Mark’s Kaddy Korner

Outback Steakhouse Pro-am Championship

It’s been over twenty years since I met Bill Fennel at the Quad Cities Open. During the pro-am he mentioned his cabin in Lutz, Fl north of Tampa and said if I was ever in the area it was all mine. I don’t think he knew what he was getting himself into because that little cabin has been my home around Tampa ever since and I sure do appreciate it. In fact, it seems like all my tour friendships have started that way and I value every one of them. Hanging out with a few friends at a tour stop helps ease the grind and makes each stop a bit homey.

Masters Week – Dad’s Surgery

I finished last week’s Kaddy Korner just before the bottom dropped out of my Ft. Myers flight. My Ginger ale hit the ceiling landing in my lap and the guy sitting behind me asked if his computer hit me in the back of my head, it was also airborne. Next to an emergency landing in San Diego early in my career this was the worst flight experience of my life. As I walked off the plane I thanked the pilot for the exciting ride and the flight attendant said, “It was only a 150 foot drop, you don’t get that at Disneyworld.”

Master’s Predictions

There are only three first time winners in Masters history and the first two don’t count, Horton Smith and Gene Sarazen in 1934 and 35. Fuzzy won his first time around but other than that you need experience, local knowledge, patience and maybe an Augusta caddy, they know the course better than anyone except maybe Jack. Zach Johnson won his Green Jacket and laid up on every par five; try to get Phil to follow that strategy. What I’m trying to say, Augusta really favors no particular golfer except maybe the long knocker and the great putter but don’t they usually do well at any event.

Golf is not a game of perfect neither is life. Tiger is going through struggles on the course like he has in his life; the two are significantly intertwined. Anytime you see a golfer searching on the course you may also find him dealing with personal issues away from the game. A professional athlete has the ability to compartmentalize his life, block out interferences once on the playing field and compete at the highest level. Tiger’s personal issues were of such magnitude, now he’s making drastic changes in his golf game, he’s forgotten about the little things, or doesn’t have time for them. His short game and putting are suffering; he was the best at both for a long while.

If you are going to be an also ran, not in the top 64 in the world golf rankings, the Riviera Maya-Cancun area is a magnificent place to spend some time with your underachieving buddies. I’m not sure of the numbers but these nobodies playing at El Camaleon, the 14^th toughest track on tour, are pretty impressive. There are at least 4-5 Major winners – Lehman, Toms, Daly, Jansen – a bunch of Ryder Cuppers, a couple of U.S. Amateur champs at least – Mayfair and Verplank – a TPC winner, Fred Funk and a Tour Championship winner or two.

Who, Who, or Who?

Match play is a different breed, takes a special character to survive five days of head-to-head competition, just take a look at who won last year, Ian Poulter one of the game’s obtuse characters. Stroke play is a steady grind, match play is constantly ebbing never flowing and your emotions take a beating. A steady tee to green game can be destroyed by a swashbuckler who throws around as many bogeys as pars. One well placed birdie or two can win a match play event while you’re on the way to shooting 75 and your opponent is grinding out a smooth 70.

There was a large sun rising when I was crossing Alligator Alley early Tuesday heading for The Old Course at Broken Sound in Boca Raton. The new hip was ready, the rest of the body wasn’t quite in caddy shape yet, the Rendevous was making some strange noises but that bright sun was definitely a reflection of a new attitude and the great year on the horizon. I was definitely looking forward to the week, the year and walking courses without pain having fun again.