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That's 13,250 Foursomes

January 26, 2008

You have responded, um, enthusiastically, to the Golf Digest U.S. Open Contest. At last count more than 53,000 of you have submitted essays arguing that you should be the average-golfer representative in the foursome that plays Torrey Pines a few days before the Open under the lights of NBC cameras.

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The essays are funny, moving, inspiring and amazing. Some of them suggest that golf is, as my spouse has suggested, an illness. But most just indicate that you've fallen in love and you can't get out.

Every profession in the world is represented, from air traffic controller fighter pilot, opera singer to rock guitarist, gynecologist to Health and Human Services Secretary. Nearly every branch of the military service, the teaching profession, the entertainment field and medicine is here. Plus a lot of moms and dads. A sampling of recent entries:

Mercedes, from West Hartford, CT:

While I can blast the ball past the average guy, I'm not goofy enough to think that I'm Tiger or Lorena. The key: play smart. I played the day before my son was born (and having gained 62 lbs.!) and seriously considered playing between contractions the next day This is cake. My husband died five months later. Golf has been my salvation ever since. Playing in front of the world is nothing. What's the worse that can happen? Even a bad shot can be the basis for a good story. I have many.

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