Wednesday, April 02, 2008
10 Story Lines In Golf Going Into The Masters

Scouring the web for interesting golf chat we came across this interesting list. Doug Ferguson at USA Today gives you 10 reasons to get excited at the beginning of Majors season.



‘For some, golf does not begin until Arnold Palmer's ceremonial tee shot to start the Masters. Here are 10 issues that have developed in the three months leading up to the Masters:

1. Tiger Woods

Even with his high standards, Woods caused a stir when he said in January that the calendar Grand Slam was "easily within reason." Then he won his first four starts of the year, including a back-nine charge at Dubai on the European Tour. Along the way, he surpassed Arnold Palmer and caught Ben Hogan on the PGA Tour's career victories list.

2. Drug Testing

Golf does not begin drug testing until July, but mandatory meetings to outline the process was such an eye-opener that some players have begun asking about the need to form a union. Augusta National is part of the World Golf Foundation, meaning drug testing likely will take place at the Masters next year.

3. Slow Play

The PGA Tour has twice changed its cut policy to limit the size of fields on the weekend, particularly the final round, which has led to outrage among players who feel as though playing opportunities are being taken away. But it has renewed focus on the real problem - slow play - and more players are being singled out as the culprits. Two getting the most attention are J.B. Holmes and Sean O'Hair.

4. Phil Mickelson

He remains an enigma on the golf course. Mickelson appeared to hit his stride when he won at Riviera, giving him a victory at every PGA Tour stop in California and winning for the 16th time on the West Coast. But he didn't get out of the second round at Match Play, and he didn't finish inside the top 20 at Bay Hill or Doral.

5. The Golf Channel

It won't be a part of the Masters telecast, but it drew the wrong kind of attention in January when anchor Kelly Tilghman, responding to Nick Faldo's suggestion that players gang up on Tiger Woods, suggested they "lynch him in a back alley." It took four days for Golf Channel to act, suspending Tilghman for two weeks. The editor of Golfweek magazine lost his job for putting a noose on the cover. Woods forgave Tilghman, saying she meant no harm.

6. K.J. Choi

He emerged with a new title after winning the Sony Open - best Asian to have never won a major. Choi finished a career-high fifth on the money list last year after winning tournaments hosted by Jack Nicklaus (Memorial) and Tiger Woods (AT&T National), and his victory at the Sony Open was his seventh on the PGA Tour, and fifth since 2005. He comes to the Masters among the top 10 in the world.

7. Vijay Singh's meltdown at Pebble

It was only one tournament and it has happened to all great players, but it was no less shocking to see Singh blow a three-shot lead with five holes to play at Pebble Beach. He made two straight bogeys from the middle of the fairway and eventually lost to journeyman Steve Lowery in a playoff. Singh now has gone more than a year without winning, his longest drought since 2001.

8. Ernie Els

The Big Easy had gone 3 1/2 years and 47 tournaments without winning on the PGA Tour when he finally broke through at the Honda Classic, posting a score and letting everyone else tumble behind him. A week later, he revealed that his son has been coping with autism, and Els now has an "Autism Speaks" logo on his bag.

9. Masters criteria

The change back to awarding Masters invitations to PGA Tour winners has been a big hit. Daniel Chopra (Mercedes-Benz Championship) and Sean O'Hair (PODS Championship) were as thrilled about going to Augusta National as winning. Big-hitting J.B. Holmes earned his first trip to the Masters by winning in Phoenix.

10. Ryder Cup

There typically is more conversation about the Ryder Cup on the other side of the pond, but this year is different with the new selection criteria for Americans. It is based on money, leading to wild fluctuations in the standings. One point is awarded for every $1,000 earned on the PGA Tour, and the Masters will be the first time those points are doubled.




4/2/2008 10:02:33 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Tuesday, April 01, 2008
It's Your Party But I'll Cry If I Want To

Remember when one of the popular kids at school had a birthday party and everyone opened their invitations excitedly in the playground? Remember walking up to that kid, empty hand outstretched, with a nervous but hopeful expression on your face, only to be pointed out and laughed at? No, it never happened to us either, but poor old Monty is obviously feeling a bit left out after not getting picked in PE.

After failing to make the top-four finish he needed in Miami (he came tied 65th) the Scot found himself outside the top 50 of the world rankings (75th in fact), and as a result without a spot in the Masters. But the thing that’s really got him angry is that the tournament organisers have given three invitations to Asian players Liang Wen-Chong (China), Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand) and Jeev Milkha Singh (India) – who are all ranked lower than Monty - with the intention of boosting the tournament’s profile in their homelands.

Monty shoots from the lip.

"We think the interest in golf in each country will heighten when these players compete in the Masters," said tournament Chairman Billy Payne. He also described the three players as, "outstanding representatives" for their countries.  

Monty though, isn’t happy. "It would be easier to swallow if no one was invited and the entry list was based on sporting and not commercial criteria." He said. In that case Monty, we’ll ask them to invite the 51st, 52nd and 53rd ranked players, which still leaves you 22 places short.




4/1/2008 3:39:36 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Monday, March 31, 2008
GOLFPUNK Against The World

What were you doing when you were 19? Not competing at the business end of big boys tour events we’re guessing.

GOLFPUNK diarist Oli Fisher came within a whisker of winning his first European Tour event yesterday when Thomas Levet overhauled him at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at the Aloha Golf Club

Fisher played beautifully for four days and had rounds of 70, 68, 67 and 67 for a 16-under-par total of 272. Levet said: “I was very lucky with my long putt on 17, but my experience helped and I was very calm.”


As is his wont, Levet had time to heap praise on the vanquished, even going so far as to compare our Oli to the game's greats. “I feel so sorry for Oliver because that was tough on him,” he said. “He's a great player, powerful and concise.

“I would say he's the next Nick Faldo. His game is unbelievable and in two or three years, he could be at the level of Tiger Woods, he's that good.”

This was Fisher's best finish in less than two years on tour and earned him £88,000. It moved him to 32nd on the Order of Merit virtually guaranting his playing rights for 2009.



3/31/2008 10:11:56 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Friday, March 28, 2008
Tiger Art

Buick are selling some car so in way of publicity they’ve roped in Tiger Woods to drum up some interest. This time they’re not sending him to the moon, making him stand next to lesser sportsmen or making him do trick shots. Nope. They’re getting Woodsy to make art.



The ‘piece’ comes from paint-filled golf balls that the world's No. 1 player launched at canvases for a Buick television commercial, which will be auctioned off for charity at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc this June.

We wonder what Luke Donald, the only history of art student on the PGA Tour, would make of all this?

“It looks like Pollock’s”, we assume.




3/28/2008 11:11:12 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [1] 
Star Wars

No explination needed.

Just check out the Star Wars golf gear.





3/28/2008 11:07:50 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [1] 
Tiger Snaps After Being Snapped

If there’s one golfer we wouldn’t want to annoy, it would be Tiger Woods. Firstly because he’s built like a brick outhouse, and secondly because we’re still slightly suspicious that he’s actually a Terminator-like android who shows no mercy to those who stand in his way. So why people keep taking pictures of him during his swing is beyond us. It happened again in the WGC in Doral on Sunday, when on the ninth-hole a photographer fired his shutter during Tiger’s downswing. He was understandably furious, letting out a rant - that included threatening to break the next offender’s neck - punctuated with profanity. Eyebrows were raised, but can you blame him? It’s the fourth time it’s happened this year, and on three of those occasions (including this one) he went on to make a bogey. It’s not only this season that it’s been going on either, remember the 2002 Skins Game when his caddy, Steve Williams threw a spectators camera into the lake by the 18th green after disturbing Tiger while he was playing a crucial bunker shot?

The problem is, can you stop it from happening? We need pictures from golf tournaments, so banning photography entirely is out of the question. We’ve come up with some possible punishments for the guilty snappers…

1. Force the culprit into an Ultimate Fighting match against Steve Williams.

2. Confiscate the camera and let Tiger use the lens as a tee on the range.

3. Make the snapper play the shot himself – and see if the sound of a shutter (or several) puts him off.



4. Woodsy could rugby tackle them and crack them in half like this.
If you can think of anymore, add a comment to this blog and we’ll see just how devious you can be.

If you can think of anymore, add a comment to this blog and we’ll see just how devious you can be.


3/28/2008 10:59:53 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [1] 

  Thursday, March 27, 2008
Golf War

Another busy day in the office where we're wrestling for who makes the teas. One fall, two sugars, three without milk.

Ladies and gentleman we bring you the marquee match up. Aston 'Goldberg' Leech vs 'Clubber' Dan Owen.

Take it away boys.




3/27/2008 12:59:37 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [1] 
The Best A Man Can Get?

We know you've all seen it but when watching the Gillette Champions advert yesterday GOLFPUNK Editor Owen Blackhurst almost choked when seeing the introduction to who these sporting mega stars (and Henry) are. They described Tiger Woods as '2006 Player of the Year'. Is that the best they could do? Multi record breaking, consecutive tour event winning, habitual world no.1 Tiger Woods?



It got us thinking. What other back handed compliments we could give to some golfing greats

Jack Nicklaus – Greatest Major Runner Up of All Time.

Bobby Jones – BA Hons English Literature.

Harry Vardon – The first professional golfer to play in knickers.

Tom Lehman – World No.1 (20th April 1997 – 26th April 1997)

Lee Trevino – Losing Captain 1985 Ryder Cup.

You've seen our sorry attempt let's hear yours. Post them in the comments section and prove your smarter than us.




3/27/2008 11:53:39 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [1] 
It's Raining Gat's and Slugs

Talk about a shotgun start. Getting hit with a bullet couldn’t stop celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme from cooking at a golf course near New Orleans.

Prudhomme was setting up his cooking tent at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans when he felt a sting in his right arm. He thought it was a bee sting, but discovered a .22 caliber bullet after shaking his shirt sleeve.

The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office believes Paulie was hit by a falling bullet shot somewhere within a mile-and-a-half radius of the golf course.

Witnesses say the bullet cut Prudhomme’s skin and put a hole in his white chef’s coat. But it'll take more than that to put PP down  as he continued cooking for the golfers, their caddies and guests at the annual PGA Tour event.

If for whatever reason a film was going to be made about the incident we've already got the title and the star. Firearms and golf? There's only one place to go...

John Daly is Bullet




3/27/2008 11:47:37 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Bunker Babes Lay Down The Law

The Bunker Babes. What they don't know about a preffered lies isn't worth knowing. For your information Jenica is on hand to help with a rule quandry that recently caught the public eye. Take it away Jenica.

Dear Jenica,

I was playing in my club championships last summer and doing pretty well, until I had a bit of misfortune. On the 11th tee I was making practice swings with my driver whilst waiting for the group ahead to clear the fairway. I didn’t realise I was standing too close to a ball washer and the club struck it, making a loud, embarrassing noise, as well as denting the clubhead. Naturally I just wanted to get on with things but the official at the tee insisted on conferring with his colleagues at the clubhouse (via loud, embarrassing walkie-talkie) and then told me I couldn’t use my driver for the rest of the round! To make things worse I wasn’t allowed to borrow one from the pro shop, even though they had the exact same model as a demo club. As a result I dropped shots, and came tied seventh. Was I cheating, or was I cheated?
Wes, Cumbria


When Jenica speaks, you listen.


Jenica says,
Oh Wes, this is a classic case of cheating yourself. According to rule 4-3b if a club is significantly altered (and a massive dent in the clubhead is definitely significant) other than in the normal course of play (and attacking a ball washer isn’t the normal course of play) its playing characteristics have changed and it must not be used or replaced.



Don’t worry though, you’re in good company. You may have seen Ian Poulter using a wedge to hole out on the last four holes in the WGC on Saturday. He wasn’t doing it to show off. Walking to the 15th tee he tapped his putter on the concrete path and the weight on the back of it loosened. For the same reasons as yours, he was forced to leave his flatstick in the bag and use another club to putt. The thing is, he’s still quite good, and on the 18th he holed a 20-footer with a wedge.

For more advice from the bunker Babes click here or visit golfpunkonline.com/bunker-babes





3/26/2008 11:20:24 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [1] 

  Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Tavistock Cup 2008

As far as global sports go, golf is pretty big – ok, it’s gargantuan. But no matter how much wonga you spend organising a slick event like the WGC, there’s one thing that you can never take for granted – Mother Nature. You wouldn’t be surprised if rain interrupted play at a tournament in the UK, but when it happened in Florida it caused a bit of a stir. ‘How come, surely it’s just one day less the players get off work before next week’s Zurich Classic?’ We hear you say. Well this was no ordinary week on tour, you see the Tavistock Cup was scheduled to start on Monday, so when the WGC spilled over from Sunday, we held our breath to see if the event would be cancelled. Luckily the players finished up and headed over to Isleworth Golf and Country Club (also in Florida) to tee off just three hours late, and the event went ahead otherwise as planned. There was a huge sigh of relief at GP Towers as we’ve got a team over there covering the event for an exclusive Inside The Ropes story, which you will see in GP39. If you can’t wait until then, here’s a few facts you might not know about the Tavistock Cup.


The Tavistock Cup pits the tour pros who are members of Isleworth Golf & Country Club against their counterparts at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club.

Isleworth wear Red, lake Nona wear blue.

Though it’s only been going since 2004, participants of the Tavistock Cup have over 48 major championship and 690 career worldwide victories between them. Well done Tiger.

Spectators are allowed to walk the fairways with players as they go round, although only 3,500 tickets are allocated – by invitation only.

Conditions have stopped play before. In 2005 the sudden death playoff was halted due to darkness and no winner was named. The team captains decided the competition should return to Isleworth the following year.



3/25/2008 5:29:52 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Tiger Over The Moon?

This weekend Tiger Woods career earnings went passed the $80 million mark. That’s enough dough for four trips to space with Space Adventures. The company that sells Zero-Gravity flights, cosmonaut training and actual spaceflights sent American businessman Dennis Tito to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Soyuz spacecraft for a reported $20 million payment in 2001.

This year two people are expected to travel to the ISS: Russian parliament member Vladimir Gruzdev, and Richard Garriott, the son of scientist and astronaut Owen K. Garriott.

We think Woodsy should treat himself and book himself in as the third, what better way to celebrate winning the Grand Slam than a trip out of this world?

We reckon he’d definitely have a go at this…




3/25/2008 11:50:50 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
Ogily Wins WGC-CA Championship

Geoff Ogilvy won the rain-delayed World Golf Championships-CA Championship, holding off major tournament winners Retief Goosen, Vijay Singh and Jim Furyk and putting an end to Tiger Woods's six-month win streak.

Ogilvy began the final day with a two-shot lead over Furyk with nine holes remaining and finished with all pars for his first victory since capturing the 2006 U.S. Open at New York's Winged Foot Golf Club.

Goosen, Singh and Furyk tied for second at 16-under, one shot ahead of Woods, who failed to win for the first time since finishing runner-up to Phil Mickelson at the Deutsche Bank Championship outside of Boston in September. Woods had won the past seven tournaments he had entered, including five straight U.S. PGA Tour events.

“It was going to end at some point,”' Ogilvy told reporters after the round. “I'm very glad that I did it. There was a fair bit of talent on the top 10 of the leaderboard.'”

Ogilvy's victory included a chip-in to save par from off the par-3 13th green, a similar shot to one he hit on the 17th hole at Winged Foot en route to his lone major title.

This win makes Geoff just the third player to win more than one WGC event, joining Woods (15) and Darren Clarke (two).
After the round, Woods, Goosen and several other players flew to Orlando, Florida, to participate in the Tavistock Cup, a two-day exhibition match between professionals from Lake Nona and Isleworth clubs.

Which is a good job because our Features Editor Shaun has gone out to Florida to cover the Tavistock Cup for GP39.




3/25/2008 11:48:44 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 

  Thursday, March 20, 2008
GolfPunk Geek Speak

Callaway X Forged Wedges
£89

Now a word to the wise, these wedges have got more spin than Alastair Campbell. But for the all this extra spin there's a price. They destroy balls for fun. Even after a chip and run you'll be scraping ball shearing's out of the grooves. If you can accept that, you'll add a new dimension to your short game. We were managing to back the ball up from the rough backspin on ten-yard lob shots from the rough, and the lob wedge is exceptional when you're chipping to tight pins on elevated greens.



www.callawaygolf.com


3/20/2008 6:18:46 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
MagMyPic

Here's a fun site for all those who have ever thought they're front page news.

All you aspiring cover stars can see what you'd look like by visiting www.magmypic.com

Simply upload a photo, choose your cover and you too can look like this.


Create Fake Magazine Covers with your own picture at MagMyPic.com
Discount Magazine Subscriptions - Save big!




3/20/2008 6:09:06 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [0] 
How To Play Business Golf

Searching the web for more golf gems we came across a site advertising this book.




We are well versed in playing speed, reckless and frankly rubbish golf but business golf is something we don't know so well.

We don't know what it's like, we haven't read it. But the contents look like this tome has some lessons we could all learn.

Check it out.

How To Play Business Golf
From the Boardroom to the Fairways
By Scot Duke

Introduction

CHAPTERS

1. Why?

a. Answer to the Number One question

b. Golf and Business

c. Social and Personal aspects taught by playing golf

d. Opportunity to test a person’s character

e. Produces a positive image of your business

f. The best marketing tool that is not being used

2. Facts

a. The size of the market

b. How to get into the market

3. Understanding Golf

a. Pillars of the Game

        i. Integrity

        ii. Honesty

        iii. Humility

        iv. Trust

v. Respect

b. Use the Principles of Golf in your business

4. For Non-Golfers

a. The Correct Way To Get Started

b. Things to remember

i. Patience

c. How Long Will It Take To learn To Play Golf?

d. Dedication Is A Necessity

e. The Expected Result

f. Accept The Title: BEGINNER GOLFER

g. Pay Your Dues

h. Always Keep It FUN

i. Get Help For a PGA/LPGA Professional

j. How to Accelerate the Learning Curve

k. The Subtle Approach

l. When It Is Time To Take YOUR Game To The Course

m. Be Honest With Yourself

n. If You Have To Play Before It Is Time

o. Warnings

p. Beginner Tips

q. Learn The Rules

5. Do’s & Don’ts

a. Do Learn The Game

b. Keep A Lid On The Temper

c. Always Take The Game Seriously

d. Learn All Of Golf’s Etiquettes

e. TURN THE CELLPHONE OFF, Please

f. Dress To Impress

g. Leave The Cigars And Chewing Tobacco In The Can

h. Keep The Talking To A minimum

i. Be On Time

6. The Benefits of Using Golf In Business

a. Building Strong Business Relationships

b. Networking with Golf

c. Marketing Your Business

d. Improving Business Image

7. Preparing Your Business For Golf

a. Building a Golf Culture

b. Why Build a Golf Culture

c. What to do first

        i. Make An Impression

        ii. Announce The Change

        iii. Take It Seriously

        iv. Comfort The Non-Golfers On Staff

d. Managing the Golf Culture

e. Expanding the Culture Outside The Walls of Your Business

8. How to Play Business Golf

a. The Staff Meeting

        i. Employee Incentives

        ii. Morale Boost

        iii. Vendor Recognition

b. The Soft Sale

        i. The one-on-one

        ii. The Foursome

c. Managing the Golf

        i. The Plan

        ii. The invitations

        iii. The Follow-up

d. The Company Golf Tournament

        i. Promote Your Business

        ii. Hire A Professional

e. Charity Golf Tournaments

        i. Chose a well run Charity Golf tournament

        ii. The smaller the better

        iii. How to make being involved in the community work

        iv. Get involved

        v. Benefits

f. The Golf School

        i. How it works

        ii. Pick A Good School

        iii. Benefits

g. Out-of-Town Excursions

        i. How Does It Work

        ii. Why An Out-A-Town Event

        iii. Myths

        iv. Benefits

h. Networking Golf

        i. Getting the word out

        ii. How Does Networking in Golf Works?

9. What Are You Waiting For?

To find out more on business golf click here...



3/20/2008 4:55:24 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)  #  Comments [3] 


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