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49ers legend Jerry Rice practices at The Breakfast Ball celebrity golf tournament presented by Thomas Bagels.
It was around the time when San Francisco 49ers legends Joe Montana and Jerry Rice welcomed us to The Breakfast Ball celebrity golf tournament presented by Thomas Bagels and Front Office Sports when I wondered if it was all a dream, to quote Biggie. Yet here I was with a 5 time Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith Sr. in a golf cart to my right and Urban Meyer’s car to my left.
Hitting the golf ball straight is a topic for another day. Still, it’s hard to be that frustrated given the stunning ocean views at TPC Harding Park.
Heavy Sports was lucky enough to be invited to perform at the Breakfast Ball as part of the Super Bowl festivities in San Francisco. The unlimited bagels didn’t hurt either (personally, I’m team blueberry).
Certainly, the idea of participating in a celebrity golf tournament was as foreign as taking one of those private planes into space.
Chances are you feel the same way, but we’re here to guide you through participating in a celebrity golf tournament, just to be prepared in case the opportunity arises one day. In the words of Marshawn Lynch, if you stay prepared, you don’t have to prepare.
The Breakfast Ball used a Scramble format (good news for struggling golfers)
The Breakfast Ball used a scrambled format, which is a fancy way of saying it’s forgiving to average golfers. The teams were made up of groups of four to five golfers. Each team takes the best position for each shot.
Let’s say a golfer hits the ball the longest at 360 yards, while a struggling golfer hits it only 100 yards. This is a hypothesis and is not something I have ever experienced.
But in this scenario, the entire team would hit their next shot from the 360-yard zone instead of where their shot landed. This format continues with every shot throughout the tournament.
It’s been a strangely brutal winter in Atlanta, which means getting to the golf course has been difficult in recent months. All you need to know is that one of your boy’s putts was used during the round, and now I can die reaching the pinnacle of golf (aside from maybe winning a green jacket).
Not to mention all the other shots that weren’t used by my team.
That time I played golf with Steve Smith Sr. at TPC Harding Park
I have to admit, at first it was intimidating playing alongside Smith, one of the best receivers to ever wear cleats. It quickly died down as the former Pro Bowler couldn’t have been more encouraging.
It’s worth mentioning that Smith is also a good golfer, to no one’s surprise. I played better golf, but it will always be a lasting memory of making new friends in an epic environment two days before the Super Bowl.
If you ever get the chance to play at TPC Harding Park, say yes. It’s even better if you’re playing alongside Steve Smith Sr. with countless blueberry bagels.
Jonathan Adams is a veteran sports contributor covering the NFL, NBA and golf for Heavy.com. His work has been highlighted on NFL.com, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Talk, CBS Sports, Bleacher Report and Sports Illustrated. Learn more about Jonathan Adams
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