This week brings my favorite sporting event here in Columbus, outside of Saturdays in the Horseshoe — The Memorial Tournament. Like most sports fans, I’m a fan of playing the game of golf, regardless of my handicap (don’t ask, it’s not pretty). So I always get excited about the best of the best coming to play in Dublin at Muirfield Village Golf Club. This field once again sports the best golfers in the world (from 15 different countries, in fact), including the top ten players on this year’s money list.
I try to make it to at least one of the rounds, usually on Saturday. Watching these guys play is amazing. They really “are good.” But the first Memorial I attended left a different impression.
I don’t remember who it was, but the first person I watched tee off that day (about 8-9 years ago) completely shanked his tee shot into the trees left of the fairway. It wasn’t a hook or a slice, it was a horrible shank. For those few brief moments, I thought to myself that even I had never shanked something that badly. Of course, his second shot was a beautiful recovery shot and was up and down to par the hole, but for those few minutes, I felt superior. It was fleeting, but it was glorious.
So I’ll be there once again this year (accompanied by my buddy Zeke) hoping to see another drive go flying into the trees, rooting for my homeboy, Baby Blue Sergio Garcia (I root for anyone Spanish, having lived in Spain for two years) and hoping to get a glimpse of the great ones. Maybe my being close to them will somehow allow me to absorb some of that golfing karma.
Good story and very nice photo 🙂