Be clutch every time.
Welcome to this Thursday, post-U.S. Open edition ofThe Opening Tee
Shot!
It's so exciting to write today's newsletter while looking back on our experience at Shinnecock last week! I've never personally attended a U.S. Open, so having our son play in it was eye-opening on so many levels.
First, the USGA puts on a world-class event. The staff go out of their way to make sure the players, families, and support team have everything they need. Whether it was transportation, meals, photo ops, or practice facilities, it didn't matter. As the mom who's the one generally organizing all the golf tournament details, it was such a refreshing change of pace. I could definitely get used to
this!
If you're competing in the U.S. Junior Amateur event in July or U.S. Amateur in August, then you're going to experience this as well and it's really something to look forward to.
I could go on and on about the Shinnecock Golf Club and the Hamptons. I've never explored this part of the country before and I wasn't prepared for just how beautiful it really is. Now I see why everyone wants to "summer in the Hamptons" — not sure I'll ever be able to do that, but it was nice to pretend for a week.
If you watched the coverage then you know the conditions were one of the major storylines for the week. I couldn't believe the amount of wind there. It was so odd because we would be 10 minutes away at our rental house and there wouldn't be any breeze, and then we'd get to Shinnecock and it felt like a wind tunnel. It was different hole by hole too, and I have no idea how any golfer manages this.
There were definitely a few pinch-me moments during the championship. Seeing Hamilton play a practice round with Rory McIlroy was a definite highlight, meeting so many pro and amateur golfers and their families, plus getting more behind-the-scenes looks at a major championship. Who knows if we'll ever get to see a major up close like this again, but it was such
a great experience.
If I had to sum up my favorite moment of the week I would have to say it was when Hamilton came home after his first round and we were talking in the kitchen. He shot an 81 on Thursday and it was one of those days where the score didn't reflect the effort and could have gone either way (as
junior golf parents, I know we all have these rounds). Instead of getting down on himself, the first thing he said to me was that he couldn't wait to get back out there and compete again. I could feel the excitement from him, which was crazy considering the condtions he had just faced all day.
He shot a 70 the
second round, and while he didn't make the cut, he proved something to himself about perseverance that no parent or coach can teach.
