Glow Ball

  • Published
  • By Retired Master Sgt. Jeff Folsom
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  If you looked to the west on the evening of July 26th you might have thought you were witnessing the early arrival of the Perseid Meteor Shower. But there was nothing otherworldly about this light show. These fiery missiles were locally launched from nine separate locations by a gathering of 44 individuals or in this case 11 teams. 

Whiteman's Royal Oaks Golf Course hosted their annual Glow Ball Tournament. We started out with a 6 p.m. shotgun start on the "new holes." These consisted of holes three through five and 11 through 16. This may sound a little unorthodox but, believe me, you do not want to try to drive a golf cart on these holes in the pitch black of an overcast night. 

Upon completion of the first nine "daylight" holes, we retreated to the clubhouse for a tasty barbeque buffet. At this time we also received our glow ball package. We were given several clear golf balls, each with a hole bored directly through the middle. Into these holes we pressed the glow sticks that gave the balls their eerie greenish-yellow glow. We also each received a glow-in-the-dark necklace so our competitors could see us. While we were enjoying our meal, the staff outfitted our carts with more glowing paraphernalia. 

Under the cover of complete darkness, we ventured out to our assigned tee boxes which were identified by a large glowing marker. The flag sticks on the greens were glowing and each hole glowed when the pins were removed. One would think that hitting a golf ball in the dark would be an insurmountable task but it was surprisingly easy. And the best part was finding the ball after it was hit. Even if you ventured off the fairway, which was a regular occurrence in our foursome, the glowing ball was easily findable. 

In the end, a thoroughly enjoyable time was had by all. If you want to participate next year, I recommend signing up early because the number of teams is limited. Oh yeah, and bring a flashlight so you can see to write down your scores and find your way along the course.