Mountain Magic Mania

They knew what they were doing when they named it Mountain Magic.

It was a golf tournament unlike any other! I had fond memories from last year, but being able to experience the fun, challenge and excitement all over again was a real treat. And it was extra special because this year…we came out of it with a trophy!

Let’s back up a little bit. When I last left you, we were about to embark on our first day of playing. Just like last year, we each received a rose as a symbol of good luck for the rounds to come.

Unfortunately luck was not on the players’ side the first morning, as the rain did not stay away. It poured and poured, pushing back our tee time from 9:00 a.m. to noon. On the bright side, as soon as noon rolled around the rain let up and we had a relatively dry – albeit cloudy – day ahead of us.

Before our round began, we stopped by the clubhouse for breakfast. I was fascinated by these frittatas that were stuffed inside real egg shells. I needed about eight of them in order to feel truly satisfied, but they were definitely cute!

Soon enough, we were out on the course. Like last year, our opening round was a best ball, which means that as partners, we take the lowest score out of the two of us on each hole to come up with the combined best score possible. There is both a gross score – the actual strokes we get on each hole – and a net score, which is determined by handicap.

We played a course called Chiricahua, which is tough enough on a pleasant weather day. Unfortunately, our balls were magnets for the sand trap. Rainy days and sand traps do not go together well, and let’s just say that when you’re nervous, it becomes even uglier.

Still, we battled through and only had a few double bogeys (rather than the dramatic “8” of last year), ending up with a reasonable score of 82. We didn’t qualify for the shootout like we did in 2011, but we were happily exhausted and ready for round two.

The food at these tournaments is always fantastic. I had an organic kale salad, chicken lettuce wrap and caprese sandwich to fill me up after a long day of play – plus a glass of white wine (or two). 😉

There were also these INCREDIBLE strawberry cake balls. Holy moly. Best dessert ever.

The next morning’s fare was just as yummy. There were mini Greek frittatas in muffin cups, potatoes, bacon and chicken sausage. My mom and I shared a little of everything and were protein packed for the next eighteen holes.

Our second day went way better than the first! This time it was a scramble on the Apache course, which essentially means that each of us hits a drive at the start of the hole. From there, we pick the best shot and hit again, pick the best shot and hit again, and on and on that way until you finish the hole, hopefully with the lowest score possible. The only catch is that you have to take at least six drives from each person, so the pressure is on to be accurate!

The weather was phenomenal – sunny and high 80s. I incorporated it into my #PhotoADayApril. Somewhere I went: the green! This is the 12th hole on Apache, a par three.

We had a very steady time of it, ending up with only one bogey, three birdies and all the rest par for a final gross score of 70, just like last year! The result left us in second place and down by two strokes (gross) going into the very last day. That’s us in the top left corner.

Lunch after round two was a delicious assortment of fish tacos and quinoa salad!

But the best was yet to come. Yesterday was the third and final round. We got to the course early for another great breakfast of waffles, scrambled eggs and hash browns.

And then we were off! Another best ball, like the first day, except this time around we were able to pick the best drive on each hole and play out from there. We played the Geronimo course, which is where I was at when 1:00 p.m. rolled around a la #PhotoADayApril.

The weather was gorgeous for us yet again, and my mom and I had another steady day. We balanced each other out and when one of us had a bad hole, the other would recover. My mom also had some amazing birdie putts, and even had a chip-in for par! Unlike last year, there were no terrifying “9s” and “10s” to choose from. We ended up with a 73 for gross and a 67 for net.

Our competition was fierce but so much fun to play with. Here we are awaiting the results.

Once everyone was in, we were amazed and delighted to find we were the lowest on the board!

I can’t tell you how much it means to me to be able to play in this tournament with my mom. Just having the opportunity to spend three whole, uninterrupted days with her on the course is really special. Golf is really important to both of us, as both a sport and as a way for us to be together.

To be able to pull off a win was icing on the cake of an already wonderful weekend with Mama B.

The feather trophies are really cool! Here is the story behind them.

Before we knew it, the time had come to celebrate a whirlwind weekend!

We tidied ourselves up for a sit down dinner with a mouthwatering menu.

The first course was an arugula and watercress salad. The flavor of the vanilla pear brulee was outstanding, and I loved the presentation of the dish.

Our main course was short ribs and roasted halibut. I preferred the fish and the barley risotto myself. Although, given my track record with risotto (and that this was the same venue where my wedding reception was held), this should not come as a surprise. 🙂

Our dessert definitely lived up to its name: the chocolate high heel was fabulous, as was the flashy bling ring that came with it on the plate! As soon as it was served, the lights dimmed and we knew it was time to dance!

The band was great! They played a lot of hits, both old and new.

We got really into it – some of us more than others… 😉

We were both dancing maniacs. My mom’s friend Carol did a great job on her inflatable saxophone, too. 🙂 They ended up taking first net in our flight – congrats to Carol and her partner Jane!

It was a great night…and an even better weekend. I already can’t wait for next year.

Big thank you to Mama Bender for bringing me out here as her partner. As I said before, it means so much to be able to spend this time with you, doing what we love and having a blast. I’m so, so lucky to have a rock star golfer for a mom!

Hope you are all having amazing weekends, too! What have you been up to?

Abrazos,