News
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
The Dawn Patrol: Golfers Rise Early To Play South Course
Calgary's Dave Pidgeon looks to set down his bag in the wee hours of the morning. Unfortunately for Pidgeon, he got bumped to the North Course after failing to follow protocol. (John Mummert/USGA)
By Ken Klavon, USGA
San Diego – Dave Pidgeon turned away with a disbelieving look, floored by the incongruity of the moment.
Did this just happen? Those weren’t his exact words at 6:42 a.m. on this recent Monday morning at Torrey Pines Golf Club. Sleep depravity might have had something to do with his calamitous expression. His face was a picture of a 1,000 unprintable words. The 50-year-old Pidgeon from Calgary had the unwanted notoriety of becoming the first casualty of ‘The System’ on this chilly dank day. For “The Dawn Patrol” has no compassion for those who violate the rules, accidentally or otherwise.
For years, hopefuls have come from near and far for the chance to play Torrey Pines’ South Course. All for a mere pittance too. This year has brought more attention because of the U.S. Open’s visit this June. It’s not a stretch to categorize the joint as a place where dreams are made – and broken.
“I didn’t think I’d get in today. I was surprised there weren’t more people out here,” said an eager Pidgeon prior to receiving the sobering news.
That reverie quickly got squashed.
“I didn’t know I had to put my bag down,” said the crestfallen Pidgeon 20 minutes later.
What had happened was this: on weekdays, players without reserved tee times line up their bags, in order, starting in the wee hours of the night. No bag and you’re not in line.
On this day, unfamiliar with such detail, Pidgeon left his bag in the car. He was the fourth person to walk up, making small talk for a bit, before deciding to retrieve his clubs. When he did, Charlie Black, 44, of San Diego had filled in the fourth spot. As luck would have it, when the municipal starter’s booth opened, only two tee times on the coveted South Course were available for the 50-plus hopefuls that beat the birds out of bed.
The rest would have to settle for the North Course. Nothing against the North, but it’s like being named runner-up in a beauty pageant.
It’s no surprise to 56-year-old starter Jake Perkhiser. For more than 17-and-a-half years, he’s been one of a few to man the starter’s booth. He’s watched as the demand to play Torrey Pines has grown. On weekends, people arrive at 3 p.m. the day before, barbeque, tailgate and sleep in their cars just to have the chance to play the South Course. No guarantees. Weekend and holiday coordination is a bit different in that the natives remain in their cars. The last person in line leaves his headlights on to signify his place.
On this morning, though, Perkhiser wasn’t overly surprised to hear about Pidgeon’s plight.
“The locals are pretty good at helping the out-of-towners,” said Perkhiser. “But today they knew what was at stake. Everybody shuts up when they know there aren’t many tee times available on the South.”
Therein lies the challenge for anyone trying to reserve a spot. Torrey Pines’ charm lies in its municipality status. Unlike a country club, anyone can play. What makes it more appealing, besides being the annual site for the Buick Invitational and now the Open, is that San Diego residents shell out peanuts to get on one of the top 100 courses in the country. Residents pay just $42 for a round, up from a laughable $19 a few years ago. Senior residents fork over less - $27. Weekend rates jump roughly $7. “It’s one of three courses I’d pay over $100 to play,” said the 44-year-old Black, who has played an aggregated 1,500 rounds on the North and South Courses. “I’d spend that on Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes and here. Forty-two dollars. It’s fabulous.”
Even non-residents smell a bargain by championship course standards: $145 on weekdays and $181 on the weekend.
That appealed to John Draths of Beaumont, Texas, whose wife, Christine, tried securing an unattainable tee time as a 50th birthday gift. Draths rose at 4 a.m. He nestled into spot No. 2 as he tried rubbing the cold air away with his hands.
“If I can break 90, I’d be happy,” said Draths, a 10 or 11 Handicap. “Just the excitement of getting to play on a course that is holding a major is worth it.”
Finding A Way On
Stepping on Torrey Pines South is comparable to getting on Bethpage State Park’s Black Course, host of the 2002 Open and site of next year’s championship. New York state residents get first dibs at tee times via an automated setup that should reward limitless riches to anyone who actually does get through. Urban legend has it that some do have success.
Torrey Pines follows the same practice. Residents can call an automated system, from eight to 90 days in advance, but none waiting in line on this morning had ever had success. Many of them have tried for years.
Grant Teeple, 45, of San Diego had beat Draths for the top spot in line to represent his foursome. He’s played Torrey Pines for eight years, picking up on various strategies to ensure that he’s near the front. One of those that he developed with his buddies is referenced as the hard and soft anchor system. To wit: one person in his foursome agrees to arrive before 9 p.m. the night before, meaning he is the hard anchor. A soft anchor rises in the middle of the night and waits. Either way, the anchor communicates to the other three where they’re at in line.
“I’ve tried the phone system and the lotteries,” he said, “but entrepreneurs always win out.” Meaning that at one time brokers used to infiltrate the phone system and gorge themselves on tee times before selling them off for hefty profits. Officials resolved that a few years ago by instituting a non-refundable $26 booking fee per residential player. Non-residents pony up $37.
Those that are frozen out are provided the opportunity to still get on. From daybreak until 7:30 a.m. each day, walk-ons are allowed. After 7:30 a.m., those still hoping to play the South Course must pray that a reservation falls through, which rarely happens. Wait times can be substantial. And if they do get on, many on this morning said in unison, they’re looking at six hour rounds because of the taxing rough.
Where Torrey Pines differs from Bethpage can be found in early morning access. At Bethpage, the first hour of each day is set aside for walk-ups. Not so here.
“Daylight savings time kills us because you could get off around 5:45 a.m.,” said Ben Gage, 58, of San Diego, one of Teeple’s partners. “That meant you could get eight or nine groups out before 7:30. Now with the time change, you’re lucky to get four groups out.”
Black, born and raised in San Diego, said it used to be more difficult to walk up because the line started forming as early as 2:30 a.m. That was until the South Course underwent cosmetic changes that began with Rees Jones in 2002. After that, the South got harder. He thought the degree of difficulty chased some of the older players away.
A former player at San Diego State University and plus-one handicap, Black notched a 64 as his best round. He still enjoys the nuances and topography of the course, parts of which line 300-foot cliffs that overhang the Pacific Ocean.
“In my eyes, there is no other course,” said Black. “If you’re going to play, play here.”
Soon the talk turned to a sizzling comment Tiger Woods made last year in regard to the Open. To paraphrase, he didn’t see how anyone with an 8 handicap or higher could break 100 under championship conditions. John Atkinson, 39, of Omaha, Neb., will get the chance June 6. That’s when “The Today Show’s” Matt Lauer, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and entertainer Justin Timberlake play with Atkinson as part of a Golf Digest-USGA contest. They’ll play a tight course under championship conditions with NBC cameras in their face.
Third in line, Mike Nugent, 34, of San Diego has a goal of getting on the South as many times possible before it shuts down for the Open. When told of Woods’ comment, Nugent went through a series of facial expressions.
“I disagree,” said Nugent, estimating he’s a 10 handicap. “I think a local person who has played the course could do it. They know the course, they know how to approach each shot. Now somebody playing it for the first time, they’re going to struggle. But it can be done.”
The mustachioed Black, a trade show contractor, nonchalantly countered “absolutely, yes” with a caveat. As long as they consistently stay out of the rough, it’s there for the taking.
“It’s the worse feeling,” said Nugent, who works in sales, of the rough. “You can take a full swing and go 20 yards and still lose your ball.”
Onward They Go
After the allotted tee times were handed out, Pidgeon assuaged his dejection by at least playing the North Course. He said he’d probably try again tomorrow. But the next morning a vigorous line had formed earlier and there was no sign of him.
Teeple’s group, uncharacteristically energized for anyone at this early hour still, virtually sprinted to the first hole. “There is nothing like going along the cliffs with the sun coming up on a world-class golf course,” said Teeple.
Draths and Nugent joined Black and his guest in the second foursome. Their faces radiated as they warmed up adjacent to the first tee box. Soon the foggy, overcast conditions outlined their silhouettes as they disappeared well up the fairway.
Afterward on his cell phone Draths said the experience was worth every penny of the $145 he paid. Birthday gift or not, he’d do it again if he had the opportunity. He parred the ninth hole with the help of a chip-in. Other than that, there weren’t too many highlights.
“You really get an appreciation for Tiger Woods, for all these guys, for how strong they are to hit it out of this rough,” said Draths. “I couldn’t advance my ball more than 10 yards. It’s very penalizing.
“It was so frustrating that the last three or four holes I just wanted to get it over with. Not that I didn’t enjoy it.”
Then, as a final comment extolling the course’s difficulty, Draths passed along a message.
“If you happen to interview Matt Lauer, Tony Romo or Justin Timberlake,” he said laughing, “tell them that I did not break 100.”
Ken Klavon is the USGA’s Editor of New Media. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org.
