Running 2022 Golf Thread

Biggest drive was Mobile to Auburn yesterday, about 3 1/2 hours. Normally they would have done Prattville first instead of backtracking to Montgomery but Auburn has a home game this weekend so we had to hit that today and backtrack. We're all loaded on a party bus so thankfully no driving on our part.

 

Here's a Maltbie story he told me one day when I was working on a piece about how bad the pro-am partners can be. He's playing the Bob Hope earlier in his career, not making a lot of money. On the first hole of the pro-am, he hits his tee shot, then walks up a bit past the amateur tees, slightly to the right, and turns his head to talk to his caddie.
"Rookie mistake," he told me.
Old guy shanks his drive and blasts Roger right in the ass. He said three days later half his left butt cheek had those big, hideous yellow and purple bruises.
Anyway, the guy apologizes profusely and proceeds to do it again every three holes. Finally, when they're done, he apologizes again and Roger tells him to forget about it.
Guys says, "No, I'm really sorry and allow me to show it." Dude was the second-richest guy in Palm Springs behind Sinatra. He owned a steak house, gave Maltbie and business card with a note on it that said to feed him and his caddie carte blanch the rest of the week. Guy also owned a Caddy dealership. Told Maltbie to turn in his rental car (the Tour wasn't giving out courtesy cars to everyone back then), go to his dealership the next day, and he could pick out his choice of car to use the rest of the week. He also owned a condo complex, and told Roger to check out whatever hotel he was in (it was a cheap one, Roger said) and move in there for the rest of the week.
Roger recounts all of this, then says, "After that you start to think about leaning into them [bad tee shots]."

 

I remember following his group around at Pebble in 1982. I think he spent more time setting down and picking up his cigarette than worrying about yardage.

That taught me two important lessons: 1. Don't waste money on smoking. 2. Step up and hit the damn ball.

 

Water. Screen.
Well done Mr. Michelob.

 

At the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion, I was at the USGA/partner hotel (for work) and late Saturday night I found myself in the elevator with Maltbie. I asked, "Will Phil finally close tomorrow?"

Maltbie: "As long as he doesn't step on his dick."

Waits a beat.

"He'll probably step on his dick."

 

If you were ever lucky enough to find yourself in the same bar as Maltbie, or at dinner, you didn’t forget it.

 

Tiger can still hit the ball but damn he is walking like an 80 yr old. When I read earlier he couldn’t play a tournament because it was too hard to walk, I was skeptical but now I see.

 

Even with that ball speed, this was the first time I looked at him and really thought “he’s the old dude out there.”