HHeaven

Every so often I am invited by a convention and visitor's bureau to attend something called a "Fam". A Fam is a familiarization tour which allows meeting planners to visit a city and tour their hotels in an effort to educate us on their offerings. The point of course, is that we are then able to recommend these properties to clients and bring business their way. I was recently invited to attend a fam on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina and felt like I had won the lottery!

Hilton Head is an island about 12 miles long and 5 miles wide. This relatively small geographical space is home to 24 world class golf courses... omg. Are you kidding me? This is literally golf heaven! In addition to hotel tours, the tourism bureau put together a four day Hilton Head experience, complete with tee times and VIP passes to the Heritage tournament! I have no words... sigh

Hilton Head does have an airport, however when travelling from most cities it makes the most sense to fly into Savannah (the cutest airport ever!) and drive the 35 minutes to Hilton Head. Although I arrived quite late in the evening, I could see the non-stop golf course entrances for the duration of the drive.

The program began and of course I toured all of the hotels and became familiar with the island from a meetings perspective. However, I was chomping at the bit to get out on one of those amazing greens and tee it up. Thankfully, I had my first opportunity the afternoon of the first day of the trip. Five of us headed out to the Palmetto Hall Plantation (every "area" is called a plantation even though they aren't actual plantations). We had a t-time at the Arthur Hills course, which is fricking amazing. Anyway, we were a little bit short on time, so we decided on a scramble, hoping to get to all 18 holes.

Everyone was in a jovial mood as we waited our turn at the first tee. There is something about looking down the first fairway (at least for me), that evokes a kind of reverence. This was also the first full 18 hole course I had ever played so it was an extremely thrilling moment as well as slightly overwhelming. I had a set of rental clubs on the cart, and I hadn't had an opportunity to hit a bucket first so I had no idea how things would go. And then... I was up.

I grabbed my 3 wood because that is the club I am most comfortable with (I can't hit my driver to save my life). I teed it up... addressed the ball... and then.. I smacked the living daylights out of this ball! omg.. long and straight with that sound of the ball connecting with the sweet spot. The joy! The sheer exhilaration! Oh, if only my sweetie had been there... he would have beamed like a prod papa. Sigh.. how I missed him that day.

After a few successful t shots with the 3 wood, I decided to pull the big dog out and let him eat. The driver was a King Cobra and I thought, well, let's see how this works out. I hit the best t-shot I have ever hit and it flew for 200 yards! As I stood on the tee, holding my finish, I was mesmerized by the flight of the ball. I couldn't believe that I had done that, I mean really, I couldn't believe it. In the scramble format, we played the best ball through to the green. How utterly shocked was I, that many (perhaps most) of the t-shots we played from were mine?!?! Are you freaking kidding me?!?! (Note to self: save pennies for new driver).

We were in a hurry so we only played 14 holes, but the thrill of that first round filled me with a warmth I can't describe. We finished the round, headed back to our respective hotels (oh how I needed a nap), and prepared to head to dinner, followed by a comedy club. By the time I arrived back at my hotel that night, I was utterly exhausted, yet I had a hard time falling asleep. I couldn't help but replay the day in my head over and over again. The sound of my well struck drive eventually lulled me to sleep and when morning came, I was ready for Harbour Town!

Let the angels sing.