Let me tell you about two of my newest best friends. I call Hal Phillips and Tom Harack, Mr. Right and Mr. Left. Guess why.
Hal takes 55 seconds to pull the trigger but the perfomance that leads to the strike is priceless. A looong conversation with himself, both encouraging and berating, starts the happy pre shot routine. This is followed by a strategic one man discussion wherein he actually answers aloud the things he thinks are relevant to the shot at hand. It could be ” sweep it” or “clip it” followed by deep Arnie Palmer like drags of his cigarette which lasts all of three puffs, the same number of full swings he takes before he steps into the shot at hand. And then the swing is highlighted by a move onto his tippy toes during the forward lunge with his right foot actually off of the ground at impact. And then it comes, the high howling slice two and one half dunes to the right, where you wouldn’t go look for your ball, let alone his. And then somehow he makes a 5 on nearly every hole with a penalty stroke. I’m not letting him have my Adams driver. But I’m not sure even he can take the magic out of it.
And guess who he rides with in a cart during the day’s second round? That would be correct. Mr. Left. To whom Mr. Right gives swing instruction. Like playing with Arnie and Jack.
On the other hand these two guys can read a map or take cues from the clouds to find their way around the country like they lived here. They did all of the driving, the finding, the navigating. They rarely made a wrong move, finding hidden gems of golfdom all over this glorious country. Taking small country roads that ultimately reveal another heavenly links course for us to play. These guys and the other dude, Jeff Wallach, aka J Dubbington, are all keepers. I would go anywhere with them. Like being with Lewis and Clark. And J Dubbington. This was a foursome thrown together in a heartbeat, a foursome I hope lasts for the rest of my golfing days.
Rosapenna Golf Club, hole 9 on The Old Course, photo by John and Jeannine Henebry.
