Posted Jun 23 2010, 04:31 PM by Cathy Erickson
This is my second version of my weekly golf ponderings. Had I posted what I wrote last night you would have read a rant about one of my favorite writers, Sam Johnson. In his blog last week, Sam was once again having one of his Tiger love-fests. The funny thing was, it wasn't even the collection of Tiger superlatives that really bugged me. It was his comment that golf being like life was "preposterous". When I read that it felt like I had just gotten punched in the gut...the foundation of my greatest passion, golf, is that life lessons are waiting for us each time we set foot on the first tee. Needless to say, after reading his "Legends" post, Sam Johnson was in serious jeopardy of falling out of my top ten favorite list.
0 Comments
Posted Jun 17 2010, 05:10 PM by Cathy Erickson
Where I live, we're in the midst of Marathon week - thousands of runners and thousands more spectators are moving their way into to our little neck of the woods to watch people make it across a wide white line painted on the street after running 26.2 miles. I've never been able to comprehend the idea of people "choosing" to run...I see it as two-fold, if I'm running, I'm either trying to get to something (maybe to the post office before it closes or maybe after the gal carrying the dessert tray), or I'm trying to get away from something (the rain when a down pour happens on the golf course or away from that spider crawling on the wall). Posted Jun 03 2010, 09:32 AM by Cathy Erickson
In a few weeks we will be treated to the US Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links - June 14-20, 2010. The United States Open Championship is open to any professional golfer, and any amateur golfer with a handicap of 1.4 or less. That means any guy with the right handicap and a dream could have the chance to compete at the 2010 US Open at Pebble Beach! At the close of entries on April 28, 2010, there were 9,052 men who turned in applications, including 63 players who were already fully exempt into the Championship (as of May 10). Each guy forked over $150 to start the dream to get to Pebble Beach. Posted May 24 2010, 10:00 PM by Cathy Erickson
Sunday morning rolled around and a round of golf was planned for 10am. I was up a bit earlier and pulled out a book I had started reading ages ago but hadn't picked up in a while. The name of the book is "Fearless" by Max Lucado. I opened it to the chapter I had left off on and I began reading about how the fear of not mattering or not being good enough can sabotage opportunities put in front of us. It was a great reminder on how sometimes we can be our own worst enemy with negative thoughts and second guessing. Have you been there? I think I have a reserved spot. Posted May 19 2010, 01:50 PM by Cathy Erickson
Ever been in a funk? You know, you just get that "down" feeling? Even though golf season has finally arrived in Minnesota, and I've already had several fun rounds with friends, I've been struggling with this feeling of "funkiness" lately. I know it's real when I have the chance to play golf and I don't. And that happened last night. A combination of golf, work, and general life issues are cluttering up my brain and my default mode is to attempt to avoid dealing with any of it in the hopes that it might go away on it's own...of course I know from experience it never does, but sometimes the funk wins out. Posted May 13 2010, 09:36 AM by Cathy Erickson
Golf Digest held its third annual contest that lets one lucky winner play the US Open Course as it sets up for the players to try to break 100. This year it's the famed Pebble Beach Golf Links - what a dream! Golfers from all over sent in just short of 25,000 60-word essays on why they should be given the chance to break 100 at Pebble Beach with Mark Wahlberg, Drew Brees, and Wayne Gretzky. The judges had a hard time narrowing down the field to just 5, but after meeting with 13 semi-finalists they felt they had five very deserving candidates. Here was the description from Golf Digest: Posted Apr 28 2010, 10:18 AM by Cathy Erickson
I just returned home from a 6-day trip to Tennessee/Kentucky. The main purpose of the trip was to meet friends and head to a concert, but since I was travelling, I figured I might as well try to fit in some golf, too! Even though I didn't book any tee times before I left, I was able to golf 4 courses on three different days. Day one was a Thursday trip to The Hermitage. There are 2 18-hole courses - the President's Reserve and the General's Retreat. When I called that morning to see if I could play, I was able to get in with a two-some at 10:30 on the President's Reserve, the newer and more expensive of the 2 courses. Posted Apr 20 2010, 09:07 AM by Cathy Erickson
I was browsing through some golf links last night and came across an interesting blog. The makers of Solus Wedges have created a neat web site and blog site to share their story of trying to make their mark on the Professional Tours. I'll admit I've never heard of Solus (although I'm wondering now if they've had an infomercial?)...and if you read their blog, the Solus guys aren't all that surprised that they are still under the radar. They have some very interesting commentary on the "big guns" in the equipment world and the challenges they face as they are trying to get their wedges into Tour bags. Posted Apr 15 2010, 10:39 PM by Cathy Erickson
Do you ever have a time where sometimes you're just on a golf overload? I think the Masters does that to me every year. Once again we had a fantastic tournament that not only brought out the best in players, but it also kept us on the edge of our sofas. I know that even though we weren't together, my Mom and I were both standing up and clapping for Phil as he made his putt on 18. It's what we do. Posted Apr 07 2010, 08:36 AM by Cathy Erickson
We're just a few short hours from getting our first live golf action from the 2010 Masters...the Par-3 contest. I don't know about you, but I'm almost giddy with anticipation. Five days of golf heaven for me - the beauty, the tradition, the drama, and the reverence for the game. Once again, though, life is getting in the way of my happy place. If you remember last year, I had my refrigerator catastrophe elbowing into my Masters time. I was not happy! This year, it's a curling event on Saturday that requires more attention than I had hoped to give. But I promise you, I will be on my sofa on Sunday afternoon for arguably the best 5 hours of golf of the year. Posted Mar 31 2010, 04:29 PM by Cathy Erickson
My mind has been struggling to comprehend the meaning and appropriateness of rules lately as I have been following the story of Ken Green. Green, a current Champions Tour player and 5-time winner on the PGA Tour was in a terrible accident last year which resulted in the amputation of his lower right leg. More tragic was the death of his brother, girlfriend, and dog in this same accident. Green's journey from his Tour beginnings until now make for an interesting read. From being called golf's "bad boy" or "Daly before there was a Daly", Green admits that although he may have been controversial, he wouldn't change much from back then. Posted Mar 24 2010, 02:31 PM by Cathy Erickson I took a walk on our golf course yesterday afternoon. While visions of dull yellow dormant grass and creamy colored straw covering the greens catch my eye first, when I took a moment to look closer I could see a few blades of fresh green grass popping through the mix of soil and clay. My spirits rose and it didn't take long for my mind to recapture memories of sunny skies, carpets of green, and a warm breeze on my cheeks. As I slowly released the deep breath I had just taken, I felt the golf course welcoming me back for another season. I know it's still a bit too early to get excited, but aside from a few water logged areas on a few holes (which I assume are from plugged drains), the course is as dry as I can ever remember for March. I remember a few years back we had no snow on the ground at the end of February and my face lit up just thinking that if it got just a little warmer we could be playing in March!! It was just a week later when we got a storm that dumped 2ft of snow. It was a crushing blow to my spirit, and would be another month and a half before my clubs made to the back of my car that year.
This year though, having a few streaks of unseasonably warm weather, the only snow that remains are scattered patches under the shadows of trees or along a few creek banks. As I was walking along yesterday I could hear water racing through the woods, so I made my way into the trees to catch a look. Leafless branches and brush exposed the meandering creek bed, and I found myself awed by the strong current. I hardly give this creek a second thought during the golf season, but I'm glad I did today. As I worked my way out of the brush and back onto the course I noticed that some of the dead birch trees had been cut down. The landscape looks different, but I'm sure there was some fear that they might just fall over. I don't know much about trees, but birch seem very fragile. As I wandered along I picked up some birch debris that had made its way to the rough and tossed it back in the woods. I was surprised to see that some of the stationary ponds are still trying to melt their coating of ice, but I wasn't surprised to see sand traps full of animal tracks. I only saw 1 deer, but the "evidence" that they are around is all over the place. I also appreciated the chirping birds and 2 squirrels I saw racing around. As I walked a couple of holes backwards I was reminded about how different something can appear when you look at it from a different perspective. Walking back up #12, I didn't realize how downhill it was going forward...I mean I knew it was, but seeing it, and walking it, I'm really glad we don't have to play it backwards! And it was as I was walking up that last fairway I decided to renew my goal of trying to break par for 18 holes this year. Before I got back in my car I took a few deep breaths and then took a moment to be grateful that in just a few weeks I'll be able to bring my clubs with me to the course. Yellow or green, warm or cool, the golf course is where everything is beautiful to me. I can't wait! PS...Two weeks until the Masters...woo HOO!! Filed under: Spring, goals, Golf Posted Mar 17 2010, 07:45 AM by Cathy Erickson
My fantasy leagues are ruining my joy of watching golf. Oh sure, everything would be great if I could pick the winners each week, but I'm in the same pattern I get in every year...the first week I do great, then comes the slow and painful decent down the leader board, never to be seen again. I battle the urge to pick my favorite players and instead I study stats, streaks, and past tournament performance. Usually I end up with a little of both in my final selections, but I'm usually picking the wrong guys in each category. Posted Mar 10 2010, 06:37 PM by Cathy Erickson
In last week's post, Sam Johnson talked about the 10 best golf courses in the world and in the US, and it was full of good information. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know a thing about the Pine Valley Golf Course...which has been ranked number 1 for several years. After a bit of searching I now know why...it's a private facility, has really not ever been used for professional golf events, and only guests of members can play. I googled the price and it's no where to be found. Posted Mar 03 2010, 08:59 AM by Cathy Erickson
I remember it like it was yesterday...a note came in my inbox from the super cool Tees2Greens Webmaster inviting me to have my own blog right here at T2G. A spot in the internet world where I can share my love for golf to my heart's content...how could I pass up an opportunity like that??!! I'm sure he didn't know it, but that note meant more to me than I can explain. Posted Feb 25 2010, 10:31 AM by Cathy Erickson
They say confession is good for the soul, so in an effort to do some soul cleaning, I've decided to sweep out some of the last remnants of my recent curious interest in Tiger Woods. Unless you live under a rock or a snow drift, you've heard all about the thirteen and a half minute "statement" by Tiger Woods. It's been everywhere, broadcast all over the world, followed up by analysis by everyone from crisis management experts, to media gurus, to well, folks like you and me. Posted Feb 17 2010, 04:58 PM by Cathy Erickson
As I stepped outside at the end of my work day I was greeted by a bright sun and an unusually warm breeze on my cheeks...it honestly felt like golf weather!! The thermometer in my car said 46 degrees...almost twice as warm as the last time I hit golf balls. It was a welcome surprise. Of course it's only February and we've got our share of snow, but for a few moments I let my mind wander and I thought about swinging my driver. Then I called a favorite golf pal and asked if he wanted to go golfing. It was great to talk because in the off-season it can get much too long in between visits with golf friends. Posted Feb 09 2010, 11:14 AM by Cathy Erickson
Can you picture the smile on my face? I'm sure it comes as no surprise that I'm a little bit giddy about seeing Steve Stricker hoisting the trophy at the Northern Trust Open (and seeing the "What's in Steve Stricker's Bag"!!). As I gave him a standing ovation in my living room Sunday afternoon, I couldn't help but think back to some of the commentary, or lack of commentary, about arguably the nicest guy on the PGA Tour at the end of last year. For those that didn't pay attention, Steve Stricker had a GREAT 2009 season! Posted Feb 04 2010, 04:29 PM by Cathy Erickson
I have been thinking a lot about spirit lately...it's popped up in my world recently and now it's been bouncing around in my head. What I have been realizing is the word spirit has a lot of different meanings when you start to think about it. I looked up spirit in the dictionary and found over 15 definitions! WOW! Posted Jan 19 2010, 11:10 PM by Cathy Erickson
I've been pondering the state of the professional golf world lately. I'm hardly an economist, but it's hard not to notice that tough financial decisions are being made every day...from Fortune 500 companies to you and me. I'm eating out less, keeping my thermostat a little lower, and trying really hard not to buy new golf shoes (unless it's a REALLY good deal!). Posted Jan 14 2010, 08:00 AM by Cathy Erickson
I can't tell you how much fun I had watching golf last weekend, even if it was just for one day. I headed down to the Twin Cities last weekend to visit my brother and his family, and along with that came a big screen TV and the Golf Channel (if it's possible to be in love with a big screen TV I definitely am!)! I watched a re-run of part of Friday's round and then got to see Saturday's round later that evening. Hawaii is a beautiful place! Posted Jan 06 2010, 01:39 PM by Cathy Erickson
It's Here!! The 2010 PGA Tour season starts this week! I realize for some golf fans the PGA season starts with the Masters and ends with the PGA Championship, but after finding an exploded case of Diet Coke with Lime in the back of my car on Monday (yes, it was THAT cold in my garage!), I need the warm thoughts of golf and Hawaii to replace the dread of having to clean out my car...thank goodness there were no golf clubs back there! Posted Dec 29 2009, 07:21 AM by Cathy Erickson
It's the 2nd Annual Chipshot Awards!! A panel distinguished judges (me) have thought long and hard about the following categories and is giving a tip of the hat to some people, places, and things in the golf world that I happen to think are pretty darn cool. Without further ado... Favorite Golf Web Site other than Tees2Greens which is of course my Favorite!! - www.masters.org It's a repeat winner from last year! I was glued to it again this year - coverage of the par-3 tournament and streaming coverage on each day. I'm remembering back to Masters Sunday - I'm sprawled out on the couch, TV on and my laptop on a chair right by my head so I can watch some of the other players as they followed Phil and Tiger around for awhile. I had to watch Steve Stricker!! Overall, great info on the site. Honorable mention to: http://www.waggleroom.com/ and http://www.realwomengolf.com/ Posted Dec 23 2009, 08:08 AM by Cathy Erickson
I know the holidays are a time for joy and laughter, but if you're like me and still making that mad scramble (pun intended) to finish your Christmas shopping, the "good cheer" thing is a little harder to come by. But when you put it golf perspective, at least I can smile a little more. Keep up with the pace of play. Where was a ranger when I needed him??? Before I had even hit my first store after work yesterday my frustration level had hit its peak. If we had been on the golf course, the guy in the maroon Subaru Forrester would have probably been hit into. He was one of those guys who felt the need to drive 20 in a 30mph and took FOREVER to get going when the car in front of him started moving. When we missed the first stoplight I yelled and threw my hands in the air (you know this move, don't you?). Uh oh, this is not starting out well. Posted Dec 15 2009, 08:39 AM by Cathy Erickson
I thought it might be a good time to check out how I did on my predictions for the 2009 PGA Tour season. Back on January 6, 2009 I made the following guesses in italics (see the 2009 Predictions Thread in the forums): I think I can only improve from my predictions from last year - they were not good - This is a true story. I'm awful at making predictions, but there is something fun in getting the chance to guess right every once in awhile! |
AuthorWhen I found Tees2Greens website and forum I found a happy place. There were great people there and in 2009 they asked me if I wanted my own blog space. It was a dream come true!! The site is down now, but I was able to get all of my posts to be able to post here. I will always be grateful for all of the Tees2Greens folks!! ArchivesCategories
All
|