You are in the right place if you are interested in being inside the ropes, getting treated like a VIP and walking along with the pros--possibly even former world No. 1 Nick Price--at the Commerce Bank Championship at Eisenhower Park's Red Course June 27-29.
Tournament officials have allowed me, your humble host at this site, to choose one of the Honorary Observers for the Champions Tour event, and have access that you couldn't get in any other pro sporting event anywhere. The 50-and-over circuit has been hosting Honorary Observers for a few years and it has been so well received that the PGA Tour has picked up on the concept occasionally.
Anyway, here's what you do: Make your case. If you're 17 or older (a tournament requirement for the Observers), tell me why you'd like to do this and why you would be a worthy Observer. Don't be afraid to be bold and creative in talking about your love of golf, especially golf on Long Island.
Just write your entry in the comments section below. If you really want to be certain, you can reinforce it with a fax to my attention, Mark Herrmann at Newsday, at (631) 454-6892. And if you want more general information on the tournament, visit its Web site, www.commercebankchampionship.com.
Deadline for entries is Thursday, June 19. I'll be announcing the winner on June 22. Good luck, and hope to hear from you.
Comments (5)
Dear Mark,
My father, John Reilly woke me 6:00am Sunday to ask me to sumit his case for your contest. Thanks :) (His computer was down or else you would have recieved this Sunday at 6:05 am). My father watches golf when ever he's not playing. After he retired and was on a fixed income he took a position as a starter for a golf course near his home so he could play on his days off. He has even volunteered at several tournaments just to be near the players and all the excitment. Once he was a driver who shuttled the players to & from the course at a tournament out east. He was a Marine in the Korean War, came home went to school and became a teacher here on L.I. He always worked 3 jobs, having 5 daughters he had to...but once he retired he took up golf and there was no looking back. His first set of clubs were a used oair from a garge sale. We finally bought him a good set after several of the heads flew off while driving the ball. One Thanksgiving morning he played golf as soon the the sun came up and it was only 20 degrees. We all thought he was crazy but he came home just happy he was able to get all 18 holes in and be home in time for dinner. He plays in rain or shine, hot or cold and in December he starts counting down the days until he can play again. He has a putting green in his family room and has just bought my 4 yr. old golf clubs stating it's never to early to learn this game. He beleives golf is the only sport that you can play with your kids as they get older and you can keep up with them. He's a special man. This would be a dream come true for him. Please consider his case. He's a gentleman, he's knowledgeble and if your lucky or unlucky he'll tell you one of his million golf jokes. Mark, we hope to hear from you on June 22. Stay well. Hit them straight & far. Sincerely, Donna Reilly for John Reilly.
Did I mention my father is free June 27-29. He is just dying to be chosen as one of the Honorary Observers. Thanks again. Donna Reilly for John G. Reilly
Dear Mark:
I was intrigued when I read your column on Sunday. I am writing this on behalf of my son, Timothy, who at 21 years of age has a long list of experiences with golf. Let me begin by saying that he is the avid sports fan, not just golf, but almost everything you can imagine including the strange sport of Olympic Curling!! He roots for his teams and golfers with a high degree of intensity. This makes life in our house very interesting because for every team or golfer he roots for, there is someone else in the house rooting for the opposite team or golfer.
Timothy had his first experience with golf while still in utero. My husband and I (who both golf, he on a regular basis now that he is retired and myself when the weather is perfect!!) had the good fortune to get tickets for the 1986 Open at Shinnecock. I was pregnant and it was hot but it didn't stop me from going. It was also my first experience at a live event and I just loved it. I think Timothy must have heard me cheering. I insisted that we stay until the very end so I could get some autographs. I managed to get Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.
I should have known that this was the beginning of a golfing adventure for my son. He received his first set of plastic clubs for his first Christmas. Big, plastic things which mostly were used to bang into other things. His next set came a few years later, at Christmas again, from his godfather. He screamed with delight at this gift and we have pictures of him walking around with golf bag on his shoulder "like the real golfers, mommy". He would go to the driving range with his dad and eventually began golf lessons with the pro at the range. The pro saw some undeveloped talent in Timothy and they enjoyed great conversation about the sport.
As he got older, he continued playing golf but especially enjoyed watching it.
We got tickets for the Northville Senior tournament on Long Island when it was held at Meadowbrook. It is here that he took over the job of fetching autographs. His collection of signed flags and assorted rewards has grown over the years as we continued to attend various tournaments. He has been to the PGA at Westchester, the next US Open at Shinnecock, the Ryder Cup in Massachusetts and volunteered as a junior at the US Open at Bethpage.
This year he is very excited as we await the Ryder Cup in Louisville. He has once again, volunteered--but this time as an adult. His papers are also submitted to volunteer for the upcoming US Open again being held at Shinnecock.
He has been a member of the USGA both as a junior and presently as an adult. He proudly shows off his bag tag each time he plays golf.
As you can see, as his mom, I am very proud of his interest in a game which asks its participants to portray the best that sports has to offer. I know that his interest in golf will continue well into his adult years. Who knows, one day I might actually see him participate in a tournament with the pros--but for now, I think the biggest thrill for him would be to walk along side those who he has admired for so many years.
I am, therefore, asking your consideration of my son, Timothy, as one of the Honorary Observers for this year's Commerce Bank Championship. Thank you for your time and for listening to the story of a proud golfing mom!
Sincerely,
Estelle Burns
Hi Mark,
I am writing to you for the consideration of allowing me to be an honorary observer at the Commerce Bank Championship, June 27-29th.
I am a recently retired person that has learned to play golf since my retirement. I have no bells or whistles to claim. I am an average golfer who enjoys playing the game and also enjoys being able to observe nature at its very best while playing. I have observed several generations of ospreys, hawks, woodchucks, deer, etc. I know I should pay more attention to the golf game, but I also enjoy watching the animals too. I do watch the competitions on tv, and cheer for my favorites to win.
I have had the opportunity to go to the US Open a few times and watch the pros play, which I think inspires me to play my game better.
I think that it would be a wonderful experience for me to watch the pros up close and personal. Maybe then I will really be able to learn to take my game to another level of play.
Sincerely,
Kathe Palermo
Mark....what a great weekend for Tiger and golf in gerneral. I bet you had fun watching that tournament. My father-inlaw is Jack Reilly, we all sat around this past Father's Day and all we heard about was this contest. Nice guy...hope he wins. No matter what I will still enjoy your articles. Tom