I have CLEAR but rarely need to use it. There may be a time or two when I’ve been able to save some time skipping ahead of the TSA Pre line but not really that often. I can’t speak to DFW and it may be really beneficial there. I fly out of PHX and AUS most often and, at least in my experience, CLEAR isn’t a real benefit in those airports. In fact, in AUS, I think it usually takes longer to get through security than the normal TSA Pre line.
Assuming the SEC champion is ranked No. 1, the CFP has already said it's going to the Sugar Bowl this year. In fact, the only way the SEC champ doesn't go to the Sugar Bowl is if the Big 12 champ is ranked ahead of it.
About the 12-Team CFP Format
The Swindells live in Houston. The 29 year old daughter lives in Austin. How exactly does one hypothesize that the daughter is trying to escape her mother?
Loved Siena. We were there when the Tartuca (tortoise) contrade was doing its parade around the city center and toured the Civetta (little owl) contrada's museum. I find the whole contrada thing strangely fascinating. If you want a good laugh, check out the video of the Palio race from last August. So uniquely Siena.
August 2023 Palio
Hope you enjoy it. We just got back from two weeks in Italy and spent three night in Florence. That was about two nights too many for me. Way too crowded for my tastes. Lake Como, on the other hand, magical.
The thing I always notice about ABIA is that the CLEAR lines are way longer and slower than TSA Pre. My wife and I flew out of ABIA two weekends ago and she insisted on using the CLEAR line. I got through the TSA Pre line in about 5 minutes. Literally took her 20 minutes for CLEAR. It always seems to be like that at ABIA, though.
Kinda true for mornings. June is great because the sun comes up out here by 5:15, so you can workout, hike or do whatever early and it’s not too bad. I know guys that will have played 18 holes by 9:30. With that said, the summer sucks and there’s no way around it. My biggest issue with it is actually nights. Days are consistently 108-115. That wears on you but whatever. The thing is, the temp is still like 98 and will feel like over 100 at 9:00 or 10:00 pm. So you don’t get a break from the heat when the sun goes down. That’s what I really hate. And nights don’t cool into the 70’s until around Halloween.
We’ve been here 9 years. It’s not a bad place to live. If anything it’s kind of an easy place to live. I don’t love it and want to get back to Texas, but there are a lot worse places. I will say that you’ll never see a more beautiful sunrise or sunset than in AZ.
NOMAAA isn’t wrong about the drivers.
Coupe of other thoughts on merchandise:
1. The merchandise building is a little overwhelming. You're going to be shopping with what feels like 5000 other people jammed in there with unlimited options on shirts, caps, sweatshirts and literally everything else you can think of. Have a list of people with sizes you need to buy for. You'll end up buying more, but make sure you have your must buy list with you.
2. They have shirts hanging on hangers in the middle of each room and you'll be tempted to grab those for ease. Don't. Decide what shirt you want and then go to the counters where you'll get the same shirt but which is folded in a beautiful clear plastic Masters bag. Much easier to pack and much nicer to give to friends/family than one on a hanger.
3. They have mini merch stands around most of the concession areas on the course with limited selection of caps, flags, t-shirts and stuff like that. If you forget somebody or, like me, decide "you know, I need another three caps and a couple of flags for the hell of it", they're very handy so you don't have to wait in line for the main merch building after you've been in there.
4. The line for the merchandise building is always long. It's like a Disneyland line for a popular ride on a holiday weekend. I wouldn't look at the line and say "we'll come back." Get it over with.
The north gate is the better entrance and will funnel you by the range and then merch store. It's not a tent - it's a beautiful building. They allow you one re-entry each day, so we always take our merch back to the car. You can also ship it onsite if you want. Definitely go first thing and get it over with.
Other random thoughts:
1. If you're going with buddies or just more than one person, be sure and wear a wrist watch and pick a "when we get separated meet here" spot. It can be really easy to get separated - especially around the clubhouse - and you won't have your phone to text/call.
2. Spend time around the big oak tree by the clubhouse. It really is cool. Since you'll be there Tuesday, and if you stay around basically until they kick you out, you'll see a lot of the past champions under the tree before the Champions Dinner. Last year we just stared at Scottie and Crenshaw talking for 20 minutes before the security guard politely told us that we didn't have to go home, but we had to leave the premises.
3. We walked down to Amen Corner around 5:15 after all the players were off the course. It was the most beautiful and peaceful time I've ever had on a golf course. It was awesome. Just soaking in the beauty the course at that time of day was spectacular.
Have fun. It's the best.
Fun fact - if it was up to the bowls, they'd require the participating schools to contractually buy way more tickets than they do now. As it is, the bowls enter into contracts with conferences - not individual schools - and the conferences are the ones who have limited the contractual requirement on ticket allotment at the request of their schools. Most schools lose their ass on ticket allotments, which is why conferences pushed back on ticket allotment numbers and reduced them to 13,000 (from 17,500) during the last round of contract negotiations in 2014 for the New Years Six bowls.