Conference 7.286::golf

    
    Baltusrol GC (Lower) Springfield NJ. 

    
    Speaking of Jack (still N not V), is he playing in the US Open?
    
    I heard an interview with him that if he did not qualify, or get
    an exemption, he wouldn't play.  He did not have a very good year
    last year, did he do anything worth qualifying himself for?
    
    If not, do you think he will get an execmption. I would bet he
    does.
    
    --bob
    

    It's been awhile since I've seen it, but Baltusrol's Lower course is a
    real nice track. Some neat 5's, some GREAT 3's, and I liked the
    mid-length par 4's. They had flat, Tillinghast characteristic greens
    with lots of interesting pin placements, plus, you get what you carry
    in the air on a tee shot. Never saw the Upper course. Real first rate
    clubhouse and Pro Shop - as you would suspect. Everyone talks about #4
    - the 196 yard par 3, but as I recall, there is a significantly longer
    one on the back that is actually better (IMO...).
    
    __Jack

    
    Jack,
    
    Who do you have down as your favourites ?
    
    The shark is playing some awsome golf and Boom Boom must be getting
    over his domestic. It seems wide open on the US tour nobody really
    dominating.
    
    Maybe John Daly after a good show at the Masters ? I would like to see
    him win again and spend some time in Europe, he will get good support
    here.
    
    Beware of Faldo he is hungry for that title.
    
    
    Leigh

    This has probably changed, since the last time I tried to list my
    favorites, but it might be of interest to a few golf "junkies." No
    particular order, unless I mention otherwise...
    
    Massachusetts:
    The Country Club
    Salem
    Plymouth
    Myopia Hunt Club
    Whitinsville
    Winchester
    Brae Burn
    Crumpin-Fox
    
    New Hampshire:
    Nothing
    
    Connecticut:
    Farmington Country Club (Where I learned. Willie Park course...)
    Fisher's Island - TERRIFIC COURSE
    
    New York:
    Winged Foot - West
    Shinnecock Hills
    Garden City
    7 Oaks - Colgate University Course
    Leatherstocking - Cooperstown
    Sagamore
    Maidstone
    National Golf Links
    Piping Rock
    Century
    
    
    New Jersey:
    Pine Valley
    Metedeconk
    Ridgewood
    
    Pennsylvania:
    Merion - best one I've played in the U.S.
    
    Texas:
    Champions - Cypress Creek
    
    MidWest:
    Scioto - one of the best anywhere
    Medinah #3
    Shoreacres
    Olympia Fields
    Muirfield Village - not great, but HARD!!
    Skokie
    Inverness
    Coldstream
    
    Far West:
    University of New Mexico - South
    Los Angeles C.C. - North
    Olympic
    
    British Isles:
    Turnberry - I like it better than St. Andrews
    Carnoustie - Harder than a French prison
    Western Gailes
    Muirfield - The REAL Muirfield... Nasty "Captain"
    Royal Troon
    Prestwick
    Guess I should say St. Andrews, but I wasn't real impressed. Since I'm
    a normal golfer, and played it once, it isn't fair to knock it.
    
    Ireland:
    EVERYTHING!
    Royal County Down - Best I've ever seen/will see.
    Rosses Point - Goose bumps.
    Lahinch - The goats play better than I do.
    Ballybunion - Old course is real nice.
    Waterville - skip the front 9, play the back...
    Royal Portrush - Great course, but Police interrogations are more fun... 
    Portmarnock - Brutal. Terrific.
    
     Haven't been to the U.K. yet, but I'm sure I'll love everything there.
    As a general rule, if the architect is dead, I'll probably like the
    course. An exception is Roger Rulewich, some of Rees Jones' stuff, ans
    a little bit of Silva and Tom Fazio.
     
    

    Apologies. I read "who" as "what." Sorry for the filibuster.
    Hope Norman or Daly wins, but Faldo, Price and Couples will be tough.
    Langer, too. Chip Beck will probably work to make a cheque...

    Rocco Mediate played well to win the Greensboro open he did it
    with a smile on his face , i was impressed with the guys swing and
    attitude.
    
    That chap Brooks appears a strange putter, roll on the Ryder Cup
    we can get a good look at the leading lights of the USA Tour.
    
    
    Do you think we should have a world tour:
    12 rds over differnt courses like the Motor racing, i dont suppose it
    would get off the ground as weekly events generate the spondies.
    
    what ya fink
    
    
    Joe

    RE: Favorites
    
    Jack, don't you play in the southeast section of the US?  I was
    surprised to see no Carolina or Florida courses on your list.
    
    BTW, if you've played Scotland, then you have visited the UK.
    
    TG

     Sorry about the "UK" gaffe. Truthfully, I've only played a couple of
    Fla. courses - many years ago. I played all 3 courses at the old "PGA
    National" (later, I think, JDM) before MacArthur changed the name. I
    also visited Port St. Lucie. Other than that - nada. At that point in
    my life, I didn't appreciate/value great courses - regrettably. Florida
    has some, and some of the new ones are supposedly terrific.
    
    __Jack

    RE: -1
    
    JAck, I am just beginning to appreciate the game, so I don't yet
    appreciate great courses.  I am in FLA 2 weeks a year, and tend to look
    for the value/less crowded courses.  I know the great courses are
    there, but I tend to pass them on my way to the cheapies.
    
    I will be in Scotland next week, and have planned on at least playing
    Turnberry.  hopefully Troon will be in the plans too.  Can't wait for
    this.
    
    TG

    I get goose bumps just thinking about Turnberry (and the 9th hole...).
    I envy you. The back 9 at Royal Troon is very strong also. You'll be
    seeing 2 courses in a week that are better than most of us in the
    States see in a lifetime. Good Luck !
    
    __Jack

    Can anyone tell me about this guy Rocco Mediate, looks as though
    he has got a Major or two in him.
    
    He takes the club away like Faldo is he a Leadbetter lad like
    Nick Price.
    
    Where is Bill Rogers he won the Open at Sandwich and looked
    destined for fame and fortune , does he still play.
    I think he won in 81 but i aint sure, he also played in the Matchplay
    at Wentworth the same yr.
    
    Tip if anyone has got a few bob to spare bet on the U.S. winning
    the Ryder Cup the European Tour is not as stong as it was our
    superstars are fading we will have a few chaps who dont win a
    point.
    
    Joe.

To answer a question someone asked in this note, I read in the latest GOLF 
magazine that Jack Nicklaus has been granted an exemption to play in the
U.S. Open this year. There was another player listed also but I don't
remember who it was.

Mad Hacker

    
    Ok....with the U.S Open a mere 3 weeks away who's going to win it?
    Which players are showing good form going into the Tournament?
    
    Three players I'm sure will be there or there abouts are the
    following :
    
    Tom Kite - good finish last week and if he's fully recovered from his
               back trouble he could grab that 2nd Major.
    
    Bernhard Langer - a great Master's victory coupled with the fact that
                      he is again, after curing the yips for the 3rd time,
                      a fabulous putter. He could be there again.
    
    Nick Faldo - The man everyone loves to hate is desperate to win this
                 title after losing the '88 play-off to Curtis Strange.
                 He is also running into form. Could be his next major.
    
    
    It was 23 years ago at Hazeltine the last time a European won the
    title. I reckon we'll have to wait another year....I'm going for
    Tom Kite.
    
    Del.
    
    

    Don't forget Nick Price, he is driving better than anyone right now and
    his greens in reg. ain't bad!

    Thanks to the kindness of others, I'll get to spend a day at the U.S.
    Open this year. I have a good friend who is turning 50 on Sat., so his
    wife put together a special "present" for him. She bought 8 tickets to
    The Open, and reserved a room in the area nearby for 4 nights. He
    invited 4 of his college pals to come down for one day each - and
    spend the night, before driving back on the following day.
    
    I don't care which day I go, and weekends will be a zoo anyway, so I'll
    probably opt for Thurs. or Fri. There are two slight glitches:
    
    1. My fiancees' mom is coming from California for a visit - probably
    Weds. or Thursday. Fortunately, we get along very well, and she (at
    least) will understand.
    
    2. That's about the time we announce final "roster cuts" in my
    department. Quite honestly, I doubt whether at this point, my taking a
    day off to watch The Open will make a difference. If I get axed, it
    won't matter whether I find out Fri. or the following Mon., and if I
    don't, it doesn't matter anyway. I've known my host a hell of a lot
    longer than I've been with DEC, so my decision is pretty easy.
    
     Looking forward to seeing Baltusrol again, although I'm sure not
    looking forward to the traffic. Anybody know the area well and have any
    recommendations on places where two guys sans "balls and chains" can
    have some fun ?
    
    __Jack

    Jack,
    
    
    What is a ball and chain ?
    
    
    

Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
From: martin@chiton.ucsd.edu (Martin Olivera)
Subject: Re: U.S. Open Qualifying
Organization: Scripps Inst. of Oceanography - MPL
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 1993 16:02:24 GMT
Lines: 92
 
Dave:
 
There are 13 categories for exemption from US Open qualifying:
 
1- US Open champions for the last 10 years
2- 1992 US Amateur Champion
3- PGA Cahmpionship winners for the last 5 years
4- British Open champions for the last 5 years
5- Masters winnners for the last 5 years.
6- Winner of the 1993 Players Championship.
7- 1992 US Senior Open champion.
8- The lowest 15 scores and ties from last year's US Open
9- Top 30 money winners from the 1992 final official US PGA Tour list.
10- Top 10 money winners on the official 1993 PGA Tour money list through June 6
11- International players not otherwise exempt as selected by the USGA Executive
    Committee.
12- Special exemptions as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.
13- The top two money winners on the official 1993 PGA European Tour list,
    through May 31.
 
 
Now, here's the list of this year's exempt players, and the category through
which they qualify (btw, Eric Hoose?, a Nike Tour player, sank a 15-foot
birdie putt to eliminate Phil Mickelson in a playoff yesterday):
 
Robert Allenby		11
Billy Andrade		 8
Paul Azinger		 9
Ian Baker-Finch		 4,8
Seve Ballesteros	 4
Chip Beck		 9
Jay Don Blake		 8
Mark Brooks		 9
Billy Ray Brown		 9
Mark Calcavecchia	 4
Keith Clearwater	 9
John Cook		 8,9
Fred Couples		 5,9
John Daly		 3
David Edwards		 9
Steve Elkington		 9
Ernie Els		11
Nick Faldo		 4,5,8
Brad Faxon		 9
Raymond Floyd		 1,9
Anders Forsbrand	11
Dan Forsman		 9
David Frost		 9
Jim Gallagher	 	 9
Bob Gilder		 8
Wayne Grady		 3
Jay Haas	 	 9
Mike Hulbert		 8
John Huston		 9
Hale Irwin		 1
Lee Janzen		 9
Tony Johnstone		11
Tom Kite		 1,8,9
Barry Lane		11
Bernhard Langer		 5,11
Larry Laoretti		 7
Tom Lehman		 3,9
a- Justin Leonard	 2
Bruce Lietzke		 9
Davis Love III		 9
Sandy Lyle		11
Mark McCumber		 8
Colin Montgomerie	 8
Gil Morgan		 8
Larry Nelson		 1
Jack Nicklaus		12
Greg Norman		 9
Andy North		 1
J.M. Olazabal		11
Mark O'Meara		 9
Jumbo Ozaki		11
Craig Parry		11
Steve Pate		 9
Corey Pavin		 9
David Peoples		 9
Nick Price		 3,6,8,9
Scott Simpson		 1
Joey Sindelar		 8
Vijay Singh		11
Jeff Sluman		 3,8,9
Craig Stadler		 9
Payne Stewart		 1,3
Curtis Strange		 1
Duffy Waldorf		 9
Tom Watson		12
Ian Woosnam		 5,8
Fuzzy Zoeller		 1

    "Ball and chain" - slang for wife, significant other, etc. Comes from
    the concept of prisoners dragging a weighted ball attached to their
    ankles to keep them from escaping. I KNOW I'll get some heat for this
    reply...
    
    __Jack

    
        "Ball and chain" - slang for husband, significant other, etc....
    	(or perhaps work)
    
    	-Laura  ;-)
    
    
    
    

    Anyone know if Ed Kirby qualified? (he was in a playoff)
	
    Thanks,
    Dan

    per today's boston globe, he did qualify, via playoff.

    
    
     Can someone in the States post a few updates on the state of play
    during the tournament? Those on this side of the water without SKY TV
    will have to rely on highlights from the BBC to find out how the OPEN
    is going.
    
     Cheers,
    
           Danny.

    I have sky TV and recording most of the play, to watch later.
    So if you do enter results, please put a spoiler in front of them.
    
    Cheers,
    
    Raj

    
    
    Gary Hoch  and Greg Sindalaar at -4  lead; Fred at -2
    
    Scores are low - greens slow, low wind, rough short.  144 projected
    cut.
    
    Norman is +3, Kite +5.
    

    The 16 year old from CA. ended up +6.  He was doing good until a triple
    bogey on 10.  
    
    Joey Sindalaar!!!!  Kite bled all over the course.  Lee Jansen looks
    like a good bet.
    

    I wish I could bleed as slow as Tom Kite :-)
    
    Wim
    

    Who would have thought Lee Janzen would survive both Saturday and
    Sunday?  You have to give him tons of kudos...he played absolutely
    brilliant golf.  Sunday's round was what golf is really all about; two
    golfers going at it, each giving everything he has, each one getting a
    few breaks here and there.  Kind of ironic that the approach shots to
    18 could have changed the outcome dramatically if: Payne's second shot
    would have kicked left and rolled on the green; now he's putting for
    eagle.  Or, if Lee's shot would have kicked right in the thick rough
    (or possibly in the bunker).

    In either case, the kid (Janzen) was tough all day.  I felt that Payne
    was just waiting for Janzen to make a mistake so he could take
    advantage.  Never happened though.  One of the best Opens in a long
    time.

    Dale

    
    	Peter Allis (sp?) should be muzzled forever!
    

Re: -.1
    
>    	Peter Allis (sp?) should be muzzled forever!

	Excuse me but I think you got Peter Alliss and Brent Musberger
	confused.  Peter stays, but get Brent away from the golf course.
	
	Signed Can't wait for the British Open so we can hear Alliss
	again,

    
    	Absolutely not.  I don't care for either but Peter Alliss
    	takes 40 words to say what should take 10.  He's nothing
    	but hot air.
    
    	

    
    
    Get rid of McKay and Whittaker, along with Cheeseburger!!!

    I was at Baltusrol Thursday, and saw most of the big guys either play
    or hit balls. The gallery was great - especially considering that the
    Open is a major sporting event, and its proximity to New York. Prices
    were fair, and amenities were also good. Transportation to the course
    was kind of screwed up, especially considering that the USGA knew how
    many folks they had to provide for.
    
    It's been years since I last played it, but for some reason, Baltusrol
    just didn't really excite me - especially as a US Open course. I know,
    I know, they've had a million Opens there, but it just didn't have that
    special air. The greens weren't that quick (in general), and lacked
    some of the subtleties that, for instance, a Brookline has. Here's an
    interesting sidebar - on the day before I left for the Open, I could
    have played a one day member-guest at Brookline. Unfortunately, I
    forgot to check my phone messages, so I missed this last minute invite.
    I'd have played lousy, but I sure like that golf course...
    
    Unbelievable how well, and how long those guys hit it! Woosnam hit it
    by Daly a few times, and Norman and Sindelar also killed it. Norman has
    a lot of the old Seve-type charisma. Watson is hitting it well, despite
    a pratice swing that puts the club in a "toe down" position at the top,
    and a "live" swing that has it shut (with the driver, anyway). I can
    tell you that Daly's feat on #17 was monumental - that hole is one
    long, bad boy!
    
    Spent my one evening in "Joisey" with my pals at a bar called
    "Shooters" that is hard to describe. Suffice it to say that
    entertainers down there can do some things that Mass. frowns on, but
    can't do others. The following night, the boys got a tip on a place
    billed as a "Nude Juice Bar." Can't wait to hear the stories from that
    one...
    
    __Jack  

    RE: 29
    
    (Who would have thought, Jansen)  Check out .27 entered Fri. morning. 
    Too bad I didn't place a bet!!

    
    
     Having watched the highlights on the BBC, I thought the competition
    didn't really start until the final day when Janzen and Stewart went
    head to head. I don't know what it was, but I never got the feeling
    that Stewart was going to win it. He seemed to be leaving most of his
    putts a little short, maybe he was a bit tentative. Janzen was superb
    on the final day, looked in complete control all the way round.
    
     Highlights of the tourney - Janzen's 2 at 16, Lyle's hole in one
    at 12, Watson's par putt on 18 on the final day and of course, Daly's
    2 massive shots on the 17th. That's real power.
    
     Lows - apart from Barry Lane, a poor showing from the Euro players,
    Watson missing a lot of shortish putts. He's striking the ball as well
    as ever but struggles from 10 feet in.
    
     Danny.

    
    
    RE: .1
    
    So did you take up my tip of Faldo to win ? I really did think it would
    be his year Faldo is so desperate to win that title maybe he is putting
    too much pressure on himself.
    
    It was nice seeing a new face in the major winners enclosure the guy played
    brilliant golf, I disagree with previous comments suggesting Stewart
    was waiting for Janzen to move back, it was a fair course but tough to
    make birdie.
    
    What a treat to see John Daly rip into 17 with drive and 1 iron that
    was awesome and made the TV licence worth while I look forward to
    following him around a course in UK sometime that will be real
    entertainment.
    
    Well done Lee Janzen.
    
    
    Leigh