My Thoughts About The Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach

By Michael Holmes, participant

Pebble Beach Golf Links is perhaps the best golf course in the country and undoubtedly one of the best in the world. Recently I had the privilege of playing the links in the Wal-Mart First Tee Open with some of the best Champions Tour players, respected amateurs, and fi nest juniors in the country.

It’s a very select group of individuals that get to tee it up alongside the Pacific Ocean. The experiences and lessons I learned from these select individuals I will carry with me for the rest of my life.

I earned my way through a First Tee selection process that is held every year in Manhattan, Kansas, at Kansas State University. The selection process consisted of 80 chosen boys and girls who had to take two skills tests, go through two interviews, write an essay, and play in a 36-hole golf tournament at Colbert Hills Golf Course. Fortunately, I was one of the 40 boys who qualified to play.

When I arrived in Monterey, CA, and took my first step off the plane, I felt a rush of cool air that I wish I could bottle up and carry with me everyday I drag myself through St. Petersburg in our very hot and humid climate. I couldn’t believe that California had such perfect weather! As we made our way through the woods and hills to the famous 17 Mile Drive that Pebble Beach is located on I began to catch glimpses of the historic links and of the Pacific Ocean. The month I had in between the qualifi er and the actual Open all seemed to have passed in about a moment when I walked onto the first tee of Pebble Beach for my practice round. Thefi rst seven holes were pretty easy with only minimal ocean views, but after the seventh hole I was more fixated on the spectacular views then on actually hitting the ball. It was the first time I wasn’t concerned with how I was playing but more in enjoying the moment. That same day I had a swing lesson from Andy Bean and had dinner with Tom Watson, Mark McNulty, Des Smyth, and David Eger.

Without the First Tee I wouldn’t have been able to meet all the people I met that week, all the juniors, amateurs, and tour pros. The First Tee has helped me with not only golf skills, but life skills that I use on the course that I feel help me with my game as much as working on my swing or any other technicality that is crucial to performing well at one of the toughest sports in the world.

Without the First Tee, I wouldn’t have been able to play Pebble Beach at such an early stage in my golfi ng career nor had the interactions I had with the tour pros. I would like to thank my coach Rick Waltman for helping me with my game and with myself as an individual; without him, the St. Petersburg First Tee chapter wouldn’t be nearly as successful as it is now.