Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Tiger Speaks

What was initially thought of as just another silly season has transformed remarkably in ten years. With Tiger Woods usually pulling the chute on his season after the Tour Championship, his Chevron World Challenge was become a yearly pulpit for world’s best golfer to address the topics that have surfaced in his brief public absence. His annual press conference draws major attention, and like each year prior, there were a list of questions begging for answers from the big man on campus yesterday in Thousand Oaks, California.

Not surprisingly it just took a few questions for the topic to turn from the tournament (which will host many of the world’s best players, not including Tiger who is still on the bench following summer knee surgery) to the recent and well publicized remarks made by his caddy Steve Williams regarding Phil Mickelson. Tiger’s view? “Yeah, what ended up happening is I communicated with Phil, and we have discussed it. I talked to Stevie about it, and he feels bad, what happened. At this point it happened at all, and it's something that none of us really wanted to have happen, but it's over and done with and we put it to bed.”


And with that the subject that has captivated golf Internet forums and media members for days looks to be fairly dead one.


Beyond the fact that he still does not know when he will return to the tour, there was not a lot of great insight from Tiger yesterday, mostly a lot of discussion about his rehabilitation and how he has been spending his time. Family and course design is the answer to that, along with the opportunity for him to vote for Padraig Harrington as the Player of the Year.


Majors are still what golf is all about to Tiger and that rang true even with the PGA Tour award voting. As he said when asked why he voted for Paddy: “He won two,” referring to Harrington’s Open Championship and PGA Championship victories. His answer to the follow up of “Is that all it comes down to?” was even more compact. “Yeah,” he said pointedly.


After the burning subject of caddy talk was addressed likely the only other question that might have gotten the attention of golf geeks around the world was a one shot exchange that ended today’s proceedings. It is a subject that will likely come up more in 2009 than the state of the Phil/Stevie relationship…we hope.


Asked whether the USGA ruling on less aggressive grooves that will be implemented 2010 will affect the state of his golf bag, Tiger showed he has given the subject some thought. “Yeah, it'll affect what's in my bag. I can't have my two sand wedges the way I have them now. But as far as -- I play the spinniest ball on TOUR, so for me, my transition will be a little bit easier than the rest of the guys, guys who play a harder golf ball. They're going to have to maybe a little bit more of an adjustment, whether they do it with loft. Some guys are experimenting with 64-degree wedges to try to help them out that way so they can hit fuller shots with more spin, or guys just might be making -- actually more mental adjustments in their course management skills, going for greens, because you know you actually can't get the ball to spin like you used to so it puts more of a premium on putting the ball in the fairway. With the wedges you can't blast it out there on the par-5s and expect an easy up-and-down. You've got to miss it on the proper side more than ever. But it'll be very interesting to see what happens, how guys make that adjustment.”


Of course that begs the question, “If the USGA looks to restrict the use of high lofted wedges as well, then can we guess what Tiger might be talking about at next year’s Chevron World Golf Challenge press convenience?”


Well, Phil of course! (Eyes rolling)


Ok…maybe wedges.


But I wouldn’t count on it.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Harrington, Langer, de Jonge Best in Class in 2008

Harrington, Langer, de Jonge Best in Class in 2008

As is the case most years, there were not a lot of surprises in store today as the PGA Tour post-season award winners were revealed.

On the heels of being voted Player of The Year by the Golf Writers Association of America Padraig Harrington also got the nod from his peers on Tuesday.

Harrington becomes the first European to win the award and will address the media in a teleconference this afternoon to share his thoughts. The 37 year old had an outstanding season, winning two consecutive majors, the Open Championship and the PGA Championship. It was his second consecutive Open Championship victory, the first time the feat has been done by a European since James Braid did so in 1906-1906. He also had four other top-ten finishes including a tie for fifth at The Masters.

Harrington beat out Kenny Perry, Vijay Singh, Camilo Villegas and Tiger Woods for the Player of the Year honors.

On the Champions Tour it was Bernhard Langer who was selected to win the Jack Nicklaus Award (the award of the same name goes to players on each tour). It was a twofold honor for Langer as he was also the Rookie of the Year. He is just the third player to earn the double award.

Langer played a part season on the Champions Tour in 2007 and got a win but his 2008 campaign is considered his rookie one as he had played less than 6 tournaments in 2007. He made the most of it with three victories and a total of 14 top-ten finishes.

Langer’s three tournament wins came at the Toshiba Classic, Ginn Championship and Administaff Small Business Classic. The Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year simply add to the amazing 2008 trophy collection for Langer, who also collected the Arnold Palmer Award as the Champions Tour’s leading money winner and the Byron Nelson Award for the lowest scoring average on the Champions Tour.

Completing the trio of Player of the Year award winners was Brendon de Jonge. The 28 year-old Zimbabwe native was the best on the Nationwide Tour, as voted by his peers. He finished the season second on the money list aided by a victory, a runner-up, and three third place finishes. He was No. 1 on the money list for seven weeks in a row until Matt Bettencourt overtook him by winning the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch.

De Jonge, a graduate of Virginia Tech, is the second international player in the 19-year history of the Nationwide Tour to earn top honors, following Nick Flanagan of Australia (2007).

“I know this award means so much to all three players because it is bestowed upon them by their peers,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Congratulations to Padraig Harrington, Bernhard Langer and Brendon de Jonge for their outstanding accomplishments this season. They each provided memorable moments to our fans around the world, and I’m sure 2008 is a year they’ll never forget.”

Supplementing the Player of the Year prizes announced today was the revealing of the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year. The winner was Andres Romero. The 27 year-old Argentinean won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and finished 28th in the final FedEx Cup standings. He also made the cut in all four major championships, a feat only matched by eleven other players this year. He had top ten finishes at The Masters and PGA Championship.

“Congratulations to Andres for earning PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors,” said Finchem. “He is one of many young, exciting players that were able to step up during Tiger Woods’ absence last year. His win at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and his performances at the major championships speak volumes about his ability.”

The PGA Tour Comeback Player of the Year for 2008 is Dudley Hart. Hart started his year on a major medical extension but the forty year-old took full advantage by posting six top tens and earning 12th place in the FedEx Cup standings. His season earnings were a career-best $2,218,817.

Hart’s Major Medical Extension came through a new 2008 regulation that offers medical extensions to players who deal with a family crisis. Hart was limited to 12 starts in 2007 due to the illness of his wife, Suzanne, who was diagnosed with a tumor in her lungs (non-smoking related) in May 2007 and subsequently had two-thirds of one of her lungs removed. He did not play after the Wachovia Championship, taking care of Suzanne and their triplets, then age 6.

“Dudley is well-deserving of PGA TOUR Comeback Player of the Year,” said Finchem. “He had a difficult 2007 with his family situation, but certainly rebounded with a career year in 2008.”

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Book Review: I Golf, Therefore I Am - Nuts!

Author: George Fuller, Publisher: Human Kinetics, 227 Pages ($15.95 USD $17.95 CDN)

Approximately two minutes after golf literature debuted
it began to take itself too seriously. Conversely the established classics of golf journalism have far too often given way to fluff meant to capture dollars and not imaginations.

I Golf, Therefore I Am - Nuts! falls squarely in between those two eras. ...and that is not a bad thing.

I cringed a bit when I noted 45 chapters but after finishing all I could think was "can I have some more?" Non-golfers love to mock those who take up the game and the insight and humor in this book will show you why that might be the case. Golfers ARE nuts and, like Fuller has done, it seems life is much easier when you just admit and go along for the laugh-ridden ride.

With so many current golf books relying solely of the rehashed tales of golf's past, it can be hardy to provide a fresh angle to the subject matter. Fuller..darn it...he pulled it off.

With plenty of bang-on references to significant moments in the history of the sport he manages to create a chuckle-inducing perspective of how he sees the world of golf. It's obvious that the Editor and Publisher of Southern California's Tee It Up Magazine has a lot on his mind and knows how to express it from an impressively quirky angle. It is also clear that he has an uncommon knowledge and passion of the game that translates well in his writing.

The subject matter runs the gamut from the PGA Tour to everyday golf on the local muni and it is all presented in very digestible bites. The result is a palatable text for both the novice and expert golfer - all at a price perfect for gift-giving.

It's light reading but it is meaty enough that you will keep turning the page, chapter after chapter.

On a laugh to price ratio - this one's good value.

Ten For Giving This Holiday Season

I have had a couple emails recently from friends and spouses of golfers asking for gift giving ideas. Just to help out anybody else who might be in this boat at this time of year I thought I would put together a short list of items that might be appreciated.

You experienced golfers are likely familiar with what is written here so you can just move along and get your shopping done on your own.

Remember though, make sure your retailer has a strong exchange policy as golf clubs need to be fitted to the individual to help them achieve maximum performance.

1. NHL Putter Stick
Obviously a more popular item with the Canadian crowd, this is more than a novelty. It plays like a putter but looks like a hockey stick. Better yet you can buy one emblazoned with the logo of a favorite team.








2. Scotty Cameron Putter

Still a winner after all these years. Just about any golfer will flip when they get handed one of these. However, do a little research within the recipient's golfing gang to find the most appropriate model.








3. Callaway FT-iQ Driver

In the face of rumors that square would disappear as far as drivers go, the FT-iQ is the next progression in the Callaway world of non-traditional shaped drivers. If your golfer likes to hit it straight it is a great option.









4. Adams Idea Pro Hybrid

Long irons? They just might be a thing of the past. Struggling and talented golfers alike find hybrids easy to hit and Adams certainly knows how to make them. It is a great default brand in this category of clubs.








5. Titleist Vokey Wedge

Another can't miss. Along with Cleveland Golf, Titleist makes one of the most popular line of wedges in the word. Consider a gift certificate for this one as it could be hard to choose the loft and style that will meet the needs of your gift recipient.








7. TaylorMade Z TP Wedge

If your golfer is a little more on the cutting edge than they may appreciate the Z TP Wedges. The milled Z grooves are very aggressive and the smoky finish...well what else can I say? It's pretty cool looking.








8. Nike VR Split Cavity Irons

Recently introduced these promise to be one of the most popular iron models of 2009. Combining a forgiving cavity and a traditional shape they will be perfect for just about any golfer.








9. Ping iWi Putter

PING has always been a leader in putter innovation and the iWi series continues that trend. Pick a model, any model, and you will have a happy golfer this holiday season.








10. Nike Extreme Sport Bag

Last but not least, you golfer may need a little something to hold all that gear. This light weight carry bag looks sharp, is very functional, and encourages one of the best parts of the game - walking.








Happy Holidays to you and all the golfers in your family!

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Ogilvy and PUMA a Perfect Partnership

In what could a a rocky year ahead in the golf business we look to identify a few brands that we expect to stay strong. Watch for upcoming stories in this series as we prepare to cover the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show at the end of January.

A couple years back, in 2006 I happened to be watching the U.S Open when a female friend with some golf knowledge wandered by the television. As Aussie Geoff Ogilvy raised the trophy I asked her "so what do you think of that?". Her response? Not "that is great for Ogilvy" or even "what a win", no - she simply said "finally, a guy that can pull off those smaller shirts and skinny pants!"

I laughed so hard I just about fell on the floor.

Really, though, she is bang on.

The world of golf fashion has changed dramatically through the years and the latest move to what has been titled "a more European styling" is just not for everyone. I can cite plenty of "just wrong" examples on the professional tours but I will save those golfers the embarrassment. You know who they are if you follow golf at all with your eyes open.

The other funny part about this has been the move by amateur golfers to emulate the stars of the game and their new approach to fashion. It seems the more outlandish the better. My only comment is that to really pull off the wild stuff (e.g. bright plaid pants or neon colored belts) you better have the game to back it up. Why draw attention to yourself as you hack your way to a big number? Your call, as always. Only you know what your level of comfort with critical attention is.

Which brings us back to Ogilvy. My friend was right - he CAN pull it off and I expect to see his clothing partner, PUMA, to ride his narrow shoulders to more golf market success.

While up and coming brands try to establish themselves in the competitive golf market, PUMA has a big advantage. People already like the brand and its products, simple as that. In an era when many stocks are plummeting, check PUMA's listing on the German Stock exchange...nothing but rising.

It is for good reason. People adore the brand...they lap up their new offerings in a flurry. And with availability in more than 130 countries it spans the globe in a way new, young pretender brands can only aspire to.


That makes Geoff Ogilvy a great choice as an ambassador. A world-wide player, the Aussie recently picked up a win at the Australian PGA (in full PUMA gear including Swing GTX shoes) and it follows massive trophy captures in the 2006 US Open and two World Golf Championships. He is also well-liked, well-spoken and dammit, he can flat out play.

As 2009 rises and the economy threatens to doom some golf companies, look for PUMA's golf market share to grow. Their 2008 line proved they can compete and I expect their booth at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show to be even busier than last years.

Congrats to Ogilvy on the recent win and I can't wait to see what PUMA will have to offer all golfers in the days to come...

Friday, December 05, 2008

Friday Finishes...K.J. Blows His Chance..Another Side of Wie

I mentioned I would follow up about K.J. Choi playing the Extreme 19th hole at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort the other day and while I don't have full details or pics yet (on the way I am told) I will share what I know. Apparently the former weight lifter and recent LG Skins Game winner was able to stripe a tee shot to 25 feet on the 361 meter hole that feature a 400 meter high tee box. Unfortunately the tee shot was less of an issue than the putter.

Yep, Choi managed to hit it that close from that far and still ended up with a bogey after a three putt!! Talk about a wasted drive!

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Just a few small items to clean up before the weekend.
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Mayakoba Classic winner Brian Gay has re-upped with Sligo Wear and Andres Romero has extended his deal with TaylorMade Golf.

"We're thrilled that Brian likes Sligo Wear apparel enough to sign another contract with us,'' said Sligo Wear Director of Sales Shawn Aucoin. "Brian is as particular about his apparel as he is his equipment on the PGA Tour. His decision to continue to wear Sligo Wear apparel shows the quality and technical superiority of our apparel designs and fabrics.''

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In other tour news there should be lots of interest in the qualifying schools for the LPGA and PGA Tour this weekend as they finish up on Sunday. Michelle Wie sits just a stroke back of the top spot for the race to the LPGA. A finish in the top 20 will assure her full playing privileges on the tour in 2009, whether she plays a full schedule or otherwise.

I am a Wie supporter and that stance grew for me even more this past summer as I covered her last LPGA Tour event of the season played up here in Canada. Michelle was very focused that week and put on a fine performance - stunning many naysayers in the crowd in the process.

She also showed me that her life is
about more than golf (a concern some people have for her) as she even flew a few friends in from Stanford that week to hang out. Hardly golfers, the pals dressed up in hastily decorated t-shirts to support their school-mate. Getting to know the friends, we were eventually asked by them to take a photo with Michelle. We also did a shot, at Michelle's request, with the undercover policeman that were her security escort that week. It was a nice gesture and left the gentleman with a memento they would not have had otherwise.

With those photos meant only for the recipients I won't publish copies of them here but I can pass on the test snapshot of Michelle and her friends that we took before our final shots. In this photo the group is actually posing for Michelle's mother, Bo, who is just to my left shoulder.


See...there is another side to Wie that many don't get to see. Hopefully that will change if (or more, when) she makes it to the tour full time.

Have a great weekend.

Wednesday, December 03, 2008

Sergio Takes On Africa's Extreme 19th

I started a thread the other day over at Golf Discussion Board GolfWRX.com about the Extreme 19th golf hole that was built in Africa. The thread (seen here) has quickly gained more than a 1000 views, many of them speculating about the ability of anyone to reach the green on a hole that is probably one of the most radical the world has ever seen (see the first post on that forum thread for details).

Well, save the speculation - I have the answer. The signature golf course at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort has many high profile "designers", top golf professionals like Trevor Immelman, Vijay Singh, and Padraig Harrington who created holes at the top-end course.

Among that illustrious grouping is Sergio Garcia, who just dropped in to inspect the 16th hole, the one he was responsible for. While he was there he took the Extreme 19th hole challenge as part of an exhibition event.

Garcia, whose visit comes on the heels one by the contestants of the Miss World pageant, heartily approved of the finishing touches on his hole but was eager to test out the Extreme 19th - a fearsome par three playing 361 metres from a 400 metre high tee to a green in the shape of Africa.

After taking the helicopter ride to the tee on 19 (the only way to get there) Sergio knocked 6 balls from the tee in to what seemed like infinity. He hit driver for each shot.

"This is truly unique," Garcia exclaimed after the challenge. "I have never seen a hole like this and it's a great challenge. I'm so glad I made par with one of my balls and my competition ball just missed the green and I managed to make a bogey. What a hole...what a view...what a resort."

P.S. LG Skins Game winner K.J. Choi visited yesterday - I will update you on how his attempt at the 19th went in a post tomorrow.

The Signature Course will open to the public in March 2009. More info...www.legendgolfsafari.com

(Photos courtesy of Azalea Group)