I was putting together a group for golf today and we were short one. I had seen Gourlay the night before at the Union game and he said he was having fun playing the game. I invited him as our 4th two hours before tee time and he said he would play which was a bit of a surprise because Sam wasn’t playing. This would kick off my first round with Andrew the Giant. I’m sure I’m the only one who calls him this but it was from a comment on this blog that I’m running with.

I got there a few minutes early and I’m chatting with Bud when I see a guy sort of jogging up to the first tee box with his bag slung on his shoulder. Gourlay is wearing the same Union shirt from the day before and he starts out asking, “what do I owe?”

60.

Dollars?

I start by inspecting his bright, blue, bag and he has 8 clubs. I ask him where are your other clubs? He says that he can’t hit them so he leaves them in the car. Got it. I ask if he wants to play the team game we play for 5 dollars each 6 holes and he says he’s in so I try to handicap him. What do you shoot? “I shot a 43 on a 9 at Walnut“. I read he shot a 109 at JC Melrose so we agreed on 1 stroke per hole.

Once we were all set we tee up and he was the last to hit. I have no clue what to expect and he’s got a nice, compact swing and makes good contact. He got a triple bogey on the first hole but played fast and was competent. He drained a 20 ft par putt on 3 and him and Evan won the first 6 against Bud and I after only 5. His drives were surprisingly straight and his contact was consistent. I’m not sure where he learned to keep his hands in front on chips but he looked athletic from time to time. Overall, and he shot a 108 with a 49 front, he played better than I expected. If it came to Sam vs Gourlay, I think they are closer than Sam thinks.