THE US WOMEN'S OPEN 

ORCHARDS GOLF CLUB

SOUTH HADLEY, MA

My player this week is (empty).

Monday: No luck finding a bag, along with about 6 other veterans, and the prospects are slim. Will probably try to work for TV.

About 8-10 players took local caddies giving a little insight into their own abilities and expectations. The biggest tournament of the year and a bag toter was sufficient. I can understand some players have money restraints but doing The US Open on the cheap doesn't seem to be the correct road to take.

The caddy area is top-notch with food and drink supplied in an air-conditioned tent. There is one problem though, the USGA decided that if you are not employed for the week the tent is off limits. I guess their budget didn't allow for 6-7 extra people. Gee, I hope they don't go under! They need to take a few lessons from Safeway.

Donald Ross designed the course but one of the NBC crew was not impressed. He remarked "More like Diana Ross than Donald".

Looks like the USGA would like to see a repeat of last year's play-off pairing Lunke, Robbins and Stanford. My money is on Robins for the first two rounds.

I heard the last 3 holes make the course with the 16th being the most difficult. It's a 440 yard par 4 with a creek 10 yards off the front of the green. You may see many play it as a five laying-up short of the agua.

Tuesday: Access to the caddy area was denied, couldn't even get in the gate, to all but working caddies but was resolved. Einstein was about to pop his cork, he had the first alternate, but cooler heads prevailed. 

To give you a heads-up, the first alternate isn't allowed to play the course just use the practice facilities. If you get in at the last moment it's a huge disadvantage.

We headed for the TV compound but was denied access there also. Upon further contemplation, I'm nixing that idea and will head to Canada early. It's a 400 mile trip and my hotel reservation starts on Sunday.

Wednesday: The USGA came to their senses and gave the unemployed a caddy badge with one caveat. We are not allowed in the caddy tent on Saturday and Sunday. Better than a poke in the eye!

NBC now wants all the help they can get. "Just show up at 11:00 at the TV compound and you have a job". Fat chance.

Think I'll follow Wie's group tomorrow. They tee-off at 7:22 on 10 so it shouldn't be too crowded.

Thursday: It was a  calm and cloudless morning for the opening round but as I write this a thunderstorm is moving through. Jill McGill and Candi Kung, along with Michelle, finished off the group I shadowed.

The gallery was modest to start but grew with each passing hole until becoming quite substantial. I managed to tag along for 12 holes but boredom set in, not like being inside the ropes, and left them in the dust. I proceeded with a quick stroll for the last 6 holes just to see the rest of this track. 

Michelle had a case of the lefts with her tee ball especially on the doglegs to the right. A fade might come in handy unless that was the plan and she was plagued with a double-cross. This girl is so long a little left-to-right might be the best play as a normal course of action. But who am I, David Leadbetter? 

The best way I've found to follow a group with a large gallery is to stay one shot ahead. You still have a good view of their swing and where the ball comes to rest. On the 13th tee I nixed my jump ahead theory and positioned myself about 15-20 yards ahead and on the right. I suddenly had a flash of deja vu when Jill was set to tee off. You see, I worked for her a few years back when she was plagued with what is best described as a shank with her driver. Her previous caddy Joe Bonica, AKA Einstein, dubbed it a "Chinese hook". All I could see was me being tattooed with this infamous shot and was ready to take a dive if necessary! It was like looking down the barrel of a 12 gauge and I was the wascally wabbit! My fears were for naught though, Jill yanked it into the left rough.

The spectator commentary was very interesting at times. Getting the hitting order incorrect, mistaking Jill for Michelle, seemed to be the most predominant error. On one hole, where Michelle seemed stymied by two trees, a gentleman from Hawaii stated that her dad would have the sense to have her pitch out. I countered that a 14 year old doesn't see trouble as we do and would probably go for it. He brought up the bunker in front of the green and the chance of making a big number to solidify his reasoning but in the end, I was correct. Michelle hit it through the opening but must have nicked one of the branches and was still in the rough but past the trees. She made bogey which was a good score.

The difficult greens are the heart of this course and a good thing too. The tenacious rough, ubiquitous at the US Open, seems non-existent. It's no more difficult than a normal LPGA event being quite sparse in places. Must have had a dry growing period or they cut it in anticipation of future growth which never materialized.

Stopped in for the caddy lunch, Cajun chicken breasts and slaw, and called it a day. Don't know my agenda for mañana.

NBC needed 15 people for TV work but I heard only 4 showed up. Many may have to do double duty.

Friday: Spent a couple hours at the course and watched some play on the ninth green a par 5. Laura Davies just missed a double eagle by inches. Her 2nd shot almost spun in the hole landing 15 feet left. Didn't feel like fighting the gallery so I left after lunch. Notice how lunch keeps getting my attention? Free food is hard to pass up.