Don in his glory
Bob Edelblut
I truly thought there were no more seats on the hole-in-one train. Boy was I wrong. On Sunday, December 4 Don Plapinger aced the thirteenth hole at the MountainView Golf Course. Connie and Don were playing in their regular Sunday couples group and Jack and Debbie Hammer were their playing partners. Spouses are usually very good witnesses but this time neither lady saw the shot and only when Jack and Don started yelling and dancing around did they realize something good had happened. The party line is that Don’s shot was about 160 yards; he used a six hybrid; the ball was dead on line; it took one bounce and jumped into the cup. Great story—Great shot. It did, however, not take anyone very long to chant “the drinks are on you.”
Don grew up in Bethpage, New York and has vivid memories of his introduction to the game of golf. He started caddying at the age of 12 for $2.50 a bag. Electric carts had not yet been invented. He remembers that as a caddy he got to play for free any of the five courses that surrounded the old clubhouse. There must have been lots of caddies because he also remembers wait times of up to five hours to get a starting time. Another good story—like many others, his golf career often took a back seat to work and family and it was not until 1975 in Portland, Oregon that he began to play again. This was Don’s third hole-in-one and he is convinced that his luck is over!
Do you remember that it was couples golf? Do you remember that he was buying drinks? Good thing you do because 16 thirsty golfers showed up at the Olive Garden for dinner and for beverages compliments of Don Plapinger! Congratulations again.