“This is rigged,” Eldridge said with a shake of his head as he watched his friend’s red glow cut off. It once again fell into the hole. “At least you didn’t gain another hole in one.”
Honestly, he thought C was mostly joking about needing a handicap. “Did you practice on this course for like the last three months, just to be able to do this?” His hand gestured towards the hole.
“I keep telling you, it’s all in the center.” C replied as he walked back to Eldridge’s ball. “Just watch that ball and keep your hips in rhythm.”
“I don’t need to know anything about your hips' rhythm.” Eldridge replied as he lined up his swing. He let out a breath and focused on his center like C had instructed many times this night. He felt his body tingle from his stomach as he moved in a familiar swing of his arms and hips. Eldridge completed his swing and the blue ball flew, arching into the sky.
“Not a bad swing, wouldn’t be surprised if you managed an eagle on this one.” C said as he started to walk to the hole. The blue glow fell about twenty feet from the flag.
“I am definitely going to beat par on this hole, not some stupid eagle,” Eldridge said. “Just you watch, I’ll sink in the next shot.”
“That is an eagle,” C replied matter of factly as he stopped next to the green.
“What, this is a par five, and this is my third shot.” Eldridge replied as his voice rose a bit. “Have you forgotten how to count? This is not my six shot, or do you think I am that bad at putting.”
C sighed as he corrected his friend. “I said eagle not a bogie.”
Eldridge held his retort as he slowly brought the putter down. The blue glow started to move across the green. When it started to crawl just before the hole, He found himself holding his breath.
“Yeah!” He screamed and released all that air as the ball finally tipped over the edge. He did a slight dance at the hole before he turned to his friend. “So, you were saying?” A smile large across his face.
“I was saying, an eagle is two under par and a bogie is one over par.” C replied as they progressed to the next hole. Eldridge and C continued arguing slightly over golf terminology as they crossed the course. Eldridge finally conceded to C’s greater knowledge of the sport.
“Did you see that?” C asked as they were preparing to tee off on the twelfth hole.
“I’ve already seen enough of your holes in one.” Eldridge said as he tried putting his tee into the grass. “Does that mean it’s my go?”
“No, that giant shadow?” C said as he was staring off into another grove of maples. Eldridge followed his gaze and stared into the darkness. There wasn’t much there aside from the shifting night air.
“I’m not falling for that.” Eldridge said after he looked into the grove for a few seconds. “It isn’t like it would matter much anyway. That one shot was one of my best.”
C sighed as he turned his gaze away. “You going to hit?”
“Waiting for you,” Eldridge replied before he remembered that they were alternating starting swings. “Never mind.”
“I understand that it confuses you as you have to go ten to each one of mine.” C laughed. “But I went first last hole.”
“I said never mind.” Eldridge replied as he lined up his swing. “Besides I only went over by five on the first hole, no thanks to your advice.”
He took in a breath as he pulled the club back. The follow through felt nice as he contacted the ball. The blue ball pulled a little bit but fell soundly on the fairway a good way down course.
“What are you talking about, my advice was perfect.” C said as he placed his red ball onto his tee. “Just look at your last swing.”
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“I don’t think that is so much your advice as it is, I am finally warmed up.” Eldridge said.
C looked him in the eyes, his face smug as he pulled back his club. Again, his form amazed Eldridge as the man moved with such fluid grace. More so as the man had yet to turn his gaze from his friend’s eyes. Eldridge squinted a bit as he watched his friend falter. C’s eyes darted just before the ball made contact.
“There it is again,” C said, not noticing his ball as it rolled down the course. His club outstretched toward the grove of maples once again. Eldridge turned quickly but only saw some of the shadows move in the wind but nothing else.
“Look, your joke is causing you not to hit your ball.” Eldridge replied as he pointed to the red ball as it slowly came to a stop a few tens of feet away.
“It’s not a joke,” C replied, slightly hurt. He turned towards one of the people following them with lights. “Luciana, have security check the grounds for me.” He continued.
“As you wish,” One of the women beyond the wall of light said.
“Fine, we will go along with your shadows.” Eldridge replied with a sigh. “Though it is probably better to be safe than have a wild animal attack.”
As he said that he remembered the shadow of a cat he thought he saw earlier in the night. It was strange that C would also see shadowy creatures, still it really mattered little.
“Still waiting for you to take your next shot,” Eldridge continued a little smugly as he pointed to the glowing red object a short distance away. “Can’t be holding up the group like that.”
“Perhaps we should just give you a group all to your own,” C paused as he set up his stance. “That way we could account for all those extra swings of yours.”
“I’m only plus sixteen at the moment.” Eldridge replied. “And half of that is you and your bad advice.”
“A little quiet,” C said as he looked down course.
“I’m sorry, was my commentary too distracting?” Eldridge retorted.
“It’s just that shrill screech that you make when you open your mouth,” C said as he took in his breath, the club moved back. This time he kept his eyes on the ball through the entire swing. The red took off as the wind changed and pulled the ball towards the sand.
“At least we know your human,” Eldridge replied as he walked to his ball. “I might as well finish this while you try to get yourself out of your trap.”
“Whatever it takes to give you a bit of self-esteem.” C said, as he pulled out a new club.
Eldridge wasn’t sure the type, but he figured it was best he did not ask. The last time he had tried it turned out horrid for himself.
“Five over par,” He muttered as he neared his glowing blue orb. As he looked towards the flag then the tees, he realized he was probably two thirds down course. “I’ll show him.”
With determination in mind he focused once again on his center, on the instruction his friend had given him. Even with all the ribbing about bad advice, he knew it was probably best he followed his friend’s words. C knew his sports like a fish knew water. Again, that tingling came as he took in a deep breath, his form as fluid as it’s ever been.
It was as if the world slowed around him, that moment lasting a second longer than it should. His control over his body magnified and he wondered if this was how Cee felt all the time. Contact was made as the ball flew off towards the hole. His gaze followed the blue streak as it arched and finally landed on the green. It bounced once, twice, and three. There was no third time, the ball went into the hole.
Eldridge broke into laughter at the elation of finally beating C. No, it wasn’t for the course, and no he wouldn’t, nor couldn’t even pass the man at this point. But he had won, one hole and that was all that mattered. For this moment anyway.
“Fore,” C yelled, which caused Eldridge to duck and cover his head. He heard the man faintly crack into laughter behind him. He turned to find the man hadn’t even shot yet.
“Just making sure you understand you’re on a golf course. Now pay attention so I don’t whack you in the head with this shot.”
Eldridge moved to the far end of the fairway and let C lob his ball. Sand scattered as the ball jerked into the sky, held for a moment before it landed just shy of the hole and hopped over it. It continued for a while before it fell just at the edge of the fairway.
“I guess what they say about a broken clock being right twice a day was true,” Eldridge said as he walked next to his friend as he prepared to putt.
“I’m not even sure what that is supposed to mean,” C replied as he gracefully putted the ball into the hole. “Am I the broken clock, is my bad swing the broken clock, the fact I got 1 over par the broken shot?”
“Clock?” Eldridge stated before he shook his head. “Never mind, I don’t have a clue what I was saying either.”
“I’m not sure you ever do,” C said as he pulled his ball out of the hole. “I can’t understand what you’re saying half the time as it stands.” The man proceeded to grab the bag and walk to the next hole. Eldridge left trying to come up with a counter that wouldn’t insult his friend too much.
“I’m not sure you ever do,” C said as he pulled his ball out of the hole. “I can’t understand what you’re saying half the time as it stands.” The man proceeded to grab the bag and walk to the next hole. Eldridge left trying to come up with a counter that wouldn’t insult his friend too much.