The 13th Woman

Yours Truly at the Ryder Cup entrance mugging with an artist designed golf ball

Sitting on my sofa at home watching the final day of Ryder Cup 2012 at Medinah, I suddenly felt like a passenger on the Disney Tower of Terror Ride.If you are unfamiliar, this is a nauseating ride where you go up,up,up and then the bottom drops out.This is precisely what occurred for the American team supporters this past Sunday.I expected to be crying tears of joy on Sunday along with a blubbering Bubba Watson due to the 10-6 lead that the US held going into the final day of play. Surely, Ian Poulter, a Matchplay God with dogged enthusiasm couldn't carry the entire European Team on his back. Boy,was I wrong. I ended up cringing and crying on Sunday night due to whatever occurred at Medinah on Sunday, a collapse, a massacre or simply stellar play by Team Europe.

Since Sunday I have been forlorn over the European victory which yielded a score of Europe 14 1/2 to USA 13 1/2. I still haven't decided where I believe the blame should fall for what occurred but, it was a horrifying spectacle that as the matches were finishing the US players were not garnering points. Brandt Snedeker's match was particularly difficult stomach as his game just completely left him on such a high profile stage, losing 5 and 3 to Paul Lawrie.

As the 13th man, I will accept some of the blame for what occurred on Sunday; I left Chicago Saturday to head home. I wanted to share my Medinah 2012 experiences with you on the most positive of notes, with the US having regained the Ryder Cup. I now have a Ryder Cup 2012 pin flag,hat and shirt that I am looking at in a very bittersweet fashion. I did have a wonderful experience at Medinah and in Chicago in general. I took 337 photographs on Thursday at the practice round alone, which I have edited into a slideshow to share with you here on the blog.

A great billboard of Captains Love and Olazabal greeted spectators at the tourney entrance

Thursday morning I met the most wonderful group of teaching pros adjacent the 2nd tee box at Medinah, from the Illinois section of the PGA. They were kind enough to inform me of the best viewing spots on the course due to their personal familiarity;quite a few of these gentlemen had played MCC several times. The spot directly behind the 245 yard Par 3 13th green was noted to be an excellent spot for spectating. They also had interesting things to say about the course setup and that due to drought conditions there were some bare spots in the rough that Davis Love the III had opted to cut down.

Tiger Woods,Steve Stricker and Dustin Johnson were practicing together on 18, at this point I got distracted and separated from my Illinois' friends. I went into frenzied photography mode and starting encountering many of the players practicing. Here is a slideshow of some of my photographs:

On the 12th green I met up with Brian Katrek of Sirius XM PGA Tour Radio, which was a very cool experience because I am a regular caller to his show, Teed Off. I also had an opportunity to meet Michael Breed of the Golf Channel's Golf Fix who was working on the RyderCup.com broadcast along with Katrek.

Friday, I arrived at the Medinah Country Club at 6:30am and followed the first match out, Jim Furyk and Brandt Snedeker versus Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell in alternate shot format. I was shocked when Jim Furyk was driving off of the 1st Tee for Team USA. It was a great match to follow, when Snedeker put a ball into the trees off of the 4th tee, Furyk had to come right into the area where I was standing to hit their second shot. Later in the day, I was standing adjacent Phil and Bones in a wooded area.

On the 12th tee box I had the privilege to meet up with one of my Twitter friends from Northern Ireland. We spent the rest of the day together on the course, rooting for opposing teams. His favorite chant is, "stand up for the Ulstermen" and his objective was to coerce me to support Team Europe. I reassured him that I only support the red, white and blue and that these colors don't run. Watching the afternoon Fourball, I had what was the coolest of experiences, I was introduced to Gerry and Rosie McIlroy. They were lovely people and it's obvious where the number one professional golfer in the world obtained his incredible demeanor.

My friend Gary and me strike a pose after a full day on the course Friday

Much has been said about the crowds and whether they were disrespectful. I can reassure you that the spectators on the whole were fabulous. I met tons of Americans and Europeans while I was out walking. People were in good spirits. There were very few idiots in the huddled masses; I attribute any poor behavior to the fact that people were served beer starting first thing in the morning. The volunteers were spectacular, from the on course marshals to the shuttle lot attendants.

Some patriotic Team USA Fans show their spirit.

Fans that went full on European Flag with an homage to Rory

One very inventive spectator

My only regret is not having stuck around for the weekend. I have my name in the lottery for tickets to the Ryder Cup 2014 at Gleneagles. If I am lucky enough to secure passes, I will absolutely go to Scotland to support Team USA, especially if my favorite pro, Bubba Watson makes the team.

So that's how he hits it Bubbalong;he's a giant.

Ryder Cup

Ryder Cup, a set on Flickr.

Ryder Cup Slideshow

Sunset Golf Denial

Apologies for my blogging absence but, I have been busy relishing in the delights of Summer golf. No, I have not been lured out of my silence by the Augusta National Golf Club decision to admit women. I still have not reasoned out how the decision directly effects me; if someone could direct me to the admission line for Italian girls from Staten Island that would be dandy. I refuse to lose myself in the fantasy decision about whether to lay up or go for it on number 13, Azalea at this point in time.(which happens to be my favorite hole on those hallowed grounds)

Folks, I am in denial at the moment,it happens every year,the plight of a Mid-Atlantic golfer and one of my most favorite things is about to cease. Summer is ending and a shadow is falling on my precious late afternoon rounds. Daylight on a golf course at 8:30PM is the closest I have come to nirvana. It is absolutely liberating,even if the greens are rolling a bit faster due to a day spent baking in the sunshine. The serenity of an empty golf course with a soundtrack provided by singing birds and chirping crickets is the closest I have ever been to God. This is my church,my peaceful place where it is so divine that I can think clearly about life and reason out the nuances of my game. Just last night, I figured something out about my shoulder on my drives and once I had that breakthrough I was making solid contact repeatedly. The pace of play is a gift; finishing 18 in under 3 hours is nothing short of miraculous.

My love of late afternoon rounds certainly stems from time I spent on the golf course with my Father, who worked a tremendous amount. He operated his own business for 25 years. Some weeks he would work 6 or 7 days a week and other weeks his schedule was more flexible to allow more time for golf and family. He often took me to the driving range in the late afternoon to hit balls. When we played golf on the weekend it was always late afternoon rounds. There is nothing more beautiful than a golf course at sunset and having the privilege to share those moments with someone you love.

This Summer I have taken my own Daughter, Hailey a few times to play late afternoon golf. She prefers to run to her ball and hit it, over riding in the cart. You can't bottle that kind of enthusiasm. Although, she is athletically gifted, I exert no pressure on her because I want her to love the game. Hail plays off of the USGA Family Tee and she has had putts for eagle a couple of times now. The quiet of the late afternoon also allows me to explain some of the on course etiquette too.

The days of me standing on the practice area garbed in attire that makes me resemble the Michelin Man, in 30 degree weather approaches shortly. Every year I go down fighting in the Fall, unwilling to accept the inevitably dimming light. Two Autumns ago I recall begging my girlfriends to play a Par 3 with a carry over water in near darkness out of desperation. We could barely see racing back to the clubhouse and narrowly avoiding quite a few trees.

One more closing admission, the 19th hole is best enjoyed at 8 or 9pm. For the next few weeks I will drown my sunset golf sorrows in a beverage or two.

The Guy That Overshadowed Tiger-Thoughts on the AT&T National at Congressional

Here I am signing the wall at Congressional Country Club to salute the men and women of our armed forces.

The tee markers for the AT&T National are miniatures of the Monument to Iwo Jima,which I think is awesome.

The Color Guard provide the backdrop for Air Force Master Sgt. Ryan Carson as he sings the National Anthem.

                                                                                                                   

Sergeant First Class Leroy Arthur Petry, Medal of Honor Recipient speaks at the opening ceremonies for the AT&T National.

Tiger Woods,Sarah Hesterman and Nicholas Joy prepare to hit ceremonial 1st tee shots. Both teenagers are aspiring golfers and have military parents.

 Donald Trump takes some practice swings on the 1st tee box. FYI , center of the fairway and long.

Tommy,"Two Gloves" Gainey putts alongside his Pro Am partners.

Patrick Cantlay hits a beautiful sand shot on Congressional's 17th out of a green side trap.

Vijay Singh strolls in a carefree fashion off of the first tee box, after one of his pro am partners hit a tee shot which landed before the forward tee box.

Common Sense Solutions for Slow Play

Right and Near the Trees-Video Blog 1

Wordless Wednesday-Hootie

Photocredit-Jim Mannix

The Triumph of the Individual

There are very few players that shape shots anymore; I marvel at the players that can visualize and shape shots. Lee Trevino, Bubba Watson and Severiano Ballesteros possess/possessed an innate ability to see and control ball flight. Some things simply can not be taught. These three view/viewed the golf course very differently from most golfers. They are the savants of the golf world,if you will. They are a dying breed in a golf world dominated by pros reliant on the technological equipment advances and tinkered with by swing doctors.

A few weeks ago, after the Doral Cadillac Championship, Bubba Watson was attempting to verbalize why he did not feel the golf course suited his eye. If you watched the final day of the tournament you were privileged to see Bubba pull off a ridiculous second shot out of the rough,through trees and over water, landing 9 feet from the flagstick on the 18th green, under pressure. He went on to miss a tough putt to tie Justin Rose and force a playoff but,he left a lasting impression on everyone viewing. My Twitter feed was loaded up with questions of astonishment like,"did he just really do that?" Anyhow, after seeing this shot it was hard for the commentators to reason what Bubba was talking about when he said this course does not suit his eye. He tried to explain to the press that he prefers desert courses where he sees several colors and not just green.

As of this past Sunday, Bubba Watson is going to be wearing and seeing a lot of green because he won the Masters in dramatic fashion during a sudden death playoff on the 10th hole, known as Camelia. Once again he pulled off a magical shot from out of position, through pine trees,hooking 40 yards and landing on the green. He two putted to seal the victory.

My children can readily identify two professional golfers upon sight, Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson. My Husband is a huge supporter of Tiger Woods and I am a die-hard fan of Bubba Watson. I took my children to meet Bubba prior to the 2011 US Open at Congressional and we all had our picture taken with him. Naturally, my Husband and I followed his group at the US Open too. Any week that Bubba is contention I end up hoarse from cheering him on. I've won Twitter contests that Bubba has held. A portion of a prize I won in the Bubbaclaus contest of 2010 was one of Bubba's ball markers,I use this ball marker in every round golf I play. My friends find it hysterical that I call this ball marker, the BM(the Bubba Marker) but they also rue this lucky item in our putting games.

Sunday afternoon I was on pins and needles for the duration of Bubba's round. I was saying Hail Mary's for him to retain his focus,not get jittery and not decelerate putts. His play so badly deserved to be rewarded with a major that I was living and dying with every stroke,as I sat with my family watching from Pinehurst, NC. When he finally tapped the winning putt in, I knew the inevitable was going to happen, Bubba was going to cry and then I was in turn going to cry too. When I saw, Ted Scott, Bubba's Caddie and then, Bubba's Mom rush onto the green my eyes welled up with tears. This happens to me every time Bubba wins because I feel like a win for him, is a win for individuality,self assuredness, embracing God given talent and it bolsters a genuinely good individual.

Yesterday, I read some blogs bemused, asking whether Bubba was good for golf after his big win at Augusta. The greatest golfer in the history of the game, Tiger Woods is enduring a prolonged swing identity crisis and here is a guy in Bubba Watson that told his caddie once, "if I have a swing,I have a shot" and I wonder what the people posing these hypothetical questions are thinking. Really, are they kidding me?

• Awe inspiring imaginative golf is really,really good for the state of the game. 
• An athlete who wears his heart on his sleeve,struggles to focus and then still pulls off a victory is good for the game. 
• An athlete that speaks for himself,not through a myriad of filters is good for the game. 
• A human being that apologizes when he makes a mistake is good for the game. 
• A kid that comes from nothing and manages to do real well for himself is good for the game. 
• A successful golfer that gives a tremendous amount back is good for the game.

If you need further evidence about whether Bubba is good for the game, watch him hitting driver off the deck into the green at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions 2011. http://youtu.be/AzzpQ5EhPck

And no Bubba, UR Welcome

A Boys' Club

In 2010 adult women barely comprised 21 percent of the total golf population within the United States according to a National Golf Foundation Survey. This is a sharp decline from the a decade earlier when 1.4 million more adult women were golfing. What caused 1.4 million women to walk away from this game that I love so very much?

This is the second consecutive post where I find myself addressing the attitude toward women in the world of golf. It is not my intention in blogging to constantly go off on rants in the vain of Gloria Steinem pertinent to the misogyny. That's not who I am. I love golf and I happen to be a girl.

It is very hard for me to dismiss the statistics when I regularly encounter odd treatment simply because I am female. I delight in seeing other ladies out on the golf course, as infrequent as those encounters are becoming. Something needs to change within golf so that my 4.7 million fellow golf loving ladies continue to hit the course with regularity.

Among my female friends that I golf with, I notice two distinct commonalities, one,most are Type A personalities, fearless unbridled go getters and two, they most likely were athletic in their youth and/or continue to be athletic adults. Ladies that are of this psychographic set are going to be a little harder to deter from playing a game that they love. In short, speaking as a lady that has always been athletic and headstrong, I tolerate the idiotic chauvinism because I want to play. Walking away, means giving in and, giving in is condoning the misanthropes. Ideally, I would love the golf world and industry to evolve to be more embracing toward women. It's important to me that my Daughter that I take out on the course regularly and other girls that want to golf, feel welcomed.

You are probably wondering what sent me off on this line of thought, well, last weekend I had a tee time at a county course. Two of our foursome had to cancel and I called the course in advance to advise the course in case they wanted to pair us up with other golfers. I arrived early, as I am neurotically early for everything and realized that the course was fairly empty. I was watching people hit bad tee shots on the Par 3 9th hole; I may have actually seen a Shankopotamus Sunday.There were considerable gaps between the groups making the turn.

When I went into the clubhouse to check in, the Pro that knows me and my friends told me to go out early because things were slow. In fact his precise words were, "Go right up to the first tee box."The starter on the other hand was a guy that I was unfamiliar with and the stupidity began. I alerted him that we were playing as a twosome and that the the Pro told us to head to the first tee box. This knucklehead proceeded to attempt to find a foursome that was MIA to put out in front of us. This production took almost ten minutes,ten minutes that I could have spent playing the first hole which was empty. Why slow down the whole course by putting a foursome in front of a twosome?Oh right, this would be because we were a female twosome and therefore destined to slow down the entire course.

By the fourth hole we were waiting incessantly on the foursome in front of us, a complete waste of time. I accidentally hit into them on the second hole. Finally, on the fifth hole the foursome allowed us to play through and it was happy sailing from there on in. We finished our round in under three and a half hours.

As the week progressed I was mentally able to dismiss this incident after an hour long phone conversation with another female golfer who has had similar experiences. I felt great after this discussion, knowing that I was not alone and that this was a pervasive problem,not something I was imagining. I felt a kinship and I was relieved until yesterday.

There is a golf radio show that I like to phone into occasionally. I find this particular show highly entertaining,it is well produced, informative; the host is riotously funny and outspoken.As an aside, he also provides exceptional play by play coverage for the same radio network. I am a golf geek and appreciate all of the equipment and player related discussions. My friends understand this about me. I believe I have well formed thoughtful opinions. On Monday, I phoned into the show at a Twitter friend's prompting to weigh in on whether Alex Miceli's exchange with Tiger Woods in the pressroom had impacted his play at PGA National.

Yesterday,another regular caller to the show phoned in and advised the host of the show something to the effect of,"The only reason you care what she,(referring to me) has to say is because she's a hot chick." The whole commentary was very mocking as this character mentioned that I give,"dissertations." There are plenty of other regular callers to this show who have intelligent opinions but, I'm a hot chick giving a dissertation? Of course, I am going to have to a tremendous amount to say about something that I am passionate about. If I was uninterested why would I be an audience member of a show that is so niche?

These have been my experiences as a woman golfer the duration of the week thus far, and it's only Wednesday. I have a lesson scheduled Friday morning and will be playing a round this weekend. I might even try to squeeze nine in tomorrow if I can as it's supposed to be 70 degrees here.

Feb Photo A Day-Where I Work

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Feb Photo a Day-Favorite Picture of Yourself

Feb Photo A Day-Something I Hate

Feb Photo A Day-Drink

Feb Photo A Day-Time

Feb Photo a Day-Something New

This is something new that I will be putting into play this weekend.