Paul Shadle balked when his girlfriend, Michelle, encouraged him to take a crack at making a 100-foot putt at the Ventura Bank Minnesota Golf Show. “I thought the line was too long. I didn’t want to wait for my turn,” Shadle recalled.

Shadle finally relented, and he doubled up on the $5 for three tries entry. “I thought if nothing else, I’m donating to the The First Tee, which is a good cause. If you asked my golfing buddies, they will tell you I’m not a good putter,” Shadle said.

On Shadle’s fourth try, his putt went in. At that time, there were only a handful of people present to witness Shadle’s putting slam dunk. The people coordinating the putting contest told the 49-year-old corporate pilot he would need to come back at 2:30 to compete with the other qualifying putters for the $100,000 grand prize.

I Was Shaking

Shadle returned and found 33 edgy golfers waiting for a chance at winning a 25-foot custom pontoon, donated by Nelson Marine, and $25,000 to boot. Shadle’s first putt seemed so futile, there was no pressure. Now the possibility of making a 30-foot qualifying putt added a heavy dose of drama. “I was number 30 to putt out of 34 guys. I was shaking. I was nervous. All I kept telling myself was to not shank it,” Shadle said.

The first 29 putters all missed. The group encouraged Shadle as he stepped up to the 30-footer. The Titleist Scotty Cameron putter used in the event went back and through. Shadle made the putt. The next four putters all missed. Shadle would go on and attempt to become the first putter in the 28-year history of the Minnesota Golf Show to win it all.

Venture Bank Minnesota Golf Show Manager Kevin Koulas, sponsor Hubbard Broadcasting, members of The First Tee, and Nelson Marine staffers were in somewhat of a quandary. No one had ever gotten to this point before. Someone got out a tape measure and started walking off 120-feet.

Hit It for $100,000

A bystander suggested to Shadle that he should smooth out some of the turf that led up to the cup he’d be aiming at. Shadle smiled and said, “Dude, I have no idea where this is going.”

Shadle was in reflex mode as he prepared for the monster putt. “People who play with me know that I’m an impatient golfer. I don’t waste a lot of time. For this putt I referred to muscle memory, one practice swing, and hit it,” Shadle said.

For the 30-foot putt, Shadle was nervous. Now, putting for the grand prize, his nerves were calm. “I had no expectations. All I really remember is that Franco Zerna, the guy from The First Tee, was really optimistic and positive. It was fun listening to him,” Shadle shared.

Phone Blows Up

If you watched any of the local television news channels, ESPN Sports Center, or YouTube that Sunday evening, you know by now that Shadle canned the putt. The Convention Center crowd erupted with a roar.

When Shadle returned home that evening, his phone blew up. Emails, calls, texts and media outlets all wanted to share in the improbability of Shadle’s putt.

Show Me What I Won

A twist of fate regarding Shadle’s prize is that he owns a weathered pontoon that is on its last legs in Alexandria, Minnesota. So the timing is perfect for grabbing the keys to his new South Bay 500 Series, along with a $25,000 check. What’s ironic is that March 29 is the first time Shadle will acknowledge actually viewing the new pontoon.

In the excitement of making the 120-foot putt, Shadle lost track of his interaction with the $75,000 pontoon. As Shadle drove home from the Convention Center this hazy fact kicked in. “Even though I stood on the pontoon, I had no recollection of what it looked like. I realized all I had was a brochure to show me what I won,” Shadle said.

Think about the staggering odds of what Shadle accomplished. Make a 100-foot putt. Make a 30-foot putt under mounting pressure. Then bury a 120-foot Hail Mary with a full house watching in anticipation. That’s quite a roll of success.

Will Shadle’s putting mojo continue when he hits the links this spring? His playing partners will know they are in for something special the first time Shadle leans over a long putt and says, “Dude, I have no idea where this is going.”