Well, I guess it is time to start putting the notes into actual words and save for history. Yes, it's time for the Vegas 2017 trip diary! The trip vibe was a little different this year - which is good. We need to have every trip be different in its own way. If I look back, there were not a lot of true gambling stories, but the interactions with all the other gamblers (and within our group) made up for the memories. And the golfing - as Layup caught the golf bug this winter, more emphasis was placed on the golf this year. For the better, I think!
Tuesday, March 7
The trip started a bit earlier this year - I took the direct flight out from Cincinnati to Vegas on Tuesday morning. The trip therefore started when my alarm went off at 5:45. Layup picked me up at the airport at 9 am - and off we went to Royal Links. Driving with Layup was much better than the taxi ride last year.
Teed off at Royal Links around 10 - just Layup and I in a twosome. Great round; gave Layup a few pointers for chipping/wedges and Layup was ready to put the clock on me a few times. On #8 - a short par 3 - I staked it to 4 feet and Layup pulled his a bit into the greenside bunker - or so we thought. Here's the picture - and Layup's ball at the bottom.
I gave him a free drop (due to man made obstruction), and off we went. I shared the picture and was immediately told I gave an incorrect ruling. Some people (like the idiot Wiz) felt that there was no free drop in this situation since the stairs went down to the bunker- and the stairs are part of the bunker.
We did not resolve that ruling - need some outside help on this one. (RRD? Kermit?). If the ball is on railroad ties, it's a free drop! It's not in a marked red/yellow hazard, and there is no local rule that the steps are an integral part of the course!
(of course, I missed my putt in the picture).
On the way back, we stopped at a Bank of America where Layup spent 20 minutes in the bank getting money while I was in constant fear of being robbed in the parking lot. Checked in to the usual room - the suite with the adjoining room - cleaned up, and the trip starts!
Layup and I first hit the UTH table; there was a poor guy sitting there by himself with the dealer when we come in and both ask for markers. Play grinds to a halt for this guy. He eventually gives up and leaves, leaving us two alone with Rosemary, the dealer.
Rosemary is friendly, ice cold as Layup and I start getting good cards. We were into the session about an hour when a random flop comes up - like Q of spades, 6 of diamonds and 3 of diamonds. Nothing there.
Rosemary turns over the 4 and 7 of diamonds..... hmmmm..
After 1 second, Layup smiles at me. "I have a straight flush". Sure enough, he had the 5.... a good start for the trip.
Quote of the trip happened during that session....Rosemary asked if we were in town for the Con Ag expo that took over Vegas that week. "No", we said. Just a guys trip - 7 of us. We always come in this weekend for golf and the basketball.
A guy was sitting on first base... and he paused. "It's....Tuesday..."
I think the Vegas trip should start on Tuesday every year - and I assume by 2020 it will move to Monday.
Wiz came in around 5 or so; we headed to Heritage at 5:30 for dinner where we had great food but the worst service. First, we sat down in the bar area - ready to watch the end of the Ga Tech game and the start of the Gonzaga game. We were ready for drinks - and our waitress was 5 feet away from us, talking to a friend of hers. And talking...And talking....And talking. Am I exaggerating when I say she did this for 10 minutes? We are ready to drink, and get back to the tables -but she is gabbing with a long lost friend. She half-heartdly mumbled an apology and took our orders. We did not hide our displeasure.
OK - nowe we can watch the games....until what? A 6'5" guy stand in the exact same place where our waitress was, and starts talking to another person. And, of course, this guy is in direct line with the TV so we are blocked. We did our best to cheer obnoxiously loud to see if he would get the hint - again, it took 5 minutes for him to move.
At least Gonzaga won (and covered) and Northern Kentucky won and covered. And Columbus covered the money line (-1.5). So a good start with the sports bets that day.
The rest of the day's gambling was non-eventful; we tried to roll and none of us could, and one more UTH session was a wash. I fell asleep around 11 after taking 2 sleeping pills - since I never sleep in Vegas.....
Tuesday, March 7
The trip started a bit earlier this year - I took the direct flight out from Cincinnati to Vegas on Tuesday morning. The trip therefore started when my alarm went off at 5:45. Layup picked me up at the airport at 9 am - and off we went to Royal Links. Driving with Layup was much better than the taxi ride last year.
Teed off at Royal Links around 10 - just Layup and I in a twosome. Great round; gave Layup a few pointers for chipping/wedges and Layup was ready to put the clock on me a few times. On #8 - a short par 3 - I staked it to 4 feet and Layup pulled his a bit into the greenside bunker - or so we thought. Here's the picture - and Layup's ball at the bottom.
I gave him a free drop (due to man made obstruction), and off we went. I shared the picture and was immediately told I gave an incorrect ruling. Some people (like the idiot Wiz) felt that there was no free drop in this situation since the stairs went down to the bunker- and the stairs are part of the bunker.
We did not resolve that ruling - need some outside help on this one. (RRD? Kermit?). If the ball is on railroad ties, it's a free drop! It's not in a marked red/yellow hazard, and there is no local rule that the steps are an integral part of the course!
(of course, I missed my putt in the picture).
On the way back, we stopped at a Bank of America where Layup spent 20 minutes in the bank getting money while I was in constant fear of being robbed in the parking lot. Checked in to the usual room - the suite with the adjoining room - cleaned up, and the trip starts!
Layup and I first hit the UTH table; there was a poor guy sitting there by himself with the dealer when we come in and both ask for markers. Play grinds to a halt for this guy. He eventually gives up and leaves, leaving us two alone with Rosemary, the dealer.
Rosemary is friendly, ice cold as Layup and I start getting good cards. We were into the session about an hour when a random flop comes up - like Q of spades, 6 of diamonds and 3 of diamonds. Nothing there.
Rosemary turns over the 4 and 7 of diamonds..... hmmmm..
After 1 second, Layup smiles at me. "I have a straight flush". Sure enough, he had the 5.... a good start for the trip.
Quote of the trip happened during that session....Rosemary asked if we were in town for the Con Ag expo that took over Vegas that week. "No", we said. Just a guys trip - 7 of us. We always come in this weekend for golf and the basketball.
A guy was sitting on first base... and he paused. "It's....Tuesday..."
I think the Vegas trip should start on Tuesday every year - and I assume by 2020 it will move to Monday.
Wiz came in around 5 or so; we headed to Heritage at 5:30 for dinner where we had great food but the worst service. First, we sat down in the bar area - ready to watch the end of the Ga Tech game and the start of the Gonzaga game. We were ready for drinks - and our waitress was 5 feet away from us, talking to a friend of hers. And talking...And talking....And talking. Am I exaggerating when I say she did this for 10 minutes? We are ready to drink, and get back to the tables -but she is gabbing with a long lost friend. She half-heartdly mumbled an apology and took our orders. We did not hide our displeasure.
OK - nowe we can watch the games....until what? A 6'5" guy stand in the exact same place where our waitress was, and starts talking to another person. And, of course, this guy is in direct line with the TV so we are blocked. We did our best to cheer obnoxiously loud to see if he would get the hint - again, it took 5 minutes for him to move.
At least Gonzaga won (and covered) and Northern Kentucky won and covered. And Columbus covered the money line (-1.5). So a good start with the sports bets that day.
The rest of the day's gambling was non-eventful; we tried to roll and none of us could, and one more UTH session was a wash. I fell asleep around 11 after taking 2 sleeping pills - since I never sleep in Vegas.....
1 comment:
Stairs are an artificial immovable obstruction and relief is granted. Additionally, if the ball lands on a stair into (but outside of) the bunker, they get relief outside of the bunker.
Can I request Snapchat for next year's trip?
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