When I arrived at The Bridges Golf Club in San Ramon, Calif., this morning and was introduced to my playing companions, I knew it was going to be a good day.

The Bridges is a fairly challenging Johnny Miller-credited daily fee course (It was really designed by Damian Pascuzzo) that just celebrated its 10th anniversary. While it isn't exactly target golf, having a guide to get you around this KemperSports-managed golf course is helpful.

This morning I got three guides, who were decent sticks and even better people. Barry and Dick are both retired from non-golf careers; Craig is in between banking jobs. Most of all, it was apparent they loved golf. Why else would they be course marshals? It can't be the money or the grief slow golfers give you.

We agreed to a friendly wager or two and off we went. These guys gave me the lowdown on every hole -- which side of the green to hit, where not to get it above the hole and how far it was to carry every creek, gorge and bush. Some of their advice I followed. When I didn't, like when I tried to drive it over the creek on 16, I paid the price.

I also learned a new game called "Whip it out."

"Excuse me," I said when my cart partner brought that one up on the par-3 15th.

Barry explained to me that it's a COD game. In other words, whoever is closest to the pin on the green and two putts or better gets a buck from everybody – on the spot. If he three-putts, he gives everybody a buck, right then and there, before we go to the next hole.

Barry must have had a feeling. Not only was he closest to the pin, but he made the putt for birdie, which meant more junk and stuff at the end of the round.

The best part of the round was the company. Nobody threw a club, pouted or screamed. It was apparent that these guys just loved the game.

I wound up losing a total of $3.25 to these guys. It was well worth it.

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