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Amityville resident takes a swing at a unique record
This scene could describe the final Sunday of a PGA tournament. However, this was not a tournament. There were no television cameras nor spectators. It was simply a man and his goal - to make a birdie in every state in the nation. And on this August afternoon, when Mellish rolled in that 25-foot putt, his goal had been accomplished. He had now made a birdie , playing a golf hole one under par, in all fifty states. "I was more relieved than anything else," said Mellish about his reaction to making that birdie. "I gave my wife a big hug and thanked her for the trip." The trip that Mellish spoke of was a 3,000 mile journey that he undertook so that he could accomplish this goal. His wife, Diane, accompanied him on the journey and can now also claim to have played a round of golf in all 50 states. And as the journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step, this journey of 3,000 miles, 50 birdies and countless golf strokes, began very simply at Bergen Point Golf Course in West Babylon. "My first birdie was on the second hole of Bergen Point Golf Course," said Mellish when describing how his journey began. "I landed my tee shot 15 to 20 feet from the hole and then made the birdie putt." Mellish got this birdie just one month after taking up golf. From there, Mellish made a birdie on a trip to Florida and then in five New England states on a five day trip north. While keeping all of the golf balls with which he got a birdie, Mellish soon realized that he had golf ball from a birdie from all the eastern states. He and Diane then headed west to complete the journey. The final trip was an 85-day, 3,000 mile adventure which took the couple as far as Alaska and then back east. As for his journey, Mellish cites his birdies in Kansas and Alaska as his two most memorable accomplishments as well as meeting many new people along the way. "In Kansas, you have to travel to find a town big enough for a golf course. We played a course on the western part of Kansas, near the Colorado border. We were to meet friends the next day in Colorado and then continue west. If I did not get a birdie that day, I would have to travel 1,400 miles back there." He did get that birdie and continued west. After a birdie in Washington State, Diane and Bruce took a cruise ship to Alaska. They left their van in Washington and would not return until Alaska had been checked off his birdie task list. The round of golf in Alaska cost them $300 between expenses, the greens fee and the rental of clubs as he left his set in Washington. "That was the most pressure, because I couldn't leave until I made a birdie as it would be very tough to get back to Alaska." On the par five ninth hole of the Anchorage Country Club, that was achieved. The couple flew back to Washington and headed back east, eventually landing in Michigan for the final stop on his trip. Since taking up golf in September 1990, Mellish has recorded 1,476 birdies and 20 eagles and he has the golf ball from every one of these. He also, achieved his first hole-in-one back at the sixth hole of Bergen Point June, 2006.
As far future golfing goals, Mellish has two that he is currently working on. He would look to achieve a double eagle - playing a hole two under par. This is an extraordinary task as it requires a hole in one on a par four hole or scoring a two on a par five hole. He also hopes to shoot a round below 71. If he does, he will have some more golf balls to add to an extensive and well-traveled collection.
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