The Devil at the Driving Range

Fortune smiled on me in early 2024 while I had time to kill on Tuesday afternoons while my daughter practiced French horn in an honors band. My discovery of a charming, quirky driving range with a Jersey Devil sign led to my essay, "The Devil at the Driving Range," in the newest issue of The Golfer’s Journal. The story culminates with my scoring an unexpected par in the dark on No. 18 at Pebble Beach. You can read it for free online if you register, but I recommend purchasing the sumptuous print edition.

One behind the scenes detail: Between the time I was at the range in the late winter and when the photographer visited in the summer, the devil sign was repainted on a new piece of plywood. At left is how it looked when I hit it (compare that with the photo in the magazine). And below is the video proof that I did in fact hit it. 

I also have proof that I did play Pebble Beach. See the photo below taken by my brother Dan of me hitting a 3-iron over the 18th green in the dark at Pebble on the way to an unlikely par.