People of the U.S. Open

Only in New York can you take the train to the U.S. Open.

The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) was part of the Monopoly experience so why not make it part of the U.S. Open experience.

On the train I met Will Coholan who started his journey in Manhattan at Penn Station.

A Manhattanite for the last 20 years though he grew up in Newport Beach, CA. He went west to east, the opposite of the new Tonight Show host Conan O'Brien and Yankee skipper Joe Torre.

A big fan of Phil Mickelson and one who was there at Bethpage Black in 2002. He remembers following Greg Norman's group and how crowded it was.

Living in the city he went without a car for 10 years but bought one after "the towers can down on 9-11." That experience made him realize it is important to thoroughly enjoy life and not live in fear. He drives out to and plays many of the golf courses in the metropolitan area.

When asked if I could take his picture for this article he replied "am I photo worthy?" Absolutely though this single guy at the moment who need to talk to Elaine to see if he is "sponge worthy." (Ed. Note- reference to Seinfeld sit-com.)

Ed. Note- the author also took a train to the 2003 U.S. Open at Olympia Fields outside of Chicago.

When the train stopped in Farmingdale one knew this was a U.S.G.A. run event tough the red, white and blue banners made it feel like a World Series game at Yankee Stadium.

There was high security and many folks directing you through the ample metal detector lines and multiple shuttle buses to take you to the golf course.

Oh by the way if you are thinking of getting in with your cell phone forget it. Plan on going over to the "disallowed items" tent and giving them the phone in return for an item receipt. Very well organized.

All Sold Out. If you want to go to the U.S. Open this year and do not have a ticket the Wednesday practice round is your only chance!

The Information Booth was being manned by a woman named Joan LaRossa. She officially works for the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau & Sports Commission. Okay two out of three is not bad. I am a visitor and golf is a sport. Where is the convention? I always miss out on the fun.

What sorts of information is being sought at the information booth one may wonder? The two most common are directions to the bathrooms and the shuttles.

Of course I had a more unique question. What is interesting around here that I should include in my article? Of course the trained professional information giver named Joan was able to help me out. See next picture.

A young couple named Sirdong and April of Korean descent was enjoying the day at the U.S. Open. Seemingly normal as I inquired as to what they were enjoying so far today.

They were big fans of K.J. Choi, at least she was as she was the golfer and he the one that was obligated to accompany her to the U.S. Open.

April use to follow the LPGA and Si Re Pak when she was good. I wondered at her age if she even remembered when the World Golf Hall of Fame member won two major championships in her rookie year on the LPGA.

The feet of this nice coupe was very interesting. Note her sneakers on the right are fairly clean. His socked sandals on the left are not.

A close up of his feet show his colorful socks thoroughly soaked in the mud of Bethpage Black. When I noted the contrasting difference his reply was "well she knows where to walk." Arguably they cannot teach you everything in school in order for you to attend your first U.S. Open with clean feet.

We want your opinion. Take the U.S.G.A. survey. Let us know what you think.

Well I thought I would survey the survey and ask one gentleman David Gordon what he thought of taking the survey.

"They ask you a lot of questions. The ticket prices are too high. If you give me some tickets for Saturday I will talk to you all day."

Sorry I don't have any complimentary tickets to give. I wish I did.

"Are you going to leave me two tickets for Saturday?"

He revealed that his wife had breast cancer. I asked him what he would share with Amy and Phil Mickelson if he had the chance.

"Be positive. The younger you are and the earlier it is detected the better. Say will you leave two tickets for me at Will Call for Saturday?"

Ah a New Yorker! Never gives up!

My competition with a video camera. They have two advantages. First they let the interviewees sit down. Second she is prettier than I am.
A couple guys with beverages. I have to get their story.

That's Tom Kalleher on the left and Larry Andersen on the right.

Their alarm clock went off at 3 a.m. this morning in Montville, CT. They met at 4 a.m. and took the Bridgeport ferry over to Port Jefferson on the eastern tip of Long Island. They hopped on the LIRR and where on the course at 9:15 a.m.

I asked them if they had anything they would like to share with the general public via and internet blog. Tom turned to Larry and asked "Do you want to tell your wife about your boyfriend?"

Only in New York… "not that there is anything wrong with that." (Ed. Note- second reference to Seinfeld sit-com.)

Have the beverages. I wonder how the food is at Bethpage Black.

Have the beverages. I wonder how the food is at Bethpage Black.

This is Otto Wittmeier and his daughter Lily.

According to Otto the Danish in the Trophy Club is the best he has ever had. It almost tastes like it was freshly baked.

According to Lily the healthy choices are limited. Some vegetarian but nothing organic.

Lily worked for Mr. Steinbrenner in the Yankee organization in Florida. Evidently there is a large poster of that episode where George tells Mr. Steinbrenner what he really thinks about his handling of the Yankee organization. (Ed. Note- third reference to Seinfeld sit-com.)

Her father Otto owns an upscale best restaurant that he assures is the best one on the eastern end of Long Island in Aquebogue. He inherited it from his parents who opened it up in 1949. It is called the "Modern Snack Bar."

I guess back in 1949 a snack bar was modern. It's good check it out.

Yes that is Fanny and me.

She is Fanny Sunesson, the long time caddie of Nick Faldo and currently with Henrik Stenson.

No matter how nice she does not give any interviews.

What about Henrik stripping down at Doral? No comment.

What do you think about Nick being knighted by the Queen? No comment.

A classy lady and a true professional. Good luck this week Fanny!

Okay I know what you are thinking… tough job I have.

This is from left to right Caitlin Hausser, Kristy Smith, and Kristina Broderick.

Kristy is the smartest one since her last name is fictitious though she gave me a business card with the same name.

Kristina came today looking for Roger Federer thinking this U.S. Open was a tennis tournament.

One of the three offered that "we are the prostitutes of the golf course."

I asked them if they were having any difficulty finding guys. They assured me that they come and find us and they don’t find them.

I can see that.

I can see that.

Okay so you saw it too- the chest abacus.

What's with that?

No comment.

Here's a guy in a suit at the U.S. Open.

I thought he looked a little like Scott Walker the Golf Central anchor.

Another guy thought he looked like an ESPN football commentator.

I asked Robert Bryant who he thought he looked like and he said "like Tiger Woods when I am on the tee."

Robert readily admitted he sneaked out of work for the afternoon.

No problem since he owns his own business.

He came out to check out the pre-shot routine of the professional golfers.

"There is a reason they are here and we are here to watch them."

"I am a pretty good golfer in my mind."

Maybe he does look like Tiger Woods on the tee before he hits the ball.

Here's Hebert Lowe a golf coach and some of his pupils from the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon, NY.

They were featured on NBC Sports back in 2002 when the U.S. Open was played here.

A couple of those kids from back then are in college and three of them are serving our country in Iraq.

That tells you something about Mr. Lowe and the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon, New York.

Everyone of them had the autograph of Kenny Perry.

That tells you something about Mr. Perry.

I have not seen one of these on the streets.

This is the Lexus golf ball car.

It has dimples like a golf ball the size of a golf ball.

Hidden in the corner behind the golf ball car is a display of the history of the golf ball. Quite interesting and historically accurate- the feathery, the gutta percha, the wound rubber ball and the modern ball with excellent aerodynamic properties from the dimple patterns.

I understood the transition statement: "from the driving range to the drive home."

Our cars will all be dimpled soon to reduce noise and wind resistance.

My two sons are ahead of the curve on this technology. Like the old savvy golfers scratching up the gutta percha balls to make them fly straighter my sons have been dimpling my cars to save gas.

Here's a guy Hal Leonard that was ahead of his time.

Check out the pants- those are anchors.

Look and weep John Daly and your Loudmouth pants.

Mr. Leonard shared a story about meeting Francis Ouimet the amateur winner of the 1913 U.S. Open.

Not sure but I do not think this is Justin Leonard's father.

Here's Kathy Ostrokowski the blanket lady.

"I come out for the golf can't you tell?"

Hey it is the middle of June what's with the blanket?

The most interesting thing she saw today was Sergio Garcia making friends with a dog.

I thought that was kind of rude and sort of catty with his recent breakup with Greg Norman's daughter.

Evidently the dog was a police canine.

Admittedly not a tour groupie though she was in Columbus for the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago?

First of all is "credentialing" a word? If so shouldn't it have two letter l's?

If I am being credential doesn't that mean I want to get a photo ID?

How can I have it ready?

A nice bleacher couple for the bleacher report.

This is Karen and Lon.

Lon thinks the story of this Open will be the return to New York of Phil Mickelson and how he will react under pressure.

He also thinks it will be interesting to see if Tiger Woods is finished with the "mending process."

As an orthopedic surgeon himself he does not believe Tiger is fully healed and will look to see how he does navigating the hills and uneven lies of Bethpage Black.

For half a century since he was 11 years old he has been playing Bethpage Black.

What he "lacks in technique he makes up for in enthusiasm."

That applies to every profession endeavor except surgery.

And golf.

Here's the problem with growing the game of golf.

Three kids playing with a soccer ball right in the front yard of the 109th U.S. Open Championship.

Ban all soccer balls from Bethpage State Park this week!

This warning is enough to keep me off Bethpage Black this week.

Good luck to all the 156 participants this week.

May the best golfer or Tiger Woods or both win!