Posted by Jason Sobel
I'd like to say the idea floated down from the heavens, springing like divine intervention into my thought processes and onto this page.
But, no. It came from some dude named Frank in New York.
During a recent SportsNation chat, he proffered the following idea to be included in our golf coverage:
Jason, are you going to collect crazy golf stories again? Maybe from a spectator's perspective?
I loved the suggestion immediately. We've done this before and had some fun with it. You may recall
my craziest golf story and the subsequent
best entries from readers, both posted in August.
Well, same deal here. And the timing is right. The recent edition of ESPN The Magazine was devoted to the fans. And we're right in between two of the more fan-friendly events on the PGA Tour; record crowds lined the galleries at last week's FBR Open, while plenty of folks will make the pilgrimage to Pebble for this week's celeb-induced AT&T.
So, what am I looking for? Anything, really. Maybe Duffy Waldorf once asked you to hit a shot for him in a practice round. Or Billy Andrade not only signed an autograph, but miracled you with his backup driver as a gift. Or Rocco Mediate offered you a ride from the clubhouse to the spectator parking lot.
Or, hey, maybe Phil Mickelson told Bones Mackay to give you and your son his two tickets to Super Bowl XLII.
Whether donning a "Funk's Punks" T-shirt or simply watching your favorite player compete for 18 holes, if you've been to a professional event, you have a story. Unlike the craziest golf stories, I don't really have a personal account to share. But I will say that the most fun I ever had covering a golf tournament came during the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. Sure, the fans were boisterous and aggressive, but they kept quiet when players were over the ball (unless the player's name was Sergio Garcia) and were totally immersed in the event itself.
And hey, these don't all have to be sweet stories of player generosities. I'll always remember standing inside the ropes at the 10th tee box during that tourney. As Angel Cabrera and his playing partners waited for the fairway ahead to clear, one fan, from about five feet away, continued to scream, "AIN-jell! HEY, AIN-jell!" After about two minutes, the man was finally, mercifully, informed that the player's first name is pronounced "Ahn-HEL." His response? You got it -- he began screaming, "Ahn-HEL! Ahn-HEL!" until Cabrera acknowledged him with a brief wave. And then, like any good spectator, he quieted down and watched some golf.
I know you can do better. (Much better, I hope.) Click on
this link to submit your best story as a spectator and I'll post the most entertaining ones early next week. Can't wait to see what's out there, but I love the idea.
Thanks, Frank.
