If you follow BMC highlights, you’ll know that no hole at Braemar is as favored among BMC members for holes-in-one as the seventh, Lucky Number 7.
But that by no means suggests that Lucky Number 7 can’t sometimes be a heartbreaker. Take the case of long-time BMC member Tim Smith playing the seventh in the 2023 Ed White Shootout.
Recall that, in the Ed White format, only four of the BMC’s most active members remain in the hunt by the time they reach the seventh tee. And in 2023 it was no surprise that Tim Smith (with a current USGA handicap of 4.1) was one of the golfers left standing. But Lucky Number 7 presented a formidable challenge in that unique format, notwithstanding the hole’s popularity among BMC ace shooters, guys like Chris Reeves, Kevin Lawless, Doug Pernula and Rick Windham.
The problem was that Tim, playing from the Championship tees, faced a 170-yeard shot to the two-level green, while more than one of his playing competitors were getting a stroke from just over 100 yards. And in 2023, sure enough, gross score pars–net birdies—combined with a natural birdie forced Tim to make a natural birdie too in order to remain in the competition. When his putt rimmed out, Tim was out too.
Heartbreak may be too strong a term for the reaction of an established competitor like Tim, but let’s just say he was fully justified in feeling a bit disappointed.
So, could thoughts of the prior year have been in his head on September 22 when Tim strode back to the seventh hole’s Championship tees in the 2024 Ed White Shootout? Maybe an extra dose of determination? Once again Tim faced playing opponents teeing up at the shorter tees and once again getting a stroke.
And, once again, facing a shot of nearly 170 yards, Tim played first. Of course, the sun, beginning to set at that time of day, was shining directly into his eyes as Tim lined up his shot. But that didn’t prevent him from seeing his ball land right next to the cup, leaving him with an 8-footer for birdie. And while that putt also failed to drop, Tim’s par was good enough to send him to the eighth tee, and eventually to claim the 2024 Ed White Championship.
Sweet revenge? Maybe the arc of justice’s legitimate trajectory? Hard to say, but in any event congrats are due to Tim for displaying some exemplary championship form in becoming the 2024 Ed White Champion.
Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590