May 5, 2008

SAN DIEGO, CA — Don Creighton, Vice President of Consumption Management and Shuttle Transportation, visited San Diego, CA recently for some golf business. He left with another installment of Carl Spackler property damage.

Creighton, a.k.a. Eskobar, played golf in late-April at Admiral Baker Golf Course in San Diego with a good friend from college, Bob Lanane. He did not have a great opening to the round with a couple of double bogeys and a triple bogey, but that were the least of his problems.

On the 535-yard par-5, 6th hole, he had a 165-yard third shot, well right of the fairway in-between some trees and a fence -- beyond the fence is a road leading up to a park.   The left hander, Escobar, took aim with his untrusty 6-iron and, unadvisedly, swung as hard as he could. To complete surprise to everyone including Don, he pulled the ball disasterously right.

"Everything was in slow motion," said Creighton of his approach shot. "The ball careened over the fence heading down the road directly in the line of -- you guessed it -- a minivan. The ball took one bounce and then hit the driver's side windshield. From 100 yards out, I could see the 6-inch burst in the windshield."

The lady driving the van slowed down to approach him. Escobar walked up to her and said over the fence, "Sorry. So I guess we should exchange information or something." She replied sarcastically, "Yes, I guess so."  The lady was reportedly nice about the incident, and oddly, not rattled by the experience.

A member of the Admiral Baker staff said of the shot, "You must have really got a hold of that one."

The story did have a happy ending. Creighton recovered well despite the thought that he may have to shell out $250 for the windshield. He parred the next hole -- finishing with a 15-over 51 on the front -- and then, turned in a respectable 6-over 42 on the back nine. Best of all, and unbelievably, his USAA renter's insurance covered the damages.

"Thank goodness no one was hurt, except for Don's pride," said Captains Club member Jeremy Myers. " It was bound to happen. Have you seen how bad he is off the tee? I am still in awe of the fact that he is yet to wear 'outfits' he did not pack for Spackler."

Creighton adds damage to a 7-year list including two golf carts, a fairway, and an expensive van transmission.

The 2008 Virtual Tournament rolls on with Don Creighton in first position.