This past weekend, I had the very fortunate experience of attending The U.S. Open golf championship at Pebble Beach CC. As an avid golfer and fan of the game, this was nothing sort of a dream come true and a fantastic way to spend Father’s Day weekend with my Son and closest friends.
At their core, adventure days like this are part of the travel well, experience the “new”, and ASPIRE point of view, so please take a peek and join me (virtually) for a day at The U.S. Open!
The U.S. Open is one of the 4 “Majors” that make up the “Grand Slam” denoting golf’s most storied and influential tournaments. By any measure the U.S. Open is a significant event and was an excellent way for my Son and I to see the sport at its very best.
From the moment you get out of the car, what you notice is how BIG this event is… tent after tent and thousands of people milling about. Corporate sponsors everywhere and a KEEN focus on credentials and which badge you possess. Despite this, there was a definite buzz from the crowd and palpable anticipation to see the best in the world perform.
There are two strategies you can employ at golf events. One would be to pick a hole at which to set up at the rope (or ideally in the stands) and watch the pairings come through. This static approach is great if you are lucky enough to snare a prime viewing spot but not so great if your vantage point along a particular hole is less than ideal. The second approach (golfing pun) is the one we employed. Its to jump from hole to hole, following particular players or snagging prime viewing spots as they come available.
Employing the latter of the two, Cole and I jumped back and forth between holes #1 and #2 – when most of the leading players were getting their day started and roaming holes #7-9 to see among others – TIGER WOODS 🐅 🏆.
What I most noticed about seeing the players up close is the power and precision that they possess. I am a frequent golfer and a fan of the game, often watching tournaments on TV. However, nothing really prepared me for the sound of the ball at impact from a Brooke Koepka or Rory McIlroy. These are world class athletes in their prime and at the peak of their game. The experience of seeing, hearing and feeling these men tee off within feet of where I was standing was simply incredible.
The highlight for both Cole and I however had to be seeing Tiger Woods 🐅 play a few shots. I have been a fan of his for over two decades and yet, had never even been close to seeing him in person. Separating Tiger the golfer 🏌️ from Tiger the person – one can unequivocally state that he is one of the three best, if not THE best player, ever. So to finally have the chance to see him play live was a thrill I wont soon forget.
Listening on the specially tuned headsets (Thank you AMEX) we discovered that he was teeing off on #16 and would soon be on the fairway immediately below us. We ran down that way and secured a spot along the ropes where I estimated tee shots might land? Lo and behold a small white object descended right in front of us and rolled to a stop perhaps 25ft away. Cole and looked at each other and thought (hoped actually) that this would be his tee ball… It didn’t take long at all to realize we were right. One does NOT have to guess that Tiger is near, as no less that 1000 people walked towards us outside the ropes along with a blimp, two helicopters and about 20 media, security and tournament folk trailing him step for step. Stopping immediately in front of us he and his caddy Joe – discussed the shot, selected his club and soon a beautiful 6-iron sent the ball skyward. While we couldn’t see the result, it was obvious from the cheers that it landed well and so we decided to try and get down to the green to see if we could catch a glimpse of his putt.
We found a spot on the rope where we had a just a slight view of him lining up. It was 30ft from the cup and on one of the most challenging greens that day. It was amazing to experience the hushed silence as he drew the putter back and sent the ball towards the hole… and the TOTAL PANDEMONIUM as he made Birdie. I really have never experienced a sound like that on a golf course. The “Tiger Roar” is a real thing and it must be heard to be believed!
The course itself was beautiful and incredibly scenic, despite the addition of all the tents, media equipment and patron service facilities. It truly would be a jewel in its pristine state – a rolling green expanse of fairways tilting towards a beautiful blue bay. Monterey is a unique place, a place that has a history interwoven with the sea and Pebble is nothing less than that. Waves crashing into beachside rocks as beautiful boats bob at anchor just offshore. It was an eyeful and such a beautiful juxtaposition. The best for the best so to speak.
All in all, an amazing day and one that left quite an impression on Cole and I. Such a terrific opportunity to see and interact with some of the greatest players in the world and to see and experience the environment of a “Major”. I have incredible respect for the golfers as athletes seeing first hand how the conditions, crowd and other distractions could easily affect them adversely. What a day and so great to be able to share it with my Son and friends. Next year, The Masters! ⛳️
Many, many thanks to @daveskvarna for the incredible hospitality and planning – Cole and I are very grateful for your friendship and generosity.
Aspire 