Reporter Kevin Lynch walks Firestone fairways as did Tiger and Phil

• Kevin Lynch played Firestone Country Club, site of the upcoming Kaulig Companies Championship.
• Reporter struggled with putting, despite the course’s smooth greens.
• He found success with bunker shots, thanks to prior lessons.

The last time I was at Firestone Country ClubI was watching the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson in one of their classic Sunday afternoon showdowns. Wandering the majestic South Course to watch the pros, I never dreamed some day I’d be out there playing on the same lush pasture.

But on Tuesday, June 3, the opportunity to play the Akron jewel came my way as part of the media day activities leading up to the Kaulig Companies Championship on June 18-22, part of the PGA Champions Tour, featuring World Golf Hall of Famers and fan favorites, such as Steve Stricker and Ernie Els.

I was kind of in awe and excited as I went to the first tee, where I managed a decent drive down the left side of the fairway. After convincing myself it was just like playing any other golf course, sans the history and mystique of hosting the greatest players in the world, I was able to relax and enjoy another tough day at the office.

Tiger and Phil make greens look easy, but they are not

Teamed with a television executive from Cleveland and a PGA podcast reporter from Michigan, whose skills far exceeded mine, I was welcomed warmly by my media compadres, and I managed to keep pace with the big boys (until I got to the green). I would venture to bet at least half of my 102 strokes on the day were putts.

I couldn’t understand … Tiger, Phil and Co. made putting on those greens look so easy. However, comparing my touch on the green to say, a bull in a china shop, would be a pretty fair comparison. I did manage a couple decent two-putts on the day to save bogey, for which I was extremely pleased.

Heck, I never thought I’d mention myself in the same paragraph as some of the greatest golfers ever. The only similarities between myself and Mickelson is we stand on the same side of the golf ball when we swing.

The greens reminded me of the surface of a pool table, which led to lots of roll by the hole.

And those lessons hitting out of the sand (thanks TJ Mader) paid big dividends, as the three times I “stormed the sandy beaches of Normandy” as I like to say when I hit a bunker, I was able to come out clean and leave myself with a makeable putt, which I regularly missed.

Normally, if I shoot a round of golf over 100, I’d be pretty frustrated. But I was happy just to have the opportunity to play on such a wonderful course, displaying my lack of golf skills with other members of the media.

A great time was had by all, and it was an experience I shall not soon forget.