Jan 9, 2022 at Metropolitan Golf Links in Oakland, CA. We were the first group out and it was rather brisk. The skies were clear and though the sun had yet to peer above the East Bay hills it already had the makings of a glorious day outside golfing with friends.

On the 12th hole, back tees were playing 175 to a back left pin protected by a deep trap short. I pushed my Titleist AVX into the turf over one of those little plastic shortie tees - logo and number facing the target. Wasn't striking the ball particularly well all morning and at address found myself pleading to a 7 iron for a decent swing and some solid contact. To my surprise I manufactured a nice tight coil, unwound with a certain "togetherness" and finished with balance. Ball was absolutely pured, it flew high with a baby draw and was tracking. "Be the number" I uttered as the ball took a small hop, trickled for a second and then disappeared.

My friends were jumping up and down, I didn't know how to act or feel and was even more conflicted as we pierced the 6 ft social distancing veil bro-ing it out. You play golf three quarters of your life, chasing that vaunted hole in one and there's a point you get a little jaded, almost resigned to the fact this may never be your reality.

The bar was sparse as you might imagine so I walked over to the putting green and cheerfully proclaimed to anyone within earshot I was buying a round in honor of my first ace. Most declined, one guy said he'd take a beer and, for the most part, everyone was congratulatory. The feat, however, was not lost on this crowd who, I can only assume, were in the throes of their own golf-ly pursuits.