I was invited to play at Fripp Island in South Carolina over the Super Bowl weekend. Here's a compilation of two emails I sent to the rsg-ohio mailing list (which might make the story flow kind of weird, I don't cut and paste well), along with the report of Chuck Sedlako. The other attendees were Brent Hutto (our host), Dave Tutelman, and Joe Dean. Chuck and Joe came from Ohio, Dave from New Jersey, and I from Pittsburgh. Long time rsg'ers will remember Brent from rsg-Greensboro in March of '96. Brent had a foot injury and has learned to play left-handed. He's worked up a pretty nice swing from the wrong side. ----- Original Message ----- From: Sent: Monday, January 31, 2000 4:29 PM Subject: RE: Details for Columbia portion of Fripp Tripp 2000 > > Mighty quiet.... Did you all drown? > > -- > -- > -- David "Thor" Collard > -- http://ttsoft.com/thor > -- thor@lucent.com > Uh, we never got back. We were all stuck in airports for a week! Actually, this trip could have been called the "Spirit of Thor" trip, weather-wise. You may have heard that we went directly to Fripp Thursday afternoon. We were able to play the front nine at Ocean Creek Thursday. We saw our first deer while we were on the #1 tee. He was wandering across the range (I think to check out Chuck's tee shot). It turns out that he was joining a gang of deer over in the #2 fairway. They just sat there while we teed of into them, then finally moseyed off as we approached our shots. The golf was semi-OK. I had a 53, was making good contact but a little wild, plus a few penalty strokes in lateral hazards. Chuck was able to get a birdie on #3 after watching my excellent "go-to-school" putt. He had several pars, my best efforts were 3 bogies. Dave T had me laughing on #5. He and I both hit tee shots to the left side. Dave pulled out his 5 wood, then uttered three consecutive comments about how he wasn't hitting that club well recently, he was disappointed with the club and some other disparaging remark about that implement. I waited until he hit (it wasn't bad), then commented that he obviously hadn't been reading Rotella recently. Thursday afternoon at Ocean Creek: We played the front nine only, which has 3 par threes. Chuck played them in -1. Number nine is a par 5, water in front, 3 big bunkers and mounds in back, green slopes back right to front left. Chuck's 3rd is up on a mound, pin is cut at the back of the green. Chuck bumps his shot half way down the hill. I'm on the green, and I just KNOW the ball is going to get hung up in the rough, but it very slowly trickles through the rough and fringe and stops on the green, still above the hole. Chuck sinks the knee knocker for par. Friday we got in the full 18 at Ocean Creek, temps in the mid-30's, breezes in the 20 mph range. I had a 97 and was very happy with that because I felt I had played much better. The round actually included an 11 (3 water balls!) and a 9 (first 3 shots each had a matching sideways chip or a lateral hazard penalty). But around those and a couple other "others" I was also able to pull off six pars and five bogies. We finished up around 12:30 - 1'ish, went over to Ocean Point for lunch, then back to the house and watched the Phoenix Open. Some details... I play holes 3,4,5 and 6 in +1. Three, four and six are on the green (one fringe) and two strokes with the putter. On five I have my tee shot knocked down by a tree on the right, chip out, leave my third 15 yards short of the green, pin is at back of green, I putt on, then sink the 10 foot bogey putt. I used my putter from off the green many times over the weekend, I can't think of a single time where I didn't get up and down with it. #11 - Inspired by watching Chuck bang the flagstick with his approach, I'm able to hit the green and two putt my par. #12 - par 3, I'm in the sand trap. Hit a lob wedge that almost falls, tap-in for par. Joe showed up a little after six, we went into town for dinner, Ollies Oyster place. Food was great, we were a little suprised to find out that our pitchers of Sam Adams were twelve bucks apiece. It was a clear, beautiful starlit night. It was also the last time we would see the sky. Afterwards, Joe and I hit a couple lob wedges into the pond between our house and #17 on Ocean Creek. We woke up to rain Saturday morning. Ocean Point was agreeable to us moving back our tee times. We were finally able to tee off around 10:30. They were kind enough to charge us the "inclement weather" rate. It wasn't THAT inclement. Hell, the rain had stopped, temps were in the mid 30's with 40 mph winds. There was another foursome in the pro shop, but they didn't appear to make it onto the course. Brent was smart enough to sit this round out. I was adding 4 clubs to most shots. Numbers 8 and 9 were particularly brutal as there was very little between us and the ocean breeze. I stood with my back to the wind while others were hitting, then turned to follow their ball flight. I was resorting to just walking up to my ball, hitting a 3/4 swing 3+ wood and moving on. I was proud of Dave T though, he stuck with his routine on each shot. We lost Chuck after the front nine, and after grabbing a quick Snicker's bar and tinkling, Joe, Dave and I were off to the back nine. It was either getting misty at that point, or maybe we were getting sea spray blown on us. But that let up after #10, and the next couple holes had some protection from the wind. In fact, I was able to pull off 3 consecutive bogeys! I figured walking off the first tee that double bogey (108) would be a good score, I shot 116. Ouch. Two bogeys and a par on the front, those three bogeys on the back. Everything else was yucky. Number 15 is a par 3 along the ocean. I stood on the green leaning back into the wind while Joe and Dave were putting. It held me up just fine. If there had been no wind I would have fallen right over. Number 18 also played along side the ocean, much like 18 at Pebble (not layout-wise, but sea wall and proximity to ocean-wise). I took a moment to hit a 3+ wood halfway to France, Joe also hit an iron into the ocean. For you, Thor. Saturday at Ocean Point: This was the VERY windy course. My recollection's not so good because it's the first time I've ever played here so I don't remember the holes that well, plus I was concentrating on survival. Great shots were relative on this day, but Dave T pulled off some memorable ones. (Side note on this course: we found many of the pins laying on the green, having blown out of their holes.) #3 - Joe Dean's tee shot is wayward right and bangs off of something, a tree or a house maybe. Joe finds his ball in some guy's yard. This guy (who looks kind of like Bob Hope) sticks his head outside and makes some comment about the weather. Joe apologizes for hitting his ball over there, the guy says something like, "That's alright, I live on a golf course". #5 - This is a short dogleg left par 4. Mark, Dave T and Chuck all went with 180 yard clubs. Joe was way past us. But I was too far left, an overhanging tree limb blocked my way. Joe and Chuck went into hack mode. But Dave T pulled out a short iron and hit an knockdown shot that cheated the wind, landed and rolled up to the top of the green where the pin was. It was a thing of beauty. Then while we waited for Chuck and Joe to join us on the green, Dave told me a story of playing with this Scottish guy who was visiting New Jersey, who showed Dave the knockdown, and left him with these words: "If it's nae wind and it's nae rain, it's nae golf"! (We golfed!) Then Dave rolled in the birdie putt! #7 - 189 yard par 3. Joe and I parred this one, he actually hit the green with a wonderful tee shot. I hit a 3 wood that went left, hit the cart path, richoceted between two trees for a while, then just laid there (pin high I might add). I lob on and make the par putt. #8 - I've described how windy this hole was, I had my back to it most of the time. I sliced my tee shot off a blue house, eventually made my way into a greenside bunker. From there I putted out to tap-in range, then tapped in. Joe was shaking his head. #13 - One of Joe's approach shots goes in the lateral. I'm standing next to Dave, who's preparing to hit a shot. I look back, Joe's on his knees with his arm in the water! I'm thinking to myself, "What the hell is he doing!?!?", but I don't say anything to Dave. On the next tee, Joe tells me that when he got to his ball, there was another one beside it. Oh THAT explains it! #14 - We hack our way to the green, we're all on the left side, chipping into the wind and over a sand trap. Dave goes first, he's into the trap, up against the greenside lip. I follow and also leave mine short of the green, as does Joe. Dave's got one foot in the trap, the other on the fringe, lob wedge in hand. I'm thinking to myself that there's no way that ball's coming out. But it does, and it's almost holed. Shot of the day! Dave taps in. #18 - Joe and I hit ceremonial balls into the ocean. We went back to the house, Joe and I went and played 17, 18, 16 and 17 at Ocean Creek. By then my swing had gone straight to hell (it actually started on the back nine at Ocean Point) and i was having trouble even getting off the tee. Joe said my swing was all arms at that point, I guess my legs were just tired. After 17, Joe and I had a skills competition as we played 17 back towards the house. First we had a closest to the 150 marker I hit a great shot, a little long. Joe pulled his and it looked like he would owe me a beer. Turns out that he did, but as we got to our balls it turned out to be a lot closer than it looked at first. I was only one pace closer! Then we had a closest to the top of the brown hill competition which Joe won easily, and I owed him a beer! Sunday morning we packed and left for South Carolina National on Cat Island. I thought after last year that this might have been my favorite Fripp Island course, now I know it is. Temps were mid-30's, very little wind (YAY!), lots of mist though. Joe, Chuck and I led off, followed shortly thereafter by Brent and Dave T. I felt like I was playing very well, just a few mishits and a couple poor decisions. I was able to stay away from the real bad "others" although I did have 3 triples. I feel the one on 18 was caused by rushing my third shot due to an incredible desire to get off the course because of all the thunder and lightning. Only 3 pars, but nine bogies, those 3 triples and 3 doubles. Not too bad for a 95. Sunday at South Carolina National: I'm playing with Chuck and Joe, Dave T and Brent are one group behind. #5 - par 3, three guys, three routine pars! #8 - par 5, you have to tee off through a fairly narrow opening, then the hole opens up. I push my tee shot into a tree, and it bounces back and right into the woods. I have a fairly open chip/pitch back to the fairway, so I take my 7 iron and go for it. Hey, it's another push. It's heading right for two trees! It goes through the 5 inch opening and safely out to the fairway. Two shots later I'm in the bunker behind the green. I check it out, there's a low lip, I get my putter and step into the bunker right between my ball and the green! Doh! I putt it through the footprint and onto the green, not one of my better efforts. But I make the 10 footer for bogey anyway. #9 - Chuck hits a nice drive, but mine's 30-some yards past his. Chuck comments that he know how Pavin feels playing with Daly, then puts his approach on the green. I hit mine fat, and comment on how Daly must feel playing with Pavin. I hit on and two putt for bogey, Chuck gets the par. #10 - Chuck pull/tops his tee shot, right over a small bank and into the water? We walk up to the ball, Chuck's got a slight downhill lie, water 2 feet in front of him, and a 4-iron in his hands. I say to Joe, "you gotta consider where you want to be lying 3 at". Chuck hears me, and is overcome with determination to pull off the recovery shot. He puts the 4 iron back, gets the 7 iron, and smacks the ball over the water into the fairway. #11 - par 4, I'm in the greenside bunker in 2. Blast out to a foot, tap in for par. #13 - 150 yard par 3 over water. Chuck and I make routine pars. His is a nice shot to the green and a two putt. I skip a 9 wood across the water and up the bank on the other side, lob onto the green and sink a 15 foot downhiller. Ain't golf great? #14 - Chuck extends his string of pars to 4 with a chip in on this hole. You can hear Marines chanting on nearby Perris Island. Overall I was happy with my play. My short game rarely let me down, I only had 4 three putts all weekend (all in the wind at Ocean Point), I had lots of one putts, and I'm sure that the irons will behave better as the weather warms up. Many thanks to Brent (and to David Reiling, even though we didn't get to play his course due to weather) for putting it all together and being a great host. I'm sorry we didn't get to see Thor, Coops and David Reiling and his friend Scott this time around, maybe next time. Oh yeah, about them airports... Well, my flight to Pittsburgh was cancelled, I had to sit in Columbia's airport drinking Amber Bock until they could get me on the 7 o'clock flight to Charlotte. Then I went to Chili's in the airport and watched a really good Super Bowl (should have been home by now). Then the crew for our 10:30 flight to Pittsburgh wasn't able to get to the airport. Then they found an emergency standby crew and we all got home! I was all tucked in and asleep by 2:30 am... ---------------Begin Chuck section-------------------------------------- I'll let Mark and Dave supply the full trip reports, but just wanted to thank Brent again for making all the arrangements. Even though the weather was less than ideal, it sure beat anything North of the Mason-Dixon line. Here's my top 5 lists of trip memories ..... 5). Thursday, Ocean Creek. First 9 holes I played in over 3 months, I played the par 3's in -1. (Made a 20 footer after going to school on Mr. Georg on #3, then nearly birdied 150 yd. #6 and 180 yard #8). This provided me some optimism despite the fact I failed to break 10 on 4 of the other 6 holes... :-) 4). Saturday PM, The Bonito Boathouse. After inquiring to our waitress regarding recent local attractions and movies filmed in the area, learned that in the recent past, Tommy Lee Jones had sit in the exact same location that Mark Georg was currently. Overcome with excitement, I asked if Demi Moore, while filming GI Jane, ever sat in the seat I was occupying, but was dissappointed to learn this was not the case.... 3). Saturday afternoon, Ocean Point. Playing #9 with a slice swing and a 40 MPH left to right wind, with Ocean bordering the hole on the right, I managed to hit my drive on the left edge of the fairway -- but only by aiming a full 45 degrees left of the target. 2). Thursday afternoon, somewhere in South Carolina. After picking up Mark at the Columbia airport, the car trip was full of excitement as the temperature inched it's way into the 50's. It was around 1PM as we talked about getting 18 holes in at Fripp when we realized we were about 10 miles off course. One map, 90 minutes, and a very scenic ride through the back roads of South Carolina later, we eventually made it in time for only 9 holes of golf. On our way back, we discovered that the error in navigation was clearly not our fault, as the turn-off to I-95 from I-26 was poorly marked with at minimum 3 large green signs, one of which extending over the entire length of I-26. 1). Saturday afternoon, Ocean Point. Mr. Tutleman, in what was just short of hurricane like winds, pars the par 4 5th hole after leaving his birdie putt just short, then goes out and birdies the par 5 6th hole. Tiger Woods couldn't have played these holes any better under the conditions. and finally.... 1A). Friday afternoon, Ocean Creek. During a brief lull in the wind and rain, I took advantage of the brief calm, playing the number 2 handicap par 4 11th hole. I nailed a 3 wood well inside the 150 marker, then hit a crisp 9 iron high into the air. To my cry of "Go in the hole", the ball hit the flag stick sqarely and fell straight down within 2 feet of the hole for an easy birdie. Interesting to read that Mark got back at 2:30. I drove down and back, saving money on the airfare and was in bed in Dayton at 3:00AM. Thanks again Brent for making the trip a success! Chuck ------------------End Chuck Section----------------------- That's about it. Joe was hitting his new Great Big Bertha very nicely all weekend long. Watch out for him at rsg-ohio this year.