Golf and serendipity

[pjsnyc]

Thought I'd share this little story with you all.

Two weekends ago, I went to play a round with my friend Matt at Van Cortlandt Golf Course. The course (as locals will verify) has many gaps in between holes - the longest being between 14 and 15. Anyway, as we approach the 15th tee, Matt realizes his SW was missing from his bag. The obvious answer - it fell out. I've repeatedly reminded him to adjust his shoulder straps because they're tilted in the wrong direction and the clubs slide out. He quickly darts back to go look for it. No biggie - I sit down, pull out a cig, chat with a single we got paired up with, etc... 10 minutes later, he's running back "I GOT IT! Some guy picked it up 5 holes back and held on to it!" Nothing out of the ordinary here.

Fast forward a week later (yesterday). Matt and I decide to play the Mosholu golf course (with another friend of ours - Conor). The day is beautiful. You know what that means...YUP! An Apple store grand opening at every tee. Whatever - hard to justify not playing golf in 75 degree sunny weather no matter how long you wait to play your shot. The round took about 5 hours and we were exhausted. Went to a nice Irish pub/restaurant in Yonkers to grab dinner. Matt was going to drop us off at our respective homes and call it a night.

"RING RING!" Turns out Matt's family needed help unloading some stuff from a shopping trip. Turns to us and says "Sorry guys, can I drop you off at the A train on 207?"

"Sure" we say. Much better than the 1 train for us.

Half way there, my other friend Conor remembers that the A train is out of service and that we'd either need to take a shuttle bus or just simply take the 1 train.

1 train it is.

So Matt drops us off at the 231st street 1 train station (it was 1030 PM at this point - well after our round had ended). Conor and I are waiting for the train, talking about the Yankees, global warming, and the upcoming election when a guy comes up behind us and says "Were you guys playing at Mosholu today?"

"Yeah" says us.

"Did your friend drop a club?" says he.

"I don't know...I don't think so - he didn't say anything" says me.

This blew me away - "Were you and the other guy (Matt) playing Van Cortlandt last week? Because I picked up the exact same club and handed it back to your friend after the 14th hole."

WTF are the odds of the same guy picking up the same club off of the same friend at two different golf courses on two different days and bumping into us at a train station not really near the golf course hours after a round had ended? I'd say a hole in one is more likely. (Don't forget the fact that we were about to get driven home...and then we were supposed to take the A train instead...and then realized it was out of service so we finally decided on the 1 train)

Anyway, even though it wasn't my club - It made me feel better - that perhaps there is some benevolent force that controls the golf world for the better. I'll think twice before cursing the golf gods next time a birdie putt lips out.

[MunkeyGolfer]

That is amazing. I would have ran to the nearest place to buy a lottery ticket.

[pjsnyc]

That is amazing. I would have ran to the nearest place to buy a lottery ticket.

DAMN! Wish I had thought of that.

Also - I forgot to mention (though I'm sure you all inferred) that he dropped his SW the 2nd time as well. Also - the clubhouse was closed, so the guy had to hold on to it and bring it home. Edit - The guy (his name was Diego) was as amazed as we were at the improbability of the situation.

[elementz]

Thats a pretty cool story.

[Dent]

That is freaky, but the coolest thing ever, That guy who found your buddies club is not human.

[golf_junkie27]

That is freaky, but the coolest thing ever, That guy who found your buddies club is not human.

Would you say he's "iron man?" Sorry, corny joke. That is a great story, though. Peter, Matt is a candidate for an Ogio bag. It locks your clubs and there is zero chance of them falling out.

[pjsnyc]

Would you say he's "iron man?" Sorry, corny joke.

LOL, I'll mention it - though I doubt he'd go for one. I'm convinced he wants his clubs to slide out. I'll never know why.

[jonanator]

Peter, Matt is a candidate for an Ogio bag. It locks your clubs and there is zero chance of them falling out.

Is this only true for the cart bags, where there is an individual slot for each club? or is this true for all Ogio bags?

Great story, reminds me of the movie "serendipity" lol, took place in NYC too!

[Franco!]

The golf gods smile upon him.

[pjsnyc]

Is this only true for the cart bags, where there is an individual slot for each club? or is this true for all Ogio bags?

Although this story certainly has elements of serendipity, it aint no love story...though it made me love the game that much more (if possible)

[golf_junkie27]

Is this only true for the cart bags, where there is an individual slot for each club? or is this true for all Ogio bags?

No, numerous companies make 14 slot bags: Nike, Ogio, Lynx, Taylormade. Some folks think it's kind of nerdy to have. I think they're great. Minimal chance of grabbing the wrong club.

[pjsnyc]

Oh and one more tidbit - HE GOT OFF AT THE SAME STOP AS US!! I'm not even kidding.

[geezer]

Thats shocking!

I agree; more chance of a hole in one!

[golf_junkie27]

Oh and one more tidbit - HE GOT OFF AT THE SAME STOP AS US!! I'm not even kidding.

Now, I think you have a golf stalker. Check your phone lines.

[pjsnyc]

Now, I think you have a golf stalker. Check your phone lines.

HAH - I've considered that...he did exit the subway on the other end tho...

[Eore]

buy that guy a beer....chances are you'll see him soon, lol

cool story. when i get randomly paired at my club, i don't think i have played with the same guy twice.

amazing, considering it was a different course!

[pjsnyc]

buy that guy a beer....chances are you'll see him soon, lol

Here's another funny story...Matt (and I'm serious on this one too) has been paired with the same guy twice once. It was none other than John Starks, lol (Matt could care less about basketball and had no idea who he was until I explained it to him).

[eberryhill7]

Cool stories! Does more crazy stuff happen to you outside of golf, or is it just in golf?