Tiger, Tom and Thai food
Summer and everything after
Hey gang —
Welcome back to GOLF, etc., the internet’s favorite golf-adjacent newsletter, sent at the very specific cadence of [shrugs]. Let’s get into it!
WHAT’S ON MY MIND
When we first moved to Seattle, Emily and I liked to order from a Thai restaurant just a few minutes’ drive from us in Queen Anne. Tip Tum Thai was positioned on the corner of Mercer and 2nd, bordered by a fenced-off empty lot and diagonally opposite a KFC/Taco Bell combo restaurant. Its exterior aesthetic borrowed more from the empty lot than it did from the luminescent fast food combo joint — graffiti and grass climbed the walls and it was often difficult to tell whether it was open or closed — but that hid a particularly warm interior, where they made magical Pad Thai served with a side of mischief.
The first time I walked in to pick up an order, the owner — who manned the register — asked how many chopsticks I wanted. I said three; my buddy Matt was over for dinner. The man looked at me with a puzzled expression, handed over one set of chopsticks, opened another pair, split those in half and handed me what was undeniably a third chopstick.
“If you’re sure!” he said with a shrug, then turned away to the next customer just long enough for me to get the joke before returning, a moment later, busted out laughing. I learned on subsequent trips that this was one in a rotation of go-to pranks that he never tired of. And, like I said, the Pad Thai was good.
But Tip Tum Thai closed last fall and when we drove past it on the way to the airport today, woof — if its fate was in question before, there’s no mistaking the reality now. Boards cover its windows. There’s long grass all around. The wilds of Seattle are reclaiming the building, one day at a time. And no more Pad Thai.
What’s the point? The point is that noticing beloved restaurants going out of business isn’t something newbies do. “That used to be…” is the expression of a longtime resident. The evolution of the neighborhood serves as a reminder that Emily and I have lived in Seattle for more than two years now — and counting. Luckily our junior year of Seattle life is shaping up as arguably the best yet. Now, to the writing!
WHAT I’M WRITING
One of the strangest intersections of “cool idea” and “pure luck” happened at this year’s PGA Championship. When I pitched spending a little time every day with PGA Tour rookie Mito Pereira for some sort of week-in-the-life story, I didn’t imagine he might actually win — or get close enough that it would turn devastating if he didn’t. Here’s that story
I’ve been writing about LIV vs. PGA Tour dynamics essentially nonstop, but for two more overarching looks, here’s what it was like when I went to LIV Portland earlier this summer. And here’s the magazine cover story I wrote outlining the big-picture showdown of LIV vs. the PGA Tour. The story has been changing so fast that anything big-picture I’ve written about LIV feels like it’s basically obsolete by the time it’s actually published — but so it goes.
The most memorable event I went to this summer was the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews, a week that doubled as my first time in Scotland. The oldest major at the oldest course in a small seaside town overflowing with tens of thousands of people? The vibe was tough to beat. I wrote about watching Tiger Woods and how it was a reminder of the end. And I wrote about Rory McIlroy’s emotional final-round battle with Cameron Smith and how it ended in beers and tears.
The day after, with St. Andrews in emotional hangover mode, I followed co-worker Sean Zak — who’d moved there for the summer — around town. It was delightful.
And then there was Tom Brady! I talked to him (just over the phone; he’s a tough guy to get time with) during training camp. We talked about … golf! As a diehard New England fan, that made for a pretty memorable day. The story’s here. (The tabloid headlines came later, though from other sources, and got more attention.)
WHAT I’M READING
Two articles that have to do with life’s later stages…
First, “This Old Man,” recirculated by my friend Russell, written by Roger Angell about his life as a ninety-something. It’s clear-headed, unrestrained, raw, with plenty to enjoy.
Then this inspiring obituary of broadcasting legend Vin Scully, written by Tom Verducci, which included two gems. First, this magical response:
How, I wondered, could you be so good for so long?
“The humility to prepare,” Vin said, “and the confidence to pull it off.”
Write it on your white boards! And then he dished some simple imagery for facing adversity:
“Be a bobbed cork: when pushed down, bob up.”
WHAT TO WATCH
I returned about a month after the Open at St. Andrews on a whirlwind quest to play the next three Open Championship sites in three days. That meant flying to Ireland to meet up with Sean and our videographer Tiffani, then training to Northern Ireland, flying to England and then driving to Scotland. It resulted in three videos, which I’ll post below:
WHAT I’M EXCITED FOR
Currently in the air en route to Williamstown for this weekend’s celebration of Mom’s birthday. Weather permitting, might even steal a few late-season holes…
Talk to you soon!
Dylan
Loved the Pad Thai at Tip Tum Thai -- I was sorry when I heard it closed. Hit me up if you ever want to play Rainier Golf and Country Club.