My summer vacation…so far…
Well, I figure everyone is a little curious as to what I've done in my month off since the end of the season. It's almost funny to think about what happens to me after the season - such a fast transition between two polar-opposite lifestyles.
The 1st being, during the season and a couple months before, everything is focused solely on basketball. My day revolves around it. Everything is scheduled out. All energy is focused on that.
As soon as the season is over, nothing. I did absolutely nothing but sit around the house and just sleep. I slept a lot and watched a lot of TV and played a lot of video games. Well, that lasted about a week.
The next week I started to go crazy because I was so used to having something to do or somewhere to go. So I decided to start doing work around the house and let me tell you: If any man has never been to Ikea on a Saturday, please, I beg you for your own sanity, don’t go. It is a zoo. I'd never been inside that place and I hope never to go back. I'll order what I need off the Internet catalog. It was pandemonium out there, but I survived. It was so funny. I never thought that a day full of shopping with my girl would be so tiring. I never go to Home Depot or Ikea or Bed, Bath n Beyond; it's just not my thing. Well, that was week two.
This past week has been my busiest, yet one of the best. Where have I been and/or why wasn’t I listening when people told me about GOLFING? Holy crap, I have caught the golf fever. I played 3 times last week - Tues, Wed, Thurs.
The 1st day, I hadn’t received my custom-made clubs yet, but played none the less with some good buds of mine, Jake and Justin. They invited me out to play with them at Langdon Farms, which is just a beautiful course. The people there were so nice and extremely professional. The course whooped my butt, but I loved it.
My dad is a huge golfer and loves playing. Whenever he would come home from golfing, he'd always be moaning and groaning about how sore and tired he was. I always gave him a hard time like, man, golf is not tiring at all … was I wrong! We played 18 holes that day with a cart and when we got done around 4 o'clock, I felt like my body had been hit with a heavy bag of marbles. It was amazing to me how playing a different sport, different little muscles get very sore. It was new, but I had to play again the next day.
On Wednsday, I made a few calls and the people at the Pumpkin Ridge golf course graciously allowed me and my two comrades to play on their course. Let me tell you, whoever reads this, that that is one of the greatest golf courses I've ever seen in my life. I understand why PGA tour comes through there and we got the pleasure of playing with one of the pros of the club, Kelly.
If you're ever up there and want to play with a ex-O State football player who plays golf like it's nobody's business, I recommend him. Oh, forgot to mention that before we played on that great course, I picked up my custom made golf clubs from Nike, which felt like heaven compared to the normal clubs. New clubs 'n all, I still stunk up the course, but I had glimpses of potential that comes with having a 7-ft wingspan and some extremely nice clubs.
Again, at the end of the day of playing at such a great course, even in a cart, I was beat. It wasn’t even just physically, it was mentally, too. I have such a respect for the golfers on the PGA tour now, it's amazing.
Finally, on the 3rd day, I played at the Lake Oswego Country Club golf course with my good friend who lives out here, Brian. His girlfriend's dad invited him and I out there to play. Again, I think I had the privilege of playing the 3 best golf courses in Oregon. Hopefully, when I get some more time in between working out and taking care of some other man-stuff, I can get some lessons.
I have a golf tournament coming up at the end of June so I really need to step my game up. Also, I'm doing the Caddies for the Cure up here with my friend Ryan from Nike Golf, and I def don’t want to embarrass myself with that serious crew of legit golfers.
Well, that’s all that has happened lately. I'll keep you informed.
May 28th, 2008 - 09:52
You haven’t played the best 3 in Oregon yet.
When you’re ready head 5 hours south and play the three courses at Bandon Dunes Resort. They are amazing. At Bandon you get a caddie instead of a cart!
May 28th, 2008 - 11:14
I had to laugh at your comments about IKEA on a Saturday. Very true! I’ve been there. On a Saturday. With kids in tow. Very rough. The best time is Tuesday morning at about 10:00. I normally hate going to stores, but IKEA is great fun…on Tuesday morning.
May 28th, 2008 - 11:57
Are you allowed to ride a bicycle while under contract? If so, that could bring some entertainment for you. Get yourself a nice road bike and explore Portland a little.
May 28th, 2008 - 12:15
Let’s see, 4 hours playing golf with some buds out in the fresh air, or 4 hours inside a monsterous wharehouse stuffed with furniture that comes in boxes and hundreds of crazed shoppers. Tough choice. Peace.
May 28th, 2008 - 13:29
Not a serious course but a fun one, none the less. You should take a putter and wedge out to Edgefield and play nine holes while drinking a few pints. If you play 18 holes, you’ll probably need a designated driver to get home.
http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=3&id=48
May 28th, 2008 - 15:25
Sorry, Channing…I’m still mad at you for dissing Sac-town a while back…
May 28th, 2008 - 15:31
You should travel to a different country. Either that or take some classes in college and learn a few new things.
May 28th, 2008 - 15:54
Maybe you should get some golf lessons from Steve Blake’s dad. He’s a golf professional and plays at Langdon quite often.
May 28th, 2008 - 16:07
Come check out the Park Blocks on the PSU campus
May 28th, 2008 - 16:21
Bear Down Channing!
Glad to read you have gotten into golf, if you head back down to Tucson at some point I highly reccomend playing The Gallery and Vistoso (the latter has a Spa for your lady)…
Can we get a blog entry on your thoughts of what used to be basketball program down there? Last I heard kids are pulling back on verbal committments and Jennings may be academically ineligable already! Let us know some insight to the turbulance down there…
PS; It wasn’t such a good idea to listen to Luke about taking a Family Studies class was it?
May 28th, 2008 - 16:30
I just recently stumbled upon this site through espn.com’s truehoop and I thought I would take this as an opportunity to thank you for one of the most memorable experiences that Ive had. Back in ‘06 when you were still playing for the knicks, I had the privilege of sitting next to your father and grandfather at the knicks-suns game (which was exciting enough as it is, 2OT and francis first knick game). As a die hard basketball fan one would think that the greatest person I ever met would be somewhere along the lines of Dwayne Wade (’05 draft) or my boyhood hero Jon Starks. In actuality, the greatest experience I ever had was meeting your grandfather a Tuskegee airmen, coincidentally several days after I had learned about them in my history class. I know you must recieve a good ammount of fan mail praising you for your basketball ability, but I thought you’d be happy to hear that meeting your grandfather was one of the greatest honors I’ve had. Even though I’m a big knick fan, I still root for you, and I hope you thrive next year playing with Greg, Brandon and LaMarcus.
May 28th, 2008 - 16:34
Hey Channing –
Just saw your website. Yes, Ikea sucks. I went there with my girlfriend and we left in 10 minutes. It was crazy and their stuff stinks.
Anyways, if you like biking, you ought to check out our organization. Westside Transportation Alliance. We are trying to get people to reduce their drive alone trips. With gas so expensive, people need to know the options out there.
We would love to work with you and the Blazers. Please let me know if ya have a minute.
Also, the Knicks were fools for letting you go. You and David Lee were awesome there!
Thanks
Pete
May 28th, 2008 - 16:59
I love you Channing
May 28th, 2008 - 18:12
Hey Channing,
Big fan dude…I love that you’re picking up golf too!! It’s a lot of fun. If you get serious about it, there are a couple more places worth checking out. Mallard Creek down by Lebanon is a lot of fun (but make sure you get a cart) and Elkhorn up the Santiam canyon on the Northfork is really nice. Both of them are only about 2 hours from Portland. Have fun man.
-Sod
May 28th, 2008 - 18:41
Channing,
What were you thinking going to Ikea on a Saturday? You sleep and play video games the whole week and you pick a Saturday to go…haha. That’s the kind of store that is weekdays only.
Also, I’m dying to know what you shoot for 18 holes!
May 28th, 2008 - 22:27
Nice post Channing. You should definitely hit up Orland Park, IL (I live here), apparently it’s the “World’s Golf Center.” Well, that’s what it says on the water tanks.
May 29th, 2008 - 09:29
Oh man…totally agree on the Ikea thing. You know how some people say “Lost” is actually pergatory? I think it’s the Ikea showroom.
The worst part is how they make you go through the whole damned thing. I was looking for a new bed frame, so had to walk through about 45 displays of china sets, overhanging wine glass holders and cheap napkins.
After 30 minutes I reached the bed frames, they were out of the one I wanted, so then I was stuck in the middle of the showroom. Do I walk back the same way? Do I finish the “tour”? I just got in the fetal position and waited for an adult to find me, all the while mumbling “19.95 for a NOT lamp…that’s cheap….cheappp”
May 29th, 2008 - 14:49
Ah Golf, Pumpkin is the shiznit, however go kill a few birds with one stone and go to Sunriver for a little R&R it nice dry high desert heat and you can play 3 nice courses. 56 holes on a nice little 3 day excursion would be nice. By the way the Crosswater course is not fun if you can’t control the ball, it’s called Crosswater for a damn good reason.
Peace
May 30th, 2008 - 00:54
Channing
It is great to see that you are still here in Portland. You must really like Oregon. Most sports stars probably would have left by now to go back to their hometowns.
I been to Ikea on a weekday and it was like a zoo also. Going to Ikea on a Saturday will take more energy than playing Shaq.
Have a great summer here in Portland.
Thanks,
John
June 1st, 2008 - 19:46
Dude, you don’t even know how happy I am to learn that you are still in Oregon. Most of our Blazers hit the road and get out of Oregon. They may say they love this place, but every summer they hit the road and leave. But you. You, Mr. Frye, has stayed. Not to get too weird, but you don’t know how happy you staying and appreciating our state makes me. Just for that, I am going to have another Oregon-brewed IPA just for you. Cheers!
June 2nd, 2008 - 02:11
hey, glad to see you enjoy golf. i’ve been addicted for awhile now too. you should come out to the island greens driving range and practice sometime. and I just want to say i’ve been a fan since your UA days. KPW, Channing! KPW!
June 3rd, 2008 - 14:59
Have you had a chance to play at the Reserve yet?
It is an amazing course and was the main venue of the Senior PGA for quite some time. The south course is really sandy(like 120 sand traps), and the north course is a bit watery, but it is beautiful.
It helps that i get $20 rounds through my work but you should definatly check that out. Maybe i’ll see you out there!