Watson gracious runner-up, even during flight

Here are a few final observations on last week's British Open golf championship:

On my trip home Monday, I spent time with Andy North, ABC golf analyst, at the airport in Glasgow, Scotland. North and Tom Watson are the same age, 59. They competed for many years on the PGA Tour and are close friends.
North, who is a two-time U.S. Open champion, said of his buddy Watson:
"He hit a perfect iron shot on 18. It's 182 yards to the flag, and he hits an eight iron. If he miss-hits the shot at all, he wins the Open. He played spectacularly all week; and in the end, he handled it well. But he always has."
When I got on the plane to London, I found myself seated two rows behind Watson, his wife, Hillary, and North.
During the flight, an autograph seeker brought one of the British tabloids for Watson to sign. This started the onslaught.
Another English girl approached him. Then it was a middle-aged man. He was followed by three older Asian men. Finally, the flight attendant asked Watson if he objected to the interruptions.
"No, that's all right," Watson said with a smile.
Again it was apparent why this man is the beloved golf legend that he is.
I mentioned last week that I ran into Jim Nantz from CBS last week on the course at Turnberry.
He indicated that he was leaving the tournament Sunday. When I saw part of the final round on the BBC television network, I was surprised to see Nantz doing some commentary in the booth.
We exchanged e-mails this week, and he said, "I wasn't going to miss that round even if it meant I had to elbow my way into the BBC broadcast booth and work for free."
Golf fans will be interested to know that the 2010 British Open championship, the 150th in golf history, will be at St. Andrews Golf Club, where golf originated.
ESPN will televise the event, and coverage will begin at 5 a.m. the first two days running through the final putt being holed in the first two rounds.
The network will provide full weekend coverage for the final two rounds. All shots from start to finish will be aired on ESPN.
The PGA Championship will be golf's final major of the season. It will be Aug. 13 to 16 at Hazeltine Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.
The past few years, the PGA Championship has provided the most exciting finishes of the season. It's hard to believe that it could get much better than The Masters or the British Open.
I found myself in the United Airlines Red Carpet room on Monday between flights from London to Chicago. As luck would have it, I was in the same area with a bunch of national writers, and Rick Reilly from Sports Illustrated was holding court.
"Do you guys realize that the biggest stories at golf's two majors this year have been the losers?" Reilly asked.
Losers? Well, that might be a relative term.
Memorial tournament
I am happy to report that the response for the Beth Smith memorial tournament Aug. 7 at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course has been phenomenal.
Beth was the wife of PGA Tour player Chris Smith from Peru. She was killed in an automobile accident on Fathers Day. Chris' kids, Abigail and Cameron, are out of the hospital and starting their long recovery.
The outpouring of support for the Smiths has been off the charts. The afternoon shotgun is full with 216 players. A morning shotgun has been scheduled as well.
Those who play in the morning will be treated to a "free" tournament on the par-3 course in the afternoon, which will be a good reason to stick around for dinner. Players will enjoy lunch and dinner.
One of the highlights of the day will be the auction of memorabilia donated by sports and entertainment icons. The PGA Tour has lent its support for the event as well. Mac Fritz, co-organizer of the event, has arranged rounds of golf with Kenny Perry, Steve Stricker, John Cook, Jerry Kelly and Nick Price.
Fritz has gotten signed clubs from Stricker, Camilo Villegas, Davis Love III, Zach Johnson, Hunter Mahan and Vijay Singh. There are rounds of golf at some of the nation's legendary courses. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Padraig Harrignton and Jim Furyk all have donated signed flags from winning tournaments.
Colts players have donated jerseys. Kenny G and Kenny Chesney have supported the event with some unbelievable items.
Others to participate are Nantz, Nick Faldo, Alan Jackson, Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic of ESPN's "Mike and Mike in the Morning," Martina McBride and music group Alabama.
Finally, the St. Louis Cardinals are donating signed jerseys from Chris Carpenter, Albert Pujols and Tony LaRussa. Each comes with four premium tickets and an on-field experience that includes dugout access prior to the game and field access during batting practice.
There are more than 100 auction items available.
Dinner tickets are available for $50, which gives you access to the auction. For more information on dinner or playing in the tournament, contact me at tblegends@aol.com or call 736-8939.
All proceeds go directly to Smith and his kids, Abigail and Cameron.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course and secretary for PGA of America.

Old Tom took game to brink of history

Sunday broke with the hope of history. The debate already was starting. Should Tom Watson win the 149th Open Champ-ionship, where would this settle in the annals of competitive sport?

The BBC commentators were quite open. Even given the fact that two Englishmen, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher, were nipping at the old man’s heels, Watson would be the crowd favorite. You see, the British appreciate an American who relishes their sacred competitions.
Over the years in golf, many of the greats never made the event a frequent stop. Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson avoided the British Open with regularity.
Talk to the Brits and they will tell you that it wasn’t until 1970 when American players started making the summer trip across the pond, and they credit Arnold Palmer as being the captain of that eastbound ship.
In the mid-70s, along came Tom Watson. The Kansas City, Mo., native and Stanford graduate soon found links golf to his liking.
Needless to say, if I would have told you last week that a Stanford grad with the initials “T.W.” would be leading the Open heading to the 72nd hole, you would have guessed Tiger Woods and not Watson.
Prior to Watson’s 2:20 p.m. tee time, I attended a private luncheon with R&A officials. My host was Gordon Jeffries, and I asked him what in sports would compare with a Watson victory.
“I suppose if Bjorn Borg came out of retirement and won Wimbledon again with a wooden racket, that might compare,” Jeffries answered.
Those of us who work in golf or play the game know the cruelty the sport can sometimes bring. It
reared its ugly head in the final two holes at Augusta this year when it appeared Kenny Perry would be the oldest winner of a major championship.
Today after Watson birdied the 17th hole, it appeared the improbable championship was in his grasp. And when he hit a perfect tee shot safely into the fairway at 18, there was little doubt.
“Oh, Thomas, Thomas, Thomas,” Peter Alliss sighed. “You are proving that miracles do happen. Fairy tales come true. This is something we thought we would never see. Tom Watson, the great champion, some forty-odd days away from his 60th birthday with a chance to win his sixth Open championship.”
Then, as happens in golf, Watson struck what appeared to be a perfect 8-iron on his second shot, and the ball just stayed in the air and carried well onto the green and rolled off the back into the rough behind.
“That was real unlucky,” Alliss remarked. “In the old days, he would pop out a sand wedge and pitch it close.”
But, Watson elected to putt and whipped it past the hole by 10 feet. He showed the frailty of his aging nerves by fanning what would have been a winning putt to the right, forcing a four-hole playoff with another American, Stewart Cink.
Poor Cink. Here is a guy who has played 14 years on the PGA Tour.
This was his 54th major championship, and he wore the tag of “the best never to win a major.” Cink is likeable among everyone in golf, but he went to the playoff being the villain. The world was rooting for Tom.
“I have always been an under the radar guy. I am the guy that nobody really ever roots for,” Cink said. “Saturday, I played with Lee Westwood. He’s a Brit, and the crowd was with him. So, I knew the feeling. I was used to it. Maybe that will change now.”
We all knew that Watson missed his chance on the 72nd hole. It was obvious to the naked eye that he knew it, too. Clearly deflated in the playoff, he grew weary and looked like a 60-year-old who simply had nothing left in the tank.
But there was a lesson to be learned. Sometimes more is learned in defeat than victory. On a day when some of the game’s great young players have been criticized for not handling bad shots well, Watson was graceful and elegant in his behavior when things were plummeting out of control.
As Watson played the final playoff hole, he was four shots down to Cink. Watson hit a spectator with an errant tee shot, and he sincerely apologized to the gent upon arriving to his ball. He continued to hit wayward shots and finally scraped in a bogey losing the four-hole playoff by six shots.
When Watson sank his final putt, Cink stepped back and applauded the effort. Watson tried to keep a smile on his worn-out face throughout all of the adversity. There was no display of frustration in what had to be one of the most painful hours of his competitive career.
As one BBC commentator aptly put it, “Stewart sinks Tom’s dream.”
The trophy presentation at golf’s oldest championship was one of the most unusual in the history of the game.
There was Watson, 59 years old, being presented the silver medal.
Cink, at age 36, was handed the claret jug.
Matteo Manassero, the 16-year-old Italian, was recognized as the leading amateur.
Three generations were represented.
For 71 holes, old Tom Watson played like young Tom Watson. He gave us memories that we all will take to the grave. He left Turnberry as a champion.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary for PGA of America. He has been reporting from the British Open in Scotland.

Photo Caption: Sunday broke with the hope of history. The debate already was starting. Should Tom Watson win the 149th Open Champ-ionship, where would this settle in the annals of competitive sport?
The BBC commentators were quite open. Even given the fact that two Englishmen, Lee Westwood and Ross Fisher, were nipping at the old man’s heels, Watson would be the crowd favorite. You see, the British appreciate an American who relishes their sacred competitions.
Over the years in golf, many of the greats never made the event a frequent stop. Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson avoided the British Open with regularity.

Conditions, BBC chatter, hanging with Nantz make for great day

Friday was my first chance to get on the course and see Turnberry, site of this week’s British Open golf championship.

The group that I picked to follow included Kenny Perry (1 over par to start the round), a Kentucky native and Masters runner-up; Greg Norman (7 over), a former Open winner; and Oliver Wilson (2 over) from England, who was a European Ryder Cup member in 2008.
The weather, or lack thereof, was a major story in the first couple of days of this Open Championship. Sunny calm skies were the order of the day Thursday. The second round forecast was for rain and wind.
The Scottish weather people have totally missed it. It has been slightly breezy, cloudy and warmer than predicted. The weather has been reflected in the scores. The most recent time the Open was at Turnberry in 1994, the cut score was 4 over par.
The key to scoring at Turnberry is accurate driving. The fescue, called “hee” by the Scots, is very healthy near the fairway cut. An errant tee shot almost certainly will result in a bogey or, at least, a great saving par.
The terrain at Turnberry is rugged. It is tough walking for the spectators, and there were many reported injuries Thursday from falls down the hillsides. The course is a true links course, as players go out for 11 holes and return to the clubhouse on the final seven holes.
A necessary part of walking and watching the Open at Turnberry is buying one of the small transistor radios that broadcast the BBC feed on 107.5 FM. The cost for the radio and two extra sets of AA batteries is 10 pounds ($16.20).
The BBC radio feed always is entertaining. The announcers invite e-mails from all over the world throughout the broadcast and periodically read questions from listeners. Comments came from across the globe, including Australia, Morocco, Japan, Portu-gal, Sweden and the United States.
The questions and answers both are unpredictable. The dialogue can be as hysterical as an episode of “Monty Python.”
One discussion dealt with the greatest rain-jacket player of all-time. After a little debate, it was agreed that Sandy Lyle, a Scot, was the winner. There was an all-out argument on whether “shades” (sunglasses) caused distortion on the green when trying to read putts.
As Camilo Villegas went to the first tee, a BBC commentator re-marked, “Villegas always wears tight fitting shirts to show he is ripped.”
This prompted a response from his BBC colleague, “The only time in your life that you have been ripped is when you drank too much beer.”
As I reached the sixth tee at Turnberry, a 231-yard par-3, I looked over my left shoulder and found myself standing next to Jim Nantz of CBS sports. We have become acquaintances over the past couple of years, and it was great to rekindle our friendship.
The Emmy Award-winning announcer was making his first trip to the Open Championship since 1980.
“I am just here walking and watching,” Nantz said.
Interestingly, he also had the BBC transistor plugged into his left ear listening to the broadcast.
Nantz will be at Turnberry until Sunday. He asked about his good friend, Craig Kelley, vice president of media relations for the Indianapolis Colts, and said, “Wait until Craig hears that we met on the sixth tee at Turnberry.”
We walked the hole and watched the group play the tough par 3. As we reached the sixth green, our vantage point was one of the highest on the course. We could see the seventh and 17th, two great par 5s.
Nantz smiled and said, “Television just doesn’t do it justice, does it?”
Nantz left for the hospitality area, where he had an obligation with Rolex. I left for the media center, where I had an obligation with you to meet a deadline.
As I write, I hear the rain pounding on the media tent. The television monitor in front of me shows umbrellas, sideways rain and grimaces from players who are out on the course grinding to make the cut and finish the round.
It keeps raining harder, and for the moment these are Open Championship conditions at their best.
The weather people have been saved.
So, to all of you lads and lassies, “See you on the weekend.”
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary for PGA of America. He is reporting this week from the British Open in Scotland.

Photo Caption: Friday was my first chance to get on the course and see Turnberry, site of this week’s British Open golf championship.
The group that I picked to follow included Kenny Perry (1 over par to start the round), a Kentucky native and Masters runner-up; Greg Norman (7 over), a former Open winner; and Oliver Wilson (2 over) from England, who was a European Ryder Cup member in 2008.

Caddy source of Scottish history, ‘in-law’ golf lingo

The 2009 British Open Championship began at Turnberry on Thursday.

My day started in perfect fashion with a 7:30 a.m. starting time a few miles away at Prestwick Golf Club. This is significant because the Open Championship began in 1860, and Prestwick hosted golf’s oldest event for its first 12 years.
I would like to take a moment and introduce you to my caddy, Chris McBride. He is going to help take us through this wonderful Scottish journey.
Caddies can be a fruitful source for history and trivia. In my lifetime, I have been fortunate to play some great courses with caddies — Augusta National, Pine Valley, Oakmont and Royal Troon, just to name a few.
McBride rates as the finest caddy I have ever had because he provided more than just correct yardages, local advice and the line on my putts.
He helped me understand the
significance of the Open Championship and how this part of the world has shaped championship golf as we know it.
His descendents were Irish. They changed their name from the Irish McBryde to the Scottish McBride. They did so, hoping to get jobs in the Scottish shipyards at a time when Irish Catholics couldn’t get hired.
According to McBride, the greatest Scottish golfer in history was Alan Robertson.
“He was undefeated in four-ball play. No one could touch him, not even Old Tom Morris,” McBride said.
Robertson was a golf ball maker, and one of his “featheries” recently sold for $46,000. He died in 1859 and is buried 20 feet to the right of Old and Young Tom Morris at St. Andrews.
Upon Robertson’s death, heated arguments surfaced all over Scotland as to who was now the country’s best player.
In 1860, the first Open Championship was contested solely for the reason of seeing who would be Robertson’s successor. It was a three-round, stroke-play tournament, and Prestwick was chosen as the site. At the time, the course had 12 holes.
The tournament was played in a single day.
“They started in the dark and finished in the dark,” McBride said.
The winner was Willie Park.
Prestwick later was converted to an 18-hole course. The most recent Open Championship played there was in 1925.
There is a stone monument on the site of the original first tee. When the course opened, the No. 1 hole was a 587-yard par-6. In 1870, Young Tom Morris made a three on the hole on his way to winning the Open.
The 17th hole at Prestwick, a par 4, is known as “Alps” because the green lies over three large hills. It is the only undisturbed hole from the 1851 layout.
There is not much maintainable turf at today’s Prestwick. The 18-hole layout rests on about 85 acres in Ayshire, within eyesight of Turnberry Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.
Even though it is no longer on the Open Championship rotation, it still is used for major amateur championships. Prestwick remains a marvelous test of golfing skills; and despite today’s modern equipment, the course is challenging and fun to play. It is a course that reminds all who play it of “the essence of links golf as originally conceived,” it says on the scorecard from Prestwick.
My group consisted of fellow PGA officers, Jim Remy, president; Allen Wronowski, vice president; and Joe Steranka, chief executive officer.
We played from the club designated tees of the day, about 6,500 yards. Our round finished under the allowed 4 hours and 11 minutes for a foursome, and we walked.
I used a driver once in the first five holes. The “wee stretch” from holes 7 to 13 featured five par-4s that ranged in length from 430 to 460 yards, a 215-yard par-3 and a 550-yard par-5. The home stretch included the 16th and 18th, which were 284 and 288 yards and were drivable.
Prestwick was an 18-course meal that provided everything your golfing taste buds could ever want.
During the round, I learned several new golf terms courtesy of McBride, the caddy.
“A son-in-law shot” is not what you were hoping for, but you will live with it. Let me go on record as saying that I have two great sons-in-law.
“A mother-in-law shot” is looking good going away. No comment.
“A sister-in-law shot” is up there where you know you shouldn’t be. Hmm.
“A Lebanese Hotel” is one of the large sand bunkers at Prestwick.
Even for a guy as savvy as McBride, this is an exciting week.
“The local train was loaded at 6 a.m. today,” he said. “Lots of foreigners headed to the Open.”
The weather forecast looks perfect, and somebody could shoot 63 at Turnberry this week.
“It’ll probably be somebody in the first round that won’t finish in the top 10,” McBride said.
McBride will be heading to Turnberry for the final round.
“We have a group of Americans coming in on Sunday morning to play. They don’t know it yet, but I am riding with them on their bus up to Turnberry. I can’t wait to get there,” he said.
And I think that says it all about being at this Open Championship.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary for PGA of America. He is in Scotland this week reporting on the British Open.

Photo Caption: The 2009 British Open Championship began at Turnberry on Thursday.
My day started in perfect fashion with a 7:30 a.m. starting time a few miles away at Prestwick Golf Club. This is significant because the Open Championship began in 1860, and Prestwick hosted golf’s oldest event for its first 12 years.

In Scotland, duffers go out for ‘knock’

After a good night’s rest, I was up early in the morning, awakened by the squawking of sea gulls. That seems to be a daily occurrence around 4:30 a.m.

Our lodging accommodations in Scotland are nice but very European in the sense that there is no air conditioning and the rooms are rather small.
The sinks have separate hot and cold spigots, so when I shave, I try to evenly distribute water in the sink. The hot water here is scalding. You can actually use tap water to brew a cup of instant coffee in the morning. It’s that hot.
There are seven rooms in the house where we stay. Four are occupied by the PGA of America and three by local residents. As I left the house this morning with golf shoes in hand, I was asked by a Scottish gentleman if I was going out for “a knock.”
Looking puzzled and my mind wandering to what he might mean, I asked, “What is a knock?”
To which he replied, “Golf.”
So, we headed to Dundonald Links for a knock with the British PGA.
The trip to Dundonald was crazy. We got lost and the GPS malfunctioned, so it was another wacky driving experience in Scotland. We arrived right at tee time.
Dundonald Links is a typical Scottish course with fescue rough and pot bunkers as the predominant driving obstacles. The early-morning weather was stellar, with bright sunny skies and little wind. The temperature reached 70 degrees, and the wind stayed down.
This course had very undulated greens, and the fairway bunkers were strategically placed in the landing areas. These bunkers were more penal than those at Royal Troon. If the ball was in the
bunker, it was a definite sand wedge to get out. In some cases the shot had to be hit sideways to escape the steep faces.
On Tuesday we were told by the locals that Dundonald Links is one of the toughest courses in Scotland. It is a newer facility, only seven years old and relatively unknown by Scottish standards. However, it was a great test, and I enjoyed it very much.
The Scot Rail runs alongside Dundonald. This is the same train that passed Troon on Tuesday, making the hourly round trip from Glasgow to Ayre.
Located on the other side of the railroad tracks was a course called Western Gailes, which had three Perry tour buses in its parking lot. According to our caddies, these buses contained Americans who are welcomed by the Scottish economy.
Today was an opportunity for us, as PGA leaders, to spend time with our British counterparts. Following golf, we had a couple of hours to discuss pertinent issues relating to the golf industry and both associations.
One topic of discussion, sure to be receiving worldwide exposure, is the possibility of adding golf to the competition at the Summer Olympics in 2016. British oddsmakers will take bets on the likelihood that this will happen. The conventional wisdom in the golf industry is that golf probably will be added to the Olympics.
The format of play will be 72 holes of stroke play. Sixty players would comprise the field, which will be filled by the World Golf Rankings. The biggest twist is that a country like the United States would have a maximum two players in the competition. Many in the sport feel that the global attention given to golf by the Olympics will be good for the game.
On Wednesday we headed to Turnberry for a reception with the British PGA. Then it was on to another reception and dinner with the Royal and Ancient Golf Association later in the evening.
Today will be our last round of golf before the Open Championship occupies the rest of our week. Our destination in the morning will be Prestwick Golf Club, site of the first Open Championship in 1860, won by Willie Park. This is truly one of golf’s sacred venues, and it promises to be memorable.
The Open Championship tees off at 6:30 a.m. Scottish time today and Friday. This is golf’s largest field, and the final tee times each day are slated for 4:30 p.m.
I look forward to walking the course and reporting on the tournament.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary for PGA of America. He is in Scotland this week for
the British Open.

Photo Caption: After a good night’s rest, I was up early in the morning, awakened by the squawking of sea gulls. That seems to be a daily occurrence around 4:30 a.m.
Our lodging accommodations in Scotland are nice but very European in the sense that there is no air conditioning and the rooms are rather small.

Surroundings, company make for great day of golf at Royal Troon

This trip is my first away from North America. I have always heard of jet lag, and now that I have experienced it, let me confidently tell you that it is not exaggerated.

After being up for about 40 straight hours, I awoke at 1:30 a.m. Indiana time Tuesday to start my day. Psychologically, that was a blow.
My first destination was the Royal Troon Golf Club and a 7:50 a.m. local tee time. This is one of the spectacular courses that are part of the regular rotation for the British Open.
Built in 1878, Royal Troon is a seaside links course. The opening seven holes run away from the clubhouse and overlook the ocean.
The tournament tees at Royal Troon stretch 7,175 yards. We caught this Scottish gem on a docile morning. The sun shone brilliantly off the ocean, and the breeze was rather gentle. The fairways, although irrigated, were a mixture of green and brown turf, which is customary for Scottish links courses.
The greens were excellent and a little on the slow side. The bunkers at Royal Troon are classic pot bunkering with faces featuring layered stacked sod. The bunkers are deep, and the sod walls can be a nemesis. The sand is brown and heavy but very playable.
I made my first birdie of the trip on the fifth hole, a 210-yard par-3. I hit a 5-wood into the wind about 12 feet from the hole and made the putt.
I mentioned that the first seven holes were seaside. The eighth hole is a 123-yard par-3 that features a small green. As a result, it is named “Postage Stamp.”
The locals refer to the fescue rough at Royal Troon as “hinchu.” And, as the Scots say, the first foot is “rather juicy.” That’s a fact that I can testify to.
The No. 1 handicap hole on Royal Troon is the 11th, called “The Railway” because a train runs along the right side of the hole. This train runs from Ayre to Glasgow, which is about a 35-minute trip.
Separating the golf course from the railroad track is a stone fence built in 1784 by Bill Shepman. This par-4 hole played 421 yards for us, 490 yards from the tournament tee.
I never knew Shepman, but I am in debt to him. My errant second shot, struck with a 5-iron, went way to the right and bounced off Shepman’s wall onto the green about 25 feet from the hole. I collected my par and moved on.
As you can imagine, a place like Royal Troon is laced with history. Recent Open winners include Todd Hamilton, Justin Leonard, Tom Watson, Tom Weiskopf and Arnold Palmer. The next Open to be played at Troon probably will be 2014, although that announcement is forthcoming.
This was one of those rare days in golf when the surroundings, circumstances and company far outweighed the quality of the shots hit. My caddy, Kevin, has toted bags around Royal Troon for 20 years and in his own words “is the youngest lad in the company.”
After lunch at Royal Troon, we headed over to Turnberry and our first look at the site for this week’s British Open Championship.
One of the most pleasant parts of the day was being in the clubhouse when Jim Remy, president of the PGA of America, informed Tom Lehman that we are giving him an exemption to next month’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine in his home state of Minnesota.
Lehman, a former Masters champion and Ryder Cup captain, responded with a big hug to Remy and a heartfelt thank-you.
“I know you guys have important sponsors at the PGA; and if there is anything I can do to help, just ask,” Lehman said.
That was a classy move by one of the greatest guys to ever play professional golf.
We walked around the main area and kind of got our bearings for the rest of the week. I checked into the media center and was assigned my worksite for the week. Kenny Perry was in the media center interview room at the time.
Turnberry is about 30 minutes from our lodging in Ayre. On the way home, we drove the coastal road. This will be our route to and from Turnberry each day. It is less traveled, and the scenery is breathtaking.
The road winds along the steep cliffs overlooking the Turnberry Bay, part of the Atlantic Ocean. Scotland has many beautiful, small cottages. Most are made of stone or stucco. The properties are clean and tidy. Many dwellings are perched on hilltops, where the beauty reaches as far as the eye can see.
The fields and meadows are luscious and emerald green. The white dots you see are hundreds of sheep that graze on the hillsides.
Joining the sheep are herds of cattle. One particular species is known as the belted cow. This black cow dates to ancient times and is native to Scotland. This cow has a white ring around its middle, resembling a belt, and that is why they call it the belted cow.
Life here seems simple.
As I finish writing this column from the small tea room at the Ellisland Hotel, a group of local residents is enjoying afternoon tea.
The chattering stops, and the ladies turn to the small television in the room. The Sky Network is showing live footage of eight Union Jack flag-draped coffins that are being returned from Afghanistan. These are British soldiers who were killed in action a few days ago, the worst disaster of the war for this country.
Reality always has a way of showing up, even for the Scots.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and secretary for PGA of America.

Photo Caption: This trip is my first away from North America. I have always heard of jet lag, and now that I have experienced it, let me confidently tell you that it is not exaggerated.
After being up for about 40 straight hours, I awoke at 1:30 a.m. Indiana time Tuesday to start my day. Psychologically, that was a blow.

The Evolution of Melvin Bullitt: The Golfer

Melvin Bullitt came to the Indianapolis Colts two years ago as an undrafted free agent from Texas A&M. In 2008, his second NFL season, Bullitt started 12 games and led the team in interceptions, including three game-saving picks in the final seconds to seal Colt victories. He has also been a stalwart on special teams.

Prior to the Indiana PGA’s Play Golf America Day on May 29, Bullitt had been to a golf course only one time. On his trip to The Legends last spring, he had no expectations of becoming a golfer. “The Colts asked me to come, so I did. I wasn’t really interested in golf until I had the experience of a real hit that day!” said Bullitt.

That “real hit”, an ironic phrase from one of the Colts’ hardest hitters, was like the seductive glance from a good lookin’ girl! It was the hook that was going to change Melvin Bullitt’s summer. After two hours of instruction on that day in May, he was officially bitten by the golf bug.

“I am real athletic, and I didn’t respect the athleticism that goes into golf,” said Bullitt.

Over the next three weeks, Bullitt and I got together for several golf lessons. During this time, Melvin re-worked his wardrobe to include stylish Nike golf clothes. He embraced his new set of Cobra clubs and he became an avid viewer of the Golf Channel. It was apparent that he was becoming a student of the game.

It was not uncommon for me to get a text from Melvin regarding the PGA Tour event that was being played, or some other programming that was being aired on the Golf Channel. One time, he even let me know that he was watching Michele Wie in an LPGA tournament! This might sound like strange behavior to the non-golfer, but for those of us that know the sport- this was the evolution of a golfer!  

Bullitt will tell you that football and golf have some things in common. “In some ways they are really similar. You have to be patient because everything doesn’t go your way,” observed Bullitt. “You can’t over do it. You don’t force it.”

“When I started hitting golf balls, I thought it was all about the arms. I learned that I wasn’t utilizing all of my power and that I needed to use my hips and legs. It is like making a tackle, even though you use your arms- the power is in the legs,” said Bullitt.      

Melvin continued to work hard. He hit a lot of balls. When he played, the scores were high. “The first time I played this summer, I shot 81 for 9 holes. Making consistent contact with the ball was hard,” laughed Bullitt. “But, the more I worked on it, I hit it every time. I started to get precise and began to figure things out like how to open or close the club face to control my distance.”

As the summer rolled by, it was time for Melvin to head to his hometown of Dallas. It was here that he continued his golf with Ronny Glanton, PGA professional at Sherrill Park GC. “He is very motivated and a great listener,” said Glanton of Bullitt. “He is highly competitive and expects to get better.”

“Most importantly, Melvin is an unbelievable person. What he does with his local football program is amazing. He donates his time, teaching drills and techniques to kids. He just gives back.  His dad instilled a lot of moral character in him. Melvin is a class act,” said Glanton.

Bullitt started getting better on the course. His low score to date is 47 for nine holes. He lists his first ever birdie as his biggest thrill. “It was Hole 9 at Woodbridge Golf Club in Wilie, TX. It is a par 4 and we played from the blue tees, about 450 yards, and I made a 20 yard putt!” Spoken like a true football player- yards not feet!

Bullitt will be the first to tell you that his time with the PGA professionals was valuable. “It was very important. I used the help from the pros to get better. Patience is the key to golf and they taught me that. The other thing that I learned is that you have to be well conditioned to play golf. My swing changes after 11 or 12 holes when I get physically tired,” said Melvin.

“I have a hard time maintaining my concentration. Golf is helping me learn to focus. I think the things that I have learned from golf in regard to focusing will help me study my playbook better,” said Bullitt. “Getting ready to hit a shot in golf is like preparing for the next play in football. I should be better with my concentration.”

And like all golf fans, Bullitt has a favorite player. “Of course, it’s Tiger,” he laughed. “But, there’s a new Cat out there. They call him Spider Man. He’s ripped. I don’t know much about him yet, but I like watching him!” said Bullitt. He speaks of Camilo Villegas.

What does Bullitt expect long term from golf?  “This sounds crazy, but eventually seven or eight years from now, when I am done playing- I want to be a full time pro. It will be my number one sport,” projected Bullitt.

“I would encourage all kids to give it a shot. I promise you, golf is something you will enjoy. Many minority kids need the opportunity to experience golf. You never know what might happen to a kid who gets a chance to play golf,” said Melvin. 

This weekend Melvin Bullitt joins his Colt teammates at training camp. He will be hanging up the clubs and shifting his attention to his current number one game- football.

“I am excited for the season to start. We control our own destiny. We have a lot of talent and I am really looking forward to playing for Coach (Jim) Caldwell,” said Bullitt. “There is going to be a lot of moving around on defense and a new special teams coach. I’m ready!”

Bullitt will again be listed behind All-Pro Safety, Bob Sanders on the Colts’ depth chart. “He is still my mentor. Bob and Antoine (Bethea) are the best Safeties in the league. I just have to be ready to play. I know I will get my chances.”  

And the golf clubs?

“Yep, the golf clubs get put away until early February when we hopefully finish our business. As soon as we take care of that, I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a round of golf!” exclaimed Melvin.

Bullitt wears No. 33 on the field. Want to make a bet when this guy shoots his number on the golf course? It’s not if, just a matter of when!     

Busy week in Scotland includes driving on ‘wrong’ side of road

This week I will be sharing with you my experiences from The Open Champ-ionship at Turnberry’s Ailsa course in Scotland.

This is the oldest golf championship in the world. It is commonly called The British Open by us Yanks.
This is the country where golf originated. The winner of the Open Championship gets the Claret Jug, a sterling silver pitcher that has provided many victory toasts through the years.
It also is a place where you drive on the left side of the road and steer the vehicle from the passenger’s seat. If you are unlucky like me, you get a manual transmission, which means you shift gears with the left hand. The roundabouts can be more challenging than Turnberry’s 17th, a par-5, 559-yard hole.
It’s 3:15 p.m. Monday here in Ayrshire where I am staying. I have been up since 6 a.m. Sunday, so please excuse any sloppiness in this writing. We are staying in a bed and breakfast connected to the Ellisland Hotel about 30 minutes from Turnberry.
The Scottish people are known for their warmth, hospitality, Scotch whisky and fresh fish. They haven’t let me down yet. I am just having a hard time understanding their thick brogue.
This is my first trip “across the
pond,” and my PGA itinerary for the week is as follows:
Monday: Arrive and recover from jet lag
Today: Play golf at Royal Troon and meet with the British PGA
Wednesday: Play golf at Dundonald; attend the British PGA Reception/Supper; the R&A Reception and Dinner. The PGA of America is good about having me be two places at one time.
Thursday: Play golf at Prestwick, one of Scotland’s oldest courses. Attend the British Open in the afternoon. Tee times start at 8:30 a.m. and run through 2:30 p.m. because it doesn’t get dark until 10 p.m.
Friday: Attend the British Open all day. In the evening, we have dinner with the Turner Sports crew on the Orient Express. This is the famous train that triggered the movie “Murder on the Orient Express.”
Saturday: Another full day at Turnberry
Sunday: More of the Open and a private lunch for my wife and I with Hamish Richie, the Captain of the Royal & Ancient, the governing body of golf everywhere except the United States.
The weather here on the western coast of Scotland promises to change every hour or so, as evidenced by Monday. It can be sunny and warm, cloud up and rain like crazy and then cool off and get windy. The Scottish caddies say that the weather will change five times during the typical 18-hole round at Turnberry.
This is the fourth Open Championship to be played at Turnberry. During World War II, the course was used as a British airfield, parts of which still are visible today.
It was built for pilots being trained to fly Liberator bombers, which were used for sorties against German submarines. There are monuments on the course to commemorate those who lost their lives during World War II in training missions at Turnberry.
Part of the Turnberry crest features a lighthouse which stands on the headland between the Firth of Clyde and Turnberry Bay. It offers a spectacular backdrop for this week’s worldwide television coverage. Most golfers in this part of the world would say that Turnberry could be Scotland’s most scenic coastal links course.
In 1977 at Turnberry, Tom Watson defeated Jack Nicklaus in the famed “Duel in the Sun.” Greg Norman was the winner in 1986. Nick Price was the 1994 winner by a shot over Jesper Parnevik. The three winners all were ranked at the top, or near it, in the World Golf Rankings.
Most experts feel that Turnberry will not produce a long-shot winner in 2009, unlike at The Masters and U.S. Open.
The British Open usually is about players manufacturing shots to combat the weather and the elements it might produce. Rain and changing winds are sure to be factors at Turnberry.
My plan this week is to give you a little bit about the Scottish culture, my experiences here and a lot of information on the British Open.
As far as a prediction goes, I have nothing to gain and everything to lose. But, that being said, Tiger Woods is my pick this week, and I designated a general long-shot pick in both The Masters and U.S. Open earlier this year.
When Tiger drives it well, he plays well. This will be major championship No. 15 for the dominant player in modern day golf.
On a somber note, Beth Smith, wife of PGA Tour player Chris Smith, will be laid to rest today in Peru, Ind. Support for the Beth Smith Memorial Tournament, scheduled for Aug. 7 at The Legends of Indiana Golf Course, has been incredible. For details and information, visit legendsof
indiana.com.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and is secretary for PGA of America.

Photo Caption: This week I will be sharing with you my experiences from The Open Champ-ionship at Turnberry’s Ailsa course in Scotland.
This is the oldest golf championship in the world. It is commonly called The British Open by us Yanks.

2009 British Open

Day 2 Scotland

This trip is my first away from North America. I have always heard of jet lag and now that I have experienced it, let me confidently tell you that it is not underrated! After being up for approximately 40 straight hours, I awoke on Tuesday morning at 1:30 a.m. EST (Indiana time) to start my day. And psychologically that was a blow!

My first destination was the Royal Troon Golf Club and a 7:50 a.m. local tee time. This is one of the spectacular courses that are part of the regular rotation for the British Open. Built in 1878, Royal Troon is a seaside links course. The opening seven holes run away from the clubhouse and overlook the ocean.

The tournament tees at Royal Troon stretch 7,175 yards. We caught this Scottish gem on a docile morning. The sun shone brilliantly off the ocean and the breeze was rather gentle. The fairways, although irrigated were a mixture of green and brown turf, which is customary for Scottish links courses.

The greens were excellent and a little on the slow side. The bunkering at Royal Troon is classic pot bunkering with faces featuring layered stacked sod. The bunkers are deep and the sod walls can be a nemesis. The sand is brown and heavy, but very playable.

I made my first birdie of the trip on the 5^th hole, a 210 yard par three. I hit a 5-wood into the wind about 12 feet from the hole and made the putt. I mentioned that the first seven holes were seaside. The 8^th hole is a 123-yard par three, which features a small green and as a result it is named “Postage Stamp”.

The locals refer to the fescue rough at Royal Troon as “hinchu” and as the Scots say, the first foot is “rather juicy”. That is a fact that I can testify to!

The number one handicap hole on Royal Troon is the 11^th called “The Railway” because a train runs alongside the right of the hole. This train runs from Ayre to Glasgow, which is about a 35 minute trip. Separating the golf course from the railroad track is a stone fence built in 1784 by Bill Shepman.  This par four hole played 421 yards for us- 490 yards from the tournament tee.

I never knew Bill Shepman, but I am now in debt to him! My errant second shot, struck with a 5-iron, went wayward to the right and bounced off Shepman’s wall onto the green about 25 feet from the hole. I collected my par and moved on.

As you can imagine, a place like Royal Troon is laced with history. Recent Open winners include Todd Hamilton, Justin Leonard, Tom Watson, Tom Weiskopf and Arnold Palmer. The next Open to be played at Troon will probably be 2014, although that announcement is forthcoming.

This was one of those rare days in golf when the surroundings, circumstances and company far outweigh the quality of the shots hit. My caddy, Kevin, has toted bags around Royal Troon for 20 years and in his own words, “is the youngest lad in the company.”

After lunch at Royal Troon we headed over to Turnberry and our first look at the site for this week’s Open Championship. One of the real pleasant parts of the day was being in the clubhouse when Jim Remy, President of the PGA of America, informed Tom Lehman that we are giving him an exemption to next month’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine in his home state of Minnesota.

Lehman, a former Masters champion and Ryder Cup Captain, responded with a big hug to Remy and a heartfelt thank you. “I know you guys have important sponsors at the PGA and if there is anything I can do to help, just ask.” That was a classy move by one of the all-time great guys to play professional golf.

We walked around the main area and kind of got our bearings for the rest of the week. I checked into the Media Center and was assigned my worksite the week. Kenny Perry was in the media center interview room at the time.

Turnberry is located about 30 minutes from our lodging in Ayre. On the way home, we drove the coastal road. This will be our route to and from Turnberry each day. It is less traveled and the scenery is breath taking.

The road winds along the steep cliffs overlooking the Turnberry Bay, part of the Atlantic Ocean. Scotland is inhabited by many beautiful, small cottages. Most are made of stone or stucco. The properties are clean and tidy. Many dwellings are perched on the tops of hills where the beauty reaches as far as the eye can see.

The fields and meadows are luscious and emerald green. The white dots you see are hundreds of sheep that graze on the hillsides. Joining the sheep are herds of cattle. One particular species is known as the belted cow. This black cow dates back to ancient times and is native to Scotland. This cow actually has a white ring around its middle, resembling a belt and that is why they call it the belted cow.

Life here………. seems simple.

As I finish writing this story from the small tea room at the Ellisland Hotel, six local ladies are nearby enjoying their afternoon tea.

The chattering stops and the ladies turn to the small television in the room. The Sky Network is showing live footage of eight Union Jack flag draped coffins that are being returned from Afghanistan. These are British soldiers who were killed in action a few days ago- the worst disaster of the war for this country.

Reality always has a way of showing up………. even for the Scots. 

 

Day 4 Scotland:

The 2009 Open Championship began at Turnberry on Thursday morning. I would say that my day started in perfect fashion with a 7:30 a.m. starting time a few miles away at Prestwick Golf Club.

This is significant because the Open Championship began in 1860 and Prestwick hosted golf’s oldest event for its first 12 years. I would like to take a moment and introduce you to my caddy, Chris McBride. He is going to help take us through this wonderful Scottish journey.

Caddies can be a fruitful source for history and trivia. In my lifetime, I have been fortunate to play some great courses with caddies- Augusta National, Pine Valley, Oakmont and Royal Troon, just to name a few. Chris McBride rates as the finest caddy I have ever had because he provided more than just correct yardages, local advice and the line on my putts.

Chris helped me understand the significance of the Open Championship and how this part of the world has shaped championship golf as we know it. His descendents were Irish. They changed their name from the Irish McBryde to the Scottish McBride. They did so, hoping to get jobs in the Scottish shipyards at a time when Irish Catholics couldn’t get hired.                

According to McBride, the greatest Scottish golfer in history was a fellow named Alan Robertson. “He was undefeated in four ball play. No one could touch him- not even Old Tom Morris,” said McBride.

Robertson was a golf ball maker and one of his “featheries” recently sold for 28,000 pounds! He died in 1859 and is buried twenty feet to the right of Old and Young Tom Morris at St. Andrews. Upon Robertson’s death, heated arguments surfaced all over Scotland as to who would be the countries best player would be.

In 1860 the first Open Championship was held solely for the reason of seeing who would be Robertson’s successor. It was a three round stroke play tournament and  Prestwick was chosen as the site.

At the time, the course had 12 holes. The Open Championship of 1860 was won by Willie Park. It consisted of three 12-hole rounds in one day. “They started in the dark and finished in the dark,” said McBride.

Over the years, Prestwick was converted to an 18-hole course. The last Open Championship played there was in 1925. There is a stone monument on the site where the original first tee was. When the course opened, the #1 hole was a 587 yard, par six. In 1870, Young Tom Morris made a three on the hole on his way to winning the Open.

The 17^th hole, a par 4, at Prestwick is known as “Alps” because the green lies over and beneath the base of three large hills. It is the only original and undisturbed hole from the 1851 layout. It was then the 2^nd hole. 

There is not much maintainable turf at today’s Prestwick. The 18-hole layout rests on about 85 acres of land, which is located in Ayshire within eyesight of Turnberry Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.

“Even though it is no longer on the Open Championship rota, it is still used for major Amateur Championships. Prestwick remains to this day a marvelous test of golfing skills and despite today’s modern equipment the course is still challenging and fun to play. It is a course which reminds all who play it of the essence of links golf as originally conceived,” says the scorecard from Prestwick.

My group consisted of fellow PGA Officers, Jim Remy, President; Allen Wronowski, Vice President plus Joe Steranka, Chief Executive Officer. We played Prestwick from the club designated tees of the day, about 6,500 yards. Our round finished under the allowed 4 hours and 11 minutes for a foursome and we walked.

I used a driver once in the first five holes. The “wee stretch” from 7 through 13 featured five par 4’s that ranged in length from 430-460 yards; a 215 yard par three and a 550 yard par five. The home stretch included the 16^th and 18^th which were 284-288 yard holes that were drivable. Prestwick was an 18-course meal that provided everything your taste buds could ever want!

During the round, I learned several new golf terms courtesy of McBride, the caddy.

“A son-in-law shot” is not what you were hoping for, but you will live with it. Let me go on record as saying that I have two great son-in-laws.

“A mother-in-law shot” is looking good going away. No comment.

“A sister-in-law shot” is up there where you know you shouldn’t be. Hmmmm.

“A Lebanese Hotel” is one of the large sand bunkers at Prestwick.

Even for a guy as savvy as McBride, this is an exciting week. “The local train was loaded at 6 a.m. this morning. Lots of foreigners headed to the Open. The weather forecast looks perfect and somebody could shoot 63 out there this week. It’ll probably be somebody in the first round that won’t finish in the top 10,” quipped McBride.

“We have a group of Americans coming in on Sunday morning to play. They don’t know it yet, but I am riding with them on their bus up to Turnberry. I can’t wait to get there,” concluded McBride.

And I think that says it all about being at this Open Championship!

Day 5 Scotland

Friday was my first chance to get on the course and see Turnberry, site of this week’s Open Championship. The group that I picked to follow at 12.47 local time featured Kenny Perry (+1), Kentucky native and Masters runner-up; Greg Norman (+7), former Open winner and Oliver Wilson (+2), from England who was a European Ryder Cup member in 2008.

Speculation at the time I write this is that the cut will be (+3). The weather, or lack thereof, has been a major story in the first couple of days of this Open Championship. Sunny calm skies were the order of the day on Thursday. The second round forecast was for rain and wind.

The Scottish weather people have totally missed it. It has been slightly breezy, cloudy and warmer than predicted. The weather has been reflected in the scores. The last time the Open was at Turnberry in 1994, the cut score was (+4).

I walked the first seven holes today before writing this story. The key to scoring at Turnberry is accurate driving. The fescue, called “hee” by the Scots is very healthy near the fairway cut. An errant tee shot will most certainly result in a bogey or, at least, a great saving par.

The terrain at Turnberry is rugged. It is tough walking for the spectators and there were many reported injuries yesterday from falls down the hillsides. The course is a true links course by the fact the players go out for 11 holes before returning back to the clubhouse on the final 7 holes.

In the threesome that I followed, there was not much in the way of dramatics. Perry birdied the first hole with an approach that left him a 3-footer. He pared the next six holes to stay at level for the Open.

Norman drove it in the “hee” on the first three holes and managed to lose just one shot to par. But, it is looking like he will finish over par in double digits and miss the cut. Wilson has been errant off the tee and was hanging on the cut line.   

A necessary part of walking and watching the Open at Turnberry is buying one of the small transistor radios that broadcast the BBC feed on 107.5 FM. The cost for the radio and two extra sets of double AA batteries is 10 pounds- $16.20 U.S.

The BBC radio feed is always entertaining. They invite emails from all over the world throughout the broadcast and periodically read questions from listeners. The geography represented ranges from Morocco to Australia; from Portugal to Japan; from the U.S. to Sweden. The questions and answers are both unpredictable. The dialogue can be as hysterical as an episode of Monte Python!

One discussion dealt with the greatest rain jacket player of all-time. After little debate it was agreed upon that Sandy Lyle, a Scot, was the winner. There was an all out argument on whether or not “shades” (sunglasses) caused distortion on the green when trying to read putts.

As Camilo Villegas went to the First Tee, a BBC commentator remarked that “Villegas always wears tight fitting shirts to show he is ripped.”

This prompted a response from his BBC colleague, “The only time in your life that you have been ripped is when you drank too much beer!”

As I reached the Sixth Tee at Turnberry, a 231 yard par three, I looked over my left shoulder and found myself standing next to Jim Nantz, CBS sports. We have become acquaintances over the past couple of years and it was great to rekindle our friendship.

The Emmy Award winning announcer was making his first trip to the Open Championship since 1980. “I am just here walking and watching,” said Nantz. Interestingly enough, he like me, had the BBC transistor plugged into his left ear listening to the broadcast.

Nantz will be here until Sunday. He asked about his good friend Craig Kelley, Vice President of Media Relations for the Indianapolis Colts and said, “Wait until Craig hears that we met on the Sixth Tee at Turnberry!”

We walked the hole and watched the group play the tough par three. As we reached the Sixth green, our vantage point was one of the highest on the course. We could see the 7^th and 17^th two great par 5’s. Nantz smiled and said, “Television just doesn’t dot it justice, does it?”

Nantz left for the hospitality area where he had an obligation with Rolex. I left for the Media Center where I had an obligation with you to meet a deadline!   

As I write, I hear the rain pounding on the Media tent. The television monitor in front of me is showing umbrellas, sideways rain and grimaces from players who are out there grinding to make the cut and finish the round. It keeps raining harder and for the moment these are Open Championship conditions at their best. The weather people have been saved.

It promises to be an exciting weekend. Steve Marino, an America who made the Open field as an alternate, is currently on top of the leader board. Names like Calcavecchia, Watson, Fisher, Goosen, Jimenez, Kuboya, Villegas, Goggin, Weekley and Grace are right below. The cut line has gone to (+3) and could go higher.

I am headed to Gleneagles tonight on the Orient Express for a dinner with the people from Turner Sports, a major sponsor for PGA of America. So, to all of you lads and lassies, “See you on the weekend!”       

Perrys stick by each other through good, tough times

Kenny Perry is the PGA Tour’s version of vintage wine — the longer his career lasts, the better he seems to perform.

A week ago, Perry won the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. In doing so, he captured his 15th PGA Tour victory and his 11th since turning 40 years old. He has surpassed the $30 million mark in career winnings and ranks eighth all-time on the Tour money list.
Nobody knows this man better than his wife of nearly 27 years, Sandy. Like all couples who have been married for any length of time, the Perrys’ journey has been filled with jubilation and heartbreak.
In September, Kenny Perry played an integral role in the U.S. victory at the Ryder Cup at Valhalla Golf Club in his native Kentucky.
“It was such an exciting time for us. We had 70 people at the Ryder Cup, and everybody in Kentucky feels they know Kenny,” Sandy recalled. “He’s earned that type of support. We were real proud to show off our state and our people. The fans were great.
“We were sequestered every night in the team room at the hotel. One night, Phil Mickelson was telling me how much he enjoyed the people of Kentucky. He said it was the only place where Phil was a two-syllable word,” Sandy said with a laugh. “Any golfer loves to win at home. I can’t explain the emotion. I was so proud of Kenny because he worked so hard to get there.”
Roll the clock up a few months to a sunny Sunday at Augusta (Ga.) National Golf Club. Kenny Perry has just hit arguably the greatest shot in the history of The Masters on the par-3 16th hole to make birdie. He takes a two-shot lead with two holes to play.
“I felt good about the day,” Sandy Perry said. “I got ahead of myself after the 16th hole. I ran to the restroom on 17, and when I got to the green there was a small opening, and I could see Kenny’s ball was not on the green. When he chipped it off the green, my heart sank.
“Honestly, our kids took that loss tougher than anyone. That night we got back to the house we were renting, and Kenny was playing cards with some friends. I told him that he had upset kids in the basement and they needed their dad. He went down and had a private moment with them.
“It was tough, and it took him a few weeks to get over the Masters. He needed time alone, and I respected that. He didn’t need me to baby him or feel sorry for him.
“The outpouring of letters and e-mails that he received is what got him through it. The example he set; the sportsmanship he showed. … I think he influenced more people in defeat than victory. Time helped. Faith helped.”
Faith has been a cornerstone of Sandy Perry’s life. A graduate of Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn., she has affected the lives
of many young people through her husband’s success on the golf course. This story probably is the legacy that Sandy and Kenny Perry would choose to define their lives.
Kenny Perry was getting ready to make his fifth and final attempt at Tour Qualifying School in 1986. He was out of money. Ronnie Ferguson, a family friend from Franklin, Ky., loaned him the $5,000 needed.
“The deal was Kenny would not have to pay back the money if he didn’t make it. If he did, he paid Ronnie back the $5,000. And Ronnie also asked him to give part of his winnings to help other people,” Sandy Perry said.
Kenny was successful in his bid for a tour spot. He actively started playing professionally in 1987. Since then, the Perrys have donated 5 percent of his winnings ($1.5 million) to a trust fund at Lipscomb University.
“Each year we write a check,” Sandy said. “We both see the value of a Christian education. You have to be a resident of Simpson County (Ky.) and want to get a Christian education; that’s all we ask.
“We have helped 19 kids. It is a four-year scholarship, and our goal is to make Lipscomb as affordable as a state university.”
The Perrys met in kindergarten. One of Sandy’s first recollections of Kenny is as a first-grader with two broken arms after he fell off a roof reaching for a Frisbee. As an eighth-grader, the short, pudgy boy with braces and glasses moved from Franklin to Paducah.
“That’s when I broke up with him,” Sandy said.
They stayed in touch with an occasional letter, and Kenny eventually moved back to Franklin.
“He shows up in this red Z28 Camaro, and I see this good looking, tall guy standing in a doorway and I said ‘Is that Kenny Perry?’” Sandy Perry said.
The two started dating and never broke up this time.
Over the years, Sandy has raised three children while her husband spent many days on the road. Lesslye (25), Justin (23) and Lindsey (21).
They became great friends while their dad was gone.
“I have tremendous respect for single parents,” Sandy Perry said. “Back then, Kenny played 30 tournaments a year. The good thing was, when he was home, he didn’t have to go to work. It was either feast or famine.
“I never wanted him to be the bad guy, so I took care of the discipline. When dad came home, it was a happy house. Raising kids is the hardest job you will ever love.”
Sandy Perry is one of four vice presidents of the PGA Tour Wives Association and is in charge of membership, which means orientations for rookie wives.
The association raises money through various events each year that will help children and their families
“Tour wives are not about the next luncheon or spa,” she said. “This is really rewarding. It is our chance, as wives, to give back through golf.”
She now is traveling full-time with her husband and exists in a world where most are the age of her children.
“That’s been fun, and I love being around younger people,” Sandy Perry said. “I am great friends with Amy Mickelson, and I am praying for her. Sara Holmes calls me her substitute mom.
“Most of all, I love my own adult kids; they are my favorite people.
“Kenny has had just two weeks off all year. He is going take this week off, and we are spending it at the family lake house in Kentucky. We are going to jet ski, play (bean bag toss) and just enjoy the time off together as a family. I have thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Kenny, but this will be a special week.”
And it certainly will be even more enjoyable after Kenny’s win last week at The Travelers.
“Don’t get me wrong; we look forward to playing the Champions Tour. But I am not ready to hang out with those older people just yet,” Sandy said jokingly.
It doesn’t look like her husband is either.
Ted Bishop is director of golf for The Legends of Indiana Golf Course in Franklin and is secretary for PGA of America.

Photo Caption: Kenny Perry is the PGA Tour’s version of vintage wine — the longer his career lasts, the better he seems to perform.
A week ago, Perry won the Travelers Championship in Connecticut. In doing so, he captured his 15th PGA Tour victory and his 11th since turning 40 years old. He has surpassed the $30 million mark in career winnings and ranks eighth all-time on the Tour money list.