Week of Albany, NY
July 10, 2001

We drove from Salzmans' home in New Hampshire to the Albany suburb of Guilderland. Western Turnpike is a busy public course on the south side and the site my runner-up finish last year. I was in the playoff with Dodie Mazzuca where I parred the 18th hole and she birdied. The course has one of the toughest set of par 3's we play, and also the toughest set of greens on our tour. They were built in the 20's, and all have low sides where the water will spill off in rains. Many older greens have low spots, but these have 2 or 3 low sides, as I was correctly quoted in last year's paper: "they are shaped like hot dog buns!" Imagine trying to hold a ball on these greens or attempt to 2 putt from 50 feet - a real test for us all.

My pro-am team consisted of 3 great ladies from Long Island (3 hours away): Dee Dee Fox, Patty Ellis, and Linda Selden. Linda also invited her dad George Freeman who lives in the Albany area to join us. We began slowly with a bogey on our first hole. But 6 birdies in the next 9 holes and 2 more coming in, became -7 and we all were pleased with our grand finish. Everyone helped in some way, and we just had a great time. Linda was the tournament chairperson for the New Jersey FUTURES event last year in Colts Neck, so it was nice that she could just enjoy being a part of a fun team with no organizing responsibilities. These ladies are part of a large chapter of Executive Women's Golf and have a great time any time they can get away to play golf. They have a large event to raise $100,000 for Cancer research on Long Island, and this year they are taking a fall trip to Europe to play golf - 30 ladies are going!! Wherever they go, the fun goes with them! Oh yes, in 2002, the men's U. S. Open golf tournament will be at their home course Bethpage Black, and they have 100 women to volunteer on one hole there, making them the first all-women's group to staff a hole in the Men's Open.

My first two days on Western Turnpike did not include one birdie. Many good opportunities, but no luck. The third day I started out with a bogey, but followed on #2 with my first birdie. I had 3 birdies and 3 bogeys for the day. This was probably the best group I had played in this year as our scores were 69, 71, and 72 so our crowd was entertained. I finished 78-74-72 and tied for 26th. Oh yes, who was this crowd? Bonnie Phillips and Joan Kinsella, our devoted fans from Syracuse (who also came to Corning earlier this year), drove the 2 ½ hours down the thruway east to Albany, and made it for round 3. They saw the beautiful layout, met the friendly volunteers, and saw each of us battle for pars and snake in a few curling putts. We will be in their area in 3 weeks, and will stay once again at the beautiful cabin that Joan's brother and sister-in-law allows Val and I to have for the event in Syracuse.

Thanks to the Albany tournament organizer, Sylvia Intelisano, and all of her hundreds of friends and volunteers who assist in driving carts, marshaling, and helping in the scoring tents. It was nice to return to the place where last year I was so welcomed. We appreciate all of your efforts!

We had planned to see the fireworks downtown in Albany and drove there at 8 pm. It was raining and lightning so much that we turned back and did not get to see the festivities which began later after all. Hope you all had a nice 4th of July.

Wishes go out to my older sister Cathleen Meriwether who is recovering from stitches to her forehead. What happened was an amazing and nearly impossible story. Our younger sister Mary Frances Griffin had her 40th birthday on Saturday, 7/7/01 and Cathy arranged to get the Warner, Norcross and Judd luxury box at the Grand Rapids White Caps minor league stadium for our whole family to enjoy. They were celebrating, had just watched Mary Frances dance on top of the dugout with friends in the 2nd inning, and soon after, a foul ball came quickly up to the box. Our nephew Ben had his glove on and ready to catch his first ball, and yes, they got the Ball!!! They held it up for all in the stadium to see, and the crowd went wild. Cathy was on the floor and said, "I think that hit me!" Well it did hit her in the forehead, cutting her above the eyebrow with about a 1" curved cut, in the shape of the laces. Paramedics came right away, Cathy claimed she was fine and wanted to stay for the rest of the game, and they highly suggested that she leave and get it stitched up NOW. She had inside and outside stitches and the doctor did a nice job for her cute face. What a memory, and a 40th our family will not soon forget! No concussion, thank goodness, but the talk of the law firm today! Cathy is still sad she had to leave so soon, but we are grateful to our brother Jay for taking such good care of his big sis. As she kept saying: " What are the chances…"

I feel like I was there.

We're off to our next tournament in New Jersey.

Sue E.

Back to Weekly Letters home