Golf Tips and Golf News

World Rankings: An English Golf Update

2010-11-22T15:00:00.001Z

Despite not playing as much golf as one might expect of a world leader, Lee Westwood has maintained his position at top of the world golf rankings for the 3rd week in a row. In fact, the only change in the entire top 10 ranked world golfers was the two Northern Irish players, Graeme McDowell and Rory McIlroy, who swapped positions to leave McIlroy down in 10th and McDowell up to 9th. Having finished 4th at the Australian Masters at the weekend, Tiger Woods has also stayed put, remaining in 2nd place behind the English world leader.

Outside of the leader board, Lee Westwood has won his 10th European Tour title by closing the UBS Hong Kong Open with a 22 under par aggregate of 258, causing him to leap 3 positions up the rankings, to world number 11! A single step higher for Poulter will make him the 4th Englishman in the top 10 ranked world golfers, along with Paul Casey, Luke Donald and, of course, Lee Westwood. Although that will bring England level with the USA in terms of the top 10, we mustn’t get too cocky as, after Poulter, the rankings are devoid of any English players until Justin Rose and Ross Fisher at 28 and 29.

Lee Westwood Remains Confident

2010-11-04T14:40:00.002Z

New world number one Lee Westwood remains confident and, after his performance in Shanghai, who can blame him?

In his first round as world number one, Lee Westwood delivered a magnificent 66 – including 3 birdies in 4 holes – to be beaten only by a 65 from Francesco Molinari. Considering Westwood hasn’t played for 3 weeks, this is impressive work from the Englishman, especially considering his game plan was “just to go out there and enjoy myself and see what happened”. Despite a trio of birdies in the middle holes, Tiger Woods finished behind Westwood with a 68, though seemed happy with the result; “I hit a lot of good shots and also putted well.” the world number two stated.

Not everybody is convinced of Lee’s dominance of the world rankings, however. Nick Faldo, for example, has questioned the validity of naming a world number one who is yet to win a major title. In response, Westwood declared Faldo’s comments to be “Fairly obvious”, explaining that “the previous world No 1 players...have all won major championships. It would be nice to join that club as well”.

Westwood is clearly being realistic about his rise to the top of world golf. When asked about the rankings, he has said “it’s one thing getting there but it’s another thing staying there”.

Tiger Woods not suprised at losing golf's number one spot

2010-11-01T20:18:00.002Z

After 281 weeks at the number one, Tiger Woods drops down to second place in the official world rankings.

Tiger lost out to English player Lee Westwood, who spent today "bumbling around Sainbury's" and "shopping for some rubber gloves and mashed potato" as officials calculated his win of top spot.

But Tiger Woods isn't disappointed, he told The Guardian Newspaper:

"You have to win in order to become No1 in the world and you have to win a lot to maintain it. That's just the way it goes."

Tiger Woods' last win was November 2009, days before the media frenzy regarding his private life. Woods took a five-month break from golf after his confessions of extramarital affairs, which led to him divorcing wife Elin Nordegren.

Now it's been reveled that tickets to see Tiger Woods play in Australia aren't selling with tickets still available for the Australian Masters, which saw tickets sell out in advance six weeks in advance last year.

David Rollo, speaking for Golf IMG Australia said the diminished ticket sales are nothing to do with Tiger's extramarital affairs, but rather, are due to this being the second year running that Tiger has visited Australia.

Rollo said "It was the first time he'd been here in 11 years [last year] and at that time I guess there were people who thought he may not be here for another chance to see him."

The official top 10 world rankings:

1 - Lee Westwood (ENGLAND) 8.29 points
2 - Tiger Woods (USA) 8.13 points
3 - Martin Kaymer (GERMANY) 7.98 points
4 - Phil Mickelson (USA) 7.83 points
5 - Steve Stricker (USA) 7.20 points
6 - Jim Furyk (USA) 7.09 points
7 - Paul Casey (ENGLAND) 6.14 points
8 - Luke Donald (ENGLAND) 5.70 points
9 - Rory McIlroy (N IRELAND) 5.44 points
10 - Graeme McDowell (N IRELAND) 5.43 points

Baron and Kelly To Be Inducted Into Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame

2010-10-19T10:42:00.002+01:00

Charlie Baron, Las Vegas golfing legend, is to be inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame tonight, alongside Joe Kelly. Although it’s been over 20 years since Baron helped establish the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open, he has directed it with energy and passion since 1988. For this, along with his lifetime’s worth of contributions to local golf, Baron has earned his place amongst the likes of Dwaine Knight and Jim Colbert.

Kelly says golf in Las Vegas has a lot to offer; "We've got a great junior golf program that gets kids started in the sport at a young age and gives them skills they'll use their entire lives, not just when they're playing.” Baron agrees with him; "We spent 22 years trying to build something special in Las Vegas for the community...What I'm most proud of is we were able to help so many local charities, help make Las Vegas a golf tourist destination and really help give the community a big-time sporting event."

The Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame is devoted to making people aware of the players who have contributed significantly to golf in Las Vegas; from benefactors and promoters, to instructors and players themselves. Current members include: Jerry Belt, Helen Cannon, James Cashman, Jr., Clyde Cobb, James Colbert, Eddie Draper, Brady Exber, Robert Gamez, Butch Harmon, Ernest Haupt, Richard Huff, Stuart Reid, Chris Riley, Tom Storey, and Charlie Teel.

Thoughts on the Ryder Cup

2010-10-10T10:48:00.000+01:00

I, for one, leapt for joy at our victory at the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor. However, jubilant though I was at seeing the Americans beaten, I still couldn’t help myself feeling a little bit sorry for Hunter Mahan, as I watched his choked and bumbling attempt to answer questions about his defeat to Graeme McDowell. Apparently, however, this isn’t abnormal for our cousins across the Atlantic:

"I don't know how many guys cry when they lose a tournament but there a lot of guys who cry when they lose a Ryder Cup.” Tom Lehman told the BBC. Luckily for Mahan, Mickelson stepped in – eventually – to put an end to the pitiful collection of sounds he was trying to pass off as an answer, suggesting he might be of more use with a microphone than he is with a golf club.

Of course, any major tournament plays with the emotions – even more so when there is but a single point between victory and defeat. Yet this very thing that caused such misery and pain to the American team is exactly what we millions of viewers were craving; some ‘down-to-the-last-minute’ action, in what hasn’t been the most exciting of years so far.

Predictably, Tiger Woods was still the most valuable American player; though this time I think many were pleased to see Steve Stricker doing his part as well. With such a young American team, who knows; perhaps one day soon Tiger will be knocked from his perch. Perhaps.

Ryder cup round up

2010-10-08T19:38:00.002+01:00

Golf's biggest tournament is now over for another two years. To help ease your withdrawal symptoms we’ve got you a round up of all the tasty news, stories and gossip!

A win for Europe!

By now you probably know who won the cup for Europe: Irish hero Graeme McDowell. McDowell was overjoyed, calling the experience "crazy".

"This is crazy," added McDowell. "I was trying to do it for 11 team-mates, for all the fans, for the caddies, for Europe and for Monty - and we were all trying to win it for Seve (Ballesteros) too.

"The back nine at Pebble Beach felt like a back nine playing with my dad at Royal Portrush.

"It's so much pressure and this is a special feeling - there's nothing quite like it.

"Monty was amazing. For the last two years he has been up for this."

We want to say a MASSIVE well done for McDowell – what a great victory for Europe!

"Cigar Guy"

If you've been getting your golfing news online it was impossible to miss the Daily Mail’s fantastic shot of Tiger Woods hitting the ball straight into the camera - but in case you have click here to see it.

A Daily Mail photographer captured an amazing photograph of Tiger Woods hitting the ball; sadly Tiger mucked up the shot and aimed it straight at the camera, by mistake. In fact, the ball hit the lens, but not before the photographer caught it mid-flight in the air.

But, that wasn't the impressive part of the photo. The most interesting part of the photo was a man standing on the right that the Internet has since dubbed 'Cigar Guy'. Wearing a turban with a cigar hanging out of his mouth, the 'Cigar Guy' is the focal point of the image, stealing the glory away from the amazing ball, mid-flight.

Soon the Internet was all over the photo, with one blogger doctoring the original photo and pasting Cigar Guy's head onto every member of the crowd AND over Tiger's head too.

See it here: http://deadspin.com/5655370/

Rain rain go away…

Well, of course everybody should have expected the rain during the Cup matches: they were played in Wales after all, a country that's as famous for its rainy days as it is for superstar signer Tom Jones!

But sadly, the American golfers had a bit of an issue with the weather, or rather, the gear they were playing in.

The suits were taking far too long to dry, plus they were becoming bogged down in water. Bags the American team was provided with were reportedly soaked through, prompting complaints from several of the players' caddies.

Because of the rain, little golf was played during the Friday of the tournament, hurtling the waterproof rain suit malfunction into the sporting press as the ‘story of the day!’

Finally, PGA of America CEO Joe Steranka issued the following statement about the suits to Golf Digest magazine:

"All of the companies that produce this rain gear meet the technical specifications that you would want to have for extreme conditions," he said. "They do more testing than we could ever do on our own, and we look at the specifications and take them for what they are. And the fact of the matter is, they didn't perform as well as they needed to. Now, there are a number of players that were quite comfortable with the rain gear, but not everybody was, and you know, we have got to represent all 12 players and 12 caddies, as well."

Great golf courses in Yorkshire

2010-09-15T19:05:00.004+01:00

The following courses are three of Yorkshire’s finest. Ganton and Moortown are great if you’re looking for a challenging course steeped in history and tradition, whereas Rother Valley is perfect if you’re looking for a bargain day out and a great round of golf.

Ganton Golf Club, North Yorkshire

Ganton golf club is steeped in history, since it was built in the summer of 1981, over 100 years ago.

The course comprises of 18 holes and is a challenging Championship Course, so is only suitable to golfers with a current handicap certificate.

It's located near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Ganton Golf Club accepts visiting golfers both during the week and at weekends. Times are subject to availability, so make sure you make the necessary arrangements first.

Ganton hosted the Ryder Cup in 1949 and more recently, the Walker Cup in 2003.

The fees are very reasonable: £80.00 per day midweek (peak season) and £90.00 per day at weekends/bank holidays.

Ganton Golf Club also boasts a thirteen acre practice range and a short game practice facility.

The club oozes charm and visitors have reported that the club is very formal, though pleasant to newcomers.

Moortown Golf Club, West Yorkshire

Founded in 1909, the Moortown Golf Club has seen a lot of history over the last 100 years, including a Ryder Cup win for Great Britain and several rounds of the English Amateur, Brabazon Trophy and European Tour.

The course is located in Alwoodley, near Leeds and accepts visiting golfers, who can select from two different packages for their visit:

The Gibraltar Package:

Morning Coffee & Bacon Rolls on Arrival
For Lunchtime Soup & Sandwiches on Arrival
Warm Up Balls & Facilities
18 Holes of Golf
Longest Drive & Nearest Pin Markers
Two Course Dinner in the Ryder Cup Room

Cost £90 (per head)

OR:

The MacKenzie Package:

Coffee & Bacon Rolls on Arrival
Warm Up Balls & Facilities
Morning Round
Soup & Sandwiches Lunch
Afternoon Round
Longest Drive & Nearest Pin Markers
Presentation Table
3 Course Evening Dinner in the Ryder Cup Room

Cost £105 (per head)

Previous visitors have told us that the club is ‘good quality with an old school feel.’

Rother Valley Golf Centre, South Yorkshire

Rother Valley Golf Centre boasts an 18-hole golf course that was recently voted by Society Golfers as the best golf venue in England for under £20.00. There is also a par 3 9-hole course too.

Rother Valley is cheap compared to the other courses listed here. There are numerous deals listed on their website, including a fantastic Ryder Cup deal: Get a great value bundle deal on 18 holes of golf, a meal and a beer. Prices start from as little as £20.00.

New: Rother Valley Golf Centre now take tee time bookings online - how convenient!

Feedback from golfers: 'This course is one of South Yorkshire's finest.'

We hope you like our Yorkshire golf course guide and found it very useful!

Trump Is At It Again...

2010-09-13T10:51:00.005+01:00

...and this time he's getting people arrested!

Two documentary film-makers were arrested on the site of Donald Trumps's Aberdeenshire golf resort, after the Trump organisation accused them of entering their offices and filming documents without permission. The journalists were were investigating complaints that Trump's contractor's "accidentally" cut off the water supply to local residents, including Trump's nemesis Michael Forbes.

Award-winning journalists Anthony Baxter and Richard Phinney were arrested whilst interviewing Susie Munro, a resident of the area who objects to the development of Trumps' new resort. When they refused to stop filming, the police took their camera and handcuffed Baxter. Having been arrested for breach of the peace, the journalists were held for four hours and even had their DNA put on record! Their cameras were also held for five days, preventing them from filming.

"This is a blatant example of police interference aimed at stopping bona fide journalists from doing their job." said Paul Holleran, Scottish representative of the National Union of Journalists, "Their footage shows they were asking very pertinent questions in a mannerly fashion as befits professional journalists."

The Trump organisation claims the journalists were "photographing confidential documents" - something Baxter claims certainly isn't true. "We've the footage to prove it" he has said, "We were legitimately carrying out an interview with a member of Mr Trump's workforce at the site and he participated in that interview, freely exchanging information, over a period of time."

21 days until Wales hosts the Ryder Cup

2010-09-09T17:56:00.007+01:00

The countdown is on! In 21 days the world's largest golfing tournament takes place in Newport, Wales, and we’re going to bring you all the news, stories and information about the event over the next couple of weeks…

There’s only three weeks to go, so here’s the most recent news:

Golf is good for the economy
Newport residents cash in on Ryder Cup
Event attracts Welsh stars like Shirley Bassey
Ryder Cup officials warn about fake ticket scams

Golf is good for the economy: 

It's Wales' first year hosting the Cup, which has been running since 1927. Wales, naturally, are very pleased to showcasing the event, which they're certain will create a host of jobs and opportunities for Welsh residents.

Website http://www.rydercupwales2010.com, which was set up by the Welsh Assembly Government, has stated that similar golfing events in the past has opened Wales up to an international audience, resulting in local businesses doubling their profits! For example,

Jacqueline and Glyn Roberts have run their business in Harlech for 15 years, but have seen it double in size over the past year. They attribute this spectacular success to their region's raised profile due to the Ryder Cup Wales Seniors tournament and golf marketing campaigns by the Wales Tourist Board.

We're hoping the Ryder Cup won't be any different and will help Wales' tourism industry boom!

So next time your wife moans at you for playing golf, tell her you’re just doing your bit for the economy!

Newport residents cash in on tournament:

Newport residents are cashing in on the upcoming tournament, with locals renting their homes out to golf-loving visitors for huge sums of money.

Websites like http://accommodationfortheevent.com/rydercup/ are helping Welsh homeowners advertise their properties in front of an audience of Golf lovers.

Two-bedroom homes are being listed for as much as £8,000 per week, which makes the tournament very lucrative for the locals. If you reside in Wales, it may be worth shipping your family out to the local B&B for a week and letting your house out to Golf enthusiasts!

Event attracts Welsh stars like Shirley Bassey:

The Ryder Cup usually attracts some of Golf's biggest names and this year is no exception, with players like Tiger Woods on the bill.

And, excitingly, some of Wales' most popular artists are also confirmed to be putting on performances, including Cardiff's very own Shirley Bassey, Katherine Jenkins, the Loftprophets, Only Men Aloud and Shaheem Jafargholi. Steve Jones will be hosting the events and Catherine Zeta Jones will make a guest appearance during the opening concert.

Ryder Cup officials warn about fake ticket scams:

This week Ryder Cup Europe has voiced concerns over fake ticket vendors.
Golf fans are reminded that tickets are now non-transferable; this year all tickets contain photographic ID so you must ONLY buy your tickets from the official vendors.

Guide to avoiding pirate vendors:

Don't let any third parties buy tickets on your behalf.
Only buy shuttle tickets from the 'Ryder Cup Travel Services', as most roads will be closed to other transport during the week.
Only book tickets with Ryder Cup Europe official vendors.

We’ll be back with more Ryder Cup golf news soon!

Tiger Woods: The Rise and Fall

2010-09-01T11:13:00.000+01:00

Personally, I try to leave Tiger Woods alone. His affairs are none of my business and I'm not interested in who or what he has done. By contrast, other people have seen fit to make an entire documentary about the golfer. For those who are interested, here is some information.

A new, British documentary is set to portray Tiger Woods as "a deeply repulsive figure". In Tiger Woods: The Rise and Fall, Jacques Peretti claims, along with people who have known Tiger intimately, that he is a project dreamed up by his father, Earl, whilst he served in Vietnam. Designed to be a super-golfer, to infiltrate the white-world of golf, young Tiger was even hypnotized before big competitions, by an member of the U.S. Army.

Raised in an all-white neighbourhood, where he was bullied and introduced to racists at golf clubs, the documentary claims Tiger developed an "awesome arrogance" and sense of entitlement, that eventually led to his downfall. In short, where Michael Jackson's lost childhood meant he was forever a kid, Tiger's lost teenage-years seem to have trapped him in his arrogant adolescent mindset, whilst his talent has landed him with the money to use that arrogance however he pleases.

Bag Boy Automatic Titanium Trolley

2010-08-20T11:20:00.000+01:00

The Bag Boy Automatic Trolley is a product combining the elegance of both innovative technology and design. This three-wheel trolley is notable for its ease of use as it can be assembled and packed away in one smooth motion, making it unique amongst its rivals. The ease of which the Bag Boy Automatic is both collapsed and assembled is complemented by a low profile chassis, wide contact ergonomics, high speed bearings and a newly designed G Force wheel that has been designed to improve manoeuvrability. The addition of such groundbreaking technologies make the Bag Boy Automatic one of the most feature-laden trolleys currently available on the market.

There are a number of added extras that increase the value of an already excellent package. These include a special brake that allows the trolley to be parked in a specific location, an adjustable handle, a designated holster designed to carry refreshments and valuables, and a bag bracket system that caters for the ranging sizes of junior, ladies and men’s bags available.

The Bay Boy Automatic promises to provide golfers with everything they need in a push trolley, with the addition of some luxurious extras that seasoned players will especially appreciate. The perfect accessory for any golfer looking to travel around the golf course in style during the summer months, the Bag Boy Automatic Titanium Trolley is perfectly suited for golfers looking for a trolley that can fold away with consummate ease.

Mizuno MP-68 Forged Irons

2010-08-20T11:19:00.001+01:00

The new Mizuno MP-68 surpasses previous expectations by providing golfers with a club that combines all the best features of Mizuno's now legendary bladed irons with an additional enhanced feel of quality. The innovative 3D muscle pad has been designed to offset the often unwanted vibrations associated with a bladed club to create a new brand of iron specifically designed for the highly accomplished player.

Mizuno broke waves with their MP-33 design at the turn of the millennium but the new improved MP-68 has taken the PGA Tour by storm with the majority of the world's top players praising its much improved design and ease of use. A shorter hosel and muscle back design significantly improve the centre of gravity, combining with the muscle pad technology and precise weighting system to offer a penetrating ball flight that can be shaped in either direction for effortless total shot control. A new look sole shape has been implemented for crisper ball-striking, along with Mizuno's unique Grain Flow Forging construction to create a club that maintains its standards amongst the elite, whilst being more forgiving and easier to use for the low handicapped player.

The MP-68 is easy on the eye too, with subtle changes to the head design and a more compact PW offering the complete all round package for the talented golfer looking to take their game to the next level.

How Tiger Stayed On Top - Golf Rankings Explained

2010-08-10T14:01:00.005+01:00

The big news in golf this week is that rapidly declining golfing legend Tiger Woods ended up finishing tied 78th in the 80-man WGC Bridgestone Invitational. This means that only one player finished with a worse score than Woods, and the winner finished an astonishing 30 shots ahead of the greatest champion of all time. The question is, then: how is it that a player performing so badly can still technically be ranked as the greatest player in the world?

This may certainly seem mysterious to newcomers and golfing laymen, but the answer is really quite simple. The world rankings are calculated using a points system: different tournaments and courses are designated varying amounts of points depending on their profile and difficulty. Players are then awarded points dependent on their finishing position.

At first, this may seem flawed: players will surely accumulate points over their careers, and the greatest contemporary player will be overshadowed by a retired legend! The answer is that each individual player's ranking is calculated from only the last two years of playing. Again, this may seem unfair on a player who has only recently gained form (or, as in Tiger's case, lost form). Of course, the system cannot compensate for this entirely, but some compensation is done through scaling down the points awarded over time: each tournament's value remains for 13 weeks only, and is then reduced in weekly increments until the end of the 2 year period. This way recent form is given priority whilst allowing for anomalous performances.

Robotic Decadence

2010-08-10T13:30:00.003+01:00

"Silly", "pointless", and "decadent" are just three of the polite words that come to mind on hearing the news that the brand new golf club in Oxfordshire (imaginatively named 'The Oxfordshire Golf Club') was opened this week by a ribbon-cutting robot.

The stunt was organised so that the Brazilian Director of High Performance Sports, Marco Klein, could officially open the new golf club without having to move from his office at the Brazilian Sports Ministry in Brasilia, over 6,000 miles away. The logic was that Mr Klein was essential in securing Brazil's bid for the 2016 Olympics, in which golf will be included for the first time since people first realised that it was a silly idea.

Asides from being rather odd reasoning for why the Brazilian should have anything to do with the opening of a golf club in Oxfordshire, the basic point remains that Mr Klein actually did not open the new golf club: a robot did. Certainly he sent the digital command that activated the process, but the same would have been the case if he had simply sent a text message to an underling who then did it for him. And that probably would have been considerably cheaper.

The General Manager of the club, Tim Pettifer, explained that they wanted to do something "unusual, entertaining, and which celebrated the global nature of golf". It is a testimony to the imagination and excitement of the golfing lifestyle that a robot with a pair of scissors fulfilled these criteria.

76% OFF GOLF LESSON!

2010-07-20T17:40:00.000+01:00

The summer holidays are finally here and, for many of us, that means golfing time! However, even the keenest golfer may find themselves a bit rusty, after some time away from the course, which is why we are bringing you this fantastic deal with livingsocial.com; 76% off a 30 minute golf lesson and 60 minute golf simulator - the perfect way to get back into form before showing your skills on the course!

Alternatively, this would make the ideal gift for a beginner who is keen to learn the foundations of the sport before breaking out some clubs and hitting the ball for real. Fully-qualified PGA golf professionals will analyse their swing and, after a hard hour and half of learning, they can even hit their bar to celebrate their success (or drown their sorrows.

Based in central London, it couldn't be easier to get to for the city-dwelling types, who can't always get away for 9 holes. Check it out here: http://livingsocial.com/deals/4660

A Tribute to the Old Course, St. Andrews

2010-07-12T15:05:00.002+01:00

The British Open is almost upon us and, in honour of the 'home of golf', we are pleased to present you with a selection of our favourite pictures of the Old Course at St. Andrews. Although I have had the pleasure of playing the course a couple of times, I'm sorry to say that carrying a camera around was the last thing on my mind, so none of these are my personal shots. Please follow the links the the respective websites if you wish to pay tribute to the photographers.

Perhaps the ideal shot of the Old Course, this lovely picture is from visitfife.com

My personal favourite, this stunning photograph can be found at the oldcourse-experience.

A wonderful place of eating and accommodation, this shot is from the tripadvisor.com

The Old Course in the snow; not so great for golf, but fantastic for photography - as celtichighroads have proven.

A final image of the undulating beauty of St. Andrews Old Course, from edonghoon.com.

Trump Golf Resort Approved

2010-06-29T13:22:00.001+01:00

Aberdeenshire council has approved the latest stage of development for Donald Trump’s super-resort near Balmedie, meaning construction could start within a month. Trump himself has declared the course would be open within 18 months, which seems exceptionally ambitious – even for him!

Of course, Trump will still have to overcome the mighty Michael Forbes, who is still refusing to sell his farm to the Trump project. So far, even millionaire lawyers have failed to get any compulsory purchase orders bought upon Forbes, who has responded to their threats by spray painting his own buildings with anti-Trump slogans!

Conveniently however, the last couple of months have seen the passing of a new Scottish law, which allows the council to serve maintenance orders on homes and gardens, meaning Forbes will have to tidy up what Trump refers to as his “dump” of a property; “It is a pig sty. It's terrible, his barn is all rusty and falling down. The hotel has the chance to be something really outstanding but it's awfully hard when a window is overlooking a slum and you see rusting oil cans."

Perhaps Trump should consider that might be the effect Forbes is going for, after all the abuse he has received from the billionaire. Any way of being a thorn in Trump’s side seems like the kind of action Forbes will continue to take.

Golf Trolleys

2010-06-05T17:43:00.000+01:00

Unless the only reason you play golf is to get fit, there really is no reason to carry your bag of golf clubs all over the course. Not only is it bad for your back, it will render you tired and out of breath for all your important shots.

Golf trolleys take almost all the effort out of transporting golf clubs, especially if you invest in a motorised one! What’s more, they raise the bag off the ground; removing the need to bend over as far, every time you need to change clubs. Although this may seem like a minor point, an average course of 72 holes requires at least this many changes of club, which involves enough bending and straightening that many golfers actually suffer back problems. Of course, if you invest in an electric golf trolley, you should ensure you buy something durable and with enough battery power to get you around the course.

When you consider how much money people pour into trainers and clubs to get as much out their game as possible, it seems ridiculous to risk tiring yourself out early by carrying all your clubs around.

Trump's Project Manager Quits!

2010-05-14T17:03:00.004+01:00

It's not often we get to report some good news from Aberdeen, where Donald Trump is still attempting to build his billion-pound golf rseort. In fact, the last few posts about the issue have been been infurating readers, as Trump seems to be willing to stop at nothing to build his resort - even demanding the rights to purchase the homes of people living in the area so he can force them to move out.

Today, however, we are pleased to announce that Trump's project manager Neil Hobday has resigned from the company to "pursue other business interests". After spending five years developing the ambitious resort, this seems like something of a strange move... Perhaps it's not going as smoothly as Trump would have us think!

Of course, there is speculation that Hobday's leaving of the company is related to an argument he had on camera with local resident David Milne, who is steadfastly refusing to sell his house to the Trump Organisation (or Mafia, as we refer to it). As we reported at the time, Hobday told Milne to "clear off" from a public exhibition of the masterplans for the resort - an exhibition we were always certain would cause problems.

So, after months of bad news from Balmedie, perhaps things are starting to look up for Mr. Milne and company.

Image from scottishgolfview.com

Rest in Peace Erica Blasberg

2010-05-10T11:30:00.004+01:00

The Golf Blog is sorry to bring you tragic news today. Erica Blasberg, the 25-year old LGPA golfer, was found dead in her house at 03:00 on Sunday.

Although Erica’s career had taken something of a down-turn over the last couple of years, with her 44th position in Mexico being her only LPGA appearance this year, police are treating the case primarily as a death investigation. Keith Paul of Henderson Police Department said simply that “Someone died and we're trying to determine what happened.” Even so, speculation is already growing as to whether this terrible event could have been a suicide.

Erica’s mother, Mel, said of the case that “None of it makes sense...was nothing to suggest that a 25-year-old in perfect shape should have died”. However, she also pointed out that “There were no prescription drugs” and her father has denied saying it looked as though she might have committed suicide.

Of course, in times like this it’s best to focus on the positives. Erica Blasberg was hugely loved by LGPA fans around the world and her career had some wonderful highlights, including her 8th place tie in the SBS Hawaii Open in 2008. She was also one of the first LGPA golfers to start blogging, making her something of a role-model even in the online golfing community!

Erica’s website http://www.ericablasberg.com/ has been taken down for the time being, but states that a memorial service will be held on May 19th in Corona, to which the public will be welcomed. Condolences can also be emailed to chase@rep1sports.com.

Image from sklz.com

Rangefinders - Yae or Nae?

2010-04-11T11:24:00.003+01:00

Anybody who plays golf knows pin-point accuracy is the key element of the sport; you can have either range or direction without the other, or you'll never play at your best. What's more, even if you can hit the fall as far as you need, the first hurdle is figuring out how far you need to hit it! When we see the pros play on TV, they all have a very helpful piece of equipment to aid them - called a caddie! Not all of us can afford caddies, however, and this is where rangefinders come into game.

No matter where you are on the course, a rangefinder will provide you with an extremely accurate indication (1 yard accuracy within 1500) of your distance from your target. It does this by projecting a laser to the target and measuring how long is takes the laser to return, making it much faster than a GPS unit. Some more expensive models even come with integrated slope measuring technology, to further help you plan your shots. At approximately the same size as a the various pockets is your golf clothes, they don't even hamper you when strolling around the course.

However, every good golfer will ask himself (or herself) - "Is this really something I want to get used to? Wouldn't I be better off learning to judge distances for myself? Isn't this part of what makes a great golfer?"

The choice is yours!

Image thanks to besportier.com

Not A Handicap!

2010-04-03T12:09:00.002+01:00

Last night, I had a shock. I was talking to my friend's fiance and he told me he'd always fancied playing golf, but couldn't indulge because he wasn't physically capable. Confused, I waited with baited breath to discover what terrible yet apparently very subtle disablement he was suffering from that meant he couldn't swing a golf club. As if to explain everything, he picked up a pen and signed his name for me... When I looked at him in confusion, he explained - "I'm left handed".

Had I been sitting on a barstool, I'd have fallen off. Luckily for me, my chair had a back to it, which saved me - just! To think, it's 2010 and there are still people out there who haven't heard of left handed golf clubs! No longer do left handed people need to be the Jimmy Hendrix of golf to play a round; there are left handed clubs available for every different skill level - you just have to look a little harder!

In fact, it's not even that hard to find left handed clubs. Type it into google, for example, and POW! It's as easy as that! That said, it is wise to try some clubs out first, to find the ones that suit you best, before looking online to find the best price.

So, just to be clear - being left handed is no handicap to getting a handicap!

Image thanks to Wordpress.

Choosing Clubs for Advanced Players

2010-03-28T15:01:00.000+01:00

By the time you’re an advanced golfer, you can start letting go of some of the club features that helped control the subtler aspects of your shots as a beginner and intermediate player. Where before it was important for you to have some perimeter weighting on your Game Improvement irons, you are now ready to swap these for some Player irons, which will give you some real control over the ball. Although you will sacrifice some forgiveness, you should be hitting consistently already, so this shouldn’t matter.

You can also start reducing the loft on your drivers; do so gradually, however, to make sure you don’t dump yourself in at the deep end with a club that you struggle to use well. At this stage, golf becomes more and more about the feel of the clubs, the feel of the swing and the feel of the shots. Less-advanced clubs protect you when you make mistakes, but they don’t allow for the fine-tuning that makes a good player into a great player.

A huge difference in the club set of an advanced player is that it must cover the whole range of shot-distances, as well as trajectories. Try to get a set of clubs that allow for no more than 15 yards between one club and another and alternative clubs for situations where the course or weathers is against you.

Maria Verchenova: Running, Weights and Golf Clothing

2010-03-20T13:20:00.000Z

For the first time since starting out of the Ladies European Tour, Russia's Maria Verchenova has finished top of the leaderboard, signing for a 67 at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco. “How did she do it?” I hear you cry...perhaps the key to her success is in what she’s been doing when not playing golf at all...

Over the winter months, the Russian hasn’t huddled from the cold like us mortals; she’s being out running six days a week and even lifting weights to stay in shape! “I was keeping myself fit through the whole winter and going to the gym and preparing to play so I felt I was going to be pretty close” she explained, as if it was no particularly big deal. I’ll be honest; I never considered running half a dozen times a week would help my golf...maybe I was wrong!

As if a strict winter fitness routine wasn’t enough, Verchenova also found time to design her own range of golf clothing! Apparently the range is inspired by women’s tennis...so it should be interesting to see how it goes down on the golf course! She says her golf clothes “will come out really soon in about two months or so and it's going to be really young and fashionable and bright colours for really young girls... Hopefully the first year I will just wear it and show it and the next year we will try to sell it.”

I think it’s safe to say we‘re all looking forward to seeing what she has in store.

Watch Out For Crocodiles?

2010-03-18T12:36:00.003Z

Here is Britain, the most dangerous thing we're likely to encounter on a golf course is probably one another! It's not that we're even prone to outbursts on violence in this country but, when it comes to harmful wildlife, badgers don't really strike enough fear in us to put us off our putting.

Unfortunately, this isn't always the case for golfers in other countries, as businessman Hong Kee Sion discovered six years ago...when he got bitten by a crocodile during a casual round of golf in Malaysia! It sounds unlikely but, whilst looking for a golf ball, he slipped into a marshy part of the course and mistook the croc for a log...which he then stepped on! Luckily he managed to fend the crocodile off using his golf club (which is news enough in itself!), but he was bitten in the process and required a whopping 38 stickes in his leg!

The reason I'm bringing this up today is that it has taken this long for poor old Hong Kee to win his legal battle for compensation, which amounted to £8, 500 - enough for a few rounds at St. Andrews... Apparently, since the attack, the resort has fenced off the area, which turned out to be a crocodile rearing ground! I mean really, I couldn't make it up if I tried - they put their golf course next to a crocodile rearing ground?! Or perhaps they built their croc rearing ground next to a public golf course - either way, it reeks of idiocy! Sou

Donald Trump Unveils Golf Resort Plans

2010-03-13T19:03:00.007Z

It's been a while since we've had an update on Donald Trump's exploits in Aberdeenshire, so here's the latest news. You know, just in case you were in a good mood and wanted something to make you angry...

A two-day exhibition has taken place at the Udny Arms Hotel in Newburgh, displaying the masterplans for Donald Trump's billion-pound golf resort to the public. In my opinion, this is madness! Does he not know any British history? Has he not heard of William Wallace and Guy Fawkes? Combine the Scottish pride of one with the devious underground plotting of the other and the last thing you should do is show them the blueprints for a highly controversial building, set to devastate Scottish lives!

Unsurprisingly, the exhibition was met was fury, especially from the Tripping Up Trump campaign group, determined to support the families whose homes Trump plans to claim. One local home owner, David Milne, was actually told to "clear off" by project director Neil Hobday, which is a curious way to go about attempting to gain support for the project...

As many of you will know, families living on land wanted by the Trump Organisation are facing losing their properties under compulsory purchase order, should Aberdeenshire Council give the plans the go-ahead later on this year. Donald Trump considers this to be “another significant step towards our goal of building the world's greatest golf course and resort”, but that’s because he’s a selfish goon.

Mickelson's Wedge Banned!

2010-03-09T16:22:00.005Z

So, golfing friends, it has finally happened; Phil Mickelson's controvertial Pind Eye 2 wedge has been banned, after weeks of arguments and accusations that the American is a 'cheat' for using his 20-year old club.

For those out of the golf news loop, there has recently been a change in the regulations on golf clubs that has disallowed the use of clubs with U-shaped grooves. These grooves allow the generation of extra spin, making it easier to play our of the rough. By banning these clubs, it is hoped more golfers will focus on playing to the fairway and the rough will have more of a negative impact.

However, the rule only applies to clubs made post-1990, meaning Mickelson's Ping Eye 2 wedge was still technically legal, despite having banned grooves! This wasn't good enough for the world of professional golf though, where Scott McCarron said Mickelson was "cheating" and even our very own Lee Westwood accused him of "bending the rules".

Phil Mickelson's club will be officially banned after the 29th March.

Counterfeight Golf Club Conspirators Face Jail!

2010-03-04T17:04:00.001Z

Regular readers may remember our report on the biggest eBay scam ever, which involved nearly 100,000 transactions involving fake golf clubs, golf clothing and general golfing accessories. Those of you who were as enraged as I will be pleased to hear that today, the people involved in the counterfeiting operation are facing jail sentences! Who says there’s no justice in the world? I think they should be given a chance to escape their sentence by playing a round using one of their counterfeit golf balls – the ones that exploded on impact!

At the centre of operations was Gary Bellchambers, who pleaded guilty to his role, as well as to the unauthorised use of trademarks relating to counterfeit Sony memory sticks and Qantas business class lounge invitation cards! It would seem Mr. Bellchambers is quite the entrepreneur! Or should I say, was quite entrepreneur, before being slung in jail. Also charged are Keith Thomas, Chris Moughton and Sharron Williams, as well as couple Roy and Kay Cottee, who were found guilty in December of conspiring to sell or distribute counterfeit goods.

The majority of the counterfeit golf clubs were made in China before being sold all around the world, as our previous post reported.

Golf Video Games - The Real Deal?

2010-03-03T16:40:00.001Z

In Saturday’s Evening News, the subject of declining golf club members was opened up to questions. One reader wrote the following; “Why pay £580 to play golf in the wind and rain,” he queried, “when the Playstation and the Wii get the job done in the comfort of your own home?"

My response to this question might be obvious, but captain of Lothianburn golf club in Edinburgh, David McBain, put it well himself; "The comment indicates perfectly the national trend towards obesity and early ill-health through lack of exercise” he claimed, following up by pointing out “You can't get...the wonderful wellbeing it brings, on a computer”.

He is, of course, perfectly correct. It is a total mistake to even associate sitting in front of the TV twitching a game controller to the sport of golf. Sure, the video game may have the word ‘golf’ in the title and the little figure on the screen may be making golf-movements, but this is not what golf is. Golf is, essentially, the sport of accurately hitting a ball around a course – there is nothing even vaguely similar involved when playing golf games on a computer. You may as well compare cooking a meal to flicking through the cookery channels on Sky!

Choosing Intermediate Clubs

2010-02-27T14:56:00.000Z

The key difference between beginner and intermediate golf players is the consistency with which they make good contact with the ball, the speed of the club head and the well-centred contact between club and ball. All these things contribute to an increase in shot length and accuracy, which changes the type of club they are best-suited to using.

So, when it comes to choosing the right clubs, keep all this in mind; although you’ll still need a degree of forgiveness, you can sacrifice some of that for an increase in club control. Don’t be too tempted to drop the amount of loft in your clubs just yet, or even to down-size your club heads. You may feel a little foolish playing with your bigger heads when others have down-sized but, chances are, you’ll outplay everybody else of a similar standard if you stick at it! What’s more, your game may well go downhill if you change before you are ready, which can be crippling for your morale. The most important thing to do is take a good look at your shots and choose the clubs that will best support your strengths and weakness; watch your ball flight and choose clubs that will help you develop as a golfer as well as making support technique problems. If your shots have started moving left to right, consider a shot with more of a draw bias on it, for example.

If you are looking to expand your choices, consider adding in a lob or gap wedge to your clubs. You should, however, probably stick with a set of game improvement irons; you’ve still got a lot to learn, so don’t go compensating too much for bad technique!

Tigers' Manager's Toe Broken By Golf Cart

2010-02-26T14:10:00.002Z

Before you write in to complain, the post title doesn't contain a grammer mistake...read on!

Normally when I notice the words 'Tiger', 'golf' and 'car' in the news, I ignore whatever the report might be, assuming that it will be something about the world's top ranked golfer and his rocky personal life. Tdoay, however, I kept reading beyond the headline and realised that what I had found was nothing to do with Mr. Woods whatsoever! The news was, however, slightly amusing and related enough that I thought I'd share it with you anyway.

If you're like me, you'll have little interest in American sports beyond the various golf the country plays. Even so, you might recognise the name Jim Leyland - the manager of the Detroit Tigers baseball team. Apparently the ex-catcher had his toe run over by a golf cart driven by coach Gene Lamont (whoever that is). A trainer from the team has reported that they assume it's broken, although it hasn't been X-rayed.

It goes to show; they may look small and pretty harmless, but those golf carts can do some serious damage! I, for one, still prefer to walk around the course - it's what attracted me to the game in the first place. I won't pretend I haven't had some close shaves though... Now I'm going to be extra careful!

(This one would break more than your toe!)

Choosing Beginner Clubs

2010-02-25T14:57:00.000Z

Choosing beginner golf clubs is similar to Christianity; forgiveness is central to the whole operation. Given the high frequency of mistakes, swing problems and fluctuating hits, you should make sure you choose a set of clubs that won’t punish you too severely for your golfing sins.

For one thing, consider oversized club-heads; they might not look cool, but they’ll help you connect better with the ball, resulting in fewer miss-hits and momentum-related injuries! To further help these contact issues, a set of slightly shorter clubs will also help your accuracy when it comes to actually hitting the ball. Of course, you’re still likely to malfunction a few times, so choose club features that will help reduce the negative impact your beginner swing will have on the flight path of the ball; perimeter weighting on the irons will keep flight as straight as possible, offset club-heads will help you hit the ball squarely and additional loft will increase the length of your shots, as well as keeping them on the straight and narrow.

In case that’s confusing; lofted clubs created extra backspin, which will help reduce the sidespin most beginners get on their shots.

When it comes to putting; practise makes perfect. There’s not a lot a club can do for your putting accuracy, just keep playing!

Exciting Times for English Golf

2010-02-24T16:06:00.002Z

In my last post I commented on the way Ian Poulter's victory was just as important for English golf as it was for his own career. Making up 50% of the top ranked golfers in the world (three of the top six) English golfers seem set to continue the dominance we've seen recently.

Although Poulter's victory has been all over recent golf news, let us not forget Lee Westwood's fantastic victory in the Race to Dubai not too long ago, not to mention the fact that Paul Casey is still ranked number six! Below that, we also have Ross Fisher, Luke Donald and Oliver Wilson all in the top forty - things are definitly looking good.

But back to Poulter, since it's his turn in the limelight. As far as technique goes,we all know he's not the best. His recent short game has been exceptional (as displayed by his two pin shots the other day) and his putting has been impressive as well. His ball striking, on the other band, isn't the best around - yet that doesn't seem to be holding him back. Why? I think perhaps Englishness plays a role here as well; Ian Poulter is full to the brim with good old fashioned English dive and determination. He may wear pink from head to toe, but inside he's made of iron! An excited time lies ahead for English golf!

Is Advancing Technology Really Advancing Golf?

2010-02-23T14:32:00.001Z

The idea behind changing the rules about golf club grooves was to limit the amount of spin players can get on the ball when playing out the rough, with the intention of forcing players to play more on the fairway. It could be, however, that they new regulations are causing more bad than good as, after being accused of cheating on the grounds on the clubs he was using, Phil Mickelson skipped the WGC Match Play last week. With Tiger Woods out of it as well, this put Steve Stricker at the head of proceedings which, as great a player as he is, isn't exactly going to inspire the golfing world.

It does seem that, as golf technology advances, the game becomes less beautiful to watch. Clubs and balls have advanced to the point that players can now pull off the same shots, no matter what the conditions; nothing ever changes, it is starting to feel like just the same (admittedly impressive) shots over and over. I, for one, miss the days when things like wind speed and direction played a real role in the type of shots even top players had to play. Fairways get tedious after a while; I enjoy seeing people risk the rough for a good approach!

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell agrees with me (or would do, if he knew I existed) that changes in the rules and advancement in technology may be creating more problems than solutions. "It’s caused a lot of bad press and bad publicity and cost the manufacturers a lot of money and the players a lot of headaches" he said recently, going on to mentioned he feels, "The days of the shotmaker are nearly dead...a lot of golf courses today really favour guys like Quirós who fly it 350 yards off the tee, which I think is a bit of a shame."

Ian Poulter Wins for England

2010-02-22T16:02:00.001Z

We may relentlessly mock him for his golf clothes, but not since Faldo's Masters victory over 13 years ago has there been a golfing victory for an Englishman like Ian Poulter's defeat of Paul Casey in the final of the Accenture Match Play. In his own words, "It’s been a long time coming. I’m very happy. I knew I was in great form coming in. I felt calm all day on the golf course. Nerves didn’t come into it." To be honest, Poulter didn't need to tell us that; it was obvious from the way he played that he was confident to the core, as he wiped the floor with Paul Casey's valient efforts to keep up.

Now rated fifth in the world rakings, Ian Poulter is only one position below Lee Westwood and a spot higher than Casey! As great as this is for Poulter, it is even better for English golf as a whole, as our countymen now make up 50% of the Top Six ranked world golfers! When you consider Tiger Woods is still the top ranked player, the top six are essentially a top five; three of whom are English! A staggering achievement all round!

Golf Without Tiger Woods?

2010-02-06T15:38:00.002Z

It seems, since the very start of the sex-scandal-laden few months, the world of golf has been getting used to the idea that it may well have lost its number one. The blog team here are wondering...can golf survive as we know it without Tiger Woods?

He may not be Eurpean, but Tiger Woods is widely considered the most dynamic, exciting and talented golfer of the modern generation. We may not always like how he plays or how he acts, but we keep watching him anyway! Golf may well need Tiger Woods like WWE needs Triple H; we don't like him all that much, but it wouldn't be the same without him.

Want some proof? When Tiger Woods plays in a tournament, the ratings rise up to 50% - not even Triple H raises ratings like that! President of CBS Sports, Sean McManus declared that they are "doing perfectly fine" without Woods in the sport; "Golf is still a valuable product for us." he went on to say. A valuable product, eh? If ever there was a clear indication of the Americanisation of golf, that may well be it! Perhaps that's what will change now Tiger is gone; maybe it'll become more about the game and less about the ratings, the money and the hype.

So, we put it to you readers; what will golf be without Tiger Woods? Better? Worse? Simply different? Exactly the same?

New Rules for Golf Club Grooves

2010-02-04T13:21:00.002Z

Golf, on the hole (hilarious), seems fairly straight forwards to your average player or spectator. Compared to other popular sports, there don’t seem to be that many rules; all you have to do is hit the ball into the hole in as few shots as possible. Sometimes you get penalty shots added, but even that is quite rare. Compare this to football, rugby or (heaven forbid) cricket, where you practically need a rule book next to you at times, and you’ll see what I mean.

However, there is actually far more to the rules of golf than people seem to realise; there are rules and regulations that govern everything down to the grooves on golf clubs! The reason I’m bringing this to your attention is to warn you that these regulations (about grooves) has changed and, sooner or later, you’re going to have to do something about it.

In short, the new rules mean the limit on groove volume is going to decrease, meaning all grooves will have to be shallower and narrower. The idea is that shallow grooves will make it harder to get spin on the ball out of the rough; encouraging players to aim for the fairway more than they otherwise might do.

Srixon Set To Release TriSpeed 3-Piece Balls

2010-01-30T17:00:00.001Z

Despite being a world leader in golfing equipment and technology, Srixon's new Trispeed balls are designed to suit all kinds of golfers. By combining a soft and large Energetic Gradient Growth core with a soft middle layer and 324 dimple design; Trispeed balls have a naturally high launch angle, pentrating trajectory and low spin, as well as a high speed, yet soft compression.

In short, this means the balls travel exceptionally far, yet have a shallow landing angle for increase carry and roll. The 324 Powershear dimple pattern is also perfectly tuned for amateur swing speeds, meaning this ball will work well at a wide range of skill levels.

For the price, these balls have about the softest compression on the market, without losing any distance or response. Perhaps a bit pricey for some, they are well worth the money if you can afford them!

Sunderland Coldwear Bonded Fleece

2010-01-23T17:18:00.001Z

At this time of year, it's nice to know somebody is putting some effort into designing golf clothing to stand up to the weather! Sunderland's latest range is actaully called Coldwear and is designed to help us poor players cope with the horrific temperatures in these early months. The bonded fleece has some of the best reviews, so let me tell you about it.

Made from lightweight fabirc, the Sunderland Coldwear bonded fleece has three interlocking layers of fleece, perfect for keeping you warm as you play, without reducing movement. Not only do these layers keep you warm, however, they also have other added advantages including water repellency from the polyester knit and breathability without water penetration from the PU film.

All together this makes for a very useful piece of kit that looks great as well! They come in stylish colours for both men and women, in a style that hides their incredible power.

More Myths

2010-01-23T16:33:00.003Z

A couple more myths you may have heard floating around!

Myth 3: the power of your golf swing comes primarily from your arms.

This seems to be quite a modern myth, possibly caused by Tiger Woods' bulging biceps... Whatever the cause, I've similar things spouted around my club in the last few months, as we've sheltered from the horrible weather outside. So, for the record, powerful golf swings aren't caused by powerful arms. Sure, they'll help, but the most important thing is a fluid weight shift acorss the proper axis. It is technique far more than it is strength; otherwise Tripe H would have a 600 yard drive!

Myth 4: your club should be parallel to the ground when it reaches the top fo the back-swing.

Although this is an indication of good form, the exact position or angle of the club at the end of the backswing is not as important as the technique you are using to achieve it. Your left arm must not bend (or should bend only very slighty) and, as your club goes back, your back should rotate to face the direction you are aiming. If you keep you wrists at the correct angle, you shouldn't have to concern yourself with whether or not your club is perfectly parallel to the ground at the height of the back-swing - it will all come together naturally. Check this out - the perfect backswing, but the club isn't quite parallel to the ground.

Trump Strikes Again

2010-01-19T16:56:00.006Z

I'm sure all regular readers will know about Donald Trump's leviathon golf resort he is preparing to build in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. I'm sure you will also remember the amount of opposition he has come up against; from environmentalists to simple mentalists - Donald Trump has attracted a furious response from the people whose houses and homes he is destroying for the sake of his new golf course.

Nevertheless, as most billionaires seem to be able to do, Donald Trump has beaten them all and is going ahead with the course. The only thing left in his way is a tiny piece of land - half an acre of ex-car park - which he doesn't yet own. Now, normally this would result in some kind of bidding war, whereby lots of people would attempt to drive-up the price that billionaire Trump has to pay for the land. They might even succeed in buying it, just to sell it to Trump at an even higher price! Alternatively, somebody could out-bid Trump, take the land and not sell it to him - messing up his plans and making themselves a hero in the process.

Sadly, however, Aberdeenshire Council have granted Donald Trump 'special purchaser' status - meaning he is the only one allowed to bid for the land. So instead of there being a fair bid on the open market, Trump has been allowed to bid for the land privately, due to the "local economic benefits" the golf resort will bring. To you and I, this translates as "the free membership and executive suites that have been offered to members of the council".

It's yet another sad day for Scottish golf.

Casio EX-FS10 with Swing Analyser

2010-01-18T16:50:00.002Z

In case you were afraid golf might escape for the onslaught of technology that accompanies most other sports these days; the Casio EX-FS10 camera has recently been released, claiming it can analyse your golf swing and compare it to Tiger Woods'. It sounds...terrifying.

The Exilim line of cameras were impressive enough before this but, now they've added their new 'swing analyser' into the mix, they're downright scary! Can't be just rate you good or bad? Or tell you what to do better? Why compare me to the best in the world?!

On the plus side, it's very easy to use. Somebody aims the camera at you and you thwack away at your balls...alright, let me phrase that differently. You perform shot after shot in front of the EX-FS10 and it analyses your posture and swing plane for you, at the same time as filming high-speed 720p video, at 1000fps if needs be! Awesome, no? Other than that, however, it's a pretty standard camera with 9.1 Megapixels and 3x optical zoom.

Prices vary between £120 and £300, so I would advise doing some research before buying this badboy.

Short Wedge Shots

2010-01-15T17:49:00.003Z

It's time for another golfing technique tip! From the responses we've been receiving, it seems that one shot many readers aren't comfortable with is wedge shots at around 50 yards - so that's what we're going to talk about today.

On a 400 yard hole, you'd think you're home free once you're within 50 yards - but golf doesn't work like that. In fact, the first 300 yards are the easiest part, once you've learnt how to drive! The tricky bit it getting the ball that final little distace; without hitting a hazard, ending up in the rough or over-hitting the green. It's times like this that a nice, short wedge shot can save you a lot of time and bother! Wedge shots lift the ball high and, with extra back spin, drop it down in a specific place - so you don't have to worry about the ball rolling on. As long as you place your shot well, you're home free!

Ket things to remember when playing a short wedge shot including keeping your weight on your front foot throughout the shot, placing the ball slightly forwards in your stance and making sure the backswing is slightly shorter than the followthrough. All this will help you lift the ball high, but drop it accurately. Follow our old post about adding spin to your ball for even better results!

The more visually minded might prefer this:

Golf Swing Myths

2010-01-05T16:23:00.000Z

Today I will shed some light on some old golf myths, related to your swing. Pay attention now.

Myth 1: you should swing as if there was a straight line going right through your head and spine, around which your shoulders should pivot. You should pivot only around that axis.

Untrue - the axis around which you should pivot changes during the swing. For one thing, ignore the 'axis' down the head, spine and between the feet; one of the keys to a good golf swing is the weight shift from one foot to the other. Instead, on the back swing, imagine the straight axis to be through your back leg; then, when you move onto the down swing, push through an axis through your front leg. The key is the weight shift - this cannot happen through one central axis.

Myth 2: The head shouldn't move during the swing; it should stay over the ball and stay still.

This is nonsense; since your torso will move backwards during your back-swing, your head will move with it. Keep it level but, for goodness sake, don't concentrate on keeping it in exactly the same place!

High Tech Golf Clothes

2010-01-03T18:19:00.002Z

Bearing in mind the millions spent on developing sports equipment worldwide, golf clothes really haven't come on as quickly as they probably should have been. When it comes to clubs and golf shoes, the choice is vast; they cater for everybody; no matter what your size, shape or ability, there are clubs designed to improve your game. Of course, none of this matters if you can't swing the damn things because you're too tied up in layers of golf clothes, keeping out the rain!

Well, no longer does this need to impact your game for finally technology has caught up with golf clothes! The result is this - layering techniques. The idea is that, instead of big, heavy clothing in cold or wet weather, you should combine various clever items of clothing; achieving better results without any negative impact on your performance.

To be honest, I'm going to stick with my old jacket... The way I see it, golf costs me enough money as it is, without having to invest in half a dozen layers of high-tech insulation clothing! Bring back the wooly hats!

Golf Drive World Record!

2010-01-01T15:54:00.000Z

I'm certain everybody reading this blog has wondered this at some point in their life; "How fast do golf balls travel?" More importantly, "What is the fastest anybody has any hit a golf ball?" Well, today we're not only going to tell you the world record for the fastest moving golf ball - we're also going to show you.

Sport Science weren't just interested in finding the fastest moving golf ball - they were interested in finding the fasting moving ball in the world of sport. This included measuing the speed of tennis balls, baseball and even balls used in pelota -which reaches 188 miles per hour!

Some of you may be aware that Tiger Woods' golf balls have been clocked at a staggering 184 mph, which is exceptionally fast - but not fast enough to beat the pelota ball. What nobody had tested, however, was the speed of long drive champion Jason Zuback's golf ball!

In this video you will witness the fasted ball speed ever recorded - a golf ball hit by Jason Zuback.

Golf Clothing and Clubs Sold in Biggest Ever eBay Scam!

2009-12-17T14:33:00.004Z

In recent news, millions of pounds of fake golf clubs and various other golfing accessories were sold by a council trading standards team between June 2003 and March 2008, using the online auction website eBay. This, the largest ever eBay conspiracy, consisted over 96 000 transactions and has landed four people in jail, having been found guilty of conspiring to sell counterfeit goods.

The team of conspirers purchases fake goods from Chinese factories and had them shipping to their own addresses in the UK, before selling them online to customers all over the world – from Ireland and Germany, to Brazil and New Zealand! It was only when pensioner Christine Manz complained to trading standards, after trying to get a refund for two clubs, that an investigation was launched into the fakers. This inquiry produced a variety of shocking evidence, including complaints of a spider’s nest in the variety of a club and golf balls that exploded when hit! When the council also uncovered large sums of money passing through the bank accounts of the suspects (£73,000 in 28 days), they clamped down on one of the biggest online counterfeiting operations ever known.

So, golf lovers – beware holiday season! If you’re buying golf clubs, golf clothing or any other kind of golf merchandise for loved one this Christmas, make sure you buy from a reputable online store!

The Race: Golf Ball vs. Car

2009-12-15T17:28:00.000Z

I'm sure I'm not the only person who has wondered what would win a race over 300 yards - a golf ball or a car?

Although golf balls have been clocked at speeds up to 180 miles per hour (Tiger Woods), they slow down quite quickly. Sports cars, on the other hand, speed up quite quickly - so it's actually pretty tricky to guess which would win.

Having neither the space nor the friends to try it out for myself, I was very pleased to find this video online; enjoy!

Hilarious History of Golf!

2009-12-11T16:10:00.000Z

Merry Christmas from the Golf Blog! Here is our Christmas present to you; instead of golf tees, golf clothes or golf clubs, we offer you this - a hilarious sketch about the supposed creation of golf by Robin Williams.

I should warn you in advance the the language is quite strong, so you might want to watch it when the kids aren't around. It is, however, incredibly funnny so you really must watch it!

When you think about it, the idea of golf was a very strange one to come up with - attempting to hit a tiny ball into a tiny hole a quarter of a mile away, using a series of different sticks! Totally unlike any other sport in the world...which is probably why we love it so much!

Enjoy!

Kylie Minogue: Golf Clothes. What?!

2009-12-06T13:52:00.001Z

spring to mind. However, the Australian pop star recently declared that she is considering designing golf clothing because “it’s not easy to look good on the golf course.”

Speak for yourself Kylie – I happen to look superb in my plaid troos, thanks very much! She does have a point though; most people do struggle to look their best whilst trading around a golf course, especially at this wet and windy time of year. Even Miss. Minogue herself looked slightly less than her pop-mega-star-self when she and boyfriend Andres Velencoso took to the course a few months back, in this lovely matching set of golf attire:

When most people consider Kylie Minogue, golf probably isn’t the first thing to

Romantic? Sweet? Creepy? I’m not sure what their choice in golf clothes says about their relationship, but one thing is for sure – it aint sexy. Sadly for Andres and the rest of the male golfing population, I expect Kylie’s new range of golf clothes will focus slightly more on the female golfer, leaving us to look elsewhere for our fashionable attire. Alas.

Leave Tiger Woods Alone

2009-12-04T14:26:00.003Z

So far I have managed to continue the Golf Blog without mentioning the Tiger Woods story; except on the 28th of November, to report he had a car crash, that he was safe and that we wished him well. Since that car crash, however, Tiger has been subjected to one of the most ferocious media bombardments of a sports personality I can remember. Today I would like to point out that I am sick of it.

As if having his entire life splashed all over the media isn’t bad enough, the poor guy has now even publicly apologised for “transgressions” that, let’s be honest, are none of our business whatsoever! Yet what was out response? “What transgressions? We want to know exactly what you’ve done that you are ashamed of!” He’s a professional golf player – what right do any of us have to the content of his personal life? Sure he’s a billionaire through being an exceptional golfer and advertising Nike golf clothes; he’s an interesting person and it’s only natural that we take an interest in him. But why the vulture-like approach? Why the demands for explanations and apologies? Who do we think we are to ask Tiger Woods to share information about himself that we would never dream of sharing with the public?

When will people realise that celebrities don’t make themselves; it’s our insatiable appetite for gossip and excitement that turns people into walking news stories. If this blog suddenly got 65 million readers and I was made a millionaire overnight, would I be expected to admit all my deepest secrets to the world as well? If not, then why is Tiger expected to? Leave him alone – get something interesting in your own life and talk about that instead.

Golf Clothes For Christmas Presents

2009-12-03T12:31:00.001Z

With Christmas fast approaching, the families of many golf lowers will be straining their brains for new, ingenious presents for their loved ones this year. I, for one, have received some bizarre golf-related items for both Christmas and my birthday; socks with tee-holders in them, gloves with score cards implanted in the back and even golf balls that disappear into a 'poof' of water vapour when you strike them!

As far as I can see, with the exception of golf clubs, golf is very simple game equipment-wise. We don't need any special training gear or gimmicks; we go one-on-one with the course, using nothing but our clubs, our wits and years of practice. Truly it is a noble endeavor! Anyway, the point I'm making is that our game is rarely enhanced by the addition of some bizarre product - especially not by golf-themed paper-weights and the like!

However, one thing that we do need in order to play golf (publicly, at least) is golf clothes. Hence, if you are considering buying something golf-y for the golf lover in your life, might I be so bold as to suggest you consider being slightly more conventional than my family, with their strange collection of ideas. It's not easy to find a warm, waterproof and flexible jacket - that would be a truly meaningful present this Christmas. Just look how happy this guy is:

Sleep Apnoea Can Impact Badly On Your Handicap!

2009-12-01T17:50:00.000Z

A study of a dozen golfers with severe sleep apnoea has shown it to have an impact on golf handicaps!

Sleep apnoea is a condition in which oxygen flow becomes so disrupted during sleep that the suffer can actually stop breathing for upwards of 10 seconds at a time! It causes loud snoring that disrupts sleep and makes the sufferer particularly irritable and sleepy the next day, due to a lack of decent sleep. Dr Marc Benton declares that the “daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and cognitive impairment” caused by sleep apnoea can have a profound impact on one’s ability to play golf.

By treating 12 golfers suffering from severe sleep apnoea over 3 to 5 months, using an oxygen mask at night; researchers in New Jersey discovered that, over the course of 20 rounds of golf, the golfers handicaps improved! Of course, it’s arguable that your handicap will improve after 20 rounds of golf anyway; hence the expression ‘practice makes perfect’. However, with an estimated 3.5% of all British men suffering from sleep apnoea, it could well be that these people have stumbled upon a relatively quick fix for your game!

Neil Friedman, co-author of the study, said "The drop in handicap among the better golfers probably reflected that the major limiting factor was not golf skill but cognitive compromise that improved when the sleep apnoea was treated." Now, if only they could build oxygen masks into golf clothes, maybe we'd all be pros by Christmas! Or would that essentially be doping? Interesting...more research is needed!

Putting Spin on a Golf Ball

2009-12-01T17:35:00.001Z

Putting spin on a golf ball is one of the techniques that seperates good players from great players. It allows you to hit long shots, without risking a huge amount of bounce and roll, which could put your golf ball in the rough, a bunker or way off the green. It doens't matter how accurately you hit your shots; if your ball rolls on, you're never going to be in the best position.

The key to putting spin on a golf ball has nothing to do with slicing it, or using any kind of trick shot. The idea is to take a normal, smooth stroke, but create the divet AFTER you hit the ball - not before. This means the club face drops as you hit the ball, letting the ball run over the groove in the face of the club, putting backspin on the ball. Do it right and you can stop your ball exactly where you want it.

For more help and information about putting spin on your golf ball, check this out:

Tiger Woods Suffer Minor Injuries In Car Crash

2009-11-28T13:55:00.001Z

Tiger Woods has been released “in good condition” from hospital, following a car crash in the early hours of yesterday morning. Although initial reports indicated the billionaire golfer was seriously injured, readers will be pleased to hear he escaped with minor injuries.

Tiger apparently backed his car into a fire hydrant and then hit a tree, according to Associated Content. However, they also report that he was seriously injured in the crash, so it’s clear they can’t be entirely trusted – or perhaps their ‘credible sources’ aren’t are credible as they thought. Tiger’s wife, Elin, is reported to have heard the crash from the house; running down to the car, she used a golf club to smash in the back window. Whether this helped the situation at all, I don’t know! What I have been told, however, is that she found Tiger lying on the floor, drifting in and out of consciousness – so why she broke the back window with a golf club is a mystery to me. The police have reported that she was “frantic” at the scene, which is to be expected from anybody who finds their husband in a car crash.

Although we are jealous that the man plays golf for a living, is married to a Swedish and earns millions advertising Nike golf clothing; everybody here at the Golf Blog nevertheless wishes Tiger the speediest of recoveries; even if it is only from minor cuts to the face!

Five-Year-Old Outplays Everybody Under Sixteen!

2009-11-20T11:51:00.001Z

An “awareness of where the golf club is” was the only way golf pro John Randle could explain the phenomenon of five-year-old Jeevan Sihota not only winning a junior par-three tournament in par, but by carding the top score in the tournament for children up to the age of sixteen!

Having taken on Jeevan about four months ago, Randle has reduced his training schedule to just one lesson per week, based on Jeevan’s incredible ability to learn. The golf pro knows well that, for a five-year-old, it can’t all be about lessons; "I make sure he's having fun, and sneak in some instruction when he's not looking" Randle explains.

When asked about his technique, Jeeven spoke in terms of clear objectives; "I like to hit the ball right by the hole." Although being a fairly convention approach, the technique must be working as Jeeven continues to go from strength to strength, despite the fact that he has yet to even enter the education system! If, at the age of five, Jeevan is already outplaying most children in the world, where he’ll be after another decade of training may be too incredible to conceivably imagine. One thing is for sure though; I wouldn’t want the pressure of being John Randle right now!

Award-winning golfer scams £33,000 by claiming he could “barely walk”!

2009-11-18T14:26:00.001Z

For many people on disability benefits, it can be hard enough to find enough work to make ends meet, let alone secure a £34k managerial role and have enough time to lower their handicap at the golf course!

However, despite claiming disability living allowance since for 16 years (including seven free disability cars) on the grounds that his left knee left him "virtually unable to walk", James Dorman played so much golf that the won the Vehicle and Operator Services' Agency annual golf tournament at Formby Golf Club! On top of this, he was secretly filmed pushing a car, climbing ladders and dancing a gig – none of which with the “crab like gait” for which he was claiming benefits.

Even more infuriating for our golf-loving readers will be that, when officers raided his home, they found Dorman's wife had bought an 18-hole golfing weekend for his 40th birthday – probably using the money he scammed for not being able to walk!

Trumped

2009-11-09T11:40:00.000Z

Donald Trump has finally begun work on his billion-pound golf resort in Scotland, the controversy of which I mentioned a few weeks ago. Regular readers will remember his declaration that protestors of the resort were “a tiny little group of people who are hanging by a thread” – the majority of whom have had to be re-housed to make way for his leviathan structure. Thanks Donald.

Apparently the plans are to plant grass on a stretch of sand dunes, in order to stablise them for development. This has environmentalists up in arms because these particular dunes are ‘environmentally sensitive’ and have been under protection for a long time. Although I expect 1,200 houses, a five-star hotel and two international-standard golf courses will probably benefit the economy of the surrounding area, I’m still ponderous of the impact this will have on Britain’s already terrible eco-reputation. It does seem slightly unfair that we are taxed, fined and then re-taxed in the name of recycling, just to have a rich American move in up North with a massive eco-disaster of a complex. Perhaps he’ll make the out-of-bounds areas into nature reserves... For some reason I doubt it.

Barron Banned

2009-11-08T11:05:00.001Z

Doug Barron has been suspended from golf for a year by the PGA Tour after failing a drugs test, making him him the first player to be banned under the Tour’s anti-doping programme, which it launched last July . The 40 year old apologised for his offence and for “any negative perception of the Tour or its players resulting from my suspension”.

He went on to declare, “I did not intend to gain an unfair competitive advantage or enhance my performance while on Tour”, though I find that fairly hard to believe. I mean, why else would you take performance enhancing drugs if not to enhance your performance? To be fair on Doug, the PGA Tour hasn’t revealed what the drug was, or even if it was a performance-enhancer. So, in effect, the poor guy could have been banned simply for getting stoned the night before.

Still, there is rarely a good reason to cheat to win. Having said that, looking at the way Doug Barron’s career has been going lately...I can’t say I blame him if he did!

No need for golf clothes: how else could Doug Barron maintain his athletic physique, if not with the help of performance enhancing drugs?

Phil Mickelson Invests In China

2009-11-07T11:03:00.001Z

Having agreed with Tiger Woods that China will become something of a golfing super-power within the next dozen years, Phil Mickelson is now planning to open a golf academy in Kunming to help develop the sport in the country. He also plans to create a par-3 golf course for children, to help develop the sport at a grassroots level, as well as having his instructional book translated into Mandarin.

Mickelson declared, "This is a tremendous opportunity to help develop the game in the largest emerging market in the world” which, to you and I, means something along the lines of “Golf is now an Olympic sport, which means that China will invest lots of time and money into making sure they’re really good at it. Hence, I’m cashing in early by making sure I establish my golf course and academy in time for the forthcoming boom in popularity”. I can’t say I blame him, though I am cynically waiting for the Mickelson brands of golf clothing, golf clubs and various accessories to appear in the Asian market…

"I'M GONNA BE RICH!" - direct quote from Phil Mickelson ;)

Can Anybody Help Me Understand....

2009-11-06T10:00:00.004Z

Dear Golf Lovers,

I’m sure I’m not alone when I say this: what the hell is Irish Supreme Court thinking, ruling that Portmarnock Golf Club can continue preventing women applying for memberships, on the ground that the club’s “principal purpose is to cater only for the needs of persons of a particular gender”?

Have the last hundred years just passed by unnoticed in Portmarnock? Who do they think they are (club or court, it doesn’t matter) to declare our fine sport to be one that caters for the needs of men only? Do women not play golf? Is there not a huge women’s golf tournament going on as I write this very post? Is Lorena Ochoa a purely fictional character? What is this nonsense?!

I want to know what is so special about that Portmarnock Golf Club that it is specifically designed to cater for male needs... In fact, philosophically speaking, I want to know what a court of law can conceivably hold to be the needs of men, which are not also the needs of women. Actually, I take that back; spare me the details and just explain to me what the hell is going on, because I’m half expecting them to start making national male-only holidays next! (Not that I’d complain as loudly if they did...)

Fantasy Golf Anyone?

2009-11-05T11:52:00.001Z

Although golf is played by millions of people around the world, it is enjoyed by billions. Now, thanks to the PGA of Australia, anybody can take part in their own golfing competition with the launch of a Fantasy Golf competition, which can be played over the remaining five weeks of the PGA Tour of Australasia! Starting with the JBWere Masters, the competition will continue through the Cellarbrations NSW PGA Championship, NSW Open and Australian Open, finishing with the Australian PGA Championship. There are a variety of prizes to be won weekly, including golf balls and merchandise, but the overall winner of the Fantasy Golf competition will win an entire set of Srixon golf clubs and a tour bag!

The idea behind the game is that you, as team selector and coach, pick the twelve players you think will perform best in each of the remaining summer events on the PGA Tour of Australasia. As every hole is played, you’ll win points that add up to give you a score you can use to compete with friends, family and colleges (which will sadly be exactly the same group of people, if you’re anything like me). To get involved, simply visit http://fantasy.pga.org.au

More Birdies!

2009-11-04T17:34:00.005Z

I’m sure we all love birdsong on the golf course, but maybe there should be more of it...

The RSPB’s nature reserves cover around 140,000 hectares across Britain. Although this seems like an awful lot of land, the same amount is also covered by out-of-bounds areas on golf courses! The difference is that, where the RSPB’s nature reserves are renowned protected lands, golf courses have a bad reputation with environmentalists as being poor habitats for wildlife; chemicals, balls and even discarded golf clothes litter these hidden area.

However, this doesn’t have to be the case. If British golf courses cut down on the use of chemicals and fertilisers in these areas, this massive area of land could be made into a fantastic environment and habitat for birds to live in. Nigel Symes of the RSPB says every golf course has the potential to be a sanctuary for wildlife and that the more clubs that look into what they can do to help birds, the better! I, for one, agree with him!

Trump Messes Up Again

2009-11-01T18:26:00.003Z

Donald Trump – not our favourite person in the world – has managed to further entrench himself in our disgust by launching a new attack against quarryman and salmon fisherman Michael Forbes, who has been resisting the building of Trump’s billion-dollar golf resort. So far, Forbes has already turned down a million-dollar offer from Trump, reminding him that some people still put principles above money.

Trump called Forbes "dirty, sloppy and unkempt in his personal appearance and demeanour...He is a loser who is seriously damaging the image of both Aberdeenshire and his great country”. Unlike Donald Trump, who dresses well but still manages to make his country look even more like a bully by attempting to crush everything that stands between him and his dream golf resort.

Trump went on to call Forbes’s property “a disgusting blight on the community and an environmental hazard, with leaking oil containers, rusted shacks and abandoned vehicles dumped everywhere. It is a very poor image and representation for the world to see of Scotland”. Yet again, he has missed the point, as Martin Ford pointed out; "People see this as an issue of principle. Fundamentally, it is obviously wrong to throw a family out of their own home – a major, life-changing event – just because their presence is an inconvenience to a neighbouring landowner wanting to add to his property."

Amen Mr. Ford; I love golf, but I wouldn’t demolish somebody’s house if it got in the way of my drive!

Viking Classic Delayed

2009-10-29T17:04:00.004Z

Overnight rains have saturated Annandale Golf Club, making the course unplayable and delaying the start of the first round of the Viking Classic PGA Tour – either the best or worse named of all tours, I can’t decide. Of course it’s named after its sponsor, Viking Range Corporation, but even so it’s about the least ‘golfing’ name possible! I mean, I love golf even more than I love my wife, but even I can’t imagine a Viking wielding a set of clubs, let alone fitting into most golf clothes… Do they make golf clothes out of oxen hide? Come to think about it, I can’t imagine a Viking being too bothered about kitchen appliances either – so it’s a bad name all around!

Anyway, the point of the matter is that Ricky Barnes will have to wait until Friday to commence winning the $3,700,000 purse offered by the Viking. Unless of course, Mr. Flesch has anything to say about it – it’s a tough on to call for sure. To be honest, with 80% chance of rain on Friday, it’s not even looking likely that it’ll get underway by the weekend! Still, we can only hope.

Golf Owns The White House

2009-10-28T17:07:00.002Z

In the 9 months he has been the most powerful man in the world, Barack Obama has played 24 rounds of golf. That’s not every single week, but it still sounds like the life, doesn’t it? I mean, I always thought being president of the USA would be quite an intense, almost overwhelming job…but apparently he has more spare time than any teacher you’ll find in this country. Not only does this seem slightly unfair, but apparently the president isn’t even required to wear golf clothes during his round, as the following picture shows:

Ah yes – that was a joke, did you see? Anyway, the strangest part about this little statistic is that Mr. Obama apparently rarely played golf at all before earning his seat in the Oval Office! It’s as if this move in presidency has finally given him the personal space he really needs to relax and take some Me Time. Whilst fighting a war in Iraq. Still, he’s not the first American president to love our fine sport; in fact, only a single one of the last 18 presidents of the USA wasn’t a golf player - Jimmy Carter, in case you’re interested. Our prime ministers, on the other hand, never seem to take much of an interest. Must be too busy running a country or something, who knows…

Winter is Coming - Keep In Shape!

2009-10-24T15:34:00.000+01:00

As golf continues to rise in popularity, there is a growing focus on questioning the athleticism involved in the sport. Although there are various different kinds of fitness, suitable for different kinds of sport; it would still take a fool to declare that golf is by any means as strenuous or exerting as rugby, rowing or wrestling. In fact, I’ve been involved in all four of those sports to a decent level and know for a fact that golf is simply not as physically demanding.

However, anybody who plays serious golf will be familiar with the elements of fitness that must be maintained to keep your score down. One of these elements is, without a doubt, posture and flexibility. Many is the time that I’ve returned to the course in the spring, only to find my swing is out, my posture is terrible and my back aches for days after a single round! Hence, as winter closes in, I urge all golfers out there to prepare a fitness regime to keep you limber until spring. Look up the appropriate stretches to keep your muscles loose and work on them multiple times a week - as regularly as you would play, if possible. This way, by the time the sun comes back out and you’re ready to sling on your golf clothes, your body won’t have missed a beat. Then it’s just your technique you need to worry about!

The Badass of Golf Carts

2009-10-21T14:37:00.001+01:00

Regular readers might have noticed a recent post regarding the way that the American government will pay for its citizens to buy golf carts. Well, here is one particular cart that might be a tad over-budget!

Ricky Fowler started playing golf at the age of 14, being a keen motocross competitor before that. Although it might seem like quite a leap between golf and motocross, Fowler’s new toy – a bright red golf cart, complete with off-road tires, roll cage and push bar – is a fantastic merger of the two sports! At only 20 years old, it’s not surprising that Ricky is keen to add a bit of awesome to his golfing experience; the cart even features a “state-of-the-art stereo system”, according to his sponsor. In fact, that reminds me; please try to ignore the Puma logos plastered all over Ricky's golf clothes in this picture - I'm not advertising! It recently saw action at the Soboba Classic Tournament and, hopefully, we’ll see it again soon.

For the average American, however; it looks like they’ll just have to put up with normal golf cart – at least, until they get sponsored! So far I’m not aware of the UK having seen anything like this – please correct me if I have missed something!

The Grand Old Duke of York?

2009-10-20T13:36:00.001+01:00

In what some might call a thoughtless act of self-indulgence in the middle of a global recession, Prince Andrew has built his own golf course…in his garden. Complete with nine holes and a driving range, the course is spread over half an acre of land at the Royal Lodge and gives the Price somewhere to practice his passion. In fact, this little investment may help people forget about the fact that he was once accused of wasting taxpayers’ money flying all over the country to play golf; I’m not sure whether this particular extravagance is going to go down any better though!

Perhaps I’m just jealous because I would like a nine-hole golf course and driving range in my back garden. Or maybe I’m jealous because I don’t even have a garden to put a nine hole golf course in, even if I could have one! The chances are that my frustration is probably more to do with the fact that I’m not entirely sure what the Duke of York does that means he deserves any of this!

FREE Golf Carts!

2009-10-18T13:48:00.005+01:00

In a hilarious twist of events designed to help save the environment, the American government is now literally giving away buy golf carts! It sounds unlikely and ridiculous, but Obama’s new federal credit scheme provides between $4,200 and $5,500 for buying an electric vehicle. Combined with similar state-based incentives, designed to encourage citizens not to buy huge, gas-guzzling cars that they don’t need; some Americans will be able to get hold of golf carts completely free!

Admittedly they only travel between 15 and 25 miles per house but, when you consider that many Middle Americans drive distances that most of us walk, it doesn’t seem that this should really matter. Speed limits aren’t much higher than that in towns anyway! Also, there is no limit to how many electric cars you can buy – so you could get hold of an entire fleet of golf carts for nothing (or next to nothing)! All golf carts require to be roadworthy are mirrors and seatbelts; as long as you buy one with these safety features, it’s a foolproof plan to get around easily and cheaply! All Americans need now is to get free meals at the club and, before long, living will be free for golfers!

Tilda Swinton Joins Protest Against Trump’s Scottish Invasion

2009-10-16T16:34:00.002+01:00

Donald Trump has been accused by many, including Oscar-winning Tilda Swinton, of “bullying” Scottish residents into evicting their houses to make room for his new, $1.63 billion golf resort. Although Trump has had permission to build his state of the art course since 2008, protesters have continued to dog his steps ever since – claiming that it is unfair to move people from their homes and that the resort itself will be environmentally unfriendly. In times when there is huge pressure on every country to pay more attention to the environment, it becomes a very personal issue when an American chooses to build a large golf resort in the United Kingdom.

In response to the protests, Trump called Swinton “part of a tiny little group of people who are hanging by a thread”, adding that “I have all of my permits and approvals and we're going to start construction in three weeks" Not for the first time in his life, Trump has clearly missed the point; attacking people rather than principles and drawing attention only to what he has achieved, not what he has ruined in the process – a politician through and through.

Trump also boldly claims “93% of the public in Scotland are in favour of the project” – a statistic that it is likely he either completely made up, or comes from a very select opinion poll. As for his bullying tactics, since when have American politicians ever tried to bully Britain? Oh. Yes, of course.

Charity Golf Tournament Enters Final Day

2009-10-14T17:36:00.002+01:00

Southend Borough Combination Veterans League has been holding a golfing event to raise money for children’s hospice Little Havens – raising over £3,000 over the past two days. It hopes to raise a further £1000 today, when over twelve teams of four golfers will play a fourball stableford competition at Lord’s Golf Course in Hullbridge Road, featuring longest drive and nearest to the pin competitions as well!

Organised by Garry Nelson, Dan Albon and Doug Fisher of Leisure Link Golf, the day will conclude with a dinner at the clubhouse and a relaxing evening in front of England’s World Cup qualifying match against Belarus. More than a hundred golfers are expected to turn up, including Stuart Slater of West Ham United fame, who will dig out his old golf clothes to join the ranks of those raising money for a very worthwhile cause.

Golf Grows in Brazil

2009-10-12T15:57:00.001+01:00

Glauco Chris Fuzinatto, director of the Brazilian Tourist Office for UK and Ireland, has declared that "Golf in Brazil is growing quite rapidly”, adding that there are not a lots of people who “combine a holiday with playing golf in Brazil."

It’s not hard to see why Fuzinatto is right to believe in the growth of golf in Brazil. Golf has recently been made an Olympic sport and, after Brazil recently won the 2-16 Olympic Games s, the courses in Rio de Janeiro are likely to receive large investments to both their facilities and their course maintenance. Although courses around Sao Paulo and Bahia are already known for their high quality, this is probably the biggest reason why the market is expected to grow in the next half-dozen years.

For anybody considering a spot of golf in Brazil, remember your sun cream! This made seem like a strange point to make, but many holidaymakers suffer horrendous sunburn every year from over-exposure whilst playing golf! It’s not enough to make golf count as a dangerous sport, but it’s a fine way to ruin an expensive holiday! My advice; slap on the factor 30 (at least) and invest in some long-sleeved golf clothes.

Funeral in Golf Clothes

2009-10-09T14:20:00.002+01:00

Attendants at the funeral of Stuart Hutchison, a 22 year old golf pro who died in a car crash last Wednesday, will not be wearing the traditional black attire this Friday. Instead, at his family’s request, people will attend the funeral “dressed for the final round” in golf clothes, as a tribute to their friend’s love of golf. “Stuart was always in golf clothes”, his mother Isobel explained, “we wanted people to come dressed for golf because it’s Stuart’s final round.”

Stuart Hutchison was a keen golfer from childhood; capable of playing at only three years of age, according to his mother. Although always talented, Stuart set his mind to becoming a professional and, with the help of Stuart Pardoe, he managed to achieve the required standard before the tragic accident occurred. Unlike many modern players, Isobel went on to explain, it was never Stuart’s ambition to play the circuit; “he really just wanted to be a golf club pro and play”.

This event is a terrible tragedy, but perhaps it might encourage others to think about why they play the game – is it really for the passion?

An Awkward Decision...

2009-09-29T22:58:00.005+01:00

Rory McIlroy has admitted that he’d find it awkward deciding whether he would want to play for Great Britain or Ireland if golf is accepted at the 2016 Olympic Games. He said, “It'd be an honour to represent your country and I don't mind which one I play for...I'd probably play for Great Britain. I have a British passport. It's a bit of an awkward question still”.

The history of golf in Ireland makes the question especially tricky; the Golfing Union of Ireland is the oldest in the world, founded in 1891 and including all four provinces – uniting the country in a way that few other things can. This will be made very apparent at the world cup, where Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland will both be represented under the same team – Ireland.

In the Beijing Olympics, it was a close split between those athletes from Northern Ireland who chose to represent Ireland and those who chose to represent Great Britain – though the majority chose Ireland. To be honest, it may be a case of taking the option that leaves you with the bet chance of making the team; there’s little doubt that it’s harder to make the British Olympic team than the Irish. If McIlroy had to choose today, for example, he’d have to compete with likes of Lee Westwood and Paul Casey to play for Great British at the Games - something he probably wouldn't enjoy too much!

Either way, many athletes will be making a similar awkward decision before 2016.

Amputee Ken Green Plans to Return to Golf!

2009-09-28T22:12:00.007+01:00

Fifty-one year old Ken Green is determined to quality for the Champions Tour, despite having been in an RV accident in June; in which he lost his brother, his girlfriend, his dog...and his lower right leg.

The five-time PGA Tour winner has friends and CBS golf analysis alike convinced that he can succeed in being the first member to play wearing a prosthetic limb. Hundreds of golfers flocked to the Ken Green Benefit Golf Tournament today, at the Ridgewood Country Club in Danbury; sporting golf clothes with the slogan "The Greatest Comeback Ever" emblazoned on them.

Green didn’t play in the Benefit Tournament, riding around in a cart instead – apparently offering advice and telling jokes. The tournament raised $120,000 for the Ken Green Living Expenses Trust Fund, further helping Ken pursue his dream. Although he still lives in pain, his friends are convinced he’ll make it.

To be completely honest, I can’t help but wonder how much financial support Ken Green can need; having won the Buick Open, The International, the Canadian Open, the Greater Milwaukee Open, the Greater Greensboro Open, the King Hassan Open, the Dunlop Phoenix, the Hong Kong Open and the Connecticut Open in his time.
Perhaps the money would have been better invested in helping Iranian amputees bombed in the war on terror, rather than funding a middle-aged American's desire to continue playing golf...but that’s the world we live in.

Boost in Prize-Money in Austalian Ladies' Golf!

2009-09-25T12:49:00.004+01:00

In an attempt to make the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour more appealing to leading players, Australian ladies golf have announced that they are boosting the prize-money! There will be a 15% overall rise in the prize-money for the 2009 schedule, including a raise in the prize-money of the New Zealand Women's Open from $217,952 last year to a massive $341,280! Warren Sevil, chief executive of the ALPG, said "To achieve an increase from previous years is always a good result but to do so, particularly in difficult economic times, is something we are very proud of... It's a testament to the continued support from all players and the great job they do in promoting their sport”.

The final three tournaments of the 2010 summer calendar are co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour; the Australian Women's Open, ANZ Ladies Masters and the New Zealand Women's Open – meaning it’s going to be quite a summer of ladies’ golf! (Or winter, if you’re watching from the UK like I am...) When combined the Royal Canberra Ladies Classic and the NSW Women's Open, the ALPG will be staging 5 tournaments back to back for the first time ever!

The Haney Project Returns!

2009-09-20T13:00:00.004+01:00

In a move to further diversify the type of programmes that air on The Golf Channel, the network is preparing to create a new season for its show “The Haney Project”; a series in which Hank Haney (swing coach to Tiger Woods) attempts to improve the game of a celebrity.

The highly successful first season involved Haney coaching former NBA player Charles Barkley, known for having one of the worst golf swings in the history of the universe. The show was so popular that it almost because the highest rated show in The Golf Channel’s 14 year history; second only to The Big Break.

The huge success of this season was undeniably partly due to Barkley’s horrendous technique; programming chief of The Golf Channel now hopes that comedian Ray Romano (from Everybody Loves Raymond) will bring a new element of entertainment to the show, being a funny man obsessed with golf.

The Romano version is expected to air around March 2010; who would you like to see on The Haney Project next? I vote for Tripe H – maybe he'd use a sledge hammer instead of a club...

Golf Girls Calendar Returns for 2009!

2009-09-20T12:31:00.002+01:00

The Aussie Golf Girls have solved the ancient problem of terrible golf clothes...by taking them off! Despite having their first golf calendar banned for being too “expos-ay”, they have toned it down a bit and returned with a 2009 edition – featuring a different golfer on each page, including Krisite Newton and Sara Kemp.

Once again the calendar is raising money for charity; last time it was Breast Cancer research (who got nothing, because the prudes banned the calendar) – this time it is the Make-A-Wish Foundation. My wish is that the stiffs don’t ban this one as well! Long live the Golf Girls!

64 Year Old Widow from North England Score 2 Hole-in-Ones in a Single Round!

2009-09-18T12:09:00.004+01:00

Anybody who has watched golf carefully over the last few years will know that Tiger Woods has scored two hole-in-ones in professional tournaments. However, this feat is nothing compared to 64-year old Ruth Day, who managed to score two hole-in-ones as well – but in a single round!

The widow from Tynemouth had a handicap of 35, yet managed to defies odds of 67,000,000:1 by scoring two hole-in-ones at the Whitley Bay Club in North Tyneside. Her first hole-in-one was her first ever; on the third hole with a 149-yard shot. She then went on to score another hole-in-one ten holes later at the 13th, this time with a miraculous 161-yard drive! Having only been playing for about 10 years, Day was delighted with her achievement; "Some people go through their whole life and never get a hole in one," she said. "I think there's only a very small number of people around the world who have done it twice in one round". She's right; club secretaty Frank Elliott said they sometimes get two hole-in-ones in the same round, by two different people - but never by one person!

Whether you put it down to skill, fate or simple lies - Ruth has made history!

Royal Box of Golf

2009-09-16T13:02:00.003+01:00

Believe it or not, there is actually a house (Number 9, The Links) that overlooks the first tree and last green of St Andrews' historic Old Course! Nicknamed the “Royal Box of golf”, the house has five bedrooms, four bathrooms and three receptions – as well as a courtyard garden. As impressive as it already sounds, a massive selling feature of the house is its location on “millionaires’ row” The Links – a street with only three other houses.

Built in 1872 and originally bought for under £5000, the property came back on the market in 2004 at £2million. After being repossessed by a bank, it is now owned by local businessmen who bought it for around £3million. Back on sale again, in time for next year’s Open Championship, the house is now up for sale at £3.75million – clearly somebody hasn’t mentioned the housing slump to these people! Savillis, the company marketing the house, describe it as “a traditional style, three storey terraced house which has recently undergone a major refurbishment”. To have jumped £1.75million over 5 years – 2 of which have been a time of severe economic depression – I can’t begin to imagine how major this refurbishment must have been!

How much would you be willing to pay to overlook St. Andrews’?

Poulter’s Xmas Giveaway!

2009-09-15T14:21:00.005+01:00

I find it interesting how, in the world of sport – where players’ skills are tested to the limit to judge who is the best – the most famous players are rarely those who are genuinely the best at what they do. In football, David Beckham is a worldwide megastar not necessarily for his free-kicks of latter years, but for his “good looks” and marriage to a Spice Girl (from another industry where talent and fame rarely go hand in hand). In short, it is not necessarily the best players who are the most popular – but the most interesting players.

When it comes to golf, you don’t get much more interesting than Ian Poulter. Admittedly his golfing style lacks the flair of Camilo Villegas, but his golf clothes are second to none when it comes to eye-catching. So popular is the golfer that, despite the awful £190,000 splash-down at Cog Hill on Sunday, Ian Poulter’s twitter following has reached 601,064! Considering it was “nearly 600,000” about 7 hours ago, that’s quite the boom in popularity!

The reason I am telling you all of this is because Poulter has declared that when he hits a million followers, he will “do a massive give away. irons, woods, putters, gloves, balls, glasses, hats, ea games, and much more.” He may have a fairly long way to go yet, but with an approximate rise of 1,000 fans every 6 hours (or 4,000 fans per day), that’s only around 100 days until he reaches his target. For those of you whose internal calendar is not as finely tuned as mine – in 100 days time...it will be Christmas Eve!

So, if we all pull together and follow ianjamespoulter on twitter for a few months, we may raise his following just enough he’ll have to head up the driving range in a brand new garish outfit – a bright red one, with black boots and a hat with a white bobble on the end! “Walking in a Poulter wonderland...” (the worst sport chant ever).

Arnold Palmer’s 80th Birthday!

2009-09-10T17:21:00.002+01:00

It’s enough to make many of us feel old, but World Golf Hall of Famer Arnold Palmer turned 80 today! Anybody who has been watching The Golf Channel this week should pay extra tribute to the man, for it was he along with Player and Nicklaus who made the sport as popular and TV-friendly as it is today.

As well as being hugely popular and prolific in his prime, Palmer also won the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998 for his victory in seven major championships over the mid-twentieth century; including the Masters four times (1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964), the Open Championship twice (1961 and 1961) and the U.S. Open in 1960. Without doubt players like Tiger Woods owe their vast fortunes to the likes of Arnold Palmer, who led the way in getting endorsements for players – himself earning a million dollars on the PGA Tour by 1967.

Most readers will remember Palmer playing his 50th consecutive Masters in 2004 – a monumental event marred only by his failing abilities, which were forgivable at the age of 75! So, here’s to Arnold Palmer – a great golfer, a great man and a great excuse to watch The Golf Channel all night long in celebration!

Golf as an Olympic Sport?

2009-09-01T09:34:00.006+01:00

Faster, higher stronger – these are ideals anybody can strive for, whether they have a job and a house or nothing at all. Admittedly people with enough money for professional training are at an advantage, but nobody is altogether excluded because they can’t afford to take part. To play golf, on the other hand, you require a certain degree of wealth that makes the sport entirely exclusive to richer countries. Golf doesn’t cost a fortune to play, but it does cost a lot more money than people in poorer countries have available. So I ask; how is it fair to include another event in the Olympics that many people simply cannot afford to compete in – one in which much of the outcome is actually dependent on the equipment you are using? Golf club memberships and clubs cost money - not huge amounts of money, but more than thousands of poor athletes could hope to raise.

Ethiopian distance runners train by jogging barefoot up mountains; how are they meant to train for golf? By fashioning golf clubs from sticks and tin cans, then hitting a ball across the sun-baked landscape? Tiger Woods’ golf clubs alone are probably worth more than the entire Ethiopian running team’s funding! By including golf in the Olympics, we have simply created another event to be dominated by the rich countries, purely on the grounds of them being rich enough to play it.
I accept that golf is as much a sport as any other at the Olympics, but the Olympics isn’t about including every sport under the sun. I also accept that many sports in the Olympics are of a similar nature; equestrian sports and shooting for example – I would argue that these also pervert the nature of the Games. The very philosophy behind the Olympics is about equality of completion – a level playing field upon which nothing matters apart from your own skill. Obviously wealth will always have an impact on training, but it should never exclude a group of people altogether.