Ray Sizer's blog
Sand, soggy shoes and solid golf
Last night I finished early and was in bed at 8.30 pm after a quiet dinner at a restaurant down the road where all the staff were wearing grass skirts, even the 6 ft 9 guy that looked bigger than MR T.
I thought about saying something about a bloke wearing a skirt but even the Lyles were not big enough to protect me.
Now that's saying something when you combine them all together.
I had a beer to go with my chicken burger. The burger was great, the beer which was a local pale ale left a lot to be desired. It tasted like the crutch out of a dead camel. Think I will stick to the Budweiser that I have taken a liking to in pint cans. Must remember to keep the receipts for my tax though. Its a tough life but someone has to do it!!!!!!
Nearly fell asleep on the balcony watching the world go by and went back to my room, had a shower into bed to wait for Paris to come and tuck me in.
Fell asleep in seconds. Woke in the morning to realise that the closest I had got to Paris last night was in my dreams. But boy they were good. Maybe she will give me the personal Hilton treatment tonight.
Up at 6.30 am to be picked up by the courtesy car at 7.30. John went to see how the boys were going at 7.05 to find them still in bed. The alarm hadn't gone off. John said it was the fastest he had ever seen Leighton shower.
Off to the course via the courtesy car and straight to the media centre on arrival at the course. Each day I need to get a sticker to wear that will allow me to get 1 arms length inside the ropes (or ten when no one is watching).
When I got there Bill Bachran the media director said to grab a coffee and a bun if there was any left. There were three danishes left so I ate them all. Things were not looking good on the food front especially compared to the Australian PGA standards. There was not even any free beer in sight.
I must say that the view in the media centre is second to none looking straight out over the pacific with a few palm trees in the foreground, spectacular. If only they had beer and food it would actually be paradise.
Oh and Paris as well.
After I had my yellow Tuesday photographers sticker placed in a convenient visual location headed to the practise fairway which is between the 1st and 18th fairways with 25 meter netting all around it to protect the unsuspecting spectators that would normally be within range.
Jarrod had arranged to play a practise round with his good friend and mentor Robert Allenby. It was a very casual practise round with both players hitting multiple ball when they wanted too.
My shoes and feet were soaking wet within the first 20 steps on the course.
The rough is not long but you sink right into it. The rain over the last couple of days has left everything a bit damp. With the humidity nothing really seems to dry.
Jarrod hit the ball fairly solid but was a bit disappointed with a few wayward and short shots. On the 15th he hooked a ball left for his second nearly hitting a Mercedes driving down the road. The ball hit the road and bounced into someone's front yard. A spectator race out and grabbed the ball and put in his pocket. Robert said if you going to hit a car it might as well be a merc. He could probably afford the damage.
Allenby gave Jarrod a lot of support today. He has played the course several times before and gave Jarrod advise on ball placement, general advice on dealing with the tour and the pressure. He is using his contacts to try and get Jarrod into USPGA tournaments as a sponsor invites.
On the way back from the course we had volunteer Michael driving the Toyota Tarago. We asked why people on motorcycles and and bicycles do not where helmets. His reply was that it is only worth wearing one if you have a brain to save.
He also commented on a pod of whales he had seen on his last tip back to the course. He admired the way they could get virtually their whole bodies out of the water when they jumped. I need a ladder to get my fat X%$^ out of a swimming pool.
We asked if we could stop on the way back to the hotel at Waikiki beach to take a pic of Jarrod. We stopped at the far end of the beach and took several pics. We wondered why they were no pretty women around. On return to the car Michael said that that was the gay end of the beach with a little laugh to himself.
Jarrod is concerned that he may now have a new fan club and will be looking behind him when he bends over to pick his ball up out of the hole for the rest of the week.
We all had a laugh and hoped that Michael would pick us up tomorrow.
Back at the hotel every one was having a bit of a relax and planning the nightly meal while our shoes were drying on the balcony. I found a pint can of Budweiser in the fridge and wrote the blog while looking at the distant Pacific Ocean through the other high rises. I wondered what the smell was outside and realised that Sally's sandshoes were under my seat.
Last night John brought several Hawaiian shirts which he proudly wore to dinner. I may go buy a matching one which we can wear on return to Shepparton.
While waiting for Jarrod to practise I went to the pro shop and bought my official merchandise. Not as extensive or as expensive as the British open but still not cheap.
All orders can be placed at rsizer@mcmedia.com.au. A 10 percent surcharge will apply. Have to pay for the lack of food in the media centre somehow. The Lyle are starving without the free food from the media centre.
Must make a mental note for myself. Have been slightly confused with the fact that you have to turn the light switch up to turn it on and the cold water tap is actually hot, and to look left instead of right when you step onto the road as the angry motorist reminded me as I stepped in front of him.
The Fairley's IGA boys Craig and Jason sent their regards to Jarrod and ask Sally (Kermit) if she was still wearing the green pyjamas they had caught her wearing at the Australian PGA.
In response Sally asked where are all the Chocolates you guys promised me!!!!!!
The boys tried to win a free trip to Hawaii but failed.
Must go now. My new friend Bud Weiser is waiting on the balcony and he has several friends that he can invite around later including Jack Daniels. I hope they don't want to stay up all night. I'm stuffed.
Cheers
Ray
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