Round Played: with Gene and Jan Oliver –
By Wayne Halm –
A PLACE TO CALL HOME ….. that’s the slogan of the Puakea Golf Course. And the staff there make sure I feel at home. Yeah, I’m special … but so is everyone else!
(Click on any picture for a larger view – then use the browser ‘back’ button.)
Mila, the restaurant hostess, makes sure I don’t go out hungry.
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Megan, the starter, makes sure everything goes smoothly for me.
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On November 3rd 2016 I went over to the Puakea Golf Course and asked if they had anyone on the Tee Sheet I could play with. Yes they did, a couple was going out in 20 minutes and I could play with them – if they were agreeable.
So I trotted over to the practice area to ask the couple … SURPRISE … they were my old buddy Gene Oliver from Seattle, Washington, and his wife Jan.
Gene and Jan … and yes, they were agreeable to me joining them.
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We immediately set out onto the course. Gene had warmed up … however, I stepped onto the first tee box cold and didn’t expect to win the hole.
But it was Jan who consistently played from the short grass.
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Jan’s repeated marches down the middle of the fairways were the most direct routes to the pins. Gene and I were a little more adventurous, but we were scoring well … until.
Gene and Jan on the 6th tee … yes, she is smiling and we weren’t.
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Gene and I had problems – this is a closer view of the new home of our golf balls.
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Jan was having a good round. A lot was just “working out” for her. But even when things didn’t work out perfectly – she still found a way to “skin the cat”.
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Gene’s putter got “hot” on the back nine and gave him a birdie. That lifted his spirits considerably – and he didn’t even mind that I allowed Jan to bend the rules a bit.
If you’re golfing with me … and you have these cool Ryder Cup socks … you don’t have to wear shoes on the greens.
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We hit the ball, we talked, we laughed, we remembered past good times, and we planned future good times. This was a great day on the course. This was the way golf should be.
I have a stated 2016 goal of playing golf with 100 people I haven’t met. I already knew Gene so he doesn’t count. But Jan does … she is number 39. Want to be in that number?
Come play golf with me.
Click here to read about another round I played with Gene
The Puakea Golf club 808-245-8756 or http://www.puakeagolf.com/
Return to Golfing on Kauai Home Page and read about other Rounds Played
Golfing on Kauai 
What a lovely suprise 🙂 Sounds like a fun day too! Great pics and video.
Aloha Wendy,
Thank you. It was a great day. I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures, I believe that happy faces and a beautiful golf course are a compelling combination.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne
Aloha Wayne,
Now that is a great surprise, and you still got one closer to 100. All golf balls need a home, but I prefer the ones that like to live on land or in my golf bag. Maybe you just had the wrong type this day.
Cheers!
Josh
P.S. I seem to have misplaced your number. If you have a chance one of these days you should drop me a line so we can chat about some upcoming golf 🙂
Aloha Josh,
Yep, I was happy about that round. Even the ball hungry lake couldn’t upset me with Gene and Jan around. We had a great time.
I’m looking forward to your visit.
A Hui Hou,
Wayne