Sophie Sandolo is in contention for ESPN Page 2’s “Hottest Female Athlete of the Year,” and we must help her win. Speaking to the 29-year-old Sandolo for a recent WorldGolf.com article, I asked her if she had any trepidation regarding turning 30 this year. When she said no, I mentioned that I will be turning 40 soon, which is much worse, anyway. “Oh, but for men, turning 40 is not bad at all. In fact it is very good,” said Sandolo in her fabulous Italian-accented English. This is why we must make a sustained effort to vote Ms. Sandolo as the hottest of ...

There’s a fine line between being a sideshow, and being an entertaining knucklehead. Recently, my thoughts have gone from wondering why PGA Tour players are as dull as David Feherty’s wit (referencing Rosie O’Donnell and Richard Simmons in 2006? Why not throw in some Fatty Arbuckle references while you’re at it?), to speculating on the PGA’s Hey-Everyone-Let’s-Pimp-Michelle-Wie Program. To me, I’d just like to see professional golfers be themselves. I’m bored with talented pros sucking up to corporations by refusing to speak their minds, and I’m disinterested in the same corporations telling me who I should find interesting. Luckily, John Daly is ...

With the plethora of golf bloggers wandering around here, it’s amazing anything gets missed. Issues that you were unaware were issues until we told you they were are ping-ponged about on these pages. Pros and cons are given, and feelings are hurt with total domination being the ultimate goal. All the while several readers prowl about, ready to pounce on any mention of Michelle Wie. It’s totally like Lord of the Flies, except, you know, on a Web site about golf and travel. Ah, but one story has slipped through the cracks and it is time for that to be rectified. It ...

I read about Time, Inc.’s purchase of Golf.com, and was unsure what to make of it. Obviously, it makes sense. It’s a great URL, and all that. But I like to research these things in depth, so I looked around some to see if this was really a good idea. Golf Magazine and Golf Online seemed to think it was a smart move. So did Sports Illustrated and CNN. Financially speaking, however, is this a good transaction for Time? Well, Money and Fortune magazines seem to think it is, so it must be, right? Overall, this has to be a fantastic turn ...

The New York Times – that infamously liberal newspaper that helped bolster the case for the war on Iraq and ran a story about the U.S. spying on its own citizens a year late in deference to the White House – this weekend took an interesting look at the recent lobbying scandal involving Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, Bob Ney and others. To summarize: It’s golf’s fault. “I’m going to go over a lot of things today, and I can take all of your questions, but let me give you the all-encompassing rule. Golf is bad,” quoted Times reporter Anne E. Kornblut from ...

Someone who knows a little something about promotion had this to say about Michelle Wie: “I’ve seen Michelle Wie play and she is an exceptional player. She has really good people behind her and will only help promote women’s golf.” That is from Ladies European Tour player Sophie Sandolo. Perhaps you’ve seen the lovely Ms. Sandolo before. She said a lot of her fans are from America, actually, though how many have actually seen her golf is another question. Lots have seen her calendar, however, which makes Natalie Gulbis’ calendar look like an advertisement for parkas. Ms. Sandolo had quite a few other things ...

If you’re a golfing parent, do this right now: Unplug your kids’ computer and get them on the golf course. Because your kids are getting out of hand. Ok, please note I’m talking the collective “your kids” here. I’m sure Your kids are just wonderful, intellectual dreams who could easily find, say, Australia, on a map. If not, here’s a hint: It’s not in Europe. And sure, I understand that a guy writing on the Internet that kids are on the Internet too much comes off as, well, Chris Baldwin. Hey, I’ll take the hypocrisy up a notch – I don’t even ...

Gerald Ford, the oldest living former President of the United States, is in the hospital today, fighting off a case of pneumonia. While at 92, such a condition is not to be taken lightly, reports are that Ford is doing well and resting comfortably. Ford, who managed to go from the U.S. Congress to the vice-presidency to the Presidency basically by not being a criminal, is generally known for a couple things – pardoning Richard Nixon, and being a terrible klutz. While there will be myriad opinions on whether he did the right thing in regards to the Nixon pardon, his reputation ...

Calling the experience “surreal,” Scotland’s Gary Cruickshank had a solid start to his round at Aberdour Golf Club in Fife – scoring aces on the first two holes of his round. According to Scotsman.com, Cruickshank is a 10 handicap, and finished the round with a 71. “I just wanted off the course so I could phone everybody,” Cruickshank said afterward. I don’t blame him. In fact, after the second one went down, it would have been fantastic if he’d of just dropped his club, announced he’d perfected the game so what’s the point, and walked off the course. Ok, I know that’s not ...

In the world of pop music, when Britney Spears caught everyone’s eye and made big bucks for more or less being naked and shaking it, it wasn’t too much of a shock to me. After all, it wasn’t as though she was a talented musician. She just seemed to me to be someone trying to make money the old-fashioned way. The really old-fashioned way. But when someone like Jewel decided to go the same route, it was a bit more shocking, or more accurately, depressing. It was the type of thing that made me realize that yes, just about everyone’s in ...

Here in Brazil, just about every city has its own flea market, where locals and travelers can barter with vendors for everything from albino chickens to cute little puppies to just about any type of keepsake one can imagine. Salvador de Bahia is no exception, as right next to the Atlantic Ocean is Mercado Modelo, which is a market very much geared for tourist dollars. It’s a fantastic place to wile away some time, as well as learn some valuable things about the culture of this northern Brazil city. While there are two full floors of little shops and stands to catch ...

Here at the Catussaba Resort in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, finding golf is no easy matter. There’s just one golf course – a 9-holer – and golf really isn’t the main draw in this sun-drenched city. What is easy to find is men in sungas. What’s a sunga? Well, in the U.S. it goes by it’s more commonly known company moniker – the Speedo. Yes, here in Brazil, the men join the women to wear the least amount of clothing possible at pools and beaches. And because I’m a “Do as the Romans do,” kind of guy, I am sunga-ing my little ...