my Mom record it and we could see our big mugs popping up and down as they showed the tee shots off 1. 
 

Close second was again with my Dad at a senior event at Hartefield National. It was Jack Nicklaus’s first senior event after his hip surgery. On the 18th the players had to walk through an area with the spectators. I was about 12 and nervous as could be but mustered a “hello Mr Nicklaus, how are you feeling?” He said “Great! Like I could run races.” To actually exchange words with Jack, it was surreal. Topped that off with an autograph from him after the round that hangs in my office to this day. 
 

Fortunate enough to have a lot of wonderful on course memories, holes in one, etc… but those 2 with my Dad top anything. Also very thankful to have a Mom cool enough to let her “boys” go run around watching golf. Hopefully get to make some of those kind of memories with my son some day! 

[Port and Starboard]

I got to play the "old course" and a I have a HIO and they were both great fun.

 

But my best golf memory ever was with my best golf friend. We were always in trouble with our wives for sneaking out to play together.   We snuck away one afternoon and both broke 40 for the first time for 9 holes, and we both ended up shooting our first 80's round ever. We played the old Shennecossett golf course in Groton Ct. Doing it together was  incredibly fun and we celebrated with a lot of beer afterwards. Our wives even came over to the pub and joined us after we each received a semi serious scolding. 👍

 

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Port and Starboard

[ShowMe]

Early 1990s at a Masters practice round on a Tuesday, back when you could just show up and buy tickets.  Late in the afternoon, me and my buddy walk over to the Par 3 course where some of the pros are practicing for Wednesday's Par 3 tournament. 

 

We end up following Paul Azinger and Blaine McCallister.  We're the only two walking with them.  Just us, the two golfers, and their caddies.  And by walking with them, I mean literally walking right next to them.  No ropes sectioning us off.  They're making bets with each other.  We're making bets on them between ourselves.  They're questioning our bets.  etc.  Just some great banter with a couple of great guys.   

 

Then we go back to the regular course and there's Wayne Grady standing on the practice green in his civies silently staring out over the course at the last of a beautiful sunset soaking in the experience likely knowing that he wouldn't have an opportunity to play in many more of them.   Hardly anybody left on the property except for us.  A perfect ending to a perfect day at Augusta National.

 

Second best memory, playing in a charity golf event in Atlanta four or five years ago with Terry Pendleton, retired Atlanta Braves third baseman, where he told us the story of why he famously walked off the field during a game with Cincinnati Reds and what Hank Aaron said to him later that night when he called Terry in his hotel room.  Terry was a great guy, but his golf swing looked like he was pulling an inside changeup down the third base line. 

 

Then to cap it off, there's Phil Niekro, drunk on moonshine (yes, moonshine) standing on the 18th hole offering to make the putt for us (he was doing this for all the foursomes).  We had a 15 foot straight uphill putt and he left it short.  He swore, went and got the ball back and said let me try that again and left it short again.  I then said to him with a smile, "Looks like you knuckled those putts, Phil."  He turned, looked me straight in the eye and said with contempt, "Do you how many times I've heard that effing joke?"  He died a couple of years ago from cancer.  Not sure if it was liver cancer.  

Edited March 13, 2023 by ShowMe

[AvgGolferinPA]

Pinehurst #4, December 2022.  Played as a single with a twosome and another single. All were great guys. Sunny and cool, but a nice day just before Christmas.  Seeing the village and clubhouse decorated for Christmas was special.  

Played #5 the day before in a steady rain and couldn't hit a driver to save my life.  So didn't have high expectations, just happy to play and experience that course. 

First time playing with a Caddy which was neat.  Parred the first hole which set a good tone for the day, then lots of bogies and a few worse than that.  Played with 1 ball for the entire round, so a nice round regardless for a mid to high handicapper.  

Still have goosebumps thinking about that course and that round as I type this.

Days like that are why I keep coming back. 

[BDubya]

1996. I was living with my parents, just southeast of Houston.  Payne Stewart had been my favorite golfer to follow on TV and in the newspaper since I had learned to play golf as a pre-teen in 1989.  Living about an hour away from The Woodlands, I was lucky enough to attend the Shell Houston Open a few times.  In 1996, I drove to the course on Thursday, my day off from working on the cart staff at a local Country Club.  I obtained a copy of the starter's sheet, found Payne on the course, and followed him around.  On one particular hole, his putt swirled around the entire cup before falling in.  On the next tee box, as his group waited to tee off, for some dumb-teen reason, I nervously mumbled under my breath, "Got a little lucky on that putt."  Since it was Thursday, and not very crowded, he heard me. Shocking to me, he asked me what I had said.  After gulping my pride and nervousness, I repeated it, "I said you got a little lucky on that last putt."  He kindly responded with, "Where did I get the ball from?"  I said, "The bottom of the cup."  Then he said, "That's all that matters.  It doesn't matter how it got there, as long as it went in."  I followed him the rest of the round, still buzzing that my favorite golfer had taken the time to speak to me, let alone acknowledge me during a round, or offer a free lesson.  After the round, I got his autograph, as well as Tom Kite and Ben Crenshaw - whom I met just wandering around by himself near the clubhouse.  I'll never forget that.

Edited March 29, 2023 by BDubya

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Unfortunately it's probably getting the news that my father had passed. I was on the 12th hole. Went numb after that.

[Dabetic]

Hole in one with my mother. My one and only thus far. Thank the lord someone (especially her!) was there. 229yd 2-iron

 

Second would be the chance to play in the Byron Nelson pro-am a few years ago. Was a surreal experience all-around. I smoked my first tee shot amid the nerves and started birdie-birdie. These guys think I'm a stud. Proceed to triple #3, OB tee shot on #4, etc... whoops!

Edited April 20, 2023 by Dabetic