The Texas Wedge

Alex Sienkiewicz, Golf Enthusiast 

For most of us the thought of attending one of golf's Major Championships is nothing but a dream or a distant thought. Something more far fetched than that is the thought of playing the course to which that major championship is happening, the same week of the major. For me, that dream became a reality on July 25, 2019 in Portrush, a small town in Northern Ireland. The Open Championship, a major rich in history held on some of the most famous and sought after golf courses in the world. Luckily for me my dads work happened to take him to his Northern Ireland location the same week as this major, meaning I felt the obligation to tag along. Now lets understand that this trip was planned in the span of maybe a week and that I was scrambling for a flight and tickets to The Open. 

Do you ever just get a thought in your head about trying to do something and you are so dead set on it that you decide to just send it? 

        That is how my thought process occurred, I realized "why just go to the major?" so I googled tee times at Royal Portrush the sight of the open, and found a tee time for a couple days after the tournament. Of course I booked it and now anticipated what it might be like to play the course a week after one of the biggest events on the world stage. Two flights and a rental car ride later we had made it to a town that normally would be assumed a ghost town. Picture a small European hotel with minimal wifi and small hallways and that is how our hotel looked. What do you picture when you think of Irish food? Difference is Northern ireland is technically part of Great Britain meaning that you get a combination of foods. 

Now enough about the food... fast forward to the morning of my tee time, I had an afternoon tee time which means I had all day to mentally prepare myself for the challenges I will face in this climate. I witnessed professionals in the game of golf struggle in ways I didn't think were possible, which meant for me I would be facing even more obstacles. 

The weather forecast for that day, RAIN, RAIN, WIND, WIND, WIND, RAIN perfect conditions for an Open, not for me

This is where the name "Texas Wedge" comes from, the actual definition of a "texas wedge" according to liveabout.com "any shot from off the green that the golfer decides to use a putter instead of another club." With windy conditions the safest shot for me to hit was that shot and only that shot. Here is the interesting part, my caddy, born and raised in this small town grew up playing this course and has over 50 years experience. He also happened to be the same caddy that caddied for the Pro in the Open, meaning he had all the experience in the world. It took me 18 holes of golf before I got him to hit a golf shot which is why it is something you all should see. 

Golf courses are not only a place where you can play golf but they are places to hear stories and learn about people in ways you would never imagine. For me I learned more about the history of the club, the town, and the game of golf than I could have ever expected. Life lessons as well as golf lessons. This leads to my real world use of the "Texas Wedge" For those of you who know me as a golfer you know i'm not the greatest and I definitely do not hit it the furthest. That day my caddy taught me these shots which I still use to this day. 

Not only did I learn life experiences that day, but I learned about the different ways to execute golf shots and that is something that will carry with me throughout my whole life.