NEWTON, Iowa — Some of us haven't even played one round of golf in our lives, let alone 99. How about one round in each of Iowa's 99 counties?
Well, Rod and DeeDee Miller can check that feat off.
The Millers were joined by 30 of their closest friends and family at Westwood Golf Course in Newton on Sunday to celebrate the end of the journey.
"We were surprised and humbled actually, that so many of our friends and family said 'Yeah, absolutely. We'll be there,'" Rod said.
At the end of the day, it all comes down to continuing the family tradition.
"Our grandma was a huge golfer. I remember on one of the holes when I started learning, she would throw balls down around the green and would tell us to go all the way around to learn how to chip," DeeDee said.
There are so many similarities between the game of golf and a successful relationship. Held says three of those — integrity, honesty, and respect — are extremely evident in Rod and DeeDee's marriage.
"We all wanted to have a marriage like our grandparents. They truly respected and loved each other. I feel like their [Rod and DeeDee's] marriage is similar to my grandparents, which was kind of what you wanted in life," Held said.
It took the couple several years to complete the round robin of golf courses in Iowa, and they plan on doing it all over again. The encore timeline may look a little different, though.
"This is probably going to be a five or six year thing," Rod said.
"It's all about going out and enjoying it," DeeDee added. "It's not just about the golf courses, but everything else you see along the way, on and off the course."