Many amateur and professional golfers like to make side bets with their fellow golfers. Most of the time, it is very low stakes with a side order of bragging rights. For years, my playing partners did not want to have any side bets until Mike came on the scene. Since, Mike and I have a tradition of challenging each other with a small side bet. It is all in fun and we still continue to play regardless of how well each of us is swinging the club at that time. And after our last outing, the tradition continued.

Last Monday, Blair, Mike and I played North Granite Ridge. I suggested to Mike that we play our usual side game. It is very simple: one dollar for the front, back and aggregate. It is not much, but bragging rights are the more important aspect of our friendly wager.

Before I tell you about our last round, I think a bit of history is needed. I met Mike about eight years ago at Osprey Links Golf Course. Blair was the person who actually introduced Mike and I. After our first round of golf together, we all became fast friends. During our second round, Mike challenged me to a friendly match, but I had to give him some strokes per side.

After a short and negotiated conversation, we settled on the Match Play format for the round. It would be a three dollar bet: one for front nine, one for the back, and one for the aggregate. The real negotiation started when Mike asked for strokes. At the beginning of our competitions I was very generous. I won as many rounds as I lost and that is exactly how Match Play should work.

Then suddenly (or maybe not so suddenly) I started to give Mike more dollars than I won. The funny thing is that the money was nothing compared to the bragging rights that came along with the minor wager. I realized that I was being way to generous with my offering of stokes or maybe Mike was just a better negotiator than me. Likely it was the latter!

Fast forward to our last match. As stated prior, we played our usual Match Play format for the usual stakes. Although Mike lives on a golf course, I figured my rusty game was up to the challenge. After the first nine, I completely regretted my decision because Mike was up seven. Yup, up seven! I owed him a dollar after the first nine holes, but I figured that I could turn things around (at least I was hoping). As good fortune turned out, I was up six on the back nine standing on the 17th tee. All I had to do was win the last hole and our entire match would be a push. That would be a great come back story and my bragging rights would be unprecedented.

Mike and I hit great drives on the 18th hole. Mike was a bit longer than me (I am not sure, but I think he used a foot wedge 😉 ). I was up first and hit my worst shot on the back nine. Mike, on the other hand, had a great shot to the green. I refused to be defeated and hit my ball to within eight feet for par. I needed Mike to three putt from 25 feet. Fortunately for Mike, he hit a great lag putt to within three feet. I putted first and made my putt. It lengthened Mikes putt. Unfortunately, for my chances at great bragging rights, Mike sank his putt.

When the dust settled, Mike won a dollar and the current bragging rights. We played straight up and will do so in the future; Mike put my dollar on the dash of his truck and challenged me to get it back. So, we are teeing it up again on Monday at Laurentide Golf Course. I am hoping to win back my dollar and a few more. But more importantly, I want to win the bragging rights!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!