"Hole In One" A Vision Hero Update From Ryan Beam
Five years ago, my seventh grade self sat in front of a camera, talking to a set of friendly strangers about my story, vision, and experiences. They watched me play piano with my teacher, practice putting at golf practice, and enjoy time with my cousins, and then created an awesome piece for the Vision of Children Foundation’s “Vision Heroes” series.
Today, you’d still find me doing those same things— piano lessons every Thursday, practicing golf when the weather warms, and hanging out with my cousins. Next year, you’ll find me burdening the cold winter at Northwestern University, as I study Civil Engineering and begin the next chapter of my life. In all of these activities and accomplishments, I have found great joy and happiness, but one experience last spring exemplifies those feelings to a greater level.
My family and I had traveled to the North Carolina mountains for the weekend, excited to enjoy a weekend of golf as the local country club opened for the season. It was a sunny May Saturday, and after putting a dent in my English paper, I joined my parents on the golf course, who were already in the middle of a round. Our paths met at hole ten, the beginning of the back nine, and a simple, yet charming, par three. The hole sits between groves of trees, and features a couple of bunkers that add to a colorful picture. Although an Eden-like landscape, it necessitates approaches of quality in order to navigate the difficult putting surface.
When I walked up to the back of the green, I found my parents waiting for me. They had already teed off and were about to putt, and suggested I drop a ball on the green and join them there. However, I insisted on teeing off, and I grabbed my pitching wedge and took off toward the tee box. Upon arrival, I hastily teed up my yellow golf ball, took a few pitching wedge practice swings, and lined up the shot. I promptly stepped up, put my club behind the ball, and swung.
On the green, my parents watched as the ball soared toward the hole. When it landed in front of the hole, I heard a casual “Nice shot!” from the green. But as the ball rolled, I could hear my parents getting excited. Suddenly, they exploded in excitement. For a moment, I was unsure what had happened, but I quickly realized the ball had gone in the hole. I had hit a hole in one!
I sprinted across the fairway towards the green, jumping in the air as I went. I couldn’t believe it, I had done something extremely special. My first swing of the day, and of the season, was a hole in one. Yet, I never actually saw the ball roll into the hole, or hit the green. It soared out of my eyesight long before it even reached the apex of its trajectory. Nevertheless, I will never forget the feelings of pure jubilation, astonishment, and excitement I had after that yellow ball dropped into a small black hole over a hundred yards away. Even though I couldn’t see my hole in one with my eyes, I certainly felt it in my heart like anyone else would, and it’s an awesome moment I’ll never forget.