In October, 2014, my brother, Terry, my son, Lucas, and my sister-in-law, Brenda had lunch in the atrium of The West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick, Indiana.
If you’ve never stepped inside the atrium of The Hotel, I’d suggest bringing along a caddie, friend, relative, or a very thick, soft surface, such as a memory foam mattress on which to land, because it takes your breath away.
The majestic dome of The Hotel is referred to as the “Eighth Wonder of the World.” If I ever travel to see the original seven, I’ll definitely bring along a caddie, friend, relative, or pack an air mattress.
Until the Houston Astrodome was constructed in the 1960’s, (source: http://www.historichotels.org/hotels-resorts/west-baden-springs-hotel/,) The West Baden Springs Hotel’s atrium held the record as the largest free-span dome.
After reviving myself with several refreshing glasses of sweet tea, I was able to stroll around the atrium on my own, without a spotter. I walked around in awe until something large and shiny caught my eye.
Whenever I see anything large and shiny, I mean PGA-related, I take photos and e mail them to fellow blogger and cyber-friend, Rick Williams PGA, Guru of what’s really important in life, and golf at https://mindbodygolf.wordpress.com/.
Rick has a way of weaving golf, family, philosophy, gourmet gastronomy, and even fashion (he has quite the sock, and t-shirt collection) into his blog. It’s always a pleasure to read Rick’s words of wisdom, and I always learn a thing or two about golf.
So, when I saw a PGA display, I snapped a few pictures for Rick, not really paying attention to what I was shooting because, after all, Brenda and I had shopping to do. One of the stores in The Hotel sells the grooviest vintage-looking hats. A tradition was born that day; I never leave The Hotel without a new hat, or three.
Later, back at my brother’s house, I fired up my computer and was able to take a good look at the photos I had taken.
Without even realizing it, I had taken pictures of the Alfred S. Bourne Trophy, sealed in a glass case, cordoned off with red velvet ropes.
The trophy display was there to promote the 76th Senior PGA Golf Tournament May 21-24, 2015 at the Pete Dye golf course, one of the most famous golf courses in the world.
Fast-forward to April, 2015:
Mom and I went back to visit our family in French Lick the week of April 5-12, 2015. We had lunch at the West Baden Springs Hotel again. Of course, my sister-in-law, Brenda, and I needed to go hat shopping.
After finding another hat, I thought we were all going our separate ways, when Brenda said, “Follow me!” We got in our cars and drove right up the driveway to the Pete Dye Mansion, situated at the top of Mount Airie, one of the highest elevations in Indiana. The view was spectacular.
Speaking of Mount Airie, I checked with many sources for its proper spelling, including Brenda, my new friend, Lucette, the receptionist at The West Baden Springs Hotel, and http://www.gurnellimages.com/keyword/pete%20dye/, A website about the Taggart Mansion, which then became the Pete Dye Mansion.
There are as many spellings of Airie online as the number of golf balls I would need to complete just the first hole of the Pete Dye golf course, but I’m fairly sure I’ve spelled it correctly.
As final preparations were being made to the course, we were allowed access inside the Mansion. If we had $10,000, we would have stayed the night, but between the two of us, Brenda and I only came up with $3.75.
Since no one else was in the house, we had the chance to look around at everything. And, I did. I ran from room to room like a four-year-old, if you can imagine me doing something like that.
Beginning Thursday, May 21, you’ll be able to watch televised coverage as 51-year-old Colin Montgomerie, from Scotland, defends his first ever U.S. Major Championship and the coveted Alfred S. Bourne Trophy he won last year at The 75th Senior PGA Championship in Benton Harbor, Michigan.
All listings are in Eastern Time.
Here’s the broadcast schedule from:
http://www.pgatour.com/content/pgatour/champions/news/2015/05/18/weekly-update.html:
The Golf Channel will broadcast live from 1–4 P.M, Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22.
NBC will broadcast live Saturday, May 23, from 1:30–4:30 P.M.
The Golf Channel will broadcast The Championship live from 2:30–3:30 P.M. on Sunday.
NBC will broadcast The Final Round live Sunday from 3:30–6:00 P.M.
According to Tim Etheridge of the Evansville Courier & Press, of the 156-player field, “Montgomerie is one of nine past Senior PGA champions in the field, led by four-time winner Hale Irwin.
There are aslo seven Masters champions (Nick Faldo, Langer, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Mark O’Meara, Craig Stadler and Ian Woosnam), eight U.S. Open champions (Irwin, Lee Janzen, Steve Jones, Tom Kite, Jerry Pate, Corey Pavin, Scott Simpson and Curtis Strange), six British Open champions (Faldo, Mark Calcavecchia, Tom Lehman, Sandy Lyle, O’Meara and Nick Price), and six PGA Championship champions (Mark Brooks, Steve Elkington, Price, Jeff Sluman, Hal Sutton and Bob Tway).
Toss in nine Ryder Cup captains (Americans Kite, Lehman, Pavin, Strange and Hal Sutton, along with Europeans Faldo, Langer, Montgomerie and Ian Woosnam), and nine Golf Hall of Famers (Faldo, Irwin, Kite, Langer, Lyle, O’Meara, Montgomerie, Price and Strange) and you have likely the strongest field of golfers to ever set foot in Southern Indiana.”
To feel like you’re there, click the link below for the Senior PGA Championship Program.
The following is the first-ever SlideShare presentation I’ve ever made after the first-ever PowerPoint presentation I ever made in order to make the SlideShare presentation.
Click the link below to see all of the slides.
