The Tournament Experience

I loved my first tournament immediately. I love being outside in the sun, I love walking, and I love being able to walk around in the sunshine with a drink. Easy. Even the rules are easy to follow, I'm more than happy to leave my cell phone in the car and usually I remember not to talk or walk or breathe loudly when someone is teeing off or putting or just being tense in general. During the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic I nearly sneezed once when Elky was putting... it was terrifying. I couldn't decide if it was better or worse that I knew him. I just imagined myself ruining his shot and then him not making the cut by one point or something. Luckily I held it off until the ball was in the hole, but still, terrifying. But after my first tournament, the Shriner's in Vegas in October, I was dying to go to another one, so Jessica and I schemed and plotted and I begged the director of the musical I'm currently in to let me miss a week of rehearsals the week before opening night, and we made it to the BHCC.


Here's the breakdown of the spectators based on the two tournaments I've been to. On the first few days, before the big crowds come for the final day, I'd say it's about 80% men, 10% golfer's wives, 5% women over 50 and 5% women under 50. Jessica had told me that during her first tournament people kept asking if she was a golfer's wife, and I got why right away. You can spot out a wife or girlfriend a mile away. First of all, they are all gorgeous, every single one of them, and they look very... expensive. And I mean that in the best possible way. Big sunglasses, big purse, BIG bling. Lowery's wife was particularly striking, Jessica and I saw her several times over the course of the weekend at the BHCC and noted how beautiful she was. I was asked a few times if I was some one's girlfriend. In fact, here's how most of our conversations with male spectators and volunteers went:


Them: So you ladies following around someone special?
Us: Well we have a few favorites. But no, we're watching everyone.
Them: Oh. So you actually like golf?
Us: Yep.
Them: Like... you actually follow it and stuff?
Us: Um...yeah...

I have to clarify that this was usually not as patronizing as it may sound, it's just that Jessica and I were a bit of an anomaly on the course. Everyone was completely gentlemanly, it's a much different sporting event than say, a football game. There's no swearing or yelling, no chest painting, no cheerleaders dancing around and the men are still mostly respectful even after sipping scotch all day, but it is a men's world nonetheless. I've long been a girl in a men's world. I grew up surrounded by boys until my two beautiful little sisters were born, and besides a handful of close girl friends, most of my friends are guys, so I fit well into the ratio. I love any live event. I've gone to too many concerts to count, I'm involved with community theatre and Mariner's games are one of my favorite things about summer. I love watching people do something they love and that they're good at, on any level. Every day of the tournament Jessica and I got there early and stayed until the last players were done.

I'm struggling to fully convey the tournament experience here, if you haven't been to one you just have to go. I'm completely obsessed now. I have some other travel commitments coming up in the next months (Oregon Coast, Mexico with a bunch of high school kids to build a house with Amor [amor.org, check it], camping and fishing in Wyoming) so the next tournament I'm going to get to is the Legends Reno Tahoe Open in August. I can't wait.

A few things I've decided about tournaments:

• I love the smaller ones, it's nice to be able to be right at the rope and not have to deal with a ton of other spectators.
• Unless someone I really like is in contention, the last day is not as cool. There are too many people.
• I prefer tournaments with one course. The BHCC had 4, and we ended up missing a lot of people.
• I like when the first day is a celeb/Pro-Am day, and the rest of the weekend Pro only.
• We always have Clubhouse passes, but we haven't used them once. We're there to watch the golfers!

Readers, if you are there, what tournaments have you been to? What do you think about them? Let me know!