My home course, 1st hole, 147 yds. I've been playing here for years and ALWAYS pay the $0.50 to win the 50/50 pot. It was up to about $2000 this day. I was treating a friend to round and paid by credit card because I had no cash for whatever reason today. Because I had no cash, I skip the $1.00 (me and my friend) contribution. I was even offered to borrow a dollar from the owner, I laughed and declined. We went off to the first tee box and I had a gallery, the starter, the owner, my friend, and a bunch of other golfers getting ready. I line up, go through my normal shot routine, ready to shank the first tee shot while everyone watches gleefully. SWOOOSH/I pure my 8-iron off it goes in the air, looking so good, lands, starts rolling toward the hole I'm thinking: I didn't put FIFTY cents in the bucket...

I never lived that moment down. Many witnesses, I'm happy I made my very first and only hole-in-one, but, losing that pot, ouch.

The club put my name on a plaque in the clubhouse and in the local newspaper.

But: I'm still broke.