Inga was my friend and I'd like to share a story I think you'll enjoy.

I live in Spokane now, but I met Inga in March of 1998. I had just moved into a condo I purchased at the Inn on the Park Condominiums in Kirkland, WA. Inga lived just a couple of doors down and we became fast friends over our shared appreciation for the game of golf. 

Before I moved from Kirkland in 2004, I said to Inga, Inga, before I move, I want to play a round of golf with you! (We often discussed golf, but had never played together.)

Oh, I'd like that, Inga said, but I am terrible!

As it turned out, Inga was NOT terrible, as the following story illustrates.

Inga was 96 years old at the time. (I was 40.) We played at a nine-hole par three golf course in the area. Inga and a friend rode a cart, while I walked.

On the first holeabout 100 yards from tee to greenInga stood on the tee with her driver and whacked a low runner about 40 yards right down the middle of the fairway. 

Nice shot, Inga! I said before lining up my own tee shot. (I hit my first shot into a sand trap to the left of the green.) 

Inga's second shot went another 30+ yards toward the green. And her third rolled up onto the green about 15 feet past the cup. 

Ready for my second shot, I took careful aim. My ball was buried in the left side of the sand trap about 15 yards from the pin. I knew I'd have to get under the sand an inch or two to get the ball to pop up and land softly on the green. 

Well, I succeeded in popping the ball up highfrom one side of the bunker to the other! OK, no problem. I'll just punch the ball out of the sand trap so it rolls gently toward the hole, now about nine yards away. Nope. I hit it a bit thin and the ball flew to the other side of the green. 

Still my turn. 

Inga stood by her ball on the green, smiling patiently as I grabbed my putter and walked far across the green to where my ball ended up. From about 30 feet away, I putted to within eight feet. (A pretty good putt; however, that's already four shots on a par three, I thought.)

Inga's turn to putt. Go ahead, Inga; knock it in there, I said. One putt. Two putts. Three putts from 15 feet and Inga was in the hole for a six on this first par three hole. Impressive, especially for a 96 year old who claimed to be "terrible"!

I followed suit, taking three putts to get in the hole. Reminder: My ball was just eight feet away from the cup. (At this point, I began to doubt my golfing skills.)

I'm sure I played better the rest of the way, of course, but I really only remember the fun of watching Inga playespecially on that first hole: Inga, age 96, scored a six; Dan, age 40, a seven.

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AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Inga Carlson

19 février 1910 – 5 janvier 2016

Beney Funeral Home

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AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Inga Carlson

19 février 1910 – 5 janvier 2016

Beney Funeral Home

Montrez votre soutien

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