Monday, June 24, 2019
Brooke Stands Alone
There was a
slight bit of “fuss and bother” on Sunday as Brooke Henderson won
her ninth professional golf tournament. The victory moved her past
three other Canadian golf professionals as the all-time leader:
Sandra Post, George Knudson, and Mike Weir.
I suppose it
is only natural that we take an element of pride in her
accomplishments. The commentators on the show, both American and
British, have nothing but wonderful things to say about our country
as the tournament progresses. (And yes, they do have hours of air
time to fill. They send out “research assistants” to find every
conceivable angle to talk about during the broadcast.)
It is never
an easy ride for any golf professional to get to the top of the heap.
Most pros do not win nine tournaments before they are 30 years old.
Brooke is 21. Certainly, the sky is the limit for the Smiths Falls
native.
She is quite
methodical: drive, chip, putt. There is always plenty of discussion
about her choice of caddies, as well. Her older sister, Brittany,
lugs the bag full of clubs. Before each shot, she and Brooke discuss
the options for a particular shot. I have followed the game for many
years. Most of the things that the Henderson sisters speak about, in
rather hushed tones, escape me. Brittany is also a golf professional,
but she has put her career on hold to accompany her sister. Both
girls owe a great deal to their parents : coaches, mentors, teachers.
They travel with the kids and offer guidance along the way.
There was a
time when all golfers carried the same clubs: 3, 5, 7, and 9 irons; a
couple of wedges; two or three woods. Some of you may remember the
terms “brassie” and “spoon”. Long before my time.
There is a
limit to the number of clubs that one is entitled to use. Go over the
limit, and the penalties are severe. Players have lost championships
because of this oversight. The Henderson girls discuss the choice of
club on the fairways, consider all of the elements, and leave the
shot to Brooke. Therein lies the secret to her success. She is able
to hit the ball to the spot she has chosen, most of the time.
Mike Weir is
still playing competitive golf. He will be playing on the Champions
Tour shortly. He has not had the game required to beat all of the
younger players. Once he turns 50, he will be playing against guys
his age, and those a bit older. Following the players on the senior
circuit is a real treat. There is very little people traffic. That
may change the day the Tiger Woods turns 50. Spectators are permitted
to stand closer to the players. The players occasionally chat with
the spectators! None of this hand slapping, high-five stuff!!
George
Knudson was Canada's best golfer for many years. Well, perhaps in a
tie with Al Balding. Unfortunately, he was in ill health for several
years, and passed away when he was 51. Another Canadian on the
professional circuit was Belleville's Gary Bowerman. A member of the
Belleville Sports Hall of Fame, Bowerman's grave site is on the
Loyalist Parkway, in the village of Bloomfield.
Sandra Post
was also Canada's premier female golfer, for many years. She won her
first professional tournament when she was 19. That record stood for
several decades, and Brooke won the same LPGA tournament when she was
18. Injuries forced Post to retire after more than a dozen successful
seasons on the tour. She resides in the Toronto area, but never too
far from a golf course.
It has been
a fine spring for Canadians, and their sports accomplishments. The
Raptors paraded along the Lakeshore on Monday, and sipped a little
champagne at Nathan Phillips Square. The Blues from St. Louis
celebrated in style, with more than half a million gathered to raise
the Cup. There are 17 skaters on the team carrying Canadian
passports.
The spring
winds have subsided, for the moment. Hopefully, you will be able to
tidy up after such a devastating spring. Dust off those clubs. Hit
the links!
James Hurst
June 17,
2019.
-- James Hurst 613.399.2278 sportslices.blogspot.ca
# posted by James Hurst @ 12:21 PM 
