It seems like a perfect fit: Vacationing golfers, playing 18-36 holes a day and wearing out their aching feet - followed by a rejuvenating pedicure in the hotel spa. Believe it or not, the service remains largely untapped by the male golfing demographic, especially here in Myrtle Beach (I asked an employee at a salon how often golfers come in for pedicures, and he looked at me like I’d just asked if he thought “fanny packs” were making a comeback). Apparently it’s manly to get a full body massage, but a Vietnamese woman on her knees giving your feet some ...

There are certain underdog golf destinations I can’t help but root for as they try and gain attention among the many heavyweights like Arizona, Scotland and Myrtle Beach. Like Poland, for example. I suppose you can’t really call a country of 40 million people and only about a dozen regulation courses a ‘golf destination’. But they’re doing what they can to bring the game to the masses in central Europe. Possibly the biggest step towards gaining international exposure recently was recently announced: Krakow Valley Golf & C.C. just scored a Senior European Tour event for the May of 2008. It’s the ...

Probably the most rewarding thing about a round of golf - other than a roped 240-yard 3-wood over water to six feet - is when you are a witness to nature in action. Dataw Island is a small coastal community near Beaufort, SC. I’m still not all that sure where it is exactly, but you pass over a bunch of bridges to get there. It’s a small, friendly community where everyone waves when they pass one another on the road. The posted speed limit is 30 mph, but going any faster than 25 doesn’t feel right. The private Cotton Dike ...

There have been occasions during my time as a writer at WorldGolf.com where I have suggested that walking a golf course is a superior experience over riding. It’s an argument that generally sparks passionate comments from each side. As of today, I am dismissing my favor of walking and siding with the riding set. Yes, I’m flip-flopping faster than a line cook at I-HOP. The change in heart, you ask? This morning I arrived to Hilton Head Island and was greeted with high-70 temps and not a cloud in the sky. Getting ready to tee off on the Hills Course ...

Forbes Magazine released its Top 20 Earners under 25 this week. Finishing 4th with an estimated $19 million in earnings from June 2006 thru June 2007 was 19-year-old Michelle Wie. She had an estimated $16 million in endorsements during this time. Wie finished behind Lebron James ($27 mill), Reggie Bush ($25 mill) and Maria Sharapova ($23 mill). Some young women she finished ahead of include the Olsen twins ($17 mill), Hilary Duff ($13 mill), Avril Lavigne ($12 mill) and Lindsey Lohan ($3.5 Mill).

WorldGolf.com reader Rick has written to us asking for advice on how to book a long weekend in Myrtle Beach for his bachelor party of twelve this February. Rick is looking for middle-range courses not too far from Myrtle Beach, because they would rather take cabs than rent a car. First off Rick, be sure to go with a golf package, which will especially fit larger groups like yours. The courses that probably fit you best are mid-range courses like Myrtle Beach National’s West and Southcreek (I like West more, personally because it’s more wide-open and driver-friendly). Myrtlewood and Waterway ...

Donald Trump’s proposed $2 billion resort is going to be built somewhere - if not in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Northern Ireland appears willing to fill the void, according to this story from the BBC. A representative from North Antrim in Northern Ireland would welcome discussions with Trump for the sake of building the resort in his county. “This area (North Antrim) already has a number of very good golf courses,” said Robert Coulter, MLA for North Antrim. “And as a largely rural constituency has plenty of room for another. It also has a stunning coastline like Aberdeenshire. I’d be only too ...

I’m always sure to check the reader reviews of golf courses on our WorldGolf.com network, looking to see if anyone’s recently reviewed a course I’ve played in my travels. I use it as a sort of barometer really, ensuring that despite my lofty status as an internet golf writer, I’m still grounded and speaking consistently with You: the golfing proletariat. I especially perk up when I see a new entry from a course I played growing up, and Hon Min’s review of Brookside Golf Course near my hometown of Ann Arbor, Michigan brought back some great memories. Min rated Brookside ...

Is anyone else fascinated by how each State in the Union has their own interpretations of how to distribute liquor to its citizens in a responsible manner? I’ve been in Myrtle Beach about a year now trying to comprehend South Carolina’s odd regulations, and I would like to offer a primer to any golfer who will be visiting for the first time. I would hate to see any of you go thirsty and sober due to negligence. First of all, the only place you can buy hard liquor - other than a bar/restaurant - is at an “ABC Package Store". ...

Myrtle Beach has a dizzying tee time rate structure. Courses have up to a dozen different rates based on the time of year. But right now during the holidays is probably the best combination of price and weather. Tee time operators report the courses really slow down during the holidays, filled with mostly local players. It seems the golf foursome takes a back seat to all those family obligations this time of year. So courses are practically giving away their tee times through the New Year. You can get on some solid bargain courses for less than $40 right now ...

Perhaps golf is clean of performance-enhancing drugs after all. How else could you explain its failure to be made an official sport at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, it was recently voted down. Phil Mickelson is supporting Olympic golf as he tees it up in Singapore. It seems the committee doesn’t have much of a desire for a legitimate, honorable sport these days. The Games’ credibility is getting worse and worse. Just look at this Wikipedia entry detailing every scandal in 2004. There are plenty of instances of performance-enhancing drugs. The Olympics are becoming a joke - full of ...

It’s hard to believe such a renowned landmark like the Dunes Golf & Beach Club could ever be in jeopardy of not making it. But believe it or not, its place as a forefather in what has become one of the biggest golf destinations in the world wasn’t a given. This day 60 years ago, local Myrtle Beach businessmen met in Chapin’s Cabin just off of where the 11th now sits. They wanted more recreational options in town and decided a golf & beach club on this property would be a good start. The early going was rough for the club. ...

TravelGolf.com’s Chris Baldwin’s recent newsletter on how Arizona desert golf is harder than just about everywhere else in America poses the question: What is the world’s hardest golf destination? I have a hard time believing it’s the Valley of the Sun or similar desert golf. The only desert golf I’ve played is in Las Vegas and it wasn’t remarkably more difficult. In fact, Bali Hai Golf Club has fairways so wide, if the pilot of a 747 happened to miss its landing strip across the street at McCarran International Airport, it wouldn’t think twice about touching down on one of ...

This Sunday afternoon on the High Stakes Golf Tour airing on ESPN, 20 players will be putting up $250,000 each in a two-man best ball tournament. 19 of the players are Y-Chromosomes. The one woman who thinks she has the cojones to beat these high rollers? Janet Jones, former actress and dancer and wife of Wayne Gretzky. She’s teamed up with jack-of-all-trades Vince Van Patten. It’s a bit of a head-turner, hanging out at Bali Hai practice green and seeing a score of middle-aged guys with five o’clock shadows and big egos. Then among chatterboxes like Phil Hellmuth is one unassuming, blonde ...

David Leadbetter is mouthing off “woulda coulda shouldas” to the press again regarding his phenom-turned-Titanic. That’s in his words, by the way. After suggesting to the press that Michelle Wie shouldn’t play mens tournaments earlier this summer, now he’s going public analyzing her dreadful 2007 season. This coming from the Toronto Globe and Mail: “If she hadn’t played those [men’s] tournaments, then everybody would have considered 2006 her best season yet,” Wie’s swing coach, David Leadbetter, who had made his opinions known to her and her family, said Monday from his home in Orlando. “It was absolute madness for her ...

Sometimes all it takes is beating the world’s most dominant golfer heads up to end a streak of 86 events without a title. Sure it’s the “silly season", but Mike Weir is surely giddy over his performance over the last month - first beating Tiger Woods in a pretty-close-to-meaningless match at the Presidents Cup - now winning the Frys Open. When Weir won The Masters in 2003, he was touted as a possible Top 10 mainstay. Well, he’s barely been on the radar since his win at the 2004 Nissan Open. On a side note, it was nice to see ...

Tiger’s grilling brats with Roger Federer on his yacht somewhere between Gatorade endorsement mega-deals. Ernie Els is giving pre-game rugby pep talks apparently. Yep, it’s about that time for golf’s “silly season". There is one new addition this year, but it isn’t PGA Tour affiliated. It’s the new High Stakes Golf Tour, scheduled to air this Saturday and next on ESPN. There are no scratch golfers in the two-day event. In fact, most of them are pretty terrible. Some are allowed to use a tee on every shot. They’re mostly poker players like Phil Helmuth, Doyle Brunson and Phil Ivey ...

When a friend of mine who lives in Charleston suggested we watch Thursday night college football at Moe’s, I thought, “Why would we want to watch a football game at a southwestern grill?” Moe’s Downtown Tavern isn’t the chain restaurant you go to for takeout fajitas - and when we asked the front desk where Moe’s was, that’s the direction they pointed us in, so be specific when you ask. Moe’s is a great place to watch sports, eat dinner, drink beers and talk trash to opposing fans, but everyone in there - actually everyone in Charleston - is really ...

The family building a home to the right of the 11th hole at Coosaw Creek in North Charleston couldn’t possibly be golfers. Only about half of home owners on golf courses play golf. The other half simply enjoy the open green spaces behind them and the higher resale values. But since they don’t understand that 90% golfers hit at least five or six stray Scud missiles during a round, it’s hard to know they’re sitting ducks. Coosaw’s middle tees are only 6000 yards, and the backs are 6500 yards but a sneaky-hard slope of 140, so most mid-handicappers are tempted ...

Donald Trump is back in Scotland and the site of his proposed golf resort just north of Aberdeen, and the Scotsman has a very detailed report of current happenings. The $2 million project continues to face opposition. When I visited the location last October, Trump officials hoped it would have been green-lighted by June and construction would have begun by now, but it continues to be held up by those pesky nature conservationists. The Scottish Wildlife Trust says the course would do irreversible damage to the dunesland, which is a Site of Specific Scientific Interest. Local businesses, including nearby golf ...

Call me blind, call me naive. Sorry Gary Player, I just don’t see steroids as a problem in golf. Not now, not in the foreseeable future. Tour pro Charley Hoffman agreed with me, as we trolled the fairways at the Viking Classic Pro-Am at Annandale (actually he was in the fairway, I was looking for my ball O.B. around some little girl’s lemonade stand). “I think the PGA Tour was pressured into it,” he said. “I don’t think steroids are being used out here. It’s not a problem.” Actually, he said something way funnier off-the-record I can’t use (maybe I’ll tell ...

Detroit has had three temporary casinos since the late 1990s, but its first full-blown casino-hotel opened opened this week at the new MGM Grand. Building permanent, Vegas-style casino-hotels have always been the master plan and in 2007 its finally coming to fruition. There are three casinos downtown, the Greektown Casino and Motor City Casino being the other two (they will open permanent casino-hotels next fall). It was all part of a desperate plan to try and revitalize the gloomy downtown that saw its population - and money - head towards Oakland County over the last two decades. But there ...

All this talk about how the Presidents Cup actually features a better field than the Ryder Cup, and how it’s more of a worldly event and should get more publicity than its more famous competition is omitting one major factor as to why it will never be as big of a deal: There’s no Sergio Garcia. Okay, it’s not just Sergio, but the whiny, waggle-happy, yellow pants cry baby is the icon to use. The American Sports Fan just can’t get riled up about the International Team like the Europeans. To bemoan about 6/7’s of the world’s landmass would be ...

I like a good sports blooper as much as the next guy. And Woody Austin’s tumble into a creek at the Presidents Cup today made Jean Van de Velde’s bare-legged folly at Carnoustie seem civilized. But while we all pile on the American Team’s dunce, let’s not forget the true character in Austin, who shook off hilarious heckles of “Marco! Polo!” from Canadian fans to finish with three birdies and halve his match Friday versus the Internationals. Austin is known for snapping his putter from excessive head-butting and ill-advised Tiger Woods comments But his clutch, three-birdie performance in his first ...

Five pleasant surprises from my maiden voyage to Biloxi, Mississippi: 1. Hard Rock Hotel: I’m not big on “themed” properties like the Venetian in Las Vegas or Legends in concert in Myrtle Beach that features Elvis and Garth Brooks look-a-likes (although Medieval Times rules, but only if you dress up as a peasant and take a girl on a first date there). When I’m at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Biloxi, I find how the front desk answers the phone, “How may I ‘rock’ your world” a little cheesy…but the rooms at this joint are fantastic. I’m used ...

On paper, the International Team for the Presidents Cup looks stronger than the 2006 European Ryder Cup team that laid a serious beat down on the U.S. There are more Top 20 players in the field this week than at the Ryder Cup. After Thursday’s opening matches in Montreal, it looks like an early route for the U.S., who didn’t lose a single match to lead by five points. Down in Mississippi Wednesday, I played in the Viking Classic Pro-Am with American up-and-comer Charley Hoffman. He’s never played in the Ryder Cup or President’s Cup, but it’s a goal of ...

This morning I woke up to belt sanders and screaming carpenters. It’s that time of year when the condo I live in gets a makeover. It’s great for resale value and probably keeps the homeless from thinking it’s abandoned. But I don’t own the unit, so all I know is that my door has wet paint on it and I can’t sleep in past 8 a.m. So I ended up coming into the office unusually early and got a lot of blank stares from co-workers who aren’t used to my presence while on their first cup of coffee. This isn’t ...

The most significant difference that separates humans from all other earthly life forms is the consciousness of how we dispense bodily waste. It is unacceptable among social circles to relieve ourselves voluntarily - the lone exception being the baby pool. Scientists also confirm the theory of evolution cannot be proven until a family of monkeys is seen using a toilet not under duress or in a circus, but out of their own free will. This chasm causes a culture clash among humans and the rest of the animal kingdom in many walks of life. The battle is prevalent in our ...

I’ve been saying since January that I don’t care if the University of Michigan football goes 1-11 this year, as long as that one “W” is finally vs. Ohio State. I didn’t know that was a real possibility. As we await Saturday’s marquee Tickle Fight between 0-2 laughing stocks Michigan and Notre Dame, this could be the first year Michigan doesn’t have a winning record in a long, long time. At least Michigan isn’t to the sad level of Notre Dame yet. They dumped a good coach in Tyrone Willingham in favor of immediate results from a video-taping sidelines cheater: ...

Phil Mickelson is the cause of most of my golf-related mood swings lately. While some browse the internet for hours looking for Britney Spears VMA reaction or suggesting substances to test on Willitblend.com, I’m usually up all night trying to decide whether I like Phil’s candid demeanor and go-for-broke playing style - or loathe the fact that his game between the ears have led to a decade of a mostly empty rivalry between him and Tiger Woods - a rivalry that could have been one of the best ever. The origins of my Mickelson obsession came when I was reporting ...

I don’t think I’ve ever had a conversation with another American on US soil about the Walker Cup. In three visits to the UK and Ireland in the last year, I was engaged in banter almost daily about it with Brits or Irish or Scots, and my contributions were generally far less insightful. It’s a shame the Walker Cup isn’t on the hearts and minds as much over here. It’s one of the great amateur matches and spotlights some of the budding stars of tomorrow. Tiger Woods played in the 1995 Walker Cup at Royal Porthcawl. Of course, it’s ...

Only in the World Amateur Handicap Championships can a high-handicapper whose swing is fluid as a Tourette’s attack beat out nearly 4,000 other golfers to win a $650 prize and a trophy as big as the Stanley Cup. I’ll admit, I never saw winner June Wang’s swing this week, but who among us lower-handicaps have witnessed a 27.5-handicap’s swing that didn’t cause instant indigestion? The World Am isn’t really designed for us single-digit handicappers to win the overall crown. In the tournament’s 24-year history, a single-digit handicap has won the overall title only twice. Even still, it’s a great ...

I was surprised to discover the 19th hole at the World Amateur Handicap Championships in Myrtle Beach is a lot like the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando - only with loads of free alcohol and fewer saleswomen in cheerleader outfits. Some big names in golf were on hand. Dave Pelz had an entire army of minions selling short game secrets. Annika Sorenstam made an appearance for Cutter & Buck, much like she did in Orlando. There is a big demo area on the left end where all the big manufacturers are selling drivers. In the middle of the expo floor, ...

Take 120 players competing in stroke play split into foursomes (most holes have an A and B group) and put them on a Pete Dye-designed course and you’ve got a recipe for a tidy and efficient 6.5-hour round of golf. Such was the case today at the Dye Barefoot course in the World Amateur Handicap Championships. Many of the Grand Strand’s 100-plus golf courses usually pack foursomes in pretty good on any day (I play more five-hour casual rounds here than anywhere else in the world) but the World Amateur makes the illusion of a five-hour round of golf feel ...

Some professional athletes cheat with steroids, amateur golfers sandbag. The World Amateur Handicap Championship in Myrtle Beach is notorious for “sandbaggers". I’ve been analyzing some scores, online at the World Am website and also at the 19th hole. I’ve been talking to participants from various flights, getting their opinion on whether their particular flight is tainted with these scoundrels. The general consensus seems to be the higher the flight, the higher the sandbagger infestation. This makes sense. The higher you say your handicap is, the easier it is to score better than expected. For instance, WorldGolf.com’s resident duffer Chris Baldwin ...

While critics shed their two cents on the controversial new FedEx Cup playoffs, 3,778 die-hard amateur golfers have bigger things on their minds: The PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championships, starting Monday morning. The “World Am” is amateur golf’s greatest spectacle: a four-day event spread out over 70 Myrtle Beach-area courses. It’s a tried-and-true tournament with a fanatic, loyal following. Golfers of all abilities have a shot at winning the overall prize, from scratch golfers to 36.4 handicaps. Then there is the famous “World’s largest 19th hole” that takes place each night at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. It’s part ...

I’m thumbing through the new Golf Magazine World Top 100 Ranking. I like the world rankings better than the U.S. version, because just about all of the world courses offer at least limited public play, versus the private-heavy American list that only helps to justify why country clubs can demand $100K initiation to new members because of it’s ranking. This also explains why I’ve played so many more top world courses than the American ones. Of course, we all know these rankings, despite all the mathematical categories involved, aren’t perfect. How do you judge man-made, multi-million dollar marvels like Whistling ...

I know Barclays and the PGA Tour are feeling slighted this week as Tiger Woods ditches the inaugural event of the FedEx Cup, making it just another second-tier tournament on the schedule Tiger won’t compete in, so he can sail his yacht or sky dive or whatever a young bazillionaire does on an off week. Of course, the most insulting thing about Tiger’s WD is that he’ll probably still win the FedEx Cup despite missing the first event. Maybe in 2008, if the FedEx Cup is still around, he’ll try to win after withdrawing from the first two. But before ...

Wales is self-admittedly not as developed as a global tourist destination compared to Scotland, Ireland and England. It’s a trade many towns and hotels are learning as they go. “Wales is what Scotland and Ireland were twenty years ago,” is a common saying used around here. Tour operators tell me B&B’s in particular can be hit-and-miss: four and five-star joints are usually top-notch, while others offer little more than a room and tell you where the kitchen is. That’s a far cry from Ireland, where every other house on any road you drive down is a B&B, and most have ...

Wales has some considerable ground to make up before becoming a formidable rival to neighboring Scotland and Ireland’s golf tourism, especially with North Americans. I haven’t run into any others here in five days and most clubs tell me few pass through, though they do see a little more than before. With their first Ryder Cup three years away, the future looks bright for golf in Wales, not only with tourism but within their own ranks. If the amount of kids I’ve seen embracing the game at local clubs is any kind of foreshadowing, this little nook of the U.K. ...

In discussions I’ve had with other golf industry people about Wales, one particular course has come up more than any other. It isn’t Ryder Cup host Celtic Manor or the country’s most prestigious links Royal Porthcawl. “Be sure to see Pennard,” they all said. In a recent interview with architect Tom Doak, he named it among his five best “undiscovered links” in the Isles (to put things in perspective, he considers Scotland’s out-of-the-way Machrihanish closer to mainstream than hidden). I finally saw Pennard Golf Club today and was blown away. The course opened in 1896 and seems to have bypassed ...

Wales desperately wants to host the world’s top international golf events. So much so, they built the first golf course specifically designed for the Ryder Cup Matches - which will come to the country for the first time in 2010 at the Celtic Manor Resort. It even bears the transparent name: the “Ryder Cup Course". The design was a collaboration of minds from the European PGA, architects and tour pros and can max out at over 7,500 yards. The goal was to create a spectator-friendly, drama-filled golf course with an exciting finish full of strategic options. Officials describe the ...

Welsh Tour operators tell me roughly 90% of their guests have been on a Scotland or Ireland golf trip before Wales. It’s stiff competition in the British Isles, and this country, on the southwest end of England is making more and more noise. There is no shortage of golf here: over 200 courses in a country of about 3 million people. 19th century links like Royal Porthcawl, Tenby and Pennard are as old as nearly anywhere, and I’ve heard great things. They’re also much cheaper than heavier-trafficked Scottish and Irish courses. The Celtic Manor Resort, which will host the ...

The WGC Bridgestone Invitational wasn’t the only big win for Tiger Woods Sunday. He also won ESPN’s Who’s Now?, an interactive quest to determine the world’s most “now” athlete. I’m not the first blogger to rip Who’s Now? Kiel Christianson whined about the coverage cutting into his essential Brewers-Marlins highlights two weeks ago. But his complaints were of taste. Mine are of deceit, foul play, and possibly the greatest triumph of marketing since P.T. Barnum. Viewers of SportsCenter will note Tiger won, while Lebron James finished in second. Both finalists of course are products of The Swoosh. Look, we can ...

Tadd Fujikawa and Michelle Wie shared common youthful dreams: escaping the grim, hopeless prison of the Hawaiian Islands for a brighter future in pro golf. Wie’s path - after a promising start - has been rocky, which is more than Fuji can say so far. 16-year-old munchkin Fujikawa made his first PGA Tour appearance as a professional this week at the Reno-Tahoe Open. He shot an opening 6-over - which is worse than it sounds given how easy the course was playing and considering the Tour’s better golfers are duking it out with Tiger at Firestone - not with Dicky ...

I’ve been silent on the “Steroids in Golf” debate. Mostly because it isn’t so much a “debate” as it is a blind witch hunt. All of this coverage seems to have been fabricated and forced by the press in search of a gritty tour underbelly that doesn’t exist. There is no precedent that suggests golf is as tainted as baseball or cycling. There is very little reason to believe the integrity of the game is somehow being compromised by performance-enhancing drugs. Gary Player’s comments at the British Open were horribly ill-timed and I’ve got to side with his perturbed countryman ...

It’s a groundbreaking week for pro women’s golf. The Women’s British Open is being hosted on the Old Course at St. Andrews for the first time in history. Shortly after the U.S. Women’s Open earlier this summer, I predicted a breakthrough major victory for World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa this week. Why? Well, the Old Course is a long-bombers course (just look at Tiger’s two titles here, John Daly’s also) and the Ocho is a beast off the tee. Also, people always point to her tendencies to pull tee shots under pressure. Well, the Old Course is her kind of ...

LPGA bombshell Natalie Gulbis won’t have to hear the “Yeah she’s cute, but she’s not a winner” comments anymore. Gulbis beat Jeong Jang in a one-hole playoff to ice her first win at the Evian Masters Sunday. Not only did the 24-year-old Gulbis win, it was one of the LPGA’s top fields: Ochoa, Sorenstam, Pressel, just about all the top-flight golfers were competing and she beat them all out. She never lead the tournament until Sunday, when she shot a 2-under 70 to force a playoff. Ochoa, Ji-Yai Shin and Julie Inkster all finished one back.

I am looking for a prospective partner to help design and market a new golf invention that will revolutionize the way we all practice. Here’s my pitch: So I’m at the range yesterday, bangin’ balls, and I realize I’ve reached the bottom of my bucket before I’m satisfied with my swing. Who hasn’t had this problem? You don’t want to go buy a whole new bucket - you just want to hit a dozen more shots. You already checked the top of the ball machine to see if it’s unlocked…but it’s not. If you want more balls, you’re gonna have ...

Has anyone seen trailers for Who’s Your Caddy yet? I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to go. Finally, an urban Caddyshack for the IPod generation. From the looks of the preview, it seems like it uses the fresh premise of: Black guy for some reason finds himself out of place in white man’s world - white man looks disgusted at black man’s unwillingness to fit in. They haven’t given away the ending, but my guess is the white man realizes black people are in fact good people, even if they are late to their tee times and ...

Did you make sure to check the refund policy when you ran out and bought a “belly putter” this weekend after watching it perform miracles on Sergio Garcia’s maligned putting game at the British Open this week at Carnoustie? Of course, the belly putter, like all other putters, has no cure for the timid mind. And Garcia missed numerous short putts on Sunday including an 18th-hole lip-out that would have clinched the Open and his first major. His putting was the most under the microscope this week, but in the end it was Garcia’s extremely conservative approach that likely doomed ...

We here at WorldGolf.com have been whining plenty recently about the American Dollar’s weakness in Europe and the British Isles. But honestly, this currency ineptitude is hurting my self esteem a little. I haven’t been to my old stomping ground Canada in years and to hear we’re almost equal makes me want to send some NHL teams back to Winnipeg and Quebec. The other day, I had to toss a quarter onto the sidewalk in front of some kids just to be reassured my money is still worth something. But that doesn’t mean British Open courses are out of reach ...

Just when you thought kids were growing up too fast…a new study on MSNBC is reporting fewer teenagers are having sex these days compared to 2005. Surprised? Not me. How could teenagers possibly have the time for sex when the majority of them are chasing the lucrative dream of earning their very own tour card? Things sure have changed since I was in high school. My friends and I all shared the dream of trying to extend curfew past midnight. Now kids are spending their weekends tracking down Phil Knight’s people for a sponsorship. At least I’m not a ...

This week’s Scottish Open host Loch Lomond Golf Club is revered as arguably the top parkland course in all of Europe. As of this spring however, it has company right down the street. Sharing the beautiful loch waters and Ben Lomond mountain backdrop is the new Carrick course. It’s open for its first full summer this year. I had a chance to preview about eight holes in the fall and was blown away. I didn’t get a chance to play Loch Lomond G.C., but I can’t imagine it being a whole lot better than the Carrick. Unlike Loch Lomond G.C., ...

I’ve never been to Hawaii, but I’ve come to the conclusion there is something in the dewy-sweet air, or maybe the lush, volcanic vegetation that drives its native teenagers completely insane. How else you could explain my MySpace friend Tadd Fujikawa, someone I thought was a reasonable, grounded young adult jumping at the chance to go pro at 16? Apparently the USGA, the PGA or someone needs a rule in writing you have to hit puberty before opting pro. This is getting ridiculous. This ironically coming just weeks after fellow Hawaiian and teen phenom Michelle Wie’s low point as a ...

Today I was watching one of those cable TV business channels and all these whacked out, hyperactive balding guys were reporting that the U.S. Dollar had dropped to new lows against the Euro. Again. We’re talking about $1.37 to one measley Euro. Kind of sad, right? Isn’t America supposed to be the biggest, baddest country in the history of the universe? Doesn’t seem like it. The French are using a fresh US note to carry their baguettes in. Europeans are flocking to America to buy golf equipment like America shuttles its seniors to Canada for cheap meds. It’s a little ...

I’ve never been to a pro golf tournament I wasn’t assigned to cover. The reason is simple: if my Saturday activity is going to certainly result in a nasty farmer’s tan, I’m golfing myself. Maybe afterwards I’ll catch the back nine action on TV with some hot wings and Dr. Pepper. But thousands of people pay money to see pro events so I guess there must be some appeal to watching it live. I’ll admit I’d probably go to an event for leisure once in awhile too (although I don’t know if I could leave my cell phone in the ...

The TravelGolf.com This Week podcast is one of the web’s most professionally produced. But sometimes even the good shows phone it in for a segment or two. Such was the case on this week’s This Week. Host Dave Berner and guest TravelGolf.com blogger T.R. Massey attack the true villains of the golf course. Yes, these two grown men make radio magic as they crusade against (drumrollllll): jean shorts on golf courses. Earth-shattering, I know. I’ve seen O’Reilly Factors with better arguments. I hope these classy gentlemen feel better about themselves now that they’ve belittled the segment of the sport who ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Someone in the radar department may have dropped the ball at Pine Needles Saturday - and No. 1 in the World Lorena Ochoa was almost cooked by lightning. Play was expected to be delayed most of the day Saturday due to thunderstorms. To everyone’s surprise, there wasn’t one interruption. But just as dusk set in on Southern Pines, a storm snuck in with it. It caught everyone off-guard - and there was a mad scramble to get everyone off the course and inside. Cristie Kerr was in the outdoor interview area just beyond the 18th green ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - Many thought the winner of this week’s U.S. Women’s Open would be a someone who’d proven herself on the LPGA Tour, but had yet to win a major. It happened, but she just wasn’t the player everyone expected. American Cristie Kerr out-dueled World No. 1 Lorena Ochoa Sunday to finish on top of the leaderboard at 5-under-par here at Pine Needles and win the U.S. Women’s Open Championship, her first major. Ochoa, the hands-on gallery favorite, was also looking for her first major, but key mistakes late in her round Sunday cost her the title. It was Kerr’s 10th ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – 35 South Koreans in the field, and the one who inspired them all is the leader in the clubhouse on Sunday. Se Ri Pak fired back-to-back 68s to finish currently in 3rd. The new generation will have to wait, as veterans Kerr and Ochoa duke it out down the stretch. Ji-Yai Shin, who lead at the beginning of the day, has fallen back to even. Recaps tonight on WorldGolf.com

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – For sponsors who may have ducked away from signing Lorena Ochoa to lucrative endorsement deals because she’s a soft-spoken, humble Mexican, they may want to do some market research. In the final round today with two blonde Americans, when the world’s No. 1 was announced on the first tee, she received the loudest ovation easily. Fans love Lorena - even in the conservative, white southeastern U.S. More accurately, fans anywhere embrace greatness. Ochoa also made an early statement with a birdie on the first hole. Despite the tees back about 15 yards compared to yesterdays ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Lorena Ochoa enjoyed the day off due to bad weather Friday. “I slept in. I watched a movie, we played some cards at home. That was the idea, just to be away from golf and not think too much.” Ochoa needed the rest. She won a playoff last week and was busy in Mexico the week before. She barely missed an opening eagle chip to start her third round, but carded a 3-under 32 to move one off the pace. She was plenty confident heading into the afternoon round: “Hopefully my name means something on the ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Ji-yai Shin doesn’t have the look of a would-be U.S. Open champion. In fact, I want to pick her up and take her home with me. She’s adorable. Compared to most of the other South Koreans, she struggles with English. When you ask questions, she confers with her caddie then gives a brief, polite answer. “How do you plan to prepare between rounds today?” I asked. Confers with caddie…"I’m hungry…I want to eat.” smiles. But don’t let her bashfulness fool you. As an 18-year-old rookie in 2006, she destroyed the field in the KLPGA. She won ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – All this “South Korean dominance” talk has all been very premature at the U.S. Women’s Open. They’re fading fast. Currently, only one South Korean is within three shots of the lead. The rest are falling to 1-over and higher. That said, most of them are sitting at or above the cut line. The story? How about a 1-2 South American punch? Brazil’s Angela Park (who has Korean parents) and Paraguay’s Julieta Granada are rolling. Who knew south of the equator was such a powerhouse - and this, coming on the heels of Angel Cabrera’s U.S. Open ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Michelle Wie has withdrawn from another event - this time the U.S. Women’s Open at Pine Needles. She said she started feeling pain after a drive on the 17th (her 8th). When she teed off on her 10th hole, she decided enough was enough. “It was enough to bring tears to my eyes,” said Wie. “Which is hard to do.” Wie used the phrase “work in progress” numerous times, referring to the healing process of her wrist. She faced missing the cut for the first time in 15 majors at 17-over with nine holes to play ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – If you thought Michelle Wie had played herself out of discussion at the U.S. Women’s Open, well that’s just naive. Beginning yesterday, there was a buzz at Pine Needles amid fans and reporters, taking bets on who will finish higher between Wie and 12-year-old Alexis Thompson. That isn’t the first time this “rivalry” has been brought up. On ESPN’s Pardon the Interruption this week, Wie and Thompson were a “Toss up” question, to which co-host Tony Kornheiser said Thompson had “no chance” of beating Wie. Currently, Thompson is in the clubhouse at 16-over. Wie is on ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – I can’t take it anymore! I’m trapped in this media center at Pine Needles, staring at a stagnant leaderboard. I hear nothing but the clicking of keys and the rumble of thunder above me. “What is everyone writing?” I ponder. “There’s been no action for like two hours…” No worries, upon closer look they’re all on YouTube. Have you seen that hamster video??? But the good news is that in the future, rain delays at golf tournaments will be a thing of the past. By the year 2034, around the time Sam Alexis Woods is shooting ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Play has been suspended for the second time today due to lightning in the area at the U.S. Women’s Open. Play is expected to resume sometime later this afternoon…Bummer that ESPN isn’t covering the event in the morning - when play has been uninterrupted both days. While there’s a break in the action…can someone explain to me why spectators, the dorkiest golf writers and even swing coaches walk around the course and range with golf shoes on? It’s kind of pathetic - like the 40-year-old guy who brings a mitt to a big league game. The ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Saw a cute moment walking by the first tee this morning at the Women’s U.S. Open… 12-year-old Alexis Thompson’s group was teeing off the first at Pine Needles. She went last. As her other two playing partners Angela Jerman and Amy Yang were announced, she clapped for them along with the crowd - with a big cheesy smile. Of course, Jerman and Yang didn’t clap for each other or for Thompson when she stepped up - being the tough, focused pro veterans they are and all.. Thompson blasted a drive right out there with the big girls ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Day one of the U.S. Women’s Open was shortened by afternoon thundershowers in the area Thursday. A rain delay from 2:47 thru 6:23 p.m. meant most of the afternoon rounds didn’t finish. Among those was defending champion Annika Sorenstam, Even par after 13 holes. She is tied with twelve others including Morgan Pressel and Lorena Ochoa who both finished their rounds this morning. Of the eleven players currently under par, five are from South Korea, including Jee Young Lee at 2-under. Leader Angela Park is 3-under and is from Brazil. Among those who struggled today are ...

(SOUTHERN PINES, N.C.) – 8:06 a.m. - It’s too early to be making these kinds of decisions. On the 10th tee of Pine Needles, you’ve got hall-of-famer Karrie Webb and major winner Morgan Pressel… Teeing off at the same time on the first, marketing queens Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulblis - both winless. I went off with Gulbis & Wie (and Christina Kim). I’m not saying I’m proud of it. I felt like I’d just passed up on a critically-acclaimed indy flick to go see Spiderman 3 for the second time. I wasn’t the only one. The gallery ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. – Lorena Ochoa just dunked it from a fairway bunker on the 14th for eagle at Pine Needles this morning in the U.S. Women’s Open first round. This could be the week for the world No. 1’s first major breakthrough. Like any U.S. Open, there are some high scores out there, but red numbers can be found. Ochoa, at 2-under and still on the course, is one back of Angela Park. How about Amateur Mina Harigae? She went 41-31 to finish 1-over for the day… Michelle Wie is duffing it all over the course (+8). More on ...

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. - After taking my first lap around Pine Needles this afternoon, I’ve decided I would rather play here versus men’s venue Oakmont Country Club. Now don’t get me wrong. I didn’t say Pine Needles is “harder” - and I will brag to colleagues I’ve played Oakmont - not Pine Needles. But there are many appealing qualities that make me like it over Oakmont. First off, there are trees - and ponds. Barren Oakmont chopped almost all of its trees down and the many waterless ditches that weave through the course look like the course has a severe ...

From the “But it was a brand new Pro-V 1″ files… Bruce Burger was trying to retrieve his ball in a pond at Lake Venice Golf Club in Florida Monday when a one-eyed alligator jumped out, grabbed his arm and pulled him in. Burger freed himself by beating the alligator with his other arm until he was released. He suffered a thigh strain. You think that’s hazardous? Just ask Phil Mickelson about U.S. Open rough…If the USGA really wants to cross the line, they should bring the Open down to the swamp. Full gator attack details here.

Probably my favorite course during a recent trip to Michigan was Tullymore Golf Club. You may have heard of it, its getting plenty of love from Golf Digest, sitting at the 14th best public course in America. It has a pretty low profile compared to some of the other heavyweights at the top. It’s in pretty obscure territory: too far south to be called a “Northern Michigan” course. It’s about 20 minutes from Big Rapids in Central Michigan - less than an hour away from Grand Rapids. The course reminded me of my favorite (so far) course in the Myrtle ...

One night in a smoky sports bar, some friends and I decided that anything you could do while eating a hot dog or smoking wasn’t a sport. Sports are about athleticism, coordination and health - none of which are promoted by chewing or smoking tobacco, which leads to serious diseases like black spots all over your skin - and nuisances like making your non-smoking buddy wait outside a restaurant with you as you huff down a pack before heading inside. It should not be allowed on any professional athletic surface. I’m not talking about your weekend round, of course. ...

Ogilvy sounded off in frustration after his round today at Oakmont. He needs to stop reading Chris Baldwin. “I know I don’t need to practice out of fairway bunkers anymore. It doesn’t matter if you’re good or not out of them. We should just add one shot and drop it out in the fairway and go.” “It’s not that you get penalized for hitting a bad shot because you need to get penalized for hitting a bad shot. It’s the complete lack of chance for recovery, which is no fun. It’s fine if you get penalized, but if you miss ...

(OAKMONT, PA) – NBC’s Bob Costas is a nervous man right now. Right now, it looks like two possibilities: Tiger Woods - whom Costas no doubt wants in the booth with him tonight with the trophy. Then there is Angel Cabrera. Costas has to be nervous that this guy might actually pull it off. Everyone at Desportes says Cabrera is a joy and a real personality. Only problem is he doesn’t speak much English. I’ve never seen Costas interview through a translator before, but if he can muster some emotion out of this one…it’ll be well worth it. And how ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - This triple bogey start by Aaron Baddeley, worse than Sergio’s last stand vs. Tiger at Hoylake last year, is the best thing that could have happened to him. Actually the best thing would have been Tiger making triple…but see where I’m going with this… Baddeley’s got his head on straight again and has to know it can’t get any worse. The butterflies are gone. He can relax a little. The good news? He’s just one back of Tiger - who still looks like he won’t be hitting putts. I was hanging out on the range while the leaders ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - There’s an unusually high amount of humidity at Oakmont this morning. That’s not a metaphor or anything. Seriously, I think we’ve got storms coming this afternoon…and I don’t mean storms of birdies. We could be rained out, at least for an hour or two…Hopefully this doesn’t push things back to Monday - which would be a buzz kill for everyone. Yesterday, I mentioned to the veteran tech guy sitting next to me in the media room, “Only one more day…". He said, “you idiot, you’ve jinxed us all!” Think the media wants to be stuck ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - Looking back on all the players I’ve spoken with this week, either one-on-one or in a reporter mob (usually around Rory Sabbatini, Zach Johnson or Ian Poulter), one thing has been evidently clear: Those who came in with the mindset that the tournament was about them, and not the “dangerous” or “unfair” U.S.G.A. and Oakmont are doing well. Those who were sniping at the course from the beginning of the week aren’t contenders. I had a minute with 54-hole leader Aaron Baddeley as he was on the practice green Wednesday before his tournament began. This is the ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - All aboard the Bubba Wagon! Bubba Watson is in the driver’s seat, but many are expecting his inexperience to show this weekend. I don’t think so. He’ll be near the top Sunday. Sound crazy? After Ernie Els’ round today, he told me the fan favorite and long-baller has as good of a shot at Oakmont as any. Sounds crazy? “The course is short enough for him where he can hit a lot of irons off the tee,” he said. “It’s not like Winged Foot where you have to hit driver every time. It’s almost link-sy that way. ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - A few U.S. Open thoughts before bedtime. Of all the players ahead of Tiger Woods on the leaderboard heading into the weekend, only David Toms has won a major… Can whoever led the charge to cut the trees down at Oakmont run for public office in Pittsburgh? I can’t see any road signs because they’re all blocked by branches… Do you think the British players even think winning the U.S. Open is a big deal with such a crummy exchange rate? What’s $1.2 million in pounds these days… I don’t know how I feel about Mickelson’s attitude this week. On ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - If you’ve been watching enough U.S. Open coverage, by now you know the Oakmont Country Club membership is proud of it’s difficult golf course. They even say it’s harder on a daily basis than it is at the Open and the USGA actually makes it easier for the coddled pros. After his round today, Jim Furyk seemed a bit irritated everyone is comparing the world’s best 156 golfers to a bunch of weekend member hacks. “Saying that the greens are made slower for the U.S. Open…that’s overplayed,” said a skeptical Furyk. “99% of the members out here ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - This leaderboard at the U.S. Open as events unfold Friday morning looks like it’s Tiger’s for the taking. Amongst other crazy ideas, I’m looking for Woods to be leading the tournament by day’s end with a 70 or 71 in the afternoon. Red numbers will be long gone. Scores are high so far. Singh and Furyk are 4-over today. Mickelson carried over his strong finish into two birdies in the first six holes. Then the struggles began. Now he’s all over the place: 8-over and still on the course. He’s right on the cut line now, but ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - Phil Mickelson has been candid - borderline delirious - with comments he’s made about Oakmont and the tournament setup this week – possibly returning the favor for the wrist he hurt in the ridiculously high rough here a few weeks back - rough he says has been cut in half now, after six other player injuries this week. Mickelson isn’t getting the chance for a therapeutic cleanse of frustration on the driving range like everyone else. He seems to be doing it with his mouth this week. He called the high rough early in the week ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - Bummed out you can’t get live updates on the U.S. Open? The media covering the event don’t have it much better. Everyone is whining about a bad WiFi connection in the tent. Basically, here’s whats going on in the P.M. rounds if you can’t watch the tube: If Phil Mickelson’s wrist makes it out of this 18 holes in one piece, surely his head won’t. He can’t hit a fairway, but he’s scrambling like a mad man just to be 4-over after eleven. It’s sad to watch, considering we all wanted him near the top on Sunday. ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - Morning tee times are finishing up around noon and scores are lower than expected at this year’s U.S. Open. A half-inch of rain last night and overcast skies have also prevented the course from firming up too fast. Morning players have gotten the break so far, none more so than Nick Dougherty, who leads at 2-under in the clubhouse. “It’s playing as easy as it could be,” said Dougherty. “The storm softened it up nicely. The morning players are certainly getting the better half of it.” Bubba Watson took advantage of an early tee time and soft conditions ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - After Oakmont this week, the next three U.S. Opens will be staged on public venues: Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach and Bethpage Black. The U.S.G.A. also announced this week the 2014 Open will be held at Pinehurst No. 2 - public as well. It’s a good move, considering it’s the US “Open". I like the idea of hosting America’s tournament on a course anyone can call up for a tee time. That’s how the British Open is. The Scottish venues are clubs, but anyone can make a few phone calls and get a tee time, whether it’s St. ...

Blogger’s note: since posted, the report from the USGA is a half-inch of rain. Officials expect slower greens at least Thursday and maybe later in the week. OAKMONT, Pa. - There may be no prettier sight than all the rain pouring down right now at Oakmont, sight of the U.S. Open. It’s been an overall consensus that the greens here would be so firm all week, the 5-over par needed by Geoff Olgilvy to win at Winged Foot last year would easily win this tournament. Rory Sabbatini predicted a winner between eight and ten-over par this afternoon. Butch Harmon, soaking ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - Colin Montgomerie has come painfully close in too many majors, including last year’s U.S. Open where he bogeyed the final hole, and the last time it was staged at Oakmont in 1994 where he lost in a playoff. Monty hopes a little local help might put him over the top this week. He decided last week he wanted a local looper and called Oakmont. They gave him 49-year veteran Billy Goddard. “He called last week looking for a caddie that knew the course and keeps his mouth shut,” said Goddard. Goddard says he thinks he’s done that ...

Oakmont, PA – Phil Mickelson teed off for a practice round just before 8 am this morning at the US Open in Oakmont. He only made it nine holes. Afterwards, he spent the morning on the practice green with short game coach Dave Pelz, his caddie Bones, and the PGA Tour’s favorite tattooed muscle man and trainer Jim Weathers. At least Lefty had some long pants on after wearing shorts yesterday. He also traded in a makeshift bandage for a more stable wrist brace. Mickelson says he plans on nine holes again tomorrow. He is also spending very little time ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - “It’s how long???” That was the buzz over the last few months as reports out of Oakmont Country Club detailed the length of the par-3 8th stretching to 288 yards to the center. At the US Open this week, the hole is drawing large crowds in practice rounds. But aside from the length, the 8th isn’t horribly sinister, especially compared to way some other holes have been set up this week. Trevor Immelman proved that this morning as he aced it with a 3-wood. The pin was playing towards the back, stretching the length to almost 300 yards. Not to ...

OAKMONT, Pa. - Extra attention is always paid to how high and thick the rough is at the US Open, especially after it has all but erased Phil Mickelson’s name from being a force this week. High rough is one of the event’s signatures. But this year, players seem to be more nervous about the greens. Oakmont Country Club has always been known for tricky greens. It’s best to miss it 50 feet on the right side than 10 feet on the wrong side of the hole. This year they’re faster and firmer than ever. “These are some of the ...

A few years ago, it was a foregone conclusion the struggling Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire would close. There is an article on MichiganGolf.com from 2004 that starts nailing the coffin. But having visited Shanty Creek Resorts this week (they’ve added an ’s’ on the end of ‘resort’ to highlight its three separate villages), things look very promising. New ownership and management is pumping in tons of money and new ideas to put the resort back in the conversation of Michigan’s best ski and golf resorts. Shanty’s four golf courses suffered mightily over the last few years, lacking the resources ...

Golfers hear the name “Whistling Straits” and immediately recall the 2004 PGA Championship and the upcoming Senior U.S. Open this July. But the Straits course is only half the fun here. There’s it’s near-equal little brother, the Irish course, which gives mid-handicappers a fighting chance. I was in Kohler all of last week. I didn’t get a chance to blog much because I was spending the majority of my nights soaking in my jacuzzi at the American Club. There’s nary a bad shower head or jet to be found anywhere near Kohler for obvious reasons. I must say, while the ...

Nike bets on teenaged athletes much like we might wager on greyhounds at the dog track. It can be pretty speculative, especially when talent scouts are snooping around inner-city middle-schoolers. But the dividends pay off mightily when you put your chips into prospects like Tiger Woods and now Lebron James. If anyone didn’t see Lebron’s performance Thursday (the same Thursday his Nike sibling Michelle Wie made a mockery of the LPGA, it was one of the most dominant performances in sports in recent memory, as he scored just about every point in the fourth quarter and two OTs to take ...

When I see John Deere commercials, it’s usually emphasizing the tradition and quality of their line of yard equipment and tractors. What does giving Michelle Wie a sponsor’s exemption have to do with promoting John Deere tractors? I could see Wie being a fixture at the Volkswagon Invitational or the IPod Open or some other trendy company sponsor, but John Deere? Shouldn’t John Deere be giving exemptions to some Iowa-bred farm boys with a decent game instead? Isn’t that more their demographic than teenagers from Hawaii? Maybe giving her this exemption is the closest John Deere can come to using ...

Recent controversy surrounding the Tour’s decision to let Phil Mickelson play in the Byron Nelson Championship despite missing the Pro-Am due to weather had a lot of players grumbling. But Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and his boys stepped in and let Lefty play in a diluted field that had few big names. Letting Mickelson play despite the tour’s policy you must play in the Pro-Am in order to play in the tournament was not only fair but was was best for the tournament. Finchem and his henchmen had the foresight and the dignity to be fair with Mickelson and do ...

Of course Lefty is going to praise a fellow golfer for his bold shot in the closing moments of a big tournament. A very chipper Phil Mickelson was on one of my favorite shows, Pardon the Interruption this afternoon on ESPN. Fresh of his Players’ victory Mickelson had some interesting comments. Not only did he say playing partner Sean O’Hair, down two at the time, made the right decision going for the tucked flag on the island green 17th, but he also said it was good to see a young American golfer go for the win, and not just a ...

I’m all for a little jive talk on tour. I don’t think what Rory Sabbatini said about Tiger Woods Thursday at The Players Championship was out of line. The PGA needs more squabbling and Sabbatini filled the void. It was of course, indisputably premature. Forgive the South African for being a little excited at his emergence into discussion among the top-flight golfers in the world. But he had a chance to beat the beatable one last week before hooking a drive into the water, and he followed his comments up at Sawgrass with a 79. He’s not in the lead ...

In reading up on some links golf courses, I came across this quote from the late English golf writer Peter Dobereiner speaking about Royal County Down. “The essence of golf is to say that it enhances the feeling that it is good to be alive. That’s the first priority and absolute justification. The links of Royal County Down are exhilarating even without a club in your hand. This strip of dune land was 90 percent along on the road to being a golf course long before the game was invented.” I had the chance to play Royal County Down in March, ...

The time is now to become Tadd Fujikawa’s friend before the entire internet community wants a piece of his MySpace. Tadd only has 176 friends. To put things in perspective, Tiger Woods has 5,628 friends. Paris Hilton has 171,031. Clearly Tiger isn’t partying as much and making as many rad MySpace friends as Paris. But I suppose she would trade about 50,000 of those friends to Tiger to stay out of jail. Or maybe golf is simply is behind the curve in terms of its MySpace appeal. I’m guessing Tadd is hands-on with his MySpace, not like many celebrities and ...

Saturday night’s big fight, Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr. left me as confused and disappointed as when I’m walking out of a Michael Bay-directed Hollywood blockbuster. Millions of us were duped into watching an uneventful split decision, where neither Mayweather or La Hoya looked like a winner. Everyone in the crowd seemed to have joined HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant in a confused, incoherent daze as to what had happened. We paid $2500 for this??? This fight didn’t “bring back boxing". You’re telling me a fight between two little 150-pounders is going to revive a sport? No way. ...

ESPN and Sports Illustrated are among the media outlets wondering if De la Hoya v. Mayweather can bring boxing back to the mainstream. Why should it come back? Boxing is a barbaric sport for the Middle Ages that screwed itself over after plenty of stunts and fixes courtesy of Don King and wannabe Don Kings. Not to mention it’s highest profile champion in the last twenty years ended up being convicted of rape - not exactly carrying the touch from Muhammad Ali… My generation gets its violence from UFC, WWF, and the occasional “bitch slap” on reality TV. We don’t care ...

In the tech-dependent world we’ve created, I’m surprised we’re not ALL blubbery whales. The only reason I’m not 300 pounds is because I never get away from my computer more than five minutes to stuff two slices of Wonderbread down my pie hole. I have to replace my chair as often as I get the oil changed in my car. The 21st century diet is fast food washed down with World of Warcraft. How much fatter and inactive are we going to get? There are hippos I saw recently in South Africa starting to feel threatened. I thought this epidemic ...

Anyone hear about this new Pro Women’s Victory Tour that was unveiled yesterday in Orlando? It will offer purses bigger than the current Futures Tour, starting with $100K next year. It’s purpose will be to accommodate the growing number of female professionals who need places to compete. The tour will have eight events next year and if it’s still around, twelve in 2009. On hand at the grand unveiling of the tour was Lee Elder, the man who broke the color barrier at Augusta as the first African American to play at the Masters and Ryder Cup. It was a ...

There is a bit of a sour taste at the Byron Nelson Championship this week, as eight of the top ten golfers in the world rankings aren’t competing, including Tiger Woods. Many golf writers are calling it a slap in the face to the late Nelson, who passed away last fall. “What ‘prior arrangements’ could possibly be more important than playing for mad cash at a late legend’s tournament? Well we know what Tiger’s up to. Tonight he’s court side at the Pistons-Magic NBA Playoff game in Orlando cheering on another sports superstar. We’re all familiar with his relationship with ...

The only thing better than getting a good deal on great golf is paying nothing at all. The Gaylord Golf Mecca, a marketing partnership between many of the region’s golf resorts and courses are offering their annual Free Golf Weekend April 27-29th, helping ring in the all-too-short golf season up north. The courses included in this offer aren’t clunkers either. All the big names are here: Treetops, Otsego Tribute, Black Forest and Black Lake included. These gems are $80-130 in the peak season. Too good to be true? Well there are some tiny catches. In order to get free golf ...

In part two of my blog series, “Turning tournaments into freak shows via sponsor exemptions”, I argue it’s time for the LPGA, not PGA Tour to give teen idol/golf nut Justin Timberlake a sponsor’s exemption. Timberlake has let it be known he wants to compete in a few events on the PGA Tour someday. This goal won’t be realized at Q-School - at least as long as he and Timbaland keep dropping bombs on the pop charts. He’s going to need a helping hand from a corporate sponsor. The players (white middle-aged men) as well as fans (white, middle-aged men) ...

Just because Michelle Wie is out with a wrist injury it doesn’t mean the summer months on the PGA Tour should be void of women mixing it up a little in some events. I was just researching Natalie Gulbis on Google images and it hit me: why isn’t she getting exemptions into high-profile PGA Tour events? I’d much rather watch this cutie shoot an 82 than Corporate Robot Michelle Wie. Would you rather watch a sulking youth duff it up - or a smiling, cute and legal one instead? Getting women to compete in PGA Events isn’t about “trail-blazing” or ...

In their “outside the U.S.” rankings, Golf Digest has a new number one: Royal County Down in Northern Ireland, upsetting perennial number one, the Old Course in St. Andrews. I’ve played them both in the last few months. So which course is better in my opinion? Well, choosing between these two is like deciding whether to return Jessica Alba or Hale Berry’s phone call first. The only bad decision you could make is not making the effort at all. There are a few things the two have in common. Both are a focal point of a bustling seaside town and ...

The lifeless blokes on the PGA Tour need to take a cue from golf writers once in awhile and get into the mud pit. Larry Olmsted of the USA Today’s Golfer’s World Blog, and friend of my podcast, Sweet Spots, has ripped TravelGolf.com’s Chris Baldwin - and really our entire network - a result of Baldwin’s Top ten resorts in California piece. Baldwin was quick to return the favor, calling Olmsted’s blog, among other things, unread and uninteresting. Regarding Olmsted’s rant, his biggest diss wasn’t on Baldwin but on everyone at TG and WG: “Too many of the columnists ...

The early stages of a tournament aren’t supposed to be where Phil Mickelson struggles. It’s the back nine on Sunday that has been his problem in the past. But he can’t even get out of the gate these days, starting off +5 after seven holes at the Masters. Looks like we can scratch the world’s Number Two out of contention before anyone else. He’ll be closer to Gary Player (+7) than to Tiger Woods this year. Mickelson was reportedly, “burning up the course” in practice rounds, which was an excuse for his poor tournament play leading up to Augusta. No ...

Sergio Garcia will NOT win the Masters. You have to be a good putter to win there. Phil Mickelson will NOT win the Masters. He’s got some work to do before he wins another tournament, albeit a major. Gary Player will NOT win the Masters. Michelle Wie will NOT win the Masters. Tadd Fujikawa would no doubt win it if he was in the field. But he’s not yet. So he will NOT win the Masters. An American twenty-something will NOT win the Masters. I hate picking Tiger to win tournaments for the same reason I didn’t pick the Florida ...

Golf Digest’s newest course rankings have been released from the vaults. I’ve been eating these things up since I was probably 12 years old. These days, I look at them with a grain of salt of course. But nonetheless, it valiantly succeeds in sparking debate. Northern Michigan is my favorite golf destination due to its mix of beauty, abundance and value. The panelists at Golf Digest seem to back me up in their Top 100 Public courses (We don’t spend much time on the private clubs here at my equal opportunity blog). Seven courses in the Wolverine State check into ...

Did anyone else catch NBC color guy Johnny Miller idiotically mentioning Phil Mickelson’s Winged Foot collapse while Tiger pitched down the 18th fairway en route to his win at Doral Sunday? Talk about a Busch League comparison. The two events really couldn’t have been more different. Shame on Johnny. Aside from the well-known FACT Tiger doesn’t blow Sunday leads, especially three shots on the last hole, this wasn’t a major championship and won’t even be discussed a month from now. Also, Tiger’s safe play led to a bogey. If Phil would have hit iron, laid up and bogeyed the 18th, ...