Biting winds combined with intermittent spitting rain off the Pacific Ocean had plagued their foursome for the first 15 holes at The Links at Bodega Harbor Golf Course. Located just an hour north of San Francisco, the poor man’s Pebble Beach, Bodega Harbor, had witnessed the fog moves in and out at Nature’s whim.
As this regular foursome, of friends and mortal combatants, loaded their clubs onto the pull-carts and crossed the footbridge over the marsh to the, walk-only, 16th and 17th holes, the sky had cleared and the winds subsided. With windbreakers and rain pants removed, they relaxed on the outdoor deck soaking up the warming mid-afternoon sun. The first round of Anchor Steam Logger, a San Francisco brewed favorite, had been purchased by the winners; a game of horse dice would determine who bought the second.
The conversation had switched from BS-ing about work, wives and girlfriends…. to where they would play next week. One of the combatants, facing the ocean from the round table, motioned towards the ocean 150 yards below as he chocked on his beer. “Holy Shit, can you believe that, a giant Great White Shark just blasted out of the water knocked a fully grown seal 15 feet in the air.” All heads turned toward the churning salt water as the white monster fish erupted like a volcano from the sapphire sea launching the stunned seal high into the air. Then the Great White snatched the mid-day snack out of the sky as it crashed back into the frothy ocean. Before the four spectators of Mother’s Natures brutal truth could speak, the huge toothy beast stood on its tail, with the speed and agility of a bucket mouth bass, and removed a mouthful of the helpless seal as it disappeared beneath the surface. Another pass. Another bite! The shark was gone.
“My kids are never going swimming again,” the first witness said.
“Bring us a round of Cuarvo shots,” the second said to waitress.
By the time she arrived with lime, salt and four shot glasses filled to the brim with Mexican pain killer, the gulls had started their Nature assigned, clean-up task. She said with a smile, “it does not happen often but ‘THAT’ is reality in these waters.”
The burgers arrived along with a second round of Anchor Steam Logger. The discussion slowly got back to the day and time of next weeks round.
But where to play was never an issue.
