Tribute to Craig

This page is dedicated to one of my golf partners and friend, Craig Newall Wood. Craig passed away unexpectedly on May 8, 2024. In his honor, I had a dozen memorial golf balls made.

Craig was a regular in our Sunday morning foursome at the Vista Valencia golf course in California. Here are a few pictures from when we became the first foursome to golf all 18 holes during a tropical storm at Valencia Vista. The storm was Tropical Storm Hillary in August of 2023. We got lucky to finish because the course started to flood while we were on the 15th hole. The bridge to the 16th hole was just starting to get covered with water. By the time we got to the bridge at the 18th hole, it was completely underwater as we crossed, and the rain was coming down really hard.

Todd on the left, Craig on the right, in light rain on the front nine

Craig on the left near the red flag, Steve in the middle under the blue/white umbrella, and Todd on the right, on the 15th green

Bridge to the 16th tee box, starting to flood

Bridge from the 18th tee box to the 18th green, completely flooded. We barely made it across

In his honor, Steve, Todd, and I each carry one of the memorial golf balls in our golf bags. I have one in both my California and Missouri golf bags. The remaining eight balls will be left in a cup on a par 3 hole at various courses, simulating Craig had a hole-in-one there. Hopefully, the next players will pick up the ball and play it at another course. Craig had two real hole-in-one shots in his life. Here he is celebrating one of them in 2023.