Column as I see 'em

Author: JEFF PATTERSON

First, beFORE the men's golf team could get to the First in Flight state, they had to catch their flight. Two foursomes, eight sets of clubs and several cameras left Adirondack Circle, on time, with Carolina on their minds, but seconds later they would be faced with a large mountain range to climb. With BiHall still in sight, getting to the simple city of Albany for their departure was no longer a task filled with simplicity. The first of two SUVs in the caravan Stopped, U-turned Very swiftly and made a quick trip back to campus. In the meantime, car number two pulled over to the side of the road to wait. It soon found out the ditch it had entered was paralyzing.

Even with mud spotted clothes from trying to push the car out and the possibility of missing the flight many teammates were worry free. Since the antenna was at a thirty degree angle, the Minnesota-Iowa St. first-round game finally came in without static. But as time was running out on the travelers and Golden Gophers (the unanimous pick in our brackets), the good mood began to be reversed to a feeling of doom.

Fortunately, a jack-of-all-trades, who may have been alive for all trades involving a guy named Jack, pulled-out the pulled-over car with his half tow-rope. To make a short story shorter, we made it to our departure gate with time to spare, even though at the beginning everything looked like a sure gutter ball.

The destination was Pinehurst, N.C., a community of 10,000 people that has close to 40 golf courses. It would be an understatement to say that it is a golf town. The U.S. Open will return to Pinehurst best course, No. 2., this June, only six years after it was last held there. The team spent several days practicing on Pinehurst's large putting green, getting it ready for Tiger, Vijay and Ernie Els, who will use putt on the same blades of grass as they wait for their tee-times.

Golf coach Beaney, who splits his time coaching men's hockey, arrived a couple days late because he was busy winning his seventh national championship. Dinner tasted much better after the golfers received the news over the phone that both squads had raised their championship trophies above the ice. Fittingly, Beaney met Dean Smith, the University of North Carolina's legendary men's basketball coach, who is also a member of Governor's Club, a Jack Nicklaus-designed course. Smith, who won two national championships in his career, is still recognized as one of the best coaches in all of sports. One realizes that the five fingers that Beaney used to shake Smith's hand with, theoretically could wear the five more championship rings Middlebury's own owns.

I was still shaking so heavily after shaking hands with Michael Jordan's college coach that I made a ten on the first hole. At least three of my shots could have been considered shanks.