North Carolina Images

Just thought I would provide a chance for the readers to see some of the images from our recent trip to North Carolina. We were on the trip to gather information for a travel feature that will be appear in early 2010 in the pages of Flagstick Golf Magazine.

Enjoy...I know we did!

The Week

I beg your pardon for my Blog absence over the last few days. After returning from ten days on the road the family (and laundry, sleep, etc) takes first priority but I am steadily working my way through photos and images from the trip to North Carolina.

I will post a couple images today for your entertainment. Lots more to come as well as video between now and when the print story about the trip rolls out in the spring.

Hopefully it tides you all over for a few days as I will be joining the Flagstick staff for a trip to Toronto in the middle of this week to attend the 2009 Ontario PGA Merchandise Show. This show has been steadily getting smaller but there are still a few key manufacturers who attend. Among them is Callaway Golf, Nike Golf, Fletcher (Adams, Sunice, etc), and Mizuno. Because of that we hope to have some new information to share about their 2010 product lines about our return.

For other regular updates (many times daily) be sure to follow our micro-blog on Twitter at www.twitter.com/flagstick

I'll Tweet as much as possible from the golf show and will follow up with any pressing news, images, and other information we gather from it.

Canuck Only Deals at Pinehurst Resort

I hate to be totally Pinehurst-centric on here but after our trip there last week I had to pass on word of these deals for my fellow Canucks. Happy Monday!

PINEHURST OFFERS EXCLUSIVE CANADIAN RATES THROUGH MARCH

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. (October 22, 2009) – World-Renowned Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina is offering Canadian golfers and travelers exclusive packages through the winter season, where mild temperatures and sunny days make for a great day of golf.

For as low as $176 (American) per person, guests visiting the resort between November 8, 2009 and February 28, 2009 will enjoy a round of golf on any of 5 resort courses, overnight accommodations and breakfast at Pinehurst. Upgrading to the famed Pinehurst No. 2 golf course, site of the 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open Championships, starts at $222 per person/night, with room and breakfast.

Visitors traveling in March can enjoy Pinehurst starting at $251 per person/night, including a round of resort golf on any of five courses, room and breakfast.

All rates include unlimited practice facility usage and cart fees. Caddies and rental sets are available upon request for an additional charge. Children 12 and under stay and eat free with a paying parent. All rates are quoted in American dollars. Spa rates are also available.

Reservations can be made by calling Pinehurst at 800-487-4653 or via email at info@pinehurst.com. Stays on these packages require proof of Canadian mailing address at time of booking and/or upon arrival.

UNC 1, NC State 0

Collegiate loyalties run deep here in the Triangle of North Carolina. Wake Forest, Duke, University of North Carolina and North Carolina State all have their dedicated fans. Just have a look around and see all those people wearing red, baby blue, navy blue, and black and gold.

When it comes to golf, the rivalries might only come second to the one centred on roundball.

In the last couple days Jeff and I had a chance to visit the campus at both North Carolina State and the University of North Carolina and play their respective golf courses.

The NC State course, the Lonnie Poole Golf Course, opened just this past summer and will need some time to grow in to see it's full potential. It is a brawny Arnold Palmer design stretching to nearly 7,400 yard but it left us a little perplexed. They had a wandering, rolling piece of land that they threw $14 million dollars at and came up with a less than satisfying result.

It features some rough looking bunkering in a "Pine Valley" styling but it seems to have missed its mark if it planned to be considered a top design. A great example is a 550-yard par four,yes, par four that plays uphill from tee to green. At a shorter yardage it would be considered a decent hole but at that absurd length it seems like nothing but a yardage grab. Pop it 320 off the tee and you still have 230 elevated yards to traverse!

Over at the University of North Carolina the UNC-Finley Golf Course has a longer history - it started as a George Cobb design built in the 1940's. In 1999 Tom Fazio rebuilt the place and did an exceptional job. Within the mature landscape marked by numerous types of trees he created a solid grouping of holes that move nicely around the property. The green complexes are well bunkered and the putting surfaces run fast and true.

In this battle UNC's golf course comes out on top, even if their actual golf teams don't always do the same.

2014 Should Be Tremendous

After 11 hours of much needed sleep last night I am finally coherent enough to tap the keyboard a little.

It's been quite the last few days. On Saturday Jeff and I reacquainted ourselves with Pinehurst #8. It truly is a Fazio beauty. We were joined by a couple enthusiastic lads from Boston who proved to be a lot of fun to play with. Seeing them get a glance at the course for the 1st time was fun and we got to exchange thoughts about #2; it's always interesting to hear other golfers opinions.

Immediately after the round we headed for Concord, just north of Charlotte. We arrived early for the NASCAR Bank of America 500 but it was necessary as the crowds were thick and wild. Thanks to some last minute contacts we had a comfortable place to watch the entire race. The race that yes, finished at about midnight. It then took us more than an hour to get out of the parking lot (it can take up to 3 hours sometimes we were told by John Mills of the local CVB).

The late finish added to a lengthy drive ensured that we did not get back to Pinehurst Resort until 2:30 a.m. and to bed by 3. The 6 a.m. wake up call was a startling one but when you know you are getting to play one of the best courses in the world, Pinehurst #2, you get moving in a hurry.

I treated Jeff to a caddy for his upcoming birthday and Jack proved to be invaluable, especially in reading the Ross greens.

All I can really say about #2 is that it was even a greater pleasure to play it a second time and start to see even more nuances than I did the first time. And playing it on a Sunday with the "Payne Stewart pin" cut on hole #18 made it rather emotional. Each of us in our group (we were joined by Mark and David - a father and son) were quite aware that is was just a week short of the 10th anniversary of Payne's untimely death.

I'll have lots more to say about #2 in our full travel feature but one thing I will declare is that the back-to-back US Men's and Women's Open Championships on #2 will be nothing but exceptional. There are some great plans already in place for those weeks.

We vacated the Pinehurst Resort and resettled just up the road at Little River Resort yesterday. This Dan Maples course sports quite the back nine and the on-site villas and perfect for the foursome looking to do a big golf getaway.

We have two courses to face tomorrow before heading for Chapel Hill for the next 2 nights. Anderson Creek and Lonnie Poole are the tests for us tomorrow.

That should be a lot of swings...I hope I'll have a little energy left to share some more about our trip after the last putt drops.

Tired

Tired, just plain tired. That's about all that describes Jeff and myself as we work our way through our 2009 Fall Road Trip. North Carolina is treating us well but 9 hours sleep through three days is just not enough.

I'll write more later when I have had some rest. I just wanted to check in and say we were still alive for anyone following the road trip. Much thanks again to Janeen Driscoll at Pinehurst Resort for all her efforts in making the first part of our trip as good as it was.

Beyond Golf

St. Andrew's, Pinehurst; what's are these places really about? As impactful as their golf courses have been it is not until you really dig deep that you learn what sets them apart.

After you visit destinations like these it quickly becomes clear that there is something that makes them far more significant than the turf that has been hewn into places for people to play a game.

There is a beauty, a majesty, a presence, that goes beyond golf.

It seems cliche to put them in a spiritual realm but even golfers can say that they feel emotions bubble to the surface at places like the Pinehurst Resort where I currently sit. Just steps away the Ryder Cup lounge is littered with photos of great golfers that have played here but just around the corner, in a majestic hallway, are row upon row of images that depict more than a hundred years of history. In those pictures you don't just see golfers, you see people that for some reason have found a connection with this place. It might simply be the physical beauty of the land that brought them here, or a sporting activity of some kind - either way they were drawn here for some reason.

It is hard to explain and I won't be so flippant as to think I have the words to do it justice. It is not something to be told, it is something to be felt, to see, to be immersed in.

Yes, eight golf courses are clearly the major attraction here at Pinehurst but there is so much more than that that puts it into a league that has a limited membership.

It is a place where everything just seems to fit.

In just a day and a half I have been reminded why Pinehurst Resort will always have a place in my heart. The people,the setting, the golf, the history - they possess an intoxicating mix that would be impossible to manufacture.

Fortunately they recognize that fact and simply nurture it's existence, keeping true to it's original essence.

But don't take my word for it - golfer or otherwise you owe it to yourself to put it on your travel checklist.

Highlights of the Day:
Breakfast in the Carolina Dining Room - Mouthwatering!
Course #4, 13th and 14th holes - Stunning!
Triple Chocolate Souffle (with Godiva white chocolate creme anglais) at the 1895 Grille in the Holly Inn - Pure Heaven!

Pinehurst Resort

We (Flagstick Publisher Jeff Bauder and myself) finally made it back to Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina today. Eight years ago we visited here just days after the terrorist attacks of 9/11 so it made for a tense time to even think about playing golf.

This time we have a shorter stay planned than our 2001 stopover but we hope to get the most out of every minute. We are already off to a great start with an evening round on Course #1 followed by dinner at the Ryder Cup Lounge.

This place simply oozes golf history and even though we have only been here a few hours we have already spent a good portion of that browsing the memorabilia in the clubhouse and Carolina Hotel.

I'd share more but I have to reserve something for the Road Trip feature travel story that will appear in 2010.

We have a date with Course #8 in the morning but I will be sure to pass on a few notes later in the day.

It was a little dreary for photos today but I hope to snap more than a few tomorrow. We are also collecting some video for our YouTube channel so expect to have access to some of that in the coming days or weeks.

It may be 10:39 at night but I am off to wander around this magnificient hotel a little more. There is just so much to take in at Pinehurst Resort.

Check it out yourself at www.pinehurst.com

Nike VR Driver, Fairways, and Hybrid In The Pipeline

Nike staffer Paul Casey may have broke the photos of the Nike VR driver from the Nike Golf sales meeting just a few weeks back but now we have the have the official details on the club that has been making the internet golf forums go wild for months.

With the Ontario PGA Show happening at the end of this month we expected that it might be the place where the new VR products are finally unveiled and it looks like we might be right as Nike Golf Canada passed on information today about these products.

Calling them a "New Tour-Inspired Innovation", Nike Golf finally reveals the full details on the Victory Red Premium Drivers that will respectively carry price tags of $499.99 and $549.99 here in Canada when they are introduced on February 1st, 2010.

In addition to these two new drivers this week the company will also introduce a couple other new clubs: The premium Victory Red STR8-FIT Tour fairway woods that also include STR8-FIT face-angle technology and the distinctive red Split Compression Channel on the sole and the VR Hybrids that feature a 455 Ultra Thin Face with Nike's distinctive Split Compression Channel.

Starting on February 1, 2010, two versions of Victory Red drivers, The Nike VR STR8-FIT Tour and the VR Tour will be available.

According to the company, "The new VR drivers were designed for avid golfers who are refining and optimizing distance in their game, desire a more traditional look and demand tailored performance with pin-point accuracy. This premium line provides golfers all the benefits, adjustability, looks and performance that the Nike Athletes receive week in and week out on Tour."

They added, "The VR STR8-FIT Tour driver expands upon Nike's award-winning STR8-FIT Face Angle Technology, giving players both the ability to select their shot shape as well as the flexibility to dial in the look of their driver like never before. The VR STR8-FIT Tour Drivers offer 32 face angle positions for the ultimate in workability and confidence at address. For the golfers who prefer a more traditional look, Nike has developed the VR Tour driver that is distinguished by a smaller "pear-shaped" head size and no adjustability trait."

The company says the clubhead of both versions of the VR drivers has a design that should appeal to the avid golfer seeking lower spin rates and a more penetrating ball flight. This, in a package with a refined shape and look.

Each driver features the distinctive red Compression Channel that is located on the sole and is lined from the toe to the heel paralleling the face. Nike says the Compression Channel "increases the overall compression of the body, which produces increased, uniform ball speeds across the entire face."

"The Compression Channel technology takes the rigidity out of the sole and provides more flex in the heel," said Tom Stites, Director of Club Creation for Nike Golf. "By adding this technology, we have made the VR drivers more forgiving for the better players when they miss it in the lower zone of the heel."

The VR Tour driver has a smaller, more traditional head design for more workability than the VR STR8-FIT TOUR. The VR Tour also has a longer hosel than that of the VR STR8-FIT Tour and has one glued head position without adjustability.

Availability: February, 1, 2010 at golf shops and specialty stores across Canada.

VR STR8-FIT Tour Driver

Men's: Loft Options: 8.5 (RH); 9.5 (RH/LH); 10.5 (RH/LH); 11.5 (RH/LH); All available in: R,S,X
Cdn MSRP: $499.99

VR Tour Driver

Men's: Loft Options: 8.5 (RH); 9.5 (RH); 10.5 (RH); All available in R,S,X
Cdn $549.99

Golfers Can Once Again Chase Olympic Glory

When Canadian George S. Lyon defeated Chandler Harper to win the gold medal at the 1904 Olympic Games in St. Louis, few would have imagined it would be more than a century before another golfer would have that opportunity.

Lyon, then 46, would eventually win eight Canadian Amateur titles but clearly the defining mark of his life was his Olympic moment.

As of October 9th, with approval by the International Olympic Committee, golfers of the world can now dream of achieving Olympic glory, just like Lyon.

During the 121st session of the IOC committee golf was approved for inclusion in the 2016 and 2020 Olympiads.

The process to have golf included in the Olympics was a long one that was aided by the support of many athletes and administrators. Among those speaking to the IOC committee on the final day were LPGA players Suzann Pettersen and Michelle Wie, 2009 British Amateur Champion Matteo Manassero, and 3-time major champion Padraig Harrington. Each gave a short but impassioned speech about why they felt golf should be an Olympic sport while Wie also introduced short video clips from Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, both playing at the Presidents Cup.

While the players were excited at the outcome of the day's events nobody felt more relief than Ty Votaw. "We are elated that the IOC has accepted golf as an Olympic sport, and look forward to seeing the world's best golfers compete for gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro," said Votaw, Exectuive Director of the International Golf Federation Olympic Golf Committee.

Based on player feedback the International Golf Federation (IGF) has proposed a 72-hole individual stroke play format for both men's and women's competitions. A three-hole playoff was recommended as a tie breaker to determine medal winners.

Further recommendations include a 60 player field for each of the competitions using the Official World Golf Rankings to determine eligibility. The top-15 players in the world would be eligible to compete, regardless of their national origin. Outside of the top 15, players would qualify based on the world golf rankings with a maximum of two eligible players from each country that does not already have two or more players among the top-15.

Based on the current world rankings that would qualify players from as many as 30 countries. That's a big improvement from the 1904 field in St. Louis when some 70 Americans were joined by a sprinkling of just three Canadians.

Of course there is still a lot of work left for the return of Olympic Golf in 2016 in Rio, within the hosting bid that included a $14Billion dollar spending pledge there was no apparent provision for a new golf facility which they will most likely need.

There is a lot of time to sort that out of course, the important thing is that the first major hurdle has been crossed and for at least the the next six years there will be another reason for the world to talk about golf.

Through Fresh Eyes and a Couple Gear Notes

Often when we see something spectacular over and over again we lose the sense of how it made us feel that very first time we were exposed to it. That is true when it comes to golf courses as well.

I had the opportunity yesterday to tour media colleague Rick Young of Score Golf Magazine around the Smuggler's Glen Golf Course near Gananoque, Ontario. Watching Rick see the stunning property for the first time reminded me of the excitement I had when I first made a visit. The course has quickly grown to a favorite in the region having won the 2009 Flagstick Reader's Choice Awards for Best Public Golf Course with a green fee over $40. Observing Rick's face as we moved from hole to hole reaffirmed why it is so worthy of the award.

Hopefully Rick, as the current President of the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, will share his delight and help make more people aware of how many great golf experiences are available in Eastern Ontario.

On an equipment note major golf shaft manufacturer True Temper has filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Protection according to wire reports. Just over a year ago an insider in the golf shaft industry pointed me towards True Temper's financial statements and their mounting debts. The possibility of this filing has been looming for quite some time and it looks like a huge decline in sales has prompted it. We'll see how and if they are able to restructure and the impact it might have on supply for the golf industry. Will it be a boon to other shaft manufacturers looking for stability in their supply chain? Only time will tell.

And for TaylorMade fans out there you just might see another new driver on it's way to add to the R9 family. I was privy to some images the other day of a R9 460 driver with Flight Control Technology AND 2 weight posts - an advancement of the current R9 460 model. I expect official confirmation of this club will come sooner rather than later.

Presidents Cup Nostalgia

I must confess that the 2009 Presidents Cup is guaranteed to be a disappointment for me. Two years ago, when it was played in Montréal, I spent the entire week on the grounds-in the heart of the action.

I won't say it was the most exciting golf event I have ever covered but it certainly was a highlight week. How could it not be? I started out by being one of the very first media to register on the Monday and was able to make my initial reports from a very empty media room. With a few of my peers on site and certainly no spectators it made for a great start to the week. When you are part of just a three-person party that are the only followers of Mike Weir (photo) and Retief Goosen (and their caddies) as they hit their very first practice holes it certainly makes for an intimate setting to watch these players prepare.

Just as enjoyable was my chance that afternoon to walk with the five American rookies (photo), their caddies and the official team photographer. That's it, just the 12 of us for nine holes, getting a perspective like few others will have an opportunity to have.
Although writing about golf is my job, I will never stop simply being a fan.

That part was so much fun that the actual matches were almost a letdown, save for the Weir/Woods showdown of course. I have to show my Canadian bias there.

While I am not in San Francisco this week as I watch I will certainly recall the week that was at Royal Montréal just two years ago. As serious as some people take these matches ultimately they provide an opportunity for professionals that play individually most of the year to have teammates for a week. Behind the scenes the camaraderie is unbelievable and you get to see players as they really are, just people who enjoy playing the game of golf. Just like you and I.

Watching golfers smile, grind, and chuckle as they play in formats that we all play on the weekend at our own clubs just makes them a little more human. I like that and is is what will always attract me to watching the Ryder Cup, Solheim Cup, and certainly, the Presidents Cup as well.

Even if, this time, I can't be there in person.

Scribble & Dash

Just a quick few notes tonight as I am just home from a long day in Toronto and have to be up early to finish up a course photo shoot in Ottawa.

Flagstick Publisher Jeff Bauder and I spent almost the entire day with representatives from more than 30 destinations from the United States all focused on outbound Canadian travel. We were more than happy to run into plenty of friends at this DiscoverAmerica event.

We also learned a lot today. It's no secret that Canadians are the number 1 guests by volume to America but what was surprising to learn was that 45% of the visitors originate from Ontario. Better yet the 3rd most popular activity for these travelers is actually golf!

That said, with the U.S. economy working towards a rebound, as one official said, "the country is still on sale." Throw in a 92 cent dollar and golf travel to the states is looking pretty good right now.

Next week Jeff and I are heading out to North Carolina to the Sandhills Region and the Raleigh/Durham area. You can expect lots of updates as we travel to gather information for a 2010 Flagstick Golf Magazine feature. Check for updates here and more frequently, at twitter.com/flagstick. We'll see what we can do about adding some content to our You Tube Channel as well while we are on the road.

Have a Happy Tuesday!

Equipment News - TaylorMade, Nike, and more

I simply love the Fall. Many of the golf products we have been speculating about for months finally get officially introduced .

The equipment introductions have been piling up in the last few weeks so I thought I would throw out a simple recap this morning on a few items.

TaylorMade Golf -
Earlier today TaylorMade Golf introduced their R9 (photo) and R9 TP Irons. The R9 irons are touted as providing and control enhancing technologies in a classic shape. "Whereas our burner irons deliver extraordinary distance in a modern design, the R9 irons are aimed at the technician, and so are rendered in a player's shape with a clean and conventional look," said Harry Arnett, Taylormade's senior category director of metal woods, irons and balls.

Additional features of the R9 irons include a deep undercut cavity, low center of gravity sole, and new and conforming groups for 2010. The stock shafts are KBS 90g steel shafts.

Similarly the R9 TP irons make use of KBS shafts, their KBS Tour model. These irons are targeted at the player looking for high performance in a even more classic shape. The compact head is characterized by a semi-straight leading edge, semi-square toe, thin top-line and a thin, cambered, and beveled sole.

Both sets irons make use of a "Velocity Control Chamber" to enhance the longer clubs (the middle irons in the R9's as well) with a clubface that is ultra-thin for maximum flex at impact, much like a thin-faced driver.

Nike Golf -
After being outed on Twitter by PGA Tour staffer Paul Casey just a couple weeks ago the new driver lineup from Nike Golf is no longer a secret. The company released official details on their new square model this past week, the MachSpeed, in anticipation of Justin Leonard putting it into play at the upcoming Presidents Cup. Even with the early look the driver is currently slated for March 2010 retail delivery.

The new driver combines Nike's Str8-Fit technology with square technology and what they are calling "Total Swing Aerodynamic Design."

The last term applies to work the company did to allow the golf club head and shaft to move faster throughout the entire golf swing. The driver will be available in multiple loft options for both men and women.

KBS Shafts -
As mentioned earlier FST's KBS Shafts are being featured in the new TaylorMade R9 irons. That is not the only news for the company that just celebrated his 60th anniversary of their parent company, FEMCO. It was recently announced that KBS Tour Steel shafts had been added to the custom programs for Callaway Golf and Mizuno. That means that after just two years of being a production KBS is now offered in custom programs of 11 of the top original equipment manufacturers.

I am told you can expect more shaft innovations from the company to be announced in the coming months.

More Fun at Turning Stone

Although the PGA Tour will not officially confirm their 2010 PGA Schedule until critical meetings in November I am going to make a little suggestion. They need to ensure that the Turning Stone Championship is not really going to be played two weeks LATER in 2010 as I hear the plan currently is.

That is unless they want to be the first PGA Tour event to be plagued by snow since that last occurred at the 2005 BellSouth Classic. I guarantee that any of the white stuff that falls here (and it seemed imminent today) will not melt in minutes as it did that week in Georgia.

It's fortunate that their is $6 million dollars and a first prize of $1,080,000 this week or a few golfers would probably have not even made the trip. Rich Beem might wish he hadn't. The 2002 PGA Championship blurted a quick, "crappy weather, crappy golf," post first round today. He reaffirmed the same sentiment a little later is a Twitter post that said pretty much the same. Shooting 80 and freezing while you do it will do that for just about any pro golfer, past major champion or not.

Players today had to deal with temperatures that were optimistically measured in the mid-40's with rain and wind as a constant companion. It didn't stop a few of them from posting good scores but that was likely aided by their opportunity to get their hand on the ball "through the green" - ironically for the 1st time on tour since the aforementioned 2005 BellSouth Classic. Good caddies are worth their weight in gold on days like today.

The people of Central New York have put on a world-class event since they first bailed out the tour when they played substitute host for the 2006 B.C. Open. And bringing $6 million and a world-class facility to the plate should not be ignored in a time when Commissioner Finchem himself says they expect to lose some events and sponsors in coming years.

The Turning Stone Championship and the gracious Oneida Nation that host the PGA Tour event deserve better treatment. The players love the place and I am sure they will come back year after year.

They just need a tournament date just slightly further away from Christmas.

Be a dear Tim Finchem and give it to them. Play the part of Santa, not the Grinch!