I had a fabulous Father's Day Breakfast this morning. It consisted of a pork chop, soft scrambled egg, potato pancake, and cinnamon rolls. Lucy, our dog, approved of all the bits and pieces that rained down on the rug.
She and I have been binging on the US Oen Golf Tournament. This year they are playing at Pebble Beach, in Carmel by the Sea, California. For readers who don't know, I am a devoted follower of the Professional Golf Tour PGA. Because it's in California the tournament Occupies the 1:00pm to whenever it's over for the day. (Approximately 8:30pm)
Pebble Beach is the annual home of one of the most entertaining golf tournaments in the schedule. Notable is the entertainment area. Unlike other torunaments, this event is a weekend-long professional/amateur competition. Most of the pro/am's are played one day, normally Wednesday, before the actual competition takes place.
At a Pro/Am, the professional play in the company of people who have more money than they need to provide the basics for their families and to many cars to put in the average three car suburban MacMansion garage. These events raise money for a local charity, so I imagine the rich guys get to deduct their entry fee and they're able to brag about playing with one of the better-known stars of the tour.
The now named, AT&T Pebble Beach used to be hosted by entertainer Bob Hope. Hope is gone but the tradition continues because no one wants to tell a group of celebrities and businessmen their services are no longer needed.
The celebrity which this tournament survives on is Bill Murray. Each year at this event Murray is forced to become a faint image of a character he created in a film so long ago there are many lettered generations of people born after this film was released who have never seen the film. As entertaining as Murray is, it requires the tournament commentators to spell it out almost every time he makes an appearance. The film Caddyshack is run on the Golf Channel. This enables many young golfers to spontaneously render some of Murray's more memorable lines from memory. Extra credit, if you imitate his droll delivery.
But enough about Pebble Beach. Let me tell you about Pebble Beach when the United States Golf Association (USGA) puts on its annual tournament. The USGA picks the location of the Open Tournament years in advance. When the date draws near the USGA takes over the grooming of the course. As is the case with Pebble, viewers like myself hardly recognize the golf course because the USGA makes the course far more difficult than it might be for regular play or even the regular PGA tour play.
The PGA tour normally plays at the same courses in the same rotation every year. Few of these courses are public courses that anyone can play. If we mere mortals can play at these courses, the fee's challenge your concept that ivy league schools are expensive.
The players and their caddies have books in their pockets that can give them yardage and green diagrams for every one of these courses. As far as Pebble is concerned, the layout by the USGA isn't in the book. None of these books are going to factor in the extra long grass in the rough ( Longer grass makes it harder to hit a controlled shot out of its grasp) Nor will they readily recognize the narrower fairways (The tight short grass that is the preferable surface.) The width and shape of them of which will challenge the skill of even the best players. If a player takes a risky shot or merely hits a bad shot he's more than likely to get into serious trouble. This situation leads to higher scores (A bad thing in golf) and tighter competition.
So Lucy and I went into training for this binge event. I fell asleep dreaming about being able to afford the entry fee for the AT&T. Note, I'm only dreaming about paying the fee not actually playing. I buy tickets to Packer Games, I don't get to play. Considering the price of tickets, I realize some people might wonder. Lucy rehearsed how to get me out of my rabid concentration so I will let her out on her four times daily patrol of the back yard. So far it's working.
From The Fox Valley, this is The Poppa Jeff reminding you if I don't hear the ball hit the bottom of the cup, it doesn't count.
PS: Lucy wanted ice cream for breakfast, but I put my foot down on that idea. Too much protein is bad for you, I'm told.
She and I have been binging on the US Oen Golf Tournament. This year they are playing at Pebble Beach, in Carmel by the Sea, California. For readers who don't know, I am a devoted follower of the Professional Golf Tour PGA. Because it's in California the tournament Occupies the 1:00pm to whenever it's over for the day. (Approximately 8:30pm)
Pebble Beach is the annual home of one of the most entertaining golf tournaments in the schedule. Notable is the entertainment area. Unlike other torunaments, this event is a weekend-long professional/amateur competition. Most of the pro/am's are played one day, normally Wednesday, before the actual competition takes place.
At a Pro/Am, the professional play in the company of people who have more money than they need to provide the basics for their families and to many cars to put in the average three car suburban MacMansion garage. These events raise money for a local charity, so I imagine the rich guys get to deduct their entry fee and they're able to brag about playing with one of the better-known stars of the tour.
The now named, AT&T Pebble Beach used to be hosted by entertainer Bob Hope. Hope is gone but the tradition continues because no one wants to tell a group of celebrities and businessmen their services are no longer needed.
The celebrity which this tournament survives on is Bill Murray. Each year at this event Murray is forced to become a faint image of a character he created in a film so long ago there are many lettered generations of people born after this film was released who have never seen the film. As entertaining as Murray is, it requires the tournament commentators to spell it out almost every time he makes an appearance. The film Caddyshack is run on the Golf Channel. This enables many young golfers to spontaneously render some of Murray's more memorable lines from memory. Extra credit, if you imitate his droll delivery.
But enough about Pebble Beach. Let me tell you about Pebble Beach when the United States Golf Association (USGA) puts on its annual tournament. The USGA picks the location of the Open Tournament years in advance. When the date draws near the USGA takes over the grooming of the course. As is the case with Pebble, viewers like myself hardly recognize the golf course because the USGA makes the course far more difficult than it might be for regular play or even the regular PGA tour play.
The PGA tour normally plays at the same courses in the same rotation every year. Few of these courses are public courses that anyone can play. If we mere mortals can play at these courses, the fee's challenge your concept that ivy league schools are expensive.
The players and their caddies have books in their pockets that can give them yardage and green diagrams for every one of these courses. As far as Pebble is concerned, the layout by the USGA isn't in the book. None of these books are going to factor in the extra long grass in the rough ( Longer grass makes it harder to hit a controlled shot out of its grasp) Nor will they readily recognize the narrower fairways (The tight short grass that is the preferable surface.) The width and shape of them of which will challenge the skill of even the best players. If a player takes a risky shot or merely hits a bad shot he's more than likely to get into serious trouble. This situation leads to higher scores (A bad thing in golf) and tighter competition.
So Lucy and I went into training for this binge event. I fell asleep dreaming about being able to afford the entry fee for the AT&T. Note, I'm only dreaming about paying the fee not actually playing. I buy tickets to Packer Games, I don't get to play. Considering the price of tickets, I realize some people might wonder. Lucy rehearsed how to get me out of my rabid concentration so I will let her out on her four times daily patrol of the back yard. So far it's working.
From The Fox Valley, this is The Poppa Jeff reminding you if I don't hear the ball hit the bottom of the cup, it doesn't count.
PS: Lucy wanted ice cream for breakfast, but I put my foot down on that idea. Too much protein is bad for you, I'm told.
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