As a 71-year-old who still boasts a handicap index below 2 and is in the Northern Ohio Golf Association Hall of Fame, Bob Fairchild is not someone who often calls on the golf gods for help. Rather, he relies on the physical skills and mental toughness the Good Lord gave him to hit the sorts of shots that enabled him to win tournaments such as the Ohio Amateur Championship and the Anderson Memorial Four-Ball Invitational (with the late Bob Lewis, a former Walker Cup player and captain).
But as Fairchild stood on the 18th tee at the Lake Forest Country Club in Hudson, Ohio, earlier this summer, he felt compelled to ask for some assistance from above. And much to his delight and that of his playing partner, David Goldense, the man – or woman – upstairs delivered.
... Fairchild hit his 8-iron on the 148-yard hole right into the cup.
As a rule – and not unexpectedly, given his low handicap – Fairchild loathes net events and all the strokes he has to give away during them. But he jumped at the chance to play in this one when Goldense’s initial partner and their mutual mate, Brian Duffin, was felled by a heart attack.
“Duff was actually dead for a moment,” Fairchild said. “And the EMTs brought him back to life. Then, he underwent triple-bypass surgery. The procedure was successful, but there were complications, and Duff then suffered several strokes.”
With Duffin, a former NOGA president, out of commission, Goldense asked Fairchild if he would play in their good friend’s stead. Fairchild, a longtime member of the historic Canterbury Golf Club outside Cleveland, jumped at the opportunity.
“David and I had a very nice day together, and of course, Duff was often on our mind,” Fairchild said. “He was still in rehab, and we didn’t know if and when he would ever walk again, let alone play golf. And when we got to the 18th, which is a par-3, I turned to David and said, ‘Let’s put one in the hole for Duff.’ ”
Goldense, who also led the NOGA for a spell, missed the green with his tee shot. But Fairchild hit his 8-iron on the 148-yard hole right into the cup.
It was the ninth ace and easily the most special of the bunch.
It was also an indication that sometimes, God is indeed listening. Even to golfers.
John Steinbreder
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