Our last week was consumed by golf, golf, and more golf.Cleverly hidden in the center of the country, Minnesota rarely plays host to international sporting events. So when over one hundred of the greatest golfers in the world make the trek to play in your backyard, you go.
Unfortunately, it wasn't exactly in our backyard. The journey was the most trying part of the week. With the drive, traffic, road construction, and shuttles, it could be over two hours each way to the course and back. But once we arrived, it was truly a great experience. The course was beautiful, the golfers were unbelievable, the tournament itself was well run.
And Tiger-mania is alive and well. To avoid the largest crowds, we spent most of our time watching the rest of the field. When we did stick around on a hole long enough for his group play through, the flurry of activity around him was just as fascinating to watch as the man himself. Security is tight. The media coverage is phenomenal. And his fans watch his every move. (When he used the bathroom after teeing off on one hole, more people were staring at the Biff than Padraig's tee shot.) I'm sure it's good to be Tiger, but it's got to be difficult to live with that kind of attention.
After a couple of practice rounds and the opening round of the tourney, I surrendered my ticket for the weekend to my brother. By that time, I was more than happy to watch the coverage from the comfort of my own home with a new appreciation for the phenomenal skills of these elite golfers. Even HD doesn't give you an appreciation for the challenges of the course, and these guys just make it all look too easy.
