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My player this week is Pam Kerrigan
Sunday: Easy drive to Springfield. On the road by 6:00 and and
in by 1:00.
- Didn't take long; Jimin Kang axed Shadow for the
second time this year. He didn't even make it to Sunday as he got the
news after Saturday's round. He'll be in the lot looking for a loop.
The paycheck was a little short as well.
Monday: Walked the course and the fairways aren't as bad as I'd
heard. They're bad, but not just as bad as I pictured. The rough is in better
shape then the fairways and the greens are OK. Examples below.
13th Fairway
Just off the 15th Green
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I finally might be getting a replacement for my
laptop. They agreed to submit my claim. I won't be getting a new
computer if a comparable refurbished replacement can be found.
Otherwise, I receive a gift card.
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Monday at The Rail is usually Deadsville and today was
no exception. I walked the back nine first and it was totally devoid
of activity. The front did have a few players and ran into Sam and Morgan
Pressel.
Morgan on the 3rd
Tuesday: Pam played in a pro-am at Firestone
yesterday so a late practice was scheduled. Teed off with Joanne Mills
just after 1:00.
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Quote of the week? A
new pond was installed about 40 yards short of the par 3 eleventh and
doesn't come into play. As we left the tee, Pam asked if it was new
and I jokingly told her not to think about it. I then turned to Sarah
Bennett, Joanne's caddie, and said " If anyone hits it in
there they should give up their card" (playing privileges). She responded
"They ought to play on the European Tour"! OUCH! She
was joking LET players! She promised to come up with a better quote
before heading home after Tulsa.
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Chop-chop; The axe fell on another
looper. Mi Hyun Kim let Wilksie go. He's been with her since The LPGA Championship
but lack of success will do anyone in. Chad picked her up for The
Rail. By the way, this week is the anniversary of my termination by
her father after we won in 1999. Oh such happy memories!
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Birdie Kim decided to head for her homeland to play
this week but it was a last minute decision. She wanted to take her
caddie Lance but lack of a passport and plans to work Springfield
nixed that trip. I think she's getting a little heat for not coming up
with the moola for Miles.
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The Nationwide Tour is in Calgary this week and a
smattering of loopers have migrated here this week. Don't know how
many got work.
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This is the last year for long time tournament
director Sandra Wheeler and for some, not a moment too soon. She is
known to be quite miserly, lets face it, a down right skin-flint when
it came to player and caddie amenities. I truly believe "Less is
more" is tattooed somewhere on her posterior. Here are just
a few examples.
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Jugs of water (no bottles) are on the tees but
bottled water is available in the locker room with one caveat. It
is not to taken with you when leaving the course. The water by the
way, is the Qik-n-EZ brand and has a nasty plastic taste. It lacks
an expiration date and must have been a steal.
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Players may bring a guest, which includes her
caddie, into the hospitality tent. No comp here though, $10 at the
door please!
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Two types of trail mix are provided in the locker
room but instead of having individual bags, a bulk purchase from
Sam's Club and a stack of baggies is provided.
There have been many more examples in the past and the
most irritating was her refusal of an offer from Outback to feed the
caddies. Not a dime would come out of the tournament coffers but she
wouldn't go for it.
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The go-ahead was given to replace my laptop. They'll
be sending an IBM
ThinkPad R51 1836Q6U. Much more computer than I have now but I
think I've earned it.
Wednesday: Played an E-9 prior to the pro-am and it
was perfect for plenty of chipping and putting. Most players decided to
play the back but we chose the front and were the last ones off which gave
us
plenty of practice time. Pam needs a a little warm up to avoid injury but
we really didn't have time to hit the range. I suggested playing the first
hole with just an eight iron and worked out perfectly. I was set up to work for Ty Votaw, the out-going
Commissioner, in the pro-am so Pam let me go a bit early.
It was Ty's last official apperance in a pro-am and I was
part of this historic event. Wish I could report he played 'lights out'
but it was not to be. He did sink a good sized putt to help our score. Our pro was Leta Lindley and we did have a pleasurable
experience.
As Ty was warming up on the range Mardi Lunn walked by and
spouted "Show us what ya got big boy". I thought the double
entendre was self-evident. Ty also mentioned my website and couldn't help
giving me a little dig. "You going to write something nice for a
change"? OOOH!
Ty, ripping one into the right bunker on the 6th.
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Plenty of new homes going up around The Rail and they're
humongous! All the graft in this capitol city must be paying off. Do I
sound a bit cynical?
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For ages the biggest home put here was owned by Springfield's
most profitable mortician but is now up for sale. Wonder if he became
his own customer?
Here's a look if you're interested.
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They broke out the Dasani water but remnants of of the Qik-n-EZ
still remain. Jamie Hullett said it's like drinking out of a new pair
of shoes!
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My heart goes out to the victims of Katrina. I was
trying to tell Pam about the man who could no longer hold onto his wife's
hand before the water swept her away but I started to choke up.
Thursday: Made it to one under but that's as far as
we got. Even though this is one of the longest tracks we play the difficulty
factor is minimal. Large greens with little trouble so the scores are
always low.
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During the pro-am, Ty was constantly in touch with business
associates with his Crack-Berry. He finds it truly addictive just the
same as with Anna Rawson. The Comish said it was analogous to an
amputee that has fathom pain in his missing limb. When mounted on his
hip, he swears it's vibrating when it really isn't.
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The bark can be worse than the bite; During
Saturdays round last week Matt, Becky Morgan's cadero, attempted to
toss a souvenir ball to one of the kids at the 17th green but it went
awry. He retrieved the errant pellet, made a quick pass-off to the
tyke and made a hasty retreat. Unfortunately, failing to realize his
exact location, made a quick move up and to the left smashing his face
into a tree! This brought a chuckle form Becky but it was no laughing
matter. He'll be feeling it for a while. Must have felt like a real sap.
I almost hate myself for that one.
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Maybe I was a bit hard on Sandra Wheeler. Lunch tokens
were provided for the caddies starting today. Lou, Stacy P's dad, cashed
his in at the concession tent by the putting green but his choice on
the menu, a pork chop sandwich, cost him an extra buck and his iced
tee was missing the ice. On second thought, I wasn't too hard.
Friday: Couldn't get it done so we were done. We
ended our relationship on a sour note and, needless to say, will not be
working together again in this lifetime.
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Heard the Office Depot course will be set up at around
5900 yards. This is quite short but is necessitated by back tees separated
by ravines.
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It's great to have dreams to aspire to but 86-78 at
The Rail, one of the easiest tracks on tour, and attempting to qualify
for the PGA Tour? Izzy Beisiegel may be aiming a bit too high. She
also had a 7 putt in Portland.
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I will not be present at The Solhiem Cup matches but
will have a mole embedded in the ranks. Promises of updates and
pictures have been assured.
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My room mate Boston Ralph, is looping for Diana
D'Alessio and was paired with Penny Hammel. Penny's dad was following
along but stayed back after the fifth hole awaiting there return to
the eighth tee. These holes parallel each other and it saves a bit of
walking. Bad move! Dianna's tee ball on the eighth was a wicked snap
hook and caught Penny's dad , who was still standing by the fifth tee,
just below right eye. He must have turned away at the last second
cause a band aid was all that was necessary.
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Champ Spikes (soft of course) are provided free of
charge and players readily help themselves when the need arises.
Michelle Estill and Riko Higashio pick out their
favorite colors.
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One of the favorite caddie watering holes on tour is
the Capital City Bar&Grill situated on Dirksen Hwy. across the
street from our hotel. $2 domestic bottled beer and all the fried
walleye you can eat for $6 are daily attractions but there's plenty of
other good stuff on the menu as well. I sat down at the bar for a beer
and the walleye and struck up a conversation with one of the locals.
His daughter was the main topic of conversation but he eventually got
around to what he did for a living. Heavy equipment operator was his
trade of which he made a good living. In fact, he was on call as we
spoke! Pounding down the beers (at least four before I got there) just
waiting to get in the driver's seat of a multi-ton piece of machinery
set on destruction. Must not be a law against drinking and excavating.
Well, this is Springfield.
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