Regardless of how many rounds you play each season, with the good shots are also going to flow the bad – that is why many say golf is a four-letter word.  However, all it takes is one good shot to keep you hungry for more!

The last three years, my only round of the season (mostly humbling) has been a 9-hole outing for my local employer – Wenger Corporation. This incredibly enjoyable outing gives employees from all walks of the company time to unplug together away from the facility.

Regardless of age or years of service, all are welcomed and urged to participate in the best shot format on the front nine at Owatonna Country Club.

A later September golf outing can provide just about any mixture of weather.  Two years ago, we played a rain-shortened outing due to monsoon-like conditions coupled with lightning. This year was much different as the weather was virtually perfect.  It was sunny, very little wind and a day most people couldn’t begin to script for a late September golf excursion in Minnesota.

Our foursome started the day with a bogey only to follow it with two consecutive birdies.  We thought we were going to win it.  Then came a par followed by another inexcusable bogey and we were right back to even par with four holes to play.  After two straight pars, we found ourselves at the eighth hole. This dead straight par five running along the west side of Lake Kohlmeier is a getable birdie before reaching the tough test of hole nine – a straight uphill 170-yard par 3 with a treacherous green.

After an acceptable drive up the right rough on eight, we had options for our second shot.  We needed someone to play it safe, so we had a simple approach for our third shot – and then we were going to have three of us grip it and rip it. The kicker of it all was we had roughly 230 yards left into the green which was protected by a large tree on the right side of the fairway.  With a safe shot from our first player, our second team member let it fly. After he hit the tree, it was my turn.  As an amateur, it is one thing to envision a shot in your head and try to execute it.  It is an entirely different story to execute it exponentially better than imagined.

I pulled my driver out of the bag hoping to shellack one low and hard under the tree in hopes of it running up near the green.  My shot did just that and more. As I unleashed the best shot I had hit in over a decade, I watched as my fearless Taylor Made ball stayed under the tree in front of us and run out to just 5-6 feet behind the hole cut in the middle of the green.  As we drove up, the result of the shot continued to look better the closer we got.

As is common for a scramble outing, we let out a few hoots and hollers as if we had just made the darn thing – only to have me step up and…miss the putt. Thankfully my teammates had my back and made the eagle despite my inability to hit two good shots in succession. This is exactly why I won’t be relinquishing my amateur status anytime soon!

We will leave out the fact that we finished the round with our third bogey of the day to record a one-under 35.

As the winter inevitably approaches, I will certainly not remember my missed eagle putt or the ensuing bogey to button up the work outing.  I will hang onto the fact that all it took was that one Callaway driver off the deck to get me excited for next golf season.  Hopefully I will see the course before September 2026.  Either way, all it took was that one shot!  One stroke of greatness – followed by instant humility – which is my usual par for the course.

Until next month, hit ‘em long and straight – and most of all have fun!