"I fell in a bunker at the 2003 US Senior Open"

From reader Don Delco, web producer at 97.1 The Fan in Columbus, OH:

(Original story on Talk Birdie to Me, republished with author's permission)

I fell in a bunker at the 2003 U.S. Senior Open.

I’ll get to the specifics in a minute.

That summer I was a year removed from college where I earned a print journalism degree. (In the late 90s that was still a viable and somewhat respectable career.) I was working in a job that needed that degree, but it was in a small-town in western Ohio.

“This was temporary,” I told myself. “In no time I’ll be a big-time sports writer in a big-time city.”

It was humble beginnings right out of college. First, I was the editor of the Putnam County Vidette in Columbus Grove, Ohio. It lasted three months. I then took a job as sports editor of the Kenton Times in the fall of 2002. In these, um, “cities,” the cows out-numbered the stoplights. It sucked. Small-town living and small-town high school sports were not for me.

Miserable and constantly searching for ways out I noticed the 2003 U.S. Senior Open would be held at Inverness Country Club in Toledo, about an hour and a half north of Kenton. One of the perks of being a sports editor at the Kenton Times was I could obtain media passes for big-time sports events throughout the state.

It was my chance to rub elbows with media members who lived in actual cities and covered sports more than 17 people cared about. Of course, I was 23, immature and terrible at networking. But, woah, were my fantasies detailed.

I’d show those golf media members my journalism skills. Once the Senior Open champion was crowned and my new best friends in the golf media read my takes, I would be the next hottest thing in sports journalism.

With a freshly minted fantasy, I requested the media pass to the U.S. Senior Open.

***

I arrived on Thursday morning ready to write the hell out of this tournament. How would one accomplish this?

I entered the media room and quickly realized that as an accredited member of the media you get inside-the-ropes access.

“Just stay within arm’s length of the rope,” the USGA official told me.

Yeah, OK. I’ll do whatever you say so long as you give me the pass. If you need me I’ll be INSIDE THE ROPES watching Jack Nicklaus play golf. And there it was. I would write about my experience following the G.O.A.T.

Of course, looking back, the entire day consisted of poor planning. He was 63. He wasn’t playing competitive golf anymore. He had no chance at winning. This was his last time playing Inverness where he historically struggled. He was simply serving as a living mascot.

***

Meanwhile, I cared way too much about what I wore. I still do but that’s another issue. The stereotype of a sportswriter isn’t too far off. Plenty of those guys put minimal effort into their wardrobe and never turn down a free meal.

“No way am I perpetuating that stereotype,” I thought. “I’m going to be fashion forward. Now get out of my way. I’m hungry.”

My outfit was respectable. I was put together from head-to-knee. Now, I was a young, hip dude … or so I thought. I wasn’t wearing white sneakers. I did decide to sport my fashionable (for the time) Birkenstock sandals.

Spoiler alert: It was a poor choice (a running theme in my life back then) considering I was planning to traverse the hilly grounds of Inverness.

“I look gooood,” I thought as I strolled onto the course. If there were any females in the gallery south of 48 years old, I would’ve winked at ‘em.

Seven holes into his opening round Nicklaus was 3-over-par and looking disgusted. My Pulitzer acceptance speech was tossed into the trash greenside at No. 5. I also didn’t find any age-appropriate ladies to wink at. With two more holes to go on the front nine, I would finish following Nicklaus and find another angle.

But first I had to navigate No. 8.

***

The par-5 eighth hole was the longest on the course. It played 554 yards. After an uphill tee shot, the hole doglegged left and moved back downhill toward the green.

Nicklaus’ group hit their tee shots and began their trek down the elevated fairway. I hung back.

I stuck to the right side of the hole as the players struck their layup shots. I remained on the right side of the hole and within arm’s length of the rope, per the official’s instructions.

Keeping those rules in mind, I continued to hug the rope as I encountered the bunker at the apex of the hill. Yes, a smarter man would’ve simply stepped outside the ropes and walked down a cart path that ran the length of the hole on the right side. That was the smart move. I was not smart. It was never an option. I had inside-the-ropes access so by God, I’m staying inside the ropes.

In order to navigate past this bunker, I could either go against USGA protocol by veering left and walking down fairway or stay on that rope, which hugged the right edge of this deep fairway bunker.

I chose to stay on the rope. I chose wrong.

I didn’t think I was wrong until I reached the point of no return. I was shuffling my way past the bunker in order to keep in contact with the rope. I was midway through my journey when the lack of grip on the Birkenstock soles reared its ugly head. I slipped and in I went into the perfectly manicured bunker.

Nicklaus was still a large draw so his gallery size, for a Thursday morning of a Senior Open, was impressive.

I can still hear their gasps as I tumbled onto my back.

Thankfully this was a par 5. The players were well ahead and blissfully unaware a media moron was making sand angels in the fairway bunker 300 yards behind them.

It felt like I spent an hour in that bunker, but in reality it was seconds. I got out as fast as I could, but the damage was done. After I climbed out I instinctively grabbed the rake to cover my tracks.

A marshal was nearby and saw the entire episode.

“I’ll do that,” he said, walking briskly toward to me. It wasn’t in a passive-aggressive tone or a suggestion. It was a demand. I received the message loud and clear. I handed him the rake, mumbled “Thank You,” avoided eye contact and simply walked away.

Thankfully, the gallery congregated near the green didn’t see my slapstick act. But that marshal was a snitch and radioed ahead. When I arrived at the green, a USGA official told me to step outside the ropes. I walked the ninth hole with the gallery. My confidence and ego were bruised and bloodied.

***

I can’t remember what I ended up writing about 2003 U.S. Senior Open. Needless to say the fantasy of friendships made and Pulitzers won never materialized.

This summer the U.S. Senior Open comes to Scioto Country Club and I’m making plans to cover it. In the 13 (!) years between these Opens, I’ve mostly changed. I've moved out of small-town Ohio, I have confidence in myself and my abilities, and most of all I know I can wear tennis shoes and still dress better than 99 percent of the other media members.

Unlike when I first arrived at Inverness, I’m familiar with Scioto. I’ve been lucky enough to play it twice. You bet I mapped each and every sand trap with one long-term goal in mind:

I will not fall in a bunker at the 2016 U.S. Senior Open.

TWIGB: Myths and Risks of the USGA Handicap Rule Change

The United States Golf Association's (USGA) recent rule changes to its handicap system for 2016 may seem as nothing more than an annoyance to solo-golfers, but also open the door to far greater risks throughout the industry. However, there are also a number of myths perpetrated by a knee-jerk overreaction to the rule changes. Here I will examine these risks and myths and how severe - or trivial - each will be to amateur golf.

(Note: in the spirit of transparency, I do not maintain a current USGA handicap.)

Golf participation will drop because of the rule change (MYTH)

Upon hearing he USGA's decision that solo golf rounds will no longer count towards your registered golf handicap, my first thought was whether this will dissuade golfers from teeing it up by themselves. Simply put, it won't.

When I maintained a handicap at a park district course near my home, I loved nothing more than to run out of the office and onto the tee box for a quick nine holes (or 18 in the summer). Like many golfers, I became obsessed with lowering my handicap; however, since I never play in tournaments or money games, my GHIN was nothing more than a vanity. I just wanted to say I was a "single-digit handicap."

Nothing has changed in that regard. The USGA's decision won't keep me from playing nine holes after work by myself when I can, even if those scores "won't count." Based on the National Golf Foundation's yearly participation metrics, which suggest participation has hovered around 25 million golfers annually since 1995, the rule change won't keep you from playing, either.

Average handicap indexes will rise (RISK)

As Ryan Ballengee at Golf News Net correctly points out, many golfers will experience an inflation of their handicap index as a result of the rule change. But is that really a big deal?

If you are hard-pressed for time throughout the golf season -- which covers basically everybody who isn't a pro -- you're likely to only play once a week at most. Personally, I've only played 25 times this entire season, and I don't even have kids. About 25 percent of those rounds were solo. Toss those rounds out the window and my number of valid score entries drops considerably. Over time old score postings will drop off my GHIN record, and my handicap will rise.

I no longer have a handicap index that is representative of my actual ability. So what's the point?

According to the USGA's website, the highest volume of golfers (5.72 percent) fall within the 12.0 - 12.9 index range. Over 48 percent of all golfers have an index that's lower (better). Since participation volume will remain about the same, a huge chunk of all golf rounds will no longer yield valid scores (solo rounds). The national handicap average will artificially rise independent of player skill.

Suddenly, the USGA system cannibalizes itself. Indexes become meaningless.

Golf equipment sales will suffer (RISK)

Why do you buy a new piece of golf equipment? Most of us want to score better. But what happens when the most widely-accepted golf score tracking mechanism becomes less user-friendly? You'll become less likely to buy new equipment.

Every single piece of golf equipment I've reviewed on this site was accompanied by a press release from the manufacturer. Each included language that promised to lower your score in one way or another. If a quarter of my golf round scores are no longer valid, making any improvement of my scores harder to track officially, the promise of "lowering my score" becomes a weaker selling point.

True, I'll know if I'm shooting better scores with new equipment. But if I want that trend to show up in my handicap index, I'll need to shoot lower scores every time I play and with at least one pair of eyes on me as I do it. Adding variables to a sport as complicated as golf isn't the way to make it more attractive to beginners.

Golf equipment sales will be based even more on vanity features like distance increases, spin rates and adjustable parts. Score improvement won't matter as much.

The USGA rule change solves a major problem (MYTH)

Does anyone know the actual problem the USGA is trying to solve with this rule change? Is sandbagging really that big of an issue? And if so, how does this change remedy the issue? It isn't and it doesn't.

Think back to the last time we had a major handicap scoring scandal in a high-profile amateur tournament. Remember all of the turmoil and anguish it caused? No, you don't. BECAUSE IT NEVER HAPPENED.

All this rule change addresses is the vast minority of country club members who purposefully inflate their GHIN to get an advantage at their club championship or next twilight golf hit-and-giggle. According to the NGF, the largest percentage of all golfers (27 percent) have an annual household income of more than $125,000. You know, the group most likely to afford a country club membership.

Sandbaggers gonna sandbag, yo. This solves nothing.

DUFF TEST: Bushnell Neo XS Rangefinder Watch

Golf GPS rangefinders come in all shapes and sizes these days, each equipped with features that would make Magellan blush. The fine folks at Bushnell have been a leader in this department for quite some time, so it should come as no surprise that their new Neo XS Rangefinder watch is very likely the best golf gadget on the market today. I had the opportunity to test out the Bushnell Neo XS Rangefinder watch this week and was incredibly impressed with its functionality, appearance and design. Before I go any further, however, I must admit that I have not yet tested the watch during a round of golf. But I will soon. So shut up.

BORING SPECIFICATION STUFF

If you're familiar with last year's Neo Rangefinder watch from Bushnell, you've got the basics down as to what this year's model can offer. However, the 2014 version raises the bar on what a rangefinder should be able to do. The Bushnell Neo XS Rangefinder comes pre-loaded with over 33,000 golf courses in more than 30 countries, can hold a battery charge for 3 rounds of golf (and TWO YEARS of normal use), and has a new rounded watch face and redesigned band. Its face is easy to read and the watch is available in black or white coloring.

Performance

Simply put, the Bushnell Neo XS Rangefinder is the best golf GPS unit I have ever used. While it does not feature hole fly-overs or pictures, the sheer convenience of having a detailed yardage "caddy" on your wrist cannot be overstated. As with last year's model, you will never need to check sprinkler heads or yardage markers again. The 2014 upgrade takes yardage details to a new level by providing info on bunkers and hazards throughout your round. The watch is fully hands-off and automatically detects which hole you are on. It is simply amazing.

Why You Should Buy This Watch

Because you play golf. That's it. There's absolutely no reason why you wouldn't benefit from having this device. Would you pay $200 to never have to worry about yardage again? Yes. The answer is yes.

You don't even have to worry about the legality of rangefinders anymore.

Why You Should Not Buy This Watch

All kidding aside, I suppose there are those people who want to keep it "old school" and rely on yardage markers or books. I would not hang out with those people, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Otherwise, stop being stubborn and pick one of these up.

Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 US Open Championship

The season's second major is set to tee off at Merion Golf Club just west of Philadelphia (born and raised, on the playground is where I spent most... nevermind). Tiger Woods is once again the overwhelming favorite headed into Thursday, however a slew of young first-time winners are drooling at the bit for another victory in 2013. Phil Mickelson had a strong showing last week at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, however can Lefty keep his poise to finally win his first US Open? Matt Kuchar is the only other two-time winner this season, and coming off his win at The Memorial two weeks ago, he might be a strong second favorite.

Let's not forget about reigning Masters Champion Adam Scott. While he has been quiet since his victory at Augusta, Scott has proven he can remain patient and consistent in the most nerve-racking situations.

Here are my picks for the 2013 US Open from Merion Golf Club.

English, Bisher Leave Behind Memorable Legacies

This month the golf world lost two long-time friends who will be forever remembered for both their contributions to the game and the legacies they will leave behind for future generations: Sportswriter Furman Bisher and former USGA Assistant Executive Director John P. English. Furman Bisher, who passed away on March 18th at the age of 93, was much more than your regular golf sportswriter. In fact, Bisher's career spanned numerous sporting events during a career that spanned for over 50 years, including coverage of the Masters, the Kentucky Derby, and numerous Georgia - Georgia Tech college football games. He is also well-known for his 1949 interview with "Shoeless" Joe Jackson for the first time since the 1919 Black Sox scandal.

According to Jim Minter, former editor of The Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution, Bisher's work was exemplory.

"He never wrote a bad column", Minter told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "He put more quality words on newsprint than any other writer in the last half of the 20th century."

At the time of his retirement in 2009 - a full 59 years after he started reporting - Bisher authored his final article on the same typewriter he wrote his first work with back in 1950.

John P. English grew up in Massachusetts where he would learn the game of golf from eventual Hall of Famer and two-time major winner Henry Picard. From a playing perspective, English had the unique opportunity to play a celebrity golf match against Babe Ruth, became good friends with Francis Ouimet and frequent playing partner with the legendary Bobby Jones.

During his lifetime English would eventually become a golf writer for the Boston Herald; an opportunity that allowed English to witness many historic golf moments. According to the USGA website, English was at the Masters in 1935 when Gene Sarazen made his "shot heard 'round the world," a double eagle on the 15th hole. English also walked alongside Sam Snead at Philadelphia Country Club when Snead, needing only a par 5 on the final hole to win the 1939 U.S. Open, made an 8.

English also served as assistant executive director of the USGA from 1949 to 1959 while it was headquartered in New York City. During that time he would help with rolling out and served as editor for the Golf Journal, the official USGA golf publication.

English passed away on March 6th at the age of 101.

Golf Course Playability vs. Aesthetics?

Would you prefer a golf course that has various shades of brown and off-green grass coloration yet tons of fairway roll and firm putting surfaces, or a soft, lush landscape that offers little to no roll but is pleasing to your eye? The USGA's Darin Brevard brings up an interesting point in his recent article pertaining to golf course aesthetics versus overall course playability. According to the article, amateur golfers seem to be split on their preference, often leaning towards sacrificing overall playability of a course as long as it looks pretty. Furthermore, greenskeepers and superintendents often field complaints from members and the public if their course looks less-than-perfect.

But are the added costs associated with installing intricate watering systems and specialized fertilization techniques really worth it to the average golfer? After all, these costs are typically recouped via heightened greens fees, which nobody enjoys.

Give the article a once-over (maybe even a twice-over, if you feel randy). Good stuff.

Golf Rule on Moving Ball Soon Off the Books

The Rules of Golf is a large, punitive manual saturated with laws and regulations that often seem to do nothing more than penalize the golfer (especially the amateur golfer).  Over the past couple of years, many of the lesser-known rules have been under the microscope thanks mainly to a few golfers in the professional ranks not paying attention.  However, one particular rule is about to change for golfers everywhere. According to a recent article on the New York Times website, Rule 18-2b, which governs the movement of a ball after it has been addressed by a player during competition, was being modified to eliminate a player’s stance as one of two banned factors for causing a ball to move.

“Basically we’re changing the definition of addressing the ball going into the future,” said the official, who had knowledge of the discussions about the revision but did not want to be identified because the change had not been formally approved.

“The ball will be addressed when the player places the club in front of or behind the ball. It won’t have anything to do with the stance; it won’t say anything about a stance. They’re taking the stance part out.”

Why is this an important distinction?  Consider the case of Padraig Harrington earlier this season.  While marking his ball on the putting surface in a recent tournament, Harrington's golf ball appeared to oscillate ever-so-slightly once his coin marker was placed under the ball.  This motion was so slight, in fact, that Harrington went on with finishing the hole as if nothing happened.  Harrington was later disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard after a television viewer notified tournament officials of the rule violation.

Once the above-mentioned rule change takes place, this situation would not have ended in a penalty or disqualification.  Since Harrington had not yet addressed his ball with his club when it moved, no rule would have been violated.

While the rule revision is not yet official, the NY Times article suggests that changes will be finalized as early as next calendar year.