2008 U.S. Senior Open

Some of you may know the U.S. Senior Open will be played at the Broadmoor Golf & Country Club in 2008. It’s a big deal! Although the tournament is scheduled for July 31-Aug. 3, tickets are already becoming scarce. The event will pour millions of dollars into the local economy and show off the scenic wonders of the Pike’s Peak region to thousands of out-of-state visitors.
The Broadmoor course and the five-star rated Broadmoor Hotel are as beautiful as they are famous. Presidents and entertainment celebrities have stayed at the hotel and played the course. Photos of them grace the walls leading to the hotel’s restaurant area.
I stayed at the Broadmoor last year while attending the Write for the Soul Conference. I served as a resource person for the many aspiring writers in attendance. However, I have never played the Broadmoor course. Perhaps I will be able to play it in 2008. Hope springs eternal in a golfer’s heart.
A few years ago, I thought I would tee it up at the Broadmoor. Highway Baptist Church in Falcon, Colorado, gave me a generous cash gift and a gift certificate for golf at the Broadmoor. When I presented the certificate at the pro shop, I was told the certificate was good for merchandise but not golf. Broadmoor golf, I learned, is restricted to members, members’ guests, and hotel guests.
So why didn’t I play golf when I stayed at the Broadmoor during the Write for the Soul Conference. Two reasons: snow and cold. The conference was held in winter and even if the weather had been warm, the conference left no time for anything but meetings and appointments.
Things are looking up, though. Last night, my golf buddy Mark called to say he has an extra ticket to the U.S. Senior Open. “Would you like to go?” he asked.
I like questions that don’t require much thinking. “Of course, I would like to go.”
Next time Mark and I play golf, I will buy him a brat and a Gatorade.
Christian friendship is always a treasure, but it’s priceless on a golf course.