Jack Nicklaus and Carlton Wade

Most of you thought you’d see those two names right next to each other, high up on a yellow British leaderboard.  Gotta go, Jack’s jet arrives at ABIA any minute.  He’s flying me down to play an exhibition at Lost Tree.

I suck at golf

But this guy does not.  In fact, Jhonattan Vegas will be one of the best golfers to ever play the game.  I’ve played with great golfers (Brian Bateman, Bill Rogers, Joe Ogilvie, Wes Short, Brian Gay, Omar Uresti, Bob Estes, Tony Jacklin, Steve Stricker and a bunch of great players you’ve never heard of), but I’m not sure any of them have or had the potential this guy has.  I know Coach Royal said something like, “potential just means you ain’t done it yet,” and he’s right.  JV here ain’t won the US Open or the Masters yet or a whole bunch of majors, but he will.  Why?  Because he has a rare combination of power, finesse, desire, intellect and attitude. He’s extremely likable.  He’s kind, funny, smart, authentic and plays golf on a completely different level than 99% of everyone else.  I’m not sure what he shot yesterday out at UT Golf Club, where we played in their 2009 Pro-Pro-Scratch-Scratch with UTGC’s Corey Lundberg and Longhorn golf team junior Bobby Hudson (who’s also a terrific player, genuinely kind man and UTGC course record holder), but JV played the game with confidence, power, talent and intellect.  And he played like a kid, having fun the whole time.  I could write a good-size book about the few hours I spent with this guy.  He finished 63rd on the Nationwide Tour money list, which means he’ll be back there playing the 2011 season, unless he makes it through Q-School.  He’s playing in China in a couple of weeks for his home country (Venezuela) in the World Cup. (This shot of him was taken four years ago at the 2005 Austin Men’s City Championship at Morris Williams GC.)

You suck at golf

You heard me.  So go see this handsome fella here.  Yep, that’s Chuck Cook, and he has joined the instruction team out at UT Golf Club.  I watched him give some tips to the boys there on how to use all that technology they have out there, and it was a sublime combination of technology, experience, hard work, intelligence and simplicity.  I wanted to put down the Nikon and get strapped in.  But I prefer to play the game instead of study the nuances of my golf swing.  At least right now.  The minute I make a bunch of putts and shoot 80 is when I head out Quinlan Park Road and hang on to Chuck’s pantsleg until he agrees to diagnose me.

Name that golf course

From a consumer marketing standpoint, here’s a good reason to avoid aerial photography of golf courses, at least in the Hill Country.  I don’t care who you are.  You can’t tell me that this shot does anything for anyone (except maybe a developer or a homebuilder.)  I hate the word “standpoint.”

Lakecliff

I stopped by the 8th green at Lakecliff Country Club on the way home from my D-Crain shoot on Tuesday and got this one.

A new day at Cordillera Ranch

The clubhouse is almost ready to open its doors.  I’ve always loved everything about this place, but I had no idea how nice the clubhouse would be, and how well it wraps up the whole property.  I shot this one last Tuesday morning around 7:30 from the road coming in.

Fovtoms

Here’s the best way to watch golf on televsion, especially when it’s on ABC.  What moronic producer thought Curtis Strange would have even the slightest chance against my mute button?  If you’re curious about the title of this post, that’s how many PGA Tour wins Stewart Cink has had, according to Strange.

Name that hole

Truth and deception

I like the truth, mostly.  Especially in a photograph.  But there are times when the truth gets in the way of the sale, without being deceptive.  Mike Nolen at Falconhead Golf Club asked me to come out and shoot the newly landscaped 17th hole, which you see here.  The best shot seemed to be from up on the hill left of the tee, but from up there, you get a good view of Lake Travis High School back there behind the trees.  You don’t see it from the tee.  But you also don’t see the surface of the green from the tee, which makes it a visually intimidating shot.

The point here is that while the top photo isn’t completely truthful, it shows the landscape better because the viewer isn’t distracted by something else.  I wonder which one you like better.  I know which one I do.

Barton Creek

Went to the fireworks show last night at Barton Creek with some friends.  Great fireworks and great party, but the best part is how they let hundreds of kids run all over the 18th green of the Foothills course, digging in the bunkers, jumping around all those cool mounds and having a great time.

The 17th hole at Falconhead

Yesterday.

Golf

Headed back to Sky Creek Ranch just north of Fort Worth to shoot some new golf landscapes and their new restaurant.  Can’t wait to play the golf course.  Exceptional design and condition.  You old Barton Creekers will remember Sky Creek’s golf course superintendent, Stephen Best.  If I owned a golf course, he’d be on the short list of guys I’d pick to grow grass.  Stay tuned for some shots of Stephen’s handiwork.

Austin Golf Club

I had the good fortune of playing Austin Golf Club yesterday, and it was the best golf experience I’ve had in my 24 years of playing.  Everything about it.  I’m not sure it’s the fact that they did everything the way they would want it, but more that they did everything the way I would want it.  (Out of respect for the club, its members and the privacy of it all, this is the only photo you get.)

So what if I’ve never made par on it…

Tough hole to play, but I love the way the par-3 13th at Cordillera Ranch photographs.  I even put a shot of it from 2006 on my business card.  I hate business cards.

Progress and separation

Just got back from a day trip to the incomparable Cordillera Ranch.  Shot a few, played the course and shot some more.  The clubhouse is coming along and should be finished out by the end of the year.  The course looked incredible, and the greens were even better.  I don’t claim to know stimp readings, but I’d guess theirs were running about 12+.  I played poorly, so I won’t tell you what I shot, but I played the day before the first round of the Valero Texas Open, and three PGA Tour players were there playing right behind us:  Jim Gallagher, Jr., Jimmy Walker and Mike Heinen.  The wind was blowing a steady 15mph and gusting to 30.  The course was playing hard and fast, and I mentioned those greens.  Heinen shot 65 and broke the course record by three.  I want to think he’s lying, but I doubt it.  I just can’t believe someone is that good.  Or that there’s that much separation between me and the average Tour player.  Scratch that.  Heinen hasn’t been on anyone’s radar in over a decade, so he might not even be considered average, but anyone who even came close to breaking par at Cordillera Ranch last Wednesday is far better than average.