A Ga Ming -- Sundance and Torch

I'm trying to type fast to get drafts with photos posted because Radio keeps asking about the link to the blog. It's pretty hard to work on a blog while having a laptop propped up on a nightstand and sitting on a bed (see "Packing up" post for picture of my office). I'll edit and get more photos added after the trip and I have time. Knowing Jason, he'll probably add comments to all of these posts with a play-by-play of each round he had and exactly what the outcome is. I know I'm boring enough people just talking about these rounds of golf.

Wednesday comes and that Ben Gay menthol/heat patch I wore last night really made my back better. Good thing to pack on a trip like this. We made it up and on the road, stopped at a McDonalds for coffee (no 7-11 for me) and then at a bakery (no kolaches for Frank) before heading to A Ga Ming (http://www.a-ga-ming.com/), where we are set to play Sundance and Torch.

Sundance is the newer of the two courses (voted #3 best new public course in 2006), designed by Jerry Matthews (not to be confused with The Beaver) and Torch is a pretty old course. Glad we played Sundance in the morning because it was very forgiving (perfect kind of course midway through the week) and none of us played poorly. Quick lunch and then Tom's partner, Jim Hern (sp) showed up to play Torch with us. Tom's been talking about Jim, who has a house nearby, on this trip forever. Makes for an enjoyable round to have someone new with us. He's tall, with a smooth swing with one little hitch/waggle like AK before he hits. Can see why he's a zero handicap.

Before heading to the teebox, I spot a dog sitting in the cart with someone -- a mastiff. If only Maggie could do the same. Wish I had my camera out to take a picture. Luckily, Jason has already taken off and he stops the cart them. The dog quickly gets out and makes friends -- A brindle bull mastiff named Heather. She lets us rub on her before getting back in the cart. I'm still not sure Maggie would be able to sit in the cart like that... Would freak people out at Stevens Park.

Again, we needed the beer cart this afternoon to make it through the round. Tom shoots a 35 on the front. Jason is hacking it around except at the right times -- managed two (or three chip) ins for a ton of trash. Rarely does this happen when he's my partner -- usually it's when Tom is his partner. That's just the whining that Frank and I like to do. The rest of the round, he was sitting in the cart or waiting for the beer cart.

After the Torch round, we head over to The River for dinner with Jim and his wife Harriet. Sitting out on the deck overlooking the swans and the boats isn't so bad. Our plans are to have dinner and then go out on the boat for a while. Jason hasn't stopped talking about the boat since before the trip. Side trip for ice cream before we headed out for a spin on the boat. You can tell Jason is in his element, and Frank, Tom and I are just relaxing on the ride, enjoying the sunset and views.

10 of 14 rounds completed. 4 to go.

[Note to golfers: Sundance is worth playing. Torch is okay, but doesn't fall in the favorite list. And Sundance may only fall into it because it's in great shape and was a good mid-week round.]