Hole-in-One

Tuesday. 7 p.m.

Just like yesterday, I headed straight to the driving range the moment I clocked out.

Thwack—

Thwack—

It was better than yesterday. The ball was getting some air, at least.

"Phew."

Everyone says you have to stay loose to swing a golf club well.

So when exactly was that supposed to happen for me?

"Hup!"

I gripped the club again. No time to sit around like this. Every minute spent agonizing was a minute I could spend taking one more swing.

I swung for over two hours today. The sore shoulders were one thing, but now blisters had formed on my thumbs and the joints of my pinky fingers.

Wednesday. 6 p.m.

I was on my way to the range again when—

"Huh?"

It was only Wednesday.

I pulled up the Status Window.

The work hours read a full (40/40).

Why now, all of a sudden?

Oh. The autumn field event I attended over the weekend must have counted as work hours. And on top of that, Saturday itself was a working day — ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠maybe that carried a weighted bonus?

No reason to wait until Friday. Let's check what I got right now.

A Hole-in-One?

Whoa!

They gave me this, here of all places?

"......"

A hole-in-one is great and all, but golf is eighteen holes.

And there was a treacherous road to travel before I ever got there.

Time to think carefully about how to use it.

Saturday. 5 a.m.

I was awake at an hour I couldn't have imagined on any ordinary weekend.

Today's tee-off time was 8:30. I had to arrive by eight at the latest, so there was no time to dawdle.

Today's foursome was Department Head Park Pyungsoo, Team Leader Jeong Yoosik, and Assistant Manager Park Seulhye. We'd agreed to meet in front of the office by 6:30.

Skylake Country Club sat all the way out in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, so we'd built in plenty of buffer time.

Since the club was so far away, everyone rode out together in a single car. The designated driver for today, naturally, was me.

I pulled into the parking lot to find Assistant Manager Park already there.

"When did you learn golf, Assistant Manager Park?"

"I've been playing since high school. My parents got me into it."

"Ah... so basically semi-pro, then."

"Hardly. These days I can barely manage bogey golf."

"That's more than respectable. I, on the other hand, am in serious trouble today."

"Oh, come on. You're good at everything you do, Manager Kim. Drop the false modesty already!"

"I mean it.... I'm a total duffer."

The next to arrive was Team Leader Jeong.

"Well, well! You two are here bright and early."

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning, Team Leader."

After returning our greetings, he turned straight to me.

"So. I know all about Assistant Manager Park's game — and you've been practicing, haven't you, Manager Kim?"

"I have, sir. Plenty of practice."

I held out my palm to show him the blisters and fresh calluses as I went on.

"Something today is going to surprise you."

"Oh-ho! Really now?"

"Yes, sir. I actually bought hole-in-one insurance before coming."

"Ha! What a joker. You land a hole-in-one, and I'll foot the bill for our next one-in-one celebration round myself."

"Understood, sir. I'll hold you to that."

Finally, the Department Head arrived.

"Department Head, sir!"

"Good morning, sir."

"Good morning!"

Team Leader Jeong was already scurrying over, hauling the golf bags and Boston bags into the trunk before anyone could lift a finger.

"Right, then. Today's all about team bonding — let's just enjoy the round, shall we?"

"Yes, sir. Let's have a good, fun workout!"

The two men boomed with laughter.

But the Department Head took golf seriously. Everyone at the company knew it — everyone, that is, except the new hires.

I had to stick to the plan.

Yangju, Gyeonggi Province. Skylake Country Club.

Changed into my golf attire, I finally stood on the tee box of the first hole.

"No funny business today! We're counting every stroke properly!"

As if anyone could doubt how seriously the man took golf — he was showing his true colors from the very first swing.

The Department Head teed off first.

Crack—

Huh?

He'd caught it with a glancing blow and sliced it. The ball bent hard to the right and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠vanished into the deep rough.

Anyone could see it was a terrible shot. And yet—

"Good shot!"

"Nice shot."

Everyone was shouting good shot. Me included, of course.

"Gooood shot!"

Clearly unsatisfied, the Department Head tilted his head this way and that.

"Our Department Head's power is absolutely monstrous, sir. Haha."

"You think? Maybe it's just the early holes, but the strength hasn't dropped off at all."

"I'd give anything to become a power golfer like you someday, sir."

"......."

While the two of them kept up their little duet, I stepped onto the tee box.

"Hooooh."

It was so wide.

The fairway stretching out ahead was this open, this forgiving...

So why did OB still terrify me?

One long, deep breath. Two practice swings with an empty club. Follow my routine. Pick my line.

Then swing without a second thought!

Tang—

"Good shot!"

"Nice shot!"

"Nice one, Manager Kim!"

Thankfully, the ball flew dead straight. Distance: about 170 meters. Sticking to half swings out of sheer desperation to survive had cost me yardage, but hey — I was still alive, wasn't I?

My strategy was simple: just keep pace, no matter what. The Department Head and Team Leader Jeong were both single-digit players, and even Assistant Manager Park played bogey golf. My only goal was to survive without dying out there.

Just stay inside triple bogey. That's all I asked.

Tang—

Tang—

Tang—

The three of them sent their shots marching down the field one after another. With his true skill on full display, the Department Head closed out the first hole with a par. Team Leader Jeong matched him with a par of his own, while Assistant Manager Park and I each settled for bogey.

A promising start.

We grabbed a light bite at the halfway shelter and checked the front-nine scorecard.

A smile spread across the Department Head's face. Team Leader ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Jeong looked pleased as well — and so did Assistant Manager Park.

Even I was satisfied with this much. At least the round wasn't being held up on my account.

"Hahaha. Sir, at this pace, aren't you looking at an under-par round today?"

"Oh, come off it. You think that's ever as easy as it sounds?"

Assistant Manager Park and I chimed in, dutifully performing our assigned roles for the day.

"No, sir, I really think it's within reach."

"That's right, Department Head! Watching you out there, you were like pro Choi Young-ju himself."

"What? Choi Young-ju? Hahaha. Assistant Manager Park, you do tell a good joke."

Department Head Park grinned from ear to ear.

"But Manager Kim, you need more practice. Your swing's decent — your body's just too stiff."

"You're right, sir. They keep telling me to stay loose, but it's easier said than done. I'll do better on the back nine."

"Good. Finish up, and let's get moving."

Right on cue, the caddie appeared.

And so the back nine began.

Hole 10. Hole 11. Hole 12.

.

.

.

Hole 18.

My score was already soaring well past the hundred mark.

At last, the moment I'd been waiting for had arrived.

"This is our final hole — a short par 4 at 280 meters. There are hazards on both the left and the right, so for anyone with real distance off the tee, a drive-in-one is worth considering."

The moment the caddie finished her briefing, Team Leader Jeong launched into his final flattery of the day.

"Wow. With the shots you're hitting today, sir, a hole-in-one is absolutely in play."

"Oh, come on now. It may look short, but it's 280 meters. You've got to lay up."

"Of course, of course. Hahaha. Just joking, sir. Just joking — even the pros struggle with this one."

"He's right. Anyone who aces this hole is a pro. A true pro."

Then Department Head Park and Team Leader Jeong unleashed their drives in quick succession, both balls sailing down the middle and landing at the heart of the fairway.

My turn had come.