And then there were three ... Tom Devine moves on.

 May, 2024.

Mick Rennich writes:

… and then were three.

            It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the untimely death of one of our four Arrows – Thomas “Deacon” DeVine.

            Following a successful 15-year battle against non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, Tom’s body was attacked by a fungal infection and a very aggressive leukemia that he could not defeat.

            Tom was the ultimate brave warrior, not disclosing to us his Lymphoma until 2018.  It was never about him.  Harley, Mark and Mick visited Tom in hospice about a week before his passing.  He was then, as always, in good spirits.  There, it was decided that the coveted Miss Congeniality would find her forever home in the Devine household.  After all, he claimed Miss C honors most of the time and was most congenial all of the time.

            Regrettably, we did not play in 2023.  In the Spring, Mick needed a new left hip and in the Fall our outing was preempted by Deacon’s ever-faithful commitment to his clients.  The last time we played as a foursome was on June 17, 2022.  Fittingly, we played on Tom’s home track, the Inverness Golf Club in Englewood.  Tom, of course, received Miss C honors then too.

            Harley, Mark and Mick vow to continue playing golf, sans Miss C, as a threesome in honor of their fallen classmate.  A fourth player to replace the irreplaceable is not possible.  Rest assured that we will never forget Thomas Lee DeVine, Sr.

June, 2022. Inverness in Englewood.

 Rino Retires, Again.

June 17, 2022.

Inverness Golf Club

Englewood, CO

Posted by Mr. Hanson, August 16, 2022.

The Four Horseman saddled up yet again, this time at Inverness Golf Club in Englewood, CO on June 17, 2022.

The occasion was to mark the most recent retirement of Colonel Rinerson from his most recent career, celebrated with a round of golf at Devine’s home course.  Harley cashes more retirement checks than there are fingers on both hands.  He’s had more retirement parties than Elvis.  Most people can’t afford to retire.  Rino can’t afford to work.   We see a grand jury appearance in his future.

If there were a Profile in Courage award, it would go to Devine for bringing this motley crew to his home course.  There were raised eyebrows over the matching shirts, and looks askance at the purple and gold shoelaces.   But the members  were good sports and besides,  who else is crazy enough to play golf in this heat?  Not many, it turns out.  The course was ours.  And Devine was awarded Miss C for paying the cart fees and jeopardizing his membership with his choice of fellows.

Last time we met, in the summer of 2021, wildfires in the West made air quality the worst in the world.  Just ahead of Mumbai, as Mr. Devine wryly observed.   But what moderates polluted air better than stifling heat?   This year, it was in the 90s only, which was like an oasis compared to 2021.   Road signs enroute warned that the day we picked to golf was on “Ozone Alert.”   Which means you shouldn’t fill your tank with gas or mow your lawn before 5:00 pm.   Since it said nothing about not playing golf, we soldiered on.

The courses are getting tougher as the participants get older, which is oddly disquieting.  I thought old duffers, like wine, are supposed to get better with age.   Another wive’s tale.  I see miniature golf in our future.  Or nine holes?  Or 13?  See below  Or corn hole games instead of championship golf courses.

The scores were just a little higher than the temperature.   It is tradition, not pride which compels me to disclose the results.   I’ll spare you the raw numbers.    Hanson was the medalist, shooting 73.   But wait, he quit after 13 holes.  Thank God for Mick’s perfect score on the Math ACT test in high school— he needed all his skills just to add all the scores!

Hanson won the Purple Putter early, with a measly 16 footer on #2.   Mick hit Shot of the Day with a 180 yard 5 iron to 4 four feet, made the birdie on the Number One Handicap Hole,  There was no Rino Cup winner since the greens were dry, fast and merciless.   So Devine retained it for another year.   Mick won MVG, mostly by default.  We were sworn to secrecy about Harley’s whiffs.  There were three or four.   And he quickly forgot about them.  We didn’t and never will.  I think we forget about being sworn to secrecy--one of the advantages of advancing age and deteriorating memory.

After golf, there was a gala retirement party at a joint in Castle Rock, attended by the Deep State and the likes of us.  Turns out Harley is as admired in his real life as he is by the Arrow Nation.  He got LOTS of whiskey to mark his retirement, which made Patty happy.   What’s a better combination than a deranged retired Army Colonel, armed to the teeth, high on a remote mountain top, drunk as a Lord on Jameson?  Patty is sure to find out.   #Colonel Kurtz?

He and Pat bought his Shangri-La retirement retreat on top of a mountain near Sedalia, Colorado.   The perimeter is defensible, the viewscapes are stunning, there’s plenty of room for all his military schwag.  Wife Pat has the patience of a saint to put up with it all, and the weekend Mick and I were there, we spotted bear and elk inside the wire.  Not long after our party and visit, there was a bear in the garage, munching dog food, until Harley beat him up with his bare hands.

We think, though, that Harley will do just fine in retirement.  He’s fit as a boot camp graduate— ask the groomsman at his daughter’s wedding who was foolish enough to challenge Harley to a pushup contest.  Harley did like five hundred pushups in a minute and the groomsman lost and made the walk of shame.  He learned his lesson.  Harley makes the energizer bunny look like a slacker.   The Rinerson daughters took on all comers in arm-wrestling at the brewery party  and beat their sorry asses, even the young bucks, every last one of them..  Chips off the old block, those Rinerson girls.

All told, we know this.  Tempus fugit.  There are no friends like old friends. 

Watch this space.   The agenda items for next meeting are a). Switch the outing  to the fall.  b). Switch to 14 holes.   c). Switch to corn hole toss instead of golf.

Word is of another get together in October, God willing.

August, 2021: The Ridge at Castle Pines North: Mick Rennich reporting.

 August 9, 2021.  

Mick writes, with a light editing hand from Mark:

Brutally hot.  Ninety-eight degrees.  The air, from the fires in the Western States, was the worst in the world that day.  No kidding.  The worst air in the whole world.   Worse than Mumbai.  We soldiered on, though the haze and the heat.

The four Colorado Arrows … DeVine, Hanson, Rennich and Rinerson … found themselves playing at The Ridge at Castle Pines North, Harley’s home course.  We played from the Silver tees. 6002 yards.   Mr. Hanson warned that playing golf, in Colorado, in August, in air thick with wildfire smoke and haze, was a bad idea.  He finally caved and reluctantly agreed to participate in the Arrow August outing.  He was right.  Might be the first time that we all agreed on something … it was too hot!  The conditions were almost too much to overcome.  In fact, it was too much for Mr. Hanson.  More about that later.

 

Given the conditions, the play was relatively decent.  Everyone broke 100.  Mick was medalist with a 90.  Harley right behind with a 91.  Among the group, there were 12 pars and one birdie (Rennich birdied No. 8, a 395 yd par 4 named “Pikes Peak”).  Mark actually posted a two-under par 70.  He was DQed, however, as he refused to play after Hole No. 13.  He claimed that he was too hot, that we should never have played in August and that he was right.  Rather pompous, that guy.  Right, but pompous.  Against medical advice, the round continued with the threesome.

 

A special shout out to the turkey playing with us on #12 … no not Mick … a real, live turkey.  As we are very astute, we named #12 the Turkey Hole.  On the Turkey Hole, Mr. Devine deep in the trap to his thighs, from a lengthy trap shot, with the turkey watching, the ball perched precariously on the rim of the trap and holding the club below even the bottom of the grip, hits it to within 8 ft!!!  He missed the putt, however.  Nevertheless, the bunker shot was amazing and figured prominently in the decision to award Deac the Rino Cup.  See the photo, below.

 

In addition, #13 will be remembered as the hole that Mark almost hit Katie, our delightful cart girl, with his shot to the green.  It was the last hole he played.

 

The awards ceremony lasted a bit longer than usual.  The bar was, of course, air-conditioned and no one was eager to leave its comfort. We had a bite to eat and then the lobbying began.  Here we go.

 

Shot of the day - Harley.  A spectacular 210 yard 3-hybrid on #3 to within 15 feet.  Although he missed the putt, the shot was pro-quality and the clear winner of SOD. 

 

Longest putt - Harley.  He knocked in an 18 footer for par on #9.     

 

Rino Cup (best short game) - Deac. For his short game body of work and especially for the shot on the Turkey Hole.

 

MVG - Harley was voted MVG. Despite not playing often, his game was steady.  He had only one recorded 7 during the round.  He shot a 91, and even though we did not keep track of chits (they are always waived anyway), it is calculated that he would have won that too.  Harley also received the new MVG cap to go along with the MVG trophy.  The cap was a gift to the group by Mr. Hanson.  It could stand for Mountain Vista Golf, but with this group, it stands for Most Valuable Golfer.  Go. Harley!

 

Miss C - Mark.  This was a close vote as both Mark and Deac received support.  Mark won the tie-breaker for his ”Compliment Circle” idea, which, while playing, left Rennich in tears and Harley speechless. He also purchased the new MVG cap, which effort, was a fact that we all considered while voting. Mark also drove the greatest distance to play … 88 miles each way!

Though one or more of us likely contracted some sort or other of pulmonary disease or complications from heatstroke, it was another fun time, and probably worth it.

Still crazy after all these years!

Notice the turkey in the background?  In the background, I said!  Devine lines up the shot.

Mickster doesn't age-- he just forgets stuff.  

The secret elixir.  Rhymes with "risky."

Greetings from the WHS Class of '71.  Harley cops a 'tude!

Harley is a better mood with his hardware and a snack.

May, 2021-- Saddleback Golf Club in Frederick, C

Saddleback Golf Club--Frederick, Colorado--May 21, 2021

Our WHS Class of ’71 foursome assembled yet again, this time at Saddleback Golf Course in Frederick, Colorado,  Mick’s new home course, just down the County Road from Mick and Gwen’s new home.  

It turned out to be a great venue, a beautiful day — the only fly in the ointment was the quality of play, which was not up to par.  In fact, the group had only 8 pars in the entire 18 holes, 72 total holes played, from the blue tees.  So Father Time, it turns out, has the last word after all.

Mick was the medalist, as he generally is and won Most Valuable Golfer, though decorum prevents me from disclosing his score.    Perhaps we should, going forward, style it the Least Invaluable Golfer, in homage to our rapidly deteriorating skills.

He also won the Rino Cup, thanks to a 28 foot hole out from just off the green, with a putter.  

Ask Mr. Hanson about whether there are sand traps at Saddleback.  Oh, there are sand traps at Saddleback, and he found most of them.    Mickster, ever the wit, long ago quipped that when Mark passes, the group should spread his ashes in a sand trap at Coal Creek, the spot marked with a plaque reading:  “Now he’ll NEVER get out of the sand.”  Funny guy, Mick.

To get some sense of the depths of mediocrity in the quality of play, Hanson won longest putt award with (wait for it) . . . .a nine footer.  But not just any nine footer— the completion of a sandy on number 8, which won him Shot of the Day as well.   In the sand (of course) on a downhill lie, short sided pin, ball nestled against the lip, one foot in the trap, one foot out, practically on his knees, with his not-very-supportive pals cracking wise and making bets about whether he’d a) even get out of the trap and b) whether he’d put it on the green.   A pick up snowman seemed very much a possibility.

But just then, when all doubted and smirked, our SOD award winner hit his Black Death wedge to 9 feet, holed the putt for a sandy and, momentarily at least, silenced his cynical pals.

Only to follow it up on the next hole with a six-iron from the fairway bunker (of course) to 20 feet for still another Shot of the Day Nominee.  The SOD award was not contested.  It rivaled the Colonel’s holed out birdie from under a fence from an Environmentally Sensitive rough, long ago, when we were young.  Three bright spots in an otherwise mediocre round for Mr. Hanson —  a brief moment of glory.    At this point, you may have guessed who is writing the blog entry this time around.

The Strength of Stream Award is still in development, since it’s tough to find a trophy depicting an old guy peeing.  The Competition Committee is still working on it.

Devine and Harley were shut out this time around.   I think their unbelievable productivity in the real world might be interfering with their game.  Mick and Mark don’t have that problem.

And what of Miss C, you ask?  Mr. Devine was brutally and painfully honest in observing that no one in the foursome had been particularly deserving—and since we were soon to adjourn to Mick and Gwen’s beautiful new home nearby for dinner that Gwen should win Miss C, and it was quickly agreed.  A fortuitous choice, because the Chicken Enchiladas were wonderful, at The Table, the centerpiece of Chez Rennich and Gwen was the best.  No non-competitor and surely no Clark Comet had ever contended, to say nothing of winning Miss C.  Her win was unprecedented.   And as the photos will attest, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.    Of all the accolades Gwen has accumulated—beauty queen, media star, motivational speaker extraordinaire, none compares to Miss Congeniality, 2021.  That’s our story.

Photos of the merriment follow. 

All told, it was a merry chase and we are fortunate that lo, these many years later, we four who attended kindergarten at Mellette School in the late 1950s, still find joy in one another’s company.  Fortunate, indeed.

 

 The Boys-- Vaccinated!

Practice makes perfect.

Miss Congeniality, 2021!

Not a dry eye in the house during the Miss C presentation.

Just let Mick keep score, Harley!

Looking good, Colonel!

The Medalist and Most Valuable Golfer, 2021.

Tom Devine, May, 2021.  Tanned and rested, just back from South Padre.

Murphy Creek. October, 2020. Class of '71 Golf Outing.

Mick Rennich writes from Louisville, CO:

 October 2, 2020 found the group back together for the second time this year, playing one of the most difficult tracks the boys have ever played. The Colorado Arrows … Tom DeVine, Mark Hanson, Mick Rennich and Harley Rinerson … teed it up once again at Murphy Creek in Aurora. Loyal readers of the Blog may remember that 2 ½ years ago the four Watertown natives attacked Murphy Creek and the course won. In fact, Mark, who didn’t even bring his clubs that day, was MVG. Murphy Creek proved to be just as challenging this year. The boys played par 3s of 185, 193 and 225 yards over weeds, rocks, water and sand. The longest par 4s were 467 and 469 yards. At the end of the day, Mark said that the course was too hard and that he won’t play there again!

It was agreed that the play would be from the Blue Tees, which measure 6909 yards in length. The boys shook off the threat of Covid-19, the constant buzz from F-16s flying out of Buckley Air Force Base, and smoke-filled air that was the result of fires to the north that are still burning at press time. Harley, our Colonel, brought old Walter Hagens (or were they Walter Hogans?) and made us each use one for one shot on the back nine. He is always coming up with these strange little golf games. We think he spends too much time at garage sales.

Harley got things going, as he seemingly often does, with a birdie on the first hole. His 17 ft. birdie putt was the longest putt made until the group played 17. Harley followed his birdie with three consecutive double bogeys. Tom, Harley’s playing partner the first six holes, made par on No. 1, and the two of them were off to a quick chit lead.

The chit contest ended with Mick getting 26, Deac 18, Harley 15 and Mark 13.

In the end, only Mick broke 100, shooting an impressive 89. He parred the No 1, 2 and 3 handicapped holes. He nearly drove the 311 yard No 9. On No 13, his 290 yard drive and 230 yard hybrid to pin high led to a birdie. Mark and Harley shot 100 and Deac a 101.

Deciding on hardware recipients at the end of the day was most difficult. Ultimately, the following awards were given:

Most Valuable Golfer - Mick Rennich … His drives were long and accurate (for the most part). He had 3-4 that approached or exceeded 300 yards. His second shots set him up for pars on the long holes. He had a birdie and six pars, the most chits and was medalist.

Purple Putter - Mark Hanson … Mark made a 60 ft par putt on 17 to win the longest putt award. The putt came from the very back edge of the green, was tracking from the start and we all watched in amazement as Mark walked it in.

The Rino Cup – this award is presented to the golfer with the best short game. Based upon his longest putt mentioned above, despite his problems from the sand, and because no one could remember any great or even good chips, Mark was the short game trophy recipient.

Shot of the Day - Mick Rennich … Mick hit his 4-hybrid to within 4 feet on the 225 yard par 3 17^th. He then missed his birdie putt! Despite the failure to convert, Mick’s shot was awarded shot of the day. During shot of the day discussions, Mr. Hanson embarked on a very unbecoming lobbying journey, arguing for the trophy based upon his same 60 ft birdie putt. Dismissing Mark’s pleas, our Board Chairman, Mr. DeVine, said that Mark had already been rewarded for that shot … twice ... and, with that, Mark’s quest for a trifecta ended.

Miss Congeniality - None … For the first time ever, no Miss Congeniality award was given. Mark’s transparent and misplaced lobbying efforts for shot of the day took him out of the running. He even paid for everyone’s green fees and then asked to be repaid … in cash. Mick kind of gloated when he hit a good drive. Harley gave out an opener of some kind that was not golf related. He marked his ball with an Advil on the 18^th green and Mark hit it. Mark’s putt was terrible to begin with, but ended up worse. Deacon brought no swag. No one bought lunch. No one was particularly nice. The result? No Miss C was presented. The Miss C trophy was given to the Colonel to be guardian over her. The group wanted a very secure location ensuring her safety over the winter, and there can be no better protector than the Colonel.

If there was a Most Improved Award, Mr. DeVine would be a lock for it. Now that he has replaced his Studebaker with a Nike Driver he got from the wily Jim Dugan, his tee shots are consistently long and accurate. Never mind that Deb and he have played fifty times this year, his drives, for the most part, were spot on.

There was no Miss Murphy Creek this year. Our first server disappeared after two visits to the table. We needed to search for someone to help us. Pictures were taken, however. See below.

The Colonel, deep in thought.

Mickster hasn't aged at all!

TD in Arrow-Wear!

Legends of the game!

Another lost ball?

July, 2020. Mariana Butte Golf Course. Loveland, CO

July 24, 2020.

What a view!  We're solving the mysteries of the universe, no doubt

Mr. Hanson contemplating taking up a different game.  Golf isn't really happening for the guy.

Mick Rennich writes from Louisville, CO:

Despite the continued threat of COVID-19, July 24, 2020 was a very pleasant summer day at Mariana Butte Golf Course in Loveland, Colorado. The fearsome Colorado foursome of Tom DeVine, Mark Hanson, Mick Rennich and Harley Rinerson, decked out in purple and gold Watertown Arrow “71” shirts gifted by Mr. DeVine a year ago, met once again to test their mettle, wits and golf games. The day did not disappoint. Great fun. Great laughs. Mediocre golf. The quality of the golf played is evidenced by the following: in the combined 72 holes played by the four, they recorded only 12 pars and 3 birdies.  The golf tournament may, before long, give way to shuffleboard or gin rummy competition.  Time hurries on.

There was some good play, make no mistake about it. Rennich started things off with a bang, getting a birdie on the first hole and a par on the second. His lead quickly disappeared with a double bogey on No. 3 and a triple bogey on No. 4. Harley, playing his first round of the year, shot a 43 on the front side and took early command of the match. He mentioned to Mick on No. 15 that he had not yet lost a ball. He proceeded to lose three on the last three holes.

DeVine played steady golf, but three sevens on the front nine hurt him dearly. He did come back with a nice 46 on the back side. Hanson, in a manner reminiscent of Harley’s “sixes are wild” game a few years back, recorded eight 6s on the front side and staggered to a 53 through nine.

In the end, all of us broke 100, with scores ranging from a 90 (Rennich) to a 99 (Hanson).

Deciding on awards at the end of the outing, as always, proved to be a challenge to the group. The final tally was as follows:

Miss Congeniality - Mick Rennich … he took it upon himself to book the outing, paid the early tee time reservation fee for all, presented a sleeve of Callaways to each of the other three, and brought cold waters and Gatorades for the crew.  

Most Valuable Golfer - Harley Rinerson … this was a close vote as Rennich received consideration, but Harley walked away with the honor based on his solid performance in his first golf outing of the year, his second place finish, the third most chits, the second most pars and the second most birdies.

Purple Putter - Harley Rinerson … Harley walked away with the prize which is awarded for the longest putt. His seventeen footer, on No. 8 for a birdie, was a beautiful thing to witness and was by far the best putt of the day.

Rino Cup - Tom DeVine … the Cup is awarded to the golfer with the best short game. Based on a solid performance which included chips close to the hole and clutch putts that found the bottom of the cup, Tom was the unanimous short game winner.

Shot of the Day - Mick Rennich … Harley, for a moment, owned the shot of the day with a lovely tee ball on the 158 yard par 3 No. 8 to within 17 feet. As mentioned above, he did ultimately sink the putt. Rennich followed Harley’s shot with a 7-iron to within 5 feet and he then also made the putt for his second birdie of the day. The shot earned him the SOD prize.

There was no Miss Mariana Butte this year as COVID -19 protocols limiting contact between servers and patrons. Discussions as to another outing in the fall have already begun.

The starter took a selfie while setting up the first tee photo, below.

TD and The Mickster.

Presentation of the Rino Cup--best short game of the day to Tom "Crenshaw" Devine.

Flatirons Golf Course, Friday, October 17, 2019.  WHS Class of 1971.

October, 2019.   Boulder, CO

The WHS Crew from the Class of 1971 managed to find a date, late in the season, when all were available, and Flatirons Golf Course in Boulder, CO was beautiful and uncrowded.  We set off at 10:00 am, all dressed in purple and gold.

Mick is in charge of the games for the round.    Rubiks cube is easier to understand with chits and skins  and scores and carry-forwards and teams changing every 6 holes.  It’s a good thing that Mick got a perfect ACT score in Math back in high school.  Using an arcane algorithm that would make Fibonacci blush, Mick manages to win every match.  Time was  when Mick couldn’t play with the group, and he still clipped us each for ten bucks.  I think he should go to work for the OMB in Washington.  

Devine got himself a new driver, courtesy of WHS ’70 pal Jim Dugan— replacing the Studebaker that we’d all grown fond of.  But times change, persimmon loses its tensil, the square lines of the old Studebaker created wind vortices on the tee box which interfered with nearby air traffic, so it went the way of Disco and the Edsel and Benito Mussolini.  Watch for it coming soon to Ebay or Second Swing.

Harley’s “set” of club comes from garage sales in Castle Pines for, oh, twenty or so years.    Estimates range from $10 to $50 for the set, not counting the wedge he broke over his knee at Marianna Butte a few years ago.  But he must know how to pick used clubs, because this was his third time out for the year and he wound up with the Shot of the Day and the Rino Cup for short-game mastery.  I think we should carbon date his seven iron.  And copy his swing.

Hanson’s driver was the top of the line from a company that, for some reason, decided never to make golf clubs ever again.  Now they make shirts and shoes and do asphalt repair.    There’s a big cavity on the plate of the club, which design, long ago was considered avant garde, but which is now considered foolhardy.  Maybe Dugan has another driver in his garage?    Nevertheless, owing to body mass and not much else, Hanson consistently drives over one hundred yards.  One.  Hundred. Yards.  Hanson used to play another discredited club line—the Browning 440.  Yes, a firearms company used to make golf clubs.  If Snapchat ever goes into sporting goods, Hanson will be first in line.

Mickster had a stroke a while back. Not a golf stroke, a stroke stroke.  it was scary and sad and lots of bad things.  But Mick thinks it was worth it, because he started eating right and exercising and, voila,  he can drive the ball 300 yards, even more with a fifty mile per hour tailwind at 5280 feet, to a rock hard fairway.  Rennich never had to worry much about over-thinking, at least according to his WHS teachers and law school professors.  It is even less likely now, post-stroke.   So he doesn’t think.  He’s Conan-like.  A beast off the tee.  After that?  Well, not so much.

Rennich won MVG for being the medalist (and modesty prevents me from disclosing the scores), and hitting those monster stroke-assisted drives, over and over.  

Harley with his trophies.

Hanson won the purple putter with a 22 foot birdie putt somewhere along the way, back nine, I think.  It may have been somebody else and it may have been only 4 feet.  Can't recall exactly.  Welcome to my world.

Harley had Shot of the Day and Rino cup.   He chipped in from 11 yards off the green for a birdie for SOD and his masterful short game won him the cup which bears his name.  I think he always wins the Rino cup.  Mick will double-check.

Devine walked away with the most coveted award, Miss Congeniality.  He bought purple shirts for the crew last year, and while there was brief discussion over whether Miss C should only contemplate Game Day congeniality, Devine’e gesture was just so huge, that to DQ him on a technicality would results in “manifest injustice” which has always been the hallmark of Miss C consideration.  Besides, we want to encourage people to buy shirts for us, right Mick?

Miss Congeniality, 2019.