Summaahhh in D.C.

Hello all.

Mr. D is back, in one form or another. Jason's Blog some success, but The Transplanted Bostonian has even more potential. This will primarily be a space to talk about sports, but I might throw the occasional knee-buckling curveball (think Petey in 1999).

Let me discuss one of my favorite things to do, especially in the sweltering heat of our great nation's capitol. Golf.

So far, this year has been a fantastic golf season for me. My scores could certainly be a few strokes lower, but I am playing a lot. For free. Can't get much better than that.

Last week, I had the absolute pleasure of spending four days at the AT&T National golf tournament at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. Tiger Woods was the host, and the field of players was outstanding. I was there on July 4 for the pro-am, and then spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday following some of the best golfers in the world on an immaculate -- but very difficult -- golf course. Here are some observations from the miles of fairway I walked ...

- Seeing Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer who ever lived, up close is quite a treat. My dad and I staked out some prime viewing spots at various tees and greens on Saturday, and the wait was well worth it. On Sunday, I had a perfect position on the 18th tee as Tiger bombed his driver down the center stripe.

- Phil Mickelson. Lefty. P-Mick. It must have been the wrist. And, the 2-iron he blasted right and over the green on 16 was not very good either. He hit his fourth shot short of the green into a hill behind the putting surface, probably because I was literally standing five feet in front the guy -- one of my sports heroes.

- What is the proper etiquette for smoking a cigar as a spectator at a golf tournament? I smoke them while playing, but there are large crowds at events like this. I had one going at the ropes and some guy jumped down my throat. "So rude! So rude!" he exclaimed. "I don't like cigar smoke!"

I told him this was a golf course, and kept smoking.

- Any member of the gallery that wears golf shoes to a tournament needs to look at himself in the mirror. Dude, you are not playing. The Tiger Woods hat and Nike golf shirt are stylin', but the Footjoys gotta go. You look like a wannabee.

Being a sportswriter, my life is great. Everything I do revolves around sports, so I am cutting out early today and will be on the driving range for a few hours to work out the kinks.

My goal is to write one or two columns a week in this new forum, so check back as often as you can.

-Jason

No animals were harmed in the writing of this column.