Halfway There

"THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 02, 2006

Rub My Face In It Later

Lucas Glover is going to be one hell of a professional golfer. I think he wins at least two Majors by the end of the decade."

Congratulations to LG, a first-time Major Championship winner at Bethpage. Please drop the arrogant/sulking act when you are playing poorly (dragging the driver behind your body as you walk off the tee), one Curtis Strange a lifetime is enough.

U.S Open - 2009

You'd expect Bethpage Black, stretched to 7400 yards, to require length off the tee to be competitive. However, 2002 results deliver a different portrayal, as shorter hitters (with the exception of TW) fared extremely well (Maggert, Hoch, Mayfair had top ten finishes). Length will play a factor in 2009, but on account of the rainy weeks leading up to the event. If Bethpage receives rain, expect much of the same.

I remember leaving work in 2002 to watch the Friday round, which consisted of Sergio Garcia regripping for 65% of the telecast I was working a job I hated and had lunch by myself at Chili's. Easily the most miserable lunch of my life.

Aside from the presumptive favorite, TW, other potential winners.

2. Graeme McDowell - A European always makes a run (Nick Dougherty). People are focused on McIlroy, Stenson, etc., but McDowell is playing well and poised for a competitive Major.

1. Dustin Johnson - I'll be wagering on Johnson. He's the five tool golfer (drives with length, drives with accuracy, excellent irons, good short game, good putter) and has the confidence to match.

Also, golfers who won't win.

2. Angel Cabrera - Playing with Tiger Thursday/Friday is a tough draw. TW ain't Kenny Perry.

1. Paul Casey - He's overcome ill-spoken comments from his past, but New York residents have a long memory.



Also, congratulations to Cameron Yancey for qualifying. He's a product of the VSGA and played at UVA, and was a frequent competitor during my junior golf 'career'. I wasn't aware he was still playing.

Common Sense Addendum

To continue my crotchety rant, on the $20 CakeLove gift certificate, the expiration date was 'Jun 10', which required a follow-up call to ensure they meant June 2010, and I didn't have a gift certificate that expired five days after purchase. Why would you even include an expiration date?

I called Macy's to order a curio (yep) and they essentially don't sell the model we chose. While on their website, the wait for delivery is at least 90 days. They have a display model at our local mall, but they won't sell it to you. Great idea to have a display of something you can't buy.

I look for Jim Furyk to win at The Memorial, and I'm exstatic Virginia baseball is still alive in the Super Regionals (@ Old Miss).

Common Sense

Where has it gone? Two examples...

Last night we ordered a birthday cake from CakeLove, and when we went to pick it up, they hadn't made it. Awesome. In lieu, they scrambled to slap a birthday message on a different cake, which had most likely been in the display for days (it tasted like it) and give us a $20 gift certificate on a $50 cake. Thanks for the $10 cake (we didn''t order) and 'enticement' to come back to your miserable store. When did refunds become verboten.

Today at the golf course (after being annoyed when the cart vermin approached the car to take my clubs, don't ever a.)approach b.)touch my clubs) I was short on balls and picked out a sleeve of Titleist Pro V1s.

Guy working register: "If you like the Titleist, you should really buy a sleeve of Nike (whatever). They even come with two additional balls free."

So...

1.) Did I ask for a golf ball suggestion?
2.) Are you insinuating I'm a bad golfer, and a sleeve won't cut it for 18?
3.) I've played Titleist for 20+ years, you see me rifling through the sleeves, avoiding the Snack Shoppe 7s, for a sleeve of 3s, so I appear to be open to the hard sell on the Nikes?

Anyone know how to avoid the 'cart vermin' who spitshine your clubs after a round? I'm going to start wrapping 3-5 of my clubs with toilet paper coming up 18.