Remembering Mike

I wrote this story several years ago, I don't have a better memory of Mike.

Mid Pines Lodge

 

   Brothers get separated through the years; we graduated from high school; we joined the military or started careers; eventually we got married; we started a family of our own; then we had children and watched them grow up. My oldest brother and I moved many times to many states and over the years we lost close contact with each other. Our middle brother, Ted, chose a career that kept him in one location for forty years and I lived near him for twenty years, but job opportunities eventually moved me and separated us. We all kept in touch on birthdays and holidays, but none of us were living close enough to visit as often as we wished. It didn’t mean that we didn’t care for each other; growing our own families and careers just took us down separate paths. Ultimately, all three of us went through divorces and each of us in turn discovered our soul mates that will remain our marriage partners for the rest of our lives. Over the years we found ourselves spread out, from Texas to North Carolina to Pennsylvania.

   It was an effort to try and rekindle some of the closeness we had lost over the years that brought my oldest brother and I together in Southern Pines, North Carolina. When he called to plan a visit with me, I suggested that we stay and play at a golf resort community I had discovered in recent years. We had both learned to play golf with good friends and both suffer rather high handicaps. Mike and I had casually played only a couple of times before and we felt comfortable with each other’s level of play. Mid-Pines Inn and Golf Club is not the typical resort that you find today, in fact, the inn was constructed in 1921 and the course was built by the Carolina’s most prominent Scottish designer, Donald Ross. He, of course, is also the architect of the world-famous Pinehurst Golf Resort where Payne Stewart won his celebrated US Open.

   The Inn itself is magnificently nostalgic; it literally takes you back almost a hundred years to a simpler and uncluttered lifestyle. The white painted brick exterior fits in comfortably with the ancient pines that line the circular driveway to the entrance. When you look at it the very first time, you just know that your pace is about to slow down. A caddy meets you in the lobby and your clubs are carted off to be stored for your entire stay. Your room keys are real metal keys and the stairs are your elevator; there are only three floors, so you haven’t far to walk. Although the rooms are currently being renovated, they still retained their quaint original feel when we stayed there. I felt like I needed to purchase some knickers before we started our first round. Aside from our snoring, it was a peaceful and restful place to replenish our aching muscles. We stayed on an overnight golf package that provided dinner at the club, then breakfast and lunch the following day. It included a round of golf at Mid-Pines and another round at the Pine Needles Golf Club across the street where the Ladies US Open was played in 2007.

 

   When Mike and I ventured out on the course for the first time, we knew it was going to be special. Our clubs were loaded into our cart and after warming up on a bag of range balls we advanced to the first tee. It was a beautiful day, we had no deadlines and it was an immense pleasure to just play at our pace and enjoy each other’s company. I know that many folks don’t understand the senselessness of chasing a little white ball over 6500 yards of golf course, but they don’t understand the real benefit of playing a round of golf. First of all, an enormously beautiful setting of plush greenery, fragrant pines, crystal clear ponds and freshly mowed greens surrounded us. Secondly, we were given precious personal time to spend with each other and to catch up on many missing segments of our lives. And lastly, we actually enjoyed the pursuit of excellence in our golf games; especially when we hit a good shot. But golf is about more than striking a ball, it’s everything surrounding the act; including the camaraderie of the participants. We bonded like brothers of old; before the jobs, the families and the distances got in the way; we had a great day.

No 1 Hole at Mid-Pines

 

   After playing through beautiful fairways lined in tall pines and dogwoods, there were usually multiple sand traps surrounding the greens to collect your errant approach shots. On a few holes there were water hazards but we managed to avoid hitting anything into the water. We played in and out of the sand and even tempted a few birdies during the round. When you line up on the 18^th tee box, you feel as though you are playing on television and you are in the lead and about to make the final drive of your tournament. The fairway is lined by pines and a sand bunker that lead up to a small lake just in front of the green.

   The green is nestled in a semi-arc of the old inn itself; my minds eye envisioned thousands of cheering fans waiting for our arrival. We managed to avoid the water, but we did discover a rose garden to the right of the green. The scores weren’t spectacular; just our usual round.

 

No 18 Hole at Mid-Pines

 

   After finishing the round we showered and dressed for dinner. The Inn had a dress code and furnished jackets if you forgot to bring your own. It wasn’t a gourmet meal, but there weren’t many guests staying, so we had a quiet and pleasant dinner. The Inn had a recreation room which included a pool table and a ping-pong table, so we tried a little of both. No fierce competition, just a friendly match between two brothers. I thought that if Ted had come, we could have all relived some fun times from the past. Brothers have a special bond, and even after all the years, we could still renew that spirit which had been lying dormant within us.

We retired to bed early for we had an early start time on the sister course that next morning. The breakfast was excellent with bacon, eggs, grits, fruits, freshly baked muffins, and your choice of juices and coffee.

   We played Pine Needles at the same pace; the course is similar to Mid-Pines, but more daunting and newer. The challenges for golfers at our level were somewhat accelerated because this course has been the site of several tournaments on the LPGA. On the first par-4 hole I hit a good drive and followed it with a decent approach shot, which landed pin-high but buried in the middle of a left side sand trap. I made the sand shot cleanly and it landed just past the flag but it kept on rolling until it trickled off the green on the opposite side. Unfortunately, there was a matching sand trap on the right side of the green.

I managed to do the reverse trick and sent the ball right back into the left side sand trap from whence I had just left. I managed a seven on the hole but played the rest of the round without similar mishap. Mike and I enjoyed the day and again shared the companionship of each other’s company.

   We ended the day with lunch at the Mid-Pine club lounge and a trip to the golf shop at the club. As we packed up and left the premises, we both took a wistful look back toward the quaint old structure that had just provided us with a warm and lasting memory. On the way home we visited Pinehurst Golf Resort and discovered one of America’s finest golfing opportunities; perhaps to be enjoyed on a future venture.

   Although Ted doesn’t play golf, I’ve tried to encourage him to go out with us and just drive the cart, because the real joy in playing with your brothers is not the game; it’s connecting with each other. As the old saying goes, it’s not the destination that counts; it’s the journey that really matters. I hope that someday soon the three of us will tee off to a fun time of sharing; and re-kindling of the bonds of brotherhood.

 

 

Pinehurst Golf Resort