Golf Confessions

Annika Sorenstam the third winningest lady golfer has announced her retirements at the end of this season.  Annika has won 72 events.  Kath Whitworth leads all golfers with 88 victories.

Annika has won three tournaments this year.

In 1982 I caddied for Sam Snead in the first TPC on the stadium golf course.  Sam and Arnold Palmer were given an exemption to play on the new TPC course.  I was a friend of Sam’s and I asked him if I could caddy for him, and this was my first time to caddy in an official PGA event.

I was very nervous, I think just as nervous as if I had been playing.  I did not realize how conscience you became of the small things that you take for granted when you are playing golf with your buddies.  You become very aware of all the things that you do in order to stay out of the way of other players and even taking the pin out of the hole, not to hit the sides and mess up. 

The Wednesday after our practice round with J.C. I found where I could buy a yardage book from one of the regular tour caddies.  This caddy made up yardage books for other caddies  and would sell them each week.  Most of the good caddies would get one of these books and then go out and check all the info and make sure it was correct.  One thing that a tour player can not stand is to have a caddy give him bad yardage.  They know that bad shots are part of the game but bad info is inexcusable.

Well I was totally unfamiliar with the yardage book and since we were not going back on the course until our first round of the tournament, I was in for a surprise.  The first two holes of the round Thursday morning went just great.  Sam made a par on the first two holes and I thought this is a peice of cake.

Next is when I thought I would like to crawl under a rock.  Sam was the first to hit on the third hole a par three.  I get to the tee and reach for my trusty yardage book.  I had played the course several times myself so I was familiar the hole.  But when I opened the book to the third hole I became very confused.  Luckily the group in front of us was having some problems and we had a short wait.  I could not for the life of me find where the front yardage was marked from.  Usually there is a sprinkler head or some easy to spot object that you get your yardage from.  I walked up and down the tee box about six times despertaly searching for such a marker.  Of course the third hole is close to the club house and this is Sam Snead so the gallery is quite large.  I can feel every eye looking at me.  Finally it is time for Sam to hit and he steps up to the tee.  What we got?  I get real close so no one can hear and in a low mousey voice-I think it is about 180 to the flag.  What do you mean you think?  Yes that is what it is, as I see the other caddies looking at me and starting to laugh.  They know I don’t have a clue.  Well give me a five iron and let’s see what happens.  Thank goodness Sam hits a good shot up about twenty feet from the hole. 

I was sweating bullets.  I know that had to feel some what how you would feel standing on 18 Sunday afternoon needing a five foot putt to win.  I was never so grateful for that shot to get on the green.

After the round I get the book out and turn to the third hole and it looked like a neon sign flashing.  The marker that the book had for the front yardage was a plam tree to left of the tee box.  Why I could not see that at the time was incredible.  I have thought of that day and that hole several times over the years and it makes me sweat to this day.