I know this isn’t nature or wildlife, but yet still an important part of who I am.
I was lucky enough to be invited to join a great group of guys playing golf at Firewheel Golf Courses. For the past 24 years they have traveled to a new course for a three day weekend. It started 25 years ago and was always played on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. After a couple of cold and rainy years the event was moved to the third weekend in April. This was the 25th year. The event came with shirts and hats!
When I came down to Texas last year on my house hunting trip I got paired up with Jimmy and Billy. They invited me to join their group. Once I was moved in and settled, I had to be vetted by the Chairman. I thought they were all a little crazy so I fit right in. I am guessing I played with them for a good two months before I knew some f their real names. Everybody has at least one nick name. I thought I would put together an official player roster.
Dennis (“The Chairman” or “Beek”) Verbeek
Jimmy (“JR”) Reed
Billy (“Sunshine”) Craig
Greg (“Ace”) Phillips
Bill (“Buzz”) Eaves
Ron (“EZ” or “Easy”) Caddell
Jack (“Eagle”) Kissane
Kevin (“Hootie”) Maloney
Jimmy (“JB”) Brownlee
Rodney (“Rocco”) Shiftlette
Tom (“Spot Lite”) Miller NEED A RETAKE
Chet (“Chezzy”) Trammell
Scott (“Skate”) Cole
Tom (“Tommie”) Maloney
Carl (“Caddyshack”) Meinhardt
Chris (“Whitey”) White
Mike (“Stick”) Prescott
Kevin (“Little Kevin” or “LK”) Maloney
I was really hoping from some cool name like Ace, or Eagle, but they stuck me with:
Kent (“Pudge”) Jarrett
Friday was stroke play with net and birdie payouts.
The Chairman reading the rules to the 5 group captains.
The course was pretty good shape considering it had gotten between 8 to 10 Inches of rain the week before. Some of the par three photos:
The Signature Waterwheel hole
The elevated tee boxes for the 18th.
Some action shots from the first tee.
The “Barney” Pole! Rumor has it, it used to be the long drive marker, now they play it closes to the Barney. The group isn’t as “Long” as they used to be!
Saturday we played the following 6-6-6 event with a Blind draw partner.
After the 6-6-6 event we all went to the Par 3 course for the Last Man standing event. Each foursome played a par 3 hole, high score was eliminated. If there was a tie for the high score the low score player picked a spot for a chip off, farest from the pin was eliminated. Every hole 1 played was eliminated. So after 3 holes there was only 1 player for each foursome. The final four then played three additional holes until Rodney Shifflett was the last man standing.
For Sunday the leader was paired with the last place, and second with second to the last and so on down the line for the final 18 holes on Sunday. Two matches at play. First your own ball, and the a low net team game. 20 total points on the line!
Billy Craig won the “Luck Of The Irish Cup” for the three day low net.
There was a TIE for the champion of the 25th St. Patrick’s Invitational Event!
Congratulations to Rodney Shifflett, and Billy Evaes. (not sure how they are going to share the vest)
After the chairman handed all the cash and prizes the group had taken up a sizable collection and gave him a hand full of cash for 25 years of running the event and getting out weekly tee times.
I was super impressed and pretty jealous when they also presented him with a St. Patrick’s Invitational flag, framed and signed by Jordan Spieth!!! WOW
A great group of guys and a fun weekend! Hope I can keep my mouth shut and get invited back next year!
The group!
Life is good and I am blessed and you never know what might get in front of my camera lens next!
Kent
Both parents were also very active.
Bonus pair of Wood Ducks in some backwater.
And it all started with my 2010 GMC Terrain STL
The Male:
I believe them to be brother and sister from last year. That would make them too young to breed. I later found the other Mature set I believe that are sitting on eggs. Therefore, I believe they have kicked these two out to fend for themselves. Having grown up together they are really sticking close to each other. I had seen several photos of both owls on the same branch but I wasn’t that lucky!
Not everybody got the shots they wanted. We followed them fly from tree to tree leading us away from the home tree. I then told them lets go get out into the open so it would be easier to get some flight shots and sure enough I called them right over for 2 or 3 passes back and forth across the open area.
Mike had instructed me to get your shots and not to over work any one bird. The were very receptive and more than cooperative. I didn’t feel too bad since I knew they weren’t nesting and it was 68 degrees so they were needing extra energy to stay warm.
Dang it! Too much glass and clipped the wings.
I’m batman! I have been trying to get this pose where the owl is looking through the finger wings. They wings weren’t opened as much as I wanted but I still like this pose.
Zebra Mosaic – Central America
Tiger Longwing – Central America
Blue Morpho – Central America
No clue, not in the guide handout, but would say some type of Swallowtail.
Sara Longwing – Central America 
Doris Longwing – Costa Rica
Tiger Longwing – Central America 
Blue Morpho – Central America
No clue, not in the guide handout
No clue, not in the guide handout
Paper Kite – Malaysia 
No clue, not in the guide handout
No clue, not in the guide handout
Blue Morpho – Central America finally got one to open it’s wings.
Well worth the $10 admission. I stayed for about 90 minutes. I definitely will be going back next time it comes back. Lots of people with camera phones, but I saw one lady shooting slow-motion video so I tried on on a Swallowtails since they hardly ever land.