Bob Cramer's Blog

I tweaked my back preparing for this week’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, and regretfully I have surrendered my spot to the next best qualifier.  As you would expect, this is a bitter pill to swallow after years of preparation and countless hours on the practice range. 

The injury that sidelined me is a strain to my lower back.  My medical team has prescribed steroids as the cure.  I just took six of them, and I can now tell you that I just bench-pressed the couch.

I put in a call to my buddy Tiger Woods to commiserate on our respective injuries.  Tiger told me to keep my head up, keep stretching, and never give up the dream.  He said to drop by next time I was in town, and he would set up a match between his son, Charlie, and me.  I’m tired of giving that kid so many shots.

Phil Mickelson also called to express his support.  Phil and I have grown closer ever since I ordered his new coffee brand, Coffee For Wellness.  I had to be frank with Phil that the delay in delivery of my initial order, following Phil’s performance at the PGA, may have contributed to my injury.  Phil felt bad, and promised to include a special Tumbler when the coffee eventually gets delivered.

Phil and I do have a lot in common: we both hit Bombs; we both have gregarious personalities; we both have transformed our bodies; and we both have very well-defined calf muscles.   Seriously.  Phil talks about his in his videos.  He kind of brags about them.  

For comparison, I told Phil about a recent incident while doing a training walk on the Atlanta Beltline alongside the Bobby Jones golf course.  Bobby Jones is a public course; so is Torrey Pines. I figured it would be good karma to do some of my walking amidst the playing conditions I might soon encounter.

So just out minding my own business, putting in my steps, I was suddenly passed on the trail by a middle-age woman and her husband.   She then just blurted out, and I’m being totally honest here and I’m not making this up, that “they were admiring my calf muscles.”.  Her husband quickly piped in that he wasn’t admiring them, but whatever.  

I took the compliment like a true pro, but did proceed to tell them that these muscles were quite tight, and at times, they caused me some problems.  Perhaps this was a precursor to the lower back injury that has plagued me.

Anyway, Phil loved the story, and he wanted to bet $1,000 that his calves were more defined than mine.   I told him I don’t play such silly games.  Phil just being Phil yet again.