Does anyone else wonder why Ray Floyd isn’t driving his own car? Forgot how? A couple run-ins with the Palm Beach Police? Just curious.
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Open Time and The Barbs Are Flying
I didn’t really need another reason to think some tour players were, as a friend of mine would term, “brown rings” but perusing the British Open stories this morning on Google News gave me one.
The guys blasting Kenny Perry for not playing in the majors are true products of the Tiger era…that is to say they came along at the perfect time when a high talent for playing golf made them very, no very very wealthy men…they deserve every dollar, no problem there.
But Kenny is old school. No one alive was more thrilled when the PGA announced the Ryder Cup would be played in his beloved home turf of Kentucky. He doesn’t live in Orlando or Dallas to avoid taxes…no he’s a Bluegrass boy who is proud of his home…old school
He said at the beginning of the year that at 47 all he wanted to do in his golf life was make the Ryder Cup team. He would have been a sentimental favorite because he lives a few long par 5′s from Valhalla but with the dismal showing the US has made in the last several mathches, that wasn’t going to get him on the squad. Captain Azinger aims to win these matches, no matter who he has to pick to do it.
No, if Kenny was going to make this team, he needed to earn it…and win tournaments. So he set his schedule with this his only goal…he committed to tournaments he thought he could do well in…and performed…and as he kept playing well…he honered those commitments…old school.
The players about to play Royal Birkdale are saying things like you can’t win if you don’t play, I’d never miss a major, we are at different stages in our games, his his choice, but wait…we’re not critisizing him
Not criticizing him?
Kenny won the Memorial, the Buick, and the John Deere…and has met his goal.
Why in the world would anyone care if he plays in the British Open or Milwaukee? The Tiger era gave all of you a place to use your skills for great riches…all the while not cracking a smile or saying anything remotely interesting…but I’m not critisizing you.
Things We Say To The G-Ball
Had a recent round where the golf ball was talked to and coerced into all sorts of places, good and bad. It tickles me when I hear golfers talking to the ball…I am one of the worst.
So for my amusement (probably not yours) here are a few golfers and the things they say:
The Oh Lord- I have a pal that says “OHHHHHHH LOOOOOOOORD” every time he makes a loose swing or pulls a putt…very funny especially since his pastor likes to play with him because he’s “not too religious”
The Dad Gummit- another friend gives a subtel “Dad Gummit” on an off-line blow…hey beats the alternative.
The Grumbler- Never happy with anything, The Grumbler never made a bad swing or misread a putt. No, he’ll blame the wind, the lack of wind, the lie, his equipment, or the traffic heading to the golf course. Nothing is ever his fault, the caddie is to blame for all errant shots and lipouts…he may even toss a club for you if you’re lucky.
My friend Mark will let out a “MOOOOOOORK” which is his pronunciation of his name in High Point-ese. North Carolina that is. He won’t do this often though because he doesn’t miss many.
The Golf Ball Whisperer- can’t be beat…don’t even try.
Me- “Good Gracious Rick You Suck!”
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Backspin
Just in case you’ve been wrapped up in Tiger is out for the year, what ever will we do without him hysteria, there’s a neat little story brewing in women’s golf.
I know I have waved the Michelle Wie flag before but as an avid Cubs fan, I just can’t help pulling for the underdog.
Answering some questions about her brutal 2007 season, Wie said a couple of pretty interesting things. Her parents told her not to play but her own teenage stubbornness (first hand knowledge of that here) and her desire to earn the silly money thrown at her made her feel like she had to play, missed cuts and WDs included.
I, like everybody else, was convinced her parents were greedy and just riding their cash cow as far as she would take them…turns out that’s not so.
Man we love to see people get their comeuppance don’t we?
She has still missed what would have been a fun amateur career including college golf and Curtis Cups but that’s all behind her now.
She’s a college freshman who’s last three rounds of competitive golf were 69-70-67.
It may just be time to look out.
I’ve Been Russertized
The tragedy of Tim Russert’s death last week has flattened me. As a politics junky he was my Ruth, my Elvis, my Palmer.
Sitting here half working, half watching the US Open playoff, I can’t help but think about how he loved sports and would be watching…even if he wasn’t a golfer.
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The tributes over the weekend were helpful and I learned he was a better friend, husband, and father than a newsman…and that’s incredible in itself. He knew who was sick, who’s kid just graduated from college, who’s Mom just had surgery.
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It occurs to me we don’t tell our friends and family what we think of them enough…to let them know how much they mean to us while they are still around to hear it.
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I’m going to do more of that…I’ve been Russertized.
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iCountryClub
Why not? We have personalized everything these days with music, networking, movies, etc.
Now, Sr. Editor for Travel at Golf Digest, Matt Ginella, brings us a personalized Country Club. Check it out here and add your Top 5.
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Here’s mine:
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1. Floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace in the grillroom
2. Wasabi peas in a large crystal goblet on every table
3. Martini glasses kept at 0 degrees
4. Manners, not rules
5. Large shade tree on driving range under which a small, hand-painted green sign stating “Reserved For Friends of Rick”
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Boys On Tour-Scotland Days 3 & 4
Moving down the coast from Nairn to Troon on Friday morning was bitter-sweet. We were leaving an incredibly beautiful part of Scotland to a place a little more shall we say “bitey.” I use that description with all respect. Although Royal Troon is not, in my opinion only, the most eye-pleasing links we saw up to that point, it is without a doubt a world-class test of golf. Just ask Palmer, Weiskoph, and Watson…three who won The Open there.
The club motto is Tam Arte Quam Marte which translates to As Much By Skill as by Strength…although strength comes in pretty handy on the back 9.
The Blue Elephants also have a motto. Ours is Mihi Primoris…Me First. You can read a little about a past “meeting” here.
Friday night a few of the boys descended on the town…here’s our squad looking like it just might be time to get home.
Next morning finds us in the smoke-free 
Smoke Room all dressed up for lunch, before our match with the Pinks.
Smoke Room all dressed up for lunch, before our match with the Pinks..
A great tradition takes place across Scotland. The match is all important. Scores are immaterial, gross or net. Our hosts looked at us a little funny when we marked and kept putting after the hole was decided…why would you do that?
On Saturday we put our team of eight out against the proven scalawags of the pink variety…the results, as they were in 2005, are in dispute. John Morrison, who never made a bogey he didn’t intend, came to the first tee announcing that his latest brush with a farm fence in his Ferrari had caused his handicap to soar to eight…hmmm. He did manage to produce a handicap verification though so all was well.
Saturday night we descended on Blair’s fantastic sister Lindy (far right) for a great party that I remember the first hour of…the baldy is our fearless leader…he’ll get his own post shortly.
A great day indeed and home to bed at The Sandhills House…heaven.
Next: Turnberry and The Chippy
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A Grinder of the Highest Order
While watching the drama unfold Sunday I looked down to discover my cynical nature was poking out from under the kilt I wear for Major and near-Major Sundays.
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Paul Goydos was battling to keep it together on the last few holes of the Players for what would have become one of the biggest life-changing events in golf…no in all of sports.
Along with the huge winner’s paycheck, although 2nd is pretty stout in Ponte Vedra, this guy would have cruised to the Senior Tour in style…rich, happy, and exempt. But it wasn’t to be.
The disappointment of this loss must have been soul-crushing yet this journeyman golf pro acted as if the better man won…as it should have been.
I was sitting there thinking he was covering up, faking it. No one could be that self-deprecating, that modest to act as if he was just happy to be there. 
Then I read Bob Verdi’s column and discovered I had completely missed the plot. This golfer IS all of these things and should be emulated…proves you’re never too old for a good life lesson, and I got one.
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I’m a new fan Paul, keep grinding.
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Tiger Gives The Last Word on The FedEx Cup
“Winning the FedEx Cup is one thing, but I think as a player, you always want to win the Tour Championship. There’s history involved, and the players who have won it … these are basically the 30 hottest players for this year, and you know you’re going to have your hands full coming into this week.”
Ouch.
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