Attending the US Open

I have been very fortunate to have attended both the US Open for tennis and for golf several times.

I have enjoyed them equally.

The US Open for golf requires a great deal of walking for its attendees. Most people do not remain fixed in one location—they instead follow key players around the course. And so, because the day is long and so much walking is required up and down hills and through the rough, spectators wear their golf shoes. It just makes sense to do so. Golf shoes were designed to be worn on the golf course.

But what does not make sense to me in any way is why when you attend the US Open for tennis the spectators find the need not just to wear their sneakers, but to wear their tennis apparel.I just don’t get it—do they think they are going to put together a pick-up game while they are there?

Because wearing tennis attire to the Open is not like wearing an NFL jersey to a football game. Tennis players do not wear a team uniform—each player is their own team and varies their clothing from match to match.

And this past Friday my husband attended the Barclays Golf tournament in Bethpage with some colleagues from work. Before he left the house I inquired did your remember your golf shoes?

He did.

But he left his golf glove behind.

He had no illusions that Rory Mc Elroy would ask him to play.