Why Don't More Courses Make Bill Burgers?
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Preparing for my lunch today, I was searching for something related to Olympic and stumbled on Katie Sweeney's slideshow of the Bill Burger stand, with a little background on how this great Olympic Club tradition started (the burger stand is not open during the U.S. Open but they are served in a member's hospitality tent).
The Bill Burger was created in the 1950s by Bill Parish. He opened a trailer outside of the Olympic Club and served golfers hot dogs and hamburgers. Since he didn't want to pay for two different kinds of buns, he made a burger in the shape of a hot dog, and served it in a hot dog bun. The burgers became so popular among the golfers that the Olympic Club invited Bill inside to set up shop along the course.
I can say having had one of these mid-round, actually, mid-tournament round, they are way easier to handle. And we know that's vital as you are playing to minimize disruption.
Thanks to Mike Benham I was reunited today with the Olympic club burger in the members tent and they remain as delicious as I remember.
But back to the topic at hand and in the interest of important social change, why don't more courses borrow Bill's brilliant idea?
If you haven't golfed the Lake Course, you won't have the chance to eat the real thing this weekend because Bill's shack is closed. The USGA is handling all the food concessions, and the little place could never handle the crush.
To make matters worse, the food folks at the Open are serving faux Bill Burgers at some of their big concession locations. Despite their best intentions, it's a poor substitute.
Megan Diaz was out on the course Wednesday and tried one of the faux-burgers.
"Talk about a letdown," said Diaz, following up with the universal game-show sound effect, "Waa-waa-waaa."
Just another excuse to find your way out to Olympic after the Open leaves town.
