As noted, Diane and I beat it back to Maui for the past week, mostly to make up for last year when we came for a somewhat delayed honeymoon that unfortunately was peppered by the preoccupation of my being sick and Di’s mom dying.
So when the chance to return to the Islands returned last fall, we jumped at it, flying out with my brother Eric Hedgecock, wife Jill, daughter Lindsay, and her friend Tate.
There was a lot of diving and snorkeling and hiking, and of course golf planned, but, similarly, some chill time. And though I told my family I still had to log in and write and edit and publish articles every day, I would try and not be tethered to my laptop any more than necessary.
So determined were Eric— and IT guy by profession — and Jill and Lindsay, they did not even bring laptops, unlike small business owners Diane and me.
However, articles and edits and deadlines should have been the least of my worries, for as we were simply in the air last Sunday, flying west, my FSTA draft still had five rounds to got, the NFBC Champions League I was in was barely into the tenth round, and my Strat-O-Matic rookie league draft was just winding up.
Which sort of made me a victim of the draft gods, pinging me untimely when I was playing both the Wailea Emerald Course on Monday, fighting not just the draft but the unseasonable winds blowing on the southern part of the island.
Still, I was able to battle for the 18 holes, though with less than stellar results. As it happened, on Thursday morning Diane and Jill decided to go horseback riding near the Iyo Needle, so Eric and I tried to play the Waiehu Course nearby. It was sunny and 80 degrees when we teed off, but the wind and rain fell in torrents upon us, drenching in every way, shape, and form, soaking our clothes, towels, and clubs, and making the course impossible.
For, hitting in the rain is one thing, but trying to make decent contact in the windy rain is just too much, and after nine holes we bagged it, meeting the women in Lahaina where of course it was sunny and clear for chow at Cheeseburgers in Paradise.
It is sad, for Waiehu has more ocean-facing holes than any other course on Maui, and this incredible sixth hole tee gives an idea of how dramatic — and deadly to a slice or hook, depending upon — can be.
Friday morning found Eric and me back at Wailea, this time hitting the Gold Course, where my shots were finally a lot better
despite some 20-MPH winds, and at least I could break 100. Apparently there are night dives with Rays and a morning dive to the Molokini Crater set for the next few days, and since I don’t do that, I will have some time to check my queues, load players, and prepare for the final leg of my Strat draft which commences Sunday morning.
By Tuesday, we will be back home and it might be like none of this every happened. “Might.”
But, a couple of nights ago, Di and are were eating at The Monsoon, a really great Indian restaurant we discovered last year, and the waitress remembered us. Of course Diane and the server exchanged pleasantries, and as we got up to leave and head back to the condo, the waitress hollered, “See you next year.”
“You bet replied Diane,” so I guess this is a regular thing? I could do worse.
Tune into the Tout Wars Hour on the FNTSY network, hosted by me, with Justin Mason and featuring Lord Z every Sunday, 2-4 PM ET/11 AM-1 PM PT, and you can follow me @lawrmichaels.
