The Chase community-operated Sunshore Golf Club has been a point of interest for me since I started reporting in the Shuswap Market News last July, but procrastination has got in the way of my challenging the course. That is until the Team Chase Texas Scramble fundraiser for the CIBC- sponsored cancer treatment fundraiser May 6.
Even though I have only golfed about a dozen times since moving to the Shuswap from Edmonton in 2003, I thought this was a great time to sign up, network with some folks in town, get a little exercise without impeding play for anyone due to my lack of skill swinging a club.
The deadline for registration was looming, there was one spot open on a team, so I quickly filled the vacancy, looking forward to meeting my teammates at the tournament, with the intent to get to the driving range a few times for practice.
In a former life, I had taken up the game, diligently getting in at least two games per week, with some practice at a driving range, actually realizing some improvement in golf skills. I even broke 100 on a full-sized golf course more than once.
Faster than expected, May 6 arrived and I had not fulfilled my plans for practice, but thought I would only have to put together a couple of good drives – after all this was Texas Scramble, the co-operative form of golf tournament. Surely my teammates would understand, easily compensating for my deficiencies. I was sure there would be other duffers present to even up the odds for the competition.
Team Chase is a wonderful, closely knit group of ladies who enter the Relay for Life as a group, having fun volunteering around town, putting on excellent fundraisers throughout the year. They are also a line-dancing squad, which explains how they maintain excellent physical condition, in preparation for expending much-needed energy in organizing the second Annual Golf Tournament.
As hostesses, their people skills are fabulous. Each golfer got a hug at the starting point, and interested golfers got a special spray of pink in their hair – pink being the colour of the day.
At the first tee, we waited patiently, listening for the ‘shot gun’ start signal, joking about how the urge to play through was a habit and unacceptable with the Texas Scramble format. Up on the tee box, after a few warm-up stretches and one practice swing, I drove my first ball of the day. It wasn’t a bad shot considering my lack of practice, up off the ground, about 100 yards closer to the cup.
Each player on the team had to score two drives in the game and grateful was I that our team decided to use my first drive. Donna and John Mosiman were the couple who formed the core of our team, both reasonable golfers who had been out a few times this season, and it showed in their play.
Dick Herman was the other player making up the foursome. New to the community with spouse Mary, John is a good golfer, his experience evident with each shot he made throughout the day, more than making up, I thought, for my shortcomings.
We completed the nine holes with a two- putt using the novelty limp putter, a respectable score, I thought, under difficult conditions. Our team score at the end of nine holes of Texas Scramble was six shots over par. The consensus was we likely wouldn’t win, but we felt somewhat insulated from a last-place position. If it had been my personal score, I’d have been thrilled.
Dinner was delicious and welcome and, with the silent auction closed, it was award time and the moment of truth.
Math a favorite subject, I managed to calculate the weakest link on the course that day was yours truly, yet another lesson in the ‘use-it-or lose-it’ reality. Nevertheless, the hard working Team Chase ladies, true to their style and grace, ensured everyone felt welcome and were invited back again next year for the third annual. The event raised about $5,000, close to what was collected last year with a full slate of 64 golfers.
Now that the cat is out of the bag, with my tendency toward honesty apparent, and my ability to happily flog away the day without shame, anyone need a fourth?
