Orangeyes
R.I.P Dan
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
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- 16,265
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Yesterday, thanks to SUBarney & Sutomcat I got to experience a major golf tournament through and through. On Monday I went to the practice round and brought my camera with me. Saw last years champion and the struggling Rory McElroy on the practice range. Click, click, click.
I sure wish I could struggle like that as he kept hitting shots near his target and blasting drives into the stratosphere.
My main mission was to walk all 18 holes and drink in the various nuances of this venerable venue that is held in such high esteem by all of the entrants. Along the way I saw Keegan Bradley who promised fans he would give them autographs after the 9th hole. True to his word he signed about 100 PGA flags, photos and shirts. One dad yelled it's my daughter's birthday, it really is, could we get a picture. That was when Bradley was about 20 feet and 30 autographs away. As soon as he was done he went over to the girl and posed with her so the dad could capture a lifetime memory.
When I got to the 13th hole I noticed a wave of humanity approaching two fairways over. This was unlike anything else witnessed in the eight previous hours I was there. It could be no one other than the world's greatest golfer and philanderer, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods.
Sharing the round and the fairways with him was his putting guru and the man that turned his season around, Steve Stricker. You can tell Tiger loves this guy and respects his advice as he kept chatting him up and smiling. I even saw Woods later do a goofy kind of a duck step, not once but twice, going down the 4th fairway.
I could not resist taking his picture while he practiced chipping, putting and blasting out of the sand. Some of the shots he hit out of the heavy 3 1/2 inch rough, to slick downhill, tight pin positions were just amazing.
Getting back to yesterday, I got the total, major treatment in many ways. First of all my ticket gave me full privileges to the Nicklaus Chalet Village. This is a huge tented complex housing various corporations where you are fed breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages all for free. My favorite part of lunch was the Delmonico steak which was grilled and melt in your mouth delicious.
The rooms are individualized, air conditioned and have three sets of flat screen TV's which show the tournament broadcast from TNT and PGA sites which give you statistics and other tournament information.
Everyone who worked in the village were welcoming and courteous. If you left and came back they gave you southern style greeting saying "Welcome back." The only thing missing was the ya'll from truly making you feel like you were in Alabama or Georgia. Another nice amenity was the air conditioned bathrooms with wash basins, mirrors and flush toilets.
The village had cushioned carpeting throughout the walkways. They even made allowances by cutting holes for some of the beautiful oak trees, which dot the course, to go through the flooring.
In the individual corporate room I was in they gave you a Bluetooth type device which was tuned into a Sirius Radio that gave a play by play of the tournament. On the grounds they had hand-held TV's available for a $25 rental fee. I was standing in the right, 18th hole fairway rough and Phil Mickelson was on the other side in the deep stuff surrounded by people. I couldn't see him through the people but I could hear Mark Rolfing over the earpiece describe the situation. Then a guy standing next to me held up his TV which gave the view of Phil as he hit his shot.
Amazing technology!!
Before leaving our tent, I grabbed the PGA's official program, another perk of the day as this sells for $10 elsewhere. Tom was kind enough to give me a pass for the Oak Hill clubhouse which was full of history on it's walls. There were pictures and descriptions of the great events and winners of tournaments over the years. There were antique golf club displays behind glass including some once belonging to such illustrious players and celebrities as Walter Hagen, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Lee Trevino, Bob Hope and Bing Crobsy. The interior of the clubhouse including the restaurant, lounge and hallways is appointed with rich wood, probably walnut. In the dinning area there was a giant a 10' by 15' television which was broadcasting the tournament.
The players entrance that you see on TV is like a walk into paradise with beautifully manicured grass, flowered walkways and a stately tree overhanging.
Oh, I almost forgot and I didn't mean to lead you on but back to the original subject matter. At some point as I was going up a fairway I saw a guy who looked just like our HC Scott Shafer but he was a distance away. Latter I ran into him again but this time he was right next to me. No cameras were allowed yesterday or I would have taken a shot of him and posted it. I told him that he looked just like the Syracuse head coach. He said a lot of people have said that. I added, it finally dawned on me that you couldn't be him as SU was in the middle of summer drills.
In conclusion I want to again thank Craig and Tom for their consideration this week. It was an experience I will never forget. Thank you, thank you, thank you guys.
I sure wish I could struggle like that as he kept hitting shots near his target and blasting drives into the stratosphere.
My main mission was to walk all 18 holes and drink in the various nuances of this venerable venue that is held in such high esteem by all of the entrants. Along the way I saw Keegan Bradley who promised fans he would give them autographs after the 9th hole. True to his word he signed about 100 PGA flags, photos and shirts. One dad yelled it's my daughter's birthday, it really is, could we get a picture. That was when Bradley was about 20 feet and 30 autographs away. As soon as he was done he went over to the girl and posed with her so the dad could capture a lifetime memory.
When I got to the 13th hole I noticed a wave of humanity approaching two fairways over. This was unlike anything else witnessed in the eight previous hours I was there. It could be no one other than the world's greatest golfer and philanderer, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods.
Sharing the round and the fairways with him was his putting guru and the man that turned his season around, Steve Stricker. You can tell Tiger loves this guy and respects his advice as he kept chatting him up and smiling. I even saw Woods later do a goofy kind of a duck step, not once but twice, going down the 4th fairway.
I could not resist taking his picture while he practiced chipping, putting and blasting out of the sand. Some of the shots he hit out of the heavy 3 1/2 inch rough, to slick downhill, tight pin positions were just amazing.
Getting back to yesterday, I got the total, major treatment in many ways. First of all my ticket gave me full privileges to the Nicklaus Chalet Village. This is a huge tented complex housing various corporations where you are fed breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and beverages all for free. My favorite part of lunch was the Delmonico steak which was grilled and melt in your mouth delicious.
The rooms are individualized, air conditioned and have three sets of flat screen TV's which show the tournament broadcast from TNT and PGA sites which give you statistics and other tournament information.
Everyone who worked in the village were welcoming and courteous. If you left and came back they gave you southern style greeting saying "Welcome back." The only thing missing was the ya'll from truly making you feel like you were in Alabama or Georgia. Another nice amenity was the air conditioned bathrooms with wash basins, mirrors and flush toilets.
The village had cushioned carpeting throughout the walkways. They even made allowances by cutting holes for some of the beautiful oak trees, which dot the course, to go through the flooring.
In the individual corporate room I was in they gave you a Bluetooth type device which was tuned into a Sirius Radio that gave a play by play of the tournament. On the grounds they had hand-held TV's available for a $25 rental fee. I was standing in the right, 18th hole fairway rough and Phil Mickelson was on the other side in the deep stuff surrounded by people. I couldn't see him through the people but I could hear Mark Rolfing over the earpiece describe the situation. Then a guy standing next to me held up his TV which gave the view of Phil as he hit his shot.
Amazing technology!!
Before leaving our tent, I grabbed the PGA's official program, another perk of the day as this sells for $10 elsewhere. Tom was kind enough to give me a pass for the Oak Hill clubhouse which was full of history on it's walls. There were pictures and descriptions of the great events and winners of tournaments over the years. There were antique golf club displays behind glass including some once belonging to such illustrious players and celebrities as Walter Hagen, Babe Didrikson Zaharias, Lee Trevino, Bob Hope and Bing Crobsy. The interior of the clubhouse including the restaurant, lounge and hallways is appointed with rich wood, probably walnut. In the dinning area there was a giant a 10' by 15' television which was broadcasting the tournament.
The players entrance that you see on TV is like a walk into paradise with beautifully manicured grass, flowered walkways and a stately tree overhanging.
Oh, I almost forgot and I didn't mean to lead you on but back to the original subject matter. At some point as I was going up a fairway I saw a guy who looked just like our HC Scott Shafer but he was a distance away. Latter I ran into him again but this time he was right next to me. No cameras were allowed yesterday or I would have taken a shot of him and posted it. I told him that he looked just like the Syracuse head coach. He said a lot of people have said that. I added, it finally dawned on me that you couldn't be him as SU was in the middle of summer drills.
In conclusion I want to again thank Craig and Tom for their consideration this week. It was an experience I will never forget. Thank you, thank you, thank you guys.
