Golfing in Southern Utah

 

Still Crazy II

September-October 2024

 

In 2021 Jeff, apartment-mate & friend at UWisconsin grad school who married Marjorie’s sister (and led to my meeting Marjorie, but that’s a longer story), invited me to join a golfing group of alumni from his Racine WI high school. The group, which dubbed themselves “Still Crazy,” gathers periodically to play in various sites around the country. Pinehurst NC, something of a golfing mecca, was the choice for 2021. I had a wonderful time, sharing golf on special courses designed by the likes of Jack Nicklaus & Pete Dye with a very congenial group of guys. By way of thanks, I made a photo calendar from our Pinehurst adventures for organizer Bob; he tells me he still uses it with adjustments for the current year. I was set to join them again at some fabulous courses in southern Utah in 2022 but had to cancel when I contracted COVID. I planned to try again in 2023 when the group was scheduled in Georgia, but backed out from worries about how spinal stenosis issues in my back would handle concentrated golf over 3-4 days. Still Crazy e-mails rolled around again in Spring 2024, this time touting accommodations & golf in Southern California. After dithering for a while about my back, I decided to give it a shot, so to speak. Another fabulous job arranging the details: Bob Schroeder handles lodging and courses, Tim Paulson the money. As usual, Bob says, ”your Trip Charge covers everything once you land: car rental, everyone-under-one-roof accommodations, meals, munchies, medicinal liquids, green fees, event entry fees, a dozen golf balls, team hats, a variety of sure-to-be-treasured swag items... and four STILL CRAZY days of smiles, stories and sport.” I use my United Airline credit card miles for flights to & from LAX.

Everything looked great: beautiful lodging, interesting courses. Then . . . an email from Bob: “Shocking Developments” aka “Shit Happens.” About 3 weeks before the scheduled trip our lodgings are cancelled as part of a Chapter 11 Reorganization Bankruptcy! Does Bob give up? No, indeed! In only a few days he somehow manages to arrange another fabulous itinerary on the same dates for our consideration near St. George in southern Utah. This will make up for my missing Utah 2 years ago. Enough others in the group are “in” for the new arrangements. I cancel my original flights with a refund of the United miles to use for new flights to Utah. A choice of flying into St. George UT (30 minutes from lodging but 2 layovers on the way) or Las Vegas (2 hours away, but only 1 layover). I opt for fewer layovers. Coincidentally, a new COVID variant is spiking. I get a shot of an updated vaccine. Here’s hoping all’s well that ends well!

St. George was founded part of a “cotton mission” in 1861 under direction of a Latter Day Saint apostle, named after another LDS apostle. In the early 1950s, St. George was hit by fallout from above-ground nuclear testing NW of Las Vegas, with marked increases in cancer. Population 95,000, elevation about 3000’. It’s in part of the Mojave Desert; we can expect temps of 90-100. But hey, it’s dry heat, right? I remember the beauty of St. George and its surroundings from our trip thru Utah & Nevada in 1997. Bob sent a link to videos of the courses in this area. Fabulous scenery, courses winding thru red-rock canyons ready to capture wayward shots (I’ll pack lots of balls!). Golf Week Magazine has called the Red Rock Golf Trail here "The most exciting collection of spectacular golf courses anywhere on earth." Will my game be worthy?

Summer is over, Labor Day come and gone. Classes in session at UAlbany- but not for me! My game seems to be coming around to some semblance of shape, tho my swing tends to come & go, most rounds coulda’/shoulda’ been a few strokes lower. Some good rounds, even one with a front-nine 40 leading to an 86. When I get back home from Utah it’ll be off right away for a Fall outing: leaf-peeping in the Finger Lakes with visiting friends Diane & Kay. I’ll be missing 2 Mendelssohn Club rehearsals and a gig, have to give myself a Presidential Pardon; my VP Al will handle anything that comes up.

I pack clubs, tees, balls in a smaller golf bag which with most of what else I’ll need fits nicely into another “sports bag.” So, good to go! Well, not quite. Checking in to get boarding passes I discover that the soft sports bag I’ve used before no longer fits United’s “hard case” requirement. A quick phone conference with Bob (shades of my COVID problem!) and a decision to share clubs - relying on the kindness of cartmates.

Son Matt & daughter-in-law Anthea up from Queens to do some camping at Thompson’s Lake, near Thatcher Park. Grandson Willian & girlfriend Janice join them, and Marjorie & I enjoy burgers & dogs with them, capped by s’mores (a 1^st for Janice). A fine send-off for my trip.

 

Sunday, 9/29:

            Today I’ll miss Mendelssohn Club performing in the Upper Madison Street Fair. Sing On, Brothers! Up very early & very dark, a sliver of moon. Marjorie drives me to the airport. Easy thru check in, TSA Pre takes me past a long line thru security. On-time departure with a pretty sunrise. A nice AM at O’Hare. I can keep up with the news via Times Union on my phone. Hurricane Helene continues a “deadly march” across the Southeast. SpaceX has launched a “rescue mission” for 2 astronauts stranded on the Space station. Gate agent kidded for her Bills jersey. Flight maps on the plane shows progress as usual, but you can also click on places “below” for photos & attractions. 

On-time into Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport at 11:42 am, sunny & 92. My 1^st photos of the trip, lots of slot machines. I’m to ride with John Duchac; 2 others originally with us have dropped out for various reasons. John & I connect via cellphones, he’s already getting the ACE rental car arranged by Bob, picks me up outside baggage claim. Car is 104 already, will reach 106!

I navigate with my phone GPS for the 2-hour drive to our Utah digs. Beautiful mountain & desert country. Lots of photos already! Past “Terrible’s” gas/restaurant, areas of cactus, a flurry of casinos just before the Arizona border, into Utah and a shift from Mountain to Pacific Time. Then civilization: traffic circles! 

Easily to our lodging. Bob has found impressive accommodations, as usual. Ocatilla Springs Resort, in Santa Clara, a suburb of St. George, provides duplex arrangements with 10 bedrooms, 11.5 baths, pool & hot tub, plus “a window to dramatic red mountain landscapes.” We should be plenty comfortable. A surprise for me: one of the group, Bill Binetti, has brought an extra set of clubs for me! Out to dinner in lowering sun on the mountains. George’s St. George seems a local icon. My 1^st fried chicken in a long time.

 

Out to dinner in lowering sun on the mountains. George’s St. George seems a local icon. My 1^st fried chicken in a long time. 

Monday. 9/30:

           

I’m up very early, as usual. A sliver of moon, lots of stars! Bill, scion of an Italian restaurant family, and helpers preparing breakfast of bacon & eggs, toast, etc. for 12 guys now, later 13 (smaller group than usual).

 I connect with “Blissful Poolhouse” WiFi. Sad news: Kris Kristofferson is dead at 88. I slept the 1^st night with Jeff in the 2^nd level of a 3-level bunk bed – but the curved ladder and narrow space between levels are not designed for gentlemen of a certain age, you need to be a contortionist! I rearrange to join John Westrich & Gary Anderson, who have an empty lower-level bed. 

A walk around the neighborhood. Beautiful views of AM sun on red rock nearby mountains. Wow! We sit & chat after breakfast. As usual given our age, this includes an “organ recital” of various physical complaints. It’s only about a month until the election, but we’re able to keep politics out of our discussions, as Bob implored beforehand.

           

Arriving Sunday allows for a “Practice Round’” Nine of us drive past St. George, with a view of its beautiful white LDS Temple. A big “D” on nearby mountainside reflects the cotton history here. To Sky Mountain Golf Course in Hurricane, surrounded by Zion NP & Pine Mountain Range. Tee-time 11:10, now 82 will reach 101 when we finish at 3:30. Spectacular views of surrounding red rock mountains, desert vegetation, a large gaggle of geese. 

My 1^st swing (always a crapshoot) is right down the middle! A good start, tho as usual my game will come & go. Courses here have some challenging tee shots, landing areas surrounded by desert weeds & rocks.  Some good shots, some balls lost (one of mine bouncing of the roof of a nearby house!), as I try with mixed success thruout the week to get used to the clubs from Bill. We come across a guy searching for lost balls in the desert scrub lining fairways. “Any snakes around here?” His reply: “Sometimes.”

 

          

Back to our “home,” hot tub & pool get some use. Pizza and Monday Night Football, followed by a business meeting. Bob goes over various rules and teams. He gives belated awards to Bill & Gary for their holes-in-one on previous outings. We each get a dozen balls; will that be enough? There’s a review of efforts to get our money back from the California plan.

 

Tuesday, 10/1:

            After breakfast guys who live in the Southwest share snake stories; not very comforting! Tee-time today is after 12 due to making late reservations. It’s 98 here versus 70 back home. Past St. George again, Maverik’s gas. Pink Box Donuts, Chuck-a-Rama, Digby’s Market. 

Today is a scramble at Coral Canyon Golf Course, in “Color Country” near Washington, distant views of Bryce Canyon & Zion National Parks. I’m teamed with my roomie John, Dave Campion, and Randy Letsch. Another beautiful course winding around, along, & thru housing surrounded by desert & mountains & desert flora. We manage a 3-under-par, even with lots of ever-so-close missed putts. It earns us $25 each for 1^st place! 

After an Italian feast of lots of lasagna & meatballs, plentiful wine, we discuss the next 2 days. Each of us antes up $20 for “skins,” awarded to any single best net on a hole. We’ve seen signs in St. George for “PGA Parking.” Next week Black Desert Resort is hosting the 1^st PGA Tour event here in more than 60 years.

 

Wednesday, 10/2:

           

In the news: Mexico installs its 1^st female President; an omen? Jimmy Carter has died at 100. Last night’s VP debate between Walz & Vance is judged a “civil encounter” with no clear winner. An earlier 8:30 tee-time today gets us out before the heat. Off as the sun comes up, 67 headed to about 85 at the end of the round. Past a pretty course in St. George; we seldom see people playing on it. Today at Ledges Golf Club in St. George. 

Again housing surrounded by red cliffs & desertscapes, views of Snow Canyon State Park. Very friendly staff, pretty flowers, wider more “forgiving” fairways (tho we still manage to find trouble). The driving range & 1^st tee have us hitting right into the sun! I’m teamed with Jeff & Bud Thoune for best-ball scoring. We don’t score very well, but I manage a 30-foot birdie putt (for a net 1)!

           

Back for lunch of leftover Italian, passing areas of black volcanic rock. Then a lazy afternoon of chatting, hot-tubbing, whatever. Out for dinner at the Rib and Chop House in St. George. Good food, good company, excellent friendly service. Phil Pierangeli generously picks up the tab for cocktails before dinner. Some time spent reminiscing. After gathering every other year at first, there have been 23 outings, 6 guys have done them all. 

Back to watch the baseball playoffs before handing out awards. My birdie earns a skin of $21! Bob hands out “collector’s item” balls inscribed with “Hidden Valley” (our original California destination). I head off to bed but can hear teams being selected for tomorrow. Sounds a bit like the sorting into Hogwarts houses (Gryffindor, Slytherin…) in Harry Potter.

Thursday: 10/3:

  

          More sleep last night, up at 6:30. A bank of lights (looks like a stadium) silhouetted on the sunrise. Breakfast conversation ranges from gender differences in aptitudes to baseball. Another beautiful cool AM, another stroll around the neighborhood, mountain views & pretty flowers. One place has a “For Sale” sign; someone checks on how much: $1 million. 

A phone chat with Marjorie. She found our wedding duds in the back of a closet. After some “thrifting” with grandson William, they discover that my suit fits him. Marjorie mentioned plans to give her dress (made by her mother) to a costume shop, but William admonished: “Grandma, you can’t do that! Your mother made it!” Marjorie also had a beautiful fall-colors drive to Cooperstown for a lake cruise organized by the Pruyn House, then to Hagaman to set up for an art show. [She later learns some of her creations have sold, one got a 3^rd-place ribbon.] Our group has a quite thoughtful discussion of caregiving and dealing with widowhood or dementia. I wish I’d had a video of this for my Sociology of Aging classes.

 

 

          Back to Sky Mountain GC for another noonish tee time. Temp about 85 to start, not too bad. The group is divided into 2 teams for 1-on-1 “Ryder Cup” matches. I’m on the Black Hat team, captained by Dave Campion. I win my match against roomie John. In the money again when our team wins: $25 apiece.

 

A traditional last night dinner of steaks on the grill. We watch the Brewers lose in the 9^th inning to the Mets; my split Wisconsin/New York loyalties leave me both happy & sad. I’ll have conflicting loyalties as the playoffs continue: KC (Jeff’s team) vs. my Yankees, my brother Doug’s Tigers also playing. We go over instructions for when we leave. Many thanks given to Bob & Tim, and to Bill. Some thoughts are shared about possible future outings, a somewhat animated discussion of which tees to use (“regular” or “forward”).

 

Friday, 10/4:

           

Up at 5:30, breakfast already being prepared as usual. Yep, another beautiful morning. John D & I head for Las Vegas. I learn John is a social worker, experience in protective services, wife was a school psychologist. I’ve enjoyed our time together. Later as we say our goodbyes he slips a $20 into my hand for lunch, apologizing (not necessary!!) for getting me here so early for my flight. Past Shivwits Paiute and Moapa Wind River Reservations. Casinos & a pretty bridge at the Nevada border. Long stretches of solar panels. Past a turnoff for Great Basin NP (which we enjoyed in 2019). Can’t stop taking photos! 

Some traffic around Las Vegas as we make our way to the ACE car return. 

A shuttle to another shuttle to the terminal, then tram to my gate area, followed by a long walk. All checked in, still another couple of hours until my flight. A sub for lunch facing a colorful bank of slot machines. No, I don’t try my luck. On-time departure just before 2pm. Seated next to a young Irish couple headed (a long way) to Tipperary. A 4 hour-40 minute flight, some turbulence but not too bad, into Newark 30 minutes early at 9:30pm. Another shuttle, another long walk Whew, this seems the toughest day of all! A 30-minute flight, some passengers rearranged to balance weight on the smallish plane. Early to Albany before midnight, a little rain! Checked bag arrives, Marjorie picks me up. I’m home!

 

            Another enjoyable Still Crazy outing! Camaraderie, fun (mostly) golf, and such beautiful settings! Against all odds, and the expectations of several golfing friends, I survived 4 rounds in 4 days of 100° weather! I suppose some credit goes to chiropractic adjustments. Many thanks again to Bob & Tim for all the arrangements!