Up Close with Tiger and the Gang

Just got back from watching the Tiger Woods Target World Challenge, played out at the Sherwood Country Club. It was a beautiful warm day (close to 80 degrees) and my biggest concern currently is my sunburn. I know, boo-hoo...

I'm not much of a golfer, although I play every five years whether I need to or not. But my friend, Don Most, who invited me to this, is a very fine golfer himself and showed me how to get the hang of hanging with the gallery. Yes, Tiger was available to be seen, but the crowd shadowing him was, well, competitive. So instead we followed Adam Scott (#4 PGA) and Geoff Ogilvy (U.S. Open Champion) from Australia for most of the morning, but also Padraig Harrington (European #1) of Ireland and Michael Campbell of New Zealand. I guess there are 16 golfers at this event (ALL of them top-rated this year) and these four were outstanding. From the score board so far, I'd say Ogilvy was smokin' while we watched; and Tiger Woods was having a great day himself.

Watching these guys hit close up was a revelation. I thought a couple of the drives were going to cause sonic booms they rocketed out with such authority. It also impressed me how few practice swings people took. Most often, they pretty much just walked up to the ball and hit it.

A couple of things struck me as funny, too. First off, here it is a national event, covered by USA Network and also ABC, and they still had to put up with the distraction of gardeners working at houses off the fairway doing their "mow and blow." Then there were the barking dogs that could not be silenced.

I just hope I don't peel...