Pluto Walks the Earth, Chapter 28

Water Hazard

Read Pluto Walks the Earth, Chapter 27: Journalism

Black Mesa Golf Club, New Mexico

Myrrh

Just the two of us on the first tee at Black Mesa. There’s still the bite of the desert night in the air, but first light has now given way to the pure, cloudless mountain sky. The grass is wet with dew, and the low sun is casting a distracting glare on the fairway. But it is a perfect morning for golf.

Pluto can hit the ball. He’s a slender guy, but he gets some whip in his swing. The first hole is a short 385-yard par four. It’s a dogleg left, but the only way to play it is over desert and bunkers to a landing zone 180-250 yards out. If you hit too long and straight you can fly the fairway and into a mess of desert hardpan. So the sensible club is a 3-wood or long iron. I loft a 3-wood and put it 190 yards center. That’s my game. Pluto grabs a driver. I caution him.