{"id":84782,"date":"2021-06-28T14:29:26","date_gmt":"2021-06-28T14:29:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=84782"},"modified":"2021-08-12T14:25:31","modified_gmt":"2021-08-12T14:25:31","slug":"americas-guest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/americas-guest\/","title":{"rendered":"America\u2019s Guest"},"content":{"rendered":"

The views expressed in this blog are<\/em> those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of RCN or any other agency, organization, employer or company.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

So I\u2019m watching golf this weekend and realize that the PGA Travelers Championship<\/a> is being played at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.\u00a0 I then realize that I played that course one Friday on the way to do a Lafayette<\/a> game against Harvard<\/a> or Yale<\/a> (I don\u2019t remember which).\u00a0 I also remember playing the TPC course in New Jersey and the TPC Potomac at Avonel Farm, again through my Lafayette ties.<\/p>\n

This got me to thinking about some of the great courses I have had the privilege of playing.\u00a0 So I went to this site: https:\/\/golf.com\/travel\/best-golf-courses-pennsylvania-2020-2021-ranking\/<\/a> and saw the list of the top 20 golf courses in Pennsylvania.\u00a0 I was shocked to discover that I had played or will play EIGHT of them, including four of the top five<\/u>.\u00a0 I was also shocked that I never PAID to play ANY of them.\u00a0 Allow me to explain.<\/p>\n

My good friend, Joe (I\u2019m not sure he would want me to use his last name), a company president and RCN customer, gave me the moniker \u201cAmerica\u2019s Guest\u201d during one of the many rounds I played with him.\u00a0 He came up with this name when he realized how my job often allowed me to play in charity tournaments paid for by the company.\u00a0 Since he belonged to four different courses \u2013 Saucon Valley, Aronimink, Manufacturers, and the Philadelphia Cricket Club \u2013 he was not jealous, just amazed that I was able to play so many courses without paying, thus the term \u201cAmerica\u2019s Guest\u201d.\u00a0 Here is a brief history of my journey through the very best courses in the state:<\/p>\n

#20 \u2013 \u00a0 Saucon Valley Grace<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 I have played this course many times as an invited guest, on media press day, or as part of a company-supported charity event.\u00a0 Any time you are heading to Saucon Valley for golf, it is a special day.<\/p>\n

#16 \u2013 Lehigh Country Club<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 This one is a yearly Sacred Heart charity event that RCN supports and graciously asks me to play.\u00a0 Who am I to say no?<\/p>\n

#14 \u2013 Saucon Valley \u2013 Old<\/strong> – This great golf course has been the venue of many PGA events with the Senior Open coming up next year.\u00a0 Each of these events called for Press days where the tournament specifics were offered up followed by lunch and a round on the golf course.\u00a0 I am guessing that I have played the Old Course at least half a dozen times.\u00a0 It is hard to believe there are 13 better courses in Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

#11 \u2013 Saucon Valley \u2013 Weyhill<\/strong> \u2013 This is the most exclusive of the three Saucon Valley courses and is the best.\u00a0 Recent renovations have made it even better and more challenging.\u00a0 I have played here by invitation only and have appreciated every one of those invitations.<\/p>\n

#5 \u2013 Fox Chapel (Pittsburgh)<\/strong> \u2013 Another Joe (again, I will refrain from using his last name) invited me and a Lafayette colleague to travel to Pittsburgh.\u00a0 We played in a Coca-Cola tournament on Thursday at Fox Chapel.\u00a0 I managed to get Mets-Pirates tickets that night for the three of us through Mets catcher, Brian Schneider. \u00a0Joe is a huge baseball fan and I was so glad I could contribute something to the two days. \u00a0I\u2019ll tell you about the next day shortly.<\/p>\n

#4 \u2013 Philadelphia Cricket Club<\/a> \u2013 Wissahickon<\/strong> – This is where the first Joe comes in.\u00a0 I will be playing the Philadelphia Cricket Club on Friday, July 2.\u00a0 Joe is always a terrific host and I look forward to another great day on another great golf course.<\/p>\n

#3 \u2013 Aronimink<\/strong> \u2013 Joe again.\u00a0 This time I played with the President of the Club and my Lafayette colleague and Joe.\u00a0 It was a member-guest tournament.\u00a0 My greatest memory was a par-three hole where I put my tee shot about six inches from the hole, tapped in for a two, got a stroke based on my handicap, and won a \u201cskin\u201d with a \u201cnet\u201d hole-in-one.\u00a0 My actual greatest memory was playing this golf course.\u00a0 It is one of the most renowned courses in the country, not just Pennsylvania.<\/p>\n

#1 \u2013 Oakmont<\/strong> \u2013 We culminated our weekend in Pittsburgh on Friday morning, playing the #1 course in Pennsylvania. \u00a0This occurred due to the generosity of Coca-Cola Joe.\u00a0 He, too, is an amazing host.\u00a0 Valet parking, lunch, a caddy with a great sense of humor, and one of the world\u2019s great (and most difficult courses) made this a day to always remember and cherish.\u00a0 I spent more time in sand traps than I wanted, but did not mind so much.<\/p>\n

So I am forever indebted to a couple of \u201cJoes\u201d and to RCN for creating the opportunities to experience golf at its zenith.\u00a0 I\u2019m not quite sure why I was the recipient of such generosity, but I will tell you there is no downside.\u00a0 Trust me, it is great to be \u201cAmerica\u2019s Guest\u201d.\u00a0<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

ABOVE THE EARS (SOME MUSINGS)<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. What will the Eagles<\/a> end up doing with Zach Ertz? His days in Philly are supposedly over, but the next stage is taking a long time to happen.\u00a0 No one wants his contract or a high trade price.\u00a0 Teams, I think, are just waiting for him to be released before he is picked up.\u00a0 This has become a mini-series.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
      \n
    1. So the Phillies<\/a> stop Jacob deGrom\u2019s shutout streak at 31 innings by scoring two runs and raising his ERA to an amazingly low 0.69. The Phils lost anyway.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
        \n
      1. It is still hard to fathom that both the 76ers<\/a> and the Nets<\/a> are out of the Eastern NBA<\/a> Finals. With all that star power and talent, who would have believed this would happen?\u00a0 The Atlanta Hawks<\/a> and the Milwaukee Bucks<\/a> have not won a title for a combined 113 years.\u00a0 Yet, they are in the Eastern Finals.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
          \n
        1. Tuesday, June 29, our Blue Mountain League<\/a> Game of the Week features two teams in the top echelon of the standings \u2013 Northampton Giants at Hellertown Royals. It is on LIVE at 6:00pm.\u00a0 The BML shuts down for July 4th week.\u00a0 We will be back on July 13.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
            \n
          1. There will be no blog next week due to the July 4th<\/sup> Enjoy your family and stay safe.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

             <\/p>\n

             <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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