Round Played: with Neil and Laura O’Regan –
By Wayne Halm –
A Honeymoon with my new clubs. On March 13th 2016 I took my new clubs out for the first time.
Yeah, I was excited about this.
.(Click on any picture for a larger view – then use the browser ‘back’ button.)
I played the Hokuala Golf Course with Neil and Laura O’Regan from Long Beach Township, New Jersey. They are great folks. Sally came out with me and the four of us had loads of fun.
Neil and Laura
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For me the fun started even before I got on the course. At the clubhouse I met my artist friend Tomoko Ouchi.
Wayne and Tomoko
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Tomoko has a painting hanging in the Pro Shop. I took a picture of it but didn’t do a very good job. You can see her art at www.TomokoOuchiArt.Com .
A blurry picture of Tomoko’s painting.
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It was my first time out with my new clubs so we stopped at the range to get better acquainted.
We worked fairly well together … on the range.
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Warmed up, it was onto the course with Neil and Laura. Then the fun really began.
Laura on the tee.
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Par girl on the 8th green – the new home of the guys golf balls can be seen in the background.
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We were having fun and moving toward the ocean we got in “picture mode” – the grins just came out.
A happy Neil, Laura, and Wayne
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Sally felt that her FitBit needed steps. She walked most of the holes – but frequently caught up with me in time to “coach” me.
Sally got over 15,000 steps on this round.
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Sally also constantly admonished me for getting my new clubs dirty – she didn’t appreciate me taking diviots.
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Then we came to the ocean holes, 14, 15, and 16. Neil and Laura were playing golf with me, so you know there were going to be pictures taken. They were good sports about it.
Laura and Neil on the 14th tee.
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Laura and Neil on the 15th tee
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Laura and Neil on the 16th green
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Have I mentioned the wind yet? The Trades had calmed considerably but a stiff breeze blew during our round.
Sally in the “breeze”.
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My new clubs worked well – maybe we had a honeymoon of sorts. If so, the honeymoon lasted for 17 holes – then … Well as Sally put it, “It must still be winter time on Kauai, because Wayne just made a snowman.”
Winter time or not, I played a beautiful golf course with some fantastic people – and we had a whole lot of fun. It was the way golf should be.
I have set a 2016 goal of playing golf with 100 people that I haven’t met. Neil and Laura are numbers 17 and 18. Want to be in that number?
Come play golf with me.
I’ve played with other people from New Jersey, see the links below.
Jim Lorenz — Frank and Roe Ciuffani — Stefanie Cargill — Barry and Abby Ages — Matt Ward
The Hokuala Golf Club 808-241-6000 or www.hokualakauai.com
Return to Golfing on Kauai Home Page
A happy Neal, Laura, and Wayne
Golfing on Kauai 
Jersey people are fun.
Aloha,
That has been my experience – Jersey people certainly are FUN.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Wayne,
Glad you had fun on the course. I think you purposely shot a snowman so that your expectations did not grow too much with your new clubs! 😉 As always, a great read!
Cheers
Jim
Aloha Jim,
Thanks but I don’t have to work very hard to make a snowman – just lose concentration for a few seconds. Everyone but me knew I was looking at the top of the ball during my second shot on 18. I can’t blame the clubs, I can’t even blame the swing – the club solidly hit what I was looking at … and the ball bounced into the water.
Still, I was on a golf course and having fun. It was a great day.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Aloha Wayne,
I’m glad to see the duck shorts are alive and well — looking sharp as always buddy. Sounds like you and your new golf clubs are off to a pretty smooth start. We’re hoping to keep the snowmen away over here right now, but in a very literal sense.
Cheers!
Josh
Aloha Josh,
Thank you. I didn’t wear the pink shorts because I thought people would be laughing enough at my golf shots. But I was surprised and happy, the new clubs and I got along quite well. It was another fun day. I hope spring comes early for you and Beth.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Wayne,
Loved the blog. Hope to see you and Sally again for another round. Thanks for not mentioning my donations to the golf gods on 14.
A Hui Ho,
Neil
Aloha Neil,
Thank you. That was a fun day and I hope we can do it again. Don’t dwell on the 14th hole. It is one of the places that the island of Kauai is still growing bigger – one golf ball at a time. Everyone contributes, and we appreciate your generosity
A Hui Hou,
Wayne.