The gate at Pebble Beach Golf Links

By John Craig 

I know it’s taboo on a golf course to break out the cell phone and start yakking away.  I frown on it, that’s for sure.  But heck, I was by myself on Pebble Beach, and I wanted to share the experience with someone who might appreciate it, and who I knew would answer the phone. On the 12th tee, I called my parents. 

My mother answered and even though she’s not a golfer, she was glad for me and understood the significance of the place and that the U.S. Open is being held there and that her son was playing the course. She then told me dad was taking a nap. Oh well.  That was one of two or three times when I was able to just look around and drink in the fact that I was playing Pebble Beach Golf Links for a moment. 

The second was on the 15th when I rolled in a 42-foot putt. But I’m getting ahead of myself.   

‘COMING FAST AND FURIOUS’  

The 110th U.S. Open is being contested there this week. On June 1, I got a “first club” look at what fans will see and where players will walk, the famed venue for the 2010 National Championship. 

It’s coming fast and furious,” said Paul Spengler, Executive Vice President of Pebble Beach Company since 2004. He’s been there 20 years. “It’s going great. All of the facilities set up are ahead of schedule. The golf course is ready.” 

Typically, the United States Golf Association closes its course several weeks in advance of their U.S. Open to protect it, keep it fresh for practice rounds, and make sure that every blade of grass is where it should be and, in some cases, as long as it should be. There are exceptions when the USGA comes to a public facility like last year at Bethpage Black on Long Island and this year at Pebble Beach.  The course was open for public play up until Friday, June 11. Now, it’s ready for the players. 

“It has given us a good spike as far as people are curious and inquisitive and want to come and play and we have access to the golf course,” Spengler told me during an interview in his office, complete with an Arnold Palmer bobblehead doll on his desk. 

I got to see Pebble and play Pebble the day after Memorial Day. First, there was work, though. I was set up with several interviews and took some photos and video too. Some of that accompanies this account. Then I was off to play. 

THE DRIVE DOWN 

My day began at 7:00AM with a 2 ½ hour drive from San Francisco down to the Monterey Peninsula and Carmel Bay. The highway leads to Route 1, which winds down through Pacific Grove and Monterey. The road at the peninsula is famed 17-Mile Drive, which snakes through a spot discovered by Spanish explorers in 1602. The cost to make the drive is $9.50. It takes you past Poppy Hills Golf Course, The Links at Spanish Bay, Seal Rock, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, Cypress Point Lookout, Ghost Tree, the Peter Hay Golf Course and then Pebble Beach, which is built around Stillwater Cove. 

The peninsula was fogged in a bit and it was 55 degrees, but at points you come out and can see into the sea and you just say, “Wow.” I stopped a couple of times to take in the view, including The Lone Cypress, which is the symbol for Pebble Beach – that cypress tree out on a rock. There, I found Jeanne Smith painting her version of the Lone Cypress for her art landscape class. Most of the other students were at Seal Rock that sports “a vibrant mix of marine and bird life” according to the brochure. I would have liked to have seen that but I was on a deadline and that tree was my mission. 

Up around the bend, I also stopped at “Ghost Tree,” which has a trunk bleached white from wind that “has a sinister silhouette.” It did. By 10:30, I made it to the pro shop for my interviews. 

“We’re excited. The electricity, it’s an 11,” said Chuck Dunbar, the Head Golf Professional, doing an English accent and paraphrasing the movie “This is Spinal Tap” when 10 on the dial just wouldn’t do. It wouldn’t do for me either. My waiting to play was “an 11” too. 

“Not some much calm but excited and enthusiastic about what’s kind of imminent here in the next two weeks,” said Golf Course Superintendent Chris Dalhamer, who has worked at Pebble for five years, but volunteered the last time the Open was held here, in 2000. Now, he’s in charge of every blade of grass and every drop of piped in water. 

“We’re going to make it firm and fast and just right to the USGA specifications,” Dalhamer said. “Any golfer can understand right there that your ball’s not going to plug, stop, not roll. You’re going to have balls rolling out onto the fairways, the greens are going to have a couple bounces to them.” 

NO WARM UP AND FROM THE TIPS 

Around 1:00PM, I got to play. By myself. With limited play, all caddies had been spoken for or gone home. After finishing my work, no warm up, I was standing on the first tee. I played it from the tips, more than 6,740 yards. 

The first couple holes, I had a hard time keeping my heart in my chest. Maybe that’s what contributed to my combined 16. 

I took a cart but would have preferred to walk. However, with rental clubs, two cameras, a dozen balls and all the rest, a cart was easier. It was cart path only, though, so I did plenty of walking, including back to the third tee. I mean back. 

When I got there at the par-4, 404-yard hard dogleg left, I looked over the other tee boxes and high grass and thought, “How am I going to carry that after what I just did in the first two holes?” 

Using the Callaway Diablo driver, I took a breath and a nice, easy swing and striped it, almost willing it to “just get to the edge of the fairway.” I think I actually yelled, “Go!” It landed right where you want it to. A sigh of relief. 

I got to the second shot and poked a five-iron to just in front. From there, bogey felt like par. 

PEBBLE’S PERILS 

The USGA’s Mike Davis, the General Chairman of the 2010 Open R.J. Harper and Arnold Palmer “have really strategically changed this golf course like it’s never been before for a U.S. Open basically by bringing in the water into play,” Spengler said. “The fairway alignments on the 4th, 6th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 18th holes are all cut to the water, close to the water and there’s no rough on the water side so any shots hit through the fairway towards the water will, most likely, go in the water. 

“Pebble Beach has never been what you would call a really difficult golf course but it certainly is a challenging U.S. Open golf course because the greens are the smallest, probably, in major championship play,” Spengler said. “And when they get firm and have the four or five inch rough around the greens, that’s where the real difficulty comes in as far as scoring at Pebble, plus the fact that we do need the climate. We need the wind conditions to be there so it doesn’t play as benign. 

BIRDS RATHER THAN BIRDIES 

A bad chip led to another lost ball at the fourth. On the fifth, I took too much club and flew the green on the par-3. That’s also where my battle with the birds began. I bought a sandwich and spent more time protecting it from the birds than my ball from the sea. I lost four balls in the next three holes. 

I made a rookie mistake. Instead of eating before I got on the course, I bought a sandwich when the guy came around near the fifth tee box.  Some advice: when you’re playing Pebble or any other course that might have a large population of birds, eat before you go out on the course. Otherwise, you can lose your lunch, and not the way you might think. 

At the fifth tee, a very nice man who raised his family in Northern California, drove up in the snack cart. I was hungry. (Backstory: I woke up at 6:30AM after going to bed at 2:00AM, drove 2 ½ hours down from San Francisco, where my wife and I were staying. She was spending the day with a college friend. With some fog rolling in and out, I then spent 45 minutes on 17-Mile Drive, did interviews and shopped a bit before getting on the tee. There was no time to eat. So when the cart came rolling up around 2:00PM, he was a sight for sore eyes and an empty stomach.) 

I bought a turkey sandwich, Powerade and banana for $18. Before he drove off, I remarked that there was a big (really, really big) crow eying me. He said, “Oh, yea, don’t leave that sandwich alone in your cart. It will be gone. They’ll take it.” 

I listened, thank goodness, and hoped other birds weren’t paying attention. But they were. So I carried the sandwich in its plastic snap-cover with me around the 5th green and 6th tee. I tried to open it and eat half on my way to the second shot but a couple of seagulls hovered about six feet over my head, literally, for the rest of the 6th and famous 7th hole. 

Teeing off on the 8th, I tore it in half and scarfed as much as I could before my second shot. I jammed the half-eaten half in my pocket and hit my second shot right into the abyss. Birds were still hovering, and hopping in the cart, looking for more, or if I was dumb enough to leave the other half. I didn’t. 

I putted out at the 8th and as I went to the 9th I noticed a seagull over in the thick rough with something. I figured it was a worm or something. I had gulped down my whole sandwich by now. But I soon found out what the bird had – my banana. 

“Yup, they’re taking bananas this year. They’re really aggressive,” said my snack cart friend when I saw him later on the 13th and relayed my story that was indeed, for the birds. He gave me a free banana. 

‘CLIFFS OF DOOM’ 

My best hole on the front nine came at the ninth. I smacked two great shots and bogeyed, feeling pretty good. 

“8, 9 and 10 are kind of the cliffs of doom,” Dalhamer said, referring to the set up that takes away any protection from land to sea so if you slice, and I do, you’re in trouble. But for whatever reason, I played 9 and 10 pretty well. 

“I’ve always said it’s seven holes of offense and 11 holes of defense,” said Dunbar. “There’s a couple scoring holes on that back stretch but nonetheless, you’ve basically got to get a good start in the first seven holes…if the wind is blowing, then they are all hard.” 

Maybe it was my battle with the birds, the fact that I reminded myself I was just playing golf, or that I called my parents more than 3,000 miles away, but I played better. My only par came at the 15th: that 42-footer from the front of the green. As it tracked closer to the hole, I raised my putter in triumph when it dropped, but there was no one around. 16 was a disaster and then came the famed 17th.  

17 & 18 

A “classic” that the USGA has not changed, is how the USGA describes 17. It’s where Tom Watson made that jaw-dropping chipshot in 1982 to vault him to victory; where Jack Nicklaus hit a one-iron into the wind in 1972 and smacked it off the stick. 

With some wind, I took a five-iron from 178-yards and came up just short, but it bounced. I got some help from some tourists who were taking pictures nearby to help me locate the ball. Then, I opened up a pitching wedge and flopped a shot that skirted the edge of the hole – almost a birdie. It rolled past and I two-putted. Then came 18. 

“Just don’t hit it left,” I actually said out loud just before drawing back the driver. It went right down the middle. Off in the distance there was a couple taking a stroll. As I got close, the guy said, “nice shot.” Cool. 

I stood over that shot and hit a bullet over the two trees in the middle of the fairway to about 120-yards. For that third shot, again I talked to myself, “One good 9-iron,” I muttered, and it took a nap in the right greenside bunker. I stepped into the bunker, having had some sand trouble, but blasted it out to about six-feet and two-putted. I finished bogey-bogey for my 112. 

“I can’t wait for the week to be here,” Dunbar said. “You do all the preparation stuff and all the anticipation and we all want to enjoy the fruits of our labor and see the whole thing come together.” “It’s an honor and a privilege for us to host an Open,” said Spengler. “We look at it that way, we treat it that way.” 

I lost seven golf balls and as I drove off the property, I called my father. He was up from his nap.

John Craig hosts Capitalareagolf.com Radio, Fridays at 5pm on WOFX, 980AM

Capitalareagolf.com, your source for local golf coverage, brings you 18-holes in one hour every week on the air.

We are “teeing up” a radio show on Fox Sports 980AM, WOFX, which debuts this Friday, June 11, and runs weekly from 5pm-6pm. Capitalareagolf.com Radio gets you “game ready” – whether you are playing, watching or just headed to the range to hit a bucket.

We’ll bring you a fast-paced show with insight and stories with some of the top names, personalities, players and pros in the Capital Area’s game. We’ll have up-to-the minute news, weather reports, deals, travel, stories and tips to help you improve your game. Plus, Capitalareagolf.com gives you things to talk about, things you can discuss between shots as you and your friends make your way around the course.

Additionally, Capitalareagolf.com Radio gives you a “Charity Corner” that highlights a tournament and the good that golf gives.

The show’s not gone after that weekly hour. It will be accessible on the web at both Capitalareagolf.com and Fox Sports 980AM.

At Capitalareagolf.com, you can find other stories, videos with local teachers and links all dedicated to the game of golf.

18-holes in one hour, plus time for the 19th hole before the hour is up. So if you’re headed to the Adirondacks for the weekend, or headed out of the Capital Area, or just getting set for your regular round, get it started with Capitalareagolf.com Radio, Fridays at 5:00PM.

Participate in the show: capitalareagolf@gmail.com, 690-0980 (studio line).

Notah Begay III at Turning Stone Resort

A dozen of the world’s best golfers – men and women – will triple the size of the annual Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge. The third annual event at Turning Stone Resort will feature a 12-player field at the Atunyote Golf Club on August 31.

Men: Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, Hunter Mahan, Vijay Singh, Rickie Fowler and Begay. Women: recent LPGA retirees Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa, plus Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel and Anna Rawson. Begay and Villegas return from last year’s Skins Game that also included Tiger Woods and Mike Weir and raised $1.2 million.

All proceeds from the tournament go directly to benefit the NB3 Foundation and its partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians to raise awareness and funding to fight against obesity and promote youth sports and wellness within Native American communities.

“I am extremely grateful to have some of the world’s top golfers from the men’s and women’s game join me at this year’s event and support the Foundation’s mission of empowering Native youth to sustain active, healthy and productive lives,” said Begay in a release. “Through their involvement and the partnership of the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians and the Oneida Indian Nation, the NB3 Challenge will continue to fuel our commitment to the long-term battle to ensure that Native American youth are given the opportunity to be healthy and be engaged in positive activities that can promote their well-being and success as young adults.”

Full Press Release:

WORLD’S BEST GOLFERS FROM MEN’S AND WOMEN’S GAME COME TOGETHER AT  NOTAH BEGAY III FOUNDATION CHALLENGE TO BENEFIT NATIVE AMERICAN YOUTH

Begay, Oneida Indian Nation and San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians team up to continue fight against obesity and promote youth sports and wellness within Native American communities

Verona, N.Y. – (June 9, 2010) – Notah Begay III, a four-time PGA TOUR winner, today announced the 12-player field for the third annual Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation Challenge. PGA TOUR stars Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas and Hunter Mahan, along with LPGA greats Annika Sorenstam and Lorena Ochoa, are among the golfers who will join Begay on Tuesday, Aug. 31, at Turning Stone Resort’s Atunyote Golf Club on Oneida Indian Nation lands near Vernon, N.Y. Rounding out the world-class golf field are LPGA Tour professionals Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel and Anna Rawson and PGA TOUR golfers Vijay Singh and Rickie Fowler. 

Through a strong and ever-growing partnership with the Oneida Indian Nation and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians, the NB3 Foundation Challenge raises awareness and funding for the improved health and wellness of Native American youth on Indian reservations nationwide.

All proceeds from the tournament go directly to benefit the Notah Begay III Foundation. Last year’s event featuring Begay, Villegas and PGA TOUR standouts Tiger Woods and Mike Weir raised $1.2 million in support of the foundation’s mission.

“I am extremely grateful to have some of the world’s top golfers from the men’s and women’s game join me at this year’s event and support the Foundation’s mission of empowering Native youth to sustain active, healthy and productive lives,” said Begay. “Through their involvement and the partnership of the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians and the Oneida Indian Nation, the NB3 Challenge will continue to fuel our commitment to the long-term battle to ensure that Native American youth are given the opportunity to be healthy and be engaged in positive activities that can promote their well-being and success as young adults.”

The Notah Begay III Foundation was founded in 2005 by Begay, the only full-blooded Native American on the PGA TOUR. In an effort to make a difference in the lives of Native American youth, the Foundation took on the mission to reduce the disproportionately high incidence of obesity and diabetes among children in Native American communities. The Foundation’s focus is on creating sustainable and innovative soccer and golf programs – designed by Native Americans for Native American youth – that promote physical fitness, wellness and leadership development.   

Proceeds from the 2009 NB3 Challenge helped Begay and the Foundation make its first major impact in Indian Country when it broke ground on the first phase of a $750,000 soccer field and community park in the San Felipe Pueblo in May 2010. The park will serve as the Pueblo’s first recreational facility in its history, and will be the future home for the San Felipe Soccer Club – a program the NB3 Foundation has operated since 2005 for more than 200 Pueblo youth. Along with the soccer program, the Foundation has established a number of golf initiatives, including a partnership with To’hajiilee High School, a Navajo Nation community school in New Mexico. Additionally, the Foundation has delivered golf curricula to the school’s students and has also implemented summer junior golf programs and clinics in New Mexico and in other tribal communities across the country. These partnerships with the Navajo Nation, San Felipe Pueblo and other communities represent the model golf and soccer programs the Foundation is striving to implement across Indian Country.

The relationship between Begay, the Oneida Indian Nation and the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians allows the NB3 Foundation Challenge to demonstrate what can be accomplished when tribes come together and donate time and resources to issues important to Native American communities. In addition, the event magnifies the monumental progress Indian nations have made recently to build a more promising future for their youth and communities. The host site for the NB3 Foundation Challenge, Turning Stone Resort & Casino, is an economic enterprise of the Oneida Indian Nation.

“The Oneida Indian Nation is honored to again host and co-sponsor the Notah Begay III Foundation Challenge at our beautiful Atunyote Golf Club,” said Ray Halbritter, Oneida Nation Representative and CEO of Nation Enterprises. “We are also pleased to have the San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians as a partner in raising much-needed funds for the NB3 Foundation and its continued efforts to benefit American Indian youth. I’m looking forward to a wonderful event with some of the world’s top players from the PGA and LPGA Tours.”

“It is our responsibility as parents and tribal leaders to set the tone for overall wellness and health among our youth,” said San Manuel Chairman James Ramos. “As a partner in this tournament for three years, we have witnessed the positive strides that Notah and the NB3 Foundation are making at the community level on Indian reservations across this nation. Problems of obesity and high rates of diabetes have become entrenched in Indian Country. We believe our first and best opportunity to uproot the causes of these conditions is to change the attitudes and behaviors of our youth. We have faith that these programs will help turn the tide toward a more healthy future for our young people.” 

The expanded field at the 2010 NB3 Foundation features a who’s who from the men’s and women’s world of golf. Singh, a four-time major champion and the winner of the 2008 FEDEX Cup, owns 34 career PGA TOUR victories. The trio of Kim, Villegas and Mahan all sit among the top 25 in the World Golf Rankings. Kim owns three career PGA TOUR victories and has teamed with two-time TOUR winner Mahan on the victorious 2008 U.S Ryder Cup and 2009 Presidents Cup squads. The first Columbian ever to win an event on the PGA, Villegas has three PGA TOUR wins on his resume, including the 2010 Honda Classic. The 2010 rookie campaign of Fowler, who is part Navajo, has been solid with four top 10 finishes in his first 15 PGA TOUR starts.

Sorenstam and Ochoa, two giants of the women’s game who have combined for 99 career LPGA wins, will return to the links for the first time together at the NB3 Challenge. In 15 years on the LPGA Tour, Sorenstam built a Hall of Fame career with 10 major championships and career earnings of over $22.5 million, a Tour record.  Ochoa ascended to the top of the Women’s rankings in 2007, and held that position for 157 straight weeks.  Before announcing her retirement this past April, the eight-year pro dominated the women’s game capturing four straight Rolex Player of the Year awards from 2006-2009. Pettersen and LPGA Tour veteran Kerr both rank in the top five in the Women’s World Golf Rankings. Kerr owns 12 career victories in 13 years as a pro while Pettersen has captured six career LPGA wins including the 2007 LPGA Championship. Pressel has two career wins on the LPGA Tour and has been a member of both the 2007 and 2009 victorious U.S. Solheim Cup teams. Rawson is in her third year as an LPGA pro following a college career at the University of Southern California where she won a NCAA Championship in 2003. 

This year, the NB3 Foundation Challenge will be a mixed team, best ball format with a total purse of $400,000. The winning two-some will split a first place prize of $100,000. Past events featured a Skins Challenge format with Woods capturing top honors in 2009 and Villegas edging Singh for the top spot in the 2008 inaugural event.

For more information about the NB3 Foundation Challenge, visit: www.nb3challenge.com. Ticket pricing and additional event information will be available soon by contacting the Turning Stone box office at 315-361-SHOW (7469).
 
Key Background About Notah Begay III Foundation

In 2005, Notah Begay III established the Notah Begay III (NB3) Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Notah established the Foundation to address the profound health and wellness issues impacting Native American youth and to empower those youth and help them realize their potential as tomorrow’s leaders. The mission of the Foundation is to reduce the incidences of obesity and diabetes and advance the lives of Native American youth through sports and wellness programming. To this end, the mission the Foundation supports is the development of sustainable, evidence-based and innovative soccer and golf programs designed by Native Americans for Native American youth that promote physical fitness, wellness and leadership development.

About Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York

A premier four-season, destination resort in Upstate New York, the Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort and Casino is conveniently located about 30 miles east of Syracuse at NYS Thruway exit 33.  Turning Stone was named “Most Excellent Golf Resort” by Condé Nast Johansens in 2010 and Casino of the Year by the Academy of Country Music in 2009. The resort offers world class gaming, golf, entertainment, accommodations and spa facilities and has earned AAA four-diamond ratings for The Lodge, The Tower Hotel and Wildflowers restaurant. The Atunyote Golf Club is the annual host of The Turning Stone Resort Championship, a PGA Tour event. Turning Stone’s entertainment and meeting venues include the 5,000-seat Event Center, the 800-seat Showroom and the Conference Center.

For more information and reservations, call (315) 361-7711 or 1-(800) 771-7711, and visit turningstone.com.

About the Oneida Indian Nation

The Oneida Indian Nation is a federally recognized Indian nation in Central New York. A founding member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy), the Oneida Indian Nation sided with the Americans in the Revolutionary War and was thanked by Congress and President George Washington for its loyalty and assistance. Today, the Oneida Nation consists of about 1,000 enrolled Members, most of them living in Central New York. The Nation’s enterprises, which employ nearly 5,000 people, include Turning Stone Resort and Casino, the SavOn chain of gas stations and convenience stores, a 3,000 acre beef and crop farm, three marinas, and Four Directions Media, which includes a national weekly newspaper and a 3D animation/HD cinematography studio. Proceeds from these enterprises are used to rebuild the Nation’s economic base and provide essential services, including housing, health care, and education incentives and programs, to its Members. Visit www.oneidaindiannation.com for more information on the Nation.

About San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians 

The San Manuel Band of Serrano Mission Indians is a federally recognized American Indian tribe located near the city of Highland, Calif. The Serrano Indians are the indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys and mountains who share a common language and culture. The San Manuel reservation was established in 1891 and recognized as sovereign nation with the right of self-government. Since time immemorial, the San Manuel tribal community has endured change and hardship. Amidst these challenges the tribe continued to maintain its unique form of governance. Like other governments it seeks to provide a better quality of life for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services and promoting social, economic and cultural development. Today San Manuel tribal government oversees many governmental units including the departments of fire, public safety, education and environment. Visit www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov for more information on the tribe.
# # #

VALATIE – Scott Berliner, an assistant pro at Shaker Ridge Country Club, admitted he was “very nervous” on the first hole Tuesday as he pulled out his 3W and smacked his tee shot at 9:30AM. By 3:30PM, when most of the scores had been posted at Olde Kinderhook Golf Club, he had a big grin on his face as he held the medal signifying low round of the U.S. Open Qualifier.

“Every kid dreams of winning the U.S. Open and now I’m one step closer to actually competing in a U.S. Open, which is the ultimate goal,” said Berliner. “It’s something I try to focus on.”

(click on picture to view slideshow)

Berliner shot 37-34=71 and was the only player under par. Former Wolferts Roost Assistant Pro Tye Grissom was second with a 35-27=72. Chris DeJohn (35-38=73), who will graduate from Skidmore College on Saturday, needed one playoff hole to earn the third advancing slot over Pittsfield, MA native Matt Donovan (39-34=73). Donovan becomes the first alternate. Trevor Jaycox (35-39=74) of Schoharie is the second alternate.

Scotia native Ron Philo, Jr., probably the most accomplished player in the field, shot 37-37=74 but chose not to compete for the second alternate slot.

52 players signed up for the qualifier. 49 teed off and 45 finished.

BERLINER’S ROUND

Berliner, a native of Lake Luzerne, found the bunker on his approach at the par-4, 380-yard opening hold. He got out but missed the putt and began his quest for a spot in the sectional with a bogey. He followed that up with a par at the 400-yard second hole.

“Hit a good tee ball on two and that kind of settled me down,” Berliner said.

In year’s past, had he started a round that way, he would have already thought, “Pencil me in for a 77.”

“I’ve kind of learned, ‘stay with it, you never know when the birdies are going to fall,’” Berliner said. “Even if you’re out of it, try to get something out of your round.

“That’s the one thing I have learned over the past three winters playing down [in Florida].”

The “solid bogey” on one was followed by nine straight pars.

“Bigger tournaments like this I just don’t want to make mistakes,” Berliner said. “Therefore, you play tentative.”

He was on a roller-coaster after that. He bogeyed 11, finding the bunker on the par-3. Birdied 12, parred 13, bogeyed 14, birdied 15 and parred 16.

On the 512-yard 17th, Berliner eagled. After his drive, he smacked a 6-iron from 224-yards. The ball bounced 10 yards short and rolled to eight feet where he made the putt. He finished with par on 18.

“The layout’s phenomenal. The golf course is unbelieveable,” he said.

It’s the second time in 15 years Berliner has moved on to Sectionals. He’s been an alternate twice. Several years back, he flew from Phoenix to qualify at Normanside CC. He went to Chicago for the Sectional. This year, he will be off to Columbus, OH and play June 7, the day after Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour. Many touring pros who have not yet gotten into the U.S. Open play that 36-hole event.

“Hopefully this will be a little bit better,” Berliner said.

Two weeks ago, Berliner switched to a crosshand putting style which has clicked.

“I’m actually excited to be on the greens now,” he said.

“It’s going to be tough. You’re playing against the best of the best but if want to get out there, that’s how you do it. You’ve got to play with the best…If I play my game, I’ve got as good a shot as anybody out there.”

GRISSOM’S ROUND

Just before Tye Grissom teed off at 9:48AM, he had a lot of things to keep him calm. As a former assistant pro at Wolferts Roost for the past three seasons, he was playing with top amateur and Roost member John Vaccaro, and Mohawk Golf Club’s head pro Jeremy Kerr.

He was also had his head cover – a brown, fuzzy chocolate lab.

A Roost member had given it to him, knowing Grissom had a chocolate lab named “Bogey.” Grissom politely held onto it but hadn’t used it until about two months ago, after “Bogey” was struck and killed by a car in Texas. Grissom wanted a little inspiration, so he put “Bogey” on his 3W.

“I thought I’m going to break that out for his sake and it’s been on there ever since,” Grissom said. “It puts a smile on my face, kind of gets me comfortable out there.”

It seemed to work. Grissom began by making “two-clutch five footers” for par on the first two holes.

“I think that kind of stuck with me through the day,” Grissom said. “I putted real well. I hit the driver well. I hit a couple of loose ones and when I did, luckily, I wasn’t in too bad of a shape and recovered from there. If you hit the driver crooked out here you can really get into some spots.”

He birdied holes 5, 6 and 15, and just missed a short putt for birdie on the par-5 17th. He finished even par, 35-37.This is  Grissom’s fourth upstate NY qualifier. He was supposed to play this year in Houston but due to a conflict, he liked the Rees Jones designed Olde Kinderhook and called the USGA to switch.

“[I] made a little New York vacation out of it,” Grissom said. “I’m here nine days, see all my friends, and it really worked out great.”

 Two years ago, Grissom was one shot out of a playoff. Last year, he lost in a playoff at Albany Country Club. Now, he’s off to the Sectional at Club at Carlton Woods, in The Woodlands, Texas, not far from his home in Vidor, TX.

“Really challenging course,” Grissom said. “I feel like it would be a good course for me.”

Grissom is playing full time in Beaumont, TX and teaching 30-40 students. He broke his finger late last year and found himself with a lot of free time. So he called up his high school golf coach and asked if he could help out.

Now, Grissom is playing on the Adams Tour and wants to play some PGA Tour qualifiers including Turning Stone later in the summer.

“Hopefully I can get enough money, maybe get some sponsor money and go to Q-school this year,” he said. “That’s the goal.”

“Bogey” will be along for the ride.

DEJOHN’S ROUND

Chris DeJohn, who will be graduated from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs on Saturday, made it through the U.S. Open qualifier from Albany Country Club last year. So he had expectations.
Those were quickly dashed early on with what he called “a shaky start.”

DeJohn, 23, sprayed his hybrid off the tee into the right sand trap on the first hole. He found the front of the green but three-putted for bogey. On the second tee, he knocked his tee shot right and hit a provisional, which also went right. But he found his first ball and scrambled to make par. On the third hole, he missed the green for bogey. +2 through three.

“Greens were really slow,” DeJohn said. “I had trouble adjusting. The ball wasn’t running out on the green.”

Birdies at 5, 6 & 7 got him going again and ““I kind of just limped in from there.”

“I wasn’t chipping very well,” said DeJohn, who plays his home golf at the TPC River Highlands in Connecticut, where they’ve played a PGA Tour event for years.

He’d only played Olde Kinderhook one other time, in a practice round Monday. So, with battling allergies, a crummy time at college nationals last week, he went back to the range and found something that worked. When he stepped to the tee for the U.S. Open qualifier, it was “Just another day on the golf course,” he said.

In the playoff against Matt Donovan, DeJohn made par and earned the final Qualifying slot. He will next move to Canoe Brook in Summit, NJ on June 7.

DONOVAN’S ROUND

Last year, Pittsfield, MA native Matt Donovan came as close as you can to the U.S. Open. He shot -8 in the sectional in Columbus but lost in a nine-man playoff for one slot. Tuesday, Donovan was back at it.

“This season, I’m going to bounce around a lot…mini-tour life, guys,” Donovan joked.

He wore a long-sleeved white shirt with the CC of Pittsfield logo on the left sleeve, even though he’s just visiting and has lived in Jupiter, Florida for the past eight years. When he’s not playing, the 32-year old is a caddy at Seminole Golf Club in the winter months.

As he made the turn at OKGC, his dad checked the board and saw the lowest posted score was a 75 but since he was in the third-to-last group, he knew there would be other numbers posted he wouldn’t know about.

“This was a tournament I always thought was doable,” Donovan said. “If you’re playing golf and you’re a good player, this is a real doable thing. And everybody gets a shot. It’s an open golf tournament.”
Donovan made the turn at +3, parred the tenth, bogeyed 11, parred 12 and birdied 13.

“I had great looks” on 14, 15 & 16 and stood at +3.

On the par-5 17th, he smacked his drive “way right, in the other fairway,” he said. He knocked his 3-iron to greenside bunker and holed it out for eagle. He parred 18. Donovan knocked his tee shot into deep rough on the first playoff hole, scrambled but a five foot putt lipped out and DeJohn made par. Donovan became first alternate. He has been in the sectional round twice before.

 Donovan says he’s “consistent and comfortable” with his game. He grew up an average junior player and earned a partial scholarship to Elon College. He’s made it to the second stage of the PGA Tour’s qualifying school and this year earned status in South Africa, making it through Q-school.

“The flight’s expensive,” he said. “Once you get there, it’s OK [pricewise]. [However,] South Africa’s dangerous. It’s not a place you want to hang out.”

SCORES:
Qualifiers – Scott Berliner (Albany) 37-34 =71 (–1); Tye Grissom (Vidor, TX) 35-37=72 (E); Chris DeJohn (Rocky Hill, CT) 35-38=73 (+1).

Alternates – Matt Donovan (Pittsfield, MA) 39-34=73 (+1); Trevor Jaycox (Schoharie) 35-39=74 (+2).

Others –

+2: Ron Philo Jr. (Amelia Island, FL) 37-37=74;

+3: Steve Quillinan Jr. (Palm Beach Gardens, FL) 38-37=75;

+4: Dan Russo (Hagaman) 37-39=76;

+5: Jeb Buchanan (Loudonville) 40-37=77; Jim Gifford (Ballston Lake) 37-40=77; Matt Felber (Tampa, FL) 38-39=77; Jeremy Kerr (Niskayuna) 39-38=77;

+6: Todd Barker (Alexandria, KY) 42-36=78; Mark Coldham (Ontario) 38-40=78; Spencer Sautin (Ballston Lake) 40-38= 78; Kyle Sleasman (Loudonville) 38-40=78;

+7: Donnie Troy (Pittsfield, MA) 38-41=79; Michael Tulacz (Connelly) 37-42=79, Tom Oppedisano (Clifton Park) 40-39=79; Ryan Gabel (Poughkeepsie) 39-40=79; Bryan Bigley (Rotterdam) 39-40=79; Matthew Horton (Troy) 37-42=79; Kevin Hughes (Saratoga Springs) 39-40=79;

+8: Jocelyn Falardeau (Quebec) 39-41=80; Glenn Davis (Delmar) 39-41=80; Joey Fitzsimmons (Latham) 40-40=80; John Vaccaro (Albany) 40-40=80; Ian Breen (Lake Placid) 41-39=80;

+9: Jim Otto (Albany) 39-42=81, Mark Sabatino (Mechanicville) 40-41=81; David Mooradian (Troy) 43-38=81; Matt King (Plattsburgh) 41-40=81;

+10: Anders Mattson (Saratoga Springs) 43-39=82; Andrew DeForest (Cottekill) 40-42=82; Brian Thomas (Ausable Forks) 40-42=82;

+11: Scott Battiste (Rexford) 43-40=83; John Andrews (Selkirk) 44-39=83; Justin Deitz (Clifton Park) 38-45=83;

+12: Jesse Muller (Cairo) 42-42=84;

+13: Stanley Gorman (Syracuse) 38-45=85; Chad Stoffer (Niskayuna) 45-40=85; Brendan Singleton (Rye, NH) 42-43=85;

+14: Tom Siddon (Massena) 40-46=86;

+21: Jordon Heffler (Albany) 41-52=93; Scott Pickwick (Cooperstown) 45-48=93;

WD: Timothy Barcomb (Selkirk), Ryan Simpson (Mechanicville), Glen Walden (Chappaqua), Josh Hillman (Williamstown, MA), John Sutherland (East Amherst), Andrew Walsh (Loudonville), Steve Vatter (Albany).

I know. I just played three of its courses over five days.

But not before a tune-up in the Sunshine State started with a visit to friends at “The Villages.” You’ve seen the commercials during golf telecasts – it’s a sprawling retirement community about an hour and a half north of Disney. There are more than a dozen courses on that property.

We played “Virginia” and “Amelia.” Both were lovely, not too challenging. It got us ready to see what Mickey Mouse had in store for us. (I should note my husband is an 11 handicap and I’m a 30 but I’ve broken 100 and if I get out more I hope to shoot that more often than my regular 108.)

A ‘BLAST’ OF A TRIP

After watching the shuttle Discovery blast off, we did the same and headed to Disney World. Along with the theme parks, the entertainment mecca boasts four, 18-hole courses.
Our first stop: “The Palm.” We were greeted by a garrulous starter who plied us with tees, ball markers and one of those divot fixers, all with the Disney logo, of course. He made sure to snap a shot of us on the first tee because, if you look closely, you’ll see the markers are balloons, the logo of the “Children’s Miracle Network.” “The Palm” hosts that event PGA Tour event. In fact, at each tee there’s a plaque with trivia about that event.

After a few more jokes and well wishes, we were off to play the course. The first few holes run along a busy roadway so it’s a bit noisy, but by the fourth hole it’s all wind in the trees and birds chirping. Since Disney is known for challenging its visitors but always letting them win, I wondered if the courses would reflect that. The answer is “yes and no.”
Don’t let the wide, lush fairways, forgiving rough, and soft sand fool you. “The Palm” has numerous elevated greens and it is a well trapped course with plenty of trees and golf ball-eating palms. I spent enough time hitting out of bunkers to wonder if I hadn’t combined a day at the beach with a day on the links. (Who knew that after watching the shuttle, I would be “blasting” out of so many bunkers?)

The greens are large and not too fast, which took some getting used to as our home course, Shaker Ridge CC in Latham, has greens that are like a skating pond. Because this was early in the season, the husband played from the yellow tees – 6,006 yards, 69.2/118 – and, as usual, I played from the red tees: 5,262 yards 70.5/126. We had the course to ourselves and played it in three and a half hours.

No surprise, “Golf Digest” gives this a four-star rating. (BTW, never saw a ‘gator in or near the many mini-lakes or nine water holes on the course. Then again, this IS Disney so I don’t think they allow the critters on the course.)

OSPREY RIDGE: SERENITY NOW

Our next stop, two days later, was “Osprey Ridge.” Hands down, it’s my favorite. The Tom Fazio designed course is tucked into the Disney property and is very serene. In fact, the course website notes it’s recognized as a certified Audubon Cooperative Wildlife Sanctuary. I also found this to be the most challenging of the trio we played.
From the tips, it’s 7,101 yards/par 72.  The husband hit from the whites – 6,629 yards, 71.7/124 – and, as always, I opted for the reds – 5,283 yards, 70.3/124. Thank you Disney: a wonderful advantage for women.

At first, I thought the advantage took some of the fun out of the course, by the 5th or 6th hole I backed off that notion. Again, there was plenty of sand and trees to contend with.  For those of you who are “grass” experts, all the courses are Bermuda grass. They cover the courses in winter rye which is just about grown out this time of the year.
For the most part, the greens wintered well, despite the nasty cold Florida had to contend with. We noted some winter damage but I’m sure within a few weeks you’d never know they had a cold, miserable winter. “Golf Digest” gives this course a 4 ½-star rating.

SO CLOSE AT BUENA VISTA

The third course: “Lake Buena Vista.”  Hey, we had to play this course because it’s tucked into the “Saratoga” resort. It also boasts the best clubhouse/restaurant of the three courses. Make sure you have time for lunch or dinner here and if you like salmon, they have a fabulous spiced salmon salad which we tried the day before our round.

“Lake Buena Vista” was my husband’s favorite. Hitting from the white tees, it’s 6,264 yards, 70./129. For me, from the reds, 5,204 yards, 69/9/122. It’s just as pristinely manicured as the other two courses we played. The course website notes this Joe Lee designed course is one of the few courses that have hosted PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and USGA events.

Water and sand are perfectly placed so you have to think about your club selection. Note: the cart’s onboard GPS helps, but only if you’re hitting from the men’s tees. The onboard computer also provides a little quiz show along the way, asking you golf questions. It was fun to have this extra competition.

My claim to fame on this course was coming within inches of my first hole-in-one on what’s billed as the toughest par-3 on the course, the 16th-hole. And yes, I MADE the putt!

TIME TO GO

There are two other courses, “The Magnolia,” which I have fond memories of playing years ago, remembering how picturesque it is. The other course is a par-36, which you can walk. Trust me, you’re not walking any of the 18-hole courses, just too much ground to cover. For cost and other details: www.Golf.Reservations@disney.com.

Would I play these courses again? Darn tootin’! Maybe next time I’ll get that hole-in-one!  Hey, it’s Disney, you never know.

I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish.

People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children. And while I have always tried to be a private person, there are some things I want to say. Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behavior. As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words. It will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss.

However, what we say to each other will remain between the two of us. I am also aware of the pain my behavior has caused for those of you in this room. I have let you down and I have let down my fans. For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me, I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners. To everyone involved in my foundation including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever.

Thirteen years ago, my dad and I envisioned helping young people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the learning center students in southern California to the Earl Woods’ scholars in Washington, D.C., millions of kids have changed their lives and I am dedicated to making sure that continues. But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I have done the things that I did. I’m embarrassed that I have put you in this position. For all that I have done, I am so sorry.

I have a lot to atone for. But there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage, ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise not blame.

The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable and I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong but I convinced myself that normal rules didn’t apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself.

I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame, I didn’t have to go far to find them.

I was wrong. I was foolish. I don’t get to play by different rules. The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.

I’ve had a lot of time to think about what I have done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It’s now up to me to make amends and that starts by never repeating the mistakes I’ve made. It’s up to me to start living a life of integrity.

I once heard – and I believe it’s true – it’s not what you achieve in life that matters, it’s what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count. Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all of those families a special apology. I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.

It’s hard to admit that I need help, but I do. For 45 days, from the end of December to early February, I was in inpatient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I’m facing. I have a long way to go but I’ve taken my first steps in the right direction. As I proceed, I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me for the details and times I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin and I will remain together. Please know, that as far as I’m concerned every one of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife.

Some people have made up things that never happened. They said I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the damage I have done, I still believe it is right to shield my family from the public spotlight. They did not do these things, I did.

I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors, my commercial endorsements. When my children were born, we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behavior doesn’t make it right for the media to follow my 2 ½ year old daughter to school and report the school’s location. They staked out my wife and they pursued my mom. Whatever my wrongdoings, for the sake of my family, please leave my wife and kids alone.

I recognize I have brought this on myself and I know, above all, I am the one who needs to change. I owe it to my family to become a better person. I owe it to those closest to me to become a better man. That’s where my focus will be. I have a lot of work to do and I intend to dedicate myself to doing it.

Part of following this path, for me, is Buddhism which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it, but I was raised a Buddhist and I actively practiced my faith from childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security. It teaches me to stop following every influence and learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught.

As I move forward, I will continue to receive help because I’ve learned that’s how people really do change. Starting tomorrow, I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I’m making these remarks today.

In therapy, I’ve learned the importance of looking at my spiritual life and keeping in balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered so I can save the things that are most important to me: my marriage and my children. That also means relying on others for help. I’ve learned to seek support from my peers in therapy and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help.

I do plan to return to golf one day. I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return, I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game. In recent weeks, I have received many thousands of e-mails, letters and phone calls from people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me.

I want to thank the PGA Tour, Commissioner Finchem and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course.

Finally, there are many people in this room and, there are many people at home, who believed in me. Today, I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again. Thank you.

ALBANY – The biggest name dominating the sport of golf in the Capital Area, or anywhere else for that matter, is still Tiger Woods.

Nearly a month after Woods’ first public statement, Joe Steranka, the PGA of America’s CEO, was in Albany for a meeting regarding the Economy of Golf in New York State. We asked him about the world’s number one player. Specifically, about Woods’ words since the car accident the Friday after Thanksgiving which uncovered some dirty details of his personal life and about when Steranka thought Woods might return to the game.

“I was pleased to hear him talk about his love of the game of golf and coming back and playing this year,” Steranka said. “I don’t know when he’s going to come back, but I’m like every other fan out there; he can’t come back soon enough.”

Steranka, 51, has been with the PGA of America for 23 years. He began as Director of Communications in 1988 and is now in his fifth as CEO.

Part of his outreach is with a new industry government relations program “We Are Golf,” designed to achieve legislative and public affairs goals for a $76 billion annual industry.

“What’s important for the New York State Legislature to realize is that golf is a very efficient economic model,” Steranka said.

ALBANY – Given the fiscal crisis facing New York’s budget, there’s cause for concern that the game of golf could be indirectly affected by cutbacks. So says Joe Steranka, World Golf Foundation Chairman and PGA of America CEO. He spoke in Albany with the New York State Turfgrass Association on Wednesday.

“It’s about priorities,” Steranka says. “We’re all having to reset the cost of doing our business. It’s important for the members of the New York State Legislature to realize golf is a very efficient economic model.”

(To read the full report, follow our link)

Steranka played heavily on numbers in a report showing golf’s financial impact on the state in 2007. The report, “The New York Golf Economy,” commissioned by Golf 20/20, for the New York Alliance for Golf Task Force and prepared by SRI International. It shows the golf industry had a total impact of $5.3 billion in 2007, while supplying more than 56,000 jobs. Steranka says in the last two years, the number of rounds played is down only 2% and revenue is down 6%.

To put that $5.3 billion number in some perspective, Florida, where golf is a year-round sport, saw an impact of $7.5 billion, Steranka said.

At Wednesday’s luncheon at the Empire State Plaza, State Senator Darrel J. Aubertine (D-Watertown), Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, reassured Steranka and Turfgrass advocates that even with tough economic times, the game of golf will not be overlooked.

“Here in the Capital Region, golf is a major part of the local economy in the summertime,” Aubertine said. “Golf is an industry that needs to be recognized and I think what we’re trying to do in this year’s budget will help that.”

BUSINESSES AND CHARITIES

Golf’s impact not only affects local businesses, it stretches to local charities, Steranka said. In the report, golf helped raise nearly $125 million in ’07 for charities. Steranka says even though people are cutting back financially, “The nature of golf brings like-minded people together for a fun day in the fresh air and when you throw in the chance to support a charitable cause, that’s a no-brainer. So you’ll still see golf be a major contributor to charity.”

The study also finds that charitable giving attributed to the game of golf in New York approached $125.6 million in 2007.

“Golf’s impact in New York is a reflection of its passionate sports enthusiasts, who take pride in the game and recognize how the sport adds vitality to the state by providing thousands of jobs while at the same time preserving open space and addressing environmental concerns,” said Jay Mottola, executive director of the Metropolitan Golf Association. “Golf has provided citizens of New York with a healthy industry that has a significant impact on economic growth by driving tourism, residential development and retail sales, while also generating millions for charitable causes meeting the environmental concerns.”

In 2007, New York’s direct golf economy – $2.9 billion – is comparable to architectural services ($2.7 billion), women’s apparel manufacturing ($4.4 billion), and semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing ($8.2 billion).

Among the findings in the New York Golf Economy Report:
-With 818 golf courses, 64 stand-alone ranges and 86 miniature golf facilities generated more than $1.5 billion of revenues.
-38 golf resorts and nine annual championships spurred $520.2 million of golf-related tourism spending.
-Out-of-state shipments by New York golf apparel and equipment manufacturers and magazine publishers were approximately $352.3 million.
-The total amount of charitable giving attributed to golf in New York approached $125.6 million.

The New York Golf Economy Report is supported by the New York Alliance for Golf Task Force is made up of following associations: Metropolitan and New York State Chapters of the Club Managers Association; Long Island, Hudson Valley and Metropolitan Golf Course Superintendents Association Chapters; Metropolitan Golf Association (MGA); the New York State Golf Association (NYSGA); the New York State Turfgrass Association (NYSTA); the Central, Metropolitan, Northeastern and Western New York PGA Sections and certified public accounting firm Condon O’Meara McGinty & Donnelly.

FAR HILLS, NJ –  On a random day, you can find a meeting of a state golf association, an average golfer and his wife from California who made a side trip, and even members of the “Red Hat Society” walking the halls of the USGA Museum.

“Our trip started out real small and it just grew and grew and grew,” said Clara Farris, who is not a golfer. “He took me golfing one time and I did divots all over the golf course and said ‘that’s it.’”

 Clara and husband Jack of Fullerton, CA were planning their first-ever trip to New York City and it expanded – to Philadelphia, Lancaster, Gettysburg and the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. Jack was in the Air Force.  Since Jack pays his dues to the USGA each year, he suggested they make a trip to the new Museum and they spent the day.

When he hit old-time, hickory-shafted clubs, for example, he said, “You’ve got to give those old-timers a lot of credit.”

You are invited to view John’s photo album: USGA Museum

Meantime, Andrew Blau of Pittsfield, MA and other rules officials from the Massachusetts Golf Association came for some meetings, a reception, some putting on the putting green and some history.

“It’s terrific,” Blau said.

Visitors like them came to see the added Hall of Champions and all the artifacts on display.

WOODS, JONES AND THOMPSON

It begins with a five-minute video display detailing the history of the USGA and its championships.  Before you even get to the newest wing, there’s Rocco Mediate’s hat from the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines plus the scorecard from the 19-hole playoff with eventual champion Tiger Woods.

“We don’t want to ask people to give away their things but it’s very gratifying to us that when we say to a player ‘we’d really like to have a piece of what you’ve just accomplished to commemorate in the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center,’” said the USGA’s Beth Murrison, our tour guide. “More often than not they’re very flattered and they’re very, very generous with what they give us.”

The newest wing is the Hall of Champions which houses the trophies and the names of 580 Champions.  Tiger Woods’ name first appeared on a panel in 1991 and ran for six consecutive panels. There are three straight U.S. Juniors (1991-93), three straight U.S. Amateurs (1994-1996) and three U.S. Opens (2000, 2002 and 2008).  Woods and Bobby Jones are now tied with the most, nine.  Carol Semple Thompson has seven women’s titles.

SIX ICONIC MOMENTS

The museum is divided into six iconic moments in history and how they coincide with the game of golf.  There are 2,000 artifacts on display, 70,000 in the USGA’s collection, spread among the Dawn of American Golf; Golden Age after WWI; Depression and WWII; Comeback Age; Superpowers; and the Global Game.

“We have quite a lot of things that you do not see but we do a lot of traveling exhibits,” Murrison said.

They even bring in outside consultants to help determine what truly is part of the game and what a visitor might find interesting. Some things they keep and others they simply send back.

There’s Sam Snead’s Stetson Cocoanut Hat, Johnny Miller’s shoes and ball from the 1973 U.S. Open when he shot 63 in the final round at Oakmont, a list of temporary rules from 1941 at the Richmond Golf Club in London, England that read: “Players are asked to collect the bomb and shrapnel splinters” because they could damage mowers. Also, “A player whose stroke is affected by the simultaneous explosion of a bomb may play another ball. Penalty one stroke.”

The Dawn of American Golf: The major mark was 1913 when golf made the front page of “The New York Times” for the first time as Francis Ouimet shocked the world by winning the U.S. Open.

Golden Age after WWI: Prosperity boomed and Bobby Jones won the Grand Slam in 1930. Also on display, Gene Sarazen’s “bent” sand wedge. He bent a regular wedge because he wasn’t a good sand player, Murrison said. Sarazen hid it in his bag and after he won he said, “by the way, I have this,” and it was deemed to conform, she said.

“He truly is the creator of the sand wedge that we use today,” Murrison said.

Depression and WWII: Public golf came to the forefront. The American Red Cross would get clubs to soldiers and they would make balls from the leather of their shoes.

Comeback Age: During the rebuilding of America, there was also Ben Hogan’s horrific car-bus accident and Babe Didrikson-Zaharias had cancer. Barbara Romack, who won the 1954 U.S. Women’s Amateur and was on the ’56 Curtis Cup, was the first woman golfer on Sports Illustrated (April 16, 1956).

Ages of Superpowers 60’s-80’s: Great rivalries like the U.S. and U.S.S.R., Lakers-Celtics, Ali-Frazier and Nicklaus, Palmer and Player.

The Global Game: Murrison personally acquired a ball from Michelle Wie, who chipped in during a U.S. Open qualifier at Canoe Brook, NJ, while trying to qualify. Murrison turned and pointed to a picture of Tiger Woods, “When this gentleman won the 1997 Masters it was the watershed moment when golf just exploded in the international consciousness.”

TWO LARGE PROJECTS

The USGA just finished a video scrapbook for Arnold Palmer’s 80th birthday, asking people to send in stories and pictures of the way the King touched their lives.

Besides a climate-controlled library with rows and rows of paperwork and photos, the video archivist has a state-of-the-art editing suite that keeps him very busy. Currently, he is working on a visual scrapbook from 1991-2008 of Tiger Woods.

“What we’re really trying to do is tell the story of golf in the United States,” Murrison said. “We’ve dedicated a lot of resources.

“We want to do A-to-Z but it’s just not possible. But we have a huge wish list.”

The website goes back to 2003 with photos, adding more and more all the time.

GREAT ROOMS: HOGAN, JONES

The Ben Hogan Room was dedicated in the late 1990’s and it’s where the Massachusetts Golf Association was having their meeting and reception.  They would visit and nosh surrounded by medals, pins, his original locker from Shady Oaks Country Club in Fort Worth, TX (simple name plate, monogrammed shirt) and one of only two green jackets from the Masters not at Augusta.

“We have permission so that’s something quite special for us to have,” Murrison said. Gary Player is believed to have snuck his out too.

There’s also a signed original script from the biopic “Follow the Sun.”

“When we closed the museum and were in the planning stages for the new facility, this was one of the things we knew we wanted to maintain,” Murrison said. “So they pretty much fancied the room up and did the climate control environment. Everything is almost entirely as it was when it opened originally.”

In The Bobby Jones Room, which is just to the left when you walk in the main door, there are paintings and trophies, leather couches that make you feel like Jones might sit down next to you. One special item is a painting of the 16th hole at Augusta done by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in May, 1958 and presented to Jones in April, 1959.

PYNES PUTTING COURSE

The visit is not complete until you grab an old fashioned wooden shafted putter from the corner and head out to the nine-hole putting course called “The Pynes.” Pronounced pines, the 16,000 square foot course is modeled after the Himalaya Course at St. Andrews. Jack Farris, my father and I took our turn. I used a replica “bramble ball” to make my way around.

“Any golfer who loves golf, needs to come here and actually see what they have here,” Farris said. “Not only the ball testing and all that kind of stuff but the museum with all the great, great players. It’s really a thrill for us.”

Next: The USGA Testing Center 

Palmer, who turned 80 September 10th, shot a final round 65 that day in Colorado to erase a seven-stroke deficit. It was, and still is, the greatest comeback in U.S. Open history. Palmer made the three-foot put and, when he tossed his visor in the air, it wound up near a rope line.

As everyone walked away, an 11-year old boy named Skip was urged to grab it. Skip had a good spot to watch history, he was the nephew of Cherry Hills club pro Ralph “Rip” Arnold.

When Palmer emerged from the scorer’s tent, there was Skip waiting, and receiving, an autograph on the visor. Some aren’t even sure Palmer knew it was his. Fred “Skip” Manning III had kept it ever since but when he learned that the USGA Museum was renovating and naming a large portion of the building in honor of Palmer, he called the USGA and told them the visor story.

The USGA flew Manning to Latrobe to meet Arnold Palmer. Now, that visor is in the museum, under glass, and Manning can visit it anytime he wants, for free.

“He said Arnold walked off and that was it and they said ‘go get it, go get it’ and he was the kid with all the adults and he went and picked it up,” said Beth Murrison, the USGA’s Manager of Education and Outreach, who guided our tour. She holds a B.A. in Journalism from The Ohio State University, the alma mater of one Jack Nicklaus.

That’s just some of what you’ll see if you take a drive into central New Jersey, off I-287, to what was a private mansion built in 1919 on 62 acres. The main building was designed by architect John Russell Pope, who designed the National Archives and the Jefferson Memorial.

Today, it is home to the USGA Museum and Arnold Palmer Center for Golf History, plus the official Testing Center, where all the big decisions and measurements on the rules of the game are made and where you can see many historic artifacts. It’s worth a trip for any golf enthusiast, or if you just want to play a round of miniature golf – without the windmills.

“We can keep you busy for 45 minutes or all day,” Murrison said

MUSEUM ON-TIME, UNDER-BUDGET

The USGA first housed some paperwork and artifacts in a flat in New York City in 1936.
Either the flat got to small or the collection got too cumbersome so they found a new spot and moved across the Hudson River in 1972.

The museum closed to the public on March 31, 2005. Arnold Palmer, the honorary chairperson for the project, came for the official groundbreaking ceremony on November 17, 2005. The updated facility reopened June 2, 2008, on-time and under budget of about $19 million.

Fittingly, when you first walk in the main door, the Arnold Palmer Room is to your right. You are greeted by a big screen of what appears to be a sketch of “The King” but when you look closer, it is much more. It is a 22,000 word project that took artist James David Chase 14 years to complete. It is Palmer’s face and every contour, wrinkle and hair is comprised of tiny written words that are relevant to Palmer. Victories. Quotes. Names of his golf courses around the world.

“He used his eyes for things that he saw, particularly with his first wife [Winnie],” Murrison described. “Just an amazing job.”

Chase would do about six words per minute and trained himself like a professional athlete so his hand would not shake, she said.

“Just a massive undertaking so when we saw this we thought…that’s something that really spoke to how people felt about Arnold and the impact that he has on the game and the people who play it,” she said.

Surrounding the video touch-screen sketch are a number of items Palmer donated.

“Apparently, Mr. Palmer is quite a pack rat which worked out quite well in our favor,” Murrison said.

There’s a child’s wooden train of letters that spell his name, a Wheaties box, an action figure, golf cards and the bag from his final competitive round at The Masters.

“He has just this vast trove of wonderful things like that that he was very generous with us and really gave us a lot of things to play with,” Murrison said.