The Champ

Zach participated in the Mighty Mites golf program at the club this summer, so he was invited to play in the 3 Hole golf tournament earlier this week. The tournament is divided into ages 5-6 and 7-8, as well as by gender. There was only one little girl in the 5-6 year-old group, so she played with the boys.


Last year Mike was able to go to the tournament with Mike, but this year we didn't have enough advance notice for him to schedule around it at work, so I went, and Grandma Cynthia came over to hang out with Jake and Drew (Thanks, Cynthia!!). I felt a little out of place since I don't know all the golf etiquette, but I surprised myself with what I did know. I guess I've been listening to Mike after all! For the bulk of the tournament, I was the only mom along, but then one mom who was with the older group joined her daughter in this group.

There was a 10 stroke maximum on each hole. On the first hole, Zach got on the green in 5 but then 5-putted, so he got a 10. I don't remember the second hole as well, but I know he got another 10. On the third hole, he hit it into a sand trap, then from that sand trap over the green to the next sand trap, then onto the green, and he 2-putted for a 5!

In 3 holes, Zach hit at least 3 sand traps, maybe even 4, which is funny because on the way to the golf course I was asking him if he remembered tips the golf pros had given him during his golf lessons, and the one he told me had to do with hitting it out of the sand. He also wanted to wear his tennis shoes (as opposed to his Crocs) that day, in case he hit it in the sand. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was purposely trying to hit the sand, but I actually think he has worse aim than I do. In fact, that was one of the things I was really trying to help him with that day. While I (and probably most golfers) hate hitting my ball into the sand, Zach enjoys it, and also enjoyed repairing the sand after hitting his ball out of the sand.

It was a close round, but Zach came out the big winner. He was excited about the medal and about winning, but more excited about the pizza, juice, cookies, and little bag of treats that all the golfers got after the tournament.

It was such a fun day, and it's so fun to see how far Zach has come with his golfing skills. I'm pretty sure I only have a couple more years (at best) of being better than him, which is perfectly fine with me.