North blog: Juggling TV, Champions Tour in Hawaii

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Andy North is playing in his second straigt Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai this year.

Two time U.S. Open champion (1978, '85) Andy North, who plays a limited schedule on the Champions Tour mainly due to his extensive commitments as a golf commentator for ESPN and past injuries that have limited his schedule, is making his second appearance at the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. He is playing in the event by virtue of his 2008 victory with partner Tom Watson at the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf.

The Madison, Wis., resident and avid University of Wisconsin supporter finished tied for 19th at the 2009 Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. North talks about his second trip to Hualalai and how he fits some golf into his busy broadcast schedule.

I leave this Sunday for Hawaii for two weeks of work and play. Next week I work the Wendy's Senior Skins Game for ESPN which has a great field and is a fun event. I hope to get a few days of practice during the week since I haven't hit a golf ball in ages. It's not exactly golf weather here in Wisconsin right now. Nor is it warm in much of the U.S. which is why I'm looking forward to heading to our 50th state.

After my ESPN broadcast duties Jan. 16-17 for the Senior Skins in Maui, I'll set the microphone aside and hop over to the Big Island to play in the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai for just the second time.

Mitsubishi Electric is a fabulous sponsor. In today's vernacular, "they get it."

They know how to use the tournament to for their business development with their top customers. And what a location. The Four Seasons at Hualalai is my favorite resort. Plus it's a terrific venue. I remember when I used to visit the resort to do TV. I loved the course then and now I get a chance to play it. It doesn't get any better than that.

I just wish I was better prepared. I don't play too much tournament golf and haven't for some time. Six knee surgeries, bone spurs in my right elbow and numerous shoulder and neck problems have limited my competitive play. This year marks my fifth decade of professional golf and these weary bones will hit the big 6-0 in two months. But hey, my good friend Tom Watson showed us all this summer with his incredible run at Turnberry at the British Open that 59 is the new 40. There's hope for us all.

Nevertheless no matter what my broadcast schedule, I try and play a couple of events each year. It helps my perspective as a commentator. It's serves as a vivid reminder how hard this game is. Believe me, when a player on either the PGA TOUR or Champions Tour hits a 3-iron to 40 feet, I know it's a darn good shot.

The next couple of months I won't be playing any Champions Tour events but come April my broadcast and playing schedule picks up. I'll be working the LPGA's Kraft Nabisco Championship for ESPN the first week of April, then will be in Augusta for Masters week for ESPN. That's always a special week and it's even more special now that ESPN carries the first two rounds of the telecast.

After Augusta, I'll play in the Champions Tour's Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am [April 12-19] and the following week team with Tom Watson for the Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf in Savannah [April 19-25]. The two-man team is a unique format and it was great winning the event with Tom in 2008. That's what made me eligible for the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai these last two years. A win in a non-major such as Liberty Mutual gets you two years of eligibility for the Mitsubishi Electric event. I enjoyed my first trip and am looking forward to this year. My partner Tom better play hard at the Legends this April if I hope to come back to Hualalai in 2011 (ha).

My most immediate challenge playing in two weeks is to have LEGAL clubs. This new groove change is necessary and good for professional golf. That said, when you don't play very often and are not on staff of a major club manufacturer it's a real hassle to get the proper clubs. Right now I have four irons that are legal (#4, #6, #7 and #9), so my caddie might have a light bag at Hualalai. I'm a pretty decent wind player. Always have been, but think I'll need a full set of 14 regulation clubs to navigate the Jack Nicklaus layout for 54 holes.

I started this process of making sure I'd have new conforming clubs in early November. As you can imagine all the manufacturers have been scrambling with their suppliers and their production to ship clubs in time for regular players on all three Tours and the LPGA for the 2010 season. (The PGA TOUR is teeing it up right now at Kapalua as I blog this). One club company tells me some clubs should arrive this Saturday. My flight to Maui leaves Sunday. Here's hoping for the best. At 6-4 it's not like I can just borrow someone's extra clubs when the competition starts.

Regardless wife Sue and I are looking forward to our trip. I've been very fortunate to have played this great game for a long time and have enjoyed and appreciate what I've accomplished. And now I keep current with the great crop of young players with my ESPN duties and in two weeks get to play against some of the most accomplished and recognizable players in the game on the Champions Tour.

Somehow I'll have clubs when I tee it up. Hey my Badgers beat Miami 20-14 in the Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando last month. That's a good sign. I'm feeling lucky.

Happy New Year everyone.