SLO County Golf, Wine & Real EstateGolf, Wine & Real Estate News and Events Blog
Pro Golfers Enjoy the SLO-Life at the Straight DownWednesday, November 23, 2005In an article yesterday in the San Diego Union-Tribune, the writer referred to San Luis Obispo's Straight Down Fall Classic as "the best little golf tournament nobody's heard of." Tom Lehman had just hammered his drive down the right-center of the fairway on the ninth hole at San Luis Obispo Country Club, and as he approached his golf ball he wanted to be certain of his yardage before he pulled a club from his bag. Over his shoulder, Lehman asked, "Is it 136 on that sprinkler head?" He wasn't talking to his caddie, but the small herd of spectators who had paused only a few yards behind him in the fairway. Eager to assist the current U.S. Ryder Cup captain, a couple of them offered a nod. It was a humorous, surreal scene for those accustomed to seeing fans kept in check by yellow twine. But this is the Straight Down Fall Classic, and it is nothing if not unique, a get-together in the second weekend in November that may be the best little tournament nobody's heard of. "It's like golf was in the '40s and '50s," said Mike Rowley, the clothing company owner who started the tournament eight years ago. "It's got that old Crosby Clambake feel." Think of the buddy movie "Sideways," with golf as the centerpiece rather than a humorous vignette, and you get the picture. At night, the food is sumptuous and the Central Coast wine flows as freely as the banter. Friends who haven't seen each other for months or years play catch-up. Then they shake off the hangovers in the morning and go out in teams of one pro and one amateur. They needle and they cajole, all the while trying to pound each other at best-ball in front of a few hundred fans who pay nothing to watch. The first prize at the end of 36 holes: $20,000 to the pro. PGA Tour pocket change. "I've never played in another tournament like it," said Encinitas' Dennis Paulson. "It's kind of unbelievable. How many times are you going to get a PGA Tour player to pay to play in a golf tournament? We play for $6 million in purses and don't pay an entry fee. But we'll pay $1,000 to come up here, just to have a good time and support the community. It's pretty cool." The Straight Down has been an unqualified, word-of-mouth success. It is Rowley's goal to get about 12 touring professionals into the field each year, and with past participants such as John Daly and Fred Couples, the competition for a spot can be fierce. "It's a lot of pressure. I don't have room for everybody," Rowley said. "I've had to say a lot of 'nos,' and that's been very difficult." Lehman, playing with his brother, Jim, who's a good friend of Rowley's, was the big draw this year. You would think after a grinding season and with his Ryder Cup responsibilities, he'd want to go home to Scottsdale or Del Mar and crash. But Lehman's wife, Melissa, is a Cal Poly San Luis Obispo alum, and they enjoy soaking up the laid-back country atmosphere with their four kids. "It's nice to have a little bit of down time," Lehman said. "This is a lot of fun. The competition is a team thing. It's not meant to be too serious. You're not going to read on my bio that I won the Straight Down." It's a big deal for the teaching pros and amateurs who don't usually play for big stakes. On the first morning of play this year, one poor guy could barely tee the ball up his hand was shaking so bad. That's the beauty of the event, which Rowley uses to reward the proprietors of pro shops and clubs around the country who sell his clothing line. Most of the 60 teams have no shot at winning - although Rowley's won twice with Roger Tambellini - but that doesn't damper their fun. Rowley makes sure it's a blast. A Santa Barbara native and Cal Poly grad, he made only volleyball T-shirts when he started Straight Down in 1987. A few years later, there was a demand from golfers, and the sport is now his primary focus. He started the Fall Classic when another Cal Poly guy, Loren Roberts, agreed to play. "It really is kind of amazing what it's become," Rowley said. "These guys don't come out for the money," Cuff said. "They do it for Mike and the wine country and because the dinners are great." Read entire article at: The annual Straight Down Fall Classic provides a relaxed, fun atmosphere for big-name pros and amateurs San Diego Union-Tribune, Tod Leonard |
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