This is the moment when Grinder realises his day is done, he has put up a good effort but as we all know its a big job when you try and get The Shooter.
So, the tale started some hours before on the first tee at Beerwah. "Looks like we are on again" Grinder says with a little glint in his eye. We are coming off a halved match so his spirits are high. As usual he hits the first green on the left hand side, the same place he has hit it the last 3 times here, nice 4.
The Shooter has found a bit of trouble down the first, hitting 3 wood through the fairway, chipping out, 92 meters, soft gap wedge flies the green into the fucking hay, flub chip 2 putt for double. Interesting.
Grinder walks to the 2nd and says, 1 up ? What a cock.
Grinder hits a pull 30 meters left, how its not in the trees covered by mozzies and fucking snakes I don't know, flubs it on and makes a 3 footer for 4, Shooter thins an 8 iron into the right trap. Nice shot out to 7 feet, the putt doesn't even look like getting a lip. +3 nice start Shoot !
Fuck me, 1 down, plus 3. This day can go either way. Flush it up the next hit a wedge to 4 feet, +2 All square. Grinder says nice shot, he knew he could do nothing about it.
Shooter wins 5, birdies 6 after hitting a gap wedge to 4 feet and making it. Now Shooter is in the familiar position of being +2 through 6. Seems as though Grinder has gone off early again, especially as Shooter holes another putt for birdie on 7 to get back square for the day and now +3 and back to even par. Mrs Grinder has mentioned his predilection for going off early in the past.
Grinder didn't seem to like the reference to premature adulation and true to his name grinds out a par on 8 for a net birdie and then makes a birdie on 9 to make the turn with Shooter only now +1. It seems like we have a game now.
That's until Shooter smashes one around the corner on 10 to 73 meters and flights a delicate 56 degree to 5 feet above the hole, yes, you should be below the hole as Grinder reminds me but the shot itself was mint. Grinder carves one into the dam, drops, chips out and then almost holes it for 4 net 3. Alas his 5 is no good. Shooter makes it for another birdie and races to 2 up
Grinder wins 11 (again) and 12 (again). Fucking holes. Now we are back to all square, Grinder has the Greg Norman walk going, chest pumped out, big strides as he makes his way to the 13th tee.
Two of the worst tee shots you are likely to see from players of this calibre. Grinder hits a puff up high right shitter and Shooter hits a half way up the ball knife with a 3 wood straight into a tree. Its a race to see who is fucked the most.
Shooter has finished in the right rough and Grinder is 40 ahead in the rough behind a stump. 169 flag, Shooter has 2 options a hard fading 6 or a soft fading 5, ball is sitting up a little and the 5 iron is chosen. The majesty of the shot cannot be explained in words, so pure, so soft. The ball comes out beautifully, starts to fade and finishes 30 feet away. We both know its pure, we both understand the skill required to hit that golf shot. Not a word is spoken, Grinder tips his hat in respect.
From behind the stump, Grinder somehow gets it on the front edge and hit his 40 footer 8 feet by, now he has a tough 8 footer, left to right down hill with the grain going left.
Grinder looks, then again, and again from behind the hole, he knows how much he needs this. He makes a hard putt look very easy, just like the reaction to the Shooter 5iron, game respects game, Shooter nods, Grinder knows its very good.
I think the adrenalin peaked when Grinder made the putt on 13, he got a little unlucky and lost 14 after Shooter smokes a high fading driver around the corner to 81 meters. Some of us can hit a high fade when we want to Mr Jackson. Shooter now +1
+1, 4 to play, we are now getting down to business time, I can tell because Grinder has on his business socks.
There is a saying, cometh the hour come on the man, or something like that. Its time for Shooter to bring this bad boy home. 83 meters left on 15, out of the semi rough, the ball isn't sitting great, Shooter makes a smooth pass, get up is the early call. The ball lands perfectly, Shooter holes the 3 footer for another birdie to win the hole and go 2 up.
16 halved in par and Shooter now has Grinder dormie 2, his little shoulders have slumped, his bottom lip has a slight quiver but in true Grinder fashion he has a putt to extend the match on 17 and unfortunately for him it slides by.
A 2 and 1 win for The Shooter and as we walk off into the sunset, down the last, Grinder ponders his near miss and vows to fight on another day. The Shooter finishes and then spends some time signing gloves and balls for the cart guy. #givingback
Unselfish Shooter out.