Odd as it might sound, the truth is I had a dream I made a hole-in-one the night before my very first ace. But in the morning, knowing I’d be playing later, I simply dismissed the silly dream.

It was a very inauspicious, anticlimactic start, and at the first par three (#3) I pulled it left of the green and quickly managed a double bogey. The next par three (#7, 152yds), the wind was a bit against us (right to left) and I finally settled on a seven iron and hit it dead flush.

The ball sailed quite high (for me) and covered the flag. The pin was deep (blue flag) left and my playing partner said, “That’s gonna be nice”, but my only comment was, “I hope it stays on the green”, thinking it might have been too much club.

From the tee we lost sight of the ball once it landed and when we approached the green, not seeing the ball anywhere, I walked around back to search for it. My playing partner, preparing to putt, stopped and walked over to the cup, reached in the hole, then asked what ball I was playing. “Titleist 3” (DT Solo) I said, and he walked over, handed me my ball, shook my hand, and said, “Congratulations.” Some dreams do come true . . .