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News & Photos
Juniors Reclaim Title in Headmaster's Golf Challenge
It started three years ago when they were freshman, and now it is a much anticipated tradition.
Looking for a way to beat the winter doldrums their freshman year, Erik O. and Greg B. challenged Headmaster Bo Dixon to a round of golf on a makeshift course on the parking lot. They won the first year and the grand prize was free dress for their entire class. The following year there was no free dress for the sophomore class. Instead, they had to wear special dress because Mr. Dixon and his partner, Mrs. Dixon, won the rematch. After the loss, the boys promised their classmates, "Next year is our year, guaranteed!" On Wednesday, May 16 they delivered on that promise. Below is a play by play account of the action by junior Greg B.
The event was being billed as an epic clash of David vs. Goliath; the fearless McDonogh headmaster and his right-hand man against two weak and timid juniors. But the mighty headmaster met his end, not at the point of a sword, but with the head of a putter.
As I walked onto the mini-golf course I could feel the tension slowly rising like a bag of microwave popcorn. I bent down and began to do some pre-game stretches (the worst thing you could do is pull a hammy during an event like this). The gallery slowly began to fill as I began my mental preparation for the match. In my mind I visualized each hole; the first one titled “You Have Got to be Kidding Me” was a monster of a hole. More than eight feet long we had to putt over the pit of doom, avoid the black cat of bad luck, and somehow get the ball up a hill into the hole. The second hole, “The Pyramid” was exactly that, a huge unforgiving pyramid. Hitting the ball just a touch to hard would result in it flying over the pyramid and rolling to the other end of the parking lot. The final hole was named “The Super Duper Looper.” But it should have been called “The Impossible Hole That Makes You Want to Quit Golf.” The rest of the course was decorated with huge Christmas decorations that helped bring back memories of past golf battles.
By the time Mr. Dixon decided to show, my partner, Erik O., and I were both mentally and physically prepared. Then, like a young David Copperfield, Mr. Dixon announced that McDonogh mainstay Billy Ray would be his playing partner. It was a surprise of enormous proportions. Erik and I had no idea that Billy Ray would be playing with Mr. Dixon, and we were thrown off our game by this obvious psychological maneuver.
The field was set, all the players were ready to go, Kramer W. was in the announcement booth, and the gallery had grown into a massive group of fans. We all lined up at the first hole. After a brief consultation with my caddy Ethan S., I decided to jump the pit of doom and go for the hole in one. Unfortunately, that was a terrible decision, and I suddenly found myself on the other end of the parking lot with Mr. Dixon and Billy Ray. Erik kept falling into the pit of doom and it looked like it was going to be a draw for the first hole. But right before we decided to call the hole and move on, Mr. Dixon said that he and I would each pick up and start from the beginning again. This was the beginning of the end for Mr. Dixon, as I two putted for a victory on the first hole.
The next two holes resulted in stalemates, and all four of us were beginning to tire from running all over the parking lot to retrieve lost balls. We decided to make it a 6-hole tournament and play the holes over again from the beginning. Erik and I were practically celebrating our victory. We thought that there was no chance that they could comeback. As we were patting each other on the back and chest bumping, Mr. Dixon jumped the pit of doom and managed to stop a foot and a half before the hole. The entire gallery held their breath as Mr. Dixon lined up for his next shot. The ball flew up, spun around the hole, and then rolled back down towards the other end of the parking lot. We all let out a collective “phew” as I was able to make another two putt for a two-hole lead.
At this point it was dormie for Team Dixon. They could no longer win, but they could tie, which for Erik and I would be almost as bad as losing. We stepped up to the pyramid hole. I dropped my ball on the matt, lined up and swung. The ball hit the slope, popped up, and shot right into the hole. I couldn’t believe it. The crowd erupted, Erik jumped on me, and we screamed sweet victory.
This year was quite the golfing event, and a great ending to the golfing legacy with Mr. Dixon as the headmaster. After shaking hands with Mr. Dixon he said to us, “I better get an invitation to play next year.” I hope Mr. Dixon is reading this, because next year will be just like this one… Mr. Dixon will fall to the mighty wrath of Erik and my putters.
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It started three years ago when they were freshman, and now it is a much anticipated tradition.
Looking for a way to beat the winter doldrums their freshman year, Erik O. and Greg B. challenged Headmaster Bo Dixon to a round of golf on a makeshift course on the parking lot. They won the first year and the grand prize was free dress for their entire class. The following year there was no free dress for the sophomore class. Instead, they had to wear special dress because Mr. Dixon and his partner, Mrs. Dixon, won the rematch. After the loss, the boys promised their classmates, "Next year is our year, guaranteed!" On Wednesday, May 16 they delivered on that promise. Below is a play by play account of the action by junior Greg B.
The event was being billed as an epic clash of David vs. Goliath; the fearless McDonogh headmaster and his right-hand man against two weak and timid juniors. But the mighty headmaster met his end, not at the point of a sword, but with the head of a putter.
As I walked onto the mini-golf course I could feel the tension slowly rising like a bag of microwave popcorn. I bent down and began to do some pre-game stretches (the worst thing you could do is pull a hammy during an event like this). The gallery slowly began to fill as I began my mental preparation for the match. In my mind I visualized each hole; the first one titled “You Have Got to be Kidding Me” was a monster of a hole. More than eight feet long we had to putt over the pit of doom, avoid the black cat of bad luck, and somehow get the ball up a hill into the hole. The second hole, “The Pyramid” was exactly that, a huge unforgiving pyramid. Hitting the ball just a touch to hard would result in it flying over the pyramid and rolling to the other end of the parking lot. The final hole was named “The Super Duper Looper.” But it should have been called “The Impossible Hole That Makes You Want to Quit Golf.” The rest of the course was decorated with huge Christmas decorations that helped bring back memories of past golf battles.
By the time Mr. Dixon decided to show, my partner, Erik O., and I were both mentally and physically prepared. Then, like a young David Copperfield, Mr. Dixon announced that McDonogh mainstay Billy Ray would be his playing partner. It was a surprise of enormous proportions. Erik and I had no idea that Billy Ray would be playing with Mr. Dixon, and we were thrown off our game by this obvious psychological maneuver.
The field was set, all the players were ready to go, Kramer W. was in the announcement booth, and the gallery had grown into a massive group of fans. We all lined up at the first hole. After a brief consultation with my caddy Ethan S., I decided to jump the pit of doom and go for the hole in one. Unfortunately, that was a terrible decision, and I suddenly found myself on the other end of the parking lot with Mr. Dixon and Billy Ray. Erik kept falling into the pit of doom and it looked like it was going to be a draw for the first hole. But right before we decided to call the hole and move on, Mr. Dixon said that he and I would each pick up and start from the beginning again. This was the beginning of the end for Mr. Dixon, as I two putted for a victory on the first hole.
The next two holes resulted in stalemates, and all four of us were beginning to tire from running all over the parking lot to retrieve lost balls. We decided to make it a 6-hole tournament and play the holes over again from the beginning. Erik and I were practically celebrating our victory. We thought that there was no chance that they could comeback. As we were patting each other on the back and chest bumping, Mr. Dixon jumped the pit of doom and managed to stop a foot and a half before the hole. The entire gallery held their breath as Mr. Dixon lined up for his next shot. The ball flew up, spun around the hole, and then rolled back down towards the other end of the parking lot. We all let out a collective “phew” as I was able to make another two putt for a two-hole lead.
At this point it was dormie for Team Dixon. They could no longer win, but they could tie, which for Erik and I would be almost as bad as losing. We stepped up to the pyramid hole. I dropped my ball on the matt, lined up and swung. The ball hit the slope, popped up, and shot right into the hole. I couldn’t believe it. The crowd erupted, Erik jumped on me, and we screamed sweet victory.
This year was quite the golfing event, and a great ending to the golfing legacy with Mr. Dixon as the headmaster. After shaking hands with Mr. Dixon he said to us, “I better get an invitation to play next year.” I hope Mr. Dixon is reading this, because next year will be just like this one… Mr. Dixon will fall to the mighty wrath of Erik and my putters.