Report from the J.C. Penney Classic

From: Larry Ludwick 
Newsgroups: rec.sport.golf
Subject: John Daly at the J.C.Penney Classic
Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 19:25:21 -0500
Organization: GTE Intelligent Network Services, GTE INS

I was fortunate enough today to be able to attend today's round of the
J.C. Penney Classic.  It was a beautiful day in the upper seventies with
a light breeze and I really enjoyed myself.

I positioned myself at the sixteenth tee (number one handicap) and watched
the foursomes tee off.  Almost all the men used a three or four wood and 
were playing safe to the left.  A lake runs down the right side of this
dogleg right 468 yard par four.  Tiger Woods finally arrived with a mob
gallery and used what looked like a 2 iron (maybe a 1) and seemed to hit 
it just as far as all the other men using their woods (about 250-260).

John Daly was in the next foursome and, as he waited for the group ahead
to clear (yes, he was playing fast), I noticed some writing embroidered
over his hip pocket.  I leaned forward a little to see that it said,
yes, "Grip it and Rip it."  Which is of course exactly what he did.
He pulled out his driver, teed it up, and put that ball at least 320 yards
down the fairway, completely over the lake, and in perfect position for a
wedge.  Free to go for it, Laura Davies hit an equally impressive drive that
unfortunately fell in the lake about five yards short of the bank.

Both Tiger Woods and John Daly impressed me with their manner, and Daly
really responded to the crowd when he was cheered for his massive drive.
A big smile and a relaxed attitude -- I guess the pressures of the critics
and the press and all the rest kind of fall away when you hit a perfect 
drive and the crowd is cheering and applauding.  I wish him the best.

A really nice experience for me, and I just wanted to share . . .

Larry