The Name Game

People often ask me if I ever get nervous talking on the radio or in front of crowds, and the answer is not usually. I'm actually much more nervous talking to one person than 1,000 people, but maybe you can figure that out for me in a future post.

The Ginn Open is a huge tour stop for the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association). I was fortunate enough to be invited to play in the pro-am last year and, aside from hooking my opening tee shot almost out of bounds while a bunch of spectators watched, I had a blast.

This year, I've been invited again, and I'm not nearly as nervous...except for one thing. This time I've been asked to not only attend, but to HOST the pairings party that's held the night before the pro-am. At the pairings party you find out which professional golfer your group gets to play with. It's a big party with lots of important people. There are some major stars on the ladies tour and everyone hopes they draw one of the big names.

Last year, Michael Winslow, the human sound effects machine from the Police Academy movies hosted the pro-am and he was hilarious. He had all the sounds going as he drew the names and paired people up.

Big shoes to fill. And my feet are shrinking as we get closer.

As I said, being in front of people, even corporate big wigs and professional golfers doesn't bother me. But the LPGA is a wonderfully international organization, and I only took French in school. Here are just a few of the actual names I'll be attempting to announce Tuesday night:

Danielle Ammaccapane
Virada Nirapathpongporn
Stacy Prammanasudh

This is an elite group of women who represent their countries proudly so I'm taking my mouth to the equivalent of a linguistic driving range this weekend to prepare for the tournament. The last thing the pros want is for some fast-talking local yahoo deejay to hook their name into the left rough!

Wish me luck.