Opening Day – TaylorMade Kid on First Honor Roll- By Nate Curry (Cadillac Blue)

[Jay Bee]

 

Opening Day is so exciting. GGW didn’t care about the weather, course conditions, or cost. It was time to get this season started. See which of us have improved, find out who among us is better, and determine what players will earn 2011 Year End Honors.

 

On Saturday, April 2, twelve members of Golfers Gone Wild took to a familiar course, to play a traditional season opening round at University Golf Club and Conference Center in University Park.  April in Chicago is always unpredictable. The Cubs opening day featured wind and rain.  They had to clear snow before the White Sox took the field. We all surely wished for the 80+ degree days in Arizona and Florida.  But if the GGW Scheduler says play, we play.

 

For the GGW, if waiting for the winter golf trip like a little kid waiting for Christmas, Opening Day is more like the first day of school. You remember the first day of school. Every year, even in cold weather, you dress to look your best. You try to remember any of your lessons from last year. But you hope you won’t be called on to execute a tough shot until you get back in the swing of things.

 

However, there are always those overachieving students. Kids, who go to summer school, study every day and on practice on weekends. Kids, who are ready to answer any questions about their game, and raise the curve for the rest of us. For the GGW, leading these overachievers was the TaylorMade Kid.

 

Charles Taylor picked up where he left on in Florida, with an impressive 82 (net 67) to win the 1^st GGW Event of this our 5th season as a Tour.  TaylorMade Kid turned long drives and clutch putts into 8 pars and 1 birdie on #18, to lead in almost every statistical category.  If Taylor continues to make Honor Roll for the remainder of the spring, the rest of the GGW might be playing for second chair by July.

 

Also with High Honors was Bigg Dogg, the defending 2010 Player of the Year. Bigg Dogg prevented a complete opening day sweep by shooting an 86 (net 69). Lonnie also had 8 pars and led all players with 8 skins. He did not appear to have forgotten any lessons, and may prove a tough out in 2011.

 

Way Cool ‘s score indicates he should be in Advanced Placement, shooting a net 69 and finishing third. This was curiously well ahead of his scores from last year with a 3 under par net. Way Cool, who upon direct examination stated, “he had not touched a golf club since October”, still carded a stellar 93; The administration has no proof, but we hope Way Cool eventually comes clean about how he spent his winter vacation. 

 

A few other students earned passing grades. Rifleman, always any Teacher’s Pet, shot 99 (net par 72). Professor Martin Hall would be proud. Country Strong, hoping to recover from almost being left back last year, shot a neat 94 (net 73), had birdie on #2 and won two skins. Cadillac Blue, who does just enough work to get by, shot a pedestrian 97 (net 74). Quick Draw also played like a confirmed C student, carded 95 (net 75). And for now we will give the newcomer in class, Steady Eddie a pat on the back for his 91, birdie on #5 and three skins.

 

Then we get to those GGW kids who may need to ride to school on the short bus.

 

Former Players of the Year, Silent Assassin (100) and Lucky Lefty (103 net 86), have got to get their acts together and stop hanging with the wrong crowd. Do they want a future in golf course maintenance? Wendell Mays (102) demonstrated need for some remediation. And Kappatain Styles turned in totally unsatisfactory work (105 net 86). If he continues on this path, he may have to change his GGW major from Golf Science to something easier like, Music & Video Arts.

 

Next weekend, Golfers Gone Wild Tour will travel for further education at Deer Creek Golf Course in University Park, Illinois. It is a long season and the first day is always overly exaggerated. Still, try harder and don’t fall too far behind the other ultra-competitive players in the GGW Class of 2011.