Teeing it up in a US Open.

I was very fortunate to have played in the 1984 Open at Winged Foot Golf Club. I am going to share with you some of the incredible things I went through to get there and I am gonna tell you some inside stories about what goes on behind the scenes at an Open.

I had to get through two very rigorous qualifiers to make it to Winged Foot. The first qualifier in Cleveland was pretty easy after shooting 140 and leading the qualifiers. The second qualifier was played at the Sharon Club outside of Akron, a very demanding men's only club that has greens bigger than football fields. No kidding, you could have as much as a four club difference between the front and back. Biggest greens I have ever seen. Anyway, I open the first 18 holes and got it five under after seventeen holes and end up with a 68. I have a quick sandwich and shoot 73 on the second 18 and I am on my way to play in the US Open. Footnote about the Regional qualifier; Arnold Palmer was there trying to qualify, since he was not exempt and he did not make it, but he sure did have a huge gallery following him.

Ok, So I get to New York early so I could get a couple of good practice rounds in. I remember going there on Sunday, since I missed the cut at the Westchester Classic. As I walked through the clubhouse, all sorts of strange emotions filled my head. I began to think of all the great players who have competed in a US Open. As I headed for the range, I swear my eyes saw images of Bobby Jones and Hogan hitting balls as straight as a clothesline. Everything about the Open was first class. The golf course was perfect, the greens were like velvet, but way too firm. I shot a pair of 76's and only missed the cut by four shots. Tee to green, I was great, hitting twenty-two of the thirty-six greens in regulation. The problem was I only made one putt for birdie in two days. But the entire experience will never be forgotten.

One incident that happened on the practice range was pretty funny. The range was very small and there was not much room for all the players, so we were kinda squished in there. I was hitting balls next to Chip Beck and I had maybe fifteen more balls left, when my caddie went to get another basket. A moment later, hundreds of fans began to run to the range. As I turned to see who was walking over, I noticed a Green and White MacGregor bag. It was Jack. His son was caddying for him and saw that I only had a couple of balls left, so he put the bag right behind me assuming that would be done in a minute. At about the same time Jack arrived, my caddie was approaching with another bucket of balls. I told my caddy, I can't hit any more. When he said why not? I told him, 'because Jack was waiting for my spot!'

My caddy's response in a loud statement was, "Bleep him, you need the practice more than Jack!" I was so embarrassed, I turned and looked at Jack and he was even smiling. Just then, Chip Beck turned to Jack and said, here, take my spot, I am going to the putting green. Now I have Jack Nicklaus hitting balls right next to me at the US Open. A moment that I will never ever forget.