On the morning of the much-anticipated golf tournament, the Southgate crew (including C4OA treasurer Paul Sudmeier) met in front of Southgate Coins. After a few pictures and some ice chest-space coordination, we all piled into Marie’s and Rusty’s cars and headed up to Montreux, for what was sure to be an exciting day.
When we arrived at the golf course, our good friends, Otto and Christine, were already ready to go when we pulled into their driveway. We all then went down to the Montreux clubhouse for a hearty brunch. It was a treat to be able to eat on the deck of the clubhouse, which overlooks the beautiful 18th hole. We talked about the day’s upcoming events, and after we finished eating, Otto had a surprise for Paul and me (Cara). It was the newest issue of a presidential dollar, which we were to use as ball markers during our match. When we finished brunch, Otto, Paul, and I checked into the pro shop and then warmed up at the driving range.
Tee-time was set at 12:40 p.m., so we headed down to the first tee. Otto officially announced the names of both competitors to our attending fan club (Christine, Marie, Crystal, Maya, and Nicole), and after teeing off, the Southgate Coins’ First Annual Invitational Golf Tournament was officially underway.
While Otto, Rusty (our photographer for the day), Paul, and I were all out on the course, Christine took Marie and the girls around in Marie’s car, so they could watch us play. They would randomly pop up on different holes, usually sitting on blankets on grassy knolls overlooking the greens. It was definitely fun to have a cheering section following us around the course; it truly made it feel like a real tournament.
The match was very close throughout the first few holes, until I had a little meltdown on holes six and seven. After a pep talk from Marie and the girls, my confidence was restored, and at the end of the front nine, Paul was up by only four strokes. But, we still had another nine holes to play.
On the back nine, I made sure to stay far away from hazards and hole-by-hole, I was able to catch up and make it a close match once again. By the last two holes, I was actually up by a few strokes, and it looked like I was going to win as long as I kept everything together.
Paul and I tied on the last two holes, and with a score of 88 to 93, I was able to pull out the victory! I must say though, that Paul was a formidable opponent.
After a long competitive day, it was time for a few last-minute pictures to be taken, and then it was off to our celebratory dinner, which Nicole will tell you more about later.
And now, here’s Maya to add her thoughts from the spectator’s side of the game:
I (Maya) think I speak for most of the Southgate crew when I say that I am definitely not a golf aficionado. So this Saturday, I (along with the other girls) was able to receive a first-hand, guided tour of a prestigious golf course and was given an education about all the rules and etiquette that apply to the game.
Christine, our tour guide for the day, even escorted us to all of the holes that could be seen without the use of a golf cart. We all learned some golf lingo, such as what hazards, handicaps, fairways, greens, birdies, and bogies are. We even learned what you should do if your club digs a hole in the ground, or if you sink your ball into a pond. Definitely some things worth adding to my trivia arsenal!
Although some of us got a little sunburned, we all looked wonderful in our country-club-appropriate attire, and I think we will be able to look back on this eventful weekend with smiles on our faces. It was so much fun!
Now, here’s Nicole to round out the day’s events:
After our exciting day watching Cara and Paul go head-to-head in their golf tournament, we were all very ready for the celebratory dinner at Claim Jumpers. As our table of nine sat down, we were all full of energy and could not stop talking to each other about the day’s events.
As all of our drinks came around and we waited for our food, Rusty surprised Cara and Paul with trophies for the tournament! It was very formal and we clapped and cheered as Cara was presented with her Southgate Coins First Annual Invitational Golf Tournament Champion trophy. Then, Paul was presented with his runner-up trophy, which was entertainingly much smaller than Cara’s, but nevertheless, we all still happily cheered for his dedication to the game and his hard work.
After many more pictures of our cheerful group, our food began to arrive. A majority of the table ordered Porterhouse steaks and fancy filet mignons, but a few of us dared to be different. Otto ordered a half rack of ribs, Crystal had a cheeseburger, and I (Nicole) ordered the most distinctive dinner of them all: A full platter of deluxe nachos and another full platter of garlic cheese bread. Even a few of the waiters were giving me looks because of my strange eating habits. I surely didn’t finish it all, but I’m sure I at least ate my weight in food, haha.
The food was fantastic, and by the end of dinner, our dessert plans had flown out the window, because none of us had saved any room for the sweet stuff!
Cara and Paul receive their trophies for participation in the golf tournament
We were all a little sad to leave the restaurant as we drove back to Southgate Coins to disperse to our separate cars. But we will forever remember Southgate Coins’ First Annual Invitational Golf Tournament and how much we all enjoyed such a beautiful day in the sun; as well as the “cutthroat” match between Cara and Paul that kept us all on our toes!
-Cara, Maya, and Nicole