After a routine 71 to begin the Buick Open, Tiger bounced back by firing a 63 in the second round and is now tied for 5th place at ten under par. Tiger opened his round by going birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie, and birdie for the first five holes. This was his best career start and yes, this is ridiculous. This weekend should be a shootout as there are a lot of players in contention.
On the other end of the spectrum, John Daly put on quite a show by shooting an 88 which included a 51 on the front nine. His round included a ten on the first hole, a quadruple bogey, a triple, and two doubles.
"This is different," Daly said. "I can't control my hands like I used to. I have no clue where it's going. I just don't have any feel, and it scares me. This is the most down I've ever been with my golf game. I'm working my butt off, doing everything I need to be doing, and nothing is going right on the golf course." For full details on Daly's tough day and his recent weight loss, click on this article, describing his "toxic state."
For full scoring details, check out the leaderboard.
In the past two weeks after missing the cut at the British, Tiger Woods has been openly criticized throughout the sports media for his actions after bad shots. Apparently, some people feel Tiger needs to be more of a role model for kids by not cursing or "throwing clubs" after poor shots.
First of all, has anyone ever seen Tiger "throw" a club. I've seen him toss the club aside, hit it against his bag, and slam it in to the ground. Many players on the tour do the exact same thing but obviously its not made to be a big deal when its not Tiger. I've seen many normal golfers "throw" a club, and the club ends up in a lake or stuck in a tree.
My personal opinion is that people need to get a serious grip when they suggest Tiger is not being a good role model. I would say that his overall effect on the world, especially with kids, has been overwhelming positive. Yes, it is true, he curses when he hits bad shots, and regardless of what parents think, your kid is going to curse whether they see Tiger curse or not.
As far as being a role model, lets take a look around the sports world. Michael Vick is killing dogs, Big Ben is being accused of rape, Pacman Jones is making it rain and gets arrested time after time. Many athletes in all sports have been found guilty of taking steroids. Countless athletes have committed adultery. Many athletes are involved with drugs and guns. Tiger's name has never been involved in any of this nonsense.
People need to understand that when Tiger is playing golf, he is 100% focused on the task at hand, and is concentrating in the moment. When he hits a bad shot, he is immediately reacting and getting frustration out. The people criticizing Tiger must be "perfect" and never curse, get mad, or frustrated while at work. Just because he is the #1 player of all time doesn't mean he is some robot that will never show emotion.
In what could have been one of the biggest stories in sports history, Stewart Cink put an end to Tom Watson's stunning run by winning the Open Championship in a playoff. Cink made a great birdie at eighteen in regulation to post two under par and become the leader in the clubhouse, and then went on to defeat Watson by playing the four hole playoff in two under par.
Cink is a deserving champion, but his victory will be overshadowed by the great play of 59 year old Tom Watson, who going into the eighteenth hole in regulation was one par away from making history. Watson hit a perfect drive, and his second shot was directly at the pin but went too far and ended up in a difficult location for getting up and down. His first putt went eight feet past the hole and he missed the par putt for the victory. He would have become the oldest major champion of all time and won the British Open for a record tying sixth championship.
I'm sure this was a difficult tournament to watch for many people rooting so hard for Watson to pull it out. I could barely watch the last few holes and it was completely deflating when he bogeyed the last. Regardless, Watson is an all time great champion and earned even more respect all around the world with his performance at the Open. He will be playing next week at the Senior Open at Sunningdale and it will be interesting to see whether he has anything left after such a strenuous week.
Tom Watson, age 59, shot a bogey free round of 65 today at Turnberry and is tied for second place in the British Open behind Miguel A. Jimenez. Watson has won five British Opens, including the 1977 Championship also held at Turnberry, where he battled Jack Nicklaus in the famous Duel in the Sun.
Watson has also won three Senior British Opens and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988. A slew of stars are chasing him on the leader board and its definitely a little early for everyone to get too excited, however, he is one of the greatest links players of all time. He could make history as the oldest major champion ever and it will be great to see him stay in contention through the weekend.
Of all the places in the world, traveling to play golf in Scotland would have to be the top destination on the list due to the great history, the variety and abundance of links style courses, as well as the chance to play several of the most famous courses in the world.
Golf began in Scotland in the 15th century, is considered the home of golf, and the place where the modern game was developed. The R & A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club) is the governing body for the game, except in the U.S. and Mexico. It is located at St. Andrews (pictured below), one of the most famous golf courses in the entire world.
Several famous Scotsmen are in the World Golf Hall of Fame, including Old Tom Morris, Young Tom Morris, Willie Anderson, Tommy Armour, James Braid, Allistair Mackenzie, Dorothy Campbell, Donald Ross, Willie Park, and Allan Robertson. Both Old and Young Tom Morris (pictured below) are considered to be pioneers of golf and won four British Opens a piece.
There are many famous golf courses in Scotland, such as Carnoustie, Royal Troon, Prestwick, Muirfield, as well as the site of this year's British Open, Turnberry. Former British Open Winners at Turnberry include Tom Watson (1977), Greg Norman (1986), and Nick Price (1994). This year, Padraig Harrington seeks to win his third consecutive Claret Jug, the prized trophy the champion receives.
For many golfers, Scotland is at the top of the list for a golf vacation. With over 550 golf courses in a relatively small area, Scotland provides many great choices. Playing in Scotland would provide a great new experience for several reasons. First of all, the links style courses differ greatly from typical U.S. courses. A player would need to be prepared to hit a lot more low bump and run shots instead of high pitch shots. Links style courses call for a lot more creativity and shot making than typical courses in America.
These courses will have pot bunkers (pictured above) all over them, which usually causes a player to hit out sideways instead of going at their intended target. These courses are known for very deep rough and gorse bushes that can swallow up wayward shots. The biggest difference however, could be the weather. Scotland is known for a huge variance in weather conditions. One moment it could be calm and sunny, and the next you could have a storm come through bringing windy, rainy, and cooler conditions.
All in all, Scotland seems like a golfer's paradise. With the combination of the history, the variety of courses, the possible weather conditions, and the chance to play on several famous courses where history has been made, a trip to Scotland seems to be the ultimate golf destination.
Throughout my own golf career, I always tracked my records in various notebooks. I decided to design a product that would allow golfers the opportunity to organize all the memorable records they have set during their golfing careers.
I came up with the "Golf Record Book" which is a classy hardcover book broken down into various sections for record keeping. The book features black and white golf photos to begin each section. For full details on this book click on the 20th hole.
Last summer I played golf in Las Vegas at two very nice courses. I played a British Open style course called Royal Links as well as a course called Desert Pines. Both courses were unique, fun, and fairly challenging. They are run by Walters Golf Company which also runs the Bali Hali course in Vegas.
I will start with Royal Links. It was very cool to play a links style course that has renditions of many famous golf holes, such as “The Road Hole” and “Hell Bunker” from the old course at St. Andrews and “The Postage Stamp” from Royal Troon. Other courses included are Carnoustie, Turnberry, Royal Liverpool, Prestwick, Royal Lytham, Muirfield and Royal Birkdale. For a complete hole by hole tour, click here.
It was definitely challenging at first getting used to playing a different style golf course than usual. Wayward tees shots can end up in grass 2 feet high making it extremely difficult finding the ball, much less hitting a good shot out of it. Some of the tee shots are completely blind and dealing with pot bunkers are no fun. A shot into a fairway pot bunker will force you to hit the ball out sideways.
They now even have a new service involving these girls. They did not have this feature when I played and I’m guessing this would be a little distracting when trying to focus on golf. This certainly does not follow the traditions of St. Andrews and other old school courses but I guess it's par for the course in Vegas.
Desert Pines was designed by Pete Dye and this course provides a North Carolina golf experience featuring thousands of pine trees lining the fairways and white sand bunkers throughout. Water comes into play on 9 out of the 18 holes and the large undulating greens provide a good challenge.
Although playing these courses was great, I will give you the most important piece of advice about playing golf in Vegas in the middle of the day in summer. Don’t do it! We decided to play in the mid afternoon to take advantage of the lowest prices, however, it was not the smartest decision for overall health.
It was ridiculously hot, especially on the desert course, especially if you hit your ball right or left of the fairways, where a huge desert sand area will be waiting for you. I remember drinking about 4 gatorades, 8 waters, and dumping countless waters on my head to no avail. By the end I was about to pass out. So, although you may be up all night partying the previous night, you should try to play really early in the morning or late in the day when the weather is a little cooler. You will be glad you made this decision.
If you need a break from the casinos and parties the next time you're in Vegas, check out these golf courses. They both provide unique golfing experiences and are in excellent condition. Both courses are within a 20 minute drive from the strip and are fairly priced. I highly recommend playing both of these courses.
The first and only time I've played golf in California, I was fortunate enough to play Pebble Beach. I played with three of my friends in early December and we were lucky enough for the weather to be about 70 degrees and sunny.
The course layout and views were unbelievable and I was able to picture shots I had seen in highlights on television throughout the years. There were many great holes and I can't even imagine how difficult the course would have been had the rough been really high or if the wind was blowing hard.
The four holes that really stood out were numbers seven, eight, seventeen, and eighteen.
Number seven, pictured above, is a short downhill par three surrounded by bunkers and the pacific ocean on three sides. This hole is not very difficult if the weather is calm, however, if a strong wind is blowing, it could be a nightmare.
Number eight, pictured above, is probably the most difficult par four I've ever played. This is a dog leg right in which you have to hit a very good uphill tee shot to set yourself up for a very difficult second shot. Your second shot will be hit over a cliff and the ocean to a very small green surrounded by bunkers. I would imagine there is at least one million golf balls in the ocean near this hole.
Number seventeen, the famous hole where Jack Nicklaus hit the pin with his 1 iron at the 1972 U.S. Open is another fantastic hole. This is a long par three to one of the most narrow greens you will ever see.
Number eighteen, pictured above, is one of the most famous par fives in the world. As you can see, the pacific ocean is along the entire left side of the hole as you play to the green. Depending on how much risk you want to take on the tee shot, you can play it safe out to the right or try and cut the corner over the ocean.
Course information:
18 Holes
Par: 72
Black Rating (US Open Championship): 74.3/Slope 144; Yardage - 6,828
Blue Rating: 73.8/Slope 142; Yardage - 6,737
Gold Rating: 72.3/Slope 137; Yardage - 6,348
White Rating: 71.2/Slope 134; Yardage - 6,116
Red Rating: 71.8/Slope 129; Yardage - 5,198
PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS
Resort Guests
$495 incl. cart
Non-Resort Guests
$495 + cart
Overall, playing Pebble Beach was a fantastic experience. The hotel accommodations, resort, and service were excellent. The pro shop was cool and they even have a full spa if you aren't there for the golf. Viewing the sites along 17 mile drive was nice. We had some great caddies for our round who provided good advice and kept us moving along when we started sight seeing for too long.
I highly recommend playing Pebble Beach if you ever have the chance. Although expensive, this is a once in a lifetime experience that you will not forget.
In The Downhill Lie, Carl Hiaasen takes you through his hilarious journey back into golf after a 32 year layoff. He details every step of the way, including his rounds, buying new equipment, taking various lessons, and culminating with his play in a member guest tournament.
When Hiaasen got married and had kids in his twenties, he decided he no longer had time for golf and quit the sport. Many years later, in his fifties, he made a decision to give golf another shot. Obviously, many things about the game had changed and he gives a very amusing account of the trials and tribulations of his return.
The funniest parts in my opinion detail all the various lessons, swing changes, equipment changes, and purchases of various swing improvement gadgets that seemingly provided no improvement whatsoever.
Here is an excerpt from the book one year into his return:
“Exactly one year after I purchased those secondhand Nicklaus clubs, my transformation was disturbing. I owned two pairs of golf shoes and a half-dozen vivid shirts in which I wouldn’t have been caught dead twelve months ago. I had four drivers of varying lofts, weight distributions and shaft flexibility, and I couldn’t hit any of them the same way twice. I was trying out a flashy new putter that I was concealing from my wife, and I found myself conversing about gap wedges and fairway hybrids with persons I barely knew. At nights I lay awake reliving the day’s round, shot by shot, in self-lacerating detail.”
If you are interested in a very funny and easy to read book about one man’s pursuit of golf improvement, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Downhill Lie.
This video is from "The Haney Project" and shows a one hole match between Charles Barkley and Chris Webber. Webber's reaction at the end is especially hilarious.
Irish Amateur Shane Lowry won the 2009 Irish Open in his debut on the 3rd playoff hole. This was a huge win for the 22 year old in his home country. Lowry missed a 3 foot putt on the final hole of regulation that would have won it for him but went on to beat Robert Rock of England in the playoff.
Lowry was heavily supported throughout the tournament by his home fans and this video shows a great celebration on the green after he holed his final putt.
Taken from Devil Ball Golf, this article has comments from golf announcers through the years that have landed them in trouble. Some comments are pretty funny and some are just plain stupid.
In comparing the comeback of Tiger Woods and the first comeback of Michael Jordan, I see a lot of similarities and feel things will play out the same way.
When Jordan returned to basketball after his 1st retirement he was rusty but showed flashes of brilliance. In his second game back, he scored 55 points against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. He wasn't the same MJ as before the retirement, and he only played about 20 regular season games before making a costly mistake against the Orlando Magic as his team lost in the playoffs.
However, the following year, he lead the Bulls to an all time record 72 wins during the 95-96 season and they went on to win three straight Championships. He also won the scoring title and the finals MVP for those three seasons.
As we have been watching Tiger's return to competition, he has definitely struggled but shown flashes of brilliance just like Jordan did. He did come from behind to win at Bay Hill on the final hole but he still didn't have his complete "A" game for the tournament. He also shot a flawless 65 during the first round at Quail Hollow before ending up in 4th place.
I think most people would have to agree that it will be just a matter of time before Tiger puts it all together. He has said he doesn't expect his knee to be 100% until year 2. He will be working with Haney to fix the current flaw in his swing and his putting will only be down for so long.
It is really funny how many articles have been written about Tiger's latest struggles. It is true he is not on the top of his game, but he has finished in the top ten at the Masters, Quail Hollow, and the Players.
As Michael Jordan took a little while to regain form and completely dominate, Tiger Woods will be doing the same thing soon.
