Happy Holidays and Seasons Greetings to everyone.
As the 2009 year is coming to a close, I thought we would put out one more blog for the year. The 2009 year was filled with ups and downs, but for the most part it was another good year in the world of golf here at the Brickyard.
We started the season here at the Brickyard with the “Pay The Temp” promotion on St. Patrick’s Day. The weather was perfect with temps reaching near 70 degrees. The course was packed. We continued that promotion through the month of March, and hopefully we will bring that back in March 2010.
During the season, Central Indiana was treated to some major golf as the U.S. Senior Open was contested at Crooked Stick in nearby Carmel.
On the PGA TOUR, we saw a new champion at The Masters in April as Angel Cabrera defeated Chad Campbell and Kenny Perry in a playoff to take home the green jacket.
The next major tournament was the U.S. Open in which David Duval made a dramatic comeback but just came up short, as did Phil Mickelson, to Lucas Glover. Lucas won his first major at Bethpage Black, a brutal golf course.
Next up was the British Open, and how can you forget Tom Watson and his historic run at the Claret Jug? Tom ended up losing in a playoff to Stewart Cink, but Watson won everyone’s heart with his play that week.
And finally the last major of the year saw Tiger Woods leading the PGA Championship going into the final round. But as it turned it out, maybe Tiger had a few other things on his mind as Y.E Yang went toe-to-toe with Tiger to capture the PGA Championship at Hazeltine.
And, yes, right now the most talked-about subject everywhere is Tiger Woods and his off-course adventures. Tiger has decided to take a break from golf indefinitely. Let’s hope he can work through these times and return to the course to entertain the fans.
I would like to say thanks to all who played the Brickyard this year and thanks to those of you who visited our Web site and read our blogs that featured not only myself but our Course Superintendent Jeff Stuart and PGA Nationwide graduates Chad Collins and Craig Bowden. Both Chad and Craig will play on the PGA TOUR next season, and we wish them luck as they start the new year. Thank you Jeff, Craig and Chad for your time and stories that I am sure everyone enjoyed. I know I did.
Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year to everyone, and we will talk to you in 2010.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing
It’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard week here, and the course has been busy.
Fuzzy Zoeller was here Tuesday, July 21 for the Bob and Tom Fuzzy Navel Open golf tournament benefiting Riley’s Children Hospital in Indianapolis. As always, Fuzzy was very entertaining in his clinic, and then he was even more personable as he went around and played a hole with each group. Needless to say, they raised quite a bit of money that day for Riley.
It looks like Boo Weekley will be attending the race this weekend with a friend of ours, John Cunningham, who works for Bingham EST here in Indy. Along with Boo, our good friend Jim Gallagher Jr. and his son will be here this weekend to catch the race. Jim is a huge NASCAR fan.
Lots of activities going on Friday at the course, with hit a floating green on Hole No. 8 sponsored by Chevy. It is open to all fans and starts at 9 a.m. Those who hit a shot on the green qualify for the High Noon Shootout, with a chance at winning a 2010 Chevrolet Equinox. Check out the Web site for more details.
Let’s talk about major golf now. What a heartbreak for Tom Watson last weekend in his playoff loss to Stewart Cink in the British Open. Cink has been on the verge of winning a major for a long time, and it was nice to see him win.
But I do have to admit that we hold a special spot here for Watson, seeing how he made his Senior Tour debut here at the Brickyard in 1999. He actually shared the lead after round one with a 66. That year, we had the Richard Petty Driving Experience come in and let the players drive a stock car around the track, and Tom got the Rookie of the Year award for his time in the car.
After Allstate 400 at the Brickyard is over this weekend, major championship golf arrives in Indy for the U.S. Senior Open at Crooked Stick Golf Club in nearby Carmel. If you don’t have tickets, yet you need to get some and watch the best senior players in the world take on Crooked Stick from July 27-Aug. 2.
The first round of the tournament begins Thursday July 30, with the final round Sunday, Aug. 2. Some of the best times to go might be the practice rounds, where you get up close a little easier and the players are much more relaxed.
I want to wish fellow Hoosiers Scott Morris and Randy Nichols good luck during the tournament. Scott qualified here at the Brickyard on June 30, and Randy qualified through his play in the 2008 U.S. Senior Amateur. Randy was a semifinalist at Shady Oaks in Dallas last year. Both are great guys to play with, and I have enjoyed the pleasure of competing against both.
The field for this year’s Senior Open is very strong, with all the big names entered. I am sure Watson will be among the fan favorites, as he always is, along with Fuzzy and Greg Norman. It should be a great tournament, so don’t miss the chance to see these great players up close at Crooked Stick.
As for our playing here, I tee it up Monday with my assistant Jeff Williams in the Indiana PGA Pro-Assistants tournament at the Legends in Franklin, Ind. It is 36 holes, with a best ball in the morning and Pinehurst alternate shot in the afternoon. We hope to build on our top 10 finish of last year.
Until next week, check out all the racing action here at the Brickyard and book a tee time next week here at Brickyard Crossing and play one of the finest conditioned courses in the area.
Jeff Schroeder
PGA Head Professional
Brickyard Crossing