Sheahan’s Serendipity

As Christmas approaches, here’s a heart warming tale of love, redemption and serendipity.

Many years ago, just months after purchasing my new golf clubs, I was playing a round at Tullamarine with a good mate. Badly, of course. It was after yet another very ordinary approach shot that I threw my 8 iron at my bag – and watched the graphite shaft snap right near the club head. I have played without an 8 iron ever since.

Fast forward to May 2018.

I have taken some long service leave to look after my wife after her (second – ouch) total knee replacement. This involved driving her to appointments almost daily – GP, surgeon, pain management specialist and outpatient physio rehab at Cabrini in Elsternwick.

The general scheme was drop off, drink coffee somewhere, find a wine shop, etc, then pick up. Elsternwick has a fine array of op shops and one day I sauntered into the Sacred Heart Mission store (possibly the finest).

I spotted a few golf bags with quite a number of miscellaneous clubs. They were all pretty much either rusted or of the craptastic Tommy Armour variety and marked at $5. Still, doesn’t hurt to look – and then, like the Star of Bethlehem, it shone brightly before me….

A brand new Slazenger Panther Pro 8 iron, its handle still wrapped in plastic! Turns out there’s a note on the grip to say it was a right hand club found in a left hand set and returned. A serendipitous find and a bargain at $15!