My experience caddying for Monte at the 2023 U.S. Senior Open

[_Hawk3y3_]

Hole 14 560 yd par 5

 

Shot 1 blocks it into the pond right of the fairway 

Drop for shot 2

Shot 3 layup to about 150

Shot 4 25 yards past a flag that's only on 5 steps. Barely held the green. I'm guessing a misjudging of the wind.

Shot 5 roller coaster putt from a mile away winds up 10 feet short.

Shot 6 early walk, and not the good kind.

Shot 7 in the hole 

 

+14 through 14, +35 overall 

[_Hawk3y3_]

Hole 15 433 yd par 4

 

Shot 1 bombs away into the no divot zone

Shot 2 from 145 into the wind, poses over it, winds up 10 feet below the hole

Shot 3 never took the break

Shot 4 in the hole

 

+14 through 15, +35 overall 

[KD1]

Cameo on the local news last night:

 

Ha!

[pappaf2]

Only one player with hair like that 😜

[_Hawk3y3_]

Hole 16 195 yd par 3 

 

Shot 1 gets his first lucky bounce of the week, kicks out of the right rough between 2 bunkers and onto the green. 40 feet.

Shot 2 outstanding put that didn't go in

Shot 3 in the hole

 

+14 through 16, +35 overall

 

Lots of hospitality and fans on 16, so Monte made sure to get another pop from the crowd as he plumb bobbed his 3 inch tap in.

[vsabre]

3 minutes ago, pappaf2 said:

Only one player with hair like that 😜

Let's hope the carpet is thinner than the drapes...😎

[tdlive33]

They showcased Monte’s 16th hole on the telecast. Beautiful putt.

[KD1]

5 minutes ago, vsabre said:

Let's hope the carpet is thinner than the drapes...😎

 

Well that went off the rails fairly quickly... my work here is done. 😁

[vsabre]

Just now, KD1 said:

 

Well that went off the rails fairly quickly... my work here is done. 😁

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[_Hawk3y3_]

Hole 17 363 yd par 4

 

Shot 1 4 iron shirt of the corner, learly didn't want a repeat of yesterday's bunker fiasco. 

Shot 2 front left of the green, flag is front right. 40 feet.

Shot 3 poor speed, left himself 10 feet

Shot 4 hated it right off the blade

Shot 5 in the hole

 

+15 through 17, +36 overall

[_Hawk3y3_]

Hole 18 446 par 4

 

Shot 1 club drop, headed dead left into the trees. Nothing good over there. Provisional hit into the left rough.

Shot 2 original ball located, punch out off sandy waste area does not reach the fairway. 

Shot 3 one handed finish, another shot left. The ball hasn't touched short grass yet this hole. He looks exhausted. 

Shot 4 must have been a terrible lie. Took an absolute hack at it, one handed finish, in a runoff area short left of the green.

Shot 5 putt with 3 wood runs 13 feet by

Shot 6 another edge burned

Shot 7 in the hole 

 

+18 today, +39 overall

[mshills]

Golf is HARD.....man, golfers don't have the reputation of being all that tough, but Monte's not exactly average.  Good on him for toughing it out and not punking out.  

[Carolina Golfer 2]

Not that he needs it, but tell Monte he gets huge props from the WRX community for showing the guts...litteraly....to paly through something that would have had 99% of us running for the hotel and a bed quicker than we can 3 putt.  

 

Hate that all the work he put in was destroyed by the illness, but he'll be back.

 

Also thanks for the updates along the way. 

[vsabre]

@_Hawk3y3_ thanks so much for this. I set up notifications for each of your posts and it was great following Monte for the last two days. Turned on the live broadcast today and the course setup is insane. Greens running at 13 plus, foot long broccoli and looong.. Must be the revenge for LACC by the USGA...

[rvs0002]

Great thread and much respect to Monte. Appreciate all the updates.

[Rbsiedsc]

18 hours ago, _Hawk3y3_ said:

It was bad chicken from an Italian restaurant 

Shoulda stayed away from Gratzie’s 

[_Hawk3y3_]

Understandably not in the mood to talk after the round. Couple more tidbits from today...

 

If this was not the US Open, there's zero chance he's even thinking about golf much less picking up a club.

 

Didn't see him puking or heaving once today, although there were several instances when he said he felt like he needed to. He looked better today, but that's not saying much. He was operating at 20% rather than negative 638%.

 

Spent the day following Monte alongside @parmark and his lovely wife Jackie, who is truly the brains of the entire operation just like Monte says she is.

 

Shoutout to Monte's caddie Jef, who not only had a terrible week of travel but also bore the burden of trying to keep Monte in a good head space despite the fact that he could barely stand and the golf gods were repeatedly kicking him in the groin. Hats off to you for sticking in there with your man.

[Carolina Golfer 2]

3 minutes ago, _Hawk3y3_ said:

Understandably not in the mood to talk after the round. Couple more tidbits from today...

 

If this was not the US Open, there's zero chance he's even thinking about golf much less picking up a club.

 

Didn't see him puking or heaving once today, although there were several instances when he said he felt like he needed to. He looked better today, but that's not saying much. He was operating at 20% rather than negative 638%.

 

Spent the day following Monte alongside @parmark and his lovely wife Jackie, who is truly the brains of the entire operation just like Monte says she is.

 

Shoutout to Monte's caddie Jef, who not only had a terrible week of travel but also bore the burden of trying to keep Monte in a good head space despite the fact that he could barely stand and the golf gods were repeatedly kicking him in the groin. Hats off to you for sticking in there with your man.

Great acknowledgment of Jeff.  I was thinking as bad as it was for Monte, this had to be a "first" for his caddie, I mean how do you prepare for that, you have to change your whole mindset of how you are going to interact with your guy.  And probably have more towels on hand than normal  🙂

 

[jwhite86]

Tough break with the food, but awesome of him to gut it out

[MonteScheinblum]

Thank you for all the support.  That should have been a highlight this week and quite literally the most miserable I have ever been on a golf course.  
 

In the last 40 hours, all I’ve eaten is 6 crackers and a couple of forks of hash browns.  

At least today I wasn’t puking in the bushes every other hole.  
 

Don’t ever go to Gratzi’s in stevens point.

[indianagolf2]

I'd go to er, your electrolytes might be messed up..they can get you fluids. 

[CSagan]

How good is Bernhard geez.

 

GG...DFL at the US Senior is better than I'll ever do! So brutal on the timing of food poisoning.

[MK7Golf21]

4 minutes ago, indianagolf2 said:

I'd go to er, your electrolytes might be messed up..they can get you fluids. 

 

ER isn't cheap these days. If you need electrolytes go to target or prompt care if need medical

[MonteScheinblum]

22 minutes ago, indianagolf2 said:

I'd go to er, your electrolytes might be messed up..they can get you fluids. 

Good call.  I experienced 1-6 on the symptoms list the last 2 days.

 

I drank a bunch of sports beverage after my round.

 

I rushed to airport to make flight home.  Seeing my dog is about the only thing that will make me feel human again.

Edited June 30, 2023 by MonteScheinblum

[sethdavidsdad]

2 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

Seeing my dog is about the only thing that will make me feel human again.

That's one I identify with!

[RoyalTroon]

@_Hawk3y3_  Thanks for the updates.   Somewhat surprised on site medical staff didn't approach an obviously physically compromised player during play Thursday to determine their current status, or maybe they did.

[jholz]

Man, hey @MonteScheinblum and @_Hawk3y3_ - can't tell y'all enough how cool it has been to follow this thread. 

 

Monte - serious balls and serious respect for going through this and still posting on the forum. I only wish that I can have the opportunity someday. If so, I will do my best to live up to your example. Only advice - loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter. With that, you are good in any situation. 

 

_Hawk3y3_ - props man. Thanks for the updates and coverage. Epic WRX thread.

Edited June 30, 2023 by jholz

[Rbsiedsc]

@MonteScheinblum so sorry what happened to you. A real bummer. That restaurant has had some sketch issues the last dozen years. I feel bad what happened. Hope you can qualify next year and get another shot!

[KD1]

I can't believe someone was scared enough to slip something in Monte's chicken parm. Who are the prime suspects?

[Rbsiedsc]

17 minutes ago, KD1 said:

I can't believe someone was scared enough to slip something in Monte's chicken parm. Who are the prime suspects?

Had to be Paddy