Senior US Open, Met Tom Watson and a few others

[freddiec]

I hope you guys are watching the US Senior Open. I've had the opportunity to attend several days so far and plan on going today for a good part of the day. I want to Follow Freddie and Langer. Its being played at Salem CC the course I worked at as a kid (bag room). I started out at 13 I think it was caddying one summer , then the next year my brother and I worked in the bag room and we did that for about 6 years. I got to play 3 times a week for free ! I caddied in the 1984 US Womens Open there too as well as the 2001 US Senior (Taking that week off that summer). This week I watched Watson play alot and got a great picture with him. Its amazing seems he has not lost much distance over the last few years. What amazed me the most on the range Tuesday when I went he started out hitting what looked like a 4 or 5 iron. And after a few shots he hit like 4 or 5 very quickly. The man is a well oiled machine. And a great guy to met. Out on the course I did notice something about Tom thats interesting. After he hit his tee shots and waiting around he often looked into the gallery and made lots of eye contact with fans, smiled genuinely at them at the same time. Its as if he wants to savor the moment and take it all in and at the same time give the fans a great experience as well. The guy is as cool as them come IMO.

[Bella Woods]

Very cool Fred, have a great time at the tournament.

[freddiec]

I also met Tom Kite the other night strolling down town Salem, Mass my hometown... So cool meeting Tom again. Great guy. I watched him play 4 holes yesterday. Still hitting drives like 265-270 very impressive. Did I ask him about his 693 which I own? Nope. argh..

[No_Catchy_Nickname]

That's Tom Kite? I honestly dd not recognize him without his hat and glasses!

[BrianL99]

That's Tom Kite? I honestly dd not recognize him without his hat and glasses!

 

Don't feel badly. I talked to him for 10 minutes on Wednesday on the Practice Green and I wouldn't have recognized him, except for his name on his bag.

 

He looks much different these days.

[rex235]

Freddie-

 

Make sure you get that Wilson Staff 1 iron signed...

 

Will be watching on TV today.

[HoganApexBlades]

That's Tom Kite? I honestly dd not recognize him without his hat and glasses!

 

His "Elton John" style glasses were a fixture on his face for years!

[Texsport]

Great looking golf course Fred!

 

Texsport

[BIG STU]

That's Tom Kite? I honestly dd not recognize him without his hat and glasses!

 

His "Elton John" style glasses were a fixture on his face for years!

I betcha he has now had that Lasic eye surgery and does not need them any more

[BIG STU]

I hope you guys are watching the US Senior Open. I've had the opportunity to attend several days so far and plan on going today for a good part of the day. I want to Follow Freddie and Langer. Its being played at Salem CC the course I worked at as a kid (bag room). I started out at 13 I think it was caddying one summer , then the next year my brother and I worked in the bag room and we did that for about 6 years. I got to play 3 times a week for free ! I caddied in the 1984 US Womens Open there too as well as the 2001 US Senior (Taking that week off that summer). This week I watched Watson play alot and got a great picture with him. Its amazing seems he has not lost much distance over the last few years. What amazed me the most on the range Tuesday when I went he started out hitting what looked like a 4 or 5 iron. And after a few shots he hit like 4 or 5 very quickly. The man is a well oiled machine. And a great guy to met. Out on the course I did notice something about Tom thats interesting. After he hit his tee shots and waiting around he often looked into the gallery and made lots of eye contact with fans, smiled genuinely at them at the same time. Its as if he wants to savor the moment and take it all in and at the same time give the fans a great experience as well. The guy is as cool as them come IMO.

really his swing has not changed that much over the years except for getting a little shorter on the backswing which happens to all of us in time. I can remember him saying one time when warming up on the range he started with his 3 iron and if he could hit it ok everything else would be easy.

[Blade Junkie]

Kirk Triplett and Kenny Perry pulling away from the field ... would be surprising indeed if one of them doesn't get it done tomorrow !

[sbboudreau]

How cool. You are so lucky.

[tstephen]

I hope you guys are watching the US Senior Open. I've had the opportunity to attend several days so far and plan on going today for a good part of the day. I want to Follow Freddie and Langer. Its being played at Salem CC the course I worked at as a kid (bag room). I started out at 13 I think it was caddying one summer , then the next year my brother and I worked in the bag room and we did that for about 6 years. I got to play 3 times a week for free ! I caddied in the 1984 US Womens Open there too as well as the 2001 US Senior (Taking that week off that summer). This week I watched Watson play alot and got a great picture with him. Its amazing seems he has not lost much distance over the last few years. What amazed me the most on the range Tuesday when I went he started out hitting what looked like a 4 or 5 iron. And after a few shots he hit like 4 or 5 very quickly. The man is a well oiled machine. And a great guy to met. Out on the course I did notice something about Tom thats interesting. After he hit his tee shots and waiting around he often looked into the gallery and made lots of eye contact with fans, smiled genuinely at them at the same time. Its as if he wants to savor the moment and take it all in and at the same time give the fans a great experience as well. The guy is as cool as them come IMO.

 

Thought it was cool that they're playing "your" course this year Fred. I went to The Senior Open 2 years ago at "my" course where I caddied for Hubert Green in '74 and Gibby Gilbert the following year in the 1 day Gene Littler Swing at Cancer event. I thought I was getting Watson in '74 but some kiss butt with ties to the club got his bag. Also looped '76 Women's Am at Del Paso in same group as Nancy Lopez. She was as nice as can be and set the course record in the qualifying round.

 

Let's see some pictures of the 693. I think you've probably posted before. Looked for you on the tube but didn't see you yet. Looks like you are having a pretty great time this week.

 

P.S. I finally bought the Cleveland Crenshaw with the S300 shaft.

 

Wait a sec.. I remember that 693 I was glad you won since I was going for the Kite 945 which someone pulled the quick back door deal on me ending it early. Which one of the golfwrx guys did that?

[freddiec]

TSteph, I was on TV alot yesterday. If you have it on DVR when Lehman almost chips in for eagle on 14 you can see me in a deep blue shirt, my buddy Tim behind me in Orange and my twin bro on the other side, my bro and I both wearing hats, hands on hips, lol. I'll post a pic of the TV screen shot. I watched Corey Pavin alot this week too including on Friday. Its amazing watching them play the course I played 100 times as a Teen and College player. Jesper hit a 7 iron Saturday on a par 3 our ex tour head pro used to hit a 2 or 3 iron too in 1985. LOL , Note: Langer's son also in pic, he is under the small sign, I talked to him.

[Scully13]

Great story.

 

These champions are true legends and are definitely worth while meeting and such.

 

Great interaction Mr. Fred.

[stevemac]

Have a great time out there today! Always fun when the senior tour plays the Insperity here at The Woodlands. I watched all these guys play here when it was the Shell/ other Houston Open. Not as many people out there to watch so you can really get close and see the shots. No word on a sponsor down here yet since Shell left.

[2putttom]

See .... I told ya he was a great guy in person. Freddie you were a loper in womens 84' Open? the years have been a friend to you.

[mahonie]

I watched on Thursday (or was it Friday?) when Watson was paired with Faldo. It seemed like Tom was outdriving Nick by at least 20 yards on most holes. Commentator on Sky said that Faldo's swing hadn't changed that much over the years apart from his backswing was three feet shorter than it used to be lol.

[freddiec]

Sluman ! I got to talk to him about his Wood Bros briefly. Jeff is a super friendly guy, happy to talk and take a picture. This was yesterday at the range, I spoke to him about his Texan a couple of days before that..Good guy...

[tstephen]

My wife liked the witch on her broom symbol so much I bought her a hat from the online USGA store.

[tstephen]

Sluman ! I got to talk to him about his Wood Bros briefly. Jeff is a super friendly guy, happy to talk and take a picture. This was yesterday at the range, I spoke to him about his Texan a couple of days before that..Good guy...

 

Slu collects fine wines like we collect persimmon.

[HoganApexBlades]

Sluman ! I got to talk to him about his Wood Bros briefly. Jeff is a super friendly guy, happy to talk and take a picture. This was yesterday at the range, I spoke to him about his Texan a couple of days before that..Good guy...

 

I think Jeff Sluman still lives here in Hinsdale, IL and Chip Beck lives up in Lake Forest, IL. Both ritzy areas...

[rex235]

Freddie-

 

Hope you got what you needed from Langer...

 

My good friend played in a Pro-Am with Kenny Perry in 2014, and witnessed how he "made the game look easy. "

 

Told him Kenny Perry had won the US Senior Open, averaged over 300 yards off the tee,and was a threat to win any week with his ability to putt.

 

Case Closed.

[mocokid]

TW practices with a 3i I think. I hope he starts with W but don't know.

[rex235]

Freddie-

 

So... did you get Bernhard to sign the knife?

[freddiec]

Hi Rex, No... I didn't attempt to bring the club or the head into the tournament that week.. I think I could have, but just didn't really feel like making that effort. There will definitely be other opportunities tho..