Every year Jerry McIlrath and his son Patrick find their favorite spot near the 11th hole at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc.
What started out as a father spending time exploring his son’s passion for golf, has resulted in a Clarkston grad becoming a published poet.
Patrick, 17, who just graduated, put his excitement about the McIlraths? yearly foray into words for a class assignment ? and now they are published through Creative Communication’s Young Poets Contest.
‘Hole 11? recreates the familiar scenes the father-son team witness year after year. Attending the Open on Saturday and Sunday, the two spend time soaking in the total experience while walking the event, but inevitably plop down around the tee box at hole 12 where they can see the greens at holes 8 and 11. By opting not to traverse from hole to hole, they see most of the golfers in the tournament.
‘It’s fun and one of those things we look forward to each year,? said Patrick. ‘We enjoy getting out their early and finding our spot and having a good time together.?
The poem was part of an assignment that required Patrick to submit the effort to any number of writing contests. Patrick selected the Creative Communication’s contest and was published. He was not sure how many others entered the contest.
‘I was pretty happy (when I heard),? said Patrick. ‘Writing’s fun. I enjoy language arts. I like the writing aspect.?
A proud mother, Melanie submitted the poem to The Clarkston News? Poetry Corner in early June.
‘I thought it was really good. I know when he puts his mind to something he can be creative and come up with ideas I couldn’t,? said Melanie.
Patrick, a golfer on the Clarkston High School team for four years, took an interest in golf around the age of 10 helping his father kindle a passion for the sport.
‘A lot of it is tradition. The experience of the first year and what he enjoyed about going up and getting autographs started it. From that point on he wanted to go every year,? said Jerry, who remembers how hard pulling Patrick away from watching the pro’s practice in the chipping area was.
Throughout the years, Patrick has collected the signatures of golf’s biggest names from Vijay Singh to John Daly on a golf baseball cap he takes each year.
?(Golf) is one of my passions,? said Patrick. ‘It’s fun to watch the skill level the guys have out there. It’s an out of the world type thing the skill they have.?
With no plans to stop attending the Open, even as Patrick prepares for college, the McIlraths already have tickets for the next Buick Open.
‘It’s pure memories. Something we’ve done for years and look forward to doing. I already have the four tickets for next year. I couldn’t imagine going with anyone else,? said Jerry, who recently told his son about the tickets. ‘I see the same look on his face even as he gets older.?
The McIlraths live in Clarkston. Patrick intends to attend Spring Arbor University in the fall and study business and sports sciences.

Hole 11

We had strolled at least a mile,
From the front clubhouse,
past the heavily secluded brown halfway house,
to the sacred spot we always seem to get.
As we plop open our Blue and Green lawn chairs;
the oak trees behind us shade our backs
like a giant green canopy.

As the stogies are lit,
the smell of cigar smoke fills the air
as if we were in a tavern,
and the men behind us
begin hacking it up.

Across the way,
the crowd at hole 17
is beginning to arrive and gather,
which means that beers sales are mounting
and the sober are few!

As the time passes,
and the day grows older,
players start to arrive,
and the fun of the Open really begins.