2016/09/03 - Tainted Victory with a Hollywood ending

Apple Valley - 2016/09/03

   Before playing the 2016 Ace Race, Puma and his entourage set off to check out the Alimagnet Lake Park DGC course where the event was scheduled to be held.  It was another gorgeous day in Minnesota. Arriving at the park, Treebeard found a parking spot and the gang emerged from their chariot, ready for action.  The excitement for the next day's Ace Race was already being felt.  TJ and Hollywood seemed extra excited, almost as if they were planning something.  They had stayed up the previous night, supposedly to play more games, after Puma had gone to bed, but one never knows what those two are up to.

   The first basket was tucked inside of 3 trees.  Both Puma and TJ made nice drives, but missed their birdie putts and settled for par.  Treebeard went into Ent mode and headed for the local woods for some strategy discussions.  Hollywood Gilman went over budget for a bogey.  The second basket was a large sweeping left turn around more trees.  TJ and Puma both made birdies while Hollywood straighten out for a par and Treebeard went for yet another small walk-about to settle for a bogey.  The third was a long-ish straightaway with trees in the middle.  TJ took the lead with a nice par, while everyone else carded a bogey.

   On #4, TJ launched a massive drive to set himself up nicely but his approach hit the overhanging branch which left him at the bottom of the hill.  His par putt hit the basket and rolled back down the hill to within a foot of where he was standing, alternately glaring at the disc and basket.  Meanwhile Hollywood carded a par and Treebeard made his 3rd consecutive bogey.  Puma, was also having gravitational issues as his putt rolled down the hill twice giving him a double bogey. 

   #5 was a long wooded tree filled lane with a basket on a hill at the end.  Hollywood and TJ were relieved to make bogies, while Puma (having more gravitational issues) and Treebeard got double bogies. Hollywood and Puma made par on #6, while TJ made bogey and Treebeard made double.

#7 was a short, 130 foot hole around trees and bushes.  Puma calculating that an easy high arching shot would do the trick, threw a wonderful long straight shot towards the eighth tee box.  Hollywood also went for but executed the high arching shot to set up an easy birdie.  Both TJ and Treebeard threw a bit short and settled for pars, while Puma worked his way back from self imposed exile and carded his third double bogey of the day.  Puma was fuming but found the strength and fortitude that champions have deep down.  The power of Puma's all encompassing force seemed to help his concentration the rest of the way.

   The next (and surprisingly last) 5 holes are most technically difficult and requires skill and talent to perform well.  Luckily for our hero, Puma has both.  While Puma and Treebeard made bogey, both Hollywood and TJ carded doubles.  #9 is a steep uphill with many trees.  Hollywood, Puma and TJ all navigated the obstacles to make par.  Sensing the tide was changing against their slim hopes of winning, it was then that TJ and Hollywood launched their plan to rob Puma of his inevitable victory. 

   The way to #10 was not marked, so TJ and Hollywood took the most likely path and sent Treebeard and Puma off on another path.  After TJ and Hollywood found the 10th tee box, they rested for several minutes while Treebeard and Puma trudged along the slippery, rocky goat path.  After several minutes, TJ and Hollywood finally called out that they had indeed found the tee box and the other two needed to trudge their way to their location.  It is still unknown if Treebeard was included in this plan, but his "forgetting" to bring water at the beginning of the trip is suspicious as well as his attempts the previous night to ply Puma with copious amounts of alcohol.   Forcing Puma on extra long marches and pushing him to the point of exhaustion and dehydration was just part of their devious plan. 

   The shock and awe was that much sweeter for Puma when he made the only par on the tenth hole while everyone carded a bogey.  Puma made his 3rd consecutive par on the long downhill #11 with Hollywood scrambling to make a remarkable par.  On the very long uphill wooded #12, Puma made bogey.  Treebeard made a double bogey while TJ struggled with trees to card a triple.  Hollywood, in an improbable, amazing ending befitting his moniker, tried mightily to stave off another defeat.  His drive and approach both hit trees.  It was his 3rd shot that was the difference maker.  He threw it up the hill to watch it bounce off yet another tree and roll back down the hill towards him.  His mad rush up the hill to stop the now rolling disc as it rolled downhill was a clear violation of the rules but he refused to listen to anything about rules or fair play.  From the point where he stopped the disc, he took 2 more shots to claim victory with a double bogey.  Puma, not realizing the collusion that was going on, informed TJ, who was acting as score keeper, that Hollywood's actions warranted a 2 stroke penalty, if not outright forfeiture.  TJ acknowledged those facts but still entered 5 for Hollywood's score, giving him a highly controversial, tainted 1 stroke victory on this short 12 hole course.