August 16, 2020

 

I went to bed early last night as I had to set my alarm for the first time since arriving here in Orlando.  Our tee time is 7:21 and I did not want to miss the bus for our ride to five or six hours of recreational freedom.  Of course, I woke up around 3am and could not for the life of me get back to sleep.  I tried sleeping on my side, over to my stomach, on my back, nothing.  The alarm was set for 5:30 but I was wide awake.  I threw on come clothes and walked over to the dining area for a cup of coffee to go along with my dippers and headed back to the my room resigned to the fact that I was up for the day and not returning to slumber.  I flipped on the television to pass the time and not surprisingly all the news stations had the same crap on that they have been broadcasting since my arrival.  I eventually hopped into the shower and dressed for a morning of golf then headed for the shuttle.

 

There were only four of us on the 6:30 bus as we headed towards the Magnolia Golf Course directly adjacent to Disney World.  It was still dark but the temperature was warm due to the high humidity.  Upon our arrival we were greeted by mask wearing Disney employees that provided us with our own cart, loaner clubs, two sleeves of balls, a golf glove, a towel, a cooler filled with water and sports drinks, and a light breakfast.  What more did we need?  This was perfect as the clubs looked almost new and you couldn’t beat the new glove they gave us.  We had a half hour before teeing off so they escorted us to the driving range that was almost filled to capacity with referees and we warmed up hitting a large bucket of balls into the distance.  Within three swings, I was already sweating.  I knew I would be facing some serious crotch rot as the day went by as it was only going to get warmer.

 

We teed off promptly at 7:21 following a group of four NBA officials.  The course was still quite wet with overnight humidity that fell to the turf.  Often we could spot deer roaming the fairways or hiding in the thick woods that bordered each hole. Along with the deer were large groups of wild turkeys that seemed to be everywhere.  These turkeys were not afraid of golfers.  Often they would strut right up to our carts prospecting for bits of food that we may have dropped.  I am surprised we never hit one while teeing off. 

 

As the morning got later the temperature rose accordingly.  I did not have any dry clothing on when we made the clubhouse turn headed for the tenth hole, but we were having a ball.  We didn’t have to have our masks on, everyone was playing decent golf, the pace was perfect, you couldn’t ask for a nicer course.  There were tough sand traps, lots of water hazards, challenging doglegs, and grounds that emulated the Disney trademarked properties.  The drop zones were shaped like Mickey and helpful course suggestions were offered by the seven dwarfs. 

 

The highlight of the day was when Kelly strolled to the tee box at a 148 yard par three with a driver clasped in his hand.  We let him know the hole was only 148 yards but that made no difference to him.  He thought his club selection was appropriate then proceeded to launch a towering tee shot that he miss-hit terribly which skyrocketed upward. He definitely got under that one, but as it was coming down it appeared to be heading straight for the flag.  The ball landed three feet from the pin then rolled towards it.  It came to rest just short of the hole.  That was the only birdie of the day, coming from a driver at a par three.

 

We had several beers on the course to stay hydrated. (Do you believe that reasoning?) After four hours and a bit we completed our eighteen holes and returned to the clubhouse to catch the shuttle back to our resort.  We were not ready to go but we knew it was something we must do.  The NBA did a marvelous job keeping that course in the “bubble” as we didn’t come across anyone or anything that could have jeopardized our sterile well-being.  I cannot wait until I am afforded the opportunity to return. 

 

As soon as I got back to my room I shed my sweat soaked clothing and collapsed on the bed.  I was whupped and needed a nap.  I put some soft music on my speaker and quickly fell asleep.  It was heavenly.  When I awoke a few hours later to the sound of thunder I felt refreshed and jumped in the shower to get ready for our pizza party that was planned by Turner to take place at 6:00pm by the pool. 

 

Because our brothers in the red and yellow zones had to buy their meals most days unless they were working and were able to dine in the catering tent, Turner would host a Taco Tuesday or some kind of appreciative event once a week to keep the spirits up over at the Waldorf. We, on the other hand, received free meals all the time but had been yearning for something different than the standard offerings being prepared at the Springs.  Our Turner contact decided she would spring for a bunch of pizzas and wings and they were being delivered to our pool area promptly at 6:00 pm.

 

It was also the birthday of one our own and he and several other coworkers were in the pool and had been there for most of the afternoon drinking a few beers, a few shots, and a few mixed beverages.  Needless to say, they were feeling very good as the volume level of their conversations reflected their intoxicated happiness.  NBA security wandered by to make sure everyone was following protocol, which we were, but he did request the volume of the curse laden rap music emanating from a speaker poolside be reduced.  It just didn’t seem right for that kind of music to be played at a Disney resort and at that loudness. 

 

We made quick work of the pies and wings then headed out for our evening activity, another seven-inning whiffle ball game.  We were barely able to finish this contest before it got too dark, as several tenants came walking by on their evening strolls and we encouraged them to play, and they all did.  Tomorrow starts the first round of the playoffs with all games being on ESPN so the Turner crew has one more day of relaxation before most of us head back to work.  We are all ready to get back to work.