George Ferguson Column: A day on the range

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wa. — My first look at an actual U.S. Open golf tournament was just a practice day. But for someone who has never been to any sporting event of this magnitude, Wednesday at Chambers Bay, for me, might as well have been the Olympics and the World Cup all rolled into one day.

Yes, Wednesday’s final day of preparation for the 2015 U.S. Open was a day I’ll never forget. First, like I said earlier, the magnitude of the day was about as overwhelming to me as the diabolic link’s style golf course will be for the world’s best golfers over the next four days.

So, without further ado, here’s a quick recap of what I saw, and some thoughts from my first day at what Roy “Tin Cup” McIvoy described as “not just the biggest golf tournament in the world, but the most democratic golf tournament in the world.”

My first thought from the first day at Chambers was just wow, I have finally gotten to the big time. From the minute I went through the three security check points, and from the moment I walked into the Media Center, I realized I wasn’t covering six-man football this week. Over 400 media credentials were issued for the event, and the Media Center itself is a sprawling layout with all of the latest technology at a journalist’s disposal. So right away, I think I have to say thanks to the USGA for really treating the media the right way. I plan to enjoy all the amenities the media gets at a U.S. Open over the next four days.

And one of those amenities … accesses, is something I really soaked in Wednesday. While the viewing at Chambers Bay is as limited as any U.S. Open ever, the access to the players wasn’t Wednesday. I was able to wander the driving range and practice area freely, all day Wednesday, and that’s exactly what I did. While young kids were in grandstands and behind barriers hoping to catch a glimpse of their favorite player, I was much more in awe of the up-close look I was granted of the professional golf swing.

With the exception of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson, I saw pretty much every major star in the game on the practice range Wednesday, including perhaps the most popular golfer in the world, Jordan Spieth. I saw the likes of Ricky Fowler, Justin Rose, Collin Montgomerie and so many others working on their craft, and it was their craft that I was awestruck by. I mean, television does not do the professional golf swing justice. TV, no matter how high-def you have, doesn’t begin to compare to seeing these guys hit the ball from two or three feet away, and that’s what I was amazed by Wednesday. Whether it was Dustin Johnson bludgeoning his driver into oblivion, or the sweet stroke of Fowler hitting 100-yard wedge shots, I just couldn’t get over and still am not over how good these guys are when practicing.

And, as much as I was enamored with seeing them hit, it also bothered me a little too, because I realized when watching Spieth, the 2015 Master’s Champion, that I have been taking golf seriously for as long as he has been alive. The fact that my swing is what it is after 21 or 22 years of playing, and what his is right now, that’s a little humbling, if not embarrassing.

The next thing I learned quickly on Wednesday is how demanding these next four days are going to be. I played Chamber’s Bay back in 2010, and it was nearly the death of me. Now, I’m about to walk the course for four straight days. Wednesday, I walked just four holes and my feet were begging me to stop. Yes, from a physical standpoint, Chambers Bay is as punishing as any golf course in America, so I swear, if I don’t come back to Havre 10 pounds lighter, I’m going straight to the doctor for an exam on why I can’t lose weight. Because this week is going to be that tough for me, and that tough for the players, too.

Now, onto the tourney itself. If you’re tuning into today’s first round, here’s a couple things to look for, besides myself and my good friend Ryan Divish on TV. Look for how difficult the very first hole will play. On Wednesday’s no one was holding that green with a back pin location. Yes, No. 1 at Chambers has to be as brutal a starting hole as there is, but it sure doesn’t look that way when you watch it. Also, keep an eye on the ninth hole and the 17th. Those are two par threes that really have the pros talking right now, and those should be two very fun holes to watch these guys play on the first day of the first ever U.S. Open.

So there’s just a few of things from my opening day at what promises to be a memorable week out here in Tacoma. In fact, it’s already been extremely memorable because I’m writing this column from the first row of the press box at Safeco Field as Felix Hernandez and the Seattle Mariners have a 2-0 lead on the World Champion San Francisco Giants late in the eighth inning. For a journalist from a small town, that I love so much by the way, to spend a day at the U.S. Open and then write the story from the press box at a major league baseball game that night, it doesn’t get much better than that.

But, oh it will, because today, the U.S. Open starts for real.