Colin Byrne's Column: They came from all parts of the globe for the Accenture World matchplay event in Carlsbad, Southern California, last week.
The first of the World Golf Championships (WGC) events has been traditionally played in uncharacteristic weather for this part of the world. The locals say it only rains about 10 days of the year; unfortunately we tend to be here for most of them, depending how far past the first round you get.
The event is the denouement in what they refer to as the west coast swing on the US Tour. For the US Tour players it is a simple jaunt down the west coast from Riviera to La Costa.
Those European players who competed in Malaysia the previous week, had a 15-hour flight and a 16-hour time change. If there was a worse way to prepare, then taking off from Kuala Lumpur three days before the start of the event would be hard to beat.
The "World" has increasingly been narrowed down to the US when it comes to the WGC events. The only one played outside the US, of course, is in Mount Juliet this year.
So for those Europeans and other exempt players it is becoming increasingly important to schedule as many US events into your routine as possible in order to stay competitive in the bigger events.
Carlsbad is the mecca for golf club manufacturers. You don't have far to travel between the Callaway, Titleist and TaylorMade test centres. These are top-secret, high-tech locations. Heavily armed with gadgets to measure clubhead speed and ball spin rate, amongst a magnitude of other devices, this is an engineer's and scientist's dream location.
It is also the fanatical golf pro hang out. Many come to California early to hang out at their sponsors' test centres.
All of them have well-manicured ranges and short-game facilities. So they are ideal places for practising both the art and the science of the game. We spent Saturday morning at the TaylorMade facility. Unfortunately I am sworn to secrecy about what goes on in this inner sanctum.
Most manufacturers also assemble their clubs here. So alongside the test range lies the huge assembly facilities where all these clubs are designed and put together.
Coincidentally, while we were there a couple of defendants were trying, unsucessfully, to plead their case for manufacturing fake clubs. I can understand the oaths of secrecy better now. Their facilities are not as sophisticated as the real thing but they are highly organised and naturally attracted to the golf haven of southern California.
A magnet is a great way of distinguishing a fake titanium driver from the real thing. I would have thought the distance and accuracy of the shot hit with the club would be a better test. The magnet should not stick to the real thing, so if you have your suspicions about the authenticity of your very expensive driver, give it the magnet test and hopefully it falls to the floor.
Thankfully the standards of the WGC events have not dropped: the facilities for us bag toters were very comfortable and the food was excellent. Not that I got much chance to sample it as we made a swift departure from the annual event after just one round.
The good thing about having a boss like mine is that when he loses he does it in style. It may well have been a one-day ticket to La Costa, but it was going to be more conveniently a one-way, swift ticket to Florida, in a private jet.
My original ticket was not booked until Saturday - it is guess work with matchplay - and I had figured we could make it to the semis, and if we did so then I could afford whatever it took to get to Miami on time for our next event. No need, we were booked on the next flight to Orlando.
The only snag with flying privately, I have recently discovered, is leaving your rental car back to an appropriate location. The company I rent with don't have offices at private airfields. I had to leave my car back in San Diego International airport and I had organised transport to deposit me at the steps of Retief's private plane.
For those of you planning a trip to the US, let me warn you on a self-drive holiday, that they do not give sign posts for international airports off freeways. Silly me for thinking that they would. I was on my way to Tijuana when I realised that I has missed my destination of San Diego.
To make the story short, I arrived at the steps of my boss' plane, out of breath, agitated and exasperated.
If you are faced with the choice of aircraft next time you fly, may I highly recommend the Falcon 900 jet. Within five minutes of boarding the plush plane we were airborne for Florida.
A couple of cocktails served by our hostess and we retired to the aft of the jet to the couches which helped us to sleep until touchdown at Orlando. The confusion at San Diego had been worth the effort.
Four comfortable hours later I found myself in my boss' house being ushered to the guest room. I am already not looking forward to my next commercial flight.
Where my player lives in Orlando is like the Golfers Rest. He drove me around the estate the next day and pointed out who lives in which house. I would hate to expose their privacy, but there are about a dozen well known golfers living on the same complex. It seems to be a bit of an ex-tennis players hang out also.
So my punishment for an early exit from the matchplay event was to be flown privately to a large house in Florida for luxury relaxation and a couple of rounds of golf with one of the best golfers in the world.
I thought I dealt with the disappointment quite well.
As the unsuccessful Europeans were continuing their world trip almost back to where they came from to Dubai with 17 hours of flying and a 12-hour time change, the Americans had to endure their longest internal flight of the year, four hours, to the opposite side of the country for the next event in Miami.
