Friday, March 17, 2006
TCL Classic

David Howell is making a mockery of the Yalong Bay Golf Club in China after storming to a halfway score of 17-under-par.

The World Number 14, posted two rounds of 63 and 64 to take a two shot lead over the field and could've been even further in front if he didn't drop a shot on his 17th and miss a five foot birdie chance on the last.

Still, 11 birdies in one round is not a bad days work and the rest of the field have put together some similarly spectacular scores. Take a look at the leaderboard:

Howell -17
Buckle - 15
Abery - 13
Loar -13

It does beg the question, is this a mickey mouse course not worthy of testing the best players? Recent news stories have lambasted the Tiger proofing measures that Augusta have made to their course but then if scores like this were emulated surely the uproar would be about how easy the layout is and how unworthy it is of hosting a major.

Also, is this the right sort of build up that players need for The Masters? 

Paul Casey and Nick Dougherty both need to win this event to get into the world top 50 and qualify for the Players' Championship and a place at The Masters and have shot 65,68 and 66,67 respectively, which on any other weekend would be leading, but they are six shots behind and uttering statements like "I think that four under for the front nine was just about the worst I could have shot." It can hardly be any help to Howell either in his preparation for the year's first major.

It should be an interesting weekend as anybody has the potential to shoot a low score and sneak the lead at the last minute. I'll be watching, even if it is at 5am in the morning.


Golf News
3/17/2006 1:14:31 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Golf keeps on giving

Further proof that golf is the healthiest and most generous sport there is:

A new report by the Golf Industry Association of Arizona finds that the sport has an economic impact of more than $3.4 billion annually.

The study was conducted by Troy Schmitz, a professor from the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. It looked at both the environmental and economic impact the sport has on the state. The numbers gathered for the study are from 2004, the most recent year data was available.

Among the findings:

  • The industry employs more than 19,000 Arizonans, earning $291 million in wages and benefits.
  • Taxes generated annually from the golf industry total more than $76 million.

For the full story click on the link: http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/


Golf News
3/17/2006 12:14:18 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Thursday, March 16, 2006
Wee Wonders golf Championships

The UK’s leading golf competition, for 5 to 12 year olds, the HSBC Wee Wonders Open Golf Championships, is now open for registration. Now in its 12th year, the Championships continues to lead the way in grassroots golf, with over 3,000 young aspiring golfers each year enjoying the challenges and thrills of competitive golf. With a qualifying round registration fee of £6, a record number of entrants are expected this year, so parents and children are advised to sign up now by visiting www.hsbcweewonders.co.uk or by calling the Wee Wonders golf team on 020 7862 0060.

Played on a par 3 course, the Championships allow competitors to play 36 shots and place their flag where their final shot finishes, with the winners being those achieving the greatest distance around the course. This format makes it an enjoyable for all levels of golfer. Winners of each boys and girls age category proceed through the tournament stages (68 local qualifiers, 9 regional finals) to the Grand Final at the home of golf, St Andrews.

A great way to introduce loads of new people to the game and have a whole new generation playing 'Luke Donald golf'.

Golf News
3/16/2006 6:04:26 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
UK Golf Show

The National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham has won the contract to stage the UK Golf Show in November. It will be the only large golf show outside London and has already been given the blessing of the De Vere Belfry, which will host the official launch scheduled for May.
Organisers say the three day event, November 24th, 25th and 26th, is expected to be a sell-out as there is already huge interest from exhibitors from all over the country and further afield.
The show is putting emphasis on promoting golf to the youth of today, with the aim of encouraging the champions of tomorrow. (strangely akin to what we've been doing.)Organisers say it will "buzz" with excitement.
Thousands are expected to flock to the show, spurred on by easy access, with pre-booking available on the website www.theukgolfshow.co.uk
Many will make it a double day out or a weekend break, as the BBC's Good Food Show is also being staged at the NEC at the same time.

Food and golf....mmmmm.....and conveniently in time for Christmas shopping lists.



Golf News
3/16/2006 6:00:57 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Thursday, March 09, 2006
England boys do us proud!

A massive congratulations to Ollie Fisher and all the England boys who took part in the South African Amateur Strokeplay this week. On the strength of their performances English Golf has a very bright future.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK FELLAS!!!
England international Oliver Fisher (pictured left - photo courtesy of Tom Ward) underlined his ever growing potential by finishing runner-up in the South African Stroke Play Championship at De Zalze.
 
A closing 70 for an aggregate of 279, nine under par, left the 17 year old from Essex two strokes behind the winner, South African Branden Grace, who also finished with 70.
 
Cheshire-based David Horsey carded a final 69 to finish joint third on 280, but Edward Richardson, who had led the championship virtually from the start, finished tied sixth on 282 after a 78. Alongside Richardson on the same score was another England cap, Adam Gee with 71.


Link: www.englishgolfunion.co.uk/news.asp
 


Golf News
3/9/2006 10:34:39 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Plane crazy

I've put this up because I'm going on holiday this weekend and this is the kind of thing that I will inevitably be blogging about come Wednesday.

A golf ball tracker blamed for a shutting down part of Portland International Airport has caused problems in the past.

PDXThe north ticket counters and north baggage claim were closed Tuesday after screeners spotted a suspicious device in a bag passing through an X-ray machine.

The airport reopened about 2.5 hours later after the bomb squad checked it out.

Security workers tracked down the bag's owner, stopped his airplane on the tarmac and pulled him off. The device tracks the speed and arc of golf balls.

Link: http://www.koin.com/news.asp


Golf News | Your funnies
3/9/2006 10:13:42 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Woosie supports the Welsh

They say good things come in small packages....

"Ian Woosnam has been appointed official ambassador for Welsh golf in the run-up to their first staging of the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor in 2010.

Woosnam will captain Europe in this September’s match against the United States in Ireland, and the Welshman is delighted with his new role.

“I’ve been proud to represent my country many times in my golfing career, but this is a great opportunity to make a practical hands-on contribution,” said the 48-year-old former Masters champion.

“Ryder Cup 2010 is going to make a huge difference to the growth of golf in Wales and to Wales’ international standing across golf, leisure and business."

At least it might get Wales noticed by the chief map drawer of the EU!

link: www.icwales.icnetwork.co.uk

Golf News | Golf Punks
3/9/2006 10:05:14 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Master-ful

There's less than a month before the golfing world turns it's eyes towards Georgia and the serene beauty of Augusta National for the first of the year's majors, The Masters.

From the year so far you would have to be an idiot to rule Tiger out of the race to capture his fifth Green Jacket, although you can still get a good price on him to win outright at 5/2. Tiger is winning everything he's looking at this season and so the more interesting question is who will mount a challenge?

Tiger excepted, none of the world's top five seem to be in form at the moment. Ernie Els made an exceptional comeback after a lengthy lay off with injury, but since then has only shown glimpses of his true form. Phil Mickelson looked to be on top of his game in the Doral championship and for a brief moment it looked like there was going to be a repeat of the titantic battle that happened over the Blue Monster course in 2005 between the two Americans, but he faded away to nothing over the weekend and looked slightly over-awed by the end. Vijay Singh showed early promise, but has failed to capitalise on that early momentum and looks like he desperately needs a win to get him focussed again.

It looks like the threat could be from a new set of talent. Without causing fireworks, Rory Sabbatini got off to a great start this season and other main talking points are the rise of players like Bubba Watson and JB Holmes, both exceptionally long hitters of the ball and probably well suited to Augusta. Luke Donald, David Toms and Chris DiMarco look very solid and are battering down the door to knock Tiger off the crown. Could this be the time and the place?

The main reason I'm postulating is because 40 years ago a chubby blonde tore Augusta to peices in a scintillating display that the legendary Bobby Jones described as "a game with which I'm not familiar." That man was Jack Nicklaus who finished nine strokes clear of nearest rivals, and if you needed further demonstration of the sheer scale of this performance his nearest rivals were Gary Player and Arnold Palmer.

Is the fortieth anniversary going to yield a similar competition? I flaming hope so.

Web Bloke Shaun

Tips and Swing thoughts
3/9/2006 10:02:01 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Stats and Facts

Just browsing through the PGA Tour website and came across a few interesting statistics that have happened this year.

Big hitting Bubba Watson ended a fabulous streak of 99 holes without a bogey last week. Although no official records are kept, Tiger Woods is believed to be the leader on 110.
For consecutive holes without making a birdie, GolfPunk's Equipment Editor Dan Owen is in the lead with 5,678,538,116 holes.

Another item of note is that I think the whole world will nod in agreement if I say that Tiger Woods is in the form of his life at the moment, winning three of the four strokeplay events he has competed in this year, yet he's only second in the Money List, behind Rory Sabbatini. You certainly can make a good living on the professional circuit.

Tips and Swing thoughts
3/8/2006 6:57:05 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Old Skool Rules

The Scotsman ran this story, demonstrating how proud the Scots are of  their historic connections to the game. Things have been heating up recently in the debate over where golf truly originated, with the Chinese producing some ancient documents that claim they are the true home of golf. Perhaps this could be the next big head to head. 'Who would win a fight between the Scots and the Chinese?'


THE first recorded rules of golf were given a rare public outing yesterday. The historic document, taken down in minutes for Edinburgh City Council in the 18th century, was the first to set out how to play a tournament.

With advice from the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the authority drew up regulations on 7 March, 1744. Councillors decided golfers should pay five shillings to enter the tournament on Leith Links and clerks had to accompany each player to make sure no cheating occurred.

The 262-year-old book was brought out to launch the Leith Rules Golf Society's programme for the forthcoming year.

Link: http://sport.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=348612006


Golf News
3/8/2006 6:36:21 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
NEW SEGA GOLF GAME

If this is better than Tiger Woods PGA Tour then I will eat my desk. The EA Sports game has turned me into a social misfit who rarely converses with anybody unless they have a tip to help my improve my playing ability.

I wouldn't mind seeing what I look like in Ai's clothing though....

Sega has announced that they are currently working on a new golf game for the Sony PS3. The game will star Japans most famous golfing family – bothers and sisters Kiyoshi, Yusaku and Ai.

Gamers will also be able to choose which one of the siblings to play and compete against on many famous courses from around the world.

But perhaps the most exciting aspect of the game is that if you're playing as Ai, you'll also have the option to choose from a selection of outfits based on her real life wardrobe.

Sega has said the game is near completion and could be done as early as this spring and are hoping to release the game with the launch of the PS3 in Japan.



For when golf isn't enough | Golf News
3/8/2006 4:35:12 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Friday, March 03, 2006
PM QUESTION TIME

They say that absolute power corrupts absolutely......

Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan has created controversy by playing golf in Busan on the first day of the railway strike, and on Independence Movement Day when national figures were attending related ceremonies.

Lee went to Busan by plane on the morning of March 1 and played golf with local business leaders at the Asiad Country Club in Gijang-gun, at 9:30 a.m.

Lee did not attend an Independence Movement Day ceremony held at the Sejong Center in Gwanghwamun, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and he did not request a police escort because he was on an unofficial schedule.

It is reported that his golf outing had been scheduled well in advance at the request of local business leaders. After playing golf, Lee had a meal at 3:00 p.m. in the clubhouse, visited his sick mother-in-law, and left Busan for Seoul at 8:30 p.m.

http://english.donga.com/srv/service.php3?bicode=050000&biid=2006030374708


Golf News
3/3/2006 2:40:47 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Thursday, March 02, 2006
Women banned from driving Golf Carts

In the light of recent findings that the gulf in pay between genders still exists, here's a little story that shows it's not just on the wage slip where discrimination exists:

"RIYADH, 2 March 2006 — Women were forbidden to drive golf carts in the cultural village at the Janadriya Festival during the three-day period set aside for women. Original plans called for trained Saudi women to drive the golf carts and assist in transporting visitors, particularly old women and the handicapped.

According to Seham Al-Dosary, an organizer from the company supplying the carts, no clear reasons were given for the decision."

For full story click here


Women's Golf news
3/2/2006 4:09:21 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Kids wot are better than us

Good Work Fellas!!

Hopefully we'll see these aspiring stars taking part in our online golf club, due to start up in mid April.

Send uus some pics of the guys in action and we'll stick them in the galleries.

"A major initiative to encourage junior players at Hadley Wood GC in Barnet has resulted in the club gaining the English Golf Union's (EGU) Junior Golf Mark Award.

The award, jointly developed by the EGU and the English Ladies' Golf Association, recognises the outstanding dedication to junior golf at Hadley Wood, where several juniors have been given places on the 2006 Herts County Coaching system, designed to nurture promising talent.

The number of junior members at the club, as a percentage of the total membership, is above the national average, while the club also has more junior girls than any other club in Hertfordshire."

Click here for full story


Golf News
3/2/2006 4:05:10 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Kids wot are better than us

Good Work Fellas!!

Hopefully we'll see these aspiring stars taking part in our online golf club, due to start up in mid April.

Send uus some pics of the guys in action and we'll stick them in the galleries.

"A major initiative to encourage junior players at Hadley Wood GC in Barnet has resulted in the club gaining the English Golf Union's (EGU) Junior Golf Mark Award.

The award, jointly developed by the EGU and the English Ladies' Golf Association, recognises the outstanding dedication to junior golf at Hadley Wood, where several juniors have been given places on the 2006 Herts County Coaching system, designed to nurture promising talent.

The number of junior members at the club, as a percentage of the total membership, is above the national average, while the club also has more junior girls than any other club in Hertfordshire."

Click here for full story



3/2/2006 4:05:07 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Mystery Golf Course

The third in our mystery tour of golf courses around the world, courtesy of our new toy Google Earth.

Had a few good answers so far. We've come up with our own bunch of cryptic clues so bizarre that even the head honcho from the dept. of crypts can't get them.

Answer to the last picture ' No dramas for Cockney Valerie' was, of course, Valderrama.

Good luck with this one:



This isle is worthy of a girls name...

For when golf isn't enough
3/2/2006 1:39:58 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Wednesday, March 01, 2006
New Course for Argyll

I was just thinking that what Scotland really needed was another links. Still, if anyone is going to do it I suppose it should be the experts...

At Machrihanish on the Argyll peninsular in west Scotland, approval has been given for the creation of a new links course running through the coastal dunes. There are very few natural dune sites in the world where development of any kind is permitted. These valuable habitats for coastal protection and specialised wildlife are protected by international agreements that prevent any change to their use. But at Machrihanish, with the full support of Scottish Natural Heritage, a new links development has been given the go ahead on land designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. Poor quality grazing and lack of appropriate management to preserve the dunes and its associated vegetation persuaded Scottish Natural Heritage to approve the application.


Before. Watch this space for after

Golf News
3/1/2006 5:59:57 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Golf in Space

The space golf competition is heating up. The Americans originally took the lead when Alan Shepard belted a six-iron "miles and miles" into the galaxy in 1971.
This time the Russians are having a go and, while they may be lagging behind a bit, a least we'll never lose this gamine ball...

from the where's-the-orbiting-ball-boy-target dept.
deeptrace writes "Tentatively scheduled for a spacewalk this summer, a Russian cosmonaut will take his trusty six iron and a special weightless-friendly tee and put a golf ball into orbit from outside the International Space Station. The golf ball has an embedded transmitter so that it can be tracked as it orbits. It is expected to orbit for 3 to 4 years before burning up on re-entry. The golf shot is the result of promotional fees paid to the Russian space agency by a Canadian golf club manufacturer."

For more stories click here or here
Your funnies
2/28/2006 3:54:26 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Bombsquad talks balls

The folks at Bomnsquad golf have another explosive online chat with one of the biggest names in the game.
They will be chatting to Callaway Golf about balls and stuff. Popping along for a chat will be Mike Yagley, Vice President of Golf Ball Category Management at Odyssey Golf.
It all kicks off tonight at 5pm to 7pm (Pacific Time), 12 midnight to 2pm for all those Europeans who love balls.
They will also be giving away 6 dozen balls of choice to two people that we believe ask the best questions.




Golf News
2/28/2006 11:43:08 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 


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