I LOST MY column’s biggest fan last week.
My father, Alan Carman, passed away peacefully in the early hours of Sunday, Sept. 15.
Just a few days ago, merely thinking about that opening line would bring tears like a West End rain squall.
After some time for reflection and mourning, the waterworks have dissipated to a light mist.
As a Port Townsend High School student, my dad played golf for the Redskins on the same venerable Port Townsend Golf Course that I played when I was a Port Townsend student.
Like me, he wasn’t that great a golfer, spending most of his time on the junior varsity and cracking a varsity match or two on occasion, just like I did 30-plus years later.
I took up the game after the two of us witnessed history, Tiger Woods’ record-setting win at the 1997 Masters.
Seeing my interest, my Dad offered that my grandfather’s old Ben Hogan wood-shafted irons, and actually made-of-wood woods were downstairs in my grandparents’ basement.
Out the clubs came, and out I went to “practice” slamming balls around the back yard (and neighbors’ yards and the street).
My abilities weren’t natural, so my dad arranged to have his business partner at the time, avid golfer Michael Anderson, to give me a lesson on the driving range.
Anderson imparted the value of the 7-iron and told me to try a round using only that club and a putter.
That round was a frustrating slog but I learned a lot from that forgiving club and still value the 7-iron today.
After I joined the golf team, Dad was always there, no matter how late, to pick me up after practices or matches and settle my nerves if I played poorly, or to praise and laugh if I had a good outing.
A single parent, he was always there for me and always supported my activities, watching football practices from the hill atop Flint Field at Port Townsend High School and attending away games; serving as a field-trip dad for school outings; and helping as I, the son of a land surveyor, inexplicably struggled with math classes.
There are thousands of other instances I could mention, but it boils down to this: if every parent was as devoted to and supportive of their children as my father, our world would be a better place.
It’s a safe bet the tears will flow again on Father’s Day next year, particularly if the U.S. Open champion is able to hug his dad before lifting the championship trophy.
Bluebills donation
The Olympic Peninsula Bluebills will present a check for $11,000 to Dove House on Wednesday, Oct. 4, after the group’s fundraising charity golf tournament earlier this month.
The Bluebills’ second annual Bluebills Charity Golf Tournament to benefit Dove House in Port Townsend was held Sept. 7 at Port Ludlow Golf Course.
The check will be presented at the Port Ludlow Bay Club, 120 Spinnaker Place, when the Bluebills host their Octoberfest, said Mea Graham, who served as co-chair of the event with Michael Graham.
“With a full field of golfers, great corporate sponsors like Paul S. Ried, CenturyLink, Clearwater Casino, and Homer Smith Insurance, and willing volunteers this was a roaring success,” the Grahams said in a statement.
Local businesses sponsored tee signs and raffle prizes were donated.
Other committee members were Barbara Berthiaume, Myron and Valeria Vogt and Mike Blair.
The pro shop staff and maintenance crew all pitched in to help.
Next year’s event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6, at Port Ludlow Golf Course.
Support marathon
Port Ludlow Golf Course Director of Golf Vito DeSantis and assistant pros Darren Posey and Adam Barrows will partner on a 400-hole golf marathon on Thursday, Oct. 3.
Pledges are being solicited right now. Donors may pledge one flat amount for the team of pros, or designate a specified amount for total number of pars, birdies and eagles made by the team.
Included is the opportunity to “double the pledge” if the goal of 400 holes is reached by the trio.
Every penny raised will go to the Seattle Children’s Hospital to benefit uncompensated care for children in our area or to support research at the hospital.
At the conclusion of the marathon, a spaghetti dinner will be served in Niblicks Cafe, along with a raffle of items from the area.
Pledge forms are available at the Port Ludlow pro shop and other locations.
Oktoberfest scramble
The men’s and women’s clubs of Discovery Bay Golf Course are hosting an “Octoberfest Scramble” on Sunday, Oct. 6.
If you are interested in playing, phone the clubhouse at 360-385-0704 for more information.
JeffCo Bar fundraiser
Port Townsend Golf Course will host a four-person scramble fundraising golf tournament for the Jefferson County Bar Association on Saturday, Oct. 5.
Cost is $30 per player plus $10 in greens fees for nonmembers.
The event will begin with a 10 a.m. shotgun start.
Hole-in-one prizes are available, including a car courtesy of Price Ford and a scooter from Gary’s Auto.
Hole sponsors are available.
For more information, phone Cheryl Potebnya at 206-817-7016.
Dungeness women’s golf
Bonney Benson of the Dungeness Women’s Golf Association recently passed along two noteworthy items.
Elaine Fredrickson’s bank account is a little lighter after her hole-in-one back on Aug. 27.
She took out her 7-wood, which she doesn’t use that often, gave it a “whack” on the par-3, No. 17 at The Cedars at Dungeness.
The hole is normally a 127-yard, par-3, but that day, the flag was in front, playing a bit shorter.
She was “truly amazed” when she walked up to the hole and saw that her ball was resting very comfortably in the bottom of the cup.
Congratulations Elaine!
The second item from Benson concerns the Cedars at Dungeness Women’s Group recently held annual invitational, “The Days of Whine and Roses.”
The club hosted 100-plus ladies from all over the Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula.
Day one saw about 102 ladies participating in a two-person scramble.
Before golfing, each team participated in a challenging little putting contest to hone its members’ alternate-shot techniques.
Benson reported that this was as challenging as it was fun, with some ladies going through the contest several times.
Out on the course, each team received a boost on hole No. 7, when Matt Eveland, the food and beverage manager at Cedars (and qualifier for the ReMax Long Drive Contest) belted out drives for them, making the green of that long par-5 hole easier to reach in regulation.
After the golf fun, the evening ended at 7 Cedars Casino’s Salish Room with a wonderful buffet, prizes, gaming and fun.
Day two saw more than 100 participants playing a two-person best ball.
Men’s club champion Sid Krumpke let loose with drives for each group on the 18th hole.
“It was amazing to be hitting your second shot to the green on that hole, and for some of us, they were putting,” Benson said.
Following golf, a raffle drawing took place along with a deli buffet in the banquet room at the course.
About 29 items were raffled off, all which were donations from the local merchants, golf courses on the Peninsula, and the members of the Dungeness Women’s Golf Association.
Proceeds from the raffle and the tournament are donated to the Sequim High School golf program and the First Tee at The Cedars.
The ladies are looking forward to next year’s event, but will continue to play organized golf Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. through the end of October.
A fall luncheon is planned to close out the year and prepare for next season.
New members are always welcome to play.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.
