Archive for June, 2007
BC & Boomer at the TELUS World Skins Game
I had forgotten to mention that Boomer and I attended day two of the TELUS World Skins Game at The Raven at Lora Bay last week [Dennis was also to attend, but got lost and spent seven hours in the car before turning around and going home]. John Daly, Retief Goosen, Stephen Ames, Geoff Ogilvy and Colin Montgomerie battled it out around the course, with Daly chipping in for eagle to win $220,000 and the championship. It was an extremely intimate setting to be involved in – these guys are ten feet away from you sometimes – and we got up-close looks at their drives, fairway shots and putting strokes. I don’t think I really had much of an appreciation for just how *good* these guys are before seeing them up-close.
The best part of the day was a conversation, though, between Boom-Boom and Colin Montgomerie. It went like so:
KEVIN [at the ropes, holding out a "Montgomerie- Dubai" hat for him to sign]: Colin! Read the hat!
MONTY [reading it]: Ahh, that’s nice to see! Have you played there?
KEVIN: Yes! I used to be a member.
MONTY: What happened?
KEVIN: I came back here. But I’m going back.
MONTY: Good! I need your money!
Laughter all around and good times had by all. Stephen Ames also signed my hat, which was nice, while Daly passed over signing my John Daly driver head cover a couple of times. Again, the intimacy is high at these things, and I would definitely go back and see it again. $75 seems a little steep, but you’d play twice that to play at The Raven anyhow, and it’s a rare occassion to see PGA golfers up close and personal. It’s a great day, and very enjoyable.
- BC
Back To Our Roots: Cresthaven
I played a very enjoyable round today at, of all places, Cresthaven.
If you’re not familiar with it, Cresthaven is the redheaded stepchild of golf courses: it’s a first-come, first-serve par 3 that once caused me to walk off due to bumpy greens that you couldn’t putt on due to the fact that whoever did the airation that fall left all of the dirt bits behind for us to putt around. On the upside, it costs $26, so there you are – you get what you pay for.
This time around, however, the greens were soft and relatively true, the fairways were green and a great time was had by all. Par is 54 there, obviously, and Dennis “Pinecone” Davis shot a 74 while yours truly hit a 69. Having moved on two years ago to middle-class courses like Parkview – and, thanks to Boom-Boom, moved up further this year with trips to better courses like Copper Creek and Silver Lakes – it was actually nice to get back to the crappy-little-bumper-car-course roots that Dennis and I started from. I enjoyed walking that little course today, and it reminded me of when I used to play it and the now-defunct Unionville a few years back when I was just starting out. A good time all around… but next week it’s back up to Hawk Ridge in Orillia and “real-size” courses again!
Incidentally, I have failed to mention two important items thus far this year. One, I am shamed to admit that I am the inaugural winner of the Pink Purse this year, as one of my drives at Parkview failed to clear the forward tees. More importantly, Dennis successfully defended the Valleywoods Cup in his first round of the year, but Croucher has since won it at Parkview by improving his score on the back nine over the worst front nine I’ve ever seenfrom him. An anomaly, I’m sure.
- BC
Copper Creek on an Overcast Saturday…
If you want one course to play this year that you don’t mind spending a bit of moola on, then play Doug Carrick’s gem in Kleinburg called Copper Creek. This course in my opinion, is one of the nicest, friendliest, let everyone go play courses in the GTA, and probably in Ontario.
The BC, the Dromodir, his buddy Mike and I played this track a few weeks ago, and I think that everyone had a pretty good time. BC shot a 100 which in my opinion wasn’t as bad as it sounds and I played ok. The course was in great condition, the staff are all top-notch, and the surroundings are second to none.
From the tips a respectable 7000+ and from the whites, (forward tees) a longer than it looks 6100. We play some courses, the BC and I, that are 6K in length, and they don’t look or feel at all like playing from the whites at the Creek. I played from the blues, but next time out, I’m going back to the copper tees. I like the back tees, and it lets me use more clubs oddly enough.
But I digress and talk too much, off to the first tee. Which by the way, is near the nicely laid out driving range and large putting green.
The first hole lets you unleash that driver kiddies. A dogleg left Par 5 that goes from 465 to 508. Water on the left, and sandtraps down most of the right. In fact, buddy Mike, was on the world bunker tour on this hole. He was in every one I think. Largeish green that has a few swales in it makes you be accurate with your approach or pitch. Also look out for the false front. Read the rest of this entry »
