But he’s #4 on another list and #1 on this list from the Miami New Times Food Blog that includes Bill Cosby, Mariah Carey, Madonna and Sean Penn. Check it out and take care of your server. (There’s an interesting altered picture of Eldrick, too.)

ROTELLA’S TOME SHOULD INTEREST YOU

Most of us believe that confidence and positive thinking play a role in successful golf performance. A major figure supporting this is Dr. Bob Rotella, the renowned psychologist, teacher, and golf writer.

His now famous book “Golf is Not a Game of Perfect” was written in 1995. He soon followed with the equally successful “Golf is a Game of Confidence.” Both made lasting impressions on me in my earlier golfing days and I recently reread the latter. I enjoyed it once again and I’d like to take a few moments to share some thoughts from it.

Rotella is the former Director of Sports Psychology at the University of Virginia where he still serves as a volunteer assistant coach of the men’s golf team. He has been a consultant to some of the top golf organizations in the world, including the PGA and LPGA tours, as well as a writer for Golf Digest.

He wrote “Golf is a Game of Confidence” with journalist and novelist Bob Cullen. The authors use a rather unique definition of the term confidence. “Confidence is playing with your eyes.” They contend that confident athletes can zero in on the present objective. They allow the brain and the rest of their body to simply react. Thus, confident golfers see where they want the ball to go and continue to see the target in their mind’s eye as they let the body swing the club.

They further contend that most golfers who go out only once or twice a week experience confidence only occasionally. At those times when things simply fall in place – when they hit the ball crisply and on line, when their chip shots roll true and when their putts find the hole – they feel the confidence and have a great love for the game.

However, when the swing stops working their minds race for way to fix it and they become too “mechanical.” This creates a tightening of the muscles needed for control and things usually go from bad to worse.

I’m sure we all realize that confidence alone won’t make us invincible on the course. How we execute is certainly the key factor in our success. However, the authors do a good job explaining the need for a positive attitude. They claim that most golfers often try positive thinking for a while, but quickly give up when they run into adversity. I feel that one of the best thoughts in the book was, “…..it may seem easier to be negative in the short run. But in the long run you’re going to waste a lot more energy being negative. You’ll flail away at the game, but you’ll never find out how good you could have been. So the truth of matter is – if you intend to invest time and energy in golf, it’s a lot easier to be positive.”

The book is divided into “18” chapters, each portraying different individuals and how they successfully coped with a difficult situation in their golf life. These range from well-known professionals such as Brad Faxon, Davis Love III, Pat Bradley, Billy Mayfair, and Tom Kite, to names you won’t recognize, but situations that may be familiar.

It won’t cure all your problems, but it should get you to look at things a bit differently. I recommend it as a good read during the golfing season.

By Timothy S. Wyld

Our Fantasy Golf guy offers insight to The Players

This week the PGA Tour heads to Florida for The Players Championship.  TPC Sawgrass has what has become the most recognizable hole in golf.  Some say that on a difficulty scale of 1 to 10, the hole ranks a 17!!  It is the island green most golf fans immediately recognize – number 17.

Interestingly enough it may be the only hole that Pete Dye’s wife gets credit for designing.  After excavating sand for the rest of the golf course during the design phase a large deep hole was created where hole 17 was to be routed through.  Mrs. Dye told her husband to build an island green, and voila, we have the most devilish par-3 in golf!

Who will breakthrough at The Players Championship this week?  Defending champion Tim Clark is scheduled to play but has been bothered by injuries this year and doesn’t appear to be a good bet.  He made news this week, however, when he asked the PGA Tour to fly the Spanish flag in honor of the late Seve Ballesteros instead of his home country’s flag.  The Tour loved the idea and the telecast is sure to continue last week’s memorial of the swashbuckling Spaniard.

RUNNERS-UP

Once again, Phil Mickelson looks to be in good form leading into the tournament.  He won here in 2007 and figures to be an “odds on” favorite.  Padraig Harrington finished as a runner-up two years in a row in 2003 and 2004 and could be a popular pick.  Ian Poulter also finished as a runner-up in the tournament in 2009.  Twice the runner-up from the previous year has won The Players. Tiger Woods did it in 2001 after finishing as runner-up in 2000, and Sergio Garcia did it in 2008 after finishing as runner-up in 2007.  The 2010 runner-up was Robert Allenby if you like the chances of that happening again.

In the Tour’s “Establishment vs. New Breed,” the Establishment holds a 10-7 margin after Phil Mickelson defeated Bubba Watson head-to-head in last week’s Wells Fargo Championship.  This week I’d take the New Breed’s Charl Schwartzel against Tiger Woods in the featured matchup.  Given Schwartzel’s 2011 performances he might even be a good pick for your fantasy team this week as he hasn’t finished lower than a T30, has won this year, and has made the cut in all six of his PGA events.

Two subpar weeks in a row in my Yahoo Fantasy League have dropped me from first place to fourth place.  It’s time to rely on some trusted veterans this week in order to climb up in the standings.  With that in mind, here is my complete Yahoo Fantasy roster this week for The Players Championship:

A Flight: Phil Mickelson sub Padraig Harrington
B Flight: Steve Stricker and Hunter Mahan subs Charl Schwartzel and Ian Poulter
C Flight: Scott Verplank sub Aaron Baddeley

Leave it to a woman to come up with the idea to place an island green in a big tub of water on the 17th hole of a TPC course which is home to The Players Championship.  Pete Dye has probably utilized that story many a time to divert angst from players who have “found a watery grave” toward the end of their rounds.

By John Cooney

Okay. It’s a Tuesday night after a long day at work. Common sense tells me to enjoy a wee bit of God’s greatest gift to man; no, not golf! Wine! But I did find a way to throw a little golf into the mix… watching the Golf Channel movie of the week, “The Greatest Game Ever Played.”

I do shamelessly admit I’ve seen the movie at least a dozen times: lots of drama, a few scenes that really do not look like a true golfer was the technical advisor, but overall, a really great golf story. And as we often see at the beginning of most of the true crime shows out there (except, of course, “Law and Order”), this movie can boast the traditional “based on a true story” disclaimer. After seeing the original scorecard last month at USGA’s Golf House, I really can imagine that historic 1913 U.S. Open playoff between Francis Ouimet, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray.

All this sensory stimulation got me thinking, and thus the premise for today’s piece. My last article promised to “stir the pot” a little, and trust me, based upon quite a few of the private emails (rulzofgolf@aol.com) I received regarding my disdain for preferred lies, I did inspire a few thoughtful responses. The points raised therein were all well stated and very respectful. Thank you… not only for your courtesies but for your feedback. I appreciate that. But they were not all in agreement with my “play the ball as it lies, Mr. Gilmore” philosophy.

The common theme was that we play the game to feel that we can succeed; that it should be all about having fun and “winter rules” certainly helps the cause. A few readers thought that wet ground and mud would be a problem at their course; I respected that premise and, for a day or two, really started to buy into that mindset and thought I was coming around. That was, until, yesterday – a  great day at a beautiful golf course with three really great friends. Whether you turn the ball over or not, that alone is enough to guarantee a great day of golf.

And a great day it was! The weather held out, the course was magnificent and the greens were FAST! I stuck with my pledge to play the ball down (read, if you dare, “An offer you can’t refuse”; last week’s piece) and a few times my decision tried my patience. Interestingly enough, most of my bad lies were in the rough, not the fairway. The fairways, even this early in the year, were dense enough to keep the ball sitting up, and except for a few minor mud issues, it was fine. Right now, it is the rough that is still pretty sparse, and if I could, that is where I would have loved to put my hand on the ball. But, although no one noticed (and I didn’t advertise the fact), summer rules were the rule on a cold spring day.

Going back to tonight’s movie… playing in heavy rain with no relief for casual water, playing out of a puddle in a bunker… STYMIES! Never would the idea of playing in those conditions, by those rules (or lack thereof) appeal to me. Until yesterday… maybe it was fate that found the movie tonight (accidentally, via the remote) and got me thinking. Here’s what started it all… Standing on the 18th tee, the match was decided. My partner (and best friend), had dropped the front nine but made a valiant comeback on the back to win both the back nine and the match. Three dollars (sixty percent of a beer?) guaranteed; in the pocket.

Although it did take some suggestion on our part, we did receive a press on the last hole, no strokes, thus giving them a shot at even up. It also gave us a shot at winning a full pint of beer! As the hole played out, it came down to the last few shots around the green. Although my opponents both had short putts for bogey, it was I, that deserving soul who played the ball down all day, who had the ball four feet off the front of the green to a front pin with an easy (very easy!) up and down for par. Money in the bank (okay, the bar)… or so I thought.

MUD!!! Not only mud, but mud on the front of the ball. Not the side, bottom or top… ON THE FRONT! And when I say mud, I mean MUD! Enough mud to wipe out a house in a California mudslide. Time to throw out that whole summer rules crusade… lift, clean and place. Just do it… that’s the way the men have been playing all day; forget that darn golf column and CLEAN THE BALL! Needless to say, my conscience got the best of me and I figured putter from four feet off the green was a no-brainer. Easy two putt; easy money. What the heck… it’s only mud. I’m sure by now you can guess part (the first part) of what happened next.

The second part may surprise you. My putt from four feet off the green… went three feet. Still off the green; still with mud. Not only with mud, but STILL ON THE FRONT OF THE BALL! Lesson learned; hit it a lot harder and two putt for the tie (and the win). That, my friends, would be too simple. Hit the next putt WAY too hard, miss the three footer coming back and lose the press. Only three bucks out of pocket, but a much more valuable golf experience. As they say in those commercials, sometimes actually well written … “Lose the press on a mud ball, three dollars. Playing by the rules… priceless”. Although it didn’t all come together until tonight, I shook my opponent’s hand yesterday and was proud to lose that match. Francis Ouimet played with mud, water and got a taste of every other ingredient of that delicious recipe we call “Mother Nature.”

Maybe it was fate… yesterday’s drama happened on a golf course that I consider to be one of the most beautiful in the Northeast… in Massachusetts… I bet Francis would tell you the same in regards to Brookline. Golf is played on the most beautiful playing field known to man. Birds, trees, water, sand… mud, bare spots and divots… let’s appreciate all that nature has to offer and take the “Summer rules challenge.” I did, and I’ll forever be a changed person, for the better, for doing it.

ROUND II: NOT A GOOD DAY

By John Cooney

Not a good day. Started bright and early today with a good night’s sleep and cruised throught the first few hours. I was getting really confident during the morning session; how to fairly take a stance (you might be surprised), what you can and can’t do on the green and how to determine nearest point of relief. I’ve got this! No need for a lot of notes; I know this stuff! Before lunch, I was feeling pretty good about a high score on Monday’s exam.

Then came lunch. I passed on a meal to check out the museum from head to toe. Amazing… to see the actual scorecard signed by Francis Ouimet when he beat Harry Vardon and Ted Ray.. same thing for Bobby Jones when he won the Grand Slam. Yes, the actual scorecards! Never did I think that a single sheet of paper could actually so well represent a moment in history. I am almost ashamed to admit this: I have seen the actual Declaration of Independence, and I didn’t give it half as much attention as what I saw today. Priorities a little out of whack? I think so.

THE MONSTER

Great first half of the day… and then came what our instructor called “the monster” – Rule 15: Substituted or Wrong Ball. Can you say NIGHTMARE? Two hours of totally incomprehensible information about when a ball is a substituted ball, when it is wrongly substituted, when it is a wrong ball… when going to this workshop was a wrong decision! I am willing to admit that I was totally lost in New Jersey today — not even my faithful GPS could get me out of this one. I am holding out hope that a few hours of study might get me through this, but that remains to be seen. At noon today, I really thought I might be one of the few lucky souls who ace the test. Now, a passing grade doesn’t seem that bad!

Again, they reminded us today that first timers may want to take the “Intermediate” test and spare themselves a failing grade. It’s not an ego thing, it’s just that need to challenge myself to the limit that kept me on the master test list. We will see how that goes on Monday.

REVELATIONS

One of the most fun things I’ve picked up on so far is how many myths are out there that we all believe in and, in fact, are actually very far off the mark (no pun intended). Perfect example: for as long as I can remember, I have been playing with the belief that if, as your partner, I mark your ball, when it came time to replace the ball, I had to be the one who replaced it.

The theory??? The player who marked the ball is the only one who can determine the original position of the ball, so they have to replace it. The rules are actually pretty accommodating on this issue. They assume that most of us mark the ball in such a similar way, that it is fine if you mark the ball and your partner replaces it. Not much room for error, so to speak. Another one, which I’ll talk about tomorrow, applies to a fairly common practice which is employed by a regular “competitor” of mine. I promise I’ll give you fair notice my friend, but you won’t be getting away with it this year as you so often have!

Getting ready for tomorrow, hoping you’re enjoying my adventure (more than I am!). Just kidding… I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Let’s see if things go better… take a look at the pics and feel free to leave a comment on the site. Check back in soon!

John Cooney doesn't drop the ball at the USGA rules meeting

WOW…if I only knew what I was getting myself into. Being somewhat of a rules aficionado, I’ve thought I’ve kept up pretty well over the years with the most common rules issues and the changes that occur every four years or so. Now that I’ve got this great gig on CAPITALAREAGOLF.com, I thought I would credential myself by enrolling in the four day PGA/USGA Rules Workshop.

Easy stuff; I know my way around the rules and I’ll probably be bored to death being taught everything that I already know. Probably be breaking bread with rules novices… who knows, maybe I can teach them a thing or two.

In the words of every teenager on facebook… OMG! What have I gotten myself into? Being a proud veteran, I thought that my last boot camp ended in 1979. Well soldier, this isn’t the US Air Force, this is the US…GA. Class starts at eight. You get a break during the first four and a half hours, but pay attention to the clock. That timer you see on the screen (and the warning chime at the one minute mark), owns you. Back in class, phones OFF! No questions during the presentation. You will listen to a verbal dissection of every rule ever written, and you better take notes! When the presenter is done with a rule, you can ask questions; but be careful! You only are allowed three questions per day, and “what if’s” are not allowed. We are on a tight schedule and if we stay on track, we might get through the rules book in the next 24 hours of instruction. That’s not three eight hour days including lunch… it’s eight hours a day of lecture; you’ll get an hour for lunch in your nine hour day. YES SIR; WHATEVER YOU SAY SIR!

Then there’s the exam; I’ll talk a little more about that tomorrow. I don’t have enough time to get into it right now… I’ve got to study! Why watch the Syracuse game when I can get really good at knowing whether, when checking to see if my ball is cut, out of shape or cracked, I can place it back in its original lie with the mud facing in a different direction. This is a quality education.

While most are watching the NCAA tournament, these people at "rules camp" at the USGA's Golf House are watching a different screen.

My kind of people…

While most are watching the NCAA tournament, these people at “rules camp” at the USGA’s Golf House are watching a different screen.

Okay, I will admit that I am starting to finally see a clear path to my lifelong destination… rules utopia. This program is above and beyond any of my expectations. I think most of the 80 or so students are still trying to find out why the heck I’m even here! As a matter of fact, during a short networking session with Executive Directors of PGA sections, professional golfers, the first tee starter at the PGA Championship and a few national championship Rules Chairpersons, at least five people asked me… why the heck are you here?

Truth is, I’m in my element and I love every minute of it. These people are rules people; they really do want to talk about golf during breaks and at lunch. I poke fun at all the ground rules we were given this morning, but that is what this is all about. Rules… carefully timed breaks, limited questions (3!) and absolutely no guilt when describing a disqualification at a U.S. Open when a player showed up at the first tee 20 seconds after his 9:00 am tee time. Yes, don’t ever forget… if your tee time is 9:00 AM and you think you’re okay because it’s 9:00:20, not yet 9:01… nope. You were late at 9:00:01 seconds. And before you ask… what clock is the one that counts? The starter at the first tee has the “atomic clock” running right on his laptop…

Only the beginning…

Check in tomorrow… I ‘m sure I’ll have a lot more to tell. I’ll talk a little more about Golf House and share my thoughts about having lunch today with undoubtedly the greatest woman amateur golfer in history. Anybody care to venture a guess? Put it in the comment section of this story… if you’re right, I’d love to have you as my guest at Burden Lake one day this summer. First correct answer wins. And by the way… I hope you don’t get the impression that I’m the rules police. I’ve called more penalties on myself than I have ever called on my fellow competitors (politically correct rules term) and I actually have a lot of fun out there… that’s what it’s all about!

It’s a done deal, according to new owner Rafael

Local restaurateur and golf course owner Rafael Flores confirmed to CapitalAreaGolf.com on Monday that he won the bid of the Normanside Country Club property in the Town of Bethlehem. He said he is the sole owner, with no partners from any other courses in the area.

“I’m pretty excited,” Flores said. “It made my day.”

Flores, who owns Hiland Golf Club in Queensbury and Mohawk River, formally Riverview, in Rexford, says he’s the sole owner of Normanside CC that went up for auction last month. It will remain a golf course, Flores said, and he plans to put in a first-class restaurant and banquet facility on site. He would not disclose what he paid for the property, saying the closing date is March 22.

“It’s a nice area right next to everything,” Flores said. “It’s a good location for weddings, banquets and golf.”

Flores has been in the business for 30 years, buying then-Riverview in 1999 and Hiland Golf Club two years later. He operates both courses as semi-private and plans to do the same with Normanside. He says those that become, or remain, members of Normanside, will have playing privileges at his other courses.

“Normanside has good membership and we would like to do what we are doing at the other courses,” Flores said. “It can be better and it’s a perfect situation for us…a win-win situation.”

Flores was one of what CapitalAreaGolf.com heard from sources was upwards of 30 bidders for the 269-arcres of land. One of those outbid was the Town of Bethlehem, who put in a minimum bid of $1.3 million but didn’t disclose the exact amount it offered. The William Harries-designed golf course opened in 1927. It’s hosted many events including the 1952 Empire State Open, 1996 NYSGA Mid-Amateur Championship, and the 2003 & 2008 NYS Senior Amateur Championship. Flores says he wants to get going as soon as possible.

“It’s a very good opportunity for us and for members of Normanside,” Flores said.

Flores joked that he was just getting set to open Mohawk River this weekend coming up but Monday’s snow storm set that opening date back. He hopes to have Normanside up and running sometime in April.

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 

Over the course of my life, I have been to major championships, competed with some outstanding players, seen some of the most beautiful courses, but never had the opportunity to be inside the ropes with some of the PGA Tour’s finest players.  This week at Turning Stone gave me an up close and personal behind the scenes look at the PGA Tour. 
 
When I was offered this opportunity, I was very excited about a few things.  First of all, having no media experience I was looking forward to seeing what it was like in the interview room as well in the actual media room.  The interview room at this particular tournament was very small, and even after the leaders came in, no more than 10 to 15 reporters were there at a time which made it very easy to ask questions if you wanted to do so.  In the media room we were surrounded by golf’s most recognizable sports writers, photographers, and of course The Golf Channel.  On top of that, I was also impressed by how much food they had there for us!  What a bonus!
 
My favorite part of the experience was having the ability to stand on the driving range as well as on all of the other practice facilities with the players.  I really wanted to get a close look at how these guys prepare and hit the ball.  On Saturday, I witnessed first hand some of the finest swings in golf today.  On the range I was standing directly behind Adam Scott, Brandt Snedeker, Jonathan Byrd, Will MacKenzie, Matt Kuchar, Steve Elkington, Justin Rose, Aaron Baddeley, and Stuart Appleby.  They all had different approaches to hitting the ball, but they were all a pleasure to watch and were also very friendly.
 
After their rounds, they walked to the scoring table inside the clubhouse and then they would step outside for some quick interviews with The Golf Channel, XM Radio, or with me from Capital Area Golf.  I really wanted to talk with Will MacKenzie.  He offers a unique prospective on chasing a dream.  Will was nothing like a Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, or an Adam Scott who were all where very dominant amateur players that were destined for stardom on the PGA Tour since they were young.  Rather, he offers a different story that I feel resonates deeply with the human spirit.  At the tender age of 14, Will quit playing golf because he was burnt out.  After high school, he moved out west and went though a bunch of jobs, and snowboarded all the time, and even lived in his van for a while.  In his mid 20’s he began to wonder if his life was going to amount to much and even tried to open a Christmas tree shop that inevitably didn’t work out to well. 

Motivated by Payne Stewart’s U.S. Open triumph over Phil Mickelson at Pinehurst, Will decided that he was going to pick up the sticks again and put all of his energy into trying to make it on tour.  I asked him if he could offer some perspective for those who are chasing a dream that is considered outside the box.  He added “Perseverance.  You have to work hard, and you have to believe that you are going to make it.  I was shooting 77’s and 78’s and the people from where I grew up where looking at me like I was never going to make it.  I said I am going to make it; I’m in it for the long run.  If I have to wait for the Champion’s Tour, I am going to make it.  You have to see no other way.” 

Regardless of what your dream is, this story shows that with the right mindset, you can achieve what you set out to.  Very inspiring!  Will is currently on the PGA Tour and doing quite well, after Saturday’s round at Turning Stone, he was 8 under par and 6 shots back from the lead.
 
The event at Turning Stone offered me a tremendous opportunity to observe and imagine what its like on tour from a player’s eye.  I have a new respect for how hard these guys work, and how level headed the majority of the players remain through it all.  There was certain energy around this experience that made it all very special to me.  If you ever get the chance to step inside the ropes on tour, take advantage because it is an experience you will not forget!!!