Paulie looks at golf and Olivia Cason goes to US Open -- THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

CASON TEES OFF TODAY IN US OPEN

I've found over the years that golf is one of those sports that there isn't much of a middle-ground in. People either really love it and spend a bunch of their free time in the pursuit of it. Then, there are people who don't know the difference between a graphite driver and a putter and could care less. And, people switch in their interest of "a good walk spoiled" pursuit over the years. 

We have a couple of readers here at Cardinal Couple (that I know of) who pursue golf on a regular basis. David Watson, from what I hear, is the better of the two...although Joe Hill might dispute that. Dave O's son has the bug as well and is spending this summer honing his game and working at a Florida Golf and Country Club. Maybe he's the next Tiger Woods, who knows? I'm probably the only one of us four on the Cardinal Couple Radio Hour who played the game regularly at one time. I may have to get up "The Cardinal Couple Invitational" at one of the local miniature golf locale around here and see how the boys do with a putter and water hazards.  

The Top Golf concept sounds interesting, but...there's a big group of folks opposed to where they are planning on trying to build the facility.  I always liked the idea of beer and golf. We'll see how that turns out. 

For years, I was an avid golfer. I had a standing tee time whenever weather permitted at noon on Fridays. I'd try to get in other weekend chances to play as well and loved trips, junkets, scrambles and playing different courses as they fit into my schedule. I wasn't good, but could hit the ball a long way off the tee and then find a way to get myself into all types of mischief. I had a hole-in-one at the age of nine on a local par-3 course. I still have the trophy. Our property ran parallel to the fourth hole on the now extinct Fern Creek Par 3 Golf Course. As kids, in the summer or after school, we'd 
"tee off and play around" to the clubhouse and then pay our fee. A pricey .50 cents back then. It's been a long time, but I can still remember where each tee and green were and could walk you around the former course. There's a elementary school, football, baseball and practice field now in place covering most of the holes. I wonder if any of my lost golf balls are still lurking around?  

I even got into a fight on the course once...as a kid...combining my "bad boy" football image with a short game, short temper and an annoying adversary who purposely stepped on my ball and dared me to do something about it. 

I did. I got tossed off the course. He went home with a souvenir black-eye and sore belly.

I went home with a "reputation" but the golf pro called my parents. That was not good. 

I quit golf shortly after my father died in 2006. He was one of the big reasons I got into golf and, despite the urging of friends and associates...I haven't hit the links since. Those memories are precious....but I just lost interest in driving or walking around for 4-5 hours without him.  

My dad worked at a golf course after he "retired"...he got free golf and was the "Sarge" of the clubhouse. He also used to like watching the US Open on television. He called it (and I'm kind of paraphrasing here) a true test of who's the best, whether they were pro or amateur. He played in the Kentucky Senior Open quite often in his latter years and won his age division a couple of times. He would have been a fan of and would be cheering for OLIVIA CASON...UofL junior from the women's golf team...who will take on "the best of land" in the US Women's Open at Shoal Creek Golf and Country Club in Shoal Creek, AL. starting today.

You just don't show up and tee it up to play in the US Open. You have to qualify. Cason did that back in May at a sectional qualifier in Indiana, PA. with a one-under par 143 to win the qualifier. This was also during the midst of the Cards quest and ultimate success to qualify for the NCAA Tournament, so she's seen a lot of fairways in this month that's about to end. 

Cason had a successful junior season for the "chip and putt" Cards. The Owensboro, KY native was third in stroke average for UofL with a 74.74 and had 10 rounds at or below par....plus (2) top-ten finishes. In the Cards NCAA run, she helped Louisville finish fifteenth in the NCAA Championships while tying for 74th. place. 

The first two days, all golfers in The Open will play eighteen holes a day. Then, the field will be cut to the top 60 golfers, who will compete for two more days, eighteen holes per day. Coverage is available on FS1 on Thursday and Friday...with the final two days being shown on FOX. 

Live results are available at LPGA.com and you can also follow the golf  and Cason's results on the women's golf Twitter site...www.twitter.com/UofLWGolf or on Facebook at

www.facebook.com/UofLWgolf .

 I also expect we'll give it a bit of round-table discussion on our weekly Cardinal Couple Radio Hour Saturday. I wonder if we could train the station dog "Punkin" to sniff out and find lost golf balls?

In closing, I bring you this quote about golf: 

"Golf combines two separate and quite different elements. Taking long walks and hitting things with a stick." 

Best of luck to Olivia in 'Bama! May her drives be straight and long, chips accurate and putting perfect. 


paulie
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