The PGA Championship
Aug 8th, 2007 | By art rogers | Category: Family, Fun
The PGA Championship is literally 3 miles from my house this week. I mentioned that Southern Hills Country Club was just 3 miles from my home and someone responded, “Wow! You are close to Southern Hills?” To which my Father in Law, standing close by, said, “No, he is a loooooong way from Southern Hills.”
Ahem. Both are true, in their own ways. :)
One of the members of my church was gracious enough to drop off two passes for the practice rounds yesterday, and I was pleased to spend the day with my son. We saw Tiger, Poulter and even Zach Johnson.
We watched some of the tour regulars tee off on number 4, which is a dogleg left, par 4. There was first an enormous tree and then an expansive sand trap in the crook of the dogleg. One of the caddies laser finder measured it at 293 yards to clear it. Those guys, remember, the “lesser names” on the tour, were BOMBING their drives over both, cutting the corner and leaving just a chip to the pin. Wow. That was something to see.
Zach’s short game looked good, but Ian Poulter’s was deadly. His approach from 150 yards out, or so, was within a couple of yards of the pin, in perfect position.
We saw Tiger hit to the 18th, and that was education. When the other two in his group hit to the green, high uphill, they hit high lofting shots that came up short. When Tiger first hit, I thought it was a mistake. The other two guys’ shots looked like more professional versions of something that you or I might hit. Tiger’s iron shot made a funny noise and was low, moving fast for about 20 ft. I thought he had “topped it.” Silly me. After twenty feet, it rose higher that the other two men’s shots and making it to the center of the green, dropped lightly. It was a different shot shape than I have ever seen before.
Now let me clarify. Any good golf shot will rise and then fall. Tiger’s was much lower to start and higher to finish. Consider it the extreme version of what the rest of us are doing. We just aren’t playing the same game.
All in all, it was a really fun time.
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Bum
Being three miles from Southern Hills could be really good or really bad depending. Go three miles toward the river and you need to bump up your theft coverage on home and car. In fact we used to live two miles south of Southren Hills. My wealthy brother-in-law and his family lived on one side of Lewis in one of the nicest new neighborhoods in Tulsa. We lived on the other side of Lewis and well…had interesting neighbors.
I personally find golf boring (very odd for a minister I know…equally disconcerting is my lack of interest in coffee) but I do recognize that hitting that obstinate, little, white ball with that metal stick is and incredibly hard thing to do…especially with any consistency. I admire the skill you guys that play have attained.
Nice memories you made with your son though. I’m sure he will never forget. God bless.
Nice…. Better than that event you went to last year! ;)
Welcome to the joys of pastoring. I don’t remember any youth ministers getting passes when the PGA was at Valhalla in Louisville. :)
I no longer golf. It led to too many heart attacks . . . mine, and those downrange from me.
I used to live right down the street from southern hills…That nice neighborhood Rev. Michael referenced on the “nice side” of Lewis? I lived there…in the only apartment complex on the block! Mine were only marginally nicer than the ones some of my friends lived in across the street. I never got to see the tour though…