Frankforters

At this special time of year, all golfers around the world gather their thoughts, sigh their collective sighs, recall the glorious moments of the past, anticipate the season to come, and gaze through the mist of their eyes at another Masters week. The Masters: where tournament golf is at its most beautiful, and memories of the incredible shots in history flood in like the patrons each year to Augusta, Georgia.

Yes, the Masters is the very antithesis of the season-opening Northwestern Conference tournament held today at the Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids, Michigan. For it was there upon the hallowed grounds a team composed of Frankfort's greatest players congregated today to take many a stroke.

How many a stroke you may ask? Take a seat, I respond, and I'll tell you. You don't want to hear this while you're standing up.

There was the team ace, who rose from the rubble to post a very respectable 86 in his first round of the year. And then there was the rubble itself.

There was the swashbuckling freshman, full of energy and optimism at the prospect of a shimmering career on the varsity squad, who carded four 11's on the back nine and ran out of lead in his pencil en route to a 136. There was the steely-eyed junior, a team veteran bent on leading his team to a bowling-like series score, who with great effort and concentration swung with all his might at the ball 136 times as well - and made contact each and every time. Count 'em all for the good guys.

Unable to manage quite as many swings, a newcomer to the team posted a 132. Two others were a little closer to the century mark, going neck and neck for the second place spot on the team behind the ace, and it all came down to one whiff/top/chunk shot, with scores of 116 and 117.

All players save the cocky ace managed to get a 10 or higher at least once. Having to choose the top four scores and throw out the highest two, this band of merry men posted a team total of 451, narrowly missing out to the winners by 126 shots.

But they all had fun, came off the course in laughter, and had specific ideas of things they wanted to work on in practice. It's going to be a fun season!