Week Off

Monday: Well, six days at least. Today was The Open qualifier and Dina could not have hit it or putt any better. Shot nine under for the two rounds, set the course record on the North and finished medalist. She even took a bunch of cash off of Kuehne playing $10 birdies. Not a bad day.

• Pay up: As I drove in, a sign read Event Parking $10. Along with $6 hot dogs and likewise for the beer, someone was making a killing.

• A Wie bit more: Since the initiation of the policy concerning uncooperative pros during the pro-am, four complaints have been lodged. Without saying who, but the inference was clear, Michelle had two in two weeks. This was from someone in the know.

• Where are you? There were a few no-shows for the qualifier and two alternates snuck in. One player of note was Nicole Perrott.

• Tuesday finish? Maybe. Heard the two-overs were heading for a play-off. May have been close to a dozen players with a bunch of spots available. Didn't need to stick around so I took off for a night's sleep in Hagerstown MD.

• Envy of many: With 36 holes ahead of us, Dina brought along the same ultra-light sack for me to tote that I used in Williamsburg. Quite a contrast to some of those tour trunks I spotted.

Tuesday: My original plan was go straight to Rochester and kick back for the week watching the guys get eat up at Oakmont but a notice I received in the mail had me heading back to Ohio. My license plates had expired on my birthday and, residing in one of those "dirty air" counties, an emissions check is mandated. I plotted the most direct route to the nearest e-check station, which was in Ravenna, and made it by late morning. There wasn't a line so I was done in a couple minutes and renewed my registration a few miles away. Next stop, Dave Baker.

Niles is his hang-out and just by shear serendipity, found myself tailing his car on the way to the mall. Hung out for a few hours catching up on the latest and I was off again. Next stop, Lisa Kiggens-D'Amore.

This time it was Corning New York (I do get around) and spent the rest of the day with her and hubby and their two dogs.

Wednesday: Finally recovered from that grueling 36 on Monday and, with a breakfast of French toast from "Lisa's kitchen", was off to Rochester along the scenic route. Settled down at the Wellesley Inn (only $29.95 with a travel coupon) and vegged the rest of the day.

• Michelle, are you listening? I did a little more research on the pro-am rule regarding unbecoming conduct by the pro and found that all professionals, regardless if they are a member of the LPGA, are subject to refund the entry fee to the amateurs but the complaint must be affirmed by the LPGA.

• It's me: Stopped by the work place of Herr Steffler in the quaint little berg of Pittsford. Northfield Common is the home of Top Notch Monogramming allows Jeff to keep busy and make a few bucks besides. He also created a logo for my website transferred it onto a t-shirt for me. It's just a prototype but only needs some minor tweaking. Make the computer keyboard and tee a bit larger then remove the ball and it's perfect.

This says it all.

Sunday: Moved over to "caddie central" (The Dorkat Motel) yesterday and watched The Open while downing a few cold ones. In all likelihood, I'll do the same today.

• Oops! That's all George Lucas (our yardage book maker) could say when finding out a new sprinkler system was installed at Locust Hill. We use the sprinklers as yardage marks to the front of the green then add in the pin each day but now, we all have to go out and redo the book. The heads are marked to the middle though, so a bit of subtraction will probably suffice.

• I'm moving: My domain host will be Startlogic instead of Intergate in the near future. So if you happen not to be able to connect using the present bookmark, just type in www.lifeontour.com and save it again. By doing this, I may actually be able to make a few bucks using advertisements. I'm sure you all will click on them to help me out.

• A royal screwing: That's what a couple guys got after working The Open qualifier. One cadero has been working all year with his young player, made enough money to keep her exempt status for next year, conducted four trips out to the qualifying site during the McDonald's Championship (over 70 miles each way) to check the course, qualified her for The Open then was fired! Another player axed her rookie looper after missing by one stroke and offered compensation of only $150 for his effort. The trouble was, he walked both courses, worked 36 holes of practice, stayed over a couple nights in Rockville then 36 more in the qualifier. For what it cost him, he lost about $200 on the deal.

  It always amazes me by the deportment of some players when it comes to The Open qualifier. Believe it or not, many think that making it to The Open is compensation enough. By the way, Dina is not one of those players.

   

  Tournament Week

Monday:  A morning and afternoon pro-am was scheduled with Kim drawing a spot in the former. With the high scheduled at around 90°, I was out of their before it stated to broil.

• What we do best: My "Open watching plans" was as predicted but grew into more of an event than anticipated. A couple of the guys have a downstairs end room which turned into a perfect "caddie hospitality" area. A humongous cooler of beer (constantly replenished at regular intervals), one of the larger TV screens in the motel and a BBQ ready to be fired up on the completion of play.  

Upon the every move of Jim Furyk., screaming at the tube by one cadero was commonplace. Seems he had a few quid riding on his performance and when Jim pulled the driver out of the bag on seventeen, I bet they heard the excruciating screech at the 7-11 across the road! Of course, If he would have made birdie instead of bogie it would have been hailed as a brilliant move.

After the bloodbath at Oakmont, the coals were lit and the feast began. You could not have found a finer assortment of gastronomic delicacies in all of Rochester. Two inch thick steak filets, pork roast, bratwurst and even lobster tail.

 

Tiger's last putt for the tie.

Tuesday: Since we're in the pro-am tomorrow, there was no need for a practice round today. I arrived early to double check the changes and chart the elevation variations and then it was off to the range. Around one o'clock, severe weather was heading our way and the course was closed.

• Wedding bells: Are in the near future for Wendy Doolan. Just got engaged.

• Better than a blue ribbon: Our Monday pro-am team finished third but everyone thought they received the best prize. How about a Video iPod for their effort.

• MY NEW EMAIL ADDRESS: Time to update my contact info. My new address is

lifeontour.larry(at)gmail.com

Of course, use the @ sign instead of at. I entered it this way to avoid spam programs that randomly search for email addresses on web pages.

Wednesday: Another storm rolled through yesterday afternoon and cooled things down. It was brisk and breezy for the pro-am but our early start had us finished a little past noon. All of the amateurs had bag toters but one had a little golf  history to expound upon. Seems his father looped for Arnie in the 1954 Open held at Oak Hill.

• See ya mañana: Ralph, our caddie master, rolled up the sidewalk when the first storm hit yesterday and left this terse but distinct notification.

Golf and fishing, what a great combo.

• More rules: This time our meeting was on the unplayable ball rule and was better attended than most. Even Christa Johnson showed giving the players some representation for a change.

Thursday: Started on the back and birdied our first and last two holeso f the day. Finished +1. Thunder-boomers skirted the course in the early afternoon delaying play for two hours but it looks as if they'll all finish.

• Sweet sensations: That's what's off limits for Leta Lindley and Jill McGill for the foreseeable future. They're using the buddy system to cut out the goodies with $50 each month coming out of the pocket of the one that cheats. Leta tried to collect first by leaving Jill an envelope full of candy on the fourteenth tee but she didn't bite.

• I've hit a  new low: Lisa Kiggens is looping for Dina again and asked a very special favor of me this morning. She's up from Corning and brought her pooch Chester (named after her win in Rochester and basically a skeleton with hair) with her but obviously can't bring him to the course. Like all dogs, a trip outdoors to do his business is paramount and yours truly was chosen as escort in the Princess' absence.

I'm the one on the right.

• More pics: Shots of this year's "Donna Wanna Bowl" are now up. Click here or the link on my home page.

Friday: The wind howled and the scores went up, including ours. Down the road again with a 78 leaving us at +7.

• Car 33 where are you? During yesterday's rain delay, our shuttle diver prompted us to leave the clubs in the car assuring that he would stay with them continuously. What he didn't say was where the car was going to be. I was the only one to do so and as soon as we departed his company, off he went with Kim's sticks for another pick-up! We managed to get him on his cell and he returned with due haste. Wasn't worried a bit.

• We've struck gold, or is it rock? In this case, it may be the same thing. Remember the event in Kutztown PA? It was held at the Berkleigh Country Club located next to the adult book store (had to throw that in) on the way to Reading. It has come to my attention that it will cease to exist and its peaceful rolling fairways will be replaced with the clackity-clack of earthmovers mining the treasure beneath. It is soon to be a rock quarry.

• Not exactly caviar and foie gras: This was sent to me by Bob Hayes in an effort to define "fine dining" in the Rochester area. The Garbage Plate seems to have everything a growing (and I do mean growing) boy needs.