Friday, August 3
Welcome to coverage of the 2001 Pro Worlds in Minnesota, as seen through the eyes of the Lizard guy.
Last year at this time I was part of the team that ran the Worlds, and all I can say is thank God I get to play this year. The only stuff I have to worry about this time are things like finding hotel keys, hooking up with my buddies, and figuring out where the after-round beers are stashed.
The Minnesota boys are doing a fabulous job. The courses here are all awesome: all difficult, all cool, and you can tell they've been putting a slew of hard work getting them ready.
This morning I was playing the Kaposia course with friends Ron Russell, John Finnegan, and Joe Geibel. We came across Greg Rife, one of the Worlds Tournament Directors. What was he doing the week before Worlds? Installing steps and a handrail into the side of a hill so the players could scale the hill with dignity instead of having to scramble up like rats.
Two nights ago Greg's dad Lee Rife -- the lead Worlds TD -- was out at the CP Adams course for league night. Was he playing and enjoying himself? No, he was spotting on one of the holes. These guys are out here getting their hands dirty, working hard, and making the courses as good as they can make them.
One of the most unusual aspects of these reports is that I'm not really writing them, but sorta speaking them instead. I simply make a phone call to DiscLife.com HQ and rattle off my thoughts, which are then transcribed and beamed out to you (don't anyone tell Todd Branch... he still has to type his reports out. Sucker!). I'm used to that evil editor Brian Sullivan changing my best stuff, but now I don't even get to see what's being written down. I may later claim to be misquoted if I say anything that gets me into hot water.
From helping to run Worlds last year in Michigan, I learned that one of the advantages of hosting a major tournament is that the local club can take great steps forward in improving the local courses. Last year we put in the popular Cass Benton course. There was absolutely no chance it would have been in -- cement tee pads, manicured, etc - except it had to be ready for Worlds. We were also able to make major improvements at the Kensington course -- including the addition of six holes and upgrading the baskets.
As it turned out, we didn't use the extra six Kensington holes for Worlds competition, but now have a nicer, bigger and better course. I can see that Minnesota is enjoying the same Worlds benefit.
The chief of course design for 2001 is Chuck Kennedy, a skilled designer with a superb eye for making courses. Chuck also has a total willingness to confuse the locals... these poor players have no advantage whatsoever over the out-of-town golfers. Every course has been changed. There are new tee positions, holes have been extended 50 feet... just a flurry of changes guaranteed to make the locals blink twice. I gotta say it's pretty entertaining to play a course and have the locals ask to see your course map!
On our first morning here we hooked up with Dan Johnson, a Twin Cites local and solid Pro Masters player. Dan taught us the first three course: North Valley, CP Adams and Kaposia. We also ran into Chuck that morning and got the most recent course maps. What a great start to the process that was.
As for my own goals here, there is no doubt in my mind that my success will be a function of my putter. Driving is not that difficult -- and most pros can drive just fine. Putting is what determines success, and it will be for me. My goal for Worlds - as it usually is, is to cash if I can. We'll see.
