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Travel Tips In Time

I'm on the road reporting two Away Games and an Ambush for upcoming issues of Golf Digest. It's been seven days, two states and eight courses so far--three more days, two more courses and a Porsche driving school still on the itinerary.

I received this release late last week. No golf, but there are some travel tips worth passing on:

Time_final_2(New York City, October 24, 2008)--For the November 2008 issue of TIME Style & Design, Diane Von Furstenburg, Mario Batali, Maria Sharapova and other jet-setters tell TIME how to travel right.








Diane von Furstenburg tells TIME about where she likes to shop while traveling: "At bookstores. I buy books everywhere I go." Her favorite city: "There are so many... I love Paris, Istanbul, London and, of course, New York." Her best packing tip: "Travel light, very light, and take things that can work in many ways. When you figure out how to pack lightly, you figure out how to live lightly." Her favorite hotel: "I love Claridge's in London. Martin is the best concierge in the world, the sheets are the most luxurious linen, and the breakfast is perfect."







Mario Batali on his favorite city: "Bologna is the best city in Italy for food." The best nightlife: "Ho Chi Minh City. No other comment necessary." His favorite restaurant: "Da Zaccaria in Amalfi, Italy, serves the purest form of linguine with clams on the planet." A place he will never go again: "The Hamptons are usually filled with what I had hoped to leave behind in New York City."





Maria Sharapova on what's in her carry-on: "My Sony Ericsson phone charger--because if my bags get lost, I would be more upset about losing my phone battery than my new pair of Manolos." Her packing tip: "Never overpack; you are always going to acquire new goods along the way."




Look for my interview with Jerome Bettis, former running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers, in the December issue of Golf Digest.

--Matty G.

Golf Digest Ambush: Are You Next?

Another month--another Ambush. This will be the tenth interruption of an annual buddies trip that Golf Digest will feature in the January issue. When we started this new travel section in March, we wanted to celebrate our golf trips in the pages of the magazine, but we also wanted to celebrate your golf trips. We've now had over 1,600 entries to choose from. Keep 'em coming. And if I missed you and your group in 2008, don't hesitate to submit another itinerary in 2009.

Ambush_9 For the December issue you will read about the first group of women I Ambushed. It would be far more accurate to say they Ambushed me. They ranged in ages of 45 to 65, but as many of us do when we get around old friends, their actions fell a few years (or decades) short of what their ID would indicate. I wrote that I went to look for differences between a men's and a women's golf trip. I came back with a notebook of similarities. They are every bit as wild as any group of guys I've run into.

When I rolled up on them on their first tee it was as if I yelled, "FIRE!" You'll have to see the Ambush video to appreciate their reaction. They unveiled signs, "Welcome to Hawk's Ridge" and "We Love Matty G." They had bikini t-shirts and homemade visors that also read, "Where's Matty G?" They said that if I didn't Ambush them, they would've boxed up everything they made and shipped it to my office with a note, "You made a big mistake. You should've Ambushed us."

One story that didn't make it in the text that appears in the magazine (conveniently enough) was about a six-hole match I had against 4-handicapper, Cindy Hollingshead. We played a closeout. We set it at a $5 bet, with a $5 press. She played from the lady's tees and I played from the back tees. Even though the USGA says she is three shots better than I am, we factored in no strokes--just arms and legs, as my friends and I like to say.

I feel bad. The match was lopsided. Looking back, it was over before it started. It could hardly be considered a contest. The first bet was scored 3&2, and the two-hole press was also a rout. I got smoked! Hollingshead made a par on every hole. I signed the $10 bill for her on the porch after the round with plenty of witnesses. She said she was going to frame it with the article. Like I said, I was Ambushed.

I'm picking from the following itineraries this month. Feel free to let me know your thoughts in the comments box below.

The four finalists for the 10th Golf Digest Ambush:

From Guy Rollison of Indianapolis, IN.: Our group is unique because we have 23 guys and one gal, who is considered just "one of the guys." Our group of 24 will be arriving at Bay Watch in Myrtle Beach. We will be traveling from Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida and Arizona. Our gal is competitive and can hold her own. The biggest complaint is she hits from the lady's tees. Dah!! A couple of years ago, she had the lowest score of the trip—a 76. We have some retired guys, some police officers, some that work for the University of Kentucky and other various professions. We gamble lightly, but have a great time on and off the course. Our itinerary includes: The Wizard, Thistle (North/West), Brunswick Plantation (Magnolia/ Dogwood), Sea Trail (Maples), Sea Trail (Jones) and Man Of War.

From Jay Roberson of Birmingham, AL.:
Matt, we're looking forward to sharing the Magic City (Golf) Classic with you. This is one of the oldest black college classics in the country, and the longest college football rivalry in the state of Alabama. (Yes, this game has been around longer than the Alabama/Auburn rivalry.) There is no classic like the Magic City Classic! Hundreds of thousands of people converge on Birmingham for an exciting weekend of football, tailgating, a parade, golf, and of course—partying. The economic impact is tremendous for the city of Birmingham at almost $30 million with hotel occupancies, restaurants filled with fans and shopping throughout the city. We would love for Golf Digest to come to Birmingham and document the Magic City Classic experience! Here's our itinerary: Friday: Golf at Oxmoor Valley. Saturday: Magic City Classic Parade in downtown Birmingham followed by tailgating at Legion Field and then the Magic City Classic Football game (Alabama A&M vs. Alabama State). Sunday: Golf at Ross Bridge (home of the Regions Classic/Champions Tour).

From Keith Lerner:
Our 6th annual Highland Cup Golf Adventure (named after Highland Park Scotch from the Orkney Islands) will take place in Ashville, NC. We'll play: Olde Mill Golf Resort. Then we'll travel to Roanoke, VA. to play Ashley Plantation and Hanging Rock. Then we go to Pinehurst to play course numbers; 4, 2, 8 and 7. The group consists of long-time friends from Scotland, England, Azerbaijan and several who now reside in Houston TX., but hail from all over the US. We are quite a diverse group with handicaps ranging from six to 19, ages from 35 to 60 and physical builds ranging from 5'9" to 6'10". The trip begins with opening ceremonies that includes a recap of last year's event, a speech from the reigning champ and a small gift exchange, followed by verbal sparring and gamesmanship. Each round starts with a swig of 30-year old Highland Park scotch, direct from the distillery. This little tradition starts the adult beverages flowing continuously untilâ¿¿well, they never really stop. Since we were all athletes in our past (high school, college and one Olympian), the seven-day net-score competition is fierce and the winner gets his name engraved on the Highland Cup (yes, there really is a Cup). He also gets international bragging rights for the rest of the year. After a week of "full-contact" golf, the winner drinks from the Cup at every establishment we visit. We are a group that has been friends for over 15 years, and we will continue to embark and expand on this adventure as long as we are able.

From Chris Woods of Spotsylvania, VA.: The East/West Competition has been an annual event since 1979. It started with four players but now it's 24 players. It includes sons of some original members. Courses change each year but they are always great. We have been to TPC Sawgrass, PGA West, Bay Hill and Kiawah. This year we are at Primm Valley Golf Club in Nevada. Bet money collected on day one is about $300 per person. There are daily payouts for gross/net birdies and specific matches. We've stayed up until 3 a.m. figuring out side-bets. Bar tabs are all combined and divided up equally. It's a great deal for double malted scotch drinkers, not so good for beer drinkers. Especially bad for non-drinkers. Here are a few funny East/West stories: Butch tying and dragging his putter behind his golf cart to "Teach it a lesson." Bill gets 58 stitches in his head from a morning golf cart accident and returns to play in the afternoon round. East/West is all about good friends, good competition, integrity, and love for the game of golf.

Click here to send us your itinerary. You and your crew might be next.

Oh, and Cindy--I demand a rematch!

--Matty G.

WARNING: Bethpage Black!

I checked weather.com last Friday morning for Bethpage State Park in New York. The rather useful website (not nearly in the league of Google, but certainly plays ball with Mapquest) forecast blue skies, a slight breeze, temperatures in the low 70s and a "golf index" that was a 10 out of 10. It turns out all predictions were accurate except the golf index. I'd have to say the better assessment of the situation would've been closer to a 15 on the playability meter.

Bethpage_final I'm calling it one of the top-10 best-weather days I've experienced in my 13 years of living on the East Coast. It was an especially ideal day to have a 12:51 tee time at the Black course of Bethpage. It's No. 5 on Golf Digest's list of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses and site of the 2002 U.S. Open, which you might recall, is where Digest passed out "Be Nice To Monty" pins, Sergio waggled his way to ridicule from a rowdy crowd (HIT THE beeeeping BALL, SERGIO!), Phil grinned, knuckle-bumped with fans and awe-shucksed his way to a second place as Tiger Woods won his eighth major. The Black course will also be the site of next year's Open, so this outing with a few colleagues (Equipment Editor Mike Stachura and Features Editor Craig Bestrom) was, in effect, a scouting trip.

Finding a fourth on short notice was a story in itself. None of them will know what order they were asked, but shockingly enough we went through at least 15 people on the masthead of both Golf Digest and Golf World before Stachura reached out to one of the Northeast sales reps for Callaway, Mike Shady. He's only a portion of what his surname might indicate.

On the first tee, right near the sign that has become a cliche ("WARNING: The Black Course Is An Extremely Difficult Course Which We Recommend Only For Highly Skilled Golfers"), it was determined Stachura (13-handicap) and Shady (7) would take on Bestrom (10) and me (8) in a best-ball. We played a $20 closeout, with a $10 press (the best, and simplest, betting game in golf). Shady and Stachura have known each other for 20 years, and after I'd announced the teams and the bet, we were all privy to Shady's inner-monologue. "Great. I get cancer boy." This was said, and received, as only longtime friends can say and receive. It was followed by laughter.

Stachura was in a horrible car accident coming home from the airport in February. He was banged up, but essentially OK. Doctors decided to do an MRI for precautionary reasons and found a cancerous growth. Can you say crazy turn of events? A bizarre game of good news: Mike, you survived a head-on collision. Bad news: Mike, we've found cancer. Good news: Mike, we caught it early and we're removing it. Better news the same day we played Bethpage: Mike, you have a clean bill of health.

Back to the all-important golf. Bestrom and I won the bet, lost the press, so we took home $10. We passed on playing the blue tees (7,468 yards) and played from the whites (6,684 yards). If you have amateur status and play the blue tees at Bethpage Black, you're an idiot. The white tees are all you can handle, and if you think otherwise, let me let you in on a little secret: You're just not that good.

Everyone broke 90; no one broke 80. We were all equally impressed by the course condition. You might have read my story about Torrey Pines two weeks ago. Bethpage blows it away in terms of strength of golf course from start to finish, and definitely in terms of condition. At $52 for respective locals, they're still both two of the best bargains I'll ever play. Stachura, Bestrom and Shady all paid $104 because they don't live in New York (still a great deal).

We figure the Black's in such great shape for the following reasons: 1) Dave Catalano, the superintendent of all five courses at Bethpage, and his staff, are very good at what they do. 2) As the host to two Opens in less than seven years, they've received large sums of money from the USGA to help with equipment and manpower. 3) They close the course on Mondays (except holidays), which cuts down on foot traffic and allows for the maintenance crew to catch up on their to-do list. 4) They put nine minutes between tee times (eight minutes on the other four courses), which also cuts down on the number of rounds per year. 5) There are no carts allowed on the Black--it's walking only.

This might have been my 10th time playing the Black. Not sure. The other three guys were first-timers. At the 19th hole, over refreshments and postseason baseball, we all agreed there wasn't anything we played that day that fell in the manila folder labeled, "BAD HOLE." Here's a collection of commentary:

No. 1:
A stout starting hole. Stachura said his up-and-down 4 from the greenside bunker "felt like a birdie."
No. 2: Add a club (and a half) to your approach shot.
No. 3: Maybe the only "easy" hole.
No. 4: Can't get enough of the view from the back tees. There's a new groomed collection area behind the green.
No. 5: The card says par 4. I say it's a par 5.
No. 6: Either play back with a rescue toward the bunker on the right, or bomb driver over the left bunker for a short shot to the green.
No. 7: Left off the tee makes for the long way home. Right off the tee is tree jail.
No. 8: It's downhill, but don't play it that way. Short is wet.
No. 9: Play it over the left bunker, but not the tree on the left.

No. 10: If this course were a roller coaster, the 10th tee is where you get to the top and start the free-fall. A mother of all par 4s--during the 2002 Open, this is the hole where a number of pros complained that they couldn't reach the fairway--it also has a new collection area behind the green.
No. 11: Not really being able to see where you're going off the tee can make for some odd swings here.
No. 12: It sets up for a draw over the bunkers on the left and ends a trifecta of perfect par 4s. It can't go without saying Bestrom went par-par-par--making him a good choice of PARtner.
No.13: You have more room to the right than it appears on this par 5. If you hit it high, take it over the trees on the right. Before you leave the tee, glance at the new back tee that has been built for the 2009 Open. Yes, those guys ARE playing a different game than we are.
No. 14: Don't be short right. That's a crater or a canyon, but not a typical bunker.
No. 15: If you survive the Friday-afternoon traffic crossing the road (a poor squirrel was toes-up and didn't get to see the weekend), chances are you won't par the best hole on the golf course. Two perfect shots up the hill are only half the battle. On top of that, it's the most undulating green on the course.
No. 16: Now you're going back down the hill to end the collection of great par 4s.
No. 17: The best of four great par 3s, with a narrow landing area surrounded by sand and very little room for error. It's worthy of being mentioned in the same sentence as the 12th at Augusta, 16th at Cypress, seventh at Pebble and fifth at Pine Valley.
No. 18: A funky finishing hole. Visually the bunkering and the clubhouse is a good look. Don't love the hole, but don't hate it, either. After 15, 16 and 17 (not to mention one through 14, you need a break).

No. 19:
The beers are cold, service is swift and the blue jeans and t-shirts outnumber khakis and collars.

The sun was almost done for the day as we pulled out of the parking lot. I looked to the left and groups of guys had started grilling, cracking the coolers, setting up tents and were preparing to nest for the night. They were lining up for a Saturday starting time.

It's courses like this, at prices like we paid and in conditions that we played, that are good for the soul and spirit of the game of golf. We were all happy to have cancer boy back on the links. That poor squirrel could've used some of Stachura's "good" fortune.

--Matty G.

What's New In St. Andrews . . .

I received a series of press releases about the new Kittocks Course at the Fairmont St. Andrews (opened Oct. 1). I've edited down the information and thought I'd pass on. I also included some personal experience of staying at the Fairmont as well as calling the hotel and going through the booking process of their advertised "Winter Golf Package."

Here's the press release:

FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS OPENS KITTOCKS COURSE IN SCOTLAND

ST. ANDREWS, FIFE, UK--The Fairmont St. Andrews, a 5-star cliff-top resort in St. Andrews, Scotland opened its new Kittocks Course on Oct. 1. The Kittocks Course is the result of an extensive redesign of an older golf course on the property, formerly known as the Devlin Course.

They are celebrating the opening of the new Kittocks Course by offering all the tee times on Tuesday, Oct. 21 for free. Those interested in playing golf on the Kittocks course for free on this date should call 011.44.1334.837.023. 

Fairmont_final In addition to free golf, those attending Opening Day will be able to enjoy 50 percent off luxury spa treatments in the five star hotel's new signature spa. To book a spa treatment for Tuesday, Oct. 21, call 011.44.1334.837.045 in advance.

Players who can't make it to Fairmont St. Andrews on that day will find other great values on the Kittocks Course throughout the winter season, including rates as low as 99 pounds per foursome. 

"Kittocks is a fantastic course that hugs over a mile of St. Andrews coastline," said Gary Slatter, director of golf for Fairmont St Andrews.

The Kittocks course is a coastal golf course, with stunning views over the Eden Estuary and beaches of St. Andrews. The former Devlin course that reminded Gene Sarazen of Pebble Beach, has been rerouted with two holes coming from the Torrance course.

The rerouting of the two courses is part of an overall 13.5 million pounds upgrade for the hotel including refurbished rooms, a new sports bar with large LCD televisions, pool table plus a sensational signature spa.

The hotel also has a wide choice of bars and restaurants, including the award winning fine dining restaurant, Esperante and the Clubhouse which has sensational views out to sea and over to St. Andrews.
For those seeking the ultimate weekend break, the hotel has its own private helipad and arrival by helicopter can be arranged from Scotland's major airports.   

The redesign work of the Kittocks Course was overseen by U.S. golf course designer Gary Stephenson, who created the Lower Course at Whisper Rock Golf Club in Scottsdale. 

Additional projects underway as part of the remediation include a renovation of the Fairmont St. Andrews' Torrance Course (with a planned reopening in summer 2009 and its announcement as the final Open qualifying course for 2010 Open championship).

---------

I've stayed at the Fairmont St. Andrews in 2005--the weekend of the British Open. It was new and Amercianized, which is to say I had good food, wireless Internet access, a big comfortable bed and efficient bathroom necessities. If you've ever been across the pond, you know what I'm talking about (high shower heads, hot and cold water come out of the sink together instead of separately and a hardy flush from the toilet). That being said, I wasn't flush enough financially to utilize the helipad.

The Fairmont St. Andrews is only a few miles up the road from the town of St. Andrews, which is one of my favorite small towns in the world. The people, the pubs and all the gift shops make for fun foot tours.

I went to the Fairmont St. Andrews website and noticed a special "Winter Golf Package" running through November and December. I called and I'm working on a fake itinerary to stay and play Dec. 10-13. They say the package guarantees a round at the Old Course of St. Andrews and I'm also working on a round at the new seventh course at St. Andrews, the Castle Course, opened earlier this year and designed by David MacLay Kidd, who also designed Bandon Dunes in Ore. I haven't heard great things from some trusted sources about the Castle Course, but if I do eventually get over there I'll want to see it for myself.

The only prices I've been quoted so far is a double occupancy standard room rate at the Fairmont of 159 pounds per night (includes breakfast) and a round of golf at Kittocks on Dec. 10 of 40 pounds per player (doesn't include a cart).

They sent my reservations to the Old Course and I'm waiting to hear back about tee times and costs for the Old Course and Castle Course. Look in the "Comments" box below for an update in the next few days.

--Matty G.

Natalie Gulbis Talks Vegas

For this month's travel Q&A in Golf Digest I spoke to Natalie Gulbis about living in Las Vegas, travel troubles, working with Butch Harmon, and her relationship status.

Click here for a link to the entire interview.

And click here for a link to the Travel Time segment that appeared on the Golf Channel.

Gulbis_final_2_2 I have another Gulbis story I can share. I've coordinated a few photo shoots with Gulbis over the years, both at Sports Illustrated and at Golf Digest/Golf World. She has always been nothing but sweet to work with. She's incredibly candid and has a sincere dedication to the game and to winning. I also feel like her father, John, is often misunderstood or misinterpreted as a typical overbearing "little-league" parent, probably attributed more to his appearance than any of his actions. He simply looks like a man who loves long rides on a Harley. John Gulbis (pictured; bottom right) attended a few of the photo shoots I was on, he sat off-set and would never speak unless spoken to. He was anything but over-bearing and he seemed to let Natalie do her thing.

Gulbis was born in 1983, she started playing golf when she was 4, won her first tournament when she was 7, played in her first LPGA Tour event when she was 14 and turned pro when she was 18.

So much of our opinions about tour players, other athletes or celebrities are based on the chance encounters we have with them. To take you back to when I was the golf photo editor at Sports Illustrated and Gulbis was bursting onto the golf scene. This was probably 1999 or 2000. Gulbis is from Sacramento, Calif. and that’s where I sent the photographer to take a set of pictures for a story SI was running about her young success.

Right about the time the photo shoot was supposed to be taking place, I received a message on my voicemail. It was from Natalie. She was explaining to me that the photographer, John Burgess, had slipped off the side of a hill just as they started taking pictures. It was so bad they called the ambulance. She told me Burgess was on his way to the hospital and her and her father were going there as well, to make sure everything was OK.

"They had only met me for seven minutes," said Burgess. "They could've put me in the ambulance and said good luck. Instead they brought my truck to the hospital and waited there until help arrived. Not only that, I received a very sweet card in the mail from them a week later."

It turns out Burgess needed a plate and eight screws in a broken ankle.

Right before I was scheduled to speak to Natalie for this Q&A, I was in Northern, Calif. visiting some family. I just happened to bump into Burgess's wife (Santa Rosa's still a small town) and told her I would be interviewing Gulbis for Golf Digest. Burgess's wife told me to thank Gulbis again for everything her and her father did to help her husband that day.

At the end of my interview with Gulbis a few weeks ago, I reminded her of that fast photo shoot and passed on the appreciation on behalf of the Burgess family.

Gulbis remembered that crazy day and downplayed her and her father's above-and-beyond performance after Burgess had been injured. "He's the only photographer who has ever been hurt on any of my photo shoots," said Gulbis. "Thank you for sharing that."

As I told her in the interview, after she told me she passes time on long flights by reading Time and other business magazines, she's not just a pretty face.

--Matty G.

Torrey Pines In A Fog

I usually play golf in a figurative fog. But last week in San Diego, as I teed off on the South Course at Torrey Pines, the situation in front of us was a bank of fog so thick you had to wait for the group in front to yell, "All clear on the first fairway!" before you could hit your shot.

Torreypines I was in town because my parents just moved to San Diego and I wanted to see their new living situation. A good excuse to play my first round at the site of this year's U.S. Open. My dad, who turns 75 in November, my brother Mark and a best friend from high school, Todd Curran, joined me. They also live in San Diego.

Thankfully Todd had played Torrey enough to know where to aim us before every shot longer than 30 yards--the fog was that bad. It was my dad and I against Mark and Todd for a modest best ball of the twosome, so I never really trusted Todd's tips on Torrey, but he gave his partner enough bad navigation to feel as though he was at least trying to be fair.

The lack of vision (you could hear the ocean but never did see it) was unfortunate because I still can't really say I've played the course ranked No. 90 on our list of America's 100 Greatest Public Courses. We weren't able to see the flagsticks from the fairways until the tenth hole. Oddly enough, without being able to see the trouble, we all probably made better swings on the front nine than the back nine. There's probably an instruction tip in there somewhere: "How to swing like you're playing in a fog." John Daly might be a good author of that story.

I was warned by the golf shop before we played that we weren't catching the course in great condition. The rough had been cut since the pros played it, the greens had been punched two weeks before we were there and the fairways were dry and brown in some spots.

It was a Saturday, so San Diego City residents pay $49 and nonresidents pay $200 to play the South Course. Todd booked the 8:20 a.m. tee time the night before by calling the automated service (858-581-7171). We were pleasantly surprised to get such an ideal spot in the weekend rotation. Then we showed up and ran into what locals referred to as the "marine layer" and figured that's why we got the time we did on such short notice. You should also know, if you're coming with a group of 20 or more players, you can book tee times 90 days in advance. If you stay at the Lodge, you can book times in advance for 16 players or more, and you get a golf concierge to help coordinate food, drinks and keep score, etc. for what management considers a tournament.

I stayed at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, a high-end resort that opened in 2004 and is only a mile from Torrey Pines. This is where the USGA stayed when the Open was in town. There are 210 rooms (standard room rates are $299 to $349 from May through Sept.), three restaurants, a wine bar, gym, pool and spa with "manly" themed treatments for the "tired golfer." The property, 9.5 acres, used to be a horse ranch, and some of the doors still slide open. The resort is called a "sensory retreat" because there are 300 forms of vegetation strategically located so the smells stimulate your senses as you walk down the paved footpaths. (Roses surround the spa.) Estancia doesn't have an affiliation with the golf course, but the people there can help you get tee times.

My dad goes by Papa John. He's a lifetime 22-handicapper. His lack of flexibility is shortening and slowing his swing. It's a little sad to see, actually. Getting old is not easy on your golf game. But my dad's still a great putter. He's so good we also call him Johnny Jade because he's money with a jade-headed putter he got when he was on a trip to New Zealand a few years ago. My brother's a 16-handicapper, and Todd's a few shots better than that. I'm playing as an 8 right now. My dad and I took $35 from brother and best friend. My dad had an all-galaxy up-and-down for par on the 16th hole. He got a shot, so it was a 3 for 2, and it was a big momentum swing in our favor.

The real highlight for me wasn't necessarily the group, the golf or the occasional good shot at an Open venue. It had to be the yelling back to the group behind us. My dad has always loved to make noise on the golf course. He's a cart screecher, club slammer, change shaker, and he yelps if he misses a short putt. After all these years on the links with him, it can still catch me off guard.

Last week at Torrey, playing in the fog on the front nine, Papa John was a pig in a pile of dirt. He had a hall pass to holler on the golf course. "CLEAR ON THE SECOND GREEN!" Or he'd yell from the fairway to the green in front of us, "ARE YOU GUYS STILL UP THERE?" It was pretty funny. My brother would remind him he didn't need to yell so loud, that they were only 100 yards away. (We were sure they were hearing him all the way to Arizona.) As we'd walk off the green, Todd would remind him, "Papa John, let it rip." Sure enough, at the top of his lungs: "CLEAR HERE! COME ON UP!" He loved his role as course communicator almost as much as he loved our little victory.

We'll back to Torrey Pines in the coming months. I can't wait to see the front nine.

--Matty G.

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