The 2011 US Open is in the books and we look forward to next year at The Olympic Golf Club in San Francisco. But, before we go there, a few final thoughts on Congressional.
As always, it was an amazing, marvelous experience. Jeff and I are so very lucky to go to the Open each year. That we have been honored to walk with the tournament leaders the past two years is something about which one only dreams. Sometimes I do not think the two of us realize how crazy it is that we can do this. We get so involved with working the day and making sure we are where we are supposed to be when we are supposed to be there that where we are and what we are doing is forgotten. That was a sentence, was it not?
There are no superlatives left to any writer – professionals and amateurs alike – that have not been written. Rory. It was a performance for the ages. I think that we who have a passion for golf as well as casual observers know we witnessed something very special. I watched as my idol, Arnold Palmer, was replaced by Jack Nicklaus. Tom Watson followed. Then there was the explosion named Tiger Woods. Is the next icon Rory McIlroy? The weekend makes one think it could be so. His performance in the past four majors (less Augusta’s Sunday back 9) makes one sure it will be so. Perhaps the meltdown at Augusta is the learning experience that will lead Rory McIlroy to an unknown number of major championships. It will be a lot of fun to see what unfolds in the next decade. You know me, my fondest wish would be that Tiger gets back to at least 95% so we all could witness a few head to heads between Tiger and Rory. Could be scary good.
A couple of things…not being a professional writer I guess things that I know I assume you do and you do not. This was pointed out to me. Example…I wrote about all the water I was drinking…where did I get it? Obviously I did not carry about two gallons of water. The answer is that all the tee boxes have huge coolers of water for players, caddies, etc. I think the hole marshals partake as well. We needed a lot of water and we were given the okay to drink as much as we needed by none other than the chief of security for the PGA who is lent to the USGA for the Open. Last year Joe was Tiger’s second skin and about that far away.
I guess that when I talked about what we are doing I have not been clear that Jeff and I work together each day as a team. For example, when it is time to go forward, I take one side of the fairway and Jeff takes the other. If help is required we run across the fairway which by the way you would be happy to have as carpet on your living room floor. Sometimes one goes forward and one stays back to make sure the walkways from green to tee are opened properly. But, we are always on the same hole doing the same job.
A couple of off the wall things…I am lucky that I do not have to visit Laundromats unless I have to wash large comforters. You can imagine that two shirts do not make the four days, especially in that heat so a trip to the Laundromat was required on Friday afternoon. We looked for one on iPhone maps and there we were. It was like going to little Disneyland. I have never seen anything quite like it. A young man came to the car with a basket to help, the owner helped us figure out how to buy our washes and dries by the size of the washer and put it on a card to use in the machine. Whatever happened to quarters? They had TVs all over, there was a small snack bar, you could buy detergent of multiple kinds and not in little boxes and there was one of those machines you put dollars undoubtedly into that has the hook and kids can get a toy. Who knew there were such places? I was amazed.
Then there was parking. It is almost impossible to get near a US Open site unless you are in a designated shuttle. Forget parking. Bethesda on the way to Congressional is all narrow two-lane roads with huge homes and estates. We were astounded to see that many of these homeowners chose to let patrons park on their lawns – for a price. We saw prices from $40 to $70 per day. Some of these places could easily park 100 cars. Do the math. Hey, it helped pay the mortgage this month. Again, I was amazed.
So my fifth Open is in the books, the laundry is done and I am already looking forward to next year. I doubt that June at water’s edge in San Francisco – Olympic Golf Club – will be quite as warm. It likely will be a replay of last year when we nearly froze to death at Pebble Beach a couple of days. Doesn’t matter. It will be a thrill to be there and watch the action unfold and really hope we get the same assignment. We probably all hope for an Open that has a winning score that is much closer to par, a course with teeth that can bite and punish the errant shots, that both Tiger and Phil are back and healthy, that the American young guns start making the noise they are supposed to and that Rory and his fellow N Irelander, Graeme McDowell are back and the two Open Champions play the first two rounds together.
My special thanks to Jeff for coming with me once again and indulging my passion. He took all the great photos and it is such a joy to share this adventure together.
Thank you all so very much for going along for the ride…I appreciate it more than you know.
Keep them in the fairway…till next year.
As always, it was an amazing, marvelous experience. Jeff and I are so very lucky to go to the Open each year. That we have been honored to walk with the tournament leaders the past two years is something about which one only dreams. Sometimes I do not think the two of us realize how crazy it is that we can do this. We get so involved with working the day and making sure we are where we are supposed to be when we are supposed to be there that where we are and what we are doing is forgotten. That was a sentence, was it not?
There are no superlatives left to any writer – professionals and amateurs alike – that have not been written. Rory. It was a performance for the ages. I think that we who have a passion for golf as well as casual observers know we witnessed something very special. I watched as my idol, Arnold Palmer, was replaced by Jack Nicklaus. Tom Watson followed. Then there was the explosion named Tiger Woods. Is the next icon Rory McIlroy? The weekend makes one think it could be so. His performance in the past four majors (less Augusta’s Sunday back 9) makes one sure it will be so. Perhaps the meltdown at Augusta is the learning experience that will lead Rory McIlroy to an unknown number of major championships. It will be a lot of fun to see what unfolds in the next decade. You know me, my fondest wish would be that Tiger gets back to at least 95% so we all could witness a few head to heads between Tiger and Rory. Could be scary good.
A couple of things…not being a professional writer I guess things that I know I assume you do and you do not. This was pointed out to me. Example…I wrote about all the water I was drinking…where did I get it? Obviously I did not carry about two gallons of water. The answer is that all the tee boxes have huge coolers of water for players, caddies, etc. I think the hole marshals partake as well. We needed a lot of water and we were given the okay to drink as much as we needed by none other than the chief of security for the PGA who is lent to the USGA for the Open. Last year Joe was Tiger’s second skin and about that far away.
I guess that when I talked about what we are doing I have not been clear that Jeff and I work together each day as a team. For example, when it is time to go forward, I take one side of the fairway and Jeff takes the other. If help is required we run across the fairway which by the way you would be happy to have as carpet on your living room floor. Sometimes one goes forward and one stays back to make sure the walkways from green to tee are opened properly. But, we are always on the same hole doing the same job.
A couple of off the wall things…I am lucky that I do not have to visit Laundromats unless I have to wash large comforters. You can imagine that two shirts do not make the four days, especially in that heat so a trip to the Laundromat was required on Friday afternoon. We looked for one on iPhone maps and there we were. It was like going to little Disneyland. I have never seen anything quite like it. A young man came to the car with a basket to help, the owner helped us figure out how to buy our washes and dries by the size of the washer and put it on a card to use in the machine. Whatever happened to quarters? They had TVs all over, there was a small snack bar, you could buy detergent of multiple kinds and not in little boxes and there was one of those machines you put dollars undoubtedly into that has the hook and kids can get a toy. Who knew there were such places? I was amazed.
Then there was parking. It is almost impossible to get near a US Open site unless you are in a designated shuttle. Forget parking. Bethesda on the way to Congressional is all narrow two-lane roads with huge homes and estates. We were astounded to see that many of these homeowners chose to let patrons park on their lawns – for a price. We saw prices from $40 to $70 per day. Some of these places could easily park 100 cars. Do the math. Hey, it helped pay the mortgage this month. Again, I was amazed.
So my fifth Open is in the books, the laundry is done and I am already looking forward to next year. I doubt that June at water’s edge in San Francisco – Olympic Golf Club – will be quite as warm. It likely will be a replay of last year when we nearly froze to death at Pebble Beach a couple of days. Doesn’t matter. It will be a thrill to be there and watch the action unfold and really hope we get the same assignment. We probably all hope for an Open that has a winning score that is much closer to par, a course with teeth that can bite and punish the errant shots, that both Tiger and Phil are back and healthy, that the American young guns start making the noise they are supposed to and that Rory and his fellow N Irelander, Graeme McDowell are back and the two Open Champions play the first two rounds together.
My special thanks to Jeff for coming with me once again and indulging my passion. He took all the great photos and it is such a joy to share this adventure together.
Thank you all so very much for going along for the ride…I appreciate it more than you know.
Keep them in the fairway…till next year.
What fun. See you at the Olympic Club next year! Thanks again for sharing your passion for golf!
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