At 8:00 a.m. the air was chilly, but the sun was shining and the leaves were turning color virtually in front of their eyes. It was October 4 and they were teeing it up at Baker National on a day that would prove to be memorable. The august foursome consisted of Steve Bloomquist, longtime BMC Wednesday League Coordinator; Tim Smith, former BMC Senior Champion and Ed White Shootout winner; Mike Kavanaugh, 8-Man and 4-Man Team member and former Super Senior Club Champion; and Mathias von Heydekampf, current Braemar course record holder from the A tees.
And, while each member of the group had his moments on that crisp fall morning, the day unquestionably belonged to Mathias.
A 19-year BMC member with a current USGA handicap of 7.1, Mathias would probably play less frequently if he were on tour. Notably, at least according to unofficial records available to The Virtual 19th Hole, he is also one of only two BMC members ever to have aced Braemar’s third hole.
But, on October 4, it was all about number 17 at Baker, a 331-yard par 4 that plays relentlessly uphill from tee to green.
The drama was initiated by an inauspicious start on Mathias’ part: while his drive successfully avoided the fairway bunkers, it didn’t miss the cart path. And after a wicked hop, one that left an indelible scuff mark on Mathias’ trusty Srixon 4, the ball didn’t come to rest until it stopped right behind not one but several trees. So, with no clear path to the hole, the only play was to punch a low cut-shot, slicing the ball around the trees and up the hill. Which, as it turned out, is exactly what Mathias pulled off—afterwards, he acknowledged that, as soon as he hit the ball, he felt sure it was the shot of the day. But it wasn’t until the group had carried out a careful search around the green that they finally checked the hole. There lay the endearingly scuffed Srixon.
There are eagles and then there are eagles. This was the latter.
Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590