Feeling a little effeminate today - and embracing it - Ryder Cup photos

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I'm walking the 1500 steps to what seems to be the world's largest "gift" shop at The Ryder Cup.  

I put on my mask and enter the huge place with one goal. I'm looking for a red USA Ryder cup cap but I know that IF, I find something I really want, this once in a lifetime chance to pick up something really cool  can't be missed even at the elevated prices.

I walk past walls and walls of different caps and clothing but not the one I want.  Finally I see the 20 by 100 foot wall of USA caps - so many blue ones.  

The reason I want a RED cap is in my collection of wearable caps is that I only have one and for 6 years now I have not been able to wear it.  THE NAG looks way too much like a MAGA cap and I get frowns.  

So I scan the caps and WAIT next to the blue caps there is one HUGE section that is completely empty . . . . .  EXCEPT for ONE RED USA cap.  I push 5 woman aside and grab it.  It fits and I scurry away like a squirrel who just found a nut. 

I wander around trying to find the exit to pay and see a really sweet windbreaker -  It fits and I look at the price  $165  . . . .. FOR A WINDBREAKER?  F me!  I pass.  

I finally find where the checkout is and LITERALLY (I mean LITERALLY) there are 100 checkouts.  I grab a red Ryder Cup radio ($8 with NBC, SiriusXM and BBC radio)) and carry it in the cap. I get to a checker. He scans the cap - I put the card in and he shuffles me away.  WAIT - did he see the radio?  I get outside - and nope.  O'Well.  I hope the Ryder Cup does not go bankrupt. 

OK - let's back up a bit. How did I get here to this mecca of world golf.

I'm at the Brewer game Thursday and Balderdash mentions that him and Mr. Electric are going to the Ryder Cup Sunday and they MIGHT need a 4th person.   I'm in if there is a cancelation - who cares about my knee - I can drug up for something like that. 

I get the call and I'm IN.  Balderdash, Mr. Electric and the TimeLord will be with Grinder heading to Whistling Straits Sunday Morning all expense paid which turns out to be better than expected.

Seems we are heading to the WEC Energy suits (Midwest’s best - We Energies ranks #1 for reliability) sitting on top ( almost) of the first green.  Did I mention great buffett and free liquor? 

   looking out the window with a wide lens

actual view of #1 green

   

So we watch the first 6 sets play through and I decided I should get a cap before we chug off into the hinterland.  

I get back and Balderdash says "there's food".  OH - chicken breasts and all sorts of super great food.  As I'm eating and proudly wearing my new cap TimeLord (story on that soon) says "HEY = that is a womans cap".  

https://youtu.be/B9MNITrHu9E

 

WHAT?  I look at the big silver round tag  WOMENS - HEY it fit, it's European! So I have a small head. is it my fault? 

I rip off the tag but it goes downhill from there. 

Once the singles have all made their way to the 2nd hole we take off towards the 12th tee and it's chaos.  We get stuck in a crown as Sergio is teeing into the rough and we have to wait. I climb a small hill wearing my golf shoes and take a shot of the American.

We wait for them to all pass before the hoard move on. 

Once we get past the intersection we head north.  The further north we go the less crowd we figure. 

An opening in the trees - there are TINY specs of humans and that is the line we are in. And yes - it IS a long way. 

Walking past the 18th hole 

We wind our way over hills and valleys 

and end up looking across the 15th fairway to the 12th which was our goal but we took a wrong turn.  Then I look and there is a ball on the fairway -  sweet.  Deciding to stay there the golfers come right up to us as we're in the sweet spot for drives and bunker shots.

 OH - this is a GREAT spot and we hang out there for the rest of the rounds going through

That trap seems to be a ball magnant. and a BAD one - each one of those shots went about 20 yards out of the trap. 

In fact we realized this COULD be the last hole as most of these rounds end around the 16th hole.   I was feeling pretty good as I had a small wager on USA winning Sunday as a -200 favorite. 

While this was goign on Balderdash looked at his watch but he was not wearing it so subliminally I looked at my phone and  TimeLord looks at HIS phone.  I had 2:32 . . . . he had 3:32 . . . .what?  

He said why would his phone be an hour ahead of mine by an hour - we ask the guy next to us  Is it 2:30 or 3:30  he said it was 3:00 , we all laugh but TimeLord had a huge "?" above his head. 

After a while he asks - who is your provider which took me by surprise as "provider for what?"  Gummies?  OH! - phone.  ATT.  Balderdash?  Cingular,  Mr Electric?  Verizon and his phone was ALSO an hour ahead.  

I immediately realized that since THE TimeLord was driving we had somehow gone through some sort of time space continuum (it was a Volvo so - hello!).  I moved a few more feet away as I did not want to be caught is some sort of vortex.      

While all this is going on I'm keeping watch on my knee as this is the most I have walked in years - since I was suppose to have a TKR.  It was fine - the 2 year old Meloxicam was working it's magic (total of 15,000 steps on Sunday . . . but only 7,500 by my left knee).   

WE WIN!!!  I WIN!!! 

We're walking back the the 2 story temporary tent where the suits were 

And as we enter the building showing our special wrist bands the guy waves and says - "no worries I remember YOU"!  I look at TimeLord  . . What does THAT mean!  OH - I bet because I was wearing a womans cap!!    DUDE - it's the 21 century AND IT'S EUROPEAN!   

As we enter lo and behold there are chicken sandwiches, cheese and what not to munch on.  How wonderful AND our own bathrooms!  

I grab my stuff and a official program which is the size of a sears catalog and we walk to the busses that take us to our car which takes us to the park and ride where my car is and we drive home with a magnificent sunset right in our eyes. 

Making it home almost in time for the Packer kick off which I had a +140 straight up bet they would win. 

WHY would I bet the Packers to WIN?   easy - EVERYBODY in WI was down on the Packers saying they would get crushed.  EVERYBODY in SF was saying we're going to crush the Packers 

YET - the point spread went from +3.5 down to +3. BIG money was betting the Packers. Time to play contrarian with Joe Public.  Point spreads are basically teaser bets anyway.  Teams don't care how much they win by.  If it went from +3.5 to +3 I think the Pack can win outright!!

DROP THE MIC. 

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I sinceriously want to thank WEC Energy Group and their motto SIRIDCCSFP ( Safety, Integrity, Reliability, Inclusion, Diversity, Customer focus, Sense of urgency, Financial, Personal responsibility for results discipline) for inviting me along on this amazing journey.   

Thank you

BTW - Columbus gets their power through WE Energies