Players showed up ready to go, starting at the driving range to work on their swing before they congregated at the putting green to watch Joel Barish open the 5th annual DeafNation Golf Classic at TPC Deer Run. It was beautifully cloudy, as the skies closed up the players were hoping that it would not rain.

As several players were off to a good start, rain started pouring.

“Uh oh, let’s keep on playing,” was the attitude of the players, but by the 8th hole the rain became heavy they all had no choice but to head back for the clubhouse.

Everybody returned driving their carts back into the cart garage, they gathered inside the clubhouse restaurant. Jed had everyone to vote on whether they should continue playing under heavy rain, warning them that if we stop play twice in the same day, the tournament would be completely canceled. Players voted to halt play for the day and resume playing tomorrow. It started as a 54 hole tournament but the rain-out changed it to a 36 hole event with two rounds left of play.

Tournament coordinator Joel arrived at ease because the DeafNation staff had the situation under control, and had some words for the players before we all went off to lunch.

Jed was asked, “How does the rain-out affect your tournament?”

“We can’t control mother nature,” said Jed, “it had to be canceled because the conditions of the golf course were not suitable, it would take 5 putts to get the ball to the pin.”

Agreed. People cannot have everything scripted like a movie. Life goes on, hole-in-one or not, rain or shine.

Jed being proactive, wanted to get something for the players to do when we were on our way to lunch, he made a stop at Walmart. We all chatted outside in light drizzle while Jed disappeared into the store.

Emerging from the store, it appeared as if he was carrying two boxes of new shoes, which made us wonder. As he joined our group, some of us peered into the bag and noticed it was two game boxes for a game of poker!

Many players met at the hotel cafeteria to join Jed for a fun night of poker, the cancellation from the rain was soon forgot as players attempted to bluff each other, wisecracks shooting back and forth across the table, exhibiting true 19th hole spirit that has carried over from the recent USDGC tournament in Colorado.

The deaf golf world is fantastic in the “19th hole.”

As the poker play was being photographed, one couldn’t help notice two men playing chess, one of the players designed the game board himself, a fine wooden chess board with flat chess pieces, an impressive piece of work. Sitting in the same room together, we cannot miss the little things.

Some good as come out of the rain-out, discovering things about each other that we would not have otherwise on a golf course, as all of us are intently focused on making good shots.

Yes, we came to play golf, but nothing can stop us from making up in other ways.

There is always tomorrow.