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Darin's Blog

01/03/08

They’re out there, and you’re probably thinking about them right now—the holes that take a bite out of your butt each time you tee it up at your favorite places to play. They’re your own, personal golf demons.
We’ve all got ‘em. It might be the tight tee shot that requires a draw, the short-iron approach to a green as thin as an Olsen twin or a putting surface that gives Six Flags’ roller-coasters a run for their money.
But if you’re a “real” player who doesn’t mind a flesh wound or two, the kind of guy or gal who stands in the face of challenge and pronounces, in your best Monty Python accent: “I putt in your general direction,” you want to play those holes again and again. You want to conquer them.
Here are nine of the holes (in reverse order) in California and Las Vegas (we’ll have our Northern Nevada, Pacific Northwest and Arizona experts plunge into the discussion in the coming weeks) that have slapped me around for years. But I’ll get the best of them yet. Tell us your favorite “trouble spots” and why for a chance to be our first FG Lucky Winner in 2008.
9) 14th at Oak Quarry — “Spinel Slide,” as it is called, is the Mother of All Signature Holes, and I’ve yet to make par here. At 214 yards from the tips, it’s like tossing a marble onto a postage stamp … from across the room. My tip: Pick a club, trust it and pray. And repeat as needed.
8) 1st at Trump National — One of The Donald’s truly inspired improvements of Pete Dye’s somewhat muddled Ocean Trails, this waterfall-backed opener is still relatively short (300 yards from the blues, 370 from the blacks, although it plays uphill). But the real trick is on the wedge-shot approach to a rolly-polly sliver of green — too little and your ball takes a bath, too much and your ball takes a shower. It sets the tone for the enjoyable seaside spanking that is ahead.
7) 3rd at Rhodes Ranch — I’ve seen a lot of crazy stuff on this hole. In fact, my golf buddy, Little Danny McDonald, has made par out of the water on this somewhat-island-green par 3, plus he’s had a hole in one from the 167-yard tee box. But when played from the full 227 yards, it’s as touch a one-shotter as you’ll find. Over water. OB long. Into a waterfall left. Into the community’s guard shack right. And Ted Robinson Jr.’s trademark three-tiered green makes birdie on the back pin placement nearly impossible. I’ve carded a 2 here, but I’ve also carded a 9.
Continued in Good “Bad” Memories – Part 2

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Vic's Blog

06/16/08

We heard the roar from behind the grandstand at No. 18 as what had to be 30,000 people turned Torrey into a temblor. Then, watching the action on a flat screen on seven-second delay, we saw the putt. A few moments later, I turned around and there was Tiger Woods shaking Rocco Mediate’s hand. “We got a game tomorrow?” a beaming Tiger asked the man who came so close to beating him by one slim stroke. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Mediate said. Or something close to that.
So, here we are, going into 18 holes of overtime, which is the way Mediate says it should be for “our national championship.” It’s definitely David vs. Goliath Part Whatever. Five-win, 45-year-old, self-admitted jabberjaw journeyman Mediate vs. the greatest closer in golf history. One round on Monday morning for all the marbles, a big ol’ trophy and much bigger bucks. Plus eternal glory, which in Mediate’s case would be something truly special, which is why I’m rooting for the guy, perhaps foolishly. He’d be the first to admit it doesn’t look good, though at his post-round press conference, a clearly wiped out Rocco wouldn’t exactly back down. “I can’t wait to go see what I’ve got against The Man,” he said. “I know what he has.”
What he has, of course, is 13 majors under his belt, while this may be the only chance Mediate has to take home just one. I thought for about five minutes that I’d skip it and head home, but there’s too much meat still on this bone. Even Tiger thinks so. “Rocco has played well in U.S. Opens before. He’s got all the talent in the world. Now he’s shown us.”
Bring it on. Bring them on. See you at Torrey. Again.

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