Ruben Canny, Tiger and Travel Tips

The orginal beginning of this blog comes later. Comments and observations on the U.S. Open take second place to something much more meaningful.

Wife Jan and I and the Chico community lost a friend at the end of June.

When we returned to Butte County a year ago and purchased our home at Northwood Commons, three neighborhood couples made our decision to “come home to sons and families” after a 20-year absence even more meaningful.

Ruben and Wendy Canny, Bob and Linda Kiehn and Ron and Jo Anne Stout joined us for glasses of wine, great food and great fun. There were many laughs as we rotated from home to home, sometimes without scheduling.
Ruben talked me into staying an extra day in Chico to play in the BCCC Senior Invitational last fall. We had a great time but never got a chance to play together again because Ruben was battling cancer. He reluctantly gave up his BCCC membership recently when he knew the future was bleak.
He continued the fight until the disease had its say. I’ll bet he gets a good starting time where he’s gone. We’ll tip a glass to him at future get-togethers. He was one of the good ones.
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It’s been a few weeks since Tiger Woods registered his remarkable victory at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego and even with his injury and subsequent surgery few things really have changed.

You’re a Tiger fan. You’re not a Tiger fan.

I admit I was among the many pulling for Rocco Mediate to pull off the upset. Rocco’s everyone’s kind of guy. In my early days at the Northern California Golf Association it was hard to defend Poppy Hills as one of the sites for the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. First, Poppy was taking the place of Cypress Point. That alone made everyone upset.

Old-time professionals verbally hammered away at the NCGA member course. Controversy-seeking golf writers jumped in and for years blasted its use in the rotation.
(Those same writers still broke their necks getting to media day to play Poppy in the Golf Writers Tournament that has all but disappeared since the NCGA dropped the free outing.) Even when it was Spyglass Hill that was not playable because of sloppy conditions, Poppy Hills got the blame on national television.

Rocco could not be pulled into negative territory. He said Poppy Hills was a good course and fun to play.

“Oh, that’s just Rocco,” said my pressroom buddies. “He likes everything.” Duh. What’s wrong with that? In recent years the issue has diminished. Fortunately, the younger pros just like to get out and play.

That’s why so many wanted Rocco to win. He was the unfortunate loser to a young man who, simply said, gets it done when he has to.

Although Torrey Pines is little more than 20 miles (as the crow flies) from our home in Rancho Bernardo I did not attend the event. It was simply easier to watch hour-after-hour while riding the exercise bike, walking on the treadmill or vegging in my recliner. Age seems to dampen the spirit when it comes driving 15 miles to catch a shuttle, being dropped off at some remote station and then doing it all over again.

I swear, however, that when Tiger made some of those shots, I could hear the roar from home. We’re probably lucky an earthquake didn’t hit. The sound is the same.

Tiger did it while hurting and that’s where the rub comes for many. They will not concede his agony. Even my friends dismissed the pain Tiger was feeling.

“He only showed it when he hit a bad shot,” they said. Not true. Tiger slumped after many key drives down the stretch.

“He didn’t show any pain when he was kneeling down to line up putts,” they continued.

I’ve had meniscus surgery and Kevin O’Connor (the former Chicoan now a main cog at the USGA) dragged me around (walking and carrying bag) for 18 holes at Montclair CC in New Jersey three weeks after the operation. Yes, it did hurt while taking a full swing. Yes, it did hurt when walking on uneven fairways. No, it did not hurt walking in a straight line. No, it did not hurt when lining up a putt.

My injury was not nearly as bad as Tiger’s. Everyone’s pain threshold is different. I believe his effort was amazing. Let’s give him that and hope that he gets back into the game soon, albeit with a little less profanity.

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Former Chico radio sports announcer Carl Thoreson and wife Donna worked the merchandise tent at Torrey Pines. Carl, the voice of the Wildcats from 1985-89, now lives in Martinez and works for a computer firm.

We were able to play a round of golf and enjoy lunch at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. Carl is the tournament director and member at Buchanan Fields GC. Oh yes, beware if he gets you on the links. The 20-plus index player shot an 86.

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Many who like to participate on golf trips are cutting back because of the dramatic hikes in gas prices, which also affect airfare.

San Diego may seem like a long trip but take the time to look at the golf course offerings at the many internet sites. There are numerous choices and they’re good ones at attractive prices. GolfSanDiego.com and JCResorts.com are two of the best souces.

If you don’t mind going a bit farther, there’s a great place in the little town of Midway, Utah, called Homestead Resort. That’s close to Heber City which is not too far away from Park City where winter skiing dominates the sports scene.

Homestead is a homey resort that caters to those who just want to relax. They can go to the on-property spa or play one of the five nearby golf courses. There’s an onsite course where son Mark and his Bushwood group played in late June. I also took my Casa Munras contingent there three years ago and plan to return with six other couples in late August.

Less than five minutes away are two courses – Wasatch Mountain and Wasatch Lake. Little more than 15 minutes away are two more – Soldier Hollow Gold and Soldier Hollow Silver. A word of caution. Play tees that fit your game. Even at the high altitude 7,000 yards is 7,000 yards.

In another blog I promised information on Hawaii courses. That will come later because I almost blacked out when pricing airfare for November.

Chico State golfers will be in Kona Oct. 27-28 for the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate Golf Tournament. Dennis was one of the gentlemen I had the pleasure of meeting while working at the NCGA. He died less than two years ago after a battle with cancer. He never mentioned his illness when we visited him at Mauna Lani the prior December.

I don’t have the particulars on those wanting to join the CSU, Chico group but a call to the athletic department should get results. I will be one of those making the call.

(Ted Blofsky can be e-mailed at grampsblof@aol.com)