Tag Archives: Steve Preston

Spyglass and Pebble

Finally, the first day of golf arrives and we quickly pack from the Monterey Plaza, head to a Brad and Cindy breakfast place in downtown Pacific Grove and then depart for the famed 17 Mile Drive!  With some apprehension we approach the gate and softly proclaim “We’re checking in!”  Pride swells as this results in a placard bearing our name with the Pebble Beach logo that soon adorns our noble steed.  The 17 Mile Drive starts through soaring cypress trees and winds along the peninsula – majestic views fill our eyes.  Arriving at the Lone Cypress, we pose for selfies and reciprocate snapshots with an Australian couple who share our wonderment of the scenery.   Spyglass Hill, the driving range is the certain antidote for nervous anxiety – not today!  I hosel rocket my third swing and after loosening up a bit, I end the warm up session shanking my sand wedge across the practice tee – confidence is nill, I repeat, confidence is nill.  The first tee sets up a stunning dog leg left par 5 that bends towards the Pacific –  assured that adrenaline is good for the swing, I dutifully nod to the Gods of Golf and begin my routine. I draw back my weapon and coil to release the thunder only to feel my right leg quiver like Bambi’s first steps!  My first Mulligan restores my hope with a high towering drive straight down the middle.  Shannon splits the fairway and off we go.  She bogeyed with wonderful up and down and I scrambled a par out of the green side bunker.  The greens keeper mowing the fringe liked what he saw so he stayed with us – helped me read a 20 footer on #3 that I sank for birdie and then graciously helped my look for my PBF drive on the next hole which barely cleared the tee box and into the scruff.  My vocabulary is ill-equipped to describe Spyglass Hill, I can only say it was a most magnificent golf experience!  We challenged the shoreline on the front and on the inland back 9, the fog rolled thru with a blanket of clouds.  My 78 was aided by liberal application of the rules but what the heck – most importantly, I shared this day, this incredible place, with the woman I love and for that, I am most grateful.

 

 

My bucket is now lighter – Pebble Beach Golf Links – check!  On this spectacular of St. Patrick’s Day mornings we are paired on the first tee with Killian and Noll – a couple of lads from Ireland – surely the luck of the Irish has been bestowed upon us.  With some encouragement from Tom, our starter, we crack our drives and off we go!  I tried to keep score scratching bogeys on the first two holes but after that, the sheer beauty and magnitude of Pebble Beach has overwhelmed our senses and rendered our golf games unconscious – so what!  Getting through 6, 7, and 8 perched on the precipice of the cliff is indescribable.  The panoramic views of the ocean and beach below is simply breathtaking.  We finally get around to 16 – come on Steve, let’s finish strong.  A striped drive off the tee leaves only 140 to the green.  A chunked 2nd and 100 yards still remains to the dance floor!  A 30 footer for par finds the bottom of the cup.  Next up, 17, where two of the most famous US Open shots have occurred and Shannon and I did our best to replicate each!  What you’ve seen on TV can’t convey this hole properly as the ocean behind seems boundless.  The winds have picked up and my 5 iron finds the back left bunker far away from the front right pin placement.  My Bonnie-lass smacks a towering “Nicklaus-ian” iron shot off the tee that finds the Irish green only 10 feet from the pot of gold!  Knowing Johnny was up in the booth saying this guy, standing not far from where Watson once stood, has got no chance, I dig my feet in and with a full lash, blast my trap shot that caroms once and then sits like an obedient dog only 3 feet from the hole!  “That’s good” offers Killian – at least that’s what I think he said as I pick up my par! Shannon narrowly misses her birdie putt and taps in for par. The 18th at Pebble Beach – all week, I said if I can just par 18 all is good.  The tees are back and after striking Jack’s pose on the fence I attempt to emulate him on the tee.  A good drive down the right side avoids the fairway tree. The nerves and realization of where and what I was doing hinders my second shot – as did the fairway bunker just ahead!  Fortunately it kicked out into the fairway but still several football fields away from the green.  With the wind dead into us, a well struck 3 wood ends up just short of the greenside bunker and tree.  Shannon has engulfed the experience and strolls triumphantly down the fairway soaking in emotions and appreciation for where we are.  A deft little chip over the trap leaves me with 10 feet.  10 feet separates me from my goal, my dream, my hope, my story to tell!  My stroke is pure and as if to champion how wonderful this whole trip has been and with a leprechaun smiling, the white ball disappears into cup – Par!

The evening is enjoyed in Carmel – what a beautiful little town with wonderful shops and restaurants.  These are our people!  We stroll around on this beautiful evening buying gifts and memories to enjoy.  Dinner is at Portabella’s – a cute little Mediterranean style restaurant that reminds us of a scene from our favorite movie – Love Actually – you know the one where Jamie comes to the cute little bistro where Aurelia works and proposes to her.  Well, we didn’t recreate that part – but it was a fitting end to a magical day and a week we’ll never forget.

 

Hump Day

Hump Day is the term we typically use with a bit of excitement in our voice.  Its the home stretch, it’s rounding third.  We can see the weekend and we begin to make plans.  Unless you are on vacation.  Then Hump Day is the day you realize you are headed back to reality sooner rather than later.

We have reached Hump Day.

We decided to keep things low-key and piddle around Monterey.  Opting for travel by foot rather than car was a good choice and kept us fairly close to the hotel.  A few cups of crappy hotel coffee started the day and we decided to just throw on some layers and strike out for a morning adventure.  I think we got our first taste of “regular” weather.  A little cool, grey and foggy.  It doesn’t make for a great hair day, but it was nice.  Different.  A quick stop in a cafe for more daily fuel and we were headed to Lover’s Point.  The City of Monterey has a great pedestrian and bike path that hugs the coast for miles.  It is a great way to see the city without too much navigational effort.  Every turn offered a different view of this beautiful coast line. It’s so odd to see the otters and seals napping in what must be the coldest water in the world.  Of course, now that I have seen the warning signs for Great White Sharks, I will only be imagining the temperature of the water. We were enjoying the stroll so much, we just kept going.  The paved bike path turned into gravel but stayed right on the water’s edge through a beautiful neighborhood in Pacific Grove.

After a quick clean up, we wanted to take in a super touristy lunch and do some people watching.  Off to the Wharf.  You know the Wharf, the Strip, the Pier… every coastal town has one.  A few t-shirt shops, a fudge shop and seafood restaurants that serve triangle shape fish.  The grey morning had given way to a sunny warm day.  A big fish sandwich, a few cold beers and lots of people watching while we soaked up the afternoon sun.  Note from the author – If ever you see Me and Mr. P having lunch and drinking a beer in the sun, and you walk by in a ridiculous outfit or with a ridiculous dog in a ridiculous outfit, we are certain to talk about you.  More otters and seals and even some little tikes at surf school (guess their parents don’t read signs) joined us along the beach at the Wharf as we took in our fill of the touristy scene.

It was time for some digital therapy so we found a cigar shop with WiFi.  Mr. P worked on his blog post while I posted some pictures on social media.  Let me take a brief moment to describe my relationship with social media.  One a scale of 1-10, I would rate myself about a 4.  I have the accounts and I scroll through them most days.  Post pictures of my kids, my dog and of course Mr. P.  And maybe watch a cat video.  That’s about it.  Now, let me take another moment and tell you what I hate about social media.  The Perfect People.  Posting everything about their perfect life.  Food, children, husbands, decorations, crafts, and even gym pics.  And then there is the daily affirmation, my favorite.  This is where they assume we must feel crappy about our lives compared to theirs and they feel obligated to share some hope for us.  I say all of this because for this one week I have become one of the Perfect People.  I have posted more pictures, said things like great and beautiful so many times its nauseating, but I can’t help it.  I have a one week pass to Perfect People land and I am going to use it.

Back to Hump Day.   The day was coming to an early end at a great local sushi bar called Crystal Fish.  Nothing fancy just a little bite and some wine.  We need to rest and focus.  It all begins tomorrow.  The journey to Shangri-La.  The Holy Land for my Mr. P.