I’m in New York this week and just spent an hour with a therapist working on my neck. It was “US Open Afternoon” in the trailer. Raymond Floyd was having his hamstring iced, Hale Irwin was having his back worked on, and Curtis Strange was having his hip treated. Between the three of them, they have won at least 7 Opens, a PGA and two Masters. Curtis’ comment was that “getting old isn’t for wimps”. So true.
I beat Jack Ferenz in the playoff for the last US Open spot in MA last Monday. He was pissed, slammed the trunk and headed for the Boston airport, he had a 6am flight out of town. I had started looking for a hotel room at the airport a month ago, found nothing reasonable and Laurie, Ryan and I ended up in a Rodeway Inn that was awful for $100/night. Yesterday, I asked Jack where he stayed, that night. Said he slept in the airport, they wanted $379/night at the Hilton. His comment was that it would have been a buck/hour.
I'll bet that was a long night, he had changed his flight, and the airline charged him $250 to change it, then he loses a playoff, and then spends the night in the airport. Fun and games.
The more I travel, the more I'm becoming a fan of Southwest Airlines. Fair and flexible. They don't try and punish their good customers.
Tamarack Review:
I played Tamarack Resort’s Osprey Meadows for the first time last Thursday and was impressed. It is a beautiful course on an unbelievable property. Tom Altmann, his shapers and construction crew did a wonderful job of bringing Robert Trent Jones Jr. design to fruition. Beautiful and enjoyable to play.
The course’s first six holes are in an open meadow, the next 8 holes in the trees (there are some HUGE Tamarack pines on these holes) and then the last four back in the meadow. The routing does a wonderful job of using the available views of the surrounding mountain and Cascade Lake. I especially liked the par 3, 8th Hole, Eighth Hole and the view from the 15th tee Fifteenth Hole.
The greens and tees are in perfect condition, and the fairways are still growing in nicely. The course had snow on it until late April and with some sun, heat and fertilizer and the fairways will be good in a month or so.
The greens are very interesting and undulating. One of my concerns was that I’ve played a number of new designs recently that had flat, boring greens, and one ofthem was a Robert Trent Jones Jr design in Birmingham, AL. But these greens are terrific. There are a lot of interesting areas, without being too severe.
The course is very playable for all abilities of play, but there are some forced carries that will make it difficult for beginners, but everyone will enjoy the experience.
Go play it and let me know what YOU think.
Scott Masingill.
Laurie, Ryan and I are in Boston and it is WET. We got in here Sunday night/Monday morn at 2am from Des Moines on the Tour Charter. I thought maybe flying on a charter would be easier than commercial, but I was wrong. The flight was supposed to leave at 6pm and didn't get off the ground until 10pm. And my luggage didn't arrive until Monday afternoon (the clubs made it).
I didn't finish very well in Des Moines, but actually hit the ball well, just failed to holed any putts.
Played in a pro-am here on Monday, but today's pro am and Thursday's are cancelled due to rain (me and my game can actually use the rest). This area has been swamped for a month. Hopefully the course will dry out for Friday-Sunday and we can get the tournament in.
We will do some sightseeing tomorrow and play when they tell us we can.
A pretty good day, in Des Moines. Shot a one-under 70, by getting it up and down on 16 and 17. I have NOT saved myself all year with good chipping and putting, so this was a nice change. I've putted the last two weeks with a 33" putter, first time I've not used a belly putter in 5 years. I'm gaining some confidence by the change.
I drove the ball straight today, and hit a lot of solid irons. There were still some mistakes that can be eliminated but I've played well in the pro ams and can get a low score on the board tomorrow.
