Where I Stand — Brian Greenspun: If news tees you off …

Friday, April 21, 2000 | 9:46 a.m.

Brian Greenspun is editor of the Las Vegas Sun.

THERE IS SO MUCH important news to talk about today.

We can start with the Ted Binion trial. We can also end with it. In the meantime we can all watch it on Las Vegas 1, which is not only a piece of helpful information but also a not-so-subtle bit of commercialism. I admit it; I am not above promoting Las Vegas' only 24-hour news channel, of which this newspaper has far more than a rooting interest. I am proud to do so, but I am also mindful of the ease with which this sad chapter of Las Vegas history can sink into circus-like activity. Did I hear "seance"?

Fortunately, that's not the subject for today. Perhaps we should discuss the ongoing soap opera taking place in Miami and Cuba that pits a 6-year-old boy against the passions of an entire island nation and its American exile population? No, little Elian will have to be someone else's news this day because, frankly, I am real tired of listening to people who think that this country has a better answer than giving that child back to his fit and loving father.

No, the real news of the day will have to wait because what I want to talk about is golf.

Right now there is some of the best golf anywhere being played at the Las Vegas Senior Classic at TPC at Summerlin. The official tournament started today after two days of a pro-am contest that determined which of the fortunate few amateurs would get to play with the big boys as they start the three-day competition, for some pretty big bucks and a great-looking trophy.

As I write this I have just been informed that due to my great playing ability, I will be one of the lucky amateurs who will be playing Friday. Actually, making the cut had very little to do with me and a whole lot to do with a team of golfers who had one of those days on the course that we are not likely to forget. And that's what I would like to talk about, because it is what happened on that golf course Thursday that makes living through all the real news of the day tolerable.

I know there are a great many Las Vegans who don't play golf. Not only don't they play but they don't understand the passion and over-the-top fervor that those of us who do play have for the game. And for certain, they don't understand the levels of frustration that golfers voluntarily accept just so they can dress funny and chase a small, white ball around for a few hours. There's nothing I can say that will promote a better understanding for those people.

But what I can do is try to describe the thrill of the game which, except for these talented pros who come to town a couple of times a year and who experience it throughout their lives, often eludes those of us who toil in the fields as opposed to the fairways where we belong.

The format called for a two-day event in which amateur teams of four players joined a senior pro for a "best ball" contest. That means that the lowest score of the entire group on each hole is recorded. The first day's action resulted in my team finishing 12 under par. I knew that wasn't going to be the lowest score for the day but, until I showed up Thursday for the final round, I had no idea how weak our performance actually was. The winners were six shots ahead of us with scores of amateurs between them and us. In my own mind I figured we had to shoot the lights out to have the remotest chance of making the all important cut. And that would be close to an impossible feat.

That's when I met them ... my new team. Our pro, Jay Sigel, was open and cheerful on the first tee. That's a very good sign because sometimes that doesn't happen. The rest of the team, Bill Aubrey, Dale Eichelberger and Mark Clarke, were ready and willing to play their hearts out but they, too, knew that the task was uphill all the way. We teed off and that's when the magic started.

It is rare when every amateur member of a team, especially given the nighttime distractions for which Las Vegas is famous, shows up not only ready to play but able to do so. It is also rare when each person reaches deep down and performs above and beyond what their talent would otherwise allow. Well, I am here to tell you that each of us combined extraordinarily rare ability with a great deal of luck to make sure that when Jay Sigel was not shooting under par, we were. The result was a flaming hot 21-under-par performance that catapulted us from the middle of the pack into the rarefied status of those who have "made the cut."

The purpose of this story is not to brag about my new golfing friends -- although I am happy to sing their praises at any opportunity -- but rather to share some of the excitement that this game confers upon its players. Most often when they are least expecting it. Our story, as rare as it is for us, actually happens every time the pros take to the tee. Someone always has a similar tale to tell.

That's the attraction of the game. And that's what drives the pros, the amateurs, the incredibly selfless volunteers who make the whole thing work and the fans who show up to support this wonderful game. Add to the mix the fantastic Las Vegas weather that is chamber-of-commerce perfect and there is no reason why this year's tournament should not be a huge success.

If you have the time, please make the effort to go out to TPC and see what this golf fuss is all about. At the very least, you'll have a beautiful walk in the park. And who knows, you may experience some of that golf magic that makes this game better than the rest.

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