Nathan Smith received his best Christmas present ever on Dec. 26, 2003.
The 25-year-old Brookville native found an envelope in the mail that day that contained his invitation to the 2004 Masters, one of the perks that go along with winning the USGA Mid-Amateur title.
"It really was awesome," Smith said. "The whole thing has been unbelievable."
Smith had decided he'd take a semester off from the pursuit of a masters degree at Clarion to work on his game down south. His parents' time-share at Myrtle Beach has been his base of operations for the past couple of months. He's played and practiced a lot, even entering a two-ball tournament with another good Western Pennsylvania amateur, Jim Bryan of Latrobe.
But the highlight for Smith has been the invitation that came inside his Masters invitation. As a 2004 participant, he was encouraged to go to Augusta National Golf Club and get in as many practice rounds as possible. And Smith has done just that, getting in 14 rounds by the middle of March.
"I just couldn't imagine wanting to go down there on Sunday or Monday, play a couple practice rounds and expect to play well," he said. "I just want to be there as much as I can."
Over three rounds this past week, he saw South Carolina football coach Lou Holtz, LPGA superstar Annika Sorenstam, former St. Louis Cardinals slugger Mark McGuire and, last but certainly not least, Jack Nicklaus.
"You can see the determination and the fire in (NIcklaus') eyes," Smith said. "Just by his eyes alone, you can see why he was so successful in major tournaments."
Smith is permitted to bring one additional (non-playing) person with him for his practice rounds and, for the most part, that's been his father.
"My parents were both teachers and now retired," he said. "I went to a public high school, and Augusta National and the Masters were always things you never thought you could reach. When we turned onto Magnolia Lane on the property for the first time, I looked over at my dad and he had tears running down his face. I had a lump in my throat, too."
Going in style
Faced with a very sticky scheduling situation, officials of The 84 Lumber Classic of Pennsylvania have come up with a creative way to get players to participate in the event Sept. 20-25 at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa in Farmington.
The Ryder Cup at Oakland Hills Country Club near Detroit will be played the weekend preceding the second-year tour event. The week after the Classic is the World Golf Championship American Express Championship in Ireland. Hardly ideal scheduling if you're hoping to attract the big names, but Bud Martin and the SFX Group, which runs the 84 Lumber event, is taking a shot with an idea: The tournament is chartering a pair of 747 jets to take players and their families from Pittsburgh to Ireland after the conclusion of the 84 Lumber Classic.
"We're committed to bring the best possible field to Western Pennsylvania golf fans," said Martin, the executive director of the event. "Fortunately, so are the Hardys (Joe and his daughter, Maggie, who own and run 84 Lumber and Nemacolin Woodlands)."
How many players will be drawn to the Mystic Rock Golf Course for the tournament by the transportation lure remains to be seen, but you have to give Martin and SFX an 'A' for effort.
Last go 'round
Next weekend's Bay Hill Invitational at Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Golf Club in Orlando, Fla., will be the site of another of those "last times" for Palmer.
Palmer agreed to play in the tournament one more time as a favor to new title sponsor, MasterCard, making for what promises to be a very emotional Friday afternoon if -- as expected -- Palmer fails to make the cut.
Davis Love III is one of several PGA stars who'll be returning to Bay Hill after skipping that event the last few years. Players have complained recently about the difficult conditions at Bay Hill, especially the greens.
"First of all, I don't even want to think about golf without Arnold Palmer, I get tears in my eyes just thinking about it," Love III said. "It's too bad when you see a tournament that was so good have some difficulties. I miss seeing those guys and I'm excited to get down there."
Bigger and better
Remember the Steel City Junior Classic that debuted at Totteridge Golf Club near Greensburg last year with 84 of the best junior golfers in the country competing?
Well, that event will be back the week of July 12, but it will have a new name: the Solutions Consulting Steel City Junior Classic. And it will also feature a field expanded to 99 players.
Worth a try?
As the itch gets stronger and stronger to get out and play, here's a product to consider.
Dr. Venanzio Cardarelli, a dentist from Plymouth, Mass., has invented the Aero-tee, a tooth-shaped golf tee built to allow an air stream under the ball, thus providing longer and more accurate tee shots.
It is said to work equally well with the big-headed drivers as well as smaller ones.
Want to try one⢠Go online at www.aero-tee.com and request your free sample. You'll receive two Aero-tees (shipping & handling not included) -- one to use and one to share with a friend.
There seems to be a connection of some sort between dentists and tees. In 1899, the original golf tee was designed by Boston dentist Dr. George Franklin Grant, and the one currently used was patented in 1924 by a New Jersey-based dentist, Dr. William Lowell.
