Chapter 5

Nik had time to shower and shave before he needed to go to the golf course to warm up because of having a twelve-forty tee time. He was in a twosome and was paired with a touring pro who was the second leading money winner on the tour last year. This player was popular and because of that would draw a large number of spectators. Because of this anticipated large crowd, Nik knew he needed to maintain his concentration.

It turned out that maintaining his concentration was easier said than done. Not only was this large crowd following them a factor but so were the thoughts he was having about Lisa. Nik did not do as well as he did in the first three rounds in posting a one-over-par score. He could have done better if two of his putts didn’t lip out which one announcer referred to these types of lip outs as the “dreaded horseshoe.” Another one of his shots hit the flagstick and ricocheted into a sand trap. The shot that pissed him off the most was when he was a little short on a shot to a heavily pitched green and the ball rolled back off the green into some rough.

Nik’s final score put him in fifteenth place which still made him the club pro who scored the best but he knew he could have done better. Nik’s score did not generate any interest from the television people to interview him.

Nik thanked his caddy for his help and arranged with the officials to pay his caddy ten percent from his winnings. He was told that while the qualifying rules for next year’s tournament haven’t been published yet, the chances were because of how well Nik played he could be an automatic qualifier.

Before he left the course to head back to the hotel he said goodbye to Lisa in between her doing interviews. He could see in her eyes that she was sincere in wishing him luck. Lisa said if things work out maybe next year after they cover the tournament at Pebble Beach she will take a few days off and visit him in Northern California. She did give him her business card which contained her e-mail address along with a kiss on his cheek and asked him to stay in touch.

Nik thought it was nice for her to say that and it would be great if she would do the visit but much can happen in a year so he wouldn’t get his hopes up too high for her coming to visit. She certainly would be welcomed since she was one hell of a woman he hoped he would see again.

On the flight home, many thoughts were running through Nik’s mind. They were of the tournament, his last round of golf, what to do with the considerable money winnings, next year’s tournament, and of course Lisa. He couldn’t help but think if the night he spent with Lisa was in some way what affected his last round’s performance and caused him to lose his focus and drop five places in the standings. That drop in the standings amounted to a drop of about sixty thousand dollars in prize money for him.

Was a night with Liza worth sixty thousand dollars was the question he asked himself. The smile on his face said it was but that tidbit was something he would keep to himself. He knew when he saw her on television, that the night he was with her was something he would think about and remember how she looked and what had happened.

Over the next few weeks based on her husband’s newsletter which Elaine continued to send him, Nik purchased some stock options and exercised some options. His brokerage account was increasing in value and his golf winnings were added to it. There was no reason why he wouldn’t continue to do this type of investing by purchasing options and now he would increase the size of his purchases.

Elaine was coming over to his condo weekly and was starting to show her pregnancy. He could see the glow she had because of her being with child. At her request, the doggie position was now the position they employed when they had intercourse. As far as Nik was concerned any position was fine with him. He did tell her that he noticed her breasts were becoming larger after he nibbled on them.

Elaine told him they could do this lovemaking until her six month but from then on that would be it. Nik had had no complaints if that was her wish.

His remark of, “So oral sex then is going to be a no-no,” earned him a little more than playful jab from her but she did say in giving him a devilish look that was a possibility if he asked nicely and if he would reciprocate.

With the inclement weather of winter approaching the club’s Board of Directors in conjunction with a general meeting they held with the club members, proposed to close the golf course to reduce the possibility of any damage being done to the course. They in prior years had taken a “cart paths only” approach but even doing there was some damage done to the course. There were a few members who voiced their opposition against taking this closing the golf course approach but the majority of the members understood and voice voted for this temporary closure.

Nik had no feelings either way about the course closing. This would be a vacation for him and he was looking for something to keep him occupied during this time. Maybe he should take a college course on investing was a thought that seemed to be perennially in his mind as something he should do.

He was at the pro shop and in answering a phone call Nik heard, “Nik, I don’t know if you remember me but I am Gordon Casey from Florida. The pro from my club here phoned you this summer and made arrangements for me to play at your club when I was up there visiting a doctor friend of mine.”

“Yes Gordon, I do remember you. What can I do for you?”

“Maybe there is something I can do for you. My friend tells me your golf course is going to be closed for a few months to protect it and I am wondering how that affects the golfing staff there.

“Generally most of them are looking at it being a long vacation. One of my assistants is going to be giving group and individual lessons using the video equipment at our indoor facility. The other assistant pro is going down to work at Pete Wilson’s course in Phoenix so he can give his assistants some vacation time. The greenkeeper here is going with his wife to do a long visit with the grandchildren.”

“How about you and before I forget, congrats on the PGA tournament?”

“Thanks, I was thinking of taking some business courses at the university here, but why are you asking?”

‘The reason is I was hoping you would like to do some cruising.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I work for a cruise line and on one of our ships, we have an immediate opening for a golf pro. This cruise ship now goes out of LA to Hawaii and back. Four days to get there, five days of visiting the islands, and four days back with one day in Mexico. During the cruise the golf pro gives six one-hour lectures on golf, three going and three coming back on any facet of the game he chooses. He will also golf with the passengers that sign up for it in Hawaii playing a few holes with each foursome. In addition, he can give private lessons at a small indoor range on board but he splits the seventy-five dollars half-hour fee for the lesson with the cruise line. His cabin and food are on us but his drinks and what else are on him. It would be required that the pro does this cruise four times.”

“What happened to the pro who was supposed to do this?”

“He got into some legal troubles.”

“You don’t mean the golf pro in Las Vegas with the hooker that was just in the news?”

“That’s him.”

“Can I get back to you tomorrow on this?”

“Yes, but I do need to know by then.”

Ending the call Nik thought about the offer. Spending a little time on his part in talking about golf to receive a first-class cruise seemed like a good deal. He did go on the internet to get some information on what people said about cruising, their likes and dislikes.

Phoning Gordon the next day Nik told Gordon he would do this cruising provided he had a private cabin and one that was located on a passenger deck and not on the crew’s bottom deck. He also said he wanted free internet during the cruise. Gordon told him the internet connection and speed weren’t the best but he had a deal.

One of the club members heard that Nik was going to do some cruising and offered to fly him down to Los Angeles.