Putt Putt Sunday

My kids have been a little disappointed about their summer so far. They have been complaining about not doing anything fun. While they are forgetting about the multiple trips to Colorado they’ve had so far, riding 4-wheelers, rafting, etc. there is some truth to their complaints. While they are in town they have had less than an exciting time I suppose. Their mother hasn’t been exactly filling their days with outdoor activities and such. They typically play video games and hang out in the apartment.

And the complaining every morning. Everyday (weekday) they ask where they will go for the day. I’ve had to answer most every day that they will go to their mom’s. This answer is always followed by complaints and even crying sometimes too. I just love that part, really I do. Not.

So today, they asked what we were going to do that was fun? I needed to clean, replace some brakes, work on my yard etc. but I could tell that they did need a day of something different. I know they wanted to go to the local amusement park but I knew how much that would cost. Uh, no. I decided on Putt Putt. An old stand by my parents surely used on my sister and I many a time. It worked fabulously. Well no, not fabulous initially and it was looking like a big waste of five hours of a Sunday up until the 17th hole of the 3rd course.

I refreshed their sunken “lack-of-hole-in-one” spirits between each course by first having pretzels and hotdogs for lunch and then blowing 160 tokens in the game room. I suck at Galaga but still love that game. After cashing in some 600+ tickets for crap, we started the final course.

My youngest daughter was the only one not to get a hole-in-one yet and she was quickly approaching total devastation. Then, she almost makes one on the 17th hole, it was soooooo close. She was about to drop. Actually she did. It was funny so that saved her from tears. I decided to shoot without moving her ball. I was off a little from the hole and what do you know, I knocked her ball in. That was good enough for us and she was ecstatic. Technically, she only hit her ball once and I didn’t use my club so her ball was in the hole in just one shot, by her. AND SHE IS VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT SO DON’T EVEN GO THERE.

My oldest sulked her way through 49 holes until she finally nailed her first hole-in-one. She was on the verge of tears the whole time but determined to play all night until she got one. My youngest, my son, with no form, no skill, a tendency to hit the ball well outside of the little orange barrier thingies, had 3 hole-in-one’s that really defied all reason. He was just plain lucky.

I must of hit 10 or more hole-in-ones, usually when I wasn’t even trying and always when my oldest was at her lowest point. I never did go up to the counter to claim my coupon and have my name announced over the intercom. My kids couldn’t fathom why… Except for the last hole, the Sonic “Win a free Sundae” hole. I hit that one, my kids cheered, I’m talking screamed their lungs out and clapped. That was a nice Dad moment.

We ironically had dinner at Sonic and followed that with a few Sundae's. I don’t know if they will remember today when they complain about their crappy summer or not, but I hope it helps.

Jeff