While he had fun getting to Pine Needles early to watch the players arrive, he was really looking forward to seeing Karrie Webb and Annika Sorenstam.
On Sunday afternoon, he was busy collecting autographs on a No. 18 flag. Among the notable signatures so far were 13-year-old golf sensation Morgan Pressel and veteran Jane Geddes.
Players Check In
The players’ check-in area was the happening place to be during an all-morning rainstorm that drowned out most of the events Monday.
At check-in near the front desk of the Pine Needles lodge, golfers were busy putting their autographs on pottery, prints and framed medallions. The pottery, two large vases now adorned with the signatures of each golfer, will be glazed, then fired and put on display at Mid-Pines and at Pine Needles.
Curled Lips, Firm Sand
Steve and Brad are interns at Pine Needles and on Sunday they were out raking sand traps over and over and over.
These two were concentrating on getting the lips of the trap curled just right, and the sand firm. “They like it firm,” Brad said.
He explained that the sand trap must have the proper consistency so the golfers who hit into the traps can get their irons under the balls, lift them up and skim them out.
How could they know it would rain the next day and virtually wipe out their hard work?
Hail Delays
Karen Howell was at the front desk of the golfers’ sign-in room on Monday morning. Outside, the rain was pouring down.
She described the excitement on the course earlier that morning. Some golfers were out practicing early when the sun was out. All of a sudden the bottom dropped, and the players had to evacuate in a hurry.
Everyone on the course managed to escape before being pelted by hail. Outside, the Pine Needles resort, the driveway was white with hail, Howell said.
A Fun Break
Peggy Ann Miller has lived on the Pine Needles Golf Course all her life. It’s a real family affair.
Virtually every member of the large clan is involved in golf, from resort management to golf lessons. Miller called the U.S. Women’s Open a “fun break” from all of the lessons she has been teaching lately. The tournament is sandwiched between the first four ladies’ golf schools of the season, and the fifth.
Her husband, Kelly, general manager and chief operating officer of Pine Needles and Mid-Pines, was smiling in spite of the rain. He described the big changes the weather caused in his course maintenance strategy. Instead of raking, mowing and trimming the course, the crews were going to be busy “squeegeeing”.
Good Memories
Media Center Volunteers Joyce Buck and Ellen Shulby were philosophical about the heavy rains that fell all morning on Monday.
They speculated about weather patterns, and determined that the storm would blow over.
“We’re lucky we are in the Sandhills,” Buck said. “Maybe it will all soak down quickly after it rains.”
These two took advantage of the slowdowns caused by the rain delays and reminisced about the rich golf history in the area.
Shulby described an evening several years ago when she danced with the late Payne Stewart at the Pinecrest Inn in Pinehurst.
“He wore the nicest aftershave, and he was the best dancer,” she said, smiling at the memory.
Great Expectations
Sumner Dalrymple, who lives with her family off the seventh green at Pine Needles, couldn’t contain her excitement about Tuesday’s exhibition featuring Mia Hamm and several other women soccer players.
“I’m going to be the standard bearer for Mia Hamm on Tuesday,” she said Sunday while lingering around the practice green.
Playing for the Rockers in the Sandhills Youth Soccer League, 10-year-old Dalrymple couldn’t quite decide which she liked better — golf or soccer.
“It’s hard to know which I like better,” she said. “I stink at golf, but I’m know I’m good at soccer.”
An Afterthought
You know you’ve made it when you’re on a first-name basis with the world. At Pine Needles, “Annika” and “Karrie” have joined the first-name-only ranks of “Cher,” “Madonna,” and “Michael.”
— Compiled by Teri Saylor
