The Where’s William Now adventure is currently in Bend, Oregon at Tetherow Golf Club. Tetherow (pronounced Teth-Row) is a heathland course designed by David McLay Kidd. It is visually stunning and features a vibrant member and resident community. The course is VERY difficult, and in fact, is rated the hardest course in Oregon. This has earned it the nickname “Death Row,” as Kidd admits to building it when he was going through a painful divorce. The co-owner celebrated his 60th birthday by doing a 60 km trail run. He is an extremely fit outdoorsman. I, on the other hand, am not IN shape but A SHAPE. So, I choose to celebrate my birthdays a little bit differently, as evidenced by the content of this post.

In 2008, I was the Head Professional at Spyglass Hill with two sons aged 9 and 7. They were infrequent golfers at the time because they were playing the other sports young boys play. I was still at the reasonable age of 39, so I was getting out on the courts and the fields as a participant and a coach. But the big 4-0 was casting a wide shadow over me. I remember 40 being a milestone where you finally realize that aging is inevitable and time is moving quickly. Forty is also the sweet spot for midlife crises like buying convertible sports cars and having affairs. I am pleased to say I was happily married and driving an SUV full of sports equipment instead. But I was going to celebrate my 40th birthday in style, so I settled on the idea of 40 holes on August 30th, 2008. I just needed to choose 40 holes worthy of this private party.

Spyglass Hill was my favorite course in the world at that time, so I had holes 19-36 of the 40 figured out immediately. I chose my wife and two close friends for that round. I was privileged to call Jim Langley, the late Head Professional at Cypress Point, one of my mentors. He took my call, liked the idea, and set me up for a morning time to complete holes 1-18. My wife and a couple close friends would be the beneficiaries. We coordinated for the our boys to be picked up and dropped off at school and sports practices. But I was still missing 4 holes of the 40, and I also hadn’t included my sons in my private party.

For those lucky enough to have played Pebble Beach, the first three holes are excellent, but their main purpose is to get players to the cliffs along the Pacific. The stretch from holes 4-10 are a spectacular combination of course design and views. Between the history, the location, the variable conditions, and emerald green fairways pressing against turquoise waves, many consider Pebble Beach Golf Links the Holy Grail of golf courses. Golfers from around the world visit this Mecca year round–but most frequently in August when the days are long and the weather is fairly predictable. Therefore, there would be no available tee times at Pebble Beach Golf Links on August 30th, 2008, but with the help of three key people, I was able to complete my vision. (1) RJ Harper, the VP of Golf, (2) Chris Dalhamer, the Superintendent at Pebble Beach, and (3) Chuck Dunbar, the Head Professional at Pebble Beach, allowed me to take idea to reality.

At 7:30am on August 30th, 2008, balls were in the air at Cypress Point Club. At 12:30pm, opening tee shots were struck at Spyglass Hill. And at 6pm, me and my two young sons loaded up a golf cart at Pebble Beach and played holes 5-6-7-8 to complete my 40th hole at sunset. I think I finished even par for the day, but who cares? I still consider this the very best day in golf I’ve ever had. And despite talking a big game about doing it every year, I never did it again.