A Trip Unlike Any Other - The Masters

As I sit here writing this on the plane ride home from Georgia, there are tears in my eyes and goosebumps all over.  They just won't go away.  The emotion is palpable – is this real?

The Masters.  Augusta National.  Right from the moment that I walked into the gates, my already high expectations were shattered. "Welcome to The Masters". Four words that I never thought would be spoken to me.  The security guard greeted every patron with these words along the walkway, a St. Peter of sorts. 

I am forever grateful to my friend, Mick for inviting me along on this trip.  Mick is the biggest golf fan that I know and has an incredible encyclopedic knowledge of the game.  When he asked me to come along I didn’t even have to think twice - it was an automatic yes.  Mick had won the practice round lottery, which in some cases is better than winning the actual lottery.  I mean, this is Augusta National.

It was 7:45 am and the sun was shining perfectly over the clubhouse and onto the practice facility, where a few players, including Luke Donald and PGA Champion Keegan Bradley were warming up for the day.  As I strolled through the practice facility I was in awe.  Practice green and bunkers, driving range, all perfect.  Once on the course, the attention to detail was immediately noticed.  Nowhere else on earth will you find greener grass, not even in Ireland.  Every blade was perfectly manicured, as if they were artistically placed blade by blade.  It almost seemed as if I was walking on carpet because grass cannot be this perfect.

I walked the course hole by hole, starting with number 1.  What you don't see on television is the intense elevation changes, especially on number 1.  The fairway is a long, uphill climb – one that would be a perfect sled-riding hill, if only it were placed in Northeast Ohio.  Not much of an issue for professional golfers, as the landing area to the left of the fairway bunkers is relatively flat, but it would be a horror show of a hill for somebody such as myself to deal with.

As I circled around the first green and got a first look at the long, dogleg left beauty of number 2, it finally hit me.  This is the first of many “holy crap” moments.  Looking through the fairway towards the green with the same viewpoint that Louis Oosthuizen had that beautiful Easter Sunday as he double eagled was breathtaking.  It’s a long, downhill walk, with tall pines and the white scoreboard serving as a perfect backdrop.

As I kept walking through the middle of the first nine, I caught myself glancing over at the southeast corner of the course.  I knew that Amen Corner was waiting and wanted to jet immediately over to that portion of the course.  Perhaps if I weren’t with Mick, I would have.  But Mick helped me stay the course.  He convinced me that by skipping holes and looking forward to what was to come, I would be shortchanging the beauty of what was in front of me.  Much like the actual game of golf, patience was key.

As I walked up the side of the fairway of number 9, a dogleg left with an uphill approach to the green, all I kept thinking about was the second nine.  How would it look in person? It couldn't possibly be more brilliant than the first nine that we just walked, right?  The first nine is certainly world class, but the second nine is stuff of legends.

The Bubba Shot

It started with number 10.  We picked up a couple of groups on the second nine, watching Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Masters champion Adam Scott roll through.  As I strolled down the right side of number 10, I found myself in the same pine straw that Bubba Watson had unfortunately found himself in two years earlier in a playoff with Louis Oosthuizen.  What looked like an impossibility on television was even more impressive in person.  Somehow, television makes that miraculous 40-yard hook shot to 15 feet from the pin look easy.  When standing in the exact spot, I don't know how he did it.  To hit that shot, with that pressure, in that moment was incredible.  

Speaking of incredible, the three most special holes in all of golf were waiting just around the corner.  I watched Jordan Spieth hit some putts on the 10th green, turned to the right, and there it was.  Amen Corner.  Words cannot express its beauty.  As soon as I stood behind the 11th tee box, I noticed that birds began to chirp. Perhaps they have been chirping all day, I imagine that is the case, but I did not notice until now.  It almost felt too perfect, like there are hidden speakers in the trees.  The 11^th hole is traditionally one of the most difficult holes in golf, with an average score over par.  After walking the hole, I came to the conclusion that I could play the hole 100 times and walk away all 100 with at least a bogey.  It is that tough.

Golden Bell - The 12th hole at Augusta National

My next, and biggest “holy crap” moment was here, the 12th hole, Golden Bell.  It’s as if I walked into a painting.  It is the most photographed hole in all of golf, and perhaps the most famous.  I can only think of a few that could give it a run for it’s money.  Hogan’s Bridge and Rae’s Creek were right there in front of me – there was one moment where I actually pinched myself.  As I sat in the grandstands behind the tee box I kept thinking about all of the times that I have seen this hole on television, paintings, photographs, and video games.  Now, I’m seeing it in person.  Sometimes, when you see something so famous and renowned, it looks different in person.  Maybe it’s smaller or larger than you’ve seen on television, or something is just a little off about what you’re looking at.  This is not the case with the 12^th hole at Augusta National.  The 155-yard par 3 looks exactly like it does on television and in photographs – unforgettable beauty.  I could have spent the entire day at that hole, but there was much more to see – and eat.

When talking about concessions, you won’t find anything less expensive at any other sporting event, or cafeteria for that matter.  The $1.50 egg salad sandwich is one of the most famous of offerings.  It was the best 150 pennies that I have ever spent.  To be honest, it didn’t really hold a candle to Eileen’s egg salad (which is my absolute favorite), but it was amazing nevertheless.  From potato chips and crackers, to beer and soft drinks, there are no brand names on any of the food or drinks, only The Masters logo.  Enough of the food though, there was the last hole of Amen Corner to still see.

Jordan Spieth on the famous 18th hole.

Walking up the 13^th hole, I could not get a great look at the green based on where the gallery is pushed back.  If I would say that there was any bit of disappointment in the day, this would be it.  The 13^th green is arguably the most beautiful of them all, with all of the azalea bushes behind the green.  To not get a great vantage point was kind of a bummer.

There were only a few more holes to see before heading over to the par 3 course.  As far as single shots in Masters history, for me, nothing will ever eclipse Tiger Woods’ incredible chip in from the back of the 16^th green.  As I sat at the 16^th hole, I kept thinking about that shot as well as Jack's near ace in 1986 – incredible.  

To close out the second nine, as almost all Masters champions have done, I walked up the steep slope of the 18th fairway and around the back of the green, completing my walk of Augusta.  It took exactly 4 hours  It was a walk that I will never forget, and one that I am extremely lucky to have taken.  Every year, I watch Masters Sunday in it's entirety.  From Tiger's record-breaking win in 1997, to Phil finally getting the Majors monkey off of his back in 2004, the 18th green has played host to many of my favorite memories throughout the years.  Seeing it in person was very, very special.

Par 3 Champion Ryan Moore's wife and son

After walking the course from start to finish, I headed over to the par 3 contest, which is played on a course adjacent to the 10^th hole.  The par 3 contest is family oriented, laid back, and fun.  Many of the player’s wives, girlfriends, and children caddy for them during these 9 holes.  The most unforgettable part of the par 3 contest was watching Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player play the 7th hole on the ropes.  It was a surreal moment.  I was too young to watch these guys play, but to see the "Big Three" and their combined 13 green jackets a near 15 feet away was the most special moment of a day filled with unforgettable moments.  

The King - Arnold Palmer

And just like that, it was over.  As I was walking out I did not want to leave.  Like a child upset that he has to go to bed, I almost had to be dragged out through the gates.  Who knows if I'll ever return.  There are some that have been trying to get to The Masters for over 30 years with no luck.  Most people will never get the chance to visit, so I'm counting my blessings.  I took every second in with the utmost appreciation.  It is truly that special – the way that Augusta National wants it to be. The customer service was top notch. Not one bad attitude or even half a frown.  From security, to cashiers, bathroom attendants, and course ushers, every single person had a smile on their face and greeted you as if you were a past Masters champion yourself.

In a way, this experience has ruined me.  I will never look at any sporting event, golf tournament, or customer service model the same ever again.  The one word that I keep going back to sum it all up is experience.  You don't go to the tournament, you experience it.  You don't just simply walk the course.  You are transformed into the champions of past, an experience you will never get at any other course.  It’s hallowed ground, a heaven of sorts.  A tradition unlike any other. An experience that I will never forget.  These goosebumps will stay with me forever.

My New Hobby

Last weekend Eileen and I picked up our first DSLR camera - something that I have wanted for years, but never got around to purchasing.  I am a self-confessed tech geek and I've had a DSLR on my radar for a while.  I live on cnet.com and everyday read about the new technologies that I so desperately would love to own.  But in the real world of Adult Land, "boring", yet essential products such as furnaces, air conditioners and water softeners take priority over the likes of a Playstation 4, MacBook Air, Samsung Galaxy products, smart watch, and yes.....a DSLR digital camera.  So Eileen and I saved all of our Christmas and birthday money to buy my latest tech obsession, the Canon T3i digital camera.

What this means is that in addition to playing guitar, golfing, and blogging, I now have a new hobby....photography.  The last two go together perfectly and I cannot wait to share my progress as I begin the transition from point-and-shooter to a more creative approach to picture-taking.

One of my favorite inspirational writers, Seth Godin, recently wrote a blog post about playing the clarinet.  Seth tells a story about how he tried to learn the instrument for eight years and ultimately quit playing due to not putting enough effort and time into learning.  He goes on to say that people, as well as companies should focus on their strengths and be really good at one or two things instead of being mediocre at many things.  Seth ends his post with, "We opt for more instead of better", but "better is better than more".

While I agree with Seth's overall sentiment of "better is better than more",  I think that being mediocre at a few things is not horrible - as long as those few things are focused and add up to a greater good.  My hobbies all fall under the umbrella of creativity.  Whether I express myself through words, music, or now - images, I think that a whole bunch of mediocre adds up in the end and makes me a stronger, more rounded (and hopefully, more
creative) person.  The important part is to keep learning new things, keep expanding creativity, and never settle on mediocrity.  I'm going to try my hardest to be really good at this photography stuff.  Just as I try to be a better blogger and guitar player.  Get a little better every day.

It's amazing how still she will sit when tempted with a treat.

So plan to see many more pictures of my dog Clancy, she is the perfect subject for an amateur photographer.  Old, lazy, and doesn't move much; you couldn't ask for an easier assignment while learning the basics.  She runs my life anyways, so I might as well document her's through photography.  This is going to be fun.  I won't be learning this all by myself either.  Eileen has showed great interest in learning as well, so who knows, 5 years from now we might be running a full service wedding cake/photography studio.  This camera isn't just another gadget in our house, it's a conduit for creativity and memory preservation and I cannot wait to begin.

2014 Grammy Predictions

I'm gearing up for one of my favorite nights of the year....The Grammy Awards.  Next to Cleveland sports misery, music is my next biggest obsession.  In fact, if I had to choose one over the other I think that I would go with music.  At least music hasn't disappointed me every Sunday for the past 15 years.  I cannot imagine my life without it.  So without further ado, here are my 2014 Grammy predictions.  I am listing who I think should win, and who will really win based on my mediocre knowledge of the industry:

Record Of The Year


» "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk ft. Pharrell


» "Radioactive" - Imagine Dragons


» "Royals" - Lorde


» "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars


» "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell

Should Win: Get Lucky

Will Win: Royals


Daft Punk's album Random Access Memories was one of the year's best.  Get Lucky is one of those songs that both hipsters and top 40 listeners like at the same time.  I can't remember a recent song that hit so many people, so I think the Academy should give this one to the French weirdos that don't show their faces.  All 5 songs are strong in this category this year.  2 of the last 3 years, Song of the Year and Record of the Year were awarded together with Lady Antebellum's Need You Now and Adele's Rolling in the Deep taking both categories.  Because of this, I think that Lorde will take this award (although I think she gets robbed on the next one).

Song Of The Year


» "Just Give Me A Reason" - Pink ft. Nate Ruess


» "Locked Out Of Heaven" - Bruno Mars


» "Roar" - Katy Perry


» "Royals" - Lorde


» "Same Love" - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Should Win: Royals

Will Win: Same Love


2013 was the year of Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.  I think that the Academy is going to reward them with more awards than they should win.  In the past, rappers have received very little consideration in these types of awards.  Jay Z and Eminem have never won a Grammy outside of a rap category and no rap song has ever won Song of the Year....until this year.  Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have many things going for them in the eyes of the Academy.  Yes, Eminem may have been the first great white rapper, but his themes of violence, homophobia, family issues, and drug use were black eyes in the Academy's view.  Macklemore raps about social issues and cheap clothing and is accessible to almost everybody.  For the message, I think that Same Love takes home this award, because if there's anything the Academy likes more than a catchy pop tune, it's a catchy pop tune with a message that is parallel with their social and political beliefs. 




I would choose Royals here in this spot.  This one is a songwriter’s award and I think that Royals is brilliant.  As much love as I have for Katy Perry, I hope she doesn't win this award because: 1) She is dating John Mayer.....ewwwww.  And 2) She totally ripped the melody off of Sara Bareilles, one of my favorite artists ever.  

Best Pop Solo Performance


» "Brave" - Sara Bareilles


» "Royals" - Lorde


» "When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars


» "Roar" - Katy Perry


» "Mirrors" - Justin Timberlake

Should Win: Brave

Will Win: Royals

Speaking of Ms. Bareilles, I hope she takes home her first Grammy for her hit song Brave.  I've had an obsession with Sara's music ever since her album Little Voice in 2007.  In a world of auto tune, over production, and having others write your songs, it would be refreshing to see such a talented songwriter get rewarded.  I'm not going to spend the time to look this up, but this has to be the first time in history in which a song that was ripped off is going up against the song that was the ripper-offer (pardon my technical jargon) right?  It would be a travesty if Katy Perry somehow wins this award.  

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance


» "Get Lucky" - Daft Punk ft. Pharrell


» "Just Give Me A Reason" - P!nk ft. Nate Ruess


» "Stay" - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko


» "Blurred Lines" - Robin Thicke ft. T.I. and Pharrell


» "Suit & Tie" - Justin Timberlake ft. Jay Z

Should Win: Get Lucky

Will Win: Just Give Me A Reason


I think that Daft Punk takes home a crazy amount of awards this year including this one.  However, the Academy has a love for Nate Ruess and I think that he follows up his stellar 2013 Grammy haul with another award this year.  I'm good with any of these songs winning this year as long as it's not named Blurred Lines.  I still cannot get the Miley Cyrus stench off of this song.  Completely over played and a completely overrated.

Album Of The Year


» The Blessed Unrest - Sara Bareilles


» Random Access Memories - Daft Punk


» good kid, m.A.A.d city - Kendrick Lamar


» The Heist - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis


» Red - Taylor Swift

Should Win: Red

Will Win: Red

I've listened to all of these albums tons of times throughout this past year, here are just some of my thoughts on each:

The Blessed Unrest - Sara Bareilles has a song on this album called Manhattan.  It is the only song in the history of recorded music that has made me cry.  I pretty much tear up every single time I hear it.  Am I ashamed to admit that?  Yeah, kind of, but if you know me well enough then you know that I don't really care what people think.  The song is written from the perspective of a woman losing the love of her life to the big city, one that she knows she cannot contend with.  It's a superbly well-written song just as many others are on this album.  I’m hoping for a miracle that this one wins, as it is by far my favorite of the five, but it’s a long shot.




Random Access Memories - This album has helped me during many workouts over the past year.  The electronic beats are great to get you going on a run.  Perhaps my favorite song on this album is Doing It Right, a song that features Panda Bear from Animal Collective.  It is set as my alarm in the morning and completely scares my wife every time it comes on, so that's awesome.  Also, anytime somebody takes Paul Williams and makes him relevant in 2013, then they should win some sort of award….just not this one.




good kid m.A.A.d city - Best rap album I've heard all year, Kendrick brings something different than the other rappers. Yeezus and Magna Carta were good, but Kendrick's debut was better.  For as good as good kid m.A.A.d city was, Kendrick’s best moment came on a verse that wasn’t even on the album.  It’s almost worth giving him Album of the Year for his verse on Big Sean’s Control.  Crazy stuff.

The Heist - I have a bad feeling that this one is winning it all.  First rap album win Album of the Year since Oukast in 2004.....it's happening.  There are a few good songs on this album, but I can't stand the self-importance of Macklemore. The guy is a walking, talking cliche whenever he gives an interview.  Watch out for the douchiest acceptance speech of all time if this album wins. In fact, I hope they do just so I can get an extreme case of the chills.  I will have my coat ready.




Red – Embarrassing self-admitted truth #2….I am a giant Taylor Swift fan.  Do I think that Red was the best album of 2013?  Depends what you base it on.  Artistically, you could argue that Red is the weakest on this list.  But when it comes to popularity, nobody had a bigger 2013 in music than Taylor Swift.  Justin Timberlake is the only other artist that could give her a run.  More chart topping hits that anybody else on this list combined with the fact that two rap albums should cancel some votes out tells me

that she’s winning this award.  Also, I just don’t see a dance album winning Album of the Year (Random Access Memories), and nobody is going to give love to Sara Bareilles (although in my opinion she is the most talented on this list).  It’s not the Grammy’s without Taylor giving the ol’ aww shucks acceptance speech.

So there you have it – if I get half of these predictions right then it would be a miracle.  The rest of my predictions are below.  Have fun watching The Grammys!

Best Country Album


» Night Train - Jason Aldean


» Two Lanes of Freedom - Tim McGraw


» Same Trailer Different Park - Kacey Musgraves


» Based On A True Story - Blake Shelton
» Red - Taylor Swift

Should Win: Red

Will Win: Same Trailer Different Park

Best New Artist


» James Blake


» Kendrick Lamar


» Macklemore & Ryan Lewis


» Kasey Musgraves


» Ed Sheeran

Should Win: Kendrick Lamar

Will Win: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Best Pop Vocal Album


» Paradise - Lana Del Rey


» Pure Heroine - Lorde


» Unorthodox Jukebox - Bruno Mars


» Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke


» The 20/20 Experience - The Complete Experience - Justin Timberlake

Should Win: The 20/20 Experience

Will Win: Pure Heroine

Best Rock Album


» 13 - Black Sabbath


» The Next Day - David Bowie


» Mechanical Bull - Kings Of Leon


» Celebration Day - Led Zeppelin


» ...Like Clockwork - Queens Of The Stone Age


» Psychedelic Pill - Neil Young With Crazy Horse

Should Win: ...Like Clockwork

Will Win: 13

Best Rap Album


» Nothing Was The Same - Drake


» Magna Carta...Holy Grail - Jay Z


» Good Kid, M.A.A.D City - Kendrick Lamar


» The Heist - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis


» Yeezus - Kanye West

Should Win: Good Kid, m.A.A.D City

Will Win: The Heist

 

Clancy & Me

Let’s get this out of the way right off the bat…I’m a crazy dog owner.  I don’t know how I got to that place; I guess it just happened as time went on.  I talk about my dog way too much (for example: this blog post).  I once decorated her room with Christmas lights.  I have multiple nicknames that she responds to.  I dress her up in a costume for Halloween.  Yes, I’m obsessed.  She runs my life and I’m not ashamed to admit it.  She has also taught me a few things along the way.  We’ll get to that in a moment.  But first… 

Growing up, I was allergic to dogs – I couldn’t be anywhere near them.  In 1997, my parents decided that it was time to introduce a pet into the family.  They chose a breed that was hypoallergenic, so that little Ryan could listen to his K-Ci & JoJo album without itchy eyes and a runny nose.  It was a Bichon Frise that they bought at Chapel Hill Mall in Akron.  Normally, buying a pet at a place that sits adjacent from the airbrushed t-shirt stand is ill advised.  That certainly was the case here.  When we brought him home all he did was sleep – so much that we ended up naming him Cuddles.  Yes, that’s the worst name for a dog ever.  It’s not too bad a name for a Care Bear, but a terrible choice for the dog of a seventh grader who was trying desperately to be cool. 

Cuddles, the pet store mall dog wasn’t just sleeping; he was clinging on to life.  I’m not sure if my parents ever got their money back from the store, but after multiple vet trips, Cuddles eventually got healthy.  Now that he was well, we needed to change his name.  The Cleveland Indians were in the middle of their eventual World Series run that year, with Sandy Alomar having a career season.  1997 was a good year for Sandy: 30 game hitting streak, All-Star Game MVP, game tying home run in the playoffs against future hall-of-famer Mariano Rivera, and namesake of my first pet.  We buried the name Cuddles for good and that’s how Salomar came to be.  For the most part, he was a good dog, albeit very annoying.  Small, white, yippy, with a mean streak at times, you couldn’t bring small children or other dogs around Salomar.  Still, Salomar was my first pet – and he had an awesome name, so I’ll always remember that dog.

But this post isn’t about Salomar.  This post is about the obsession in my life, our dog Clancy.  Clancy is a yellow lab, dare I say the cutest (and smelliest) yellow lab ever to grace this fine Earth.  She came into my life way back in 2004, when Eileen’s mother surprised her with a new puppy.  Eileen was home for the summer after her freshman year of nursing school at Kent State.  See, Eileen was deathly afraid of being home alone, so her mother thought that a puppy was much cheaper than building a full blown panic room with home alarm system.  A woman at her mother’s work was trying to give away this six-month old puppy for free to a good home.  Clancy came from a reputable show-dog breeder.  Her overbite and black, crooked front tooth made her useless in the show dog world, but a perfect candidate for home protection in Eileen’s world.  Little did Eileen’s mother know that this free show dog misfit would end up costing thousands in the long run.

Clancy hating life in her Halloween costume

Just a quick rundown of everything Clancy destroyed in the first few years of her life: Eileen’s designer glasses, dental retainer, dental mouth guard, Lladro porcelain figurine, carpeting in four separate bedrooms, ate two bars of soap in one sitting, a bedroom door and door frame, and three metal dog cages.  I’m sure there’s more, but I’m drawing a blank at the moment.  As for the three dog cages, let’s just say that Clancy has had some issues with containment.  Our furry Houdini would push against the metal cage with all of her weight, until she bent the bars near the cage door.  Then, she would somehow open the cage door from the inside and make her escape.  Yes, she did this with three separate cages.  You think we would have learned after the second.  It got so bad, that for the fourth cage, Eileen’s father had to reinforce the cage door with rebar and nail the back of the cage to the kitchen floor. Young Clancy makes Marley look like a saint.

Clancy is a much different dog now.  Calm and reserve, she spends most of her days lying around the house, searching out her next nap.  After all, she is 9 years old and in the golden years of her life.  It’s the simple things in life that make her happy.  A dirty sock, unattended trash can, dropped ingredient while making dinner.  The unbridled joy that Clancy shows when I come home from work everyday is rivaled by almost nothing in life.  I wish that I had her enthusiasm for life and love that she gives in that moment.  Letting the dog out of her room when I come home from work is just another thoughtless task for me, but for the dog, seeing me is the highlight of her day.  Like I said, Clancy loves the simple things…like car rides.  She doesn’t care if we’re in a swank Range Rover or a 1997 Honda Civic, all she cares about is being by my side on the road.  We can learn so much from our pets.  Clancy has helped to teach me that in order to be truly happy in life, don’t look at your possessions, but look to those you love most. She is fiercely loyal and demands our attention at every waking moment when we are home.  Even as I sit here writing this, she seems a little put off that I’m not paying attention to her.  All she wants is love.  If she only knew that 1,200 words were being typed about her right now...

Clancy and I at softball.  She was ejected from the
 game for kicking dirt on the umpire.....and for pooping in left field

As the years pass by, I find myself growing closer and closer to Clancy.  Once Eileen and I were married and moved in together, she became our first mutual responsibility and love.  Now, five years later, she still remains that.  I have never thought of the dog as “our child” (I’m a crazy dog owner, but not that crazy), but I can see how those without children can think that way.  Clancy has taught us how to love and care; it is comforting to have her around.  Clancy is more than a dog to us.  I’ve been with Eileen for 12 years and the dog has been around for 9 of them.  She has been a huge part of our relationship; it will someday be weird when she is not around.  But here’s to hoping that day is far in the future.  She surely will never make it to see a Cleveland Browns Super Bowl (she’s a huge football fan), but I hope that she will be around when Eileen and I have a child someday.  After all, she was the one that gave us the building blocks on how to become great parents.