by Jeff Skinner
This is a pretty good week for all of us golf fans. With majors for the women and the seniors and the men prepping for theirs next week there are many of our favorite golfers in action.
Right now I am watching Stacy Lewis and Michelle Wie at the Women’s British Open while at the same time streaming the Scottish Open with Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler plying their trade over the links of Aberdeen. Not bad for a Friday morning.
Later, we’ll all be treated to the seniors at the U.S. Senior Open as the new and cuddly Colin Montgomerie tries to win his second major of the season. Yes, believe it or not I recently added to my list of favorite golfers, OK, it’s a long list with few requirements. But the new Monty is fun to watch and listen to.
But the newest member of my “favorite” club is also the youngest. Leo Cheng of Drive, Chip and Putt fame is featured in the July issue of Golf Digest and while his interview isn’t filled with gossip or tour secrets it shows what a joy this game of golf can be and what an entertaining kid Leo is. 
The eleven year old wants to use his Drive, Chip and Putt Championship as a springboard to life in the game be it player or inventor, yes inventor. Leo and his older sister (who plays very well) are planning on revolutionizing the golf ball industry. IF YOU THINK I’M GOOD, you should see my big sister, Carol. She’s 14 and has a 1-handicap. She’s smart, too. She’s helping me come up with an invention. We’re going to create tiny chips you put in a golf ball so you can’t lose it. When you get near it with your iPhone, it will beep, and a dot on your screen will turn from blue to red. Every new ball will come with its code that you register, so you don’t find a million balls at once. Carol and I are going to get rich.
Call it the optimism of youth but Leo didn’t think the greens at Augusta National were that fast. PEOPLE TOLD ME the greens at Augusta National were so fast I should practice putting on our hardwood floor. But you know what? I didn’t think they were that fast. I think it was because of the dew that morning. But I expected the greens to be faster.
And give the youngster credit for doing his home work. THE PUTT I MADE ON 18 was a double-breaker. It went right, then left at the end. Before we left on the trip we watched the replay of Adam Scott making the same putt last year. My dad and I watched it a few times, looking for clues. Sometimes when you have a double-breaker, you aim straight at the hole because they equal out. I just aimed straight at it.
Leo even garnered a few of his own fans at Augusta. WE GOT TO STAY and watch the practice rounds. Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Phil Mickelson and Jason Dufner were playing together and saw me when they finished putting on the ninth hole. Jason said, “Leo! My man!” and gave me a high-five. Rickie said, “Great job.” Dustin said, “Leo, nice job, buddy!” Phil said, “Where’s your dad? I have got to have my picture taken with you.” Those guys think I’m famous.
And Leo is pretty insightful for an eleven year old. He knows kids have it over adults every day. KIDS HAVE AN ADVANTAGE over adults. We have more time to play. We get summers off. We don’t have to work a real job for our money because our parents take care of us. I wouldn’t trade being a kid for anything.
He’s right…I wouldn’t trade it either.
Click here for Guy Yocum’s Golf Digest piece on Leo Cheng.
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