A Breath of Fresh Air

Last Thursday, I attended the first day of the PGA Tour Championship for The Fed Ex Cup at East Lake Golf Course, which is just a few miles east of downtown Atlanta. Even though it was not a major tournament such as The Masters, in the world of golf, it was big. Who qualified was based on a mathematical formula not too many people could follow, myself included. In any case, I had a great time for a variety of reasons.

It reminded me that I love freedom and I want to keep it that way. I was not scanned in order to enter. The only thing that was required of me, was that I had a ticket to do so. So far, not much different then going to Turner Field. Of course, when you go to a baseball game, you can scream until you are blue in the face. Not at a golf tournament. A "Go Tiger or Rory" in a hushed tone every once in a while, or a roar from the gallery, (not the crowd) when someone makes a great shot, but otherwise, it is pretty quiet

I am not a smoker, (except for an occasional cigar) but I couldn't care less if others do. At East Lake, men with a beer and a cigar in hand was a common and welcomed sight. People smoking cigarettes sipping a cup of wine, another welcomed sight. Everyone knew when it was time to be quiet. And if you just happened to forget, there were enough officials that would raise their hands above their heads to remind you.

The only thing that the officials asked you not to do, was use your cell phone, because you might take a picture or engage in conversation. I suppose that the click of a camera, ever so slight, or a quick chat with your office, would distract the golfers. A reasonable request.

So here I was, in a place that was over 7000 yards of grass, that  let you smoke and drink and didn't scan me upon entering. It took me back when one could escort a relative or a friend to the boarding gate, without asking permission to do so from some miserable TSA agent.

If I remember correctly, back when you could escort someone to the boarding gate, or grab a smoke, most of us didn't have cell phones. And if you did, it wasn't attached to you like it is today. September 11, 2001 changed all that. The way we now respond to the ones responsible for that day, you would think we did it to them. That needs to change.

My advice. Vote and attend a golf tournament. And I just might order french fries with as much trans fat as I want, Chinese food with extra MSG, and do all of this in New York while ordering a 2 liter soft drink with extra sugar. All this in spite of what the First Lady and the Mayor of New York think is best for me. They need to mind their own business, not mine.