2015 PGA Tour Golf Season

October 8, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Tomorrow, the 2015 PGA Tour Golf Season starts! After a short two-week rest, the Frys.com tournament will again start for another exciting season of golf. For some players fresh off the Ryder Cup event in Gleneagles, Scotland, the two-weeks was a blur, but they seem ready for the stresses of competitive golf.

Last year’s winner of the Frys.com Open Golf Tournament, Jimmy Walker, is hoping for another quick start to this year’s golf season. Winning three events early last season, Walker was able to carry on this momentum through most of the 2014 golf season. His quick start earned him seventh overall at the FedEx Cup standings. His play at the Ryder Cup was also noteworthy and he hopes to build on his steady play going into 2015.

The first seven PGA Tour events are a great opportunity for journeymen to break into the winner’s circle and earn enough money to secure their card for the 2016 golf season. This time of year is fantastic for the golfing fans because it allows us to watch great golf and not stress about missing the big name players compete.

The start of the PGA Tour is always a great time of the year. Predictions about who will win the majors, abounds. I have made my predictions and you can read them at PunditArena.com. Last year, I picked two winners, a third pick came second, and one pick…well, the first three were good.

Players to watch this year are Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, and Graeme McDowell. These players are already household names, but I expect them to do bigger things this year. A dark-horse who may surprise everyone will be Graham DeLaet. He played strong last year after coming back from a back injury and the 2015 season may be the season he wins a couple of tournaments. If you are interested in the power rankings by the PGA Tour, click here.

The 2015 PGA Tour golf season starts tomorrow. This year will see the rise of many great players and the passing of the torch to the young lions. Although many great names will still be near the top of the leaderboard, expect players like Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed, and Jason Day to also be at the top!

I am a grateful golfer! Bring on the 2015 PGA Tour golf season!

Rickie Fowler – The Next Breakout Player

October 6, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Rickie Fowler is a rising star. He is a hungry lion who is proving that the young players on the PGA Tour are here to stay. After turning pro in 2009 at the age of 21, Fowler has steadily improved his standing within the professional ranks. Since the moment he emerged on tour, he has been touted as one of the future stars of golf.

Fowler’s first three years on tour proved that the early predictions of his potential were well founded. His record of one win, 12 top 10s, 39 top 25s, out of 75 events was impressive. More importantly, he demonstrated improvement each year by his climb up the FedEx Cup standings and his steady movement up the money list. Overall, Rickie Fowler was a golfing professional who pundits considered as a future champion.

The PGA Tour season of 2013 was not as kind to Fowler. He faltered in the money list and appeared to be human. He was not as prominent on the Tour as the previous three years and his game seemed headed in the wrong direction. The main reason for Fowler’s failing game could be attributed to the death of his swing coach Barry McDonnell in early 2011. His play in 2012 was erratic and showed signs of weakening throughout the entire season. He continued through the 2013 season without a swing coach and to no surprise, his erratic play continued. After finishing 38th in the FedEx Cup standings, his second worst performance since turning pro, Fowler must have realized it was time for a change.

Enter Butch Harmon in December 2013. Not surprisingly, Fowler’s golf game immediately improved as seen by his eighth place finish in Thailand. Already considered to have a great swing, Fowler needed some minor adjustments to get back to his great play. Coaching some of golf’s great players, Harmon was the right person, at the right time, to make a dramatic impact on Fowler’s golf game.

“I’ve spent a lot of time with Butch and been around with him and with the other guys that he’s worked with,” Fowler said. “He’s kind of seen me develop over the last few years and really felt that with the experience he has as a teacher he could help me reach my goals and aspirations and help me be the best player that I can be.” (PGATour.com)

“It’s just basically taking what I have and turning it and cleaning it up and making it the best it can be,” Fowler said of his work with Harmon. (PGATour.com)

Suddenly, Fowler had renewed hope for the 2014 season. Starting off slow, except for his performance at the Masters, Fowler did not perform as expected. However, in June something happened. Fowler found his golf game and the second half of the 2014 PGA Tour season was what everyone was waiting for.

The biggest change in Fowler’s game was his attitude. He impressed Harmon by his desire to be a Major champion. “I love the kid,” Harmon said. “The thing I like is he’s been saying ‘I want to be known more for my golf than my clothes and my hat. I want to contend in majors.” Well, the Fowler/Harmon combination did not disappoint! Fowler’s performance in the 2014 Majors was outstanding. Overshadowed by the PGA Player of Year, Rory McIlroy, Fowler was the best overall performer in the 2014 Majors.

Tournament	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014
Master Tournament	DNP	DNP	DNP	T38	T27	T38	T5
US Open	T60	CUT	DNP	CUT	T41	T10	T2
The Open Championship	DNP	DNP	T14	T5	T31	CUT	T2
PGA Championship	DNP	DNP	T58	T51	CUT	T19	T3

There is little question that the golfing experts are curious about Rickie Fowler. I bet many are asking:

What is next for Rickie Fowler?
Is Fowler ready to claim his first Major championship?
In 2015, can Fowler repeat his stellar play in the Majors?
Is Rickie Fowler here to stay?

If Rickie Fowler stays with Butch Harmon, great things are expected from him in 2015. There are many great players on the PGA Tour, but this upcoming year will be a breakout year for Rickie Fowler. If he wins the Masters, then expect him to win a second Major! He will build on the momentum of an early win and will challenge Rory McIlroy for the title of world’s number one golfer! Regardless, expect Rickie Fowler to win a Major championship in 2015.

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

What do You Want to See on a Golf App?

October 1, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Type ‘golf app’ into Google. In 0.34 seconds, 231,000,000 results will show up. The vast number of results is quite amazing, but not unexpected. There are golf apps for just about anything. A quick search will find apps relating to playing golf, tracking golf, gaming, or keeping your score. Some apps help analyze your swing, provide tips, act as a range finder and help locate all the golf courses within a certain radius of your location!

Think back 10 years, none of this technology was available and we all managed to do all that “app stuff” the old-fashioned way. However, now that the technology is here, I think we should embrace it.

I know nothing about golf apps. I know what I would like to see on an app, but my narrow view is not something anyone could build an empire around. As I stated in a earlier post, I purchased a Garmin Approach 6 and although it is technically a device, it is in fact an app. I love this app and will continue to use it until it no longer works.

Back to my original question:

What do you want to see on a Golf App?
What appeals to you?
What is the most important feature to you?
Android or Apple?
What is your favorite golf app?

Golf apps are here to stay. I am trying to embrace them, use them, and will eventually recommend my favorites. But for now, I am interested in what you have to say!

First Golf App – Scorecard 1.0

On a side note, the first golf app for keeping score was called scorecard 1.0 – it featured a pencil and paper. The first update to scorecard 1.1 was a pencil with an eraser. We have come a long way!

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

2014 Golf Season is Over

September 29, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 10 Comments

The 2014 golf season is over! The Ryder Cup was the pinnacle event that capped of a very interesting golf year. In future articles I will talk about the goods, the bads and the uglys of the golf season. But for now, we go into hibernation waiting for the 2014-2015 to start!

But wait, the 2014-2015 golf season starts in only 2 weeks! Thank goodness we do not have to wait too long! The 2014 Ryder Cup extended the professional golf season by 2 weeks, so that means we will have our golfing fix sooner than expected. For that, I am grateful.

Here is the schedule for the first seven events of the 2014-15 PGA TOUR season.

FRYS.COM OPEN
Date: Oct. 6-12, 2014 | Location: Silverado Resort and Spa (North Course) | Napa, Calif.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $5,000,000 ($900,000 to winner)
Website: frysopengolf.com

SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN
Date: Oct. 13-19, 2014 | Location: TPC Summerlin | Las Vegas, Nev.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to winner)
Website: shrinershospitalsopen.com

THE McGLADREY CLASSIC
Date: Oct. 20-26, 2014 | Location: Seaside Course | Sea Island, Ga.
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $5,500,000 ($990,000 to winner)
Website: mcgladreyclassic.com

CIMB CLASSIC
Date: Oct. 27-Nov. 2, 2014 | Location: Kuala Lumpur Golf & CC | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $7,000,000 ($1,260,000 to winner)
Website: cimbclassic.com

WORLD GOLF CHAMPIONSHIPS – HSBC CHAMPIONS
Date: Nov. 3-9, 2014 | Location: Sheshan International Golf Club | Shanghai, China
FedExCup points: 550 | Purse: $8,500,000 ($1,400,000 to winner)
Website: HSBCgolf.com

SANDERSON FARMS CHAMPIONSHIP
Date: Nov. 3-9, 2014 | Location: Country Club of Jackson | Jackson, Miss.
Website: sandersonfarmschampionship.com

OHL CLASSIC AT MAYAKOBA
Date: Nov. 10-16, 2014 | Location: El Camaleon | Playa del Carmen, Mexico
FedExCup points: 500 | Purse: $6,000,000 ($1,080,000 to winner)
Website: ohlclassic.com

It is unlikely that any of the big names will be playing in the first few tournaments. The Ryder Cup cut into their down time and they will need some time to recharge their batteries. The absence of the top golfers will present an awesome opportunity for journeyman to start quick and, like Jimmy Walker, ride their early successes into a top position in the FedEx standings.

What are you going to do during the 2-week layoff as we wait for the 2014 – 2015 PGA Tour Season to start?

I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!

2014 Ryder Cup – Wrap Up

September 28, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Congratulations to the European Ryder Cup team for winning this year’s premier golfing event 16.5 to 11.5. As predicted, the underdog US Team could not overcome the consistent play of the Europeans. The last day of the Ryder Cup is by far the most exciting. The singles matches are as much a chess game as it is a golfing match. The slightest error can have cascading effects on the outcome. However, heading into the final day down 4 points, the US team could not rise to the challenge of defeating a stronger team.

Earlier, I predicted that the European team would win. My choices were made through analysis and research. I generally vote for any team Phil Mickelson is on, but this time the cards were stacked against that choice. As it turned out, my prediction was correct. This morning, just for fun, I made predictions on the singles matches. Here is how I made out:

Jordan Spieth 2 and 1 – Graeme McDowell won.
Henrick Stenson 1 up – Patrick Reed won.
Rickie Fowler 3 and 2 – Rory McIlroy won.
Justin Rose 2 and 1 – Havled
Phil Mickelson 1 up – Phil Mickelson won.
Martin Kaymer 3 and 2 – Martin Kaymer won.
Matt Kuchar 2 and 1 – Matt Kuchar won.
Sergio Garcia 1 up – Sergio Garcia won.
Ian Poulter 1 up – Halved
Keegan Bradley 1 up – Jamie Donaldson won.
Jimmy Walker 2 and 1 – Jimmy Walker won.
Victor Dubuisson 4 and 3 – Halved.

So my total was 5 matches correct, 4 wrong and 3 a push. Well just over 50 percent is not a bad track record considering the variables for selecting a winner are….well….astronomical. Picking winners in golf does pose great challenges for most golfing pundits and regardless of the results, it is fun to do.

Many people are talking about the strategy employed by the US Team. Additionally, reports about Phil Mickelson and Tom Watson having a disagreement,is making headlines.The only thing I can say is that you win and lose as a team. Finger pointing, or at least the perception of finger pointing, is not productive and as such I have no further comment on that matter.

Through my readings, I have found some great articles I would like to share. They talk about gifs, wrap-ups, and in-depth articles about the Ryder Cup. They are quite interesting and are worth the read.

The Ryder Cup. European Glory at Gleneagles. By Pete Robbins

2014 Ryder Cup GIFs – Part Five. By Adam Sarson

Ryder Cup Day 3 Recap: Europe wins 16.5-11.5 at Gleneagles. theScore.com

Wei Under Par -The Ryder Cup. By Stephanie Wei

The 2014 Ryder Cup is in the books. The media hype, the golfing frenzy, and the tale of David and Goliath is over. The best player from each team was Justin Rose (Europe) and Patrick Reed (US). They approached the game differently, but in their own way showed that competing at this pinnacle event is challenging, rewarding and most of all fun. Because if it isn’t fun, what is the point!

I am a grateful golfer! See you all at Hazeltine in 2016!