Out of Bounds
The 6th hole is a par 5, reachable in two for both players, particularly with the strong tailwind. Buzz was pumped and cracked a long drive down the middle. He would be going for the green in two with an iron. Bradford had only a 50-50 chance to reach the green, and decided to give it a go. He would need a good drive. The result was predictable. Dave shifted his weight much too early and ended up blocking the ball far to the right. He was fortunate it stayed in bounds. Going for the green was no longer an option. He had a decent lie and hit 5-iron to the center of the fairway.
Buzz’ drive was longer than the drive he had hit the previous week. He only had 220 yards to the green with a back pin placement. Trees protected the left side of the green which was perfect for Buzz’ long draw. He hit a low 4-iron that landed 25 yards in front of the green and rolled to within 30 feet of the pin. He would have another eagle putt.
“Play your own game, Ken used to say. You can’t do anything about your opponent hitting a great shot. All you can do is play within yourself.” Dave had 120 yards to the center of the green and about 130 yards to the pin. He chose 9-iron which hit the front of the green and stopped quickly, leaving him a 25-foot uphill putt for birdie. Buzz would putt first.
Buzz eyed his second consecutive eagle putt, this one of approximately 30 feet with a strong left to right break. It wasn’t the kind of putt you would expect to make, but three or four yards from the pin they all knew it had a chance. Buzz was doing his best Tiger Woods imitation, and when it dropped, he pointed down at the hole. Dave’s only consolation was that the eagle made his birdie putt good. It was his third birdie on the front nine, but the match was all square. Buzz was playing fabulous golf.
The eagle soared majestically over the edge of the Florida Everglades before it swooped down to snatch a rodent that was a trifle slow. This would be a nice dinner for the two eaglets waiting in the nest at the top of the tall pine tree.
Bam!
“Nice shot.” The men watched as majestic symbol of American freedom tumbled to the ground.
Within minutes the two men felled the tree, removed the nest and fed the eaglets to the waiting alligators. The last obstacle to the planned golf resort and community development was gone. Two months later zoning approval was obtained and the project commenced.
Bill and Marty had grown up together. They were inseparable as kids. Bill was the planner and Marty was the doer, and they made a great team. They were college roommates at the University of Florida and stayed in close touch after graduation. Marty went on to law school and eventually the District Attorney’s office while Bill was making money in real estate. He was president of a resort and golf course development company that owned and managed several upscale developments in the southern Florida area. Family contacts helped him get started, but he did the rest himself. Bill knew the art of putting a deal together. It was no coincidence that three key people in his firm had previously worked for the Zoning Commission or the office regulating real estate development.
Bill’s initial project, a mixed-use development with homes, condominiums, retail and a 36-hole golf course, sold out in less than a year. He made $12M on that project.
The land was obtained at an extremely low price because it was swamp land owned by the Federal Government. Conservationists believed the land was part of the Florida National Everglades and were shocked when it was sold even though it was still designated as “wetlands” and could not be developed. Two years after Bill had purchased the land the swamp inexplicably dried, and Bill obtained zoning approval for his development. No one discovered the small dams placed within the Everglades that diverted the water flow. The Seminole Indians and conservationists had lost another battle to the greed of the white man.
Bill and Marty kept in touch since college and the favor Bill did for Marty relating to the major drug case was just one example of their friendship. Bill had many contacts in Florida and was a major contributor to the local Republican Party, particularly candidates that supported growth and development, albeit sometimes at the expense of the environment.
Bill methodically developed a wide network of business and political contacts. His organizational skills were a perfect complement to Marty’s personal charisma and charm. Bill became Marty’s unofficial campaign chairman, several years before there was any campaign. Initially the solicitations and support were obtained through low-key conversations at cocktail parties, golf outings, and the like. Businessmen began to think of Marty as a comer and started making small contributions to a war chest. Offshore bank accounts were established in the Bahamas to funnel campaign contributions from foreign supporters such as Romano. When Marty decided it was time to make a run at political office, Bill was ready.
Chapter 7
Par 4, 415 Yards
Another Campaign Contribution