The Kokopelli Golf Stance

I kept score for Jeff Quinney's team today:  Anne Gallagher, Jeanne Waldron, and Tyler Meine.  Anne and Jeanne are old friends from near Philadelphia, and came to Scottsdale to play in this event.  Tyler works for Rolex.

Tyler is an 18 handicap, or at least was getting 18 strokes today.  I think they play at 70 or 80% in a team event.  He was on fire the front 9.  Jeff had 5 birdies in the first 9 holes, but was not a factor in the team score.  Tyler parred the first 6 holes, and when he hit his second shot onto the green on 7, I said to Jeff "If he's an 18, I'm Barack Obama".  He's a muscular guy, long hitter, and has a very good-looking swing for an 18.  Or for a 10.  Or a 5.

7 is usually a par 5, 498 yards form the back tees, but that's too short for the pros now so they play it as a par 4 for the tournament.  I made eagle 3 on it the first time I played it. 

So Tyler sinks his 12-footer for birdie 3 on 7, and the team goes to 8 under par.

So, Tyler proceeds to make par on 8, and when he hits his second shot onto the green on 9, I pointed to my headset and announced that the people on the radio said there was someone from the USGA who wanted to see Tyler after the round.   He made his par there, shooting 34 for the front 9, net 10-under (25).  Which would have been 11 under on 51 weeks out of the year.  The leaderboards were showing one of the morning teams leading the tournament at 15 under.  

Anne and Jean are 14 and 10 handicaps, and were hitting the ball great off the tee, but mostly not able to follow up.  Even from the ladies' tees, some of the holes are pretty long, and they often just didn't have enough juice to get on the greens in regulation.  Jeanne made a couple of pars for net birdies on the front 9, but with Tyler on fire like he was, it didn't matter.

The back 9 was not so successful.  Tyler started spraying his tee shots, but made a par along the way, while Jeff made 3 more birdies, and on the 16th tee we were 14 under par.  15 was still leading.  Tyler hit a good tee shot on 16, just short of the green, and got up and down for par to tie the lead.  Alas, that was where we finished, as nobody could make anything happen on 17 and 18, two very tough holes.  18 is another par 5 called a par 4 for the tournament, 515 yards, so the ams had little chance, especially the women.

I don't know yet how the tie will be resolved, one of the PGA Tour officials said it varies from tournament to tournament, and he didn't know how they were doing it this time.  Jeff was cordial all day, but didn't sign a ball for me at the end.  Oh, well.  He ended up with 66, and it could have been 63 but for a few mishaps on his chipping.

The effects of the economy were really showing.  There were only 40 teams, and only 3 amateurs on each.  In good times, there would be 4 per team and 52 teams.  The most common sponsors were Fry's (17 entries), the PGA Tour, and the Golf Channel, (6 each).  Not many spectators, either.

I'll be scoring again tomorrow, and Saturday.  I hope to spend Friday and Sunday in O'Donoghue's O'Bar O'Verlooking the 16th green.  They're going to have some free samples, I hear. 

Mr. Science