Tomorrow is the big day.  After months of training and preparation, all systems are go for the first sportswriting endurance challenge of the young summer. 

Welcome to the second annual Gross Golf Challenge. 

Here's the setting:  Tomorrow is the first day of the Wegmans International LPGA Golf Tournament in Rochester.  The first threesomes will tee off at 7:15 AM one at the first hole, one at the tenth.  The last two threesomes tee off at 2:01 PM.  There will be 48 threesomes in all, made up of the best womens' golfers in the world, including this season's money leaders and LPGA Hall of Famers.  That's 144 golfers in all--a gross, get it? 

My task is simple:  See all of them.  But that's not all.  The average golf tournament round takes a little over four hours to play.  That's my time limit.  240 minutes to watch 144 golfers.   The time limit adds substantially to the difficulty level of the challenge.  In order to see the 2:01 PM golfers, I can't start the Gross Golf Challenge until after 10:00, which means the 7:15 AM golfers will be coming down the home stretch--on opposite ends of the course. 

In the early going, maintaining a clear path around the clubhouse--traditionally the most congested area of the golf course--will be crucial.  On opposite sides of the clubhouse are the tees on one, which will allow me to get a head start on the golfers making the turn at 10:00, and the greens on 18 & 9, which is where the 7:15 golfers will be finishing up.  Any gawking crowds or overly officious security guards could cause a stray golfer to slip through the cracks and end the challenge early.  The clubhouse will also come into play as the day wears on, because the media tent is on the fourth side, which will be my source for Gatorade (hydrate or die) and turkey sandwiches. 

Once I get caught up on the early golfers, the difficulty level of the challenge drops dramatically.  Simply walking the course backwards will allow me to knock off the late starters.   Assuming, of course, I have the endurance to finish.  It starts off as a sprint, but ends as a marathon. 

A few ground rules: 
1.  I need to watch each golfer hit at least one complete regulation shot.  That means I need to see club hit ball and ball land.  Putts are acceptable.
2.  I need to know who the golfer is before the shot is taken.  None of this "watch all three golfers hit & then check off that threesome" garbage.  I need to make a positive identification before she begins her backswing to have the shot count.
3.  Technology restrictions:  Shots seen through Binoculars or telephoto lenses are acceptable, shots seen on TV monitors are not. 
4.  Identification restrictions:  A small percentage of golfers can be identified just by their faces--Nancy Lopez, Meg Mallon, and, of course, the hotties (Natalie Gulbis, Jennifer Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Jennifer Rosales).  For the rest, a golf bag, scoring sign, or color coded caddy smock will need to be identified before the shot. 

That's my mission.  I choose to accept it.  Last year's inaugural Gross Golf Challenge was a resounding success.  Can I repeat?  I have my sunscreen, my media badge, and two copies of the course map and schedule of tee times (because...well...sweat).  I'm trained.  I'm tan.  I'm ready.  It's the most exciting four hours in sports.  Tune in tomorrow for a full report.