U.S. Open Interviews

I sat in on some interviews at the U.S. Open, and heard some interesting things. Concerning Phil’s quadruple bogey on the par five thirteenth…all of the pros were raving about the stellar conditions of the kikuyu fairways, and how the stiff, bristly blades were shaved down tight and provided perfect lies for spinning the ball off the short grass. Phil claimed that his second and third chips to #13 on Saturday weren’t bad shots, but just mental miscues because he didn’t take into account how much they were going to spin. When asked if that was his highest score ever on that hole, he replied, “No, I’ve made a nine on thirteen before…I was only eight years old, but I have had a nine there.”

After Saturday’s round, Tiger confessed that he didn’t warm up well on the range, and that he had a “two-way miss” going. He said he tried to “organize” that into a one-way miss, so at least when he hit it way off-line, he could predict which direction. He wasn’t able to figure it out during the round, and consequently spent the day playing self-described “army golf”…right, left, right, left. On Sunday, when he roped his second shot into the ice plants on #13, Tiger said he was trying to play a high cut into the green. He admitted to hitting the dreaded “double-cross”, trying to hold off his swing through impact but instead completely flipping his wrists over for the hammer-hook. At this point, we all know that most of Tiger’s struggles were the result of a bad knee, a stress fracture in his left shin, and obviously a lot of rust due to lack of practice. But his comments reveal two important truths about the game of golf…

One, that hitting the golf ball like you want to every time is freakin’ impossible! Even Tiger Woods sometimes flails with his swing to the point of having “two-way misses” and “double-crosses” infecting his game! The second truth is that scoring well in golf is all about one thing…getting the ball into the hole as quickly as possible. Tiger proved that last week. Despite being outplayed tee to green all week by dozens of players (including Rocco), Tiger took home the Championship Cup because of his superior short game. He chips well, his scrambling is unmatched, he makes all of his crucial short putts, and he basically gives himself opportunities to recover from every wayward driver or approach. So take heart, all you hopeful hackers…don’t stress over your missed shots (everyone is going to have them). Quit pounding range balls and go practice your short game! That’s where you’re really going to save some strokes.

Since Tiger has made his announcement about more surgery and taking the rest of the year off, you have to wonder how the other TOUR pros are going to respond. We will finally get to see what the major championships would look like without the Tiger factor. Will the big names like Sergio and Phil take advantage of his absence? Can Tiger still win the Fed Ex Cup even if he misses the entire playoffs (just kidding, I think that’s impossible)? I’ll have some more thoughts on a Tiger-less PGA TOUR later, but I’d like to hear yours.

The U.S. Open Media Center

I just returned home from the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. The USGA hired me to handle the scoreboard graphics inside the media center. The media center at a major championship is impressive. It is usually a gigantic temporary structure (think mega-tent) decked out with a large dining hall, a photographers’ lounge, an interview room, and of course the workspace area. It’s located on site, this year being situated on the adjoining North Course at Torrey Pines. Hundreds of journalists and television/radio/internet representatives from around the world are lined up in row after row of desks, all facing my huge scoreboard and several jumbo screen televisions at the front of the room. All of the heavy hitters in golf reporting are there, from the top writers in the country to the famous on-air talent for the networks. If you’re a golf nut, it’s a very cool scene.

The weird thing about my job at the U.S. Open is that I travel all the way from Atlanta to San Diego, proceed inside the Torrey Pines gates, and then basically watch the tournament on TV. What you might find surprising is that most members of the media do the same thing. During the really dramatic moments, several reporters will obviously track down the on-course action so they can see it live, but for the most part, everyone is watching from the comforts of the media center, working on their stories and taking advantage of the resources provided there. That’s a lot of people going to a lot of trouble just to watch golf on TV!

Saturday afternoon in the media center was a blast. As Tiger was doing all the mind-boggling stuff on the back nine that Tiger usually does, all eyes inside the media center were glued to the large screen TVs. There was a two-second delay between the live action and the TV broadcast, so as we watched Tiger’s ball roll toward the hole, we could hear the enormous roar from outside on the course, and would know the result before we actually witnessed it. Nonetheless, all of us in the media center would echo the outdoor response with a huge roar of our own. It gives me goose-bumps just thinking about some of those moments. What Tiger did that afternoon was unbelievable, and will go down as one of the most amazing stretches of golf in championship history. I feel privileged to have been there to experience it (via television).

My next entry will have some post-round quotes from Tiger’s interviews. That’s a huge perk of working in the media center…I get to sit in on the Q and A’s with all of the tournament leaders.

Tiger Behind Closed Doors

Since most people only see Tiger Woods when he is either A) playing in a tournament, B) doing an interview, or C) in a commercial, they often ask me “What is he really like, you know, behind closed doors?” I’ve had the good fortune of dealing with Tiger on a number of occasions during my job on the TOUR, and my answer to this question is…he’s really a normal guy! I’m not trying to sound cliche, because Tiger is anything but normal, but seriously, for someone who is mega-rich, mega-famous and mega-talented, he seems like a very well-adjusted, likeable person. He’s always friendly to the walking scorers and other volunteers in the scoring area (but he won’t sign a golf ball…that’s a steadfast rule). He has a sharp sense of humor, and never seems to put on airs. I’m sure many golf fans have been irritated by a stone-faced, blinders-on Tiger as he strides past hundreds of screaming well-wishers, but please understand, this is what he has to do just to make it out of public situations in one piece. Just ask anyone who is out on TOUR regularly, and they will tell you it’s a completely different atmosphere around Tiger…absolute chaos. To his fellow pros, even though he is very intimidating on the course, he is very approachable off of it and has an agreeable personality that meshes well with most everybody. Tiger is very humble, never overplaying his own success and often giving praise to those guys who gave chase (or sometimes beat him).

After the final round of the 2007 Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, Tiger was sitting across from me in the scoring area, checking his card following a 66 and his fifth victory in that event. I asked him, “Tiger, just how in the world do you win this thing year after year?” He answered, “Honestly, Charles (Howell III) could’ve won, but I just got some good bounces. I don’t care who you are, you need some lucky breaks to win golf tournaments.” I replied, “Didn’t someone once say that the harder you practice the luckier you get?” To that, Tiger flashed his trademark smile, winked at me, and walked out of the trailer to face the throngs of media and fans. That story describes Tiger in a nutshell…he might be self-effacing, but deep down, he knows he’s the man to beat.

If I were to formulate an equation that summed up Tiger Woods’ golfing prowess, it would be GOD-GIVEN ABILITY + UNRIVALED WORK ETHIC + VAST UNDERSTANDING OF HIS SWING AND THE GAME = TOTAL WORLD DOMINANCE IN GOLF. Stay tuned for more stories about my personal interactions with Tiger and other players out on TOUR.

Are Scorecards Necessary?

Hello, and welcome to the newest blog on the golf scene. My name is Casey Jones, and I live in Decatur, Georgia, a little city just on the outskirts of downtown Atlanta. For the last ten years, I’ve been deeply involved in the world of professional golf, first as a scoreboard calligrapher (right about now, you’re probably saying, “A what???”), and more recently as a full-fledged Scoring Official for the PGA TOUR. I have traveled all over the country for the last decade, following the top professional tours and getting to know some of the regular characters that live out there. I’m hoping that my blog will not only give my insights on this wonderful game, but also shed some light on life behind the scenes at golf’s highest level.

Concerning my job, the question I’m asked the most (besides “Who is the biggest jerk on TOUR?”) is “With all of today’s technology, with television spotters and walking scorers with each group, why do you still need scorecards and the penal rules that are associated with screwing them up?” This is a legitimate question, and I know disqualification from a tournament seems harsh just for not checking your scores diligently, but…

My take on it is simple. Someone has to be ultimately responsible for what the player scored on each hole. Who better for this job than…THE PLAYER! Scorecards have existed since the beginning of competitive golf for a reason, so that the player can verify and sign off on what he or she actually made on each hole. Golfers need to realize that their round is not officially over until they have taken the extra time needed to thoroughly check their scorecard. These days, they are given a table inside a tent or trailer, away from distractions, so they can focus on the task at hand. If they play tournament golf, they should be confident what they had on each hole, and if they just concentrate for a few minutes, should be able to confirm this on their scorecard. Anytime a player is disqualified for signing for a lower score, or penalized by having to accept a higher score signed for…it’s their own fault! Their own absent-mindedness or laziness has caused the problem, and it cannot be blamed on anyone else. It’s the same as if they did something blatantly wrong in the course of play…they need to be penalized.

Not every competitive golfer has the luxury of playing with television spotters (or even scorekeepers) walking with their group, so why should only a handful of the top touring pros be exempt from their scorecard responsibilities? The rules of golf need to stay the same for everyone. And imagine this exchange after the round…

Tiger: “What gives? All of the leaderboards say I’m 5-under, and I’m really 6-under!”
Official: ”Tiger, both the volunteer who was scoring for your group and the TV spotter had you for a bogey on #5.”
Tiger: “That’s incorrect. I thought about taking a drop, but I actually played a great shot from the hazard, and made par.”
Official: “Well, what do you want us to do about it? Verifying your own scores after the round has been eliminated. We have to trust the witnesses. Sorry.”
Tiger: “Wait a minute! When it’s all said and done, I should be able to confirm my actual scores, for crying out loud!”
Official: “You’re right, and that sounds like a great job for…lo and behold, our old friend the SCORECARD!”

I know there will always be the scorecard nay-sayers, but honestly, there is really no other fair way to do it. A player is given every opportunity to sign off on his or her correct score, and if they can stay focused for five-plus hours on the golf course, they can stay focused for five more minutes after their round. If they ever do away with scorecards in the big-time events, I cannot wait for the pandemonium that will ensue when the scores aren’t adding up correctly. Since this is my specific area of expertise out on TOUR, I’m sure there will be much more blog chatter about it down the road. Stay tuned, because I’ve got some great stories from inside the scoring trailer.

Until next time, I am Casey Jones, founder of Casey Jones Golf , and I hope you find your way back to my blog. Take care and God bless!