by Gary Williams | Jun 14, 2024 | Blog
The grandiosity of the U.S. Open was on display on Thursday. Big crowds ringing many of the holes at Pinehurst, in particular the 1st when the top three players in the world teed off, made it look and feel significant. I’ve not heard of any shuttle nightmares or logistical issues yet, but the presentation of the championship and the physical footprint is very impressive. Tiger Woods was off early, and his day began quite well with an opening birdie on the par 5, 10th hole. He also added a few nice par saves before a rash of bogeys on five… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jun 13, 2024 | Blog
When you conduct the U.S. Open in Pinehurst you are in an environment where the players, dignitaries, administrators and sponsors are self-contained in a small village. Dinners, breakfasts and simply walking around you are likely to bump into tons of people who play or used to play. Wednesday morning, I met some friends for breakfast at the Carolina Inn the historic hotel that sits ½ mile from the resort and the first tee at Pinehurst No. 2. I said good morning to Matt Kuchar in the coffee shop and he expressed utter delight at the hotel and the village. He… Read more
by Gary Williams | Jun 12, 2024 | Blog
Tuesday was a dry, warm day and the rain that fell at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday night was a temporary respite for the field of 156 players who would love to see the golf course softened some before the gun goes off on Thursday morning. Temperatures are expected to continue rising as the week progresses and the golf course has a dry firmness that will allow No. 2 to play at its most interesting. Tuesday is always a big press conference day and the mid-morning saw a flurry of top players make their way into the interview room. In… Read more
by Gary Williams | May 27, 2024 | Blog
Cunning, baffling, powerful. I heard those three words for the first time in a treatment facility where I was an inpatient being cared for and counseled for the disease of alcoholism. Those words are not simply part of the lexicon of anyone in recovery, they are the cold facts about the disease that can be treated but not cured. Grayson Murray knew those words and I believe he had a true understanding of what those words will always signify for anyone in recovery. That while we all want the daily reprieve from our condition, it never offers a guarantee beyond… Read more
by Gary Williams | Apr 24, 2024 | Blog
Chic Anderson and Frank Ricard had their moments, but they were separated by 30 years. In 1973 Anderson famously called Secretariat’s then and now record 31-length victory in the Belmont Stakes. In 2003 Ricard famously left “Mitchapalooza” to go streaking through the quad in the epic film, “Old School”. I thought about both men, one real and one fictional as Nelly Korda and Scottie Scheffler were polishing off their latest wins. Streaking in sports is a far more appealing thing than Frank the Tank headed to KFC, not that him being picked up by his wife and her friends on… Read more
by Gary Williams | Apr 13, 2024 | Blog
Oftentimes golfers give the impression that they are never satisfied. Friday at Augusta National exposed the frayed edges of a field of players taxed to the limit by a grueling examination of golf. The calamity of Jordan Spieth on the 15th hole Friday morning that resulted in a quadruple bogey 9 was the first of so many colossal blunders by the best players in the world. Viktor Hovland’s had a 3-inch back stab that effectively ended his week. Zach Johnson made a triple bogey on the 12th hole and the patrons, 150 yards away gave him a smattering of applause… Read more
by Gary Williams | Apr 11, 2024 | Blog
The eve of any major championship takes on the same atmosphere except for the Masters. The presence of the Par 3 contest brings a little levity and distraction from the mundane and fatiguing dynamic of the other three majors. The big golf course is closed, and the attention of the fans overwhelmingly is trained on the delightful short course. The par 3 course at Augusta National is another example of the vision of the club. George Cobb originally designed the short course in 1958 and today many new private destination clubs construct short courses as an additional asset for their… Read more
by Gary Williams | Apr 10, 2024 | Blog
Tuesday was a persistent overcast day with very light showers early in the morning. A very pleasant day for fans to walk the golf course and players to get a ton of work done. Tuesday is also the big press conference day and the overall mood I sensed from the interview room was subdued and somewhat flat from most of the players. I do not think that’s telling for a few of them but was revealing for a few others. Tuesday observations: Viktor Hovland has a curious mind, and it appears he’s in deep on the swing thoughts. He’s a… Read more
by Gary Williams | Apr 9, 2024 | Blog
Driving down to Augusta from Charlotte is a very civilized drive. Two hours and twenty minutes, all interstate on a Sunday morning was a great way to get my mind right for the week ahead. I departed from my regular car routine of talk radio to 70’s and 80’s music to get into a nostalgic state. Augusta is a time capsule when you are on the property from the prices to the absence of cell phones. For me, I am constantly reminded of so many past Masters, from first recollections, to first in person experience with Mom and Dad in… Read more
by Gary Williams | Nov 9, 2023 | Blog
If you’re told something enough times, you’ll likely to start believing it even if it may reside far from the truth. Behaviors and attitudes are galvanized from perceptions and shifting the momentum of firmly entrenched beliefs is an arduous task. Golf, as an overarching experience, is rooted in many things that appear far less than appealing. Exclusionary, unpliable, stuffy, snobbish, and hard. There are some who would and have signed up for the ride based on those ‘earned” labels and hopefully most of them, from a bygone era, are long gone. There are still those who inhabit the golf ecosystem… Read more
