PGA tour

I Got Nothing!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 6 Comments

Attempting to write about golf every two days (as per my goal for this year) is sometimes very difficult.  There is lots to write about, but every once in a while the creative juices just do not flow.  Well today is one of those days!

I could write about the upcoming Masters.  The fact that there will be about 25 new faces competing in Augusta.  That, the world number one player, Tiger Woods, is out and most of the pundits are talking more about him not playing than the strong field heading to the first Major of 2014.  I could talk about the change to the Augusta National Golf Course due to the harsh winter, but the fact that the course is different does not seem like such a bad thing. Regardless, the Masters starts in five days and I can hardly wait.

I could write about the first LPGA Major – The Kraft Nabisco Championship.  How two players tied at minus 10 will be slugging it out on Sunday.  I could analyse the different approaches of Michelle Wie and Alexis Thompson, but that is an article in itself.  Tomorrow should be interesting as both players are poised to win their first Major and live up to their potential as professional golfers.

I could write about how the underdogs in the NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament parallel the five first time winners on the PGA Tour this year.  How the underdogs in March Madness are punching above their weight like many of the journeyman players on the Tour.  How persistence and the desire to succeed trumps the teams with the better stats. Or how one player or one great shot can change the fortune of many!  But, apparently that is happening all over social media; so what is there to add.

Local Pro, 2 USAF Members, Local Businessman supporting the launch of the True Patriot Love Foundation Charity!

Local Pro, 2 USAF Members, Local Businessman supporting the launch of the True Patriot Love Foundation Charity!

I could write about the number of charities the PGA Tour (Canada and USA) sponsor.  As an example, the True Patriot Love Foundation which is a great Canadian initiative that supports military families. Launched in 2012 at North Bay, Ontario, Canada, it raises money for those military families who need a little support to continue to serve.  It continues to be a great success!

I could write about all these things, but today is a bit of a struggle.  Having said that, after I vociferated (had to look this one up – means ranted), it seems that writing about golf today was easier than I thought.  Writing about golf is sometimes less about the main stream headlines and more about what topics make the reader (and writer) think / question / obfuscate.  Golf is a unique sport (I have said this many times) that truly means something different to everyone.

For me, writing today is not about the endless supply of topics that interests any golfing enthusiast, but more about just writing.  Golf articles can take the reader down many different paths.  And given the choices in direction, the traveler path appears to limitless!

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

The Blue Monster

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Recent modifications to The Blue Monster are the main talk at this weekends World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.  Mr. Donald J. Trump employed architect Gil Hanse to redesign this historic course to provide new and definitely greater challenges to the professional field. Situated within the heart of Trump National Dorval Resort in Miami “this 7,608 yard course features a series of strategically placed deep bunkers, long flowing fairways, interesting undulating greens, deep Bermuda rough and a challenging assortment of water hazards – all of which combine for a course that requires both length and finesse to score well.”

The Blue Monster

After two rounds, the goal of making this course a challenge was achieved.  The Blue Monster is bearing its teeth and taking a bite out of every professional.  Only three players had sub-par rounds on the second day and four players under par at minus one for the tournament (and tied for first) remind all golfing pundits of the US Open.  If that is not proof that this course is tough, then maybe we need another toughness gauge!

The Blue Monster is designed to be a challenging course.  However, is the redesign of the course really causing the pros scratch their heads, talk to themselves, or look to the sky in disbelief?  Maybe, but many of the comments coming off the course point more to the conditions.  The course is dry, greens hard, and the wind – gale like!

Rickie FowlerVerified account‏@RickieFowlerPGA  – Ya the breeze was quite strong today💨 RT @jtedscott: Can you say windy? #3-197 hole, PW 205 yds. #4-211 hole, 3 iron 175.

Keegan BradleyVerified account‏@Keegan_Bradley – Had to lay up 3 times today and non of which were par 5s. #2par3‘s.

Sergio Garcia ‏@TheSergioGarcia  14h – So challenging out there today with the wind. Other than two holes I played pretty well. Let’s see if we can get back into it tomorrow!

The wind is expected to continue through the entire weekend.  Therefore, moving day will be very interesting.  How much risk are the pros willing to take move up the leader board?  How tight can they cut the corners with 25 mph winds moving their ball?  When a course is playing this tough, any player within 10 – 15 strokes who can score two sub-par rounds of 3-4 under are back in the hunt.  Moving day is going to be fun for the fans!

The Blue Monster, through the Trump National Dorval Resort, is a fantastic venue.  The fans appear to be appreciative of the new course, the new challenges and the picturesque landscape.  I am not so sure about the professionals who have navigate their way through this beast, but if the winner of the this marathon will definitely earn the PGAs motto “These guys are good!”

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

PGA Fantasy Golf League

/ The Grateful Golfer / 2 Comments

Recently, I signed up for the fantasy golf league at the PGA Tour.  It is very easy to use and the program is intuitive and anyone can choose four players each week for the upcoming tournament.  Always trying to learn new things, I thought it would be a great way to understand trends, stats, who is hot, and who is not.  So far, all is going well, but I am not learning too much yet.

The biggest challenge for the first three weeks (including the World Match Play event) was my lack of knowledge about many of the journeymen players.  Each week, some always steps up and throws a wrench into the standings.  Personally, it is fun for the tournament, but not so good for my scores.  As an example, I took Phil Mickelson last week at the Honda  Classic. We all know that was a bust because he did not make the cut.  My other players finished a high 54th and a low 35th.  Can’t win with picks like that.  That stellar performance had me 74th place at the Honda Classic.

This week is the World Golf Championship-Cadillac Championship.  The players will compete on a newly renovated “The Blue Monster“.  It is longer and has more holes with playable water.  But for the golfing élite, it is a challenge they all relish.

This week I picked –

  • Phil Mickelson – he is my favorite and will want to redeem himself;
  • Jimmy Walker – hottest start of the year;
  • Rory McIlroy – should have won the Honda Classic and will bounce back; and
  • Webb Simpson – I like his game for Dorval.

I still have a day to make changes, so if you have any suggestions….I am listening!

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

No Caddie Races!

/ The Grateful Golfer / 5 Comments

The PGA decided to ban the Caddie Races on the 16th hole at the Waste Management Phoenix Open!  The PGA said: “PGA tour officials say they decided to ban the caddie races over safety concerns. In an interview with the Golf Channel, tour officials said “running 150 yards puts caddies at risk for injury. I had caddies come to me at Phoenix and at Colonial saying “this is ridiculous, it’s like we are a carnival show.””  It makes one wonder if this is the real reason.

Having carried a rucksack weighing 60-70 pounds, I can say without doubt that running 150 yards with that much weight is very difficult, possible hazardous, and one of those things I would not voluntarily do.  Knowing the difficult and possible dangers, is there an unfair expectation for caddies to perform for the crowd?

Golf, like all other sports, is played for personal pride and entertainment of the fans.  The tournament in Phoenix is one of the most popular events on tour partly because of the scoring and mostly because of the fan interaction.  Without question, the focal point of fan participation is the 16th hole.  Approximately 20,000 fans are packed in like sardines around a 150-yard hole; the electric atmosphere of anticipation rises and crashes like the waves on a beach.  The fans love the venue and love the entertainment.

The caddie races were part of the entertainment, but not part of golf.  More than likely, the PGA does not want a ‘Happy Gilmore’ atmosphere at other tournaments.

The current culture of golf is  mature, calm, and focused.  Although there are exciting moments, like Sergio Garcia climbing a tree to hit a shot at Bayhill, they are more highlights than the norm. Not surprisingly, there is a quiet expectation at each event orchestrated by the PGA and not a carnival atmosphere hoped by the fans.  The focus is on the players, not the side-show entertainment off the course.

No Caddie Races!  Is this really a big deal?  Does the PGA have a point?  It is difficult to ascertain the real reason for the change, but it appears to have no effect on the entertainment value of the 16th hole.  Or does it?

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