OT - One of my best ever golf tales happened last week

[Ian Mackenzie]

Tired of COVID and needing a break, we took the family to Jamaica last week.
Specifically to Tryall.


Net/Net: this anecdote is about how I ended up playing in The Jamaican Open!!


(Side note before: We were all tested and COVID protocols in Montego Bay/Jamaica are a global example of what to do correctly and it is "10x" safer in Jamaica than Chicago/US. We rented a villa and stayed on property the whole time.)


I have known of the golf course for years and read of an outstanding restoration by Andrew Green who is now doing work at Scioto and Wannamoisset. We arrived on December 12th for 8 days. Never bothered to even check their golf calendar.


My daughter, Grace (27), and I are always the first awake. So, last Sunday am, we met for coffee at the villa and decided to walk down to the golf shop to make tee time inquiries.


What?!....I saw people everywhere....what the heck is going on...?


Walked into pro shop and made inquiries about PM tee times.


"No, mon, sorry....course is booked up with a tournamemnt - the Jamaican Open - back to regular golf Wednesday."


I was stunned and the prospect of not playing for 3+ days was horrifying.


I then joked, "Ok, Ill play"....to much laughter of the staff.
The pro shop manager asked my index to which I confidently replied that I was level scratch to +1.


"I'll call the pro, mon."


OK, and I left thinking the case was closed.


At 8:47 am, our villa phone rings and it's Ewan Peebles, the head pro. He asks me a bunch of questions, we realize we have common friends in Chicago then drops:


"Can you be on the tee for a 9:10 start?"....oh, shit....


Looked at my wife, kids and their BFs and they all said: "DO IT!!"...so i threw on some clothes and sunscreen and my son drove me back to the course. My caddy, Rupert, met me and I briefly strateched before walking into the first tee at 9:06.



Met my playing partners: Brad Arrington from Augusta, GA and Mike Herrera from Riverside, CA....and that's how i ended up playing in my first ever professional event.


The story gets better from there, but I'll spare you.
LOVED the course. I'm 58 now so from 7000 tards in a sustained 17 mph wind, I had my hands full but pulled it off. Course was in GREAT shape and greens were interesting and ran fast and true.


I think I finished 49/60....but NOT DFL...!!..;-)


Young US pro, Erik Barnes, won with -12.
He's the guy who worked at a Publix Supermarket when COVID hit. Canadian journeyman, Mike Morland (51!), was 2nd and he has 3 PGA victories I'm told.

[Ira Fishman]

You need to tell the rest of the story.


Ira

[John Kavanaugh]

Congrats!!!


You might want to post those scores buddy.


https://www.thejgatour.com/Scoreboard?TournamentID=17120&TournamentDivisionID=89201&IsCombinedDivision=False

[Michael Wolf]

Not much went wright for Wong

[David_Tepper]

1998 US Am champ Hank Kuehne T18 at +15.

https://www.thejgatour.com/Scoreboard?TournamentID=17120&TournamentDivisionID=89200&IsCombinedDivision=False

[PCCraig]

That's awesome, Ian. Tell the rest!

[John Kavanaugh]

At anytime on the way to an opening 87 did your caddie ask if he could get whatever you've been smoking up in Chicago? Mon.

[Ian Mackenzie]

Typical JK to look at that...;p-)...comes out from under his bridge...
You wouldve needed 3 pair of Depends to finish front 9...;-)



So, i played more or less to get out of their way as my #1 goal was to NOT have anyone wait on me!!


As the story goes...


- I snap my first drive OB on #1 then look at the group of 20 or so people around the 1st tee and seemlessly say:


"I'm going to take a breakfast ball".....huge laughs, very pleased with myself as I was hitting 3....;-)


I actually struck the ball well.
But a typical hole would find me with a 30' birdie putt that I would leave 2 feet short and instead of marking, I would want to get out of the way, so i would take a swipe at my par putt and I missed at least 6 of those that way.


These guys are there to make a living and I was there as an interloper on holiday.
I was not going to be an issue for ANYONE!!!


Average round took 5:15 in 3-somes...i was DYING on days 2 and 3. Day 1 I was too nervy to notice.


But, with gusts of 20 mph+ and jungle and water everywhere, I did put a fair amount of Pro-Vs in the gunk and the H20.


My favorite part of Day 1:


on 18th tee, i had honors for some reason. Crease a 21 degree hybrid down left center.
Brad steps up with driving iron and rips a tour quality shot.


Mike's turn:


First drive: OB left.
Second drive: In hazard right.
Third drive: OB left
Fourth tee shot: left center.


This dude is heading for a 12 or so on the home hole.


We walk down the FW as my family is out in two carts watching.


I find Mike's second ball in the hazard!!!!
Thought he was going to kiss me and he carded a 7 instead of a 12+. went on to shoot 79-67-69 and finished Top 5 I think.


Brad and Mike told me I left "8-10 shots out there" by playing like I did. (Trying to be out of the way)


Played much better Day 2 but pins were impossible.


By Day 3, I had lost interest a bit and one of my amateur playing partners on Day 3 was such a slow-playing tool, that I actually had to say something as we were 2 holes behind the next group.


At the end of the 9th hole, an official told us that we took 27 minutes to play that hole for foock's sake....!!

"Robert...ah...there are pros playing here that need to win their entrance fee back and youre making the whole course wait on us. Thats not fair to them. Youre an amateur and vying for "Bottom 10"....let's move it."

I was shocked at the pace of play.
I was -1 through 10 on Day 3 and we had been on course for almost 3 hours already. I have played a decent amount of amateur tourneys, but nothing at this glacial pace.


Plus, my midset was pure HOLIDAY.

If I play too well, my tee time will be later in the morning and I will be playing what my son and I call a "Day Killing round" that starts at 10 or 10:30 and would end well after 3:30 thus killing the day of all other activity.

[Ian Mackenzie]

At anytime on the way to an opening 87 did your caddie ask if he could get whatever you've been smoking up in Chicago? Mon.

Just like alcohol, weed is legal in Chicago AND Jamaica, mon.


My caddy was damn close to 70 and could not see very well.
I brought extra towels and during a small downpour on Day 2, I looked over and Rupert had the towels on his head and not anywhere near my clubs!!

[Michael Moore]

What's happening at Wannamoisett? Ron Forse was there in 2008.

[John Kavanaugh]

In the most complimentary manner I can let me remind you that you are known as one of the quickest players on earth. I'm surprised you needed to change your regular routine.


I can't wait to tell me family that I didn't play well so I could get an earlier tee time because I love them so much. I can even use that at a casino. Honey, I lost all our money so we could spend more time together. Love it!!!

[Rob Marshall]

At anytime on the way to an opening 87 did your caddie ask if he could get whatever you've been smoking up in Chicago? Mon.

Just like alcohol, weed is legal in Chicago AND Jamaica, mon.


My caddy was damn close to 70 and could not see very well.
I brought extra towels and during a small downpour on Day 2, I looked over and Rupert had the towels on his head and not anywhere near my clubs!!

Great story Ian!

[Peter Flory]

Pretty funny story.  A man's desire to play golf on vacation has no bounds. 

[Peter Pallotta]

Terrific story, Ian! It sounds like an experience Ian Fleming might’ve had while living there in the 60s — write a chapter of Dr No, play a round in the Jamaican Open, go for a swim in the ocean, and then settle down on the shady veranda of his Goldeneye estate with a gin and tonic and a pack of Chesterfields as a dinner of grilled snapper and shrimp was being prepared. Nice!! 

[Lou_Duran]

Great story Ian.  We have some excellent golfers on this site.  I would not have the cajones to expose myself in such a competition.


Tryall is a course that made a large impression on Ran Morrissett years ago.  When he learned that it was designed by someone he wasn't familiar with, Texan Ralph Plummer, he asked me to write something up for the site on the architect (In My Opinion).  I did a quick drive-by several years ago when I had part of the day on the island, but have not played the course.  Are you able to share some thoughts on the course?

[Ian Mackenzie]

Peter -


When I put a peg in the ground at 9:10 last Sunday am in, I had never laid eyes on the course. I really liked it, but from the tips, it was tough.
I ended up playing 3 rounds in the "Open" and two with my son. The JO rounds were from back Black tees at just under 6900 yards and is 74.8/140. Played the other rounds from Blue tees at 6434 and 72.4/138 and my scores dropped to low 70's. (Combo of relaxed yet brisk pace, 400 yards shorter and no tourney will do that.)


You simply have to drive the ball well there to be in a position to score.
It also plainly favors a right left ball flight. Right out of the gate on #1, it's a DL left of 374 with OB left and OB right....HELLO. It may be a "gentle handshake" but that can turn into a dick-punch real fast....;-)


Many of the greens have fall-offs and drop-offs that move from front to back. Many of the pin positions in the tourney were right before those areas so that 25' putts would make the player judge the run-out in addition to the grain and strange pull towards the mountains. It was a handful.


FW and green-side bunkers with good scale and excellent integration that served to punish wayward shots and not ones that were just unlucky.


4th hole is 200 yard par 3 over the ocean with a creek in front of it and severe back to front canted green. After that you head into the hills and the jungle awaits.


The par 5s are the easist part of the course and play at 3-521, 6-505, 8-483 and 11-506 but the last 3 are uphill and the 11th goes straight up hill. The real pros killed the par 5s and i could hit them all in two with 3/11 being flushed 4-woods and 6/8 downwind with 6/7 irons.


Greens HARD to read with grain and conflicting and maddening earthly magnetism that was confusing and puzzling. I would read a putt as a ball out from 8' and it would be dead straight.


On almost all holes there existed an opportunity to have a full scale disaster of some level....;-)
It was course that required full concentration at all times. Nope...couldn't just hit lazy 3-woods FW-finders given the wind.

Turf quality was excellent for a Caribbean course but not much roll at all on FWs. Ground game was tough as grass was wiry and quirky. Had to pitch balls like lawn darts at the flags as they would land soft and that is admittedly not a strength. I prefer low chips with an 8/9 iron.

Have new respect for the pro game and how good these guys are.
On Day 1, had I paid attention to the little things, I would have carded a 78 or so, but no way could have done better given the wind.

A par 3 @ 198 over water with a 18 mph cross-wind is just a tough ask of me...;-)

As the course winds up the mountain, it gets tighter and culinates on the back 9 with 6 consecutive par 4s that put a severe tax on your tee game. The last 4 holes play along the main road with OB seemingly everywhere.

My son thought that the front 9 looked like Jurassic Park.

I'm so glad I have a day-job.

[Tim_Weiman]

Ian,


By no means can I top that story, but years ago I did have a somewhat similar experience when some friends and I were down in Charleston for a few days of golf.


One friend and I decided to go check out a new course called Dunes West, but didn’t bother to call for a tee time.


So, sure enough when we walked in the pro shop we were told the course was closed for a college tournament. Ok, we thought, we’ll go find somewhere else to play. But, before we made it to our car, the pro came running out and explained the tournament had one extra player and they needed someone to play with him.


Well, it didn’t work out so well for the college kid we joined. In truth we were a little misbehaved with the alcohol consumed the night before probably having an influence.


The kid teed off on the first hole and, of course, striped one down the middle. But so did my friend who then proceeded to hit his approach to about two feet and then sinking the putt.


It shook up the kid a bit, but we gave our our best alcohol induced reassurance: “Don’t worry.....we’re just a couple old guys.....occasionally we get lucky”.


Turns out that was the first of three birdies my friend made on the front nine and to my great pleasure I also made three birdies on the front.


Distraught, the poor kid walked off after the first nine holes feeling like his career in golf was over after seeing what a couple 30 somethings did.


After our round, the kid’s coach came up to apologize for his player walking off, though I wasn’t sure why he felt the need. But, it did give us the opportunity to confess we weren’t exactly properly respectful to the kid as we joked around a little too much about being a couple old guys.


The course wasn’t great, but we did have a devilish fun round.

[jeffwarne]

Great story Ian.
You were second low MacKenzie!(depending on how you spell it)
Not sure why you were rushing around getting out of their way-looks like there were plenty in their own way.
Looking at the scores I'd say there were maybe 10-15 who could've contended-maybe(probably more like 5-6).


Putting one's name on a scoreboard, especially on a long difficult course in tough conditions, is always tough-there are always snarky comments in the Club Championship from the 4th flighters in match play who see a high stroke play score from a Championship Flighter-and comment "I could do that".  no...you could not...because they played it today, not last Thursday when you played with 3 friends knowing there'd be no scoreboard. Usually followed by a conversation about what "reteeing" means.


Tim,
A college kid walked off because two guys in his group made 3 birdies?
Pretty clear why he had no one to play with.

[Ian Mackenzie]

That was my single largest mental mistake, Jeff.
I've played in a TON of amateur tourneys over the past 10-15 years. But this WAS different and I felt an obligation to be out of the way of those who were there to earn a living.


The two guys I played with on Day 1 were real players with tour-quality ball-striking and distance.
Sure, Ive seen that before, but not like I did last week.


I was mentally unprepared. Something about having perhaps 20 minutes to get ready might have had a little to do with it...


One of the guys joined me and my family for dinner on Sunday night. He's sponsored by Wilson and gets to Chicago every year.

One of the many stories from the 3 days is that on Day 2 I played with a Pro from Toronto and a pro from Kingston, Jamaica with one eye. Lost his eye getting hit by a golf ball!!

In the end, it was good lesson in self-discipline and awareness.
Wish I had a practice round under my belt first and not kicked off my vacation and my winter golf with a round like that.

Oh...and I hadnt picked up a club in over a month before my first tee shot on Day 1....
Oh...and with ZEE-Ro real stretching, my back was HURTing, too.
Oh...did I mention how dehydrtaed I was and hungry on Day 1 due to nerves and basically no braffast.


All contributed to a poor showing on Day 1 but did not detract from a very cool experience.

[jeffwarne]

That was my single largest mental mistake, Jeff.
I've played in a TON of amateur tourneys over the past 10-15 years. But this WAS different and I felt an obligation to be out of the way of those who were there to earn a living.


The two guys I played with on Day 1 were real players with tour-quality ball-striking and distance.
Sure, Ive seen that before, but not like I did last week.


I was mentally unprepared. Something about having perhaps 20 minutes to get ready might have had a little to do with it...


One of the guys joined me and my family for dinner on Sunday night. He's sponsored by Wilson and gets to Chicago every year.

One of the many stories from the 3 days is that on Day 2 I played with a Pro from Toronto and a pro from Kingston, Jamaica with one eye. Lost his eye getting hit by a golf ball!!

In the end, it was good lesson in self-discipline and awareness.
Wish I had a practice round under my belt first and not kicked off my vacation and my winter golf with a round like that.

Oh...and I hadnt picked up a club in over a month before my first tee shot on Day 1....
Oh...and with ZEE-Ro real stretching, my back was HURTing, too.
Oh...did I mention how dehydrtaed I was and hungry on Day 1 due to nerves and basically no braffast.


All contributed to a poor showing on Day 1 but did not detract from a very cool experience.

I played Monday for the first time in over a month-can't even imagine playing a competitive round after a month, especially with no stretching, routine etc.
It's hard to explain to those who don't post competitive stroke play rounds how different it is when you feel "out of your league" (whether you are or not-a different pairing might've been more enlightening as to the actual field strength)
Sadly at nearly 58 myself it happens more often than I'm aware of(or care to admit) now

[JLahrman]

Ian, at any point in the tournament, after you hit a particularly good shot, did you turn to a pro and refer to the club you used as your "moneymaker"? I for one will be disappointed if you didn't.

[Scott Senior]

Ian,


This might be the best story (OT) of the year! Fun read! Thanks!!


Cheers all...happy holiday season!


Scott

[Tim_Weiman]

Great story Ian.
You were second low MacKenzie!(depending on how you spell it)
Not sure why you were rushing around getting out of their way-looks like there were plenty in their own way.
Looking at the scores I'd say there were maybe 10-15 who could've contended-maybe(probably more like 5-6).


Putting one's name on a scoreboard, especially on a long difficult course in tough conditions, is always tough-there are always snarky comments in the Club Championship from the 4th flighters in match play who see a high stroke play score from a Championship Flighter-and comment "I could do that".  no...you could not...because they played it today, not last Thursday when you played with 3 friends knowing there'd be no scoreboard. Usually followed by a conversation about what "reteeing" means.


Tim,
A college kid walked off because two guys in his group made 3 birdies?
Pretty clear why he had no one to play with.

Jeff,


Honestly my friend and I were pretty bad overdoing jokes about being just a couple old guys and lightning struck with both of us making three birdies on the front nine.


The kid wasn’t a bad player or a bad kid, but he probably wouldn’t have ever done so well against, say, a Lee Trevino talkative type competitor.

[Peter Pallotta]

Ian, at any point in the tournament, after you hit a particularly good shot, did you turn to a pro and refer to the club you used as your "moneymaker"? I for one will be disappointed if you didn't.

That would be the best. But I’d settle for any club nickname, eg if after a good tee shot Ian held up his driver, kissed it gently and said “I don’t deserve her, but Betsy never lets me down”.

[Peter Flory]

One of the many stories from the 3 days is that on Day 2 I played with a Pro from Toronto and a pro from Kingston, Jamaica with one eye. Lost his eye getting hit by a golf ball!!

In the end, it was good lesson in self-discipline and awareness.

I've been completely spooked and wear the shatter proof lenses now for every round.  My son got a really bad eye injury that required 4 surgeries, then earlier this year I almost lost an eye by getting hit by a baseball, and then playing at Lawsonia, someone's drive clipped my left ear from head on.  I have 20/15 vision and always hated the slight distortion from a lens, but have gotten used to it now.  I figure that the UV protection is probably worth it as well.