My Letter to the USGA

Thanks to the Waggle Room and The Golf Chick for bringing up the non existence of a US Senior Women's Open. While I had thought today's blog would be dedicated to some of my deeper thoughts on a few inequities in the golf world, what ended up happening was the development of my open letter to the USGA. Feel free to cut and paste.

Dear USGA,

While wandering around the internet looking for even the smallest morsel of women's golf news today, I came across a blog site that pointed out something that's been bothering me for years. Rather than shaking my head and wishing for better, I thought I'd take the time to write.

Why doesn't the USGA sponsor a U.S. Senior Women's Open? I guess I probably know the answer to the question, but I'd like to support you in changing direction on this and embracing women's golf on a deeper level.

It seems to me that the popularity of golf is growing with women at a rapid rate, yet somehow the catering to our desires stops at the pro shop cash register. While I certainly don't speak for everyone, I think I can safely say that we want more than a credit card bill and a sporty visor. We want to see these incredible athletes continuing on their careers as their hair turns grey, their shots get shorter and straighter and their confidence overcomes the pressing cameras and fans.

In a country that is searching for ways to overcome the somewhat recent, yet huge decline in physical activity and growing obesity numbers, I think we'd all like to see more encouragement to keep moving. Without an activity that matters to us, why do we care when our hips start hurting, our knees start stabbing with pain and our shorts seem to keep shrinking every wash?

We need a US Women's Senior Open. Don't wait until the great ones are gone, we want to see them play now. I'm willing to bet there's a lot of us out here that will help you with promotions and marketing.

Sincerely,
Sarah
@The Daily Mulligan

Tiger's Tantrum

Most of us love golf for all the same reasons we hate it. We have ups, we have downs and we’re never sure if an ugly drive that bounced its way through the nearby forest will be followed by an amazing wormburner that leaves our balls resting delicately on the edge of the green. There are few places you can experience those extreme mental and physical shifts in such a beautiful surrounding. I’d argue that fly fishing comes close, but who has time for that?

I don’t like club throwers. An occasional slight bang on the sand seems okay, it’s kind of pillow fight material, but a good hard toss of the club seems more like ice hockey material. One of my favorite things to see is how a golfer will respond to a bogey, okay a triple bogey. Do they handle it with grace, walking casually over and marking the ball for another look. Or do they throw a club?

Bubba Watson had a fit during the open, botched a shot out of the rough and seemed like he hit three more balls before his caddie had even looked up. Okay, that might be an exaggeration, but it was close. The point is, Bubba didn’t throw a club. He turned a deep shade of red, possibly fire engine, but just continued on his bogey filled day.

I want to find a reason to say I’m okay with Tiger throwing clubs, but since he didn’t throw them directly at someone who tried to harm his family, I’m going to have to say I’m bummed. How bad can it really be for him, he’s the host of the AT&T National. He didn’t have to go to a payday loan store or get his coffee from a gas station…I mean, he is Tiger Woods, right?

The day I throw a club will be the day I take up yoga. It’ll also be the day I give up the best sport I’ve ever played.

Birdie Dog

I've always been a bit of a golf course scavenger, picking up lost balls, abandoned tees and various other items, but last night was the first time I've brought something living home from my local links.

Birdie Dog. He showed up with the drink cart gal who had captured him running like a wild man on an adjacent roadway. I'm not exactly sure how she captured him, but I think a colorfully canopied golf cart in the middle of a major intersection might have been involved.

He seemed nice enough, knew how to sit, lay down, fetch balls...uh, fetch balls, did I mention fetching balls? And then the fireworks started and I knew how Mr. Birdie Dog a.k.a. Buddy had turned up in the middle of the street. Even after we medicated him (there's a vet in the house), he tried to tear out a few doors and a wall before he was placed in a small, plastic crate for the evening.

His owner waited until almost 5 p.m. to check animal control. He admittedly was hoping that someone would just keep him. Loser. Anyway, I delivered him to his owner only to discover that he lived at a house I might have hit a few balls at over the year. I didn't get a regular reward, but I did get a bag of Callaway balls. Not bad for a few doors.

My Independence Day...Coming Out as a Golfer

This is my first 4th of July holiday without my mom and though I’ve tried to keep away from such a personal and sad topic, the day is filled with memories of her.

Most of my friends miss their lost friends and relatives the most during the “holidays”. But for me, the 4th of July is that holiday. She had decided upon retirement to live in glorious Taos, NM, but could never give up her home and friends in Texas. So, as she aged, I made the pilgrimage twice a year to help her move back and forth between her two homes. Every 4th of July I would fly from Oregon to Dallas/Fort Worth, spend a few days working around the house and packing her personal belongings and pets into an oversized van. Then we would make the 13 hour drive together, I’d spend a few days in New Mexico, and fly back to Oregon. It was totally insane, but you do these things for people you love.

It was on one of those trips that my golf obsession was ignited. Having grown up three blocks from a country club that we belonged to, but never once golfed at, I had to work up my courage to tell her I’d been golfing…twice. I wasn’t sure she would understand. Would she still love me? She would have to realize that she was never going to get pictures of a thriving garden of layered perennials, colors perfectly matched as if they’d been picked off the Behr color chart. Never would she receive a handmade Christmas present made of wood, polished by hand as the ancient people did. No more weekends untangling fishing reels, I needed to let her know those dreams were gone.

“Mom, I know you’re going to think this is totally stupid, but I think I’ve taken up golf. I know it’s not what you expected of me. I know it’s a waste of money and I promise I’ll never act like one in front of your friends….”
“Oh honey, I think that’s wonderful. You can play golf for a lifetime and it’s just such a classy and wonderful sport.”

She then went on to tell me statistics on all the male golfers on tour at the time. She was a big Tiger fan and I heard about him and his childhood for the next fifteen minutes. The story was broken with her suddenly looking up at me and asking, “Do you have clubs?”

We were off to Bass Pro Shops where all beginners who are shy about golfing should start. You can walk boldly in and pretend you are there for bait or a new pair of shorts. You could even be buying a shotgun for your anniversary.

Mom bought me my first set of clubs. She insisted on it. I got a lot of play time out of that $139 set and passed them on to another closet golfer when I made the upgrade.

Last 4th of July I played a round in Taos by myself.

Mom was going to go and ride in the cart, but it was hot and she didn’t feel up to it. I played one of my best rounds ever in that dry, high desert air. She would have been proud seeing the ball sail down the middle of the fairways. She would have laughed heartily at the ones that landed in the sagebrush.

If we had known it was our last 4th of July together, she would have insisted I go play golf and would have said, “another walk spoiled”, as she sat on the couch and read with golf lightly playing in the background. Thanks Mom, for feeding my obsession and soul, and always surprising me with unwavering love.

Happy 4th of July everyone, I’m off to the golf course.

Is This Pink Panther for Paula?

The positively pink Jamie Farr Owen's Corning Classic is next on the schedule for the LPGA and Mi Hyun Kim will be defending her title at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania, OH. While their home page has not yet added a list of players, the photo opportunities are perfectly matched for a Paula Creamer, pink panther victory. This will certainly be a hot topic amongst the television commentators.

"Dottie, did you see the Pink Panther lurking around behind the tee box at 15? Do you think it's watching Paula or stalking her head cover?"

"I don't know. It's too early to tell, but I bet her caddy is keeping a close eye on the situation."

The tournament starts up on the 9th and it looks like they may be headed for another few days of air horns and rain delays. Hopefully we'll get a little broadcast coverage to pull us out of our Wimbledon grass court overload.

Pressel's Giant Pony

While I never thought I’d find myself discussing fashion on the golf course, has anyone else noticed the size of the polo pony on Morgan Pressel’s shirt? I’m a Ralph Lauren fan, but the shirt she had on yesterday had the pony for the visually impaired. Do you think they were concerned that it would get mixed up with a penguin or a seagull?

I also couldn’t help but notice Se Ri Pak’s nautical number that was designed by her sister, Yoo Ri. She always looks great on the course with her fun and unique clothes as well as her swing and demeanor, but the blue and yellow combo for the final round was a classic. I'm looking for a photo to share and will update when I come about one by some legal means.

It's difficult not to comment on clothes and other gear observations when the sponsors and commentators are working so hard to keep us distracted from golf. I'm betting Nike was hoping for another air horn when Wie withdrew...again...after 9. She seemed okay twirling her club as she walked down the course, I wonder what part of "Just Do It" she doesn't understand?

Kerr Captures Coveted Cup

Today’s finish at the 2007 US Women’s Open was an All American, red, white and blue finish. As Cristie Kerr concentrated before her drive off the 18th tee, you could feel the heat of the south with the cicadas steadily cheering her on with their sweet summer chatter. There haven’t been a lot of American women that have taken home this coveted prize of women’s golf and a look down the leaderboard showed a large group of Koreans who weren’t far behind.

I was secretly cheering for Se Ri Pak. Not that anyone was listening or that it needed to be a secret. I just felt a little guilty with the 4th of July around the corner. Not to mention that Cristie deserved the win.

Kerr started the final round coming off of a 66, 5 under performance in the 3rd. Her confidence was evident as she didn’t seem to over analyze anything and approached her shots as you would with your Wednesday golf buddies. She looked like she was having a great game and intimidated Ochoa into some difficult saves to tie for second.

Check out tomorrow’s Daily Mulligan as I share my thoughts on Pressel’s Polo Pony and Pak’s family designed duds. At least I’m not on national television reminding all the viewers that Kerr used to be a size 16. I’m sure she appreciated that.