Drama critics' indifference unfair to McDowell

Caught some grief from a few Chase The Pea followers for giving last weekend's U.S. Open 4 1/2 dog biscuits on my 1-to-5 entertainment scale. It would seem the majority of golf writers who follow the PGA Tour on a regular basis are in agreement with those critics. See my latest Suggested reading entry "How will McDowell's victory be remembered" for more context on the matter.

While it's true that Graeme McDowell's one-shot victory at Pebble Beach will not go down as one of the greatest in U.S. Open history, I still found it very interesting to watch. Maybe it was the hangover effect of Robert Garrigus' train wreck in the St. Jude Classic the week before, but I kept expecting McDowell to wilt under the pressure and he didn't. Watching 54-hole leader Dustin Johnson slide off the tracks early in his round en route to an ugly 82 was a quick reminder of how a land mine could go off at any time before McDowell made his way back to the clubhouse.

But the gutsy 30-year-old golfer from Northern Ireland, with five European tour victories to his credit, kept his head on straight while others around him didn't. And the fact that he had marquee names such as Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els nipping at his heels made his ability to grind out a victory all the more impressive.

I think the reason some were turned off by McDowell's victory is we've been spoiled by dramatic finishes in U.S. Opens at Pebble Beach. Jack Nicklaus' epic 1-iron that struck the flag stick on No. 17 in the final round of his victory in 1972 stands as one of golf's greatest shots. And Tom Watson's chip-in from the rough on No. 17 in the final round that propelled him to a victory over Nicklaus in 1982 stands right with it. You could even add to that list Tom Kite's memorable chip-in on No. 7 that propelled him to victory in 1992.

It's true that oftentimes there's a turning point during the final round of a major that decides the championship. This year's Masters had just such a moment when Mickelson hit a bold 6-iron shot from the pine straw between two trees on No. 13 on his way to a three-shot victory over Lee Westwood. But to dismiss McDowell's victory as boring makes light of how well he handled a very difficult situation. The lasting image I'll carry from the tournament will be the way McDowell turned his eyes to the heavens in relief and celebration on the 18th green after his richly deserved victory.

While others say the tournament will be remembered for the great story lines that Woods, Mickelson and Els let get away from them for not winning, I'll remember how a relatively unheralded golfer bagged one of golf's biggest prizes on its most scenic stage against the game's best by being the only player to finish 72 holes at even par. That's no small task when the course is set up by the U.S.G.A., which no doubt is patting itself on its back for keeping the rest of the field in black numbers. I guess it just comes down to the fact that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

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Played Cumberland Trail today with friend and former Dispatch colleague Jeremy Lynch. The Lynch Mob, as Jeremy is known in many circles, went on Golfnow.com and got two greens fees for $14 a piece. It's hard to beat a price like that for a course as good as Cumberland Trail. I'm listing Golfnow.com as one of my favorite links for future reference. Some real bargains can be had on that website and I highly encourage anyone to check it out for bargain rates.

The course, which I played on a regular basis for two years, was in good shape. The greens, probably the best of any public course in the Columbus area, were smooth and fast. The only thing I didn't like about the course was the condition of the sand traps, which is a misnomer of sorts because there was little sand in them. They played more like dirt traps. They were playable just the same, but it's too bad a course that good can't go the extra mile to make the traps better.

For that reason, I'm going to stick with my current rating of 4 dog biscuits on the course. Here's my latest best-places-to-play-in-central-Ohio list:

5 dog biscuits: Longaberger (the alpha dog)
4 1/2 dog biscuits: Cooks Creek, East Golf Club
4 dog biscuits: Cumberland Trail, EagleSticks, Deer Ridge, Golf Club of Dublin, The Players Club at Foxfire
3 1/2 dog biscuits: *Apple Valley, Bent Tree, Blacklick Woods, Chapel Hill, Champions, Granville, Indian Springs, New Albany Links, The Links at Echo Springs, Royal American Links
3 dog biscuits: Darby Creek, Glenross, Mill Creek, Turnberry, Westchester
2 1/2 dog biscuits: Blackhawk, Crystal Springs Golf Club, Mentel Memorial, National Golf Links, *Licking Springs, Raymond Memorial, Safari Golf Club, *St. Albans, *Table Rock
2 dog biscuits: *Airport, *Oakhaven, *Bridgeview, Marysville Golf Club, *Minerva Lake
1 1/2 dog biscuits: Wilson Road, *Big Walnut (executive courses)
1 dog biscuit: Let's not go there
* Indicates Oldgolfdawg has not played the course in more than five years and needs feedback from others to adjust any ranking.