Chippy

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 The round of golf on Sunday morning was going pretty well. My new found muscle has provided me with longer drives and I was hitting the ball out of the fairway good enough.

I was doing some three-putting early so I needed a bit of a spark. Too many bogies!

I have a club in my bag that my cousin, Paul Bantle gave me on the first day I ever stepped on the course.

It’s a club that I use around the green to get me close and I’ve affectionately named him Chippy.

Chippy is a member of the family, and no matter how many times I’ve left him by the green I’ve got him back.

He saves me 2 or 3 strokes a round.

The 9th hole is a uphill par four that is a real bear. I’ve never made par on it.

Still haven’t, but I used Chippy from the rough and put the ball within an inch.

Then I went to help Pops find his ball in the rough.

I didn’t find the ball and when I went to place Chippy back in the bag I noticed the problem.

The head had fallen off!

Went back into the rough and around the green.

Chippy was gone!

40+ years!

Pops, JC and Scott were pretty quiet about it. I could sense that they felt bad for me.

The immediate problem was that I had 9 holes to play and golf doesn’t work at all if you’re in mourning.

On the 10th hole I got aggravated.

On 11, I hit it so far that one of the guys in the crew ahead of me yelled at us. I didn’t think I could hit it that far!

I needed Chippy three times...twice I hit decent shots...once I really missed him.

On 18, JC asked, “What is the plan to replace Chippy?”

“I’m gonna’ go look for him when we’re done,” I said. “Maybe someone will turn him in.”

“No one is going to pick that up,” Scott said.

He was right. It was over. When the round ended it hit me hard.

The end of an era.

Got in my truck to leave. I’d take one half-hearted look around the 9th green before we left.

And my car battery was dead!

As I was jumping the battery my phone exploded.

Calls.

Texts.

I grabbed it.

“We found Chippy!” Pops text read.

I grabbed the call from John.

“I got Chippy!”

They were so excited.

So was I!

Brought Chippy into the house.

Apologized profusely.

Used some epoxy and electrical tape.

Chippy is alive!

Ready for another day!

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