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U.S. Open at Chambers Bay "Bold" Predictions

6/17/2015

When I had the chance to play Chambers Bay last year, knowing full well that the U.S. Open was to be held there, I gathered what "intel" I could. So, here's my exhaustive list of insights. Keep in mind, i have no history of officially predicting anything, so take these with a grain of salt. One thing I know, if the weather is nice and there are blue skies, I promise golfers will flock to this course in the future as it is really beautiful.

1 - I played in a group that utilized the services of a long tenured caddy at Chambers Bay. He said that he'd seen Ryan Moore play twice at Chambers Bay and shoot mid-60s. To be fair, I think he was ONLY playing the 7,100 yard tees (I worked hard to get score decent from the 6500 tees), but I'd watch for Ryan to make a move this year.
2 - The front nine is REALLY hard. My guess is the front nine will play harder than the back nine. I've heard a lot of chatter about how the course is really tough, but I played under my stroke average, thanks to a good score on the back nine, which had some birdie holes.
3 - Chambers Bay will play long, has few trees and will reward creativity: does anybody like Bubba Watson's chances? I do.

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Four New Courses...Four New Stories

6/9/2015

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So...this is a long blog. I recently was able to participate in my annual guys golf trip, which was held in the Palm Springs area this year. I've been part of the same core golf group since about 2003 and back before we all had children we used to take a few weekend trips a year, but now with most of us having families we try to get out once a year or so. We've had an expanded but rotating group of attendees but we've made it to such places as Bandon Dunes, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas, Half Moon Bay, Ventura County, and Pebble Beach. However, the "desert" has been the most frequented place so it was good to get back for our first "boys trip" there since 2010.

Story #1 - The newest member of our golf group is somebody I've known for about 12 years. We have played golf about 10 times (including this trip and last year's trip) in the last two years. Before that, we had played three times over the prior decade (twice on the same scramble team for charity). The very first time we played together (2005) we were thrown into a weird situation as a drunken bet was placed on our golf game (which became a match) between two of our other colleagues. I happened to be the far less inebriated of the two of us, so when we woke up in the morning (in Laughlin, NV) to go play golf, the ten strokes I had to give him were eaten up in the first few holes. As fate would have it, I would shoot my first under par round since the late 1990s (and only my third at that time) and he would shoot over 100 on a day where that was close to the temperature by 10am, which is a really bad combination with a hangover. That story is legendary in our work colleague circles and he and I shared a laugh about it this year when we played the Classic Club for our first round of the trip. We weren't betting this first round, and I'm glad we weren't, as the 7 shots I had to give him certainly would not have held up when I beat him only by a solitary stroke. Of course, he got the last laugh when he fired at 77 on Saturday with a 12 handicap. Since he did not have an official handicap, it was shortly thereafter lowered by the group as an act of collective preservation.

Story #2 - The second round of the trip was played as another non-betting round, and as a threesome. Playing the Firecliff Course at Desert Willow was a humbling experience for all of us. It was a hot day and every time I go to the desert and play 36 in a day, I always question my sanity. On this day, we were joined by another work colleague of mine who has become another valued member of our golf trips. This year he was gracious enough to host the group in the desert and even brought the "Fireball", which he remembered as a favorite drink of the youngest member of our group. This player's best round ever (as I'm told) is an 89. I always tell him that he seems to play better than he scores and on this trip, it was no exception, as the scores on the first two rounds were on the "high side". However, as the oldest member of the group, one might think he would "wilt" in the desert heat, but he brought the noise on the final round of the trip and threw down a 42 on the last nine (we were betting, which was painful for the rest of us as he gets lots of strokes). That has to be one of his lowest nine hole scores ever. He didn't card his lowest round ever (he also shot a 90 in the trip a couple years back at a very tough course) but once again he proved he has an ability to bring his best on our golf trips.

Story #3 - The fellow I've been on the most desert trips with by far also married my sister (what can you do). The first time we ever played golf was at a par 62 course and I think he shot 111. On this Saturday morning, the man with the 9 handicap went out and fired a 75, gobbling up skins left and right, even when he could only push one with a net eagle. He's a good all around athlete and I'm going on record now that his first-born son who is already playing golf in tournaments at the age of 6 will be a far better golfer than all of us are. Needless to say, we were relieved when he got "tired" in the middle of the second round and had to retreat to his condo and pool, leaving lots of skins behind for the rest of us. This young buck needs a little work on how to "loosen up" and properly order beverages in connection with the "play fast promotion" at Indian Wells (we played the Players Course) but his game sure was in good shape and I'm glad we could add to our desert tradition yet again.

Story #4 - The youngest member of our group (just shy of 10 years younger than me) helped me through the dark years of our golf group when we had two back-to-back trips where I could not get anybody else to attend with us. Those trips were classics thanks to him and, on this one, yet again, he was a key member. As a side note, we ended up sharing a room...again...meaning I've spent more nights in the same room as this guy as I have all other guys (except my son) combined in the last 5 years, and it is not a close competition (as far as competitions go, I'm not sure it's one he's happy to be winning). But, that's the not the story (the readers breathe a collective sigh of relief). My buddy sustained some bizarre finger injury about 18 months ago that, long story short, left him with a big-ass finger on one hand. I think it hurt him for the first year or so, but now he can play again so he played his first round of golf in over 18 months on this trip and bowed out after his third nine holes (after the front nine on the Celebrity Course at Indian Wells) (I'm pictured at the top of this blog playing the 13th on that course). I can't say he played well, but what does one expect with that long of a golf lay-off? I'm just glad to have him back in the group for the future. The picture below shows a great posed finish he had on the 17th hole at the Indian Wells Players Course. If you so choose, you can focus on the finish, or you can focus on the golf ball. I prefer the latter as one can see it struck the forward tee and rebounded back right at him, netting about 3 yards total. I don't wish to mock his misfortune but he and I both know that its the funny things that make the golf trips worthwhile.

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A "new" state

6/4/2015

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Is my knowledge of Virginia golf courses good or detailed...no. But have I now actually golfed in that state at least once...yes. See my review of 1757 Golf Club, the best course I've ever played in Virginia.

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U.S. Open at Chambers Bay "Bold" Predictions

Four New Courses...Four New Stories

A "new" state

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