I was recently looking at my old web bookmarks from a few years ago and noticed that when I clicked on the links to websites like Warrior Golf, Ranger Golf and golfclubs.net, they no longer worked. Many of these sites used to be selling non-branded golf components and clones. In past years, the web was ripe with hundreds of websites selling custom-built golf clubs. Regardless of your preference for brand-name equipment or golf components, in the food chain of golf equipment retail sales, you’ve got the big dogs like Golfsmith, Golf Galaxy and The Golf Warehouse at the top. ...

Why is it no surprise that John Daly got suspended from the PGA Tour for six months? Because he is a walking golfing disaster and he’s being allowed to milk everything he can from a sport that hasn’t seen him in the winner’s circle since 2006. He is definitely colorful, but it is sad to see someone self-destruct in front of your eyes. For the last two years, daily hasn’t even sniffed the Top Ten, yet he still get as much coverage as Tiger does during the first two rounds Its only two rounds because Tiger ...

I was flipping through channels this last weekend and saw about 5 minutes of the ADT Skills Challenge that was won by the Normans (Greg and his son Gregory). Was this thing really on for two hours? Oh boy, what a snoozer. It was like watching someone hitting balls at the driving range. Sure professional players hit some impressive shots, but that is what they get paid to do. There were so few people on the course (perhaps it was closed to the public), the number of media types, caddies and hangers on probably numbered only about 50 ...

Steve Williams is a rich man. He got that way by carrying the bag for the world’s greatest golfer, ever. As a result, he’s also probably the world’s richest caddie. So what does Tiger’s bag man do, he opens his mouth and inserts his foot. He disses probably the world’s second most popular golfer and calls him an ?$*&. Why is that necessary? I’m sure that Phil can be an ?$*& at times. I’m sure Tiger can be that way too. Does it make Mr. Williams feel better and will it get him more ...

I’d like to bring to your attention the lame attempt by Taylor Made to try to sell us more of their new TP golf balls. According to their recent press release, “My TP Ball allows golfers to connect with their number and make their golf ball an extension of themselves.” Oh boy! Even more, “the program allows golfers to design their own golf balls in a new and individualized way.” Golly gee! According to Taylor Made a golfer can print out a special form, take it to their local retailer, order at least three dozen golf balls, wait 2-3 ...

I’ve always felt that there is a huge bias in the golf course rating world. Admittedly great courses like Bethpage, Pebble Beach, Doral and Torrey Pines all deserve their lofty scores. But, how these scores are derived is what I find very suspect. As far as I know, other than Top 50 or Top 100 lists, there are only two national guides that attempt to rate golf courses across the United States: Golf Digest & Zagat’s. Just recently I ran across an article from the Orlando Sentinel that explores the ratings found at the website Golflink.com and its ...

Please refer to exhibit A: If Michelle Wie Makes The Cut, I’ll Do a Jean Van de Velte and Wear a Skirt “Is is with great sadness and regret that I will be unable to wear the aforementioned skirt, complete with green and blue flowers, because women’s golf’s answer to Tiger Woods couldn’t get out of her own way.” Signed, Bruce Teasing the golf world with a one over par first round of 73, Michelle Wie followed it up on day two with a quintuple-bogey 9 on the eight hole to push her score to 9-over 153 at the par ...

Okay, I’m taking bets. My bet is that Michelle Wie, probably the most poorly managed professional female golfer in recent memory, will miss the cut in next week’s men’s PGA Tour event. I don’t know who makes decisions for her, but in addition to being disqualified for a second time in a professional event (hasn’t she played this game on a national stage since aged 14), she decides to add insult to injury and accept a sponsor’s exemption to play in an eighth PGA Tour men’s event. I think at this week’s Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, she’ll fail like she’s ...

Remember when you were younger one of your parents said “Get up off your butt and do something. Hard work never killed anyone.” Well, according to the Japanese, it has. According to the Aichi Labor Bureau in Japan, the man who died was aged 45 and had been under severe pressure as the lead engineer in developing a hybrid version of Toyota’s Camry. In the two months up to his death, the man averaged more than 80 hours of overtime per month. It appears that this phenomenon in Japan is called “karoshi” and such deaths ...

Perhaps you may remember that I mentioned a story I found about how a fellow Minnesotan managed to impale himself while driving his golf cart? I thought you did. Unfortunately it wasn’t someone from Wisconsin and idiots on golf carts are staring to look like a trend. Well here we go again. Now another Minnesotan, this time from Faribault, has been killed after falling out a golf cart during July 4th activities. He in fact fell backward out of the cart. Standard golf carts are set so they can’t go faster than 14 ½ MPH and the back of most golf carts ...

Listen to podcast Golf Gear News #46. Interview with the Guru: Audubon International. State of the Game: California golf industry sets up new advocacy organization called the California Golf Alliance. Golf Around the World: Spend your vacation at the GolfBall3000 Rally in Europe this September. Component Corner: Buying golf clubs starts even before the sale in assembly according to the Hireko Golf Blog. Website Spotlight: Golf joins the social media ranks with an impressive site called Stracka.com. Our show sponsor is Golfknockoff.com. Check out our new Media Kit.

Listen to podcast Golf Gear News #45. Interview with the Guru: Black Ops Golfer. The Newstand: Annika Sorenstam to Retire and in tennis, Justine Henin does the same. Check out Golf Gear News 2.0 at Golf Gear News. State of the Game: Six Overrated PGA Golfers. Golf of the Weird: Golf Carts Don’t Make Good Getaway Cars. Golf Around the World: Golfing in Bagdad’s Green Zone. Our show sponsor is Golfknockoff.com. Check out our new Media Kit.

In an earlier post I pointed out how pathetic Michelle Wie’s performances have been and how worthless the media’s continued fixation with her is. I thought I’d provide a Day 2 update of the LPGA’s US Open. Let’s see now. Oh look. Christie Kerr, last year’s winner is only two shots off the lead. Paula Creamer is also two shots off the lead. Amateur Maria Jose Uribe, is only three shots off the lead. Where oh where is Michelle Wie? Only sixteen strokes off the lead after two rounds. Our local fish wrap the Pioneer Press showed ...

Why oh why do we waste good printers ink (or in my case bytes) talking about Michelle Wie? She’s an albatross around the neck of ladies golf, an asterisk on the leaderboard of history, a sidenote in the annals of LPGA lore. People will say “Remember Michelle Wie, couldn’t she hit the ball far.” “Wasn’t she the one that almost won an LPGA tournament?” “Didn’t she have nice legs.” Or some other similar drivel. Face it folks, Michelle Wie is done. Toast. Stick a fork in her. She’s been overhyped and overpaid. Nike should re-read their ...

In my fair state of Minnesota, on June 18th, vandals struck the greens of a golf course in Rochester . Although the estimated damage was minimal (around $2700), it got me to thinking. Why do vandals love to damage golf courses, especially the greens? Why don’t they drive their cars around baseball diamonds or rip up sod in the outfield? Why don’t the pour paint on the fifty yard line at the local high school? Why is it just golf courses these vandals hate? Some examples: twenty torched golf carts at Duck Creek Golf Course in ...