Chapter 12: Double Double

Dave woke at his usual early time. He looked at the clock and remembered that he had told Darcy and Alex that he wasn't going to practice after the late return from Florida. He tried to go back to sleep but the previous day played over and over in his mind. He had finally proven that he belonged at Wake Forest. He led the team to their first victory of the year and his good friend Alec had finally shown his previously unproven potential. Dave remembered vividly how both Alec and Darcy thanked him after the award ceremony - it felt good to be part of a team again.

As Dave thought about the experience of playing in front of Tiger and their mental chess match, he immediately realized that he would likely be ready to play professional golf before completing four years of college. He recollected how Tiger had turned pro after two years at Stanford; Dave decided he would start taking more courses to try and shorten his time at Wake Forest. He knew that he didn't want to shortchange his education but simply wanted to take the courses quicker. He got out of bed and logged onto WIN. He looked at his current schedule before he reviewed the requirements for his degree. He opened an excel spreadsheet and mapped out a possible high-load scenario for the next three semesters. His plan was quite simple. He would take one additional credit for a total of six credits for the winter semester ended in April. He would then take four credits in the first summer session and two during the second summer term. That would give him seven extra credits and, if he repeated that the following year, he could complete his degree in three years instead of four.

He sat back and stared at his spreadsheet. This plan would take a huge commitment to his studies. He looked at his golf schedule and decided he could do it as well. He looked at the course requirements for his degree and slotted his non-business and non-computer science courses for the summer semesters. Wake Forest had given Dave the course requirements for all degrees; they were broken into divisions. Division I was history, religion and philosophy and Dave had to take one course in each area. Division II was literature and he had to take two courses. Division III was fine and performing arts and required one course. Division IV was social and behavioral sciences and required three courses. The final group, Division V was natural sciences, mathematics and computer science; Dave knew he would have no trouble with this group.

He was confident he could take his Division I requirements during the summer semesters and he already had one Division II course - the English literature course. He thought he might add an American literature course during the winter session. He then thought he would ask Jana what Division III course she was going to take. He would then coordinate that course in art, music, dance, or theatre with her. Dave looked at his rough schedule and he felt confident that with a lot of hard work he could shorten his time at Wake Forest by at least one year.

Colby woke and they went to breakfast together. Colby congratulated Dave on his victory and Dave thanked him. Dave asked Colby how his courses were going and they talked for a half hour before they both had to leave for class.

Dave worked hard in class and was happy that he had not fallen too far behind - he was confident that one good night of solid study would get him caught up. He talked with his classmates and they congratulated him on the individual and team victory. After his two morning classes he went to diner and was pleased to see Jana and Kyra sitting in the dining hall. Dave filled a tray with food and joined them. Jana kissed him as he approached and they both said they were proud of his victory. They showed Dave the local newspaper where he was again pictured with a detailed article. He told them that the whole team played well and he was very pleased that they had won. Darcy soon joined them with Leanne at his side. Darcy was very proud of their victory and he told Dave that he couldn't believe how many students recognized him and congratulated him.

Dave nodded as he too had noticed more students than usual smiling and nodding congratulation to him. Dave noticed that Leanne was staring at him and seemed to want something so he looked into her eyes and asked, "Did you want to ask me something."

She smiled bashfully and replied, "Darcy has told me how much you have helped him, and I was wondering if you would help me, too?"

Dave grinned, "Darcy is a great player. I really didn't do much but show him a more confident way to play. His hard work has been the key to that confidence but I would be happy to help you. What can I do?"

She smiled, "Can I join your practice group in the mornings?"

Dave chuckled, "Our practice group? Absolutely, I would be honored to have you join us. I've seen you practice and you have a great swing."

Leanne smiled happily and hugged Darcy's arm closely. Dave was happy to see his new friend getting closer with his pretty girlfriend. Alec soon joined the table and Dave could see the immense pride in his demeanor. He strode to the table confidently and Dave knew that Alec had obviously received a lot of congratulations as well. Alec smiled at the group, "Great day, isn't it?"

Dave laughed, "Fantastic day, Alec."

Alec confirmed Dave's thoughts when he explained he had received a huge amount of recognition for his third place finish. He turned to Dave and whispered, "Thanks again for all your help. I never imagined it would feel this good."

Dave put his arm around Alec's shoulder and raised his glass of milk in the air. He quietly cheered, "Demon Deacon Golf!"

His friends at the table raised their glasses in the air and cheered loudly, "Demon Deacon Golf!"

Dave was surprised they had cheered so loudly but he was absolutely shocked when the entire dining hall roared, "DEMON! DEACON! GOLF!"

Dave and his friends laughed. Dave, Darcy, and Alec talked animatedly about the tournament and the girls were surprised when Alec told the story about Tiger. Dave tried to get him to stop but Alec pressed on. Jana and Kyra really didn't now much about Tiger Woods but Leanne gasped then asked, "You really said that to Tiger?"

Dave smirked and simply shrugged. Leanne shook her head in disbelief. Dave asked, "Please keep that to yourselves. I really don't want everyone thinking I challenged Tiger. It's just a little mental game we're playing - and may be playing for some time."

They all agreed but Leanne was still shaking her head in disbelief.

When it was time for class Dave asked Jana if he could talk to her later that evening about his classes and she agreed before she went to her class. The afternoon class went well and Dave was surprised when almost every student in his class approached him and congratulated him on his victory.

After class Dave went back to his room and studied for an hour. Coach Dawes had told the team to get caught up on their studies and forget about practice but Dave had to hit some balls. He went to the golf center where he saw the women's team practicing. He went into the center and got ready for practice. When he returned to the driving range with two buckets of balls, the entire women's team - including coaches - walked to him and congratulated him. Even Tiffany politely congratulated him. Dave thanked them before he loosened up and started hitting balls.

After his practice time, he returned to his room and studied hard for another hour before meeting Jana and Kyra for supper. He asked the twins about their planned course schedule the next semester and they agreed they too would like to register for a few common courses. They ate a quick meal before Dave went back to his room to study. He reviewed the notes his classmates had sent him from Tuesday's classes and he prepared for the next day. He crawled into bed very tired.

He woke early as usual and, as he exited the bathroom, he saw Leanne and Darcy standing beside his door. He asked her if she liked cereal and after she nodded yes, he retrieved three bowls and they ate together in the hall before leaving for the golf center. The sun was rising later each day and their morning practice time was getting shorter but Dave wanted to continue the routine until after their fall tournaments were completed. Alec joined them at the practice range. Leanne asked Dave to give her any tips possible and he gave her a few minor pointers but told her that consistency was the key and only more practice could improve that. She nodded understandingly and thanked him.

After an hour of practice they all went to class. Dave's classes were a repeat of the previous day and he was congratulated often. He was up-to-date on all his classes and he was very pleased. At lunch he met up with Alec, Darcy, Leanne, and the twins. He liked the routine of having good friends join him for his meals.

After lunch Dave, Darcy, and Alec went to the golf center for practice. Dave was surprised to see Keith hitting balls on the range but when he did the math, he realized it was indeed two weeks since Jennifer had arrived at Wake Forest. He ignored the now reinstated Keith and silently got his own clubs out. His teammates who hadn't gone to Florida congratulated all three of them and Dave thanked them. He practiced hard for the afternoon before Coach Dawes called the team together. He congratulated the players who went to Isleworth and he announced that the team's national ranking had jumped from 24^th before Isleworth to 12^th afterward. He told the team that the qualifying round for the Carpet Capital Collegiate tournament would be on Sunday. He told them to work hard and prepare for a very tough tournament.

Dave left the practice range and went back to his room to study. Friday morning was a repeat of Thursday; Darcy and Leanne were waiting for Dave outside his room and, after a quick breakfast, they went to the golf center together. Alec was waiting for them and they worked on their chipping and sand shots. The remaining members of both the men and women's teams eventually arrived and then Leanne went to practice with her coaches and teammates. She thanked Dave before she left.

Dave, Darcy, Alec, Carl, and Will went to Miller Center for weight training while the remainder of the team practiced at the golf center. Dave had a good workout and Mike Tonelli complimented him on his work ethic. Darcy's workouts had also improved and his confidence was growing steadily. While they were walking back to the golf center Alec invited Dave to his house that evening for dinner. Alec explained that his mother was tired of hearing about the remarkable Dave MacDonald and wanted to meet him to make sure he wasn't a figment of his imagination. Dave immediately felt embarrassed and asked what Alec had been telling his mother. Alec simply smiled and said he told her how incredible a golfer Dave was and how Dave was, surprisingly, an even better person.

Dave shook his head and joked, "I'd also like to meet this remarkable Dave MacDonald person because it sure as hell can't be me." Alec laughed and put his arm around his new best friend.

The team practiced for the rest of the day except the one-hour break for lunch. The fall weather had cooled the afternoons off nicely and Dave enjoyed the refreshing fall day. It was similar to golf in September on QAI. Keith kept his distance and that made the afternoon even better.

After practice Dave went back to his dorm and showered quickly while Alec waited for him. They drove directly to Alec's house. The drive took about forty-five minutes and during the drive Dave wondered about Alec's mother. All he knew was that she was a secretary. Alec had told him that he was an only child and that his parents had divorced when he was six. His father now lived in New York and Alec had not seen him in several years. Dave knew that Alec was on a partial scholarship and that his father had provided money to help with his education.

They pulled into a suburb community with a variety of houses but most were modest bungalows. As they pulled into the driveway of a small gray bungalow, Alec turned to Dave, "It's not very big but it's home."

Dave grinned, "With just you and your mom, it's doesn't need to be big." Dave noticed the manicured hedges and beautiful flowers in front of the house. The house was small but it looked impeccable.

Dave got out of the car and as he walked towards the house, the front door of the bungalow opened. A short stout woman emerged from the door and she walked directly to Dave and hugged him like a long lost friend. Her short stature placed her face at Dave's chest level and she squeezed him tight against her body - Dave liked her immediately. She gushed in a strong southern drawl, "Oh, it is so nice to meet you, Dave. Alec has talked about you so much and he has been on cloud nine since returning from Florida. You have made him so happy and I can't thank you enough for that."

Dave replied, "Thank you, Mrs. Trainor; but Alec did that on his own. I didn't really do anything."

She smiled at him then looked at Alec, "He is very modest, isn't he?" She looked back at Dave and added, "Please call me Patsy. Alec has told me how you have helped him and another one of your teammates. I had always thought that golf was an individual sport but you have proven me wrong. Thank you for helping Alec."

Dave simply nodded as she took his hand and led him into the house. As soon as the front door opened Dave's lungs filled with the aroma of roast beef. He had not had a good home-cooked meal in almost a month and his mouth began to water immediately. He smiled at Patsy and said, "The roast smells spectacular. I hope you have a spare room because I may just move in."

She laughed and told him he was welcome anytime. She asked Alec to give Dave a tour of the house before she went into the kitchen. Alec showed Dave around the neatly kept house then he explained that he needed a shower. Dave went into the kitchen to help Patsy. She tried to convince him she didn't need help but he insisted, so she asked him to set the table. She showed him where all the plates and utensils were located. They talked about Wake Forest and his family. By the time Alec returned from his shower, Dave and Patsy had become very good friends.

The meal was wonderful and Dave couldn't resist eating a second helping. After eating, Dave and Alec chased Patsy out of the kitchen while they did the dishes and cleaned up. Patsy asked Dave to stay and watch a movie and he happily accepted. Dave and Alec then drove to a local video store and rented the movie Raising Helen. They spent a quiet evening relaxing, munching popcorn, and watching the movie. It was after eleven when Alec dropped Dave off at Palmer. Dave thanked him for the wonderful evening then went straight to bed.

Saturday morning was filled with practice. Darcy and Leanne met Dave early and when Alec arrived they worked hard on their short irons. Dave continued to give Darcy and Leanne pointers. Alec was in a groove and really striking the ball well. The remaining team members eventually arrived and the practice range was busy until noon. Coach Dawes then called his team together and told them to enjoy the football game that afternoon but not to party too hard that evening because their qualifying round was the next day.

Dave showered then found Jana and Kyra and went to lunch. Darcy, Leanne, and Alec joined them and after an enjoyable meal they walked to the football stadium. Duke was in town and both teams were looking for their first ACC victory. The game was very exciting and the Demon Deacons held on for a 24-22 victory. After the game the six friends went back to the dining hall for dinner before going to Alec's apartment. Alec and Dave went out and Alec bought some beer; they sat around all evening talking and sipping beverages. Darcy and Leanne left around ten-thirty and Dave left with the twins around eleven.

Dave walked the sisters to their rooms; after he kissed Jana goodnight, Jana quietly asked, "Aren't you going to kiss Kyra?"

Dave looked at the shy looking Kyra and saw she was expecting him to do something; he moved to her and kissed her. As their lips met, Kyra put her arms around Dave and pulled him close. Her tongue darted between his lips in search of his tongue as she pressed her round firm breasts info his lower chest. The heat of the kiss was very passionate and Dave felt his previously soft member start to harden in excitement. As quickly as the kiss had begun to heat him up, Kyra pulled away from Dave, giggled, and then dashed to her room.

Dave looked at Jana in bewilderment at the spirited actions of her twin. She kissed him on the cheek and explained, "Silly, I told you Kyra liked you." Dave simply nodded as he watched Jana turn and go into her room. Dave stumbled back to his room in shock - Kyra was really intense.

When he walked into his room Colby was studying and Dave talked with him for a while before he pulled a pillow over his head and went to sleep.

The qualifying round Sunday went well and Dave was again low man with sixty-six. Keith knew he had to prove himself and shot sixty-eight. Will and Alec shot sixty-nine and Darcy shot seventy. The rest of the team were all over seventy-two and it was no surprise when Coach Dawes announced the team would be Dave, Keith, Alec, Will, and Darcy. Darcy was very pleased to be playing another tournament and Dave reminded him to stay focused.

The week passed quickly and Dave studied hard every evening. The team members going to the Carpet Capital Collegiate met at the golf center at five o'clock on Thursday morning and then loaded onto a van for the six hour drive to Rocky Face, Georgia. The drive was tiring but Dave was anxious to play another collegiate tournament. They arrived shortly after noon and after eating dinner they went to the golf course for a practice round. Dave immediately noticed that there were more camera crews than there had been in Florida and every camera crew spent at least some time taping him hitting balls on the practice range.

Dave played with Alec and Darcy for the practice round and he was glad to see Coach Dawes was keeping Keith away from him. Dave had resigned himself that he would have to act civil to Keith but he could never and would never trust him again, so he just tried to stay as far away from Keith as he could. Dave really liked the Farm golf course and he was happy with his two under par seventy. Darcy shot a solid seventy-two and Alec shot seventy-one. All three were confident they were ready for the first round on Friday.

The entire weekend went well for Dave and the rest of the team. Dave shot rounds of sixty-six, sixty-nine and a tournament record sixty-three to easily win the individual title. Alec had another fantastic tournament and finished fourth overall while Darcy played solidly all three rounds and finished twelfth. Both Keith and Will recovered from poor first rounds to finish nineteenth and twenty-second respectively. Coach Dawes was very pleased with another convincing team victory. Dave did interviews with four different camera crews and two reporters. He was very happy to finally get on the van for the drive home. The drive home Sunday evening passed quickly as the team celebrated their second straight victory.

Dave didn't get to bed until after midnight and he slept soundly until his alarm went off for him to go to class. His classes went well and his fellow students congratulated him on another victory. Jana and Kyra were waiting for him in the dining hall and both kissed him excitedly when he entered. They showed him the local paper and the title read, "Wake Forest - Home to Next World's No. 1 Golfer."

Dave smiled when he read the headline but commented, "There's a huge difference between college golf and professional golf. I'm not ready to face the pros on a weekly basis, yet."

Jana chuckled, "You already beat them all once. You know you are ready."

Dave shook his head, "Not all of them. I haven't faced Tiger yet and I'm in no rush to do that. Let's just keep all this in perspective. I've won two straight tournaments - that's all. I'd like to eat, relax, and take a break from golf. Our next tournament is not until February, so let's just forget about golf for a while."

Jana and Kyra hugged him and agreed to drop the matter. Darcy and Leanne came bouncing into the dining hall and Dave could tell that Darcy had obviously had a very good morning. Darcy immediately bragged, "It feels wonderful to be a winner. Everyone knows we won again and they are all congratulating us. It's sweet!"

Dave smiled at Darcy but with a very level tone said, "Darcy, it is great and enjoy the moment but always remember that the tide can turn the other way very quickly; now that we are winners people expect more of us. Enjoy the moment but stay grounded. Don't forget how we got here - hard work, dedication, and focus. If you stop any one of those three, we could easily never win again." Darcy listened to Dave and nodded agreement but he still celebrated - only a little quieter.

When Alec arrived he too was excited but he wasn't as over-confident as Darcy had seemed. He told Dave that a very pretty girl in one of his classes congratulated him and they talked after class. He had worked up the courage to ask her out and they were going to a movie on Thursday night. Dave smiled and congratulated his friend.

Shortly after Alec arrived, Dave heard someone yell "Now!" Then the entire dinning hall raised their glasses and cheered, "DEMON! DEACON! GOLF!" Dave and his table lifted their glasses and repeated the cheer. Dave loved the Demon Deacon Pride.

Eventually, Dave suggested that they stop the morning practices until after New Year's. He immediately noticed a sad look on Leanne's face and he asked her what was wrong. She explained that the women's team still had one more tournament and her qualifying round was that Friday. Dave changed his suggestion and offered to continue practices until Leanne was finished. Darcy was happy Dave would extend the practices for his girlfriend. Dave gave Alec the option to stop immediately but Alec quickly said there wasn't a chance in hell he would stop if Dave, Darcy, and Leanne didn't.

Dave chuckled to himself as he thought again about Leanne calling the group his practice group and he realized that they enjoyed working together as a team. Dave asked Leanne if she had practice on both Tuesday and Thursday afternoons and she said only Thursday. He asked if she wanted to play a round with him on Tuesday and work on her course management. She beamed with excitement. Dave asked Alec and Darcy if they wanted to play and both said they definitely did. Alec pulled out his cell phone and booked a time at Tanglewood.

Dave went back to class after lunch - then spent the evening studying. Tuesday passed quickly and Dave, Darcy, Alec, and Leanne were soon hitting balls at Tanglewood. Leanne's swing was getting steadily more consistent and Dave talked to her about not over-swinging. She wasn't very big and sometimes she tried to compensate by swinging too hard. Dave convinced her that the golf technology would allow the ball to go far enough as long as she focused on her timing and weight transfer.

Dave, Darcy, and Alec all teed off before Dave walked with Leanne to the women's tee on the first hole. Dave went through the same routine he used with Darcy. He had Leanne describe her thought process and he told her to focus on the positive - not the negative. Dave didn't pay much attention to his game but focused on Leanne. When the round was finished Leanne looked tired but Dave sat her down on a chair and explained, "We covered an awful lot today and you will never remember it all but focus on selecting the best shot for you and then think positively about that shot. Remember - Focus! Focus! Focus!"

Leanne nodded before she thanked Dave for his help. During the drive back to campus Dave again gave her small pointers and she listened intently.

Dave studied hard all evening but took short breaks and switched among his subjects; he had learned that the most effective study times occur at the beginning and end of study sessions. On one of the breaks, he spent some time with Jana and Kyra. He had noticed that since he had gotten back from Florida, Kyra was always with him when he was with Jana. He asked them if they wanted to go to a movie on Friday and both agreed.

The week passed quickly, Dave and his group practiced every morning. On Friday morning Alec was bouncing with excitement as he told Dave about his date the night before. He and Shauna got along marvelously; she was a business major just like him and they talked about their classes and their dreams of the future. Dave knew from his many talks with Alec that he had realized early in his collegiate career that professional golf was highly unlikely and he had worked hard to get a solid business education. His recent success in golf gave him a glimmer of hope for a golf career but he was still focused hard on his studies. Dave knew that part of the reason he and Alec became such good friends was because Alec was so grounded. While Dave did hope for a professional golf career, he was as dedicated to his education as he was his golf.

Leanne's teammates arrived around nine o'clock and she left to practice with them. Dave, Darcy, and Alec continued hitting balls for another hour before they went into the golf center to clean their clubs and put them away. They wished Leanne luck before she left for Tanglewood. As they entered the golf center, Coach Toombs walked into the locker room and teased, "Just can't get enough, can you? Winning is infectious - the more you win the more you want to win." They simply smiled and nodded so he continued, "I know you have been helping Leanne and I really appreciate it. She is a good kid but unfortunately she and I have that sibling issue and she won't listen to me. Thanks for helping her. And Darcy, you treat her right or I'll rip your head off."

Darcy looked mortified but when Coach Toombs grinned at him and put out his hand to shake, Darcy relaxed. It was obvious Coach Toombs was teasing him but at the same time he was definitely sending a message. Darcy heard the message loud and clear. After Coach Toombs left Dave laughed at Darcy and told him he had warned him.

Dave, Darcy, and Alec went for an early lunch before Dave retired to his room for an afternoon of study. At suppertime he heard a light tapping on his door and two laughing voices outside. He opened the door to the smiling faces of the twins. They walked to the dinning hall arm-in-arm. They had just sat down to eat when Alec walked into the hall holding the hand of a very pretty brunette. Dave watched Alec talking and having fun with Shauna and he could tell they were very comfortable with each other. After paying for their meals, Alec led Shauna to the table where Dave and the twins were sitting. He introduced her to Dave, Jana, and Kyra before he sat down. Shauna immediately talked to Dave about being a business major and she and Alec recommended which professors to take and which to avoid.

They were all talking about the various elective courses when Dave noticed a running and smiling Leanne headed his way. Darcy was close behind and he was obviously busting with pride. Leanne ran right over to Dave and hugged him as she cheered, "I qualified for the next tournament. Coach said I have improved immensely in the last two weeks and she wants to see what I can do in a tournament. Thank you, Dave. I owe it all to you."

Dave hugged her before he replied, "You did it yourself with all your hard work. I'm happy I could help but it was you that did it, not me."

She kissed Dave on the cheek and simply said, "Thanks for helping me."

Dave said, "You're welcome." Darcy nodded thank you to him as well before he and Leanne went to get their food. She and Darcy soon returned to the table and she excitedly described her entire round. She had shot seventy-five which was the first time she had broken eighty since arriving at Wake Forest. She was overflowing with excitement.

Dave asked, "When do you practice tomorrow?"

She replied, "The team is practicing in the morning but we have the afternoon off."

He quizzed, "Would you like to play another round tomorrow afternoon?"

She shrieked, "I'd love to." Dave looked at Darcy who simply smiled. Alec was already pulling out his phone.

Dave suggested, "Let's play Old Town for a change. I hear it has a nice layout."

Alec, Darcy, and Leanne all nodded before Alec stood and went to the pay phone located on the wall. He pulled out the phonebook then dialed the number on his cell. He talked as he walked back to the table and when he sat down he said, "We're on for one-thirty."

The seven students sat in the dinning hall and talked for another hour before Alec handed Dave his keys and Dave left with the twins. The movie they went to see was a comedy and they enjoyed it. As they were walking back to Palmer after dropping the car off for Alec, Jana whispered, "Kyra and I would both like to spend the night with you."

Dave smiled as he thought about making love to the beautiful twins; a thought flashed through his mind that his father seemed to enjoy having intimate access to twin sisters - it could be even more than just double fun. But then he suddenly realized that all their rooms utilized small bunk beds. He thought for a moment and, after mentally calculating how much money of his weekly allowance he had built up over the past eight weeks, he suggested, "I'd really like that too but the beds are too small in residence and I want to have lots of room to enjoy both of you. Will you allow me to plan an evening tomorrow so we can make our first night together something very special?"