Mark’s Kaddy Korner

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My brother Dan, caddying for Tamie Durdin this week, moaned about the greens, rough and weather. The long hitter “Durds” was struggling in the practice rounds but fired a two opener and made the cut tied for 36th. “There’s no reason for the standard bearers to carry any red numbers after the first day” he said. “Absolutely the toughest U.S. Open track he’s ever been on in his 25+ caddy years, someone could hurt themselves out here,” he sighed.

The PGA of America chose the Colorado Golf Club for the Senior PGA less than two years after it officially opened. I’m sure there are some folks regretting that decision. The course is magnificent but a bit difficult for spectators. Someday there will be an opulent 30.000 square foot clubhouse but this week there are open receptacles, the dining area is unfinished forcing the players and families up the dusty path to a small cottage with few tables. Usually folks like to see a little grass around the clubhouse but the sod was taken back after bills went unpaid. With the high winds this week it has actually been dangerous walking around the clubhouse area. The blowing dirt and gravel permeated my old skin a few times.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Classic was added to the schedule last December, nobody knew much about the area or the course we would be playing, Fallen Oak. All we knew was the course was about twenty miles north of the Gulf Coast in the middle of nowhere plus the local casinos were offering players and caddies special room deals. That’s usually not a good omen for some caddies but there were no reports of anyone reporting M.I.A and only a couple reported late for duty.

Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf

Whispers, the first tee starter, greets every player and announces to the crowd, “Let’s give them a sweet Savannah welcome” and everyone does just that all week. Savannah opens its arms, homes and restaurants, the hospitality is unbelievable and the Liberty Mutual Legends of golf has been coming here since 2003. Doug Tewell was the defending that year and it was nice to be back together, the golf wasn’t very good but the reminiscing was fun.

Another week off but a lot going on and I tried to follow the Tiger parade through Augusta as much as possible. The cabin was still intact, Zach chased a few critters from the shed, and when we left on Thursday snow was collecting on the deck. Everywhere I went folks wanted to know my thoughts about Tiger. How would he finish at the Masters? What was going on in his personal life? Would Stevie keep his job? What did you think about the press conference on Monday?

My Tiger Take        

He’s coming back, not when I thought, but at a place that will provide all the protection he needs. Augusta National, once you step behind the clubhouse, is off limits to press, photographers, and paparazzi. There may be an occasional discreet interview on the lawn under the oak and the Masters allows their networks limited access to the players but once a player leaves the driving range or parking lot, passes through the clubhouse and walks to the putting greens, he is off limits to the patrons. There are no autographs behind the clubhouse only golf.

Transitions Championship – Innisbrook – Tarpon Springs, FL           

The Transitions Championship (a few other sponsors also) has been coming to Innisbrook since 2000 and prior to that the Mixed Team PGA/LPGA was held here in the late 80’s and early 90’s. It was a lot of fun back then, still challenging, but it was the off season and a chance to make a little Christmas money. Now the course has been redesigned (1999), lengthened, and toughened up enough that a major could be staged here.

Newport Beach Country Club is one of my favorite courses on tour, too bad I have to fly to get there and it’s close to the Los Angeles area. Flying these days is no fun and the congestion in southern California creates claustrophobia, luckily I get to spend about eight hours a day on a quaint little course nestled in the foothills overlooking the Pacific Ocean. NBCC was built in 1953 and the most drastic changes are the buildings that have grown up around the course. You still have views of the ocean and snow capped mountains, and once you’re behind the clubhouse the frantic California lifestyle can’t reach you.

Driving across Alligator Alley early Tuesday morning I was staring directly into the sun and wondering what the week held. Sunday I’d hooked up with Jim Roy, some amateur who played a fabulous final round 66 at the Q-school to get his card. Could he really play? Was this going to be only a job for the week or maybe the year? What kind of guy is he? Is the pay going to be any good? All these questions were running through my head as I cruised into Boca Raton and the Old Course at Broken Sound.

In the late 80’s dirt roads surrounded the small party at TPC. Back then you could hear the coyotes yipping and roadrunners skittered across the fairways. The wildlife has changed, the golf has almost become secondary to the party, and the attendance rose drastically. The tournament the Thunderbirds reluctantly took over in 1939 under Bob Goldwater’s tutelage now claims bragging rights as the PGA Tour’s largest party and has contributed $65,000,000 to local charities.