The Pinehurst mascot, center, is flanked by photos of the author and his dad at the U.S. Open main gate and in front of the famous Payne Stewart celebration statue.
It’s been a busy few days!
Final day of work as an educator/union leader on Friday, Birthtirement dinner with close friends on Saturday, attended the Tigers-Brewers’ game on Sunday to celebrate Birthtirementfatherhood, teeth cleaning and a trip to my dad’s place in Indiana on Monday, travel with my dad to the Triad Region of North Carolina on Tuesday, and attend Wednesday’s practice session of the U.S. Open Men’s Golf Championship at Pinehurst #2 on Wednesday
Here’s some initial thoughts on the past two days of travel as it relates to Event 1 on my Around the World in 80 Sporting Events adventure.
Pinehurst is Massive
No, not the village, but rather the resort and especially the course hosting this week’s U.S. Open Men’s Golf Championship: Pinehurst No. 2.
Clockwise from upper right, the view from the 17th tee, a look up the 18th fairway, and from the grandstands on the 6th green.
My only recent comparison to another major championship golf venue is the Old Course at St. Andrews from 2022. We got off the train from Edinburgh, walked a couple hundred yards and climbed on a shuttle bus, and were dropped off at the main gate. I was looking at the famous Road Hole after another couple hundred yards.
If not for my dad’s handicap parking tag, at the U.S. Open, we were facing a lengthy walk from our parked car to the shuttle bus line. Once aboard, it was about a 20 minute ride to the course where it was a quarter mile walk to the security check point and then another hundred yards or so to enter the venue. From there it was easily another few booming Rory McIlroy drive (uphill!) through “Fan Central” and across Maniac Hill to get a glimpse of an actual golf hole (No. 18).
We tried to see the entire course the best we could, but there were some parts (Holes 4, 5, 9, 10, and 11) that I’m pretty sure we never laid our eyes on.
Pinehurst No. 2 is Sandy
I know, I know, I know! The entire course is more or less built on sand and sits in North Carolina’s Sandhills region, so this should really come as no surprise. However, I was not expecting to feel like 120 grit sandpaper on the shuttle bus ride back to the car.
wonders if it should have been Sandhurst instead?
Granted, the sand was likely more airborne than normal thanks to a breeze that was much-welcomed on this upper-80 degree day in central Carolina. I’m bracing for what Thursday’s uptick in humidity has in store for us.
My Dad is a Trooper
He has a rather momentous birthday on tap later this year so for him to lug himself around as much of Pinehurst No. 2 as he did is impressive. If I thought he’d consent to a visit to a masseuse each month for the next year, that’s what I’d get him for that special birthday. He certainly deserved it after Wednesday.
I think we have a better strategy plotted for Thursday, but we shall see. (Hint: It involves an earlier wakeup call and, hopefully, more sitting and less walking. We saw the course Wednesday, after all.)
The Greens will be Wicked Fast Come Sunday
Plenty of practice was done on or around the greens Wednesday. From left, Justin Thomas chipping, Colin Morikawa chipping, Phil Mickelson putting, and Thomas and Scottie Scheffler surveying the 6th green.
We’ll be back home to watch the finish in air conditioned comfort in Indiana, but I suspect the players will not be nearly as comfortable. The temperatures are expected to approach 90 degrees each of the four days of the tournament, there is no rain in the forecast, the USGA is stingy with its water, and course designer Donald Ross was somewhat diabolical with his inverted saucer greens. It’s no surprise that players spent the majority of their time today on or near greens working on their pace and practicing their chips from the areas that otherwise good shots will wind up after rolling off the putting surface.
Is the USGA Leaving Fans Behind?
Cash is king for my father. He uses a credit card about as often as a professional golfer uses a 5-iron, which is to say not often.
The U.S. Open is a cashless event. In fact, American Express is giving you 10% off any purchase if you use one of its cards. It puts folks like my dad in a hard spot. Either they’re violating one of their princples and pulling out the plastic or they’re relying a traveling companion to make a purchase and square up later. Either way, I feel it’s a disservice to a certain fan demographic which likely skews older, but also might include people who’ve lost the ability to carry a credit card.
I understand the safety reasons organizers of such a massive event have for not wanting cash on site, but it’s still a cold splash of water to the face of fans who’ve been supporters for decades.
When Dinner Plans Change … Waffle House for the Win!
A little miscommunication about dinner plans on our travel day to the Triad Region of North Carolina left a gap in our schedule. Do you know what fills gaps well? Waffles!
As though a beacon from above, Waffle House made for a satisfying – and tasty! – meal on Tuesday.
How fortuitous that kitty-corner from our hotel here in Archdale, NC, is a Waffle House. Even more convenient, is the fact that at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday there’s not a huge crush of waffleheads occupying all the seats.
Counter seats, pecan waffle, and scrambled eggs for the win!
And When Dinner Plans Get Rescheduled a Night Later … Another Win!
What fell through Tuesday came together just fine Wednesday and my dad and I were able to enjoy dinner, conversation, and an auto tour of High Point University (talk about swanky!!!) by Scott, the youngest son of my parents’ lifelong friends, Bev and Dale.
Sweet Old Bill‘s was the perfect spot for dinner and the company could not have been better:-) Now to bed because that alarm is sounding early tomorrow!
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