Wednesday, September 05, 2007
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I had to
read this a few times before I realized that it wasn't a hoax. From the TGC website:
"The PGA TOUR Playoffs pairings put them together the first two rounds at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
Three weeks later, not much changed.
"I fouled it up again," Weekley said.
Turns
out Weekley put down the wrong score for Garcia
in the first round and
the second round. The only difference was Garcia and PGA TOUR officials
caught the mistake before he signed it."
This is the type of thing that happens once a season -
maybe. But three times? All with the same fellow competitor? Boo is a welcome change to the robots that lurk in the middle of the money list, but the Li'l Abner act is wearing thin. He is either deliberately trying to mess with Sergio, or he really his half retarded.
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Tuesday, August 28, 2007
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The annual sandbagger's paradise that is the
PGA Tour Superstore World Amateur Handicap Championship kicked off yesterday in Myrtle Beach, SC. Known by most of the long-time participants as the"DuPont" (the former title sponsor), the WAHC is a 72-hole flighted stroke play event contested over more than 70 courses along the Grand Strand. This year's event, the 24th, has attracted almost 4000 entrants, male and female, young and old, player to chopper.
And despite the cynical headline, the tournament committee actually does a fantastic job of limiting the sandbaggery - handicaps are adjusted daily, and any scores raising a red flag are investigated thoroughly - although with a field this size, some cheaters will inevitable slip through the cracks.
The entertaining flip-side of sandbagging, the vanity-cap, may be even more widespread down there. There are always a few net 98's.
First round scores are posted on the tournament site, but I will resist singling anybody out for now - I'll give everybody the benefit of the doubt for one anomalous round.
One thing that jumped out at me as I looked at the scores for the various flights -- the tournament does a great job of attracting players from all over the place. Texas, California, Ohio, Puerto Rico are just a few of the locales represented.
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Monday, August 27, 2007
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Colt Knost completed the rare USGA double yesterday, defeating Michael Thompson 2 and 1 to capture the US Amateur. Knost won the US Publinx earlier this summer. The stocky Texan from SMU will represent the US in the Walker Cup later this year, and will most likely turn pro soon after, passing up invites to The Masters, the US Open and Open Championship. The US Amateur champ is only exempted into those events if he retains his amateur status.
Knost edges Thompson for U.S. Amateur Title
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Friday, August 24, 2007
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I found an
interesting article in the Evesham Journal, a UK newspaper, about a new golf format designed to cut the time it takes to play a round of golf in half. Generally, I am a Scalia-esque strict constructionist when it comes to the Rules of Golf and the game in general, but this caught my eye.
Basically, the format calls for 9 holes, with two flags in each; one of the two flags is black and is put in the most difficult location on the green. It appears points are awarded based on net score depending on which flag you play to. The company that developed the game -
PowerPlay Golf - doesn't have much of a site up yet, but I've contacted the company for complete information - I'll keep you posted.
Anything that can cut the time required to play in half is worth exploring. It will never replace a "real" round of golf, but I could see it gaining favor with after-work leagues and the like.
Short Form of Golf Set To Prosper (
Evesham Journal)
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Thursday, August 23, 2007
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The inaugural FedEx Cup kicked off this morning with the Barclays at what is sure to be a soggy Westchester Country Club. To say the TOUR marketed this thing heavily might be the understatement of the decade, but since Tiger bailed the rank-and-file have been a little more ready to show their displeasure with the whole format.
Most of the problem arises from the TOUR's inability to clearly explain the concept - even the most ardent golf fan has a hard time explaining the point system - and the fact that the big $10 million prize is paid in an annuity.
The schedule is a killer too; asking the top players to play so many weeks in a row is unreasonable anyway - throw in the President's Cup, and you are looking at a Vijay-like run of appearances for guys in the top 10.
The only way this could go worse for the TOUR and Tim Finchem is if Tiger wins the next two (TPC of Boston and Cog Hill, two places he LOVES), skips the TOUR Championship and takes the cup anyway.
I don't know if that scenario is even mathematically possible, but I bet no one else does either.
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The US Amateur finally made it to the match-play portion of the event after fog and rain delays at Olympic pushed the 36-hole stroke play qualifier to Wednesday morning. A 17-for-6-spot playoff went four extra holes before the brackets could be finalized.
George Zahringer, a 54-year old Met area legend beat England's Gary Wolstenholme to advance through the first round. Zahringer won the US Mid-Am in 2002, and is one of the oldest competitors remaining in the field.
The other locals competing at The Olympic Club didn't fare as well, as both
Clark Holle of South Orange and
Bill McGuiness of Woodbury failed to advance to match play.
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Sunday, August 12, 2007
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Nice job by Woody Austin today. The result was really never in doubt - TW with a four shot head start on a Southern Hills course famous for favoring the front-runner is pretty much the lock of the century - but you're hoping somebody within shouting distance of the lead is going to get something going. You know, make Tiger play a little. More importantly, keep the TV broadcast from becoming a 4-hour coronation.
You knew it wasn't going to be Stephen Ames. Poor Stephen made the most expensive birdie in history on 18 yesterday, punching his ticket to the final pairing. The "9&8" back story got plenty of attention, but that's just about irrelevant. Playing in the final group of a major with Woods must be an absolute circus, and I'm sure he didn't go out of his way to Ames feel comfortable. At least Ames kept smiling.
Ernis Els played a brilliant final round today, getting as close a 2 shots to Woods before a late bogey ended his run. He looked better then he has in ages, and maybe he's ready to finally put the knee injury behind him.
Austin was the star today though - as much of a star as you can be finishing second. I don't know who's picture you see when you look up 'stoic' in the dictionary - but it sure as hell isn't the Wood-man's. The Golf Channel wore out the footage of him breaking the putter over his head at Hilton Head, and he was only marginally more sedate today. He came out firing, and if he could have made a putt early, who knows how it would have played out. His finish today earned him a berth on the President's Cup squad, and Lord knows that can use all the extra personality it can get.
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Monday, July 23, 2007
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What a finish to the 2007 British Open! Padraig Harrington’s first major championship proved he has the mental game to win many more. After making double on the 72nd hole, the round-killer for many at Car-nasty, he toughened up in the clubhouse to fire a birdie on hole one of the playoff. A four-hole playoff loss for Sergio Garcia, who just needed a par on the 72nd hole to clinch the Championship, proved once again that he could use some mental help.
Maybe Sergio should have asked Angel Cabrera for a Marlboro before he teed it up on one in the playoff. You could see he was mentally exhausted. I think we are all just glad Garcia didn’t wear his Sunday banana suit. He probably should have also left his (Irish) green jersey at home too.
Three cheers to the Irishman for being the first European to win the Open Championship since 1999. We at ChiliDip.com raise our pints in your honor. Guinness, the drink of champions!
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Wednesday, July 11, 2007
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A real pet peeve of mine lately has been pace of play. I am playing in the NJ chapter of The Golf Channel Amateur Tour (GCAT) and after 5 events, I haven’t played a round in less than 5 and a half hours (FULL DISCLOSURE – I help the local Tournament Director set up the event in return for a break on the entry fees). I always am in one of the group’s final pairings, so I don’t expect to sprint around the course, but that is really no excuse.
Pace of play has always been a hot button issue, especially in the crowded NY/NJ metro area and medal play is certainly the most time consuming format. Some other chapters of the GCAT, most notably the Long Island tour, have adopted their own set of rules in an attempt to combat poor pace – they play any lost ball, OB or otherwise as a lateral hazard. Some would say that's not such a great idea (like the USGA – see Rule 1-3), and by all accounts their rounds are 6 hours long anyway.
Slow play is caused by two things: a) a lack of common sense, and b) lack of knowledge about the Rules. Unfortunately, short of mass lobotomies, there is no cure for a; players will continually leave their carts out of position, mark 18 inch putts, and generally stand around instead of playing ready golf.
But b is another matter entirely. Now I am not suggesting we all run out and sign up for a rules seminar, but having a basic knowledge of how to proceed when faced with routine situations would definitely speed things up. When to hit a provisional ball, how to take relief from casual water or a cart path, and the options available when your ball is in a lateral or water hazard are simple, straightforward rules scenarios that face a player at some point in almost every round, yet I am constantly amazed at how few actually know how to proceed.
The Rules of Golf are very complex - hell, even the governing bodies don't always get it right - but anyone serious enough about the game to enter a tournament, whether it is the state amateur, club championship or the GCAT should have a grasp of the basics mentioned above.
The USGA does a great job with the rules on their website. The Rules are presented alongside the associated Decisions, and there are also animations and videos highlighting the basics. If you want to be considered a 'player', you have to know the rules.
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Thursday, June 21, 2007
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I had the pleasure of playing this fantastic course on June 19, 2007. What an amazing place. We played from the tips which was over 7000 yards. The course is touted as the 2nd hardest course in Georgia. I am sure you can guess who the first is, a small course called Augusta National. The Heritage Golf Club lived up to our expectations!
The course is an amazing design. It is the hardest golf course I have ever played. On their website,
http://www.theheritagegolfclub.com, they say great things like "Bring your A game". This was certainly the truth. Fast, guarded elevated greens with not one flat line on the course except for the tee box. Truly amazing and a pleasure to grind through.
Information from the
http://www.theheritagegolfclub.com include:
The beginning of your challenge
Every
journey beings with the first step. And if The Heritage is going to
live up to its billing, enjoy the drive down the cart path with the
privacy hedge on your right.!
Number one is a par-5 that’s 540 yards from the back, 499 from the blue.
You’ll
want to hit a driver off the tee. You’re shooting for a fairly narrow
landing area with a bunker to the left, and trees and Out of Bounds on
the right. Naturally, the challenge is to get down the middle.
For your second shot, try to lay-up to
your pitching wedge or 9-iron so you have an easy shot to the green.
Careful – a tree to the right can impede your shot.
With a medium green, this is a great hole to start your round. It can be reached in two, depending upon your tee and play.
Number one is the best par-5 at The Heritage. Good luck!
Click Here to request a membership or call us at (770) 493-4653 for more information.
Best par-3
The
best par-3 at The heritage is our eleventh, a 215-yard Scottish-type
par-3 that goes away from you. The hole is slightly uphill and always
plays into the wind -- “a wonderful par-3!” according to Keith.
Toughest hole
Looking for trouble? It doesn’t matter! Because you may find it anyway at the Number Nine! It’s 448 yards — all uphill. The green is surrounded by bunkers and is elevated 40 feet.
Named “One of the Best 18 Holes in Georgia” by Georgia Trends, it takes a drive and a long iron for a good player, a wood for an average player… and a poor player can’t get there!
Most difficult green
Number
12 is where we’ve hidden the most challenging of our challenging
greens. This is a doozie – a green with three and one-half tiers,
particularly tough pin placements and, if that weren’t enough, it
undulates uphill! Whew -- you deserve another turn for the clubhouse at this point!
No easy finish to The Heritage
The
last three holes of play at The Heritage don’t offer an easy coast to
the clubhouse. We’re going to challenge you the entire round.
Number 16 is a very
unique par-3 – it’s 153 yards from the back tees, with a 100-yard-long
green and difficult pin placements. You’re advised to play from your
sand wedge all the way up to an 8-iron.
Number 17 is a
downhill play with a slight dogleg left. It features a Scottish green
that goes away from you and is bunkered very nicely on the left. This
hole takes an accurate tee shot and a mid-iron going in.
Your finish to The Heritage is on one of the “Top Five Holes in the State,” our par-4
Number 18 is
a 440-yard tight dogleg left over water -- but you can see the green.
Your second shot is over water again, and you’re hitting toward a flat,
English-type green sloped towards the water with pot bunkers. This a
very demanding hole that takes a 235 yard carry over water from the
back tees. The good news is, 18 ends at our outing pavilion and for
some golfers, the end can’t come too soon! “Stewart thinks it’s one of
the nicest par-4s he’s ever played,” says Keith.
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