BogeyLounge: April 2005 Archives

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April 28, 2005

Nike MaxSight : Performance-enhancing contact lenses?

I still haven't gotten used to wearing sunglasses while golfing. I've got a pair of Oakley's that I wear in between shots on sunny days, but for some reason I just feel I can't focus on shots with sunglasses on.

I know this isn't a problem for most people because I know all of my buddies have no problem with wearing shades while swinging.

Looks like I may have a solution thanks to Nike who is testing contacts that act like sunglasses. A major feather in their cap is the unreal start Baltimore Orioles leadoff hitter Brian Roberts has gotten off to this season (he first tried the contacts during the O's last spring training game and has been on a tear ever since).

Plenty has been said about performance-enhancing drugs this spring. Well, get ready for a new wave of performance enhancers, only these do not cause side effects and are not subject to suspensions. Known as performance-enhancing contact lenses, they were designed to help hitters pick up the seams on the ball better and to protect the eyes from the sun.

"They're almost like wearing sunglasses without wearing sunglasses," Roberts says. "I could tell such a huge difference right away that I was willing to give them a shot."

Seven years in the making by Nike and Bausch & Lomb, the lenses — which will be known in the retail world as MaxSight — are so new they have made their way only into a few major league clubhouses so far. [The Sporting News]

Read More: Performance-enhancing contact lenses?
[The Sporting News]

April 27, 2005

Spring cleaning for golfers...

Now that spring has finally arrived, here is a checklist of things every golfer should do before beginning the season...

1. Clean out your golf bag (Do you really need those empty ball boxes, dirty socks, and 6 divot tools?)

2. Clean your clubs (while this may not improve your game, it certainly won't hurt it).

3. Change the spikes on your shoes or get new shoes (Just because white shoes are back in style doesn't mean you should still be wearing your dads old spikes.)

4. Get some new socks (there's nothing worst than looking for matching golf sock at 6:00am while your buddies are honking the car horn outside).

5. Clean off and organize your computer's desktop files and replace the background with one of these nifty wallpaper arrangements from my favorite golf mag "GolfPunk Magazine" (and let the Bunker Babes be your golfing muses).

How's that for a round-about way of getting a hottie up on the front page?

Big Break III: And the winner is...

She looked overmatched on day one when she was portrayed as a cute little thing more worried about her makeup than her putting. Who would have thought that little Danielle had enough game and moxie to win "BBIII Ladies Only"?

Read More: Tight Match Decides Winner [The Golf Channel]

"I paid like $500 a few months ago, but they are going for like $400 now"... Yeah right.

There was a time when you could sell your cousin a "slightly used" driver and charge him almost what you paid for it 2 years ago. Well, those days are quickly coming to an end thanks to a pretty cool application that is based on EBAY data... Check it Out.

From PGA.com- PGA Value Guide
The PGA Value Guide is the official national standard resource for used club values. This easy-to-use, online guide determines club values by continually analyzing golf club marketplace data from eBay. It's valuations stretch across more than 50 manufacturers, evaluating over 3,000 club models every day. This means that golfers won't second guess the trade-in value you offer them, because they have access to the same resource.

April 26, 2005

Elin Nordegren is a twin...

Play Better Golf Today -
Visit David Leadbetter's PlayBetterStore.com
The Official Online Store of David Leadbetter Golf Academy!

From the "not so breaking news department" comes a post from the usually straight-laced Sand Trap on Tiger Woods' yummy wife (and her twin sister)...

Trust me, I'm not complaining, as a matter of fact I'm glad the gang at TST decided to come down to BogeyMan's level and join those of us who prefer style over substance...

However, besides the occasional trip down the wrong path, I beg Erik and the SandTrappers to stay above the fray, otherwise I may be forced to turn to mainstream media for my golf commentary fix.

Props to the Sand Trap... now go visit their site, they have more pictures of Elin!

Elin is a Twin [The Sand Trap]

Michelle Wie in line for Open spot - yes the British Open

OK, she would have to win the John Deere Classic, but what if?... you never know.

As always, stay tuned...

Teenage American prodigy Michelle Wie could qualify for this year's British Open, even though women are barred from playing in the world's oldest championship.

Organisers said on Tuesday they were not opposed to the principle of women competing and that Wie would book her place in the field if she won the PGA Tour's John Deere in July.

"If Michelle Wie wins the John Deere Classic, she would qualify for the Open championship," Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) chief executive Peter Dawson told a news conference at St Andrews. [Reuters]

April 23, 2005

Vijay Singh enters Hall of Fame ... on technicality?

"On the heels of one of golf's finest single seasons, this is a richly deserved honour for Vijay and one he has dedicated his life to earning," said PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem.

"Adding World Golf Hall of Fame member to his resume assures his rightful spot among the game's elite."

Singh's spectacular 2004 season included nine victories and nearly $US11 million ($14.28 million AUS) in prize money.

The 42-year-old Fijian with 25 PGA Tour victories and three major championships becomes the youngest golfer to be elected on the PGA Tour/Champions Tour ballot – although he gained admission to the Hall on a technicality.

Under the rules, a player needs to receive 65 percent of the votes. Singh was named on 56 percent of the ballots. But the Hall, instead of sticking to its 65 percent rule, has qualifying language that states, "In the event no candidate receives 65%, the nominee receiving the most votes will be inducted, providing he is named on at least 50% of the ballots returned." [Fox Sports Australia]

Read more:
Vijay Enters Hall of Fame [Fox Sports]
Singh receives 56 percent of the HOF vote [ESPN.com]

Natalie Gulbis : Everything you ever wanted to know...

It's been a while since I did a Natalie post, so I couldn't resist bringing you the latest news.

Big Break III fans need not fret, because there is a viable replacement for your Tuesday night "chick fix" on the horizon. Looks like the Natalie Gulbis reality show will begin airing on The Golf Channel starting in July.

As always, stay tuned...

From the Las Vegas Sun - Here's the reality: Natalie Gulbis is an above-average golfer with a stellar marketing presence in relation to her emerging career.

Here's the reality TV show: Gulbis is ready to open her home and life to the prying cameras for a six-week series called "Natalie" to be aired on The Golf Channel later this summer.

Gulbis is slated to make a formal announcement about the show at a press conference this afternoon at the LPGA Takefuji Classic at Las Vegas Country Club, where she will compete this week.

Read more: Gulbis opens her home for reality TV [Las Vegas Sun]

How Science Can Improve your golf game

[Wall Street Journal] The royal and ancient game is being invaded by the folks with pocket protectors.

Throughout golf's long history, rigorous scientific testing of tools and techniques has been as rare as a three-putt by Ben Crenshaw. But that is changing, fast.

Researchers have started delving into some of the game's oldest questions: How do you straighten out a slice? Where should you be looking when you putt? How can you cure "the yips"? And they're coming up with answers that turn conventional wisdom on its head.

Read more: How Science Can Improve Your Golf Game [Wall Street Journal]

April 22, 2005

Yips may not be all mental after all...

[Reuters] Yips, a condition that plagues professional and amateur golfers alike and leaves them unable to complete a stroke, may be a movement disorder similar to writer's cramp and musician's cramp, researchers reported last week.

The finding supports suspicions that the condition, which can cause a golfer to badly miss a usually easy putt or even drop a club, is not all in the head. But it does not necessarily point to a treatment.

Laboratory tests in the study, which compared golfers who suffered from the yips with golfers who did not, showed evidence of involuntary movements called cocontractions in those who had the problem, said Dr. Charles Adler of the Mayo Clinic in Arizona, the lead researcher who presented his findings to a meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in Miami late Thursday.

Related Links:
Researchers Take Closer Look At Golfers' Yips
Golfers' Yips May be Movement Disorder [Medical News Today]

These movement disorders are not well understood but doctors believe damaged nerves may be to blame. There is no specific therapy for writer's cramp, for instance, although injections of botulinum toxin, similar to Botox treatments for wrinkles, can help.

Some oral drugs may help a few people with such conditions as well. The Mayo Clinic team has been studying other possible ways of coping with the yips, such as specially designed clubs that release the pressure on the nerves, relaxation therapy and physical therapy.

April 20, 2005

Soft or metal? Spikes debate is back

For most of us, metal spikes are not even an option due to local club rules put in place to protect greens. But for tour pros (who are allowed to wear them) they offer more stability than soft spikes and thus are still popular among many players.

While Phil Mickelson got the brunt of it at the Masters due to Vijay's complaints, he is not the only culprit leaving spike marks behind.

According to the Darrell Survey, which tracks equipment use on the major tours, 41 of 132 players in last week's MCI Heritage Classic used metal spikes (31.1 percent), and about a dozen of them wore the longer version. On the LPGA Tour, soft-spike use also is about 70 percent. That's a lot more than I would have thought.

I've linked to this Palm Beach Post article which does a nice job of breaking down the metal vs. soft spike debate.

Read more: Soft or metal? Spikes debate is back [Palm Beach Post]

Tree branch kills golfer

Here's a sad story from Australia... you just never know.

A golfer about to play a shot on a suburban course was killed yesterday in a freak accident when a branch of the giant gum tree she was standing under crashed to the ground.

Sally Dearman, 48, was playing in a women's pennant competition on the fifth hole at the Flagstaff Hill Golf Club course.

A member of the North Adelaide Golf Club, Ms Dearman died of head injuries caused by the 13m branch.

The three other golfers Ms Dearman was playing with were unharmed. They, along with ambulance officers who arrived at the scene later, tried in vain to resuscitate her. [News.com.au - Australia]

Read more: Tree Branch Kills Golfer - [News.com.au]

Olympic sports to be put to vote: Golf on the agenda

Here's my chance to become an Olympian. Now, all that needs to happen are a few things...

Golf is voted in as an Olympic sport

I become a scratch golfer by 2012
(by then i'll be 42 years old)

I qualify for the Greek national golf team
(I may be eligible since both my parents were born there)

I know it's a stretch, but until my Champions tour career begins in 2020, I need to have something to look forward to :)

AP -The International Olympic Committee will decide in July whether any of the 28 sports in the Summer Olympics will be dropped for the 2012 Games.

The I-O-C finalized the procedures today for the vote, which will be held when the general assembly meets in Singapore.

The I-O-C is considering whether to drop any of the existing sports and add any of the five sports hoping to get into the Olympics, including golf and rugby. No sport has been cut from the Summer Olympics since polo in 1936.

The current review doesn't affect the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

April 19, 2005

CHINA SET FOR GOLF BOOM

[SportingLife.com] China's last emperor Pu Yi learned the game from his English tutor in the 1920s but it was not until the 1980s that economic planners began to see the game as a chance to attract foreign investment to China.

The first golf course built in post-revolutionary China was designed by Arnold Palmer and opened in southern Guandong Province in 1984.

More than 4.5billion euros have been spent on China's courses since then, making the country the fifth largest golfing nation in the world in terms of green space.

There are 195 officially registered golf courses in 22 cities with a further 500-1,000 new courses under construction or near completion.

The potential is obvious, not just to the European Tour, but to club manufacturers, clothing suppliers and course designers.

Read more: CHINA SET FOR GOLF BOOM [SportingLife.com]

April 16, 2005

Keep your hands off our balls! - The USGA's search for sluggish golf balls

Technology is not the problem, as a matter of fact, technology has made golf even more popular. People love the long ball, and what's so bad about a grandfather being able to enjoy a round with his grandson? (with the help of a driver and ball that helps him keep up).

Grow the rough, put more importance on precision shots, length shouldn't be the defining factor of a course's difficulty level (that just intimidates and excludes many players).

The search is under way for a more-sluggish golf ball.

In a small victory for golf traditionalists who think the game has been threatened by high-performance gear, the United States Golf Association is asking manufacturers for prototype balls that fly shorter distances than those currently allowed.

The request, sent by letter to golf-equipment manufacturers this week, doesn’t signal a rule change yet. But it is part of what the USGA describes as ongoing research to better understand golf-ball technology “if the need to change the rules arises.”

The letter, delivered to about 35 manufacturers, including Nike Golf, TaylorMade Golf, and Callaway Golf Co., asks makers to submit two golf-ball designs — one that would land 25 yards shorter on average than the USGA’s current standard, and another that would fall 15 yards shorter. The letter says participation is voluntary and doesn’t set a timetable for submitting the prototypes. [The Wall Street Journal]

Dynasty Cup Update : Asia fights back for one point lead going into Sunday

SHENZHEN, South China -- The Asian team, one point behind Japan after the opening foursomes, came back in Saturday's fourball matches for an overall 6 1/2 to 5 1/2 lead in the golf Dynasty Cup (Asia's version of the Ryder Cup matches).

Hsieh Min-nan's side collected four out of six points to build the edge into the remaining 12 singles to be played on Sunday and the captain, eager to keep the trophy in Asia, was pleased to see the one point lead.

"We did well today. We could have been two points up but we certainly have shown that Asian players are of world standard. The singles will beinteresting," Hsieh said. [Xinhuanet]

LINKS:
Visa Dynasty Cup Official Website
Mission Hills Golf Course (180 Holes!)

Isao Aoki's Japan side started quick with a lop-sided opening showdown when Tomohiro Kondo and Takuya Taniguchi, who fired a sparkling seven birdies in 13 holes, crushed Boonchu Ruangkit and Prayad Marksaeng 6 and 5.

Asian number one Thongchai Jaidee and Mardan Mamat combined to launch the Asian fightback, winning the second match against Toru Suzuki and Tetsuji Hiratsuka 3 and 1.

Local heroes Zhang Lianwei and Liang Wenchong maintained their 100 percent record in Asia's version of the Ryder Cup, claiming their fourth victory as a pair with a 2 and 1 over veterans Hideki Kase and Ryoken Kawagishi.

After debutante Amandeep Johl and his partner Thammanoon Srirot downed Katsumasa Miyamoto and Hiroyuki Fujita 3 and 2, Asia began to take the upper hand.

Asian rookies Angelo Que and Mo Joong-kyung held superstar rivals Shigeki Maruyama, ranked 24th in the world, and Keiichiro Fukabori to a half. Jyoti Randhawa and Thaworn Wiratchant then finished all square with Japan's Shingo Katayama and Takashi Kamiyama to seal the win.

The remaining 12 singles will be played on Sunday.

April 15, 2005

Heritage Day One: Lonard's 62 leads at Heritage

Peter Lonard flirted with a 59 and finished with a two-stroke lead after Thursday's opening round of the MCI Heritage Classic in Hilton Head, South Carolina on Thursday.

The 9-under 62 was one shot off the tournament record and brought some life to an event that doesn't include Masters champion Tiger Woods.

Britain's Darren Clarke birdied seven of his 13 opening holes to grab an early first round clubhouse lead.

Clarke, who finished tied for 17th at last week's U.S. Masters, got his first round off to a scorching start at the Harbour Town Golf Links but stuttered slightly coming home with bogeys on 14 and 16 to card a solid six-under 65.

Heritage Leaderboard [ESPN.com]

April 14, 2005

Asia's Ryder Cup Begins Friday : Japan led by Shigeki Maruyama

The Visa Dynasty Cup, the Ryder Cup style shootout between Asia and Japan, will be played at the worlds largest golf club, Mission Hills Golf Club, China, starting this Friday.

Asia pulled off a big shock with their 16 1/2 - 7 1/2 victory over Japan at the first Dynasty Cup 2 years ago which gave golf a huge boost in the region.

Stung by their defeat at the hands of a fired-up Asia side, Japan has bolstered their squad by bringing in US-based stars Shigeki Maruyama and Hidemichi Tanaka.

Founded in 1994 and located just 30 minutes from Hong Kong, Mission Hills is the Worlds No. 1 Golf Club as accredited by the Guinness World Records in 2004.

LINKS:
Visa Dynasty Cup Official Website
Mission Hills Golf Course (180 Holes!)
Day One Matchups
Maruyama In Victory Mood

PGA Charity Wristbands: It was only a matter of time

I'm surprised it took this long, but looks like the PGA has joined the rubber wristband fray with their own tie-dyed version. I don't get this fad, but at least it's raising lots of money for charities.

The PGA Tour Wives Association is selling the wristbands for $1 each to raise money for local and national children's charities.

Amy Fischer, who is married to golfer Todd Fischer and is a member of the wives association, said the group launched the wristband fund-raiser this week. About 80 golfers' wives and girlfriends are members of the group.

"The golfers are wearing them. The caddies are wearing them. They're really taking off," Fischer said.

After this week, the bands will be available online on the PGA Tour's Web site at www.pga.com. They also will be available at the next three PGA tournaments: the Shell Houston Open, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wachovia Championship in Charlotte.

April 13, 2005

SmartSwing: Clubs that record your swing data

Technology and golf go hand-in-hand, however, this seems like tech over the top (especially for a training aid). Judge for yourself...

SmartSwing Intelligent Clubs use a series of gyroscopes and accelerometers in what is called a 6-degree of freedom inertial measurement unit. In plain English, SmartSwing circuitry uses acceleration and rotation information to determine the position of your golf club in space with pinpoint accuracy over 1000 times per second.

The parts used by SmartSwing are used in a variety of other applications ranging from air bag deployment in automobiles to missile guidance systems. Bet you didn't realize a golf club could be this smart!

All of the information recorded is stored in flash memory on your club to allow for later wireless download and processing on your personal computer.

Visit SmartSwing's Website

On the computer, SmartSwing uses a sophisticated set of patent-pending mathematical equations to convert the information recorded by your Intelligent Club into the representation of your swing that you see in SmartSwing Visualizer software. This swing information is then compared to a reference swing.

SmartSwing's patent-pending reference swing is yet another scientific revolution for golf. The reference swing is a mathematically calculated mechanically efficient swing based on golf theory and the swings of past and current golf greats. It automatically scales to your specific physical dimensions to give you something to strive towards with each and every golf swing.

The combination of position, acceleration, rotation and reference information for each of your golf swings enables sophisticated swing analysis and accelerated learning. SmartSwing Intelligent Clubs open the door to accurate information in real-time that was previously only available in the highest end video systems and launch monitors, if it was available at all. For example, with SmartSwing you can study your club face orientation, release timing, tempo, instantaneous club head speed, lag, and more.

Baltusrol vows to be more rough for Woods

Somewhere in a garage in Springfield, N.J., where grass clippings carpet the floor and the room freshener is the smell of fertilizer, a golf course superintendent is talking to the television as he watches the replays of the Masters highlights.

"Go ahead, Tiger Woods, enjoy your victory. But the day of reckoning is coming. In four months, you're going to be mine. Mine! Mine!" [The Star Ledger]

Read more: Baltusrol vows to be more rough for Woods [The Star Ledger]

"Tiger Factor" results in big TV showing...

Call it the Tiger Woods factor. In a two-day battle between Woods and Chris DeMarco that ended with Woods winning a one-hole playoff on Sunday, ratings for CBS's two-day coverage of the Masters golf tournament produced ratings up 24 percent from last year.

The two-day average in the metered markets earned an 8.3 rating, 17 share, up from a 6.7/16 last year. The final round on Sunday recorded a 10.3/21, up 41 percent from the final round last year.

The Sunday rating peaked during the conclusion of the final regular round through the playoff, reaching a 15.5/27 from 7:15-7:45 p.m. [MediaWeek]

April 12, 2005

Yet another "clever" Nike marketing ploy...

I know it feels like "beat up Nike" day, but here is another example of "clever" Nike marketing (i.e. deception)...

The boys over at Carlsbad Confidential have posted an intriguing story regarding how Nike has worked some numbers and thrown around money in order to make some pretty heady statements about their success on tour...

Why is this important? Because, whether you admit it or not, you buy your golf equipment based on a lot of these claims. Once something is tour proven, it gives it the legitimacy it needs to get you to shell out for it.

Read: Nike Steals the Iron Count at the Masters [CarlesbadConfidential.com]

Masters Thank Yous ...

I've been complaining about a lot of stuff lately (Vijay, Nike, etc...), probably because I'm cranky about not getting to play any golf recently... However, when it comes to last week's opening major, I am thankful for a bunch of stuff... Here goes:

Thank you Tiger for rising to the occasion and helping TV ratings (in my house alone there were 3 new viewers that had never cared about golf before)...

Thank you to whoever runs the Masters.org site for a fantastic wealth of coverage...

Thank you to whoever runs Augusta.com for letting us feel like we were there...

Thank you to CBS for another stellar production...

Thank you to the Augusta grounds crew for working your magic...

Thank you to Chris DiMarco for a gutsy performance and even classier reaction to defeat...

Thank you to Trevor Immelman for his hole-in-one and more importantly celebrating it like he had just won the Masters (that was nice to see)...

Thank you to the Holiday Inn Boardwalk in Atlantic City for equiping your rooms with CBS - The Golf Channel - and high-speed wireless internet access...

Thank you to all the Golf Bloggers out there who kept updating your sites all weekend with interesting stuff for me to read (more of you join the fray every day and nothing could be better)...

Presenting the Nike One Platinum - We think?

So now Nike wants the world to know that Tiger was playing a Nike One Platinum...

As was pointed out on these pages just a few weeks ago (see post), Tiger had been playing the yet-to-be announced Nike One Platinum since the start of the season (maybe even at the end of last season). However, as Nike puts it, Tiger likes to play a disguised prototype ball until he decides whether it is worthy of his name. That story was leaked because it "was time" after Tiger won at Doral to let the buying public know about the Platinum's success.

Sounds more like marketing than product research to me... What if Tiger doesn't play well at the Masters? Do you think Nike would have plastered the announcement for the Nike One Platinum on their front page on Monday following the tournament.

For all we know, Tiger played a Nike One Gold on Sunday, and because he is allowed to play a ball that is "disguised" with fake markings, we'll never really know.

Here's the point to my rant: If equipment companies want to use tour wins to promote their products, then they should be held accountable for every piece of equipment put into play by their pros and not hide prototypes in the name of "research". The way the system is set up now, companies can promote their wins and hide their failures.

If Tiger's ball says Nike One Gold on it... then he should be playing a Nike One Gold (who knows, maybe he was).

As sports fans discussed Woods' fourth Masters win on Monday, Madison Avenue was abuzz about one of the best product placements since E.T. and Reese's Pieces. Nike launches the One Platinum in the fiercely competitive $4-billion-a-year golf market next month. Countless replays of Woods' magic moment have been the kind of exposure money can't buy. "It was a hole-in-one," says Mitch Kanner, a Los Angeles-based product placement expert.

With Woods' chip shot taking 17 seconds to bounce and roll into the hole, the footage seems ready-made for use in a 30-second TV spot. Chris Mike, director of marketing for Nike Golf, said Monday he's working on several possible commercials. - USAToday.com

Read: TV close-up of hesitant golf ball scores for Nike [USA Today]

April 9, 2005

Shut up and play golf - Why Vijay Singh is barking up the wrong tee...

Are you kidding me? Vijay Singh had rules officials check Phil Mickleson's shoes to see if his metal spikes were to long or if he had a burr on one of them (burr - A rough edge or area remaining on material, such as metal, after it has been cast, cut, or drilled.)

During the round? C'mon bro, sounds like the kind of stuff I say to my brother in law to get into his head during a skins game.

O.K. Vijay let's talk ... Shut up and play golf! Don't blame anyone but yourself if you can't keep up with the big boys this weekend. You're the #1 player in golf, and you are at the Masters, not some club championship. Even if there is something wrong with Phil's shoes, I doubt it is affecting your game so much that you have to whisper about it in the locker room like a spoiled high schooler.

Maybe you should spend less time on the range and less time promoting that crappy $100 weighted stick on infomercials, and more time at the 19th hole learning how to be social.

I'm sorry, but all that intensity is getting old.

Read: Mickelson, Singh feud over Lefty's spikes [FOX Sports]

End of a Golden Era?... Jack Nicklaus bids farewell...

I can't even begin to say that I can fully appreciate what Jack Nicklaus meant to the game of golf.

As a 34-year old, who fell in love with the game just four years ago, I unfortunately missed the golden era of the "Golden Bear". But, I do have some idea, and I'm sure a lot of you did experience his greatness... C'mon, SIX Masters Championships!

If this is truely your last competitive PGA round, we raise our glasses to you and bid a fond farewell...

"I don't think I'll play in the tournament again," Nicklaus said Saturday after shooting a 4-over 76 and missing the cut by five strokes.

"I think it's fine to go ahead and say goodbye and so forth and so on, but I think you say goodbye when you think you can still play a little bit. I think I can play a little bit, but I can't play well enough to be playing."

Read: Tearful Nicklaus Says Goodbye to Masters [ABCnews]

April 8, 2005

SOD: Augusta.com Masters 2005

It's been a while since I named a site of the day, so today I went in search of a Masters related site. Low and behold I discovered Augusta.com, which features a wealth of Masters goodies.

Among its many offerings, Augusta.com includes bios and Masters stats on every player in the field, not to mention Augusta facts and figures and historical information regarding the season's first major.

Check it out...
Augusta.com - Main Page
Augusta.com - Players Section

Bernhard Langer born-again after Masters slip-up...

Here's an interesting tale of Bernhard Langer and the slip-up during his first Masters win, where he used the Lord's name in vain and got nasty mail about it... three months later, he was a born-again Christian...

Divine intervention? Now I understand why the U.S. did so poorly in last year's Ryder Cup :)

A popular question for just about any player in a green jacket from Augusta National is how winning the Masters changed his life.

No one can answer it quite like Bernhard Langer.

It was 20 years ago this week that the 27-year-old German, dressed all in red with wavy blond hair down to his shoulders, held off Seve Ballesteros and surged past a stumbling Curtis Strange to win his first major championship.

Imagine the excitement he felt when he was presented the green jacket in the Butler Cabin. Then came the live interview with CBS Sports, and an innocuous question about whether he looked at the leaderboard.

The response, best Langer can recall, went something like this:

"I looked up for the first time after nine holes and I thought I was playing well, but Jesus Christ! Curtis Strange was four shots ahead."

Only later did Langer realize what he had said, and the number of people he offended.

For more, read: Comment Changed Masters Winner [SFgate.com]

Chris Dimarco : Not your average PGA'er

He paved the way for Phil last year by giving him a nice read on the winning putt and once again this year, he's already in the mix after day one... below is a short exchange from a 2002 Golf Digest interview.

You don't have a teacher?

Or a trainer, or a psychologist, or a nutritionist. Golf to me is a feel game, and I believe in just doing what I do. If Allen Iverson has a bad night shooting the basketball, how does he fix it? By shooting the next night. And I'm not knocking the guys who have people around helping them. It's just not for me.

You don't spend too much time on the range, either.

My swing has never changed. I hit maybe 20 balls to warm up before a round, and none after. I'm not a video guy, either. It's just the ball and me. How can I take advice from an instructor about making a putt in front of thousands of people on national TV when that instructor has never been in that situation? How can he tell me how I should feel?

So, how do you deal with pressure?

I might close my eyes and think of my children [Amanda, 4, and Christian, 6]. Something funny they did. Helps me remember what's important. Life isn't golf for me. These kids in school who are all golf all the time, I say, live a little. The hardest thing is staying grounded. There's not a lot of reality on tour. Some places, they'll take your shoes off for you in the locker room if you let them.

A farewell for Jack?

As a damp day turned to dusk and then to darkness, Jack Nicklaus trudged into Amen Corner on Thursday with a tight smile and zero desire to make a spectacle of himself.

He did not want tears or pity. He did not expect to tear up Augusta National Golf Club or out-drive the young bulls.

He just wanted to play golf. At the Masters, for the 46th and perhaps final time. He's Jack Nicklaus, and, urged on by his family, he just wanted to play golf.

Read: Nicklaus just wants a game of golf at Augusta [Mercury News]

David Duval sniffs leaderboard - is he getting closer?

We've given him up for dead, but something tells me that somewhere deep inside there is a top notch player ready to make his comeback. We all know the talent is there, but the mental is missing.

ESPN's Ivan Maisel writes that our doubting Duval is just what he need to get the juices flowing. Come out, come out wherever you are...

"I don't want to do an interview," Duval said Thursday night, walking to his car in the Augusta National Golf Club parking lot. "I shot a 75. There's no story there. If I had shot a 69, it would be different."

Being out here is no longer enough. Duval has recommitted himself to the championship golf that he chased with single-minded ardor. [ESPN]

Read: Duval sees leaderboard, hope at Augusta National [ESPN]

April 7, 2005

2005 Masters : Fun Facts - Part I

Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts decided to hold a golf tournament in 1934. Roberts suggested calling it the Masters, but Jones thought that was overreaching a bit so they settled on the name Augusta National Invitation Tournament.

After drawing a field of what was indeed the masters of the game of golf for five years in a row, they switched back to the original name and in 1939 the Masters Pro Golf Tournament was played at Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, GA.

The Masters has been played every year since then except for 1943, 1944 and 1945 when cattle were allowed to graze on the greens to help the war effort.

Let's Get it Started...

I've got a friend who proclaimed to his wife the other day, "This weekend is my Superbowl, so make sure you leave me alone to watch the Masters." Funny thing is, his wife just gave birth to their first baby and she is in dire need of his help around the house. Oh well, I'm sure she can handle it... it is the Masters after all.

To golf lovers all over the world, this is a special time of year... using the comments area below, let me know your thoughts on Masters weekend. Do you watch every minute of coverage? Do you try and get in 18 holes on Saturday morning and then go home to watch? Do you have any Masters memories you want to share? Everyone picks who they think will win... but, who do you really want to win? (I'd love to see an amateur do it.)

I'd like to hear your thoughts... no need to register to make comments. Thanks.

Rain delays start of 2005 Masters

ALERT: Due to inclement weather, tee times for the first round of The Masters have been pushed back to 10:35 a.m. ET.

April 6, 2005

2005 Masters : Live Video from the practice range

O.k. this is pretty cool... it's 9:00am ET, and I'm watching Sergio Garcia at the Augusta driving range, LIVE!

This link should launch Windows Media Player and begin streaming: LIVE VIDEO

The above is a better option (if it works on your pc), because you can maximize the video to full screen in Windows Media Player, and the video looks even smoother in that mode.

If you have problems with that, visit the Masters website and get the link from here: Masters.org

2005 Masters : Complete Television Schedule

Thursday, April 7
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), USA, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (replay), USA, 8 p.m.-11 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (highlights), CBS, 11:30 p.m.-11:45 p.m.

Friday, April 8
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), USA, 4 p.m.-7 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (replay), USA, 8 p.m.-11 p.m.
PGA Tour: The Masters (highlights), CBS, 11:30 p.m.-11:45 p.m.

Saturday, April 9
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), CBS, 3:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

Sunday, April 10
PGA Tour: The Masters (live), CBS, 2:30 p.m.-7 p.m.

Augusta's pitch and putt curse

Golfer's, like most athletes, are extremely superstitious. So it's no surprise that when given a chance at winning the Par Three Contest at Augusta, a lot of golfers decide to tank the competition.

Why? While the list of past winners is quite impressive, no one has ever won the Par Three Contest and won the Masters in the same year...

Read: Augusta's pitch and putt curse [BBC Sport]

April 4, 2005

McCarron leads BellSouth Classic after two rounds

Phil Mickelson shot a 7-under 65 Sunday to move within a stroke of leader Scott McCarron in the rain-shortened 54-hole BellSouth Classic. Mickelson will drive to Augusta following Monday's final round.

McCarron, the 1997 and 2001 winner at the Tounament Players Club at Sugarloaf, shot his second straight 69 for a 6-under 138 total on the Greg Norman-designed course.

Read: McCarron leads BellSouth Classic [PGAtour.com]

April 2, 2005

BellSouth set for marathon Monday

Stars gunning for next week's Masters had their build-up further disrupted when the BellSouth Classic was washed out for the second day running. And they are now being asked to play 36 holes on Monday on one of the most demanding courses on the US Tour, just three days before 2005's first major.

Defending champion Phil Mickelson and past winners Ian Woosnam and Jose Maria Olazabal are among the 24 affected.

But England's Luke Donald, who is also Augusta-bound, withdrew on Thursday.

While Donald cited a shoulder injury, Americans Chris DiMarco and Steve Flesch withdrew without giving any reason.

Read: BellSouth set for marathon Monday [BBC Sport]

April 1, 2005

I pity the fool... A public service announcement from BogeyLounge

"Bogey Loungers" are not fools... so I wanted to remind you that it's April Fools day today.

Here's some info on April Fools day and a nice article featuring April Fools golf headlines (pretty good, worth the read)...

The Origins of April Fools' Day:
April Fools' Day originated in the 16th century due to the confusion which resulted when the Julian Calendar was replaced by a modern calendar that moved the date of the New Year's festivities from the end of March to the first of January.

The first April Fools' were those folks who did not make a timely adjustment to the new calendar and continued to celebrate the New Year feast on April first. Under the new calendar, people began sending 'fake' gifts and celebrating a 'mock' New Year that eventually turned into playing jokes on each other as we know today. The ritual was never intended to be cruel or demeaning but a harmless springtime release from the desolate bonds of winter.

Read: No fooling, early news is unbelievable - [Boston Globe]

Blogger's take on how golf brings out the true person...

Want to get to know someone? Take them golfing. This blog post caught my attention this morning, because it captures the essence of the social perspective of golf.

Blogger, Duncan McAllister, writes that his playing partners learn more about him in 9 holes of golf than his lifelong buddies know about him after years of friendship.

Personally, over the last year, I have learned to control my emotions on the course, and it has really helped my game (very much!). Now, I haven't stopped caring about my swing or score or outcome of the round, but what I'm training myself to think is this:

"I really love playing this game, and whether I score a 105 or a personal best 79, I'm gonna play a lot more rounds in my lifetime... this one round, this one shot, is not that important, so why let it ruin my day... there will be thousands of shots and hundreds of rounds to follow, so don't stress over today's game."

If I tell myself that, I can overcome a 10 on a par-5 and still break 90 like I did last week... A year ago, a 10 would have been followed by an 8 and maybe even a "i'm not gonna keep score the rest of the day".

You can still take the game very seriously and at the same time, not let yourself be so serious about golf... if that makes sense, try it, it helps.

Anyway, back to the matter at hand, check out this short snippet by Duncan McAllister - The Wonderful World of Golf

BellSouth pullout?

Over the last few weeks, the weather has wreaked havoc on tour players physical and mental states, so is it any wonder some would decide to pull out of what looks to be another much-delayed event this weekend. With the Masters coming up next week, who can blame them?

Luke Donald pulled out of the rain-delayed BellSouth Classic in Atlanta yesterday, citing tiredness after finishing joint runner-up in the Players Championship on Monday.

Donald, who makes his Masters debut next week, said: "Last week was a very long week and I was very tired. It was mental and physical having to play almost two rounds in one day in wet conditions and windy conditions."

Stay tuned...