Posted: Sunday, March 23, 2014 12:00 am

RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF

Chuck Smith, 155-yard 17th hole at The Country Club at the Highlands, 7-iron, playing with Johnny Bennett, Mike Brown and Randy Hodges.

The 17 hole at the Highlands plays longer than the yardage as the green is elevated about 30 feet and on this day, was playing into approx. 20 mile an hr. wind.
I normally hit 8 iron for a back pin placement but the tee area was on the far left side of the tee box and it was at least a one club wind. I played the ball back in my stance and set up for a soft draw, as the pin was tucked in the back left corner of the green...from the angle of the tee box, the ball needed to travel over the corner of the bunker protecting the left side of the green. The green elevation is enough where only the 1st half of the green is visible from the tee box, so no....I didn't get to see the ball roll into the hole. I hit the shot exactly a I envisioned it, a soft draw that started about 10 yards right of the pin and when it landed was about 3 yards right... and I told my playing partners that if the wind didn't take too much off the shot, it should be pretty darn close....they all agreed it looked good in the air and on the ground, until it went out of sight toward the pin When we arrived at the green, there was no ball any where near the cup so one of my playing partners peaked in the cup and pointed down and said..."here it is"....I was hoping that was going to be the case but didn't want to get my hopes up...As soon as Johnny Bennett pointed down, I let out a shout and started the celebration.