When spending a weekend with the in-laws, I always seize the opportunity to embark on a little golf adventure. This time around, the plan was to sneak out at the crack of dawn, armed with a cryptic text from my brother-in-law the night before: "Get rain gloves!" A quick Google search later, and I found myself at Dick's Sporting Goods, proudly purchasing a pair of FootJoy RainGrip Golf Gloves. Nothing like a new golf gear excuse.
Our destination? Oak Quarry, about an hour away, with a 4:30 am wake-up call and hitting the road by 5 am. Our tee time was set for 7:15 am, allowing for a "healthy" breakfast at McDonald's. An amusing incident ensued when my brother-in-law's credit card seemingly vanished, only to be discovered nonchalantly tucked in the back seat.
Fueling up on the greasy goodness, we hit the driving range for a warm-up session. Surprisingly, my shots were on point, thanks to some grip adjustments I've been diligently working on. With my brother-in-law's work buddies joining the party, we made our way to the first tee.
A baby slice off the tee didn't dampen my spirits. I recovered nicely, turning the first hole into a respectable bogey. The following holes presented challenges, but the slice from my driver gradually improved. Wet and thick grass posed a unique challenge – hitting out of it felt like swinging through a bowl of pasta.
By the 10th hole, ominous weather started encroaching. The Turn at Oak Quarry is on the 10th, giving us a chance to grab a quick beer and a sandwich. The beer acted as a relaxant, and I honed in on my grip, finding improved consistency with my shots.
On the 14th hole, the inevitable happened – rain! Cue the swift donning of rain gear, including my recently acquired Rain Gloves. While they did their job, the strange sensation of having super dry hands in the rain was a tad surreal. The weather may have added strokes to the scorecard, but playing in the rain brought an unexpected level of enjoyment.
Oak Quarry, a stunning 18-hole, 72-par championship course designed by Dr. Gil Morgan and Schmidt Curley, showcased its beauty despite the rain. Hole #14, rated the Best Par 3 in Southern California, lived up to its reputation, with the clouds and rain only enhancing its allure.
In the end, it wasn't a bad day to play golf – rain, challenges, and all.
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