A Golfer's Scrapbook

A Golfer’s Scrapbook, Vol. 3: Beat the Devil

By td ⋅ November 12, 2009 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Legend has it that the famous Tommy Naccarato, on his first visit to Pine Valley Golf Club, intentionally underclubbed on the par-three tenth in order to play a shot from the Devil’s Asshole bunker. I can’t say the same, but during my maiden voyage around the course in 2005, my toed 8-iron nevertheless met a similar fate.

So there I was, attempting to reach the green with a weird stance and severely restricted backswing. I had to pick the club up at a 45-degree angle and then rifle through the shot as fast as my hands could muster. Obviously, I kind of lost my balance on the follow through, which is why I look like Will Clark pulling a change-up foul into the upper deck.

The ball rocketed off the grassy face just above the lip of the bunker, popped straight up in the air and landed softly on the fringe of the green, from whence I happily two-putted for my bogey.

I’ve heard tales of Pine Valley members simply reloading and hitting three on the tee when their ball finds the D.A. And every time I return to the club for the Crump Cup I swear the bunker looks both smaller and deeper, as another year’s worth of golfers have hacked and gouged and dug the pit just a little closer to the molten core of the Earth. This is all very pleasing to the Prince of Darkness, of course. One little pit, perfectly placed, and quite simply one of the most awesome hazards in golf.

(Photo: Jeff Derion)