Category: Golf

Flashback

While talking on my cell phone to Lindsey and putting one-handed with my Scotty Cameron Santa Fe putter, I had a brief flashback to talking to my parents via cell phone while putting one-handed with the same putter on the U of M putting green in the fall of 2004.

Happy U.S. Open Week

Happy U.S. Open week! I’ve finished watching the flyovers of each of the 18 holes at Pinehurst #2, which look more interesting than the 2005 and 1999 U.S. Opens thanks to the recent revisions by Coore & Crenshaw.

As I type, I am watching the historic finish by Payne Stewart in 1999, where he made a 25′ putt on the 16th hole for par, a 5′ birdie on the 17th hole, and got up-and-down from 80 yards on the 18th hole for par to defeat Phil Mickelson by one and Tiger Woods by two.

Payne died in a plane crash several months later. His finishing pose from that U.S. Open is memorialized by a statue of his winning first-pump. Equally as notable, however, was that amid the celebration of his 72nd-hole Father’s Day win Payne said to Phil, “You’re going to be a father, and there’s nothing greater in the world. You and Amy are going to make wonderful parents.”

I was a 17-year-old son while watching that 1999 tournament. I am now a 32-year-old husband, father, son, and son-in-law. And I wholeheartedly agree with Payne’s statement. Being a father is an exceptional adventure that fills my days with more love and laughs than I could have ever imagined possible. There are nights when Lindsey and I sit at our dining room table, finishing our meal, and marvel at Harvey walking, climbing, and playing peek-a-boo with us from the living room.

I realize that this is just the beginning, but I will strive to be forever humbled by my role as a husband and father, eternally grateful to have Lindsey, Harvey, Dad, and Dan in my life, and excited for the experiences ahead.

Masters 2014

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Harvey’s first Masters Sunday is today. We are excited to watch it with him, and it should be a good one.

I can’t help but think back to this time last year. We were watching the Masters at the Jonkhoff Clubhouse and Lindsey was overdue with Harvey. We checked into the maternity unit at Munson as the playoff was starting. I was sneaking glimpses of the coverage while trying to be a reasonably good husband and future father. I can only imagine what Lindsey was thinking. (Probably, ‘Show me the iPhone coverage!’) Eventually, we settled in for what turned out to be a week-long stay and Harvey was born the next day.

With Harvey’s birthday, the Masters, and the onset of spring, April is one of my 12 favorite months!

PGA Tour 2013 Season

The PGA Tour’s 2013 season begins today in Hawaii. As golf nuts, we look forward to this day and the new season each year. With it comes another round of majors to watch on TV, including our favorite, the Masters in April.

Here’s a picture of Dad and me at Kapalua, where this week’s opening tournament is being played. I was 18 at the time, and just finishing high school. We were on a trip with a bunch of guys, including a friend of dad’s from the UP, Bill Raduchel, who we’ve kept up with over the years and who was my first boss coming out of college.

Dan and I kicked off the season last night by playing a few holes on his golf simulator. I’ll speek for myself by saying that I’m a little rusty, and need more work before the season begins.