A WEEK TO REMEMBER!!

Fog & Floodlights: about to hit a few putts before daylight on day 5

As a golfing father to two talented golfing girls who ended up playing college golf, over the years, I've had several great times on the course as a "caddy" for both of them, from junior events, to state tournaments, to qualifiers for USGA Championships, to USGA Championships, to Symetra Tour events, and most recently LPGA Qualifying Tournament "Stage II" in Venice, FL last October, and "Stage III" (the finals) in Daytona Beach, last week, Dec. 4 - Dec. 8.

These times have been the source of great family memories from both girls. Sometimes we have laughed and sometimes we have cried, but this past Sunday, in the parking lot of LPGA International, after the last putt had dropped ten minutes earlier, and we were walking to the car, I happily did both, it was one of the best "crying-laughter" I've ever had when Anya hugged me and said, "Dad, I tried my best. Thank you. I'll do my best of this opportunity". Her words were a reinforcement of what I already knew.

Relief!! In the parking lot after day 5.

Tournament golf is difficult. Anya had just finished in 27th in the LPGA Qualifying Tournament with scores of 73-69-73-71-71 for a three under par 357, which gave her a rookie card with "conditional status" (the top 20 earned full cards). Her words were part relief, part promise, part recognition the strokes lost, and acknowledgement to her determination not to give up and continue hitting good shots under pressure. She should be proud (I know I am) of herself for the courage and poise that she showed as there were plenty of opportunities to give up. 

In fact, the scores and finish were are a testament to her mental toughness, as, for five tournament days, she gave a clinic of power and distance control, but somehow the putts kept missing. Most of us golfers know that when we continue missing birdie opportunities, it is easy to get down on ourselves and lose our patience, finally giving up and scoring higher. But not Anya, who kept the past where it belonged, in the last hole, and kept working on the most important shot of all: THE NEXT ONE!

Now, mostly, I owe the opportunity to carry her bag and be with her, in a round about way, to a young man whom I don't know personally. His name is Johnny Delprete. He happens to be LPGA's Toiur player Jessica Korda's boyfriend. Johnny was scheduled to caddy for Jessica in Malaysia last week, however, he played himself into the finals of the PGA Tour's Qualifying Tournament the week after the LPGA's finals, so had to pull out as her caddy, thus, Jessica called her regular tour caddy, Patrick Hortsman, Anya's boyfriend and scheduled caddy for the LPGA Qualifying Tournament finals, to go to Malaysia, which in turn, left Anya without a caddy. Had Johnny not qualified for the finals, Patrick would have been the caddy and I would have been here, biting my finger nails when watching "live scoring" in LPGA website. Best of lucks to Johnny in the Qualifying tournament this week!

After last putt. My hat is not small, it's my head that is big!!! (with reason)

After this change in her plans, Anya had a few other choices of regular caddies, some of whom were very experienced, but for whatever reason, and I dare to say it was not economical, she decided to call dad, someone who had caddied for her, and who knows the game and her game fairly well, and whom she sensed would also be a good on and off course companion.

It is the hardest thing I've ever done as far as caddying, and it is not the 108 holes that I would carry a bag (90 tournament holes plus 18 in a practice round), but I knew in advance that I had to fill in pretty big shoes, Patrick's, who not only knows Anya's present game better than I do since they play together so often in Florida, but also knows the BUSINESS side of caddying. He is a professional caddy, and I do that for fun, for my daughters and occasionally for young friends. I knew that this week, I could not afford to be "on course dad", I had to be a caddy, period, at least while on the course.

With her LPGA "Rookie Orientation" booklet

I had to allow my daughter to be "my boss", and "do as she said" in every area, "stand there please", "keep the towel wet", "walk faster", "walk slower", "stay still", "can you bring me a water please?", "watch the other player's line", "hold the flagstick", "take the flagstick out", "put it back in", "hold the clubs together when walking" (so they don't rattle if anyone else is hitting elsewhere), "give me the 6 iron" and do so even if I thought that a 7 would be better, as I could not afford to give her any doubts (have you seen the McGladery TV commercial with Davis Love III?). In addition, I had read the greens right and hope I was correct at least 90% of the time (otherwise, your player loses confidence in your advice), and, and in the process, speak at the right time, say the right thing and keep my mouth shut when I needed to. Pretty hard for someone who is used to teaching, someone who has employed caddies and someone who is used to directing other people to do certain things... particularly your daughter!

LOL, so, in more than one way, I am glad the week is over!!!

In the end, I learned and re-learned a lot: first by realizing that when you want to do something or when you need to do something, you find a way to get the job done, on my side for instance, I did not know I had the strength to carry a bag for 108 holes until I actually did so, but I could not say "no" when asked (I truly prayed to God to give me the strength); and on her side, it reinforced the knowledge that "it's not the size of the dog that is important in the fight, but the size of fight in the dog that really matters".

P.S. Anya, I forgot to thank you for not bringing your "tour bag"!!!