The time is late Wednesday afternoon of tournament week at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. The place is the famous 16th hole at the TCP course in Scottsdale. The event is “The Shot at Glory”.
This Thunderbirds’ charity event has thousands of spectators, loud music, brews and burgers and celebrities like Mark Grace, Cardinals Coach Ken Wissenhut and Fred Couples that stand casually around the tee. There are wounded warrior veterans that wait in their carts ready to try for the million dollar hole in one prize. Even, Alice Cooper has put down his guitar and picked up his golf clubs to try to win money for those less fortunate. It’s a great time waiting to happen.
Walking to the 16th hole tee area, everyone has to enter through a tunnel under the stands, much like gladiators entering a Roman arena. The Marine Corps provides a 21 gun salute to honor our military and public service officers and then the event gets under way.
I caught up with Jason Schechterle at the tee box of the par three 16th hole. He and his father had been practicing on the TPC driving range for the past hour but Officer Schechterle was still nervous as the event began. After a deep breath, Schechterle turned to the task at hand, debating between a 7 or 8 iron for the 157 yard shot. Finally, he selected the 7 iron and stepped up to the tee. Eyeing the shot like a professional, visualizing the flight of the ball, he took his stance, looked at the flag, and swung. The shot looked picture perfect. The ball flew high, aimed directly at the pin, and then just over it. The ball landed in a straight line with the hole, just 27’ behind it. One of the best shots of the day, so good in fact, that Schechterle earned third place in the event, netting the 100 Club a donation of $15,000 from Thunderbirds Charities.
As far as shots at glory are concerned, Jason Schechterle is like the Energizer Bunny . . . he just keeps on going. I thought afterward that someone important had stepped up once again to give of himself to help others. Thank you Jason for all you do for The 100 Club and your participation in The Shot at Glory. And thank you Thunderbirds for the $15,000 donation….
Mark Hester
100 Club of Arizona President
100 Club of Arizona 