From the bunker at the U.S. Open

By Greg Girard

Well, after too many years of hype to count, the U.S. Open has come and gone. Like Noah before the flood, the area was percolating with anticipation and, now that it’s gone, there’s a vast, satisfying exhale and a little bit of relief. 

Our community really brought this one home and aside from the golf cart driver that got arrested for running over a state trooper’s foot and then attempted to flee the scene, I think we represented Pinehurst and the surrounding communities with aplomb. 

Taking advantage of a media credential, I had the chance to go behind-the-scenes throughout the week. Here’s a few thoughts:

a. Golf fans alone must keep the khaki shorts/polo shirt industry in the black.

b. Credentials and access felt a little more elitist than other sporting events. Access to certain tents and special areas depended entirely on the marks on your badge. Those allowed into the clubhouse or Putter Boy Pavilion had a distinct swagger to their walk. It felt a little like the first class curtain being drawn on an airplane. Peasants and serfs to the left please … and don’t look at me.  

c. You can’t really appreciate the beauty of the course until you get on it. It’s fantastic and a true challenge for the best players in the world. 

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d. The USGA makes a lot of money selling stuff. Late Saturday afternoon, I journeyed down to the Merchandise tent along with a throng of people leaving … but not before shopping in the largest tent erected for the tournament. Now I know what being in a grocery store during a zombie apocalypse must feel like. People couldn’t help themselves. Weighed down by shirts, hats, mugs, flags and ball markers, you’d think they were giving it away. Not even close. It becomes quickly evident the USGA has been doing this for a while. Checkout lines rivaled the lines for Disney World’s Space Mountain but moved smoother than an easy flowing river. In no time, I was at the cashier, two T-shirts in hand, ready to hand over $55. And I was holding the least number of items by far. Cha ching. 

e. USCG treats the media right – food, drinks, Wi-Fi, air-conditioning … and all the information you could need about the players and the area. It was impressive. 

f. Yelling, “Get in the hole” after a shot 300 yards away is just lame.

g. Legs were covered with dust after a day of walking the course. In fact, there was a lot of dust being kicked up by people but mostly by the endless number of golf carts zipping this way and that. 

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h. Kudos to the state troopers working the traffic circle. Their presence made getting around safe and easy.

i. In fact, I drove past the course every day and never once did I have a problem.

j. Was it just me or did it seem a bit quite in Southern Pines.

k. The blimp was too loud.

l. The jitneys were a nice touch around the village.

m. Golf is a white sport. I think I counted the number of minority fans I saw on one hand.

n. The Payne Stewart statue is pretty cool.

o. Grown men aggressively pushing past kids for autographs is a sad, sad sight. 

p. Kudos to the volunteers for withstanding eight-hour shifts under a hot sun and helping helpless fans find their way. And always with a friendly smile.

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q. Nothing beats a hotdog and a beer at sporting event.  

r. I wish golf wasn’t so expensive.

s. Smoking a cigar on pine straw doesn’t have a ring of intelligence to it.

t. Here’s hoping Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen reaped most of the revenue. Spoke to one group who had hotel rooms in Fayetteville and they told me the bus took them to the event and got them right back out of town at the end of the day. Didn’t like hearing money rolling away on a motorcoach. 

u. Too bad we won’t see this again for at least another eight years.

v. The 25 mph speed limit on Monticello is maddening, especially when getting stuck behind someone that won’t exceed it by even 1 mph. Live a little, will ya!

w. How bored do you think those state troopers were at the intersections around town.

x. Random Act of Kindness: Sunday morning, a woman pulled over near the collection of state troopers at the traffic circle and delivered donuts and coffee.

y. Golf isn’t everything: On Saturday afternoon, I was in the media tent with a dozen other media-types huddled around a TV watching the World Cup. Costa Rica won.

z.  In all seriousness, how do they hit it so far? I find it incomprehensible.

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