Golf: April 2008 Archives

Being picked at the last second by Wayne Grady to caddie at the Masters Par 3 Tournament is a priceless experience for 14-year-old Ross Murphy. (You can read about the Naperville resident's unbelievable luck in the April 24 sun, or here.) But the experience also could be had for those willing to donate enough to charity.

Ross' father, Dave, ran into someone on the course who filled him in.

"Seventh or eighth hole this guy comes up to me, and I don't know who this guy is," Dave said. "He's got an English accent. I look over at him and I say, 'That's my kid who's caddying,' and he says, 'I know.'"

Turns out the man is the regular caddie for one of the players in Grady's group. He wasn't on the bag that day because a corporate auction to benefit charity allowed someone else to have the job for the day. Dave asked how much it cost, and the man with the accent converted it from British pounds.

The total? About $30,000.

Dave was floored.

"I said, 'You're kidding me, right? My kid was just picked an hour ago to do this.' He goes, 'I know, that's what's so great about this story."

And if you want to get a glimpse of Ross Murphy after Grady's hole-in-one, click here.

This week's featured hole (in the April 24 Sun) is No. 2 at River Bend Golf Club, a par 4 that plays at 404 yards from the back tees.

Head pro Mike Reilly had this to say about No. 2 at his course:

"A couple things about it that I like, one is from the blue tees you're still 400 plus. And depending on the wind, you're still grabbing a head cover for your second shot; you're still thinking about hitting 200 plus into (the green). Out of bounds left, a good bunker off the tee that's pretty much right in the way. It's really tough to get over it unless you're a huge hitter. And it's one of our biggest greens on the golf course, too, so you can have some monster putts out there.

"It was the original No. 1 in the old clubhouse days. It was really a tough starting hole then because right away you're facing a long par 4. It's well-treed, it's well-bunkered at the green. You walk away from there and put 4 down, it's a good number."

He's right about that. In the half-dozen or so times I've played River Bend, I can remember making par just once. It might not be the most intriguing hole on the course, but it will test your game, as Reilly says, especially if the wind is gusting.

Welcome to the first installment of The Hole Picture, blog edition. As a supplement to Fore Sight, the weekly golf page and column in The Naperville Sun's sports section, we'd love to hear what you, the golfers think of the holes we feature. Is it particularly treacherous? Not as tough as it looks? A black hole for your golf balls?

First up for 2008 is No. 12 at Bolingbrook Golf Club. Head pro Mike Williams had this to say about how to approach it:

"The 12th hole offers several risk-reward options. The 562-yard par 5 is a double dogleg requiring proper placement of the tee shot, a thoughtful approach to the second shot and precision on the shot to the green. From there it's an easy two-putt on an undulating green!

"From the tee, players must decide whether to cut off some of the first dogleg by hitting their tee shot more than 200 yards over water, avoiding two bunkers in the landing area, or play it safe and be faced with a longer second shot. The second shot should avoid the mounding on the left and the water on the right and leave the player with a short iron to the green. Club selection on the third shot is critical, as the green is deep and selection can vary by as many as three clubs.

"Wind is always a factor at Bolingbrook Golf Club, and the 12th hole is no exception, with the prevailing winds coming into the player's face."

Is he right? As I have not played this course myself, I'm eager to here what those of you who have played it have to say. And what other holes on that track stand out in your mind?.