Ira Cronin WCNC Sports

Just days before the Wachovia Championship I was invited along with a few other members of the Charlotte media to play the course at Quail Hollow to get some firsthand experience of what the players I will be covering during the tournament will be facing.

This was one of the best golfing days of my life! We were provided caddies and walked the course, just like the big boys who play for the big money week in and week. With the tournament just days away the lay out was tournament ready, which is big trouble for a hack like me!

I arrived at the course about and hour and half before our scheduled start time. I was the first to arrive from this media group which is not a surprise considering I tossed and turned all night long with excitement and being a little nervous that I would over sleep. I couldn't wait to get to the range and hit balls. The range at Quail Hollow is better than a fair amount of the courses I have played in my life. I left the tee feeling excited, ready, and grateful I had not dug up large chunks of sod.

I knew my score was in trouble the moment I rolled the first putt on the practice putting green. The word fast doesn't come close to describing the speed of the greens. There is no drama to build up here, I shot 107 which is about 10-15 shots higher than what I usually score. A good many of these strokes were putts.

As we gathered on the first tee I had huge butterflies in my stomach. The only ones out there were my and media brothers who were playing but that didn't matter. The first tee is usually a nerve wracking place but at Quail Hollow on a tournament set up, are you kidding me!

As I walked each of the fairways and approached every green my mind couldn't help but imagine that the stands were full of fans and I was on the PGA Tour. Imagination is a beautiful thing!

As I mentioned my score was nothing to be proud of, other than the fact it was completely honest. I only managed 2 pars on the card, both on the back nine. The first came on the par 3 13th, which for us was playing 180 yards. The tour players will play it more around 200 yards. I flew the green with my tee shot, and was faced with a scary chip onto a slick putting surface that was running away from me. While my chip did find the putting surface, barley I was left with a down hill but about 45 feet from the hole. My caddie Rich showed me a spot on the green about 10 feet in front of me and to the right of the direction of the hole and he said "hit it to about here and it will go from there." For once I did what I was told and watch with relief and the ball eventually found it way to the bottom of the cup for a par.

I had a few other moments of glory on my day at Quail Hollow. Late in the round after my par on 13 my driver came to life. On the short par 4 14th, I hit my driver about 270 and the ball rolled up and almost on the green settling in the rough between the green and the greenside bunker. I was putting for eagle, which I left dreadfully short. I was lucky to two putt after that for my second, and only other par of the day. I played 15 well off the tee hitting the drive of my life (no exaggeration!) that was about 330 yards in length. I must say for the record the fairways were extremely firm and the ball rolled a long way. I had 180 in on the par 5, and I hit another great shot that left me just behind the green. I'll cut this story short and just say that I left with a bogie and for a light moment was not happy about it. I say a short moment because after I reminded myself where I had just taken that bogie, (Quail Hollow) I was happy again!

My experience on the par 3 17th is really nothing to be ashamed of. I left with a quadruple bogie 7. My troubles began on the tee which is a carry much like the 17th at the famous TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, except it's not a total island green. My shot was woefully short and made a large splash in the water. I'll spare you the grizzly details from there but again, considering that I have personally watched Phil Mickelson's championship hopes dashed on that hole on more than one occasion, I have watch Sergio Garcia's championship hopes ended on 17, and I have watched Vijay Singh's championship hopes dashed on 17, I left with no shame in my game.

Which leads us to my finish on the par 4 18th. My group decided just for fun we would play this hole from the tips, just like the tour players! 478 yards full of danger at every turn. I once again somehow produced a tee shot that was long and true that found the center of the fairway about 180 yards from the green. It was another moment of glory that would not be capitalized on. I pulled my approach shot to the left, and into the creek that has claimed so many tournament hopes over the years of the pros. The ball was retrieved by my caddie and I somehow chipped the ball smoothly on the green with me knees knocking.

The biggest compliment of the day came from tournament PR director Lee Patterson who informed me that many of the volunteers who were around that day kept asking him if the guys playing the course were pros who came in early for the tournament. While I shot 107 I must have looked good doing so.

I will certainly have a very real and first hand respect for what I see the professionals do on this magnificent Quail Hollow lay out this week. It's going to be a great tournament!

Ira

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