Troon Privé, June/July 2019

22 TROON PRIVÉ MAGAZINE TROON PRIVÉ MAGAZINE 23 Whether Nick was a better golfer or party planner was long up for debate But in putting together Gabes bachelor party for a foursome of golf nuts and during Players Championship weekend no less he knew a weekend stay and play respite at The Phoenician would sate all comers Arriving at the course and just as Andrew and Kenny were just about to crow about missing Players moving day Nick walked the boys to the row of SHARK EXPERIENCE A Tale of Two Golfers Coffee in tow and careful not to wake his wife Ryan crept out quietly from the casita and strolled to The Phoenicians pro shop A weekend of 20th anniversary activities surely offered at least one opportunity to get in a quick round especially with the first tee time of the day Playing solo and eager to check out the newly renovated course Ryan readied his clubs tossed his rangefinder and phone into the cubby space and popped onto his Club Car You know you dont need that said the cart attendant referring to the rangefinder Weve got everything right here Ryan sat back as the attendant walked him through the carts Shark Experience prompting him along the HD touchscreens options for GPS music news sports and expert tips from Greg Norman The early morning sun cresting over the Sonoran Desert Ryan burned across the first three holes 1 over And then came the meaty 430 yard par 4 fourth His drive finding the fairway bunker the shot he struggled with most he assessed the lie amid the mornings quietude and then remembered he wasnt alone For more information visit www SharkExperience com PLAY LIKE A SHARK By Judd Spicer carts popped on the Shark Experience and casually nodded to the HD screens live PGA Tour feed So wait we can watch this while were playing asked the bachelor boy We can do that play music get yardage hook up your Bluetooth whatever you want Nick replied as he walked to the practice green As the round began and a four ball match progressed the fellas fast mastered the Shark Experience Andrew and Kenny decided they were the Players cart while Nick and Gabe were the tunes cart As Gabe was the man of the hour he was in charge of being DJ and got play underway with some energy opting for a hip hop channel As the dudes played deeper into the round he scrolled the Shark Experience options to match the mood taking the dial from 60s rock as the crew moved to the latter nine before eventually opting for a soul option on the closing holes With a post round recap of craft brews and pub fare awaiting at the on site Phoenician Tavern the boys reached the par 5 home hole with the match all square Gabe turned down the music a notch so Nick could study the GPS and decide just how much of the corner he could cut on the dogleg right finisher See that bunker right Gabe pointed to the screen Just aim to the left edge of that maybe open up your stance a little bit firm up the right hand and hit a massive cut Youll have an iron in over the water to the green Nick put peg to ground looked up to study the routing once then again and readied to strike just as Rory Kenny shouted from the Players cart and the foursome collectively gathered round the screen to watch a replay of a towering McIlroy drive on the 18th at TPC Sawgrass Scratch everything I just said remarked Gabe Nodding at the screen he told Nick And just try and hit it like that He turned to The Shark Watching Normans succinct Fairway Bunker video tip twice on the carts screen he studied and considered the advice of employing quiet feet from the fairway sand He then walked into the bunker with 7 iron in hand dug into the sand a bit choked down slightly on the grip and worked to heed Normans sage direction as he kept the spikes silent The iron clipped the ball crisply and found the front fringe pleasingly leading to his third par on the card Playing on through the morning Ryan further explored the Shark Experience and after scrolling through the music RYAN NICK options decided that some classical sounds coming from the carts speakers played as the best compliment After making the turn he found his way to the burly par 4 10th which plays dramatically uphill beside Camelback Mountain Studying the wind and watching hikers pace to and fro on the mountain he blasted a drive into the breeze that landed mid fairway leaving him with his own mountain climb to the green Referring to the Shark he studied the Uphill Lie video before taking one extra club firming his stance over the ball and keeping in mind Normans advice of firing his right hip up the hill The ball taking trajectory after a full finish the musical accompaniment from the cart he wished it was Wagners Ride of the Valkyries ala Robert Duvalls helicopter gunship attack in Apocalypse Now almost seemed to play the shot to the middle of the green A little more than three hours after his round began Ryan re entered the casita to find his wife sitting outside on the patio enjoying her own morning coffee Well howd you play Liz asked Like a Shark Ryan said with a smile REFERRING BACK TO THE SHARK HE STUDIED THE UPHILL LIE VID BEFORE TAKING ONE EXTRA CLUB FIRMING HIS STANCE OVER THE BALL AND KEEPING IN MIND NORMANS ADVICE OF FIRING HIS RIGHT HIP UP THE HILL