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Weekend at Tiger's

By Pepper Hastings


Weekend at Tiger's
10/7/2002 3:48:23 PM

Editor’s Note: Beckett’s Pepper Hastings was one of four media representatives offered on-site access to Upper Deck’s Win a Round of Golf With Tiger Woods promotion. Hastings and an Upper Deck photographer spent part of the morning and afternoon in a golf cart following the group while intermingling with the four amateurs and Tiger himself. He filed this story from Florida.

WINDERMERE, Fla. – By 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, the best golfer in the world had mounted yet another dramatic comeback, scoring birdies on the last three holes on his home course at Isleworth to win by two holes in match play.

Against a foursome of amateurs, that is.

“I was putting on the carpet in my hotel room this morning,” said policeman Greg Nichols who, along with three other men, won the opportunity to play a round of golf with Tiger Woods as a part of a 2002 Upper Deck Golf pack promotion. “He had a little left for us at the end. We didn’t have any answer.”

How’d they get here? Two “instant win” cards for the rare prize were randomly inserted into packs of 2002 Upper Deck Golf packs. Two additional winners, one being Nichols, were randomly selected from sweepstakes entry cards featured in packs and online.

Nichols, a 37-year-old policeman from Meadville, Pa., joined hobby shop owner Lee, 53, of Hamilton, Ohio, as random winners. Rounding out the amateur foursome were redemption winners Michael Pecoraro, 34, an executive from Coltsneck, N.J., and Feldt, also from New Jersey.

The amateurs played a best-ball scramble against Tiger’s individual score, and did manage to draw to within one hole of Woods after nine. Fired up by the challenge, the players good-naturedly exchanged smack talk during the back nine. The amateurs tied the match on 15 when New Jersey executive Jim Feldt dropped a 14-footer for birdie.

“Three to go, baby, and all square,” said Woods, bristling to the challenge. “Let’s go!” Three holes and three birdies later, Woods had slammed the door with a 66 over the 7,179-yard, par 72 track. The amateurs scrambled their way to a respectable 67.

“Sorry guys,” said Tiger, as his 8-footer for birdie dropped on 18 to win 2-up. “I didn’t mean to do that.” The players then exchanged handshakes. Woods politely signed scorecards, shirts, hats and photos for the players, who truly enjoyed Tiger and the day to themselves. There were never more than eight people in the “gallery” at anytime during the match, and those who circled the greens were course officials and invited reporters.

“It’s amazing that what started off as five strangers just turned into five guys playing golf,” said amateur player Dale Lee. “It was like playing along with your buddies, except one of them happened to be the best golfer in the world.”

Despite the good natured ribbing, Woods was the perfect playing partner all morning, genuinely encouraging the players and advancing the pace of the round with his bristling drives from the championship tees and crisp iron play from the 14-for-14 fairways he hit. Like any good playing partner, Woods acknowledged his group’s good shots and never offered instruction unless it was solicited.

“I asked him to take a look at my swing on the ninth hole,” said Nichols. “I hit a pretty decent shot, and he said ‘Don’t change a thing.’ Now, I can go back home and tell everyone that Tiger said not to change a thing about my swing.”

Woods, who tended flagsticks, sanded divots, spaded ball marks, and wiped down his own clubs, seemed at ease in the 90-degree heat on his backyard course where he shot the course record of 59 in 1997.

“If the guys want to tip back a few beers today, that’s great. This is for fun,” said Woods. “I’ll offer some tips if they ask.”

RAK Car Lock Photo

This is Rich's driver-side keyhole on his car. The shiny thing on the left is the exterior door handle. The scratches . . . well, you know. 

Click on the photo for a closer look.

Football Injury Hits Home, Pt. 3

My son underwent reconstructive ACL surgery four days ago. Our biggest mistake was not having an MRI done the day after the injury (Oct. 3). As it is now, we lost a month of time he could have been rehabbing.

Live and learn.

"Can You Autograph My Cone, Sir?"

Sitting here waiting for the Cowboys/Giants game to begin, I can't help but chuckle at the thought of Joe Montana, who as I type is finishing up an autograph signing session at a small ice cream shop in Armonk, N.Y.

Last Licks shops have been the host to many NYC athlete signings, and even BGS has graded onsite amongst the sticky tables. But I am trying to imagine Montana, winner of four Super Bowls, pausing to reflect on the absurdity of the situation and wondering, "Am I actually sitting in an ice cream shop signing autographs?"

Animal Control Pole

I can't think of any reason a man wouldn't want to have one of these laying around the garage. May save him or one of his family members' lives one day from stray dog, rabid fox, or other varmit. Probably be good for rowdy nephews if needed.

$30 Million Guaranteed

If you would have told me a year ago that Tony Romo at 27 would be earning a paycheck in the same range as Peyton Manning, I would have lost a lot of money.

This Dallas columnist says Romo won't be changed by his new $67.5 million contract, of which $30 million is guaranteed up front. The kid would play for free if nobody else got paid, either.

Ummm....ok.

Where is the Stanford Band?

If you haven't seen this, you need to. This is the cleanest version I have found, where you can put your cursor on individual players and follow them during the play.

This version has the visiting announcers from Trinity College calling the play at Millsaps College (Jackson, Miss.) BTW, Millsaps in November 2006 knocked out this same Trinity team in the conference championship game on this same field.

Some things to watch for:

• The play consumes more than one minute.
• Look at the folks in the bleachers.
• Look at fallen Millsaps players on the field after the game.
• You can see the chain gang leaving together after its over, probably shaking their heads in disbelief.
• One Millsap player is injured on the final lateral.

Please comment on anything else you see.

Playing left field Bugs Bunny, pitcher Bugs Bunny, second base Bugs Bunny . . .

This is some of the cleverest, dry humor writing that I have ever read.

Absolutely brilliant.

We've all seen the 1946 cartoon "Baseball Bugs" about a gajillion times over the years, but this post takes it to a new level of "scholarly" discussion

It's a bit of a long read, but stick with it, or come back to it when you have more time.

Among the troubling questions addressed by the author are:

1. Why would a team of extremely strong, young men play a game against a team of extremely old, weak men?

2. Why would over fifty thousand people attend such a game?

You Were Good, Kobi, Very Good

The most athletic Labrador Retriever I've ever known passed away over the weekend.

Kobi Gregg, a brown -- almost reddish -- male Lab finished a great life. He was 12, and he was my back fence neighbor.

Kobi (above left) was a tireless retriever of all things Frisbees, balls, bones, discs, rags, whatever. He would spiral swim to the bottom of the pool to bring back a chew toy to Jim or Melanie, his beloved masters.

But I swear, this dog was different. In his prime, he should have been in some sort of canine Olympics. His vertical leap was as impressive as his speed, and I saw it on a daily basis in his half acre backyard. I am not impressed easily by a dog's athleticism, but Kobi was special.

Given different circumstances, Kobi would have ended up in a national showcase for Frisbee dogs, rounding the country to appreciative crowds at state fairs, exhibitions and even TV events. He had the heart of a champion.

As it was, he was Melanie and Jim's pet Lab. And that's the best part of Kobi's story.

RIP Kobi. You were good. You were very good.

The Greatness of Lennon

Taking a shower this morning with the radio jamming, I was reminded again of the genius of John Lennon's lyrics:

He say, one and one and one is three
Got to be good lookin' 'cause he's so hard to see

Simple and clever Come Together, indeed.

BTW, the Liverpool airport, operational since 1933 (think about where aviation was at that time), was renamed Liverpool John Lennon Airport in 2002. Are there any other major airports named for musicians?

A Classic Illustration

I was browsing my hard drive looking for a particular photo when I came upon this saved Op/Ed cartoon from 2002.

That was the year "Bullet" Bob Hayes, once hearalded as "The World's Fastest Human," passed away at age 59.

I won't go into all of Hayes' football records for the Dallas Cowboys, but remember that Hayes as a track star was both quick and fast.

His 9.1 in the 100-yard dash in 1963 was a world record that stood for 11 years. He also was the first man to run the 60 in less than six seconds, posting a 5.9 in an indoor run.

He won two Gold Medals in the 1964 Olympics, the 100-meter and the anchor on the 4x100 relay.

This is one of my favorite Cowboys illustrations, inked by none other than Dallas native Bill Deore, whose work we enjoyed for three decades in the Dallas Morning News.