Omaha Here We Come - United States Senior Open 2013

7-5-2013 Having a brother that is good enough to play in one SR. US Open let alone two is a blessing to a wanna be like me. As the old saying goes; if you can't play, coach. If you can't coach... Caddie!  That's the links version anyway. Hunter and I head out to Omaha tomorrow for the US Senior Open. Eyes set on 7 incredible days. Yes 7. 2011 taught us a couple of things that make the forecast sunny with a chance of birdies. Here's a few things I remember from Open number one and Hunter's revenge on Ben Crenshaw 49 years later... 1. Evidently TVs are loud so the volume must be kept on low. That said I don't think Hunter will make the mistake of putting me in the room next door to him again. 2.  The rough at these things is as long and sticky as an unshaven Golden retriever that hasn't had a bath in awhile- Hunter and I will spend a bit of time Monday thru Wednesday experimenting with the best way to flop a shot out of that to a concrete green and a pin 15 feet away.,. 3. Advil bottle(s) .. Check. Caddie and player equally damaged bodies 4. When in the players dining room no international stories even if you are bragging on your recently departed marine old man. You never know when Kohki Idoki might be within ear shot.  5.  A pin -21 on a pin sheet does not make the front of the green 21 yards closer. ( I only did that once -- but I argued with Hunter about it halfway down the hole... Thank God he made par... And oh yes, didn't listen to me) I swear I was in the math club.... Yes experience is everything....  I think I'll sign some autographs this year. Hunter is old hat at it now.   Looking forward to seeing Omaha Country Club and what lays in store for us. If other Perry Maxwell tracks are any indication we'll be met with undulating greens and tight fairways. Not the original course designer Maxwell renovated the course in 1952. The Omaha CC renovation was Mr. Maxwell's Swan Song as he died that same year. Maxwell designed Prairie Dunes in Hutchinson Kansas and Southern Hills in Tulsa OK.  He also added significant Maxwell charm to Colonial Country Club, Pine Valley and Merion to name a few...  Pretty good tracks you think? To say the least, the golf course should be a beauty. The company will be excellent as Hunter's wife Betsy will be there; and I'm on a darn good bag. Onward to Omaha.  Keep it in the short stuff and below the hole. Will

You Always Have a Play

I caddied for my brother Hunter Nelson in the 1994 US Open Sectional Qualifier at Champions Golf Club in Houston Texas. On the first tee Hunter's playing partner David Lundstrom addressed his ball and promptly duck hooked it into the trees on the left. Normally an excellent ball striker, Lundstrom's  anomaly travelled 100 yards forward and took a hard left turn disappearing into the trees and brush. To quote my brother, "see ya tournament ..."

We all searched for the little white mystery and nearing the end of the 5 minutes allowed, David started the lonely walk back to the tee. At that moment Hunter spoke the magical words. "David, here's one."

With shoulders raised 2 inches higher and a stride that looked nothing like the sullen trudge Lundstrom had departed with back towards number one tee, he    returned and identified his long lost friend. New life coursing through his veins, the journeyman pro chipped his ball out to the middle of the fairway, and fired a 4 iron from 200  yards that finished 15 feet from the cup. Just 7 minutes after near disaster, Lundstrom stepped over the 15 footer and drained it for a par.

Lundstrom never hit another bad shot in 36 holes that day. He also never made a putt outside of 6 feet. In the end David Lundstrom shot 69 - 72 for a 36 hole total of 141 and garnered one of 2 spots in the 1994 US Open at Oakmont.

That first hole reminded me of life in so many ways. We have all hit a "duck hook" on occasion, maybe we have hit multiple. Many times it takes a friend, an unlikely action or an unknown hero to help us out of a trouble spot. God throwing us humans a bone if you will. We are given that chance to "chip out" and hit a recovery shot. It's up to us to hit the shot and make the putt.

We make mistakes, but no matter where that decision puts us we always have an opportunity to recover. As my old golf buddy Jason Black says; " you've always got a shot". It might be behind a tree... But it's a shot nonetheless.

Life is full of mishits and mistakes, but with the help of others and a few lucky bounces we make it through. There are times you don't find your ball and have to walk on back to that tee. As hard as it may seem , there is still a chance to recover. You must re-load and keep on keepin' on.

Try to keep it in the fairway, but if you wind up in a ditch look for a little help from your friends. Sometimes even a good decision or well meant intentions go awry. David Lundstrom had good intentions when he hit that first shot. Pick your head up and try to do the best with where you are as a result. Dwelling on how you got there does you no good as you try to make lemonade out of lemmons.

Here's hoping you find your ball when your looking for it and here's to making par after you do.

Hit it long and straight
Will