Caddying at the J Golf Phoenix Open

Last Wednesday was my caddying "gig" at the J Golf Phoenix Open. I showed up at 5 am and signed in and was told I would be going on my loop at 7 am with 4 amateur golfers and 1 LPGA pro. So I hung around talking and then they called my name and escorted us to the player's sign-in table and there were three young women there from the junior golf division... They paired up the other three caddies and we walked to the practice range... I was told my golfer was on her way so I watched the others warm up. My golfer then walked down with her Dad and I introduced myself. Dad was confused because he thought he would be caddying for his daughter. I told him I was assigned to her group but if he wanted to talk to the caddy manager I would get another foursome... He came back and said no problem, he would walk along and watch. So Laura and I went to work...

The four girls were all from the same high school golf team in the Phoenix area... There were two 16 year olds and two 17 year olds... Laura was a senior graduating in May and waiting to hear back from the colleges she applied to. She was the number 5 player on the team, but she had mad skills... I nicknamed her "Laura Longball" because she could pound the driver... (all the girls had beutiful swings and the lefty in the group was a nationally-ranked junior girl). They assigned us with Eun-Hee Ji and her caddy Zack... Eun-Hee was from South Korea and this was her third year on the tour. She was extremely friendly and talked the whole round with the girls offering tips and joking with the caddies... She hit tee shots from the back tees and the girls hit from the designated amateur tees... (Laura almost drove a green on a hole playing 314 yds. downwind!)... It was a scramble format so we would pick up the balls and drop them at the best tee shot and Eun-Hee would drop an extra ball and play from where the girls drove it. They shot seven under par on the front nine and had two eagle opportunities...(and they only needed Eun-Hee's shot twice).

After the round Dad paid me and we took some pictures with Eun-Hee, the girls and the caddies... Eun-Hee signed the hat I got for caddying and we all shook hands and told her we would be rooting for her in the tournament... I went back to the tent and asked if they had another loop for me (I had told them I could do a double), but they had had plenty of caddies so I hung around the practice range and saw many of the LPGA pros warming up...(Natalie Gulbis is even prettier in person, as hard as that is to believe...). Watch for the name Kara Martin in a few years on the LPGA tour. This little lefty had the sweetest swing in the group and is nationally-ranked (but she was number 3 on her golf team--the number 1 player won the junior national amateur as a 14 year old!). And she could putt lights out... She easily could have shot even par or better from the back tees... All the girls were very good players. It made my job very easy.

This was probably the coolest "job" I have had so far...walking "inside the ropes" at a tournament site, talking with a professional golfer and learning the course was an absolute blast...plus I scored two free passes to come back and watch the tournament on Sunday... More to come on the week that was back in the work force. Friday and Saturday I will be back in the parking lot at the tournament (The Stand II). Parking is a chore, but somebody has to do it...
Oh, I forgot... Thursday night I saw my first exhibition baseball game out here... I hosted the Cubs-Giants game on the windiest, coldest night in Arizona so far...(Auntie Em, Auntie Em, it's a twister!). We had lawn seats in left center field and the wind was blowing so hard, the cops removed us from the area because the "Dos Gringoes" concession stand and wobbling and threatening to blow over! When we went in the bleachers down the right field line the wind was sand-blasting us right in the face...(I had a hooded sweatshirt and a blanket was was still feeling cold). Lasted until the sixth inning and blew out of there (literally). Had to get up at 4:30 am for parking duty...(Ronnie "Lot" returns!).

Golf binge 2009

What a week! I indulged my "golf addiction" to the MAX... (played Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday). Golfnow.com is a godsend to someone "between careers" (read that as want to work as little as possible for as long as possible!). I am able to play resort courses that run between $100-200 for as little as $49... and my game is improving rapidly (even my putting, Victor!) The last 2 rounds were 74 and 75, respectively, at courses I've never played so I am psyched to say the least...

But this week I will be re-entering the work force for three days... Wednesday I will be at Papago Golf course to caddy in the LPGA Pro-Am event... (the women pros tee off with amateur players to raise money for local charities). I signed up for a double shift... I will caddy in the morning and then in the afternoon will do another loop of the course...(my chance to be "inside the ropes"). Then on Friday and Saturday I'm back at the course for parking lot duty (6am-6pm). It's only 2 days and should be okay (I'd rather be on the course, but let someone else have a chance). Oh, yeah and for the caddying on Wednesday, I receive two passes for the tournament to go watch so I hope to do that Sunday...

Thursday night I am "hosting" the spring training game between the Cubs and Giants...(lawn seats - "beach blanket baseball")... Should be fun...I need to go to the E&A office in Phoenix to pick up hosting materials (sign-up sheets and tickets) Thursday afternoon. I also ordered my DirectTV packages and they should be installed by mid-April so I can watch some "real" baseball... (No offense D-backs, but NY sports blows away the desert dwellers...) The Mets come to Arizona in August for three games (I hope to go to all, if that's feasible)...

Found a good sushi bar through Arizona Weekly Magazine online (Local mag detailing entertainment and dining choices, sort of like the Village Voice)...One of the woman I met through the club (E&A) is a huge sushi fan (used to live in California) so I found this place in Scottsdale and we met for sushi last Thursday night...(nothing like some raw eel and edamames to whet the appetite). Had a good time. There was a huge accident on "the" 101 so I had to use my local knowledge and steer around the detours (they closed the highway for about 5 miles) and I managed to not get too lost...

Spring has sprung... (although I can't tell out here). Did some spring cleaning and enjoying the "cold" spell the last 2 days (temps only making it to 70-75). Opened the windows and blew the winter funk out of the apartment...(Luckily there were no wasp nests in these windows!)... Cactus and plants are starting to bloom and the landscapers are planting many flowers...(so far my allergies have not kicked in but we'll see). It's nice to smell the flowers without scratching my eyes and blowing my nose and sneezing a dozen times...(ahhh, memories of NJ).

That's all for now... April calendar is up for more Events & Adventures...Will keep you posted... My best (always) to all.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day to all in the blogging universe...(everyone is Irish today). I'm off in a few minutes to pick up my corned beef and cabbage and potatoes and hopefully find some Irish soda bread... Been a busy bee the last week or so and I apologize for not keeping in touch, but here I am and let's get caught up...

In my last "installment" I told you how I was asked and became a host for some of the events in the club I belong to... I have now successfully hosted 3 events and all were resounding successes...(no deaths or dismemberments= success!). The Texas Hold 'Em tournament was a blast with 3 of our members making the final table and finishing 2nd, 4th and 6th... The 2nd place guy received a $35 gift certificate for use at the bar...(didn't get home until after 1am. Dirty stay out!). My last hosting job is a spring training game between the Cubs and Giants next week...(lawn seats in the outfield...byob---bring your own blanket). Speaking of sports, my apartment complex has ordered Direct TV dishes for all the buildings and I'll be able to get a sports package to watch my Mets and Jets and host of other games!!

Last weekend was the "Jim way overdoes it weekend". It started Thursday afternoon...I was walking around the "hood" and passed by the golf course around the corner and decided to see if I could score a tee time for Friday... I found a web site with discounted tee times and scored 18 holes at a resort course for $50.00 (saved over 100 bucks!). I hooked up with some "golf buddies" from Wisconsin and they asked me if I wanted to replay another 18 holes...(They come to Arizona in March every year and play 36 holes a day for seven days). I asked them how much and they said $10!! So, I played 36 holes on Friday... Saturday morning---up and an hour drive to a 5 mile hike through the trails of Cave Creek, Arizona... Saturday night---horseback ride through the trails around Lake Tempe... Sunday morning---volleyball in the sand at Lake Tempe, followed by a round of golf at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler with Mary Ellen, Phil and Kevin (E&A friends)...

Sunday night---passed out by 9:30 after pizza with the golf friends (Peter Piper Pizza---no pickled peppers)... So now you are caught up with the doings and over-doings of the man in Arizona...

Personal notes--Anna, loved the emails about you're visit with your parents (you have a natural talent for blogging!)... Glad to hear that Charles is doing better. Please give my love to both your parents for me... My condolences again to Mike and his family over the sudden loss of his Dad...
Thanks to all who have kept me informed about Charlie's condition... I really appreciate being in the "loop" and my best wishes go to all... Hugs and kisses to my "peeps" in Virginia and all my friends in the blogging universe...

The host with the most----sort of...

Events and Adventures has exploded with new members...when I joined at the beginning of the year there were under 100 members and one woman from the office hosted all the events (make sure people show up, sign waivers, give directions, etc...). After a media blitz on the local radio stations in February, membership has ballooned to well over 200 members, and the calendar is filed with events, even doubling up on Saturdays and Sundays... So rather than run Megan (host) ragged, she recruited 3 members to help her by hosting 3-4 events a month... and I am now a part-time host... Saturday was a kayaking trip down the Salt River and I cohosted with Megan because she had to go back to the office and set up a game night for later in the evening... Hosting an event gets me in for free or a credit on my account for future events... The kayaking trip (inflatable 2 person boats) was a blast... Pretty calm, but some low grade rapids also... Spent almost 2 hours on the water covering about 4 miles or so on the river... Water was cold...(they have dam controlled water flowing down from the mountains and snow pack up north...would feel real good in 110 degrees, I'm sure)... Nobody drowned and everone got soaked but had a great time... No deaths equals successful hosting duty...

Sunday I hosted and ran "Golf with Jim" at a local driving range in Tempe... 10 members of varying skills hitting balls and receiving lessons from "Jim". No absolute beginners but a lot of people who haven't touched a club in a while... While dealing with 10 people was a bit much...(if I do it again, we need to reduce the number), I had a good time, and not bragging too much, everyone was hitting the ball better at the end than when they started... After they left, I got in some needed practice of my own... I must have hit over 200 balls by the time I was finished... Also met some new golf buddies...(can't have enough of those) and some potential golf lesson candidates... Still toying with the idea of a "mobile" driving range, where I go to the customer, set up my driving net and astroturf mat and let them hit balls for a fee...(have to work out the details, cost of fuel, price of multiple nets, cost for lessons, etc...).

I will also be hosting the Texas Hold 'Em event this Wednesday night at the George and Dragon... English bar holds poker tournaments three nights a week and we are sending a group to participate...(no buy in and you play for gift prizes from the bar). Last time I was there was a trivia contest and the "Shepherd's Pie" I had for dinner was delicious...

Daylight savings time has once again come into play (for all of you but me, that is). It was nice not running around the house changing clocks and watches and televisions and microwaves and ovens...(is there anything that doesn't have a clock in it??)... So Arizona is now on Pacific time and is three hours difference from the East Coast... So watch the morning calls to me and I'll be careful on the evening calls to you, okay? Good deal...

Time flies when you don't blog--Part 2

Getting back to my story about working the golf tournament... not only did I NOT have to do parking, but the boss put me in the corporate hospitality tent or skybox behind the 13th hole... From my vantage point I could see the golfers putt on the 10th green, walk right by me to the 11th tee box and tee off past the other end of the skybox, hit their approach shots to the 13th green and walk by even closer to go to the 14th hole...(needless to say, I was in golf spectator heaven!). All I had to do was make sure the people coming into the stands belonged there and didn't walk out with more than one alcoholic beverage...(Each patron had to check in with the volunteers and receive a wrist band, then they could walk the course and continue to come back and forth all day)... Each section had viewing seats and tables, there was an open bar and food served all day...(breakfast, lunch and snacks from 9am to 5 pm). All of this under a comfortable open air tent that provided needed shade for me to hide from the sun during my 10-12 hour days...

I got to know the catering crew and bartender and by Thursday afternoon they were making me sandwiches and handing me ice cold waters... My partner and I took turns hanging inside the tent to escape the sun...(Cloudless days with temperatures in the mid-80s all week---tough assignment, eh?) I also made friends with one of the Desert Diamond Casino hosts and she gave me her phone # and email and told me if I ever wanted to bring friends down to the Tucson area to play golf, she would try to get me a deal on rooms at the casino...(sweet) Add that to seeing some great golf and you have the greatest "job" I have ever had...

Friday evening rolls around and the boss comes to pick us up and asks me if I'm working Saturday... I tell him I'm on the "will call if we need you" list... In the meantime, after the last call and emptying of the skybox, he says he needs me to help "sweep" the Walter Hagen Club before we leave for the day... (the Hagen Club is a party tent across the 13th green from where I'm stationed and the booze and food are sold, not free). "Sweeping" involves letting the people know it's time to leave, the bar is closed and making sure no one hides out in the tent or is passed out in the porta-potties (YUCK!) There are a few who don't want to leave (talk about some flashback moments) but after seeing about 12 of us coming through the bar, they leave peacefully... We get back to the command center to sign out for the day and Mike asks me if I want to work Saturday again and I say "sure, as long as I can work the same spot" (jokingly) and he tells the woman to schedule me for "skybox 13" for Saturday! (sweet, again)

Saturday was even better because the day was split between two 18 hole matches... It was a long day (6am-6pm) but between watching golf and enjoying the sun and being fed some fantastic food (and getting paid), who had it better than me? The only thing that could have topped this gig would have been the chance to play the course... The Ritz-Carlton is building a huge hotel, resort and spa next to the golf course and will be opening later in the year (October, I think) so there may be a road trip down here then... There's an opening for 3 more golfers... (HINT,HINT)... I have never enjoyed "working" more than I have this week and I am in Mike's (the boss) book for a long time for this. Maybe it's the New Jersey connection (he's also a Jersey transplant), I don't know, but he's a good guy to know for future assignments...

Sunday completed a great week with a round of golf at Ocotillo Resort (which is less than a mile from my front door). Gorgeous course with a lot of water hazards... (reminded me of courses from South Carolina and Florida, lots of grass and not too much desert)...Shot 81, with putting being the problem once again (like always). Happy with the rest of the game though...

I wanted to thank my cousins for including me in the Charlie updates on his condition... My prayers go out to him and the entire family for his recovery... I only wish the best for him and all of you... And a special thanks for all my blog fans out there... Every one seems to enjoy my ramblings about my goings on out here, so I will continue to regale you with new and exciting adventures...

Time flies when you don't blog

I have once again been derelict in my duties as the blog-meister... Can't believe its over a week since I clogged the "blog" waves with my goings on here in the "Valley of the Sun". It was a very eventful week for me and a great one to boot... The best part (because a snow storm is blanketing the Midwest and Northeast as I write) is that we had a miniature heat wave here in the valley... The temps were in the low to mid 80s all last week and we almost hit 90 yesterday! It's been so long since I've seen a cloud, I need to look at pictures to remind me what they look like... Another 30 degrees hotter and it would be summertime...

I called my security company last Tuesday to see if there was an ASU basketball game or two that I could work and I hit the mother lode... Our company was working the Accenture Match Play Championships (golf) down in Marana, Arizona the entire week... So I signed up to work on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and was on the "call you if we need you" list for Saturday...(No Sunday for me---I was playing golf on Sunday)... Marana, for those who don't have a map of Arizona handy, is about 90 miles southeast of me on "the" 10, on the way to Tucson... They were running a shuttle from Phoenix, but I decided to drive myself every day...(didn't see the point in driving north to go south)... They didn't have a specific assignment for me but I took the gig anyway (praying the whole time it wasn't parking duty)...

Of course, the first day I had to report at 6:00 am down there... They gave me directions and told me to park in the RV lot (Recreational Vehicle for the abbreviationallly challenged)... I figured the ride was about an hour and a half so I went to bed Tuesday night at 8:30 and set the alarm for 3:15 am! Packed my lunch and water supply in my handy Jets cooler and out the door at 4 am heading south ... Saw my first coyote on the trip down the 10, staring me down from the side of the road (glad I was in the car)... I knew it wasn't Wile E. Coyote because there were no Acme boxes around... The speed limit heading to Tucson is 75 mph (which I did). Plenty of trucks to keep me company along the way... I got down to the exit and went east on Tangerine and arrived at the general parking lot... Another West Coast "tradition" I am learning--here you don't get off the exit and make a left or right, you go east or west or north or south...(I refuse to buy a compass!!--it's dark, tell me to make a left or right!) Stores will be on the southwest corner of intersections (so naturally I have to cruise each corner because there are stores on ALL corners!!)... Sorry for the rant, where was I? Oh yes the general parking lot...

No one is in the lot, so I'm not sure if this is right... I take a ride to the main lots of the venue which is about 5 miles from this lot at the Ritz-Carlton Golf Club (yes, it's THE Ritz Carlton) and I'm turned around and sent back to the public lot... When I get there, one of my peeps is there and tells me I have to park down in the back of the lot... I drive, and drive, and drive and finally reach the back lot...(a good 1/4 mile from the entrance) and wait for the shuttle van to take me to the "command center". (which I just missed, because I was driving around looking for RVs). By the time it scooped me up and dropped me at command, it was 6:15. I'm thinking to myself that this is not going well and here comes the parking lot assignment, when the woman who signed me in yells "Hey, Mike. Jim is here..." Mike is a guy I met at the "block party" I worked for the All Star game... He ran security at the FBR Open (The Stand) and told me he would hook me up if we ever worked together again...(I thought he was just blowing smoke up my butt at the time). He comes out an says that he has a good spot for me and we hop in a cart and he takes me there... An hooks me up with a "prime" spot...

Sorry for the suspense, but I need a break and will continue the saga later this morning...(not too late).