DIRTY HARRY'S GETAWAY CAR

Dear readers, one of our newer subscribers recently shared a story from his youth. He was thirteen or fourteen at the time, which in that era made him employable.

It happened in the late 80s or early 90s at a prestigious Southern California country club whose name is irrelevant. The club was hosting an invitational, the kind of tournament where members brought guests, the competition was taken seriously and the occasional celebrity was among the invitees.

Our reader had a job working the parking lot, unloading golf bags and getting them to the caddies. It wasn't glamorous work, but for a kid who liked golf, there were worse ways to spend a day.

The tournament was about to get underway. Players had arrived, carts were staged and the parking lot was filling up with the usual assortment of Mercedes, Jaguars and other vehicles befitting the membership.

Then an old, dusty, beat-up Toyota came racing up the drive.

It looked like it had taken a wrong turn somewhere.

The car pulled into the lot and stopped.

The driver's door opened.

Out stepped Clint Eastwood.

Dirty Harry himself.

Our reader couldn't believe what he was seeing. Here was one of the biggest movie stars in the world, a man who could presumably afford any car he wanted, climbing out of something that looked like it might not survive the trip home.

Eastwood was late. He had been invited to play and, whatever the circumstances, he wasn't going to miss it.

The kid collected his clubs, and somewhere along the way learned the story behind the car.

As it was told to us, something had gone wrong with Eastwood's own transportation that morning. Whether his car broke down or some other mechanical misfortune had struck, the details have been lost to time.

What our reader remembers is that Eastwood was at his home on the Central Coast, trying to figure out how to get to Southern California in time for the tournament.

His housekeeper was there cleaning.

She had a car.

Problem solved.

Eastwood borrowed her Toyota, loaded up his clubs and drove several hours south, completely uncertain if the car would survive the trip.

We have questions.

Did he pay her for the trouble? We'd like to think so. Did he fill the tank? One would hope. And how did the Toyota eventually make it back to the Central Coast?

We don't know. Neither does our reader.

And here's the thing. Eastwood didn't have to make the trip.

He could have called his host, explained that his transportation had fallen through, and spent the afternoon at home. Nobody would have questioned it. Nobody would have blamed him. The tournament would have gone on without him.

Instead, he found a car and made the drive. Because no matter who you are, there are certain things you just don't do. And leaving your host hanging at a member-guest is one of them.

We don't know what Eastwood shot that day, whether he won his match, or what became of his housekeeper's Toyota.

But more than thirty years later, the kid who met him in the parking lot still remembers the day a Hollywood legend emerged from the most unlikely vehicle imaginable.

And so, dear readers, the next time you're tempted to cancel a round because your car won't start, be more like Clint Eastwood.

A man's got to know his limitations. But when his only option is his housekeeper's beat-up Toyota and a drive halfway across California, he's also got to ask himself one question:

Do I feel lucky?

This one isn't technically a “club” nugget, but it involves a golf cart community and it’s seasonal, so we're allowing it.

In a Florida retirement community, a 69-year-old woman was accused of stealing $60 worth of pumpkin-shaped porch cushions and making her getaway in a golf cart.

Unfortunately for the alleged getaway driver, the entire operation was captured by a Ring doorbell.

Step aside Florida Man, you’ve got company… and she’s a keeper!

Have a great “nugget” that isn’t quite a CCC story, but is still too good not to share? Submit it here!

You accidentally discover a fellow member's sex tape. What's your next move?

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Destroy the evidence. Never speak of it. (26)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Tell one friend. Swear them to secrecy. (7)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Return the tape. Ask no questions. (51)
🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Keep it. It could come in handy one day. (39)

We’ve got a lot of Good Samaritans voting in the poll last week! Good to know, but there is an almost equal amount of extorters out there. Also good to know!

Congrats to our comment contest winner N.P. who said, after voting to keep the tape, “You never know when you might need a few more ‘strokes’ on the back nine.” For that simple comment he will be recieving a sleeve of LA GOLF balls from us! You could be next! Vote and comment above.