The 2007 British Open

I didn’t get to see a second of coverage of this years British Open (thanks to CCTV’s unwillingness to cover something worth watching), but from what I’ve read the finish was as exhilarating and sloppy as the final round eight years ago when it was last played at Carnoustie. I remember watching Jean Van de Velde crumple on the 18th hole and the following playoff between Justin Leonard and Paul Lawrie. For a high school kid obsessed with golf, this was an exciting finish and one I could empathize with. (I have both won a playoff and lost by one shot after double-bogeying the final hole. One is a good feeling, the other is what people refer to as a “learning experience.”)

I’m hoping the golf channel will rebroadcast this years Open sometime soon when I’m back in the U.S. so I can see how truly disappointed Sergio was and how elated Harrington was when he hoisted the Claret Jug after the four hole playoff.

I Miss Fall Golf

Tenth grade in high school seems like a long time ago. I was spending my summers playing golf and working at a golf store. And in September of 1997 (a decade ago!!!) I played in a tournament at the Sault St. Marie Country Club in northern Michigan. The weather was cool and windy. From the time I hit the first range ball at 6:30am until I holed my last putt hours after noon various shades of light and dark gray intermingled above. Rain, although imminent, failed to fall.

I was young and immature – more so then than now – and had a poor putting day. I remember fighting the wind, moping a bit, and wishing I could play better. I don’t remember what I shot, but I can picture the ragged scorecard I turned in, its corners tattered and lead smudged. I remember hitting one very well-struck drive on an open dog-leg right hole. I remember that I was playing as an extra man with the varsity team to get experience. I remember enjoying everything about that day, but wanting to get out of the cold.

I really miss fall golf.

Watching the British Open doesn’t help.

Free Throws and Short Putts

Basketball free throws and short putts are two of my favorite moments to watch when there is a lot on the line. I’m a golfer and not a basketball player, but the singular pursuit of trying to make a free throw free from physical contact to win a game by a single shot seems very similar to trying to make a short putt in golf. Both shooting free throws and stroking a short putt require simultaneous awareness of your actions and the consequences that may result, and both are easiest when your able to “go through the motion” as you would if there were nothing on the line. It’s interesting to watch and see who holds up and who “chokes.”

U.S. Open Dreams

I won the U.S. Open in my dream last night, and with the satisfaction of beating the top golfers in the world came a $1,111,202.02 check. But, they gave me a standard check and a small trophy, and told me that the real trophy wasn’t ready. I didn’t really care, but looking back this should have tipped me off that I was dreaming. There’s no way they wouldn’t have the trophy ready.

Still, the dream was my best ever.

Kapalua Golf Trip with Dad

The date of this post is the approximate date of the trip, but I posted it 15 years after! Dad and I traveled to Hawaii to meet up with a friend of his, Bill Raduchel, who was hosting a guys golf trip of sorts. We played all three Kalalua courses (since the trip they’ve eliminated one of the three). It was a blast from a golfing perspective, and a fun time with dad. I hope to go back someday to refresh my memory of the Plantation course.

18th Hole
18th Hole
Fred, Dad, and Me
Fred, Dad, and Me
Moloka'i in the background
Moloka’i in the background