Hackin’ it up…
As you may have seen on the NBC4 news at 11, I played Jack’s course at Muirfield Village for the first time Tuesday - part of The Memorial’s annual media day. Shot a 66 and a 71. I wish I could tell you we played two rounds, I really do… but I can’t. 137 shots to complete 18 holes. Pathetic, I know. But keep in mind I shot a 90 at OSU’s gray course the Wednesday before, so as far as regular joe golfers go, I’m not as bad as my score would suggest… Let me explain…
First of all, I count everything – everything! Golf is the only sport played by professionals where us hacks can measure our games by the same stick as the pro’s. For example… I play in an adult baseball league, and I know for certain I’ll never face a 97-MPH fastball. I can’t go play a pickup hoops game and take on 7-footers in the paint. But in golf, you play against the course, same as Tiger does. That’s why I count everything, to have a true indication of my game(or lack there of) compared to the big dogs.
Secondly, the rough was incredible. I heard some of the caddies comment the rough was comparable to those at the U.S. Open. I don’t know if they were saying that to make us feel better, but they also added it’s longer than what it’ll be during the tournament. They grow it out thick, so the groundskeepers can cut it to specifications before the tournament. It was especially tough around the greens. You try to hit softly with touch onto the green, it goes nowhere. The club can’t get through the thick grass. You hit it hard and; a) it sails past the green and… into a bunker, or b) it rolls onto the green and rolls right off of the green and… into a bunker. If you were in the rough with yardage to go, good luck getting out. On more than one occasion I, along with the other Sports Anchor at our station who shall remain nameless, took at least 4 shots trying to get out of the rough. Oh, the memories…
But as they say, a bad day golfing is still better than a good day working. I have to say despite my round, I had a great time. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the company was awesome and I have a new found appreciation for the pro’s and just how amazingly great they are. Finally, the course wore me out so badly my shoes fell apart. Literally… My golf shoes were on the brink as it were, but I didn’t want to break in new kicks facing the hardest course I’d ever seen. So as I started to walk down from the 10th tee box, my sole completely fell off the shoe. Thankfully, Larry Dornisch, head pro at Muirfield and one of my playing partners, had an extra pair in his office and let me have them. Thanks Larry! A day I’ll never forget!… Enjoy the tournament everyone – I can’t wait - and remember, they only make it look easy…
