My Quest for a Pro-Am

I love golf. This is not news to anyone that knows me. And as a non-professional golfer, I am a fairly decent player. I hit the ball a long way off the tee, my long irons are iffy, and my putting is getting better. When I am not playing golf, I am usually watching it on television. The Golf Channel is on more that my wife would prefer, but what can she do? She is married to a golf nut.

Until this weekend, as much as I love the game, there is one thing that I had never had the priviledge of doing, and that is attend a live PGA Tour event. My daughter and I were fortunate enough to get a couple free passes to the practice round and Junior Golf Day at the Memorial yesterday. It was amazing to witness these golfers we had seen on TV for years up close and personal. We purchased a flag, and even got a few autographs. (My daughter was speechless when Rory McIlroy walked up to her and signed her flag.) I stood and watched one of my all-time favorites, Ernie Els, practice putting for about 20 minutes. A fascinating process. I am also going back on Saturday and am really looking forward to these guys actually hit in competition.

As we walked the grounds and watched the players a few things stood out. One, these guys really do hit the ball a LONG way. Even guys we had never heard of could bomb the ball 350 yards right down the middle. Next, most of the players are very nice and personable. They take time to talk with the fans, sign autographs, and show they care. I really appreciated that. Finally, the course is amazingly beautiful, but television really does not really do justice to the elevation changes and the undulations in the greens. They try with their computer graphics and charts, but until you actually walk the course, you have no idea how hilly it is. Plus, having played mostly public courses, I have never hit off of fairways that tight or pristine, and the tee boxes were like most of the greens I play. Which leads me to the point of this posting.

On Wednesday at most professional golf tourneys there is a Pro-Am tournament going on. This was no exception yesterday at the Memorial. There were 3 amatuer players paired with a professional player, and at the Memorial, they were top name players. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, among others. As I watched some of these poor guys hack it around with their pros, I wondered what it must be like to be inside the ropes with a tour pro, if only for just 18 holes. The amatuers even had caddies with their names on the back of the bibs  How cool is that!?!!? So, yesterday, it became my mission to find out. #1 on my "bucket list" is now to play in a pro-am!

I am not sure how one gets to enter a pro-am tournament, but I have heard that it involves a very large entry fee, sometimes up to $15,000 or more, which of course goes to charity. That's great, except that I work for a charity; a small, non-profit, homeless shelter and $15K is almost half of my annual salary. I also have a daughter with special needs which tends to place an extra burden on the family budget. Thus, I just don't believe my "financial advisor" would allow me to spend than we paid for my car on one round of golf. I payed $75 once at a really nice course I had been wanting to play for some time and she griped for weeks.

So, here is my quandry. How does an average guy, who loves golf, and is just trying to make the world around him a better place, get into a pro-am tournament? I can't afford to join a country club, and usually play budget golf. I have a discount book that I use at local courses, frequent GolfNow.com and other discount sites, and hate paying more than $30 for a round. I dream of one day playing Pebble Beach, Whistling Straights, Torrey Pines, and Pinehurst #2 is #1 on my list, but have never played any of the top 100 courses in the United States. One of those may happen someday, but dropping $10,000 on a pro am will not. There must be a way for budget conscience golfer to get invited and participate in a pro-am.

I have seen contests where entrants win a spot in a pro-am, and I always enter, but my history in winning things like that is typically "Thanks for entering! You will be notified if you are a winner." I am never notified. I do win the occassional golf club or hat, but never anything beyond that. Another option is to quit my awesome job at the shelter for homeless families and become a professional golfer. I could be the "Pro" in the pro-am. I have actually discussed this plan with my "financial advisor" and while I cannot repeat her response word for word, her demise and pigs sprouting wings on the same day were mentioned.

Perhaps my best chance may be to find one of those wealthy corporate sponsors that needs a 4th to complete their team, and hope they pick me based on my game. I am a 7 handicap after all, I could help a pro-am team. While there are certain professional golfers that I would prefer to play a round with, I am not picky as long as I am in a pro-am. Thus, if you have a team and are in need of a 4th, please email me. I am a really nice guy, don't drink beer, love a good joke, and play well under pressure.

You never know, this just might work.

Hit 'em straight!

Golf Marathon May 11, 2012

On May 11, 2012, I will be participating in my first golf marathon. This is a fundraiser for Family Promise of Northern Kentucky, the organziation for whom I work. Family Promise is the only homeless shelter in Northern Kentucky that keeps the entire family together during the crisis of temporary homelessness. I have never played 100 holes in one day, to the challenge should be extreme.

Yet, this is a fundraiser. So, if you are reading this and have the means, please consider sponsoring me for this worthy cause. Your tax deductible donation will go to supporting children and their families who are homeless in Northern Kentucky.

Also, follow me on Twitter, @bhobstetter, for updates throughout the day on May 11 on how I am playing, how I feel, weather and anything else interesting I can think. Will probably include several pictures as well.

If you would like more information, or would like to sponsor me in my efforts (please!), go to www.nkyihngolf.org.

Thanks!

This is not the basketball I know

I grew up watching college basketball and playing basketball. Then, for the past few years, I lost interest, mostly because my teams were not very good. This year, Ohio State and Kentucky both have good teams, so I have become more interested and started watching again. As I have watched, it seems to me that the game has changed from a game of grace and finesse to a game of power and contact. I have also noticed that officiating across the board is terrible. Maybe the game has sped up to the point where the officials are unable to keep pace with the players and just cannot see all the fouls. Or perhaps, the college game has gone to a more NBA approach, but whatever the case, I do not like this version of basketball.

In particular it seems the better the player, the fewer foul calls he gets. The two examples I see are Anthony Davis of Kentucky and Jared Sullinger of Ohio State. These guys are constantly being hacked, bumped, pushed, and pounded in the paint, with few calls. But should they breathe in the direction of another player, they are called for a foul. I am a firm believer that if it is a foul for one player, it should be a foul for all players, no matter who they are. Sullinger has been showing some frustration on the court lately, as he should. The man is being mugged almost every trip down the court, and the refs are not protecting him.

It is not just against Kentucky and Ohio State that officiating is lax. I was watching a game between two other Big 10 teams the other night, with similar results; poor and inconsistent officiating. I could argue that in some cases, the inconsistent officiating has affected the outcome of the game. It almost cost Ohio State last night at Northwestern, when a missed foul call allowed the other team to get the ball and tie the game.

My other BIG peeve with basketball officiating is not calling a foul in the last 10 seconds of the game. I believe that if it is a foul in the first 10 seconds of the game, it should be a foul in the last 10 seconds of the game. How many times have we seen a player get hacked on a 3 point attempt or in the paint at the end of the game with no call. Why do the refs suddenly swallow their whistle when the game is on the line. If it is a foul, call it

At least the madness will be over soon. I am really just using basketball to kill time until baseball season finally begins. Go Reds!