Fred Couples

Way back in the day, B.T.W. (Before Tiger Woods), golf wasn't cool.

The Coolest Golfer Ever

But even before Tiger made it popular to play golf, there a guy who made it fashionable. This man was Fred Couples. He's beginning to show his age now, but back then he was "the man." He was the epitome of the saying, "Every woman wanted him & every guy wanted to be him." He looked like Don Johnson, and walked like he didn't have a care in the world. He had this very unorthodox swing, but it was silky smooth. And if any one word defined him, it was that last one: smooth.

A few years ago, my Dad & I traveled to Pinehurst, NC to watch the U.S. Open Golf Tournament live & in person. One of the treats of that Sunday round was walking the course in the crowd almost alongside Fred Couples. You'd just have to watch him walk. He's so... smooth. As smooth as watching liquid chocolate being poured out. It was a fun experience. The other cool thing -- this guy's nickname is "Boom Boom." It's because he's such a long driver of the golf ball. At the time, his sponsor was Bridgestone. And there were these hot blond girls in the crowd that Bridgestone paid to follow him around & wear these cute outfits that said "Boom Boom" on them. Now THAT is cool!!

There are a few athletes that come along from time to time who just seem to be "favored by the gods." Like, Sandy Koufax or Gale Sayers. Fred was one of these. Lucky things would happen for him on the golf course that don't happen for anyone else. Extremely fortunate events. Like (in the video at the bottom, starting at time-marker 0:36) when he holed out from the roadside bunker at the 17th hole at St. Andrews after leaving it in on the previous shot. That is, without question, the most difficult bunker shot in all of golf. And he holed that sucker out. Or, (starting at time-marker 2:00) when he hit his approach shot short at the par-3 12th hole at Augusta in the final round of the Masters Tournament that he went on to win, and it DIDN'T go in the water. It held up on the slope. That NEVER happens! Never has, and likely never will again. But Fred was touched by the golf gods, and he just sort of acts like that's par for the course.

The Achilles of golf

But as the myth goes with those who are touched by the gods, other gods become jealous that a human would be favored above them. And in their envy, these gods act out on their vindictive natures by striking down the favored human. And so, the greatness of these individuals once touched by the gods is only fleeting. Sayers tore ligaments in his knee, and Koufax walked away before he blew out his elbow & ruined his quality of life. For Couples, it was his back. He's always struggled with spasms & back pain that kept him from playing and practicing at an elite level for an extended period of time.

Anyway, this is a compilation of some of Freddy's best moments on the golf course. My favorite moments are from the the 1996 edition of THE PLAYERS Championship. He won that tournament. This is the tournament where they have that island green par 3. The first highlight (starting at about the 4:15 mark) is where he put it in the water on his first shot, re-teed it up, and then holed his 2nd try for a par. The second moment is from the final round of that '96 tournament on hole #16, where he sunk a long putt for eagle. And the final moment is also from the final round of that '96 tournament, where he sunk a long putt for birdie.

Sometimes You Can't Help Jealousy

You know, it takes effort not to envy. Whenever there are things you don't have that you want, the easy thing to do is to feel jealousy. Perhaps the most obvious example for me is being a single guy around married friends. I was with a couple married buddies last week who finally felt like they had to ask if their "marriage talk" was hard for me to handle. It's really not. I actually sort of take pride in being able to not be a third wheel. And I'm able to elevate my joy for others in place of whatever personal inadequacy or jealousy that might want to raise up.

Still, there are times where it's difficult to hold that jealousy back. This news story really got to me. A BLIND guy got an ace? Come on. I want one... :*(

(that was a tear)

The closest I ever came was a couple years ago. There's a local course at a place called Bay Point Resort that was called "Lagoon Legends." It's recently been re-named & re-designed (to make it easier), but it was at one time very difficult. It had a slope rating from the tips at over 130. There was always talk of possibly hosting a U.S. Open there. I never did break 90 on that course.

Anyway, one day right before the re-design, they were holding a special to pay $35 and play all you want. That is a RIDICULOUSLY awesome deal for this quality of course. Normal greens fee + cart for 18 holes on this course is somewhere in the $80-$120 range, depending on the time of year. We played 36 holes for $35 a piece and even got a free lunch somehow.

On the first 18, we got to this par 3 that was about 155 yards over water to a peninsula green. I dropped that ball right on the hole. I had 6 inches for the birdie, and the ball was right behind the hole in terms of direction back to the tee. I don't know how that ball ended up there, given the ball mark (directly in front of the hole). I couldn't figure out how that ball could land directly in front of the hole, end up directly behind the hole, and not go in the hole.

(sigh)

I've holed out from the fairway before. But never on a par 3. And I'm jealous of that stinkin' 92 year old blind guy. Even a blind hog finds an accorn every once in a while, but come on!