The PGA Championship!

August 6, 2014 / The Grateful Golfer / 11 Comments

PGA Championship – Wanamaker Trophy

Tomorrow is the last Major of 2014. I have predicted Rory McIlroy to win this event several times and I wrote more about it at Pundit Arena just yesterday. The PGA Championship, played at the Valhalla Golf Club, will test the mental and physical stamina of all the players. At this time, Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler, Justin Rose, Matt Kuchar and Bubba Watson are the leading candidates to win the Wanamaker Trophy. However, it is important not to discount Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, Adam Scott or Sergio Garcia. Tomorrow’s start will decide who will be set up to play in the last group on Sunday.

From the names above, there is one name missing; you guessed it, Tiger Woods. After leaving the WGC – Bridgestone in the last round via golf cart, barely getting into his SUV and having difficulty walking up the stairs of his private jet, it is highly unlikely that Tiger Woods will be a player in this weekend’s Major. There is no question he is mentally willing to play, however it is unclear if he will be able to.

Tiger Woods requested a registration exemption earlier in the week and was granted this request. Arriving at Valhalla Golf Club today, Woods stated he was ready to play and plans to win! In typical Tiger Woods fashion, he put all other players on notice:

“That’s the only thing I can control,” Woods said. “Try to go out there and win this event. That’s all I’m focused on. … I played all right. Nothing great. It’s only Wednesday – I want my good stuff to start tomorrow. I felt pretty good about how I played and the shots I hit.” (USA Today)

It is impossible to begrudge Woods the opportunity to play and everyone wishes him well. Unfortunately, the way the rest of the field is playing it is unlikely he will be a factor on Sunday. For any player to win a Major, they would have to be at their best and Tiger Woods is far from being at his best. As the players hit the links at 7:30 am tomorrow morning, all the questions will be answered and Woods will put on his game face preparing to do battle with the rest of the field. No matter what happens, I do wish him luck!

Another player to watch tomorrow is Rickie Fowler. Fowler has finished in the top 5 in the previous Majors of 2014. His game is strong, honed, and ready to make a run at winning his first Major. To his chagrin, he will face Rory McIlroy (who is also playing his best golf in years). Paired with Victor Dubuisson and Ernie Els, Fowler will be able to feed off the excitement of Dubuisson’s play, yet watch “The Big Easy” calmly navigate his way around Valhalla. Rickie Fowler is quickly maturing into a weekly contender and this weekend should be no different.

My dark-horse for the PGA Championship is Sergio Garcia! Ranked third in the world, Garcia is still considered my dark-horse pick for several reasons. First, he experienced a difficult loss to McIlroy last weekend in the WGC – Bridgestone (shooting 1 over on the last day). His mental toughness in the Majors is suspect and the expectation to win his first Major is growing. However, being paired with Steve Stricker and Tom Watson is a blessing. Both of these players are calm, mature, and complete gentlemen. Garcia could not ask for a better group to start the first two days of the PGA Championship. If Garcia starts strong, he just might be able to repay Rory McIlroy for last weekend.

The PGA Championship will be very exciting! As with every Major, the first two days will set the scene for the weekend. However, moving day (Saturday) will determine who has the mental toughness to raise the Wanamaker Trophy above their heads on Sunday!

Who is your favourite? Dark-horse?

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

The Blue Monster

March 8, 2014March 8, 2014 / 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.”

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!

No Caddie Races!

February 2, 2014 / 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!

The Wild World of Golf

December 17, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

As the holiday season arrives, I like to reflect on how grateful I am for my fantastic life. Each year I realize how much golf means to me by the Christmas cards we receive with the golfing theme (thanks Dale and Nancy).

I read blogs like the Adam Sarson, Brewcee’s Golf Blog, Lets Talk Golf, Golf Habits, All About Golf and White Dragon Golf. Some commiserate with me about the cold weather and others keep me informed about the golfing world and helps me pass the 5 months of non-golfing in Canada. I like watching the golfing events around the world and see players like Sergio Garcia win tournaments in other parts of the world….and watch as he prepares for the Masters!

Lastly, I like to see people from different parts of the world look at my blog. Today, there were people from the US, Spain, South Africa, Malaysia, Finland, Germany and Australia. It is amazing how easy golfing blogs can touch different parts of the world. Another thing to be grateful for!

The holiday season is fast approaching and I am looking forward to a few days off and hanging with my best friend. I hope everyone is going to enjoy their holiday season.

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

The Rules of Golf

July 2, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 3 Comments

The rules of golf are in-depth and attempt to explain some of the crazy situations that may occur on the links. They are varied and sometimes a little off the wall. They can be applied after the fact or during a match that could mean the difference of winning or losing. The rules are applied evenly (we hope) or perceived not to fair. The rules will undoubtedly make you scratch your head. Regardless, the rules of golf are important and should not be taken lightly. Or should they?

In a previous article called Gopher It! I explain how rule 25-1, Immovable Obstructions and Abnormal Ground Conditions, from the 2012 Royal Canadian Golf Association rule book impacted a tournament I participated in several years back. Needless to say, we discussed this rule for quite some time.

Sergio Garcia took the meaning of “play the ball where it lies” to a whole new level. The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Golf and Country Club, Garcia climbed a tree to play the ball out into the fairway. It can be seen at PGATOUR.COM.

The penalty for slow play against the Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old, grade 8 player from China, who made the cut at the 2013 The Masters caught everyone’s attention. A statement, in The Guardian, by rules officials stated that his age did not matter. I would have to agree with that statement. He obviously has the game to play at the Masters, so he must play by all the rules. Whether the rules are applied equally is the real topic of conversation of most analysts.

Of course the Tiger Woods rules challenge at this year’s Masters. In this case, the rules officials were under tremendous pressure to make an appropriate call because a television viewer called in and challenged Tiger Woods drop. Woods was not disqualified for signing an incorrect score card as many had suggested, but was assessed a two stroke penalty.

The RCGA, USGA, R&A are all governing bodies that routinely examine the rules of golf and make what they deem as appropriate changes. They focus mainly on the elite players, but do attempt to keep the average duffer in the mix.

The Putting Rule

So, what about those unwritten rules used by local players? No, I am not talking about etiquette, but the fun rules! Rules like:

The 30 Second Rule – If you can pick up your ball and place it back in the spot you just hit from within 30 seconds, the shot does not count.
First Tee Do Over Rule – You arrive at the first tee before 7 am and duff your drive – you get a do over because you are not warmed up yet.
The Putting Rule – On the first green, if it has not been cut yet, you are allowed two putts from the same spot to get a feel for the speed. If the ball drops on either stroke count one!
Foot Wedge Rule – it is used regularly and without shame! It is the – I am here to have fun and do not care about the score – shot!

These unwritten rules are for the fun of the game. Golf is challenging and the rules were developed over centuries of play, however golf is meant to be fun! Using your own rules sometimes is just the break we duffers need to have a memorable round. If we were making money at golf, maybe the rules would be more important! Since we don’t….remember – be a grateful golfer! See you on the links.