In 10 short, short days friends, yet another bucket list item will be checked off. I will be teeing it up at Pebble Beach Golf Links. For the first time ever. And probably for the last time ever if my putting doesn't start to improve pretty quickly one of these days. Nevertheless, insert your jealousy here.
The memories, stories and photos that will result from this round will be worth their weight in gold. But also, on this one May day I'll have on the course amongst my fellow golf friends and colleagues, I will finally conquer the most frequently asked question I'm asked when one finds out what I do for a living. "Ooh, have you played Pebble Beach before?"
It seems like a reasonable enough question. I mean, of course sometime in the last five years I would have played Pebble, right? I've been to Hawaii, Canada, and the greater part of the western United States for golf, why not a six-hour drive north of L.A. for a piece of golf's history? But I'd never had (or took) the chance. The question always made me feel like the only kid that wasn't invited to the party.
"No, no," I respond, modest yet slightly dejected inside. "I've been to Pebble several times, though. I've walked the course, seen a couple tournaments there. Beautiful property."
Inquisitive looks, cocked heads.
"Well wait, I've played several of the courses around it," I offer, feeling a little defensive. "Like Spanish Bay and Monterey Peninsula; that one's super private. And exclusive..."
Glancing at watches, "looking" at BlackBerrys. I'm losing them.
"But no," I finally confess. "I've never played Pebble. Crazy, I know."
Oftentimes they gasp in horror like it's sacrilege. Other times, they might roll their eyes or become "distracted." Is it such a travesty that, not even at the ripe age of 28 yet, I haven't experienced this 1919 Jack Neville and Douglas Grant design? No, not so much. In my opinion.
"Why? Why have you never played it?" comes next. Normally I say I don't know why, then turn the tables on them. But I do know why. The reason? I've never really felt like I was worthy of it.
Aside from being a pricey little venture of which my game does not currently justify, Pebble Beach is a bucket list locale. It's a destination that golfers take their parents, best friends or that special someone with whom they want to share the mystique of the links. It's chock full of history, remarkable beauty and an amazing collection of dining, shops and activities. To be honest, I feel a little guilty about playing it. I'll be the first to say how lucky I am to have this opportunity, and while it's a long time coming, it never comes for some. I hope it does. I hope that every golfer has the chance to play Pebble like I do.
But wait. That doesn't mean I'm not going to go out there and completely and totally manhandle the course. I am, that's the plan. Because Pebble Beach is one of those magical places where the truly average-but-single-digit-potential-with-practice handicappers like me get a hole in one, or shoot their career best round (please please please break 90!), or strike the ball purely with every swing. It's kismet.
I'm going to make something happen out there. And when I do, the answer to my Frequently Asked Question will proudly change to, "Yes, yes I have played Pebble. And it was the experience of a lifetime."
For amateurs, Pebble proves to be a major pain in the grass
Four golfers has a quest today at Pebble Beach Golf Links. A quest to look good on camera, hit some solid shots and, perhaps the main objective, break 100.
Yes, today was the day that Golf Digest's U.S. Open Challenge teed off, as elected winner Peggy Ference of New Jersey took to the course with three big names and some big goals in mind. Wayne Gretzky (Sherwood CC member), Mark Wahlberg (Wilshire CC member) and Drew Brees (not a SoCal guy but a Super Bowl MVP and nice to look at) joined Ference in the U.S. Open conditions, back tees and all.Even more fun? The celebrity caddies each player had. Rickie Fowler was on the bag for Wahlberg, Bubba Watson for Brees, Ricky Barnes for Gretzky and 2010 Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin for Ference. What a group.
The U.S. Open Challenge was somewhat inspired when Tiger Woods off-handly said a few years ago that a 10-handicap player couldn't break 100 in U.S. Open conditions. True that. Having tried this in the past myself at two U.S. Open courses, from the front tees even, I can attest. And as Woods said, the average player has no idea the difficulty of the course the pros are playing. People, trust me: It's truly on another level, and what you see on TV is superior golf by superior players, playing in tremendously gnarly conditions.
For those now intrigued and tempted to give it your own go, to count every stroke and abide by every rule (yeah, put that hand wedge away) and play every lie? Only attempt this if you want to torture yourself while you're out there, then replay in your mind afterward all the ways you could've played better. Friendly warning.
So. Did this gaggle of golfers end in double digits? Spoiler alert! One of them did. The others? Oh, so close. Marky Mark carded a 97, which is plenty respectable. Gretzky, who I'm sure had FORE Magazine cover girl (and wife) Janet in tow, crept up to 100. Brees finished two strokes back at 102, and Ference ended at a whopping 118. At more than 7,000 yards, not so bad.
But talk about not living up to past competition. In 2008 at Torrey Pines, Tony Romo shot an 84! Justin Timberlake a 98! Even Matt Lauer, who I didn't know played golf until the contest, shot an even 100. Or how about last year at Bethpage? Ben Roethlisberger shot 81, Michael Jordan an 86 and Timberlake an 88.
Ron Kroichick of the San Francisco Chronicle, a great supporter of golf and, importantly, amateur golf, wrote a great story that captures the true spirit of the day. Here's some snippets:Oops. But really, who hasn't done that? Nail a person with their ball, that is. Then there was this little gem from Wahlberg:
Yikes, graphic and vidid. Point taken. But what about the low-index of the group, Brees?
Must be hard to be such a winner on the field, but not on the links. As for Ference?
All points well taken, I'd say. This golf spectacle should be pretty fun to watch when it airs June 20 on NBC, just before the Open's final round. And a spectacle it will be.
Posted at 10:30 PM in Current Affairs, Katie Denbo, Katieshack Commentary, Playing the Game | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Tags: Drew Brees golf, golf blog, Katie Denbo, Katieshack, Mark Wahlberg golf, Peggy Ference golf, US Open Challenge, Wayne Gretzky golf
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