The Second Links Traveler

(We’ve gotta come up with a better name…)

(Disclaimer – this post may contain images of semi-undressed golfers. I did my best to keep things at least somewhat family friendly, but for a strip golf event, that’s a tall order.)

Often on Friday nights, my partner, Sam Daltrey, and I will throw an impromptu beach party at our home, Fawkes Landing. Those are really fun! Our favorite Mandalorian DJ, Oliver Alexander (this is the Way), spins some awesome tunes and a lot of fun, sexy avatars pop over to laugh and chat and shake their groove thang – it’s a good time! On Friday, August 30, at precisely 9:00 AM SLT, I messaged Sam with the following:

What about a flash front nine strip golf shootout/beach party after? Is that too complex? Not like a tournament…just strip golf with friends and dancing after? Grab Oliver to DJ?

Because she’s wonderful and delightfully supportive of all of my crazy ideas (including Second Links), she responded:

Let’s see if we can get that going! That sounds fun!

So she pushed an announcement and, on the evening of Friday, August 30, a foursome from Fawkes Landing (the sim on which you’ll find Barnyard Country Club) geared up in some decidedly non-golfy attire and hit the front nine. The stakes? Why, said non-golfy attire, of course. The rules were simple: loser of each hole strips, ties determined randomly.

After kitting myself out ‘California Gurl’ style (Daisy Dukes / bikini on top) along with knee socks and some proper shoes, I was ready. My foursome included Sam, the aforementioned Mandalorian DJ, Oliver Alexander, and a new friend I made over at Rainbow Valley, Ath (who is rocking that fierce Pride bag – that might be my next Steelhead splurge).

We had some really challenging wind on the first hole. I was lucky enough to have managed it, but it really played havoc with the rest of the group. Oliver had a rough time of things on the green and wound up losing the hole…and his jacket.

The wind eased up as we teed off on two, and the hole was a good bit less topsy-turvy, but Sam was SL’d out of a birdie putt…and her top.

A word on the use of SL as a verb: we’ve tried to come up with a way to describe how something happens in Second Life that just does not happen IRL. In this case, a putt that rolled literally right over the cup to stop just a few meters beyond. I know Sam didn’t over-hit her shot, it was just some weirdness that happens in everything from time to time in SL when an engine that wasn’t designed to precisely model physics has to do just that. The fact that we have golf in SL at all (and not just have golf, but have an incredible golf simulator with many creative, beautiful courses) is nothing short of…some kind of sorcery). However, this sort of thing happens in sailing and driving and flying and, of course, golf. We’ve come to refer to this phenomenon as “being SL’d.”

It was about now we were joined by a few spectators: our friends Veronica Waverly and Wayne Ward (also known as LFWW (Linda’s fiancee Wayne Ward)). Both are very good golfers (I needed the best round I’ve ever shot at Barnyard to take second place over Veronica at the Barnyard Olympics), and some of my favorite people.

(Plus Vee always looks amazing! She never doesn’t look just gorgeous. And she gives the best hugs! Squeeeeshes!)

It was here Ath hit an unlucky streak, joining the ranks of the partially undressed after an unlucky putt on three, and I kept my honors going onto four. Oliver had to depart as his RL became demanding, and our foursome became a threesome. (I consider myself an avid SL golfer and anytime I see the word threesome I can’t help but think of something that’s going to require special furniture.)

Ath hit her second shot into the water on four, forfeiting another item of clothing. Five looked like it might be where Ath’s streak ended, but I sunk a lucky 15-meter chip shot from the rough behind the green, and once more another item went back into her wardrobe.

(Okay! From here on the photos get a little spicier. I did my best to try and keep things PG-13, but…there’s partially or completely naked people about. Also, I’ll bet Steelhead didn’t originally intend for golf bags to be used to censor photos of naked people, but they work beautifully for it.)

The wind was back on six, but the three of us managed it. Ath was positively robbed after a great attempt at birdie, tying with Sammie and forcing us to randomly determine the loser for a first time. The dice spoke, and Sam’s knickers went off to the virtual laundry bin a bit early.

An unlucky tee shot left Ath in no position to pick up the birdie on the par 3 seventh hole, and she became the first of us to be completely starkers at the Barnyard Country Club (though, I’m positively certain, not the first person ever to be naked on the course). This is Fawkes, after all.

In the interest of full disclosure, I spilled my water on my notebook Friday night, making an absolute mess of the page on which I recorded the events of the eighth hole. I confirmed with Sammie that this is where she lost her last article of clothing, leaving me feeling very overdressed.

The par 4 ninth saw the absolute shot of the night when Sam’s second shot, a three wood from approximately 55 meters to the pin, did not stop rolling until it was resting at the bottom of the cup. With Ath already naked, I was the de facto loser of this hole, costing me my super cute bikini top.

I want to take a second to say thank you to Ath and Oliver for joining Sammie and me. Even though this wasn’t the roaring gathering I hoped it might be, it was an absolute pleasure to spend a night golfing and undressing with the two of them. I had just the very best time. We’re certain to see Oliver around town at Fawkes (he and his lovely partner, Alyssa, live here!), and I’m looking forward to seeing Ath about, too.

Plans had been to wrap the event with a party at Washaway Beach, the clothing optional strip of seashore that makes up much of the east coast of Fawkes Landing. It would have been perfect, right? What better place for undressed golfers to have a few drinks and dance than a nude beach, right? Sadly, it was well after 10:30pm, and we decided to save the party for another time.

I learned a little about planning golf-themed events from this experience. The first of which being ‘flash’ golf tournaments are tough to sell. The pool of potential attendees is significantly smaller; not everyone has come to realize that they should be spending a large percentage of their free time playing golf in Second Life. Planning our party for two weeks from Friday instead of that Friday night might have served us better.

Second, a golf outing, even just nine holes, is a sizable time commitment. It’s especially time consuming when the outing is a social one like this with undressing involved. There were four (and later just three!) of us and nine holes took more than three hours. Still, I had a wonderful time and it crystalized a kind of nebulous theory I had in mind about golf in our weird virtual second home.

Golf in Second Life is divinely difficult, singularly satisfying, occasionally frightfully frustrating, and just a hell of a lot of fun. It’s also a perfect community event. A round of golf creates great stories and shared experiences that can further bond an existing circle of friends while giving newcomers an easy ‘in’, connecting and welcoming them to the group over that slightly wonky green on five or sharing the story of how I almost shot an ace on seven (I will someday!). I’m excited to be playing in more tournaments going forward, but discovering how golf can be the activity around which a community get-together forms has been inspiring. I can’t wait to put the lessons I’ve learned to use and organize more golf parties!

Until next time, Fairways and Greens!

Keyli

Remember! Contest time is running out! On September 15, Second Links will give away a TrueGolf Pro Pack or TrueGolf Caddy HUD (winner’s choice). It’s free to enter! Just comment on this post!

Credits

Sam

• Body: Lara – Maitreya
• Top: Bella – Tetra
• Skirt: Cindy – Belzebubble
• Shoes: Star Trainers – Belzebubble

Keyli

• Body: Lara X – Maitreya
• Bikini Top: Victoria – ViSion
• Shorts: Vixen – Eliavah
• Socks: Knee Socks – Belzebubble
• Shoes: Star Trainers – Belzebubble