We’ll be live from the media tent at Bethpage Black for the 2009 U.S. Open starting Monday, with coverage at Cybergolf.com, GolfObserver.com, and here, (on a 24-hour delay for articles that originally ran at those two sites, and live with random short features and interviews). GolfObserver will shortly be running my hole-by-hole breakdown of the course as well.
Besides covering the golf, we’ll meet some of the players, have some live video interviews, chat with some of the other journalists and broadcasters, and visit some great NYC-area places to eat, drink, and shop when you’re in town for the tournament as well.
In the meantime, we’ll be looking for all of you in the AWITP extended family while we’re out there as well, so if you’re coming to Bethpage, give us a shout and we’ll plan a meet-up. Two great places are usually the front side – 4-5-6 area, and 10/12 tee-11 green. Those of you visiting for the first time, remember that The Black does not return to the clubhouse at number 9, and that a road bisects holes 1 and 15-18 from the rest of the course, so plan accordingly. Here’s is a list of banned items:
These items are also listed on the back of each U.S. Open ticket:
• No cell phones (including cell phones with photographic capabilities)
• No PDAs and/or other portable e-mail devices
• No noise producing electronic devices (including MP3 players)
• No cameras and/or camcorders (other than Monday through Wednesday for personal non-commercial photographic use only and without their cases)
• No bags larger than 8 inches wide by 8 inches high by 8 inches deep in their natural state
• No cases and/or covers (such as chair or umbrella covers)
• No signs, posters and/or banners
• No televisions and/or radios unless provided by the USGA
• No food and/or beverages
• No containers and/or coolers
• No pets (other than service animals)
• No lawn and/or folding armchairs
• No bicycles
• No ladders and/or step stools or other similar items
• No metal-spiked golf shoes
• No weapons (regardless of permit, including but not limited to, firearms or knives)
• No other items deemed unlawful or dangerous by the USGA and/or championship security personnel, in their sole discretion.
There is usually a place to check your cell phone, similar to coat check at a restaurant or club, so text your buddies before you get in for meet-up and you should be fine.
Other than that, word is the writers will be playing the Harbor Links, The Knoll Club, Stonebridge, Inwood, Bayonne, Winged Foot, Baltusrol, and Bayonne at various times while here for the Open.
Writers’ dinner Monday night looks to be in NoHo. I’ll bet we’ll stop by the NoHo Star – as it’s a former newspaper/magazine company…try the mushroom pasta – or terrific and reasonably priced Mexican at Gonzalez Y Gonzalez. (Well, that’s if my Italian writer buddy from Pittsburgh can put aside his addiction to Bolognese sauce for one night.) Temple bar is the sexiest bar in the city, with a huge vodka list. That’s a great way to wind down from the sexiest sushi bar in the city, Bond Street, which is where you’ll go if you want to nuzzle with European models late into the night. Hey, Sergio! Meet you out there one night for some Arctic Char and sake bombs! Other great options include the terrific Cajun/NoLa cuisine at ACME Underground, the best of Nawlins in the city, followed by drinks at Butter, where Gisele and Tom Brady partied the week before he lost the Super Bowl to the Giants. If you’re feeling intrepid, hit them all. Everything is located between Broadway to the west, Lafayette to the east (only two blocks!), Houston (pronounced HOW-stun in NYC), to the South and Astor (6th) to the North.
We’ll also be out and about Friday for a rock concert in NoHo at the famous Mercury Lounge, so we can explore SoHo and the Lower East side later in the week. Saturday night dinner looks to be on the island or in Forest Hills.
So get excited…more than normal…because the U.S. Open is in town. So smile for your close up, apple denizens, it’s up to you, New York, New York.
