ARDMORE, Pa.—I’m not sure if my 6-year-old son George got the golf bug by going to the U.S. Amateur. I do know it’s been two days since we went and he’s still talking about the ball quarterfinalist Brandon Knight gave him.
That it was a losing ball doesn’t matter. That it came from the young man who hit a ball “that went into outer space” did. George was elated. My 3-year-old son Theodore remains jealous.
Bringing my two sons to the U.S. Amateur was ambitious. I flew solo, no wife, so there were challenges. But after walking over 10,000 steps with them, many of which came with Theodore on my shoulders, I walked off Merion happier than at any other sporting event I’ve covered. I got memories that will last a lifetime.
George got a Titleist 2 Pro-V1 with the initials BK written in blue marker.
Christmas Card
It was auspicious that we walked up to the first hole at Merion as the last group of the quarterfinals, Michael Lugiano vs Logan Reilly, was teeing off. Lugiano was the local favorite. They had a large gallery surrounding them. The energy was electric. It pulled us like a magnet.
“Is that the golf men?” Theo asked.
“Yes.”
“Cooooool.”
It was 2 p.m. when we arrived. I figured I had three, maybe three-and-a-half hours before any meltdowns occurred. Turns out that was optimistic. But we’ll get to that in a minute. For now, all was well.
I wanted to get a picture of the boys by the Merion logo sign in front of the clubhouse. After watching “the golf men” tee off, we walked around and got the picture. This will be on the Christmas cards for sure.
Knowing time was working against me, I figured following the lead group, Knight vs. Carter Loflin, was the move. Theoretically, that match should end first. Wrong, though it did turn out to be the best match.
We walked across Ardmore Avenue. Knight and Loflin were on the 6th hole, one of the farthest places from the clubhouse, so I decided we’d head to the sloping par-4 5th and pick up Knight and Loflin on 7. Adam Bresnu vs Jack Whaley was on 5. It was a smaller group so we followed them from the fairway. George got right behind Whaley before he hit his approach shot. You can get so close to these players.
“Whoa!” George says. “That was so cool.”
There’s something special about seeing an elite golfer hit the ball. George had only seen me hit them into a net before this. I tried to explain how much better these players are than their dad is, but until you see it, you don’t know the difference.
They know it now. Or at least George does.
“He’s so good.”
After sitting on the hill that kicks everything down toward Cobbs Creek and watching Whaley and Bresnu putt on 5, we journeyed up another hill toward the 7th green to start our walk with Knight and Loflin.
Seeking Shade
It was hot and humid on Friday at the U.S. Amateur, a truly classic East Coast summer day. George ran up the hill to get to the 7th green. With Theo on my shoulders, I trudged behind him. We were all sweating profusely. We’re a sweaty family.
We walked under the famous pine tree overhanging the 8th tee box and found shade. The boys sat directly next to the 7th green. Loflin hit first and nearly holed his approach shot for eagle. Knight hit next and left himself about 10 feet, but he was above the hole and it was a slippery devil that missed. We all enjoyed a cool breeze in the shade.
Theo decided he wanted to be a frog as Knight and Loflin walked to the 8th tee. He hopped and ribbited his way from the 7th green to an area right next to the 8th tee box. The players hit and walked on. Everyone followed. Theo asked, “What’s this?” pointing at the USGA tee box markers. I told him and he tried to take one. I grabbed him and put him back up on my shoulders.
We hugged the right side of the 8th fairway where it was shady. We watched Loflin stick his approach to a couple of feet. He made the birdie putt to take his first lead of the day. George and Theo started playing tag.
So went most of the next hour. We watched some shots. George’s jaw dropped a few more times. We found shady areas. We ate snacks. They played games. I corralled them. It was beautiful. Then came the witching hour.
Witching Hour
The first sign of trouble came on the 13th hole. We were sitting under that gorgeous tulip tree behind the short par-3. Theo was pulling George’s hair. I bent down to break it up.
“Can we go home now?” George asks. I had been waiting for this.
I’ll start by saying I was impressed it took this long for that question to be asked. It had been over two hours of baking in the sun and walking up and down hills and watching golf. Attention spans are short at these ages. That the tournament captured theirs this long was exciting.
Now it was time for one of my secret weapons. Binoculars. I didn’t tell the kids I was bringing them, but I know they love looking through them. This was my first extender. They were immediately entranced.
Loflin birdied the 13th to take a 3 -up lead. George watched through the binoculars, which were turned the wrong way. He laughed and said, “Theo, look how small he is,” pointing at Loflin. Theo looked and giggled. All was copacetic.
We walked up and sat next to the 16th green. From here, we watched Knight and Loflin’s tee shots and approaches to 14, their tee shot on 15 and their approaches to 16. This was where I made my last stand.
The binoculars were now a problem. Both kids wanted them. They shared initially. Now Theo had claimed them. There was pushing and pulling. They started to wrestle and yell. Time for my second extender: gummy bears.
I bribed Theo into giving me the binoculars for a pack of gummy bears. I gave George his own bag. They both sat on a hill to the right of the 16th green. Order was restored.
There we waited for Loflin and Knight. Loflin was still 3 up on 16. I needed him to close the match now. These kids were fading and I wanted to write a story about Loflin’s caddy Jack Hopkins, who is a Merion caddy legend. Knight acquiesced by missing an eight-foot par putt that would have won the hole and extended the match.
I knew I had to interview Loflin and Hopkins right then and there, so I put Theo back on my shoulders, grabbed George’s hand and walked around the 16th green to where the players were exiting. When we got to the other side, Knight was walking through the crowd with his caddy. I told George to tell Knight good match and give him a fist pump. George did. Knight then reached into his pocket and took out the ball he just missed the putt on 16 with. He handed the ball to George.
I’m not sure if Knight saw George’s face light up, but if he did, it must have taken away some of the sting from that loss. George was smitten. He hugged the ball and examined it. Theo wanted to look and George showed it to him. He wouldn’t let Theo hold the ball. Theo accepted this begrudgingly.
I interviewed Loflin and Hopkins. Theo and George play tag on the 17th tee box. A marshal was there and didn’t seem to mind. All the other matches were over at this point. Turns out the Loflin-Knight match made it the farthest that day. For me, it ended just in the nick of time.
Northward Home
We made it back to the car without incident. The kids fell asleep after a quick bite to eat at Chick-fil-A. George was still holding the ball.
The ride home was easy. Both Theo and George slept most of the time. I listened to the Beatles and ruminated on the day.
I don’t know how much they’ll remember this experience in a year from now. I don’t know if watching those players hit towering shots that left them both in awe will make them want to play golf more now than they did before (we chip in the backyard a few times a week). But that night, after reading George a few chapters of a Dog Man comic, he told me this was the best day of his life.
I nearly cried.
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