Really?
I guess they are. It is June, after all. But you know what? There’s so much golf going on right here in the Sandhills this month that I don’t have time to worry about a couple of little tournaments being played in places like New York and Rhode Island.
I’ve got enough to keep me busy thinking about the Women’s Open Championship coming back to Pine Needles in 2007 without getting all juiced up by Rhode Island in 2006.
Seriously, folks, I just checked my calendar to see if I could work in a visit to a couple of my favorite mountain courses any time soon, and here’s what greeted me for the month of June:
Pinehurst Resort is hosting Women’s Golf Week today through Saturday. That’s seven lovely days.
The Country Club of North Carolina is playing host to the Women’s Southern Golf Association Amateur Championship Monday through Friday. That’s six days of wonder and joy.
The Carolinas Golf Reporters Association’s annual 36-hole stroke play championship is being held at Pine Needles and Mid Pines on Monday and Tuesday. That’s two days of agony and ecstasy.
The North Carolina Golf Panel is visiting Boone Golf Club and Jefferson Landing next Sunday and Monday. That’s two days of long drives (by Mustang) and 36 holes of “Gosh, where did that go?”
The Moore County Women’s Amateur Championship is being held at Beacon Ridge Country Club on June 13 and 14. That’s two days of fun in the sun and trying to list all the winners in eight flights.
The North Carolina Men’s Amateur Championship is being held at Mid South Club Thursday through Sunday, the 15th through the 18th. That’s four days of really nice guys showing off some really nice swings and posting some really nice scores.
The Golf Panel comes through with another outing on June 21 and 22, this time at Rock Barn Golf & Spa and Catawba Country Club. Great courses, long drives and aching knees when I get out of the Mustang.
Even the Tin Whistles golfers are getting involved in the month of frolic, holding a neat little tournament over at Legacy Golf Links on Monday, June 26.
I think that’s it. At least that’s everything that I have written on my calendar.
Which brings me back to the U.S. Opens. Hope I get to see a little of the championships on television. But from the looks of my June schedule, I may be limited to watching the highlights on the Golf Channel.
Oh well, maybe I can get caught up in July. Let’s see …
Uh-oh.
The Men’s North and South Championship runs July 2 through July 9. That’s eight days of guys teeing up, choking up and throwing up over the trials of Pinehurst No. 2.
The Women’s North and South then plays out from July 16 through 23 with more of the same tribulations and triumphs.
Before the amateurs are out of town, the pros move in. The LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals move in for fun and games in their national championship being held at Pinehurst No. 8. They will find that Tom Fazio can be just as demanding as Donald Ross when it comes to forcing good shots to produce good scores.
OK, caught your breath? Well, don’t hold it. There’s more.
Beginning Wednesday, July 26, and running through June 29, it’s all about the kids. The U.S. Kids Golf World Championship will attract almost 1,000 young golfers to the area. That’s a lot of kids hitting a lot of golf balls in a lot of different directions.
All of this makes August a breeze, of course. All we have going on in that month — so far — is the North and South Junior Championship Aug 1 through 3, and the Men’s and Women’s Senior North and South Aug. 28 through 31.
Anybody out there know when the Moore Men’s Amateur is?
You know what? This is scary. I’ve never seen this schedule laid out all together before. I’m exhausted. Maybe it’s time for a second retirement or something.
Contact Howard Ward at 867-6493 or 690-2211 or by e-mail at
howardward@att.net
