Monday, August 20, 2012

Congratulations to Condi Rice and Darla Moore!

Augusta National Golf Club has announced their first two female members.

Condi Rice, former Secretary of  State, is also a member of San Francisco Golf Club and Cypress Golf Club.

Darla Moore is a South Carolina financier.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Which Tees to Use?

The National Golf Foundation asked:

What method do you use most often to choose the yardage (set of tees) you will play from in a given round of golf?
Based on a total yardage I have in mind
45%
Based on the color I normally play
23%
Based on wind or weather
6%
Based on the ability of my weakest playing partner
9%
Based on the nature of the round (fun vs. a competitive)
5%
Based on how fast I want to play
0%
I play whatever tees my playing partners choose
12%

I was surprised by the responses and wondered if the responses would be the same if one was playing in a business-golf round.

The 23% who responded that they chose the tees based on the normal color that they play could have a rude awakening at a new course. There is no standard color for tees based on location, e.g. black for the tips, blue for back tees, white for the middle and red for the front tees. Some courses, especially newer courses, have new colors at different locations. If playing based solely on color, a person may end up playing from inappropriate tees for their game.

For the business golfer, the 12% had the best response which is to play whatever tees my playing partners choose. The one caveat is during a business golf round, you might be playing from tees that are more difficult for you than what your game can handle. In which case, you need to either play fast or pick up when need be, if your playing partners get impatient with you.

I'm playing more courses now, and since I'm not playing as much, I'll choose the yardage that I'm used to and even the tees slightly less than my usual. To choose a longer distance is too punishing for us, recreational and business golfers.

Which answer would you give? 


Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Tiger: The C-Word

I've followed Tiger's career from Day 1. The C-word for most of his career has been Closer. Except for his loss in the 2009 PGA Championship to Yang, if he had the lead going into a Major, he was the winner.

After watching him this year, I fear that the C-word is now Choker.

He reminds me now of Phil Mickelson. I was a fan of Phil's, but found it hard to cheer for him because of his foolish mistakes he'd make en route to losing the tournament that he should have won. The US Open, #18 at Pebble Beach, etc. So many times, you thought he's on his way to winning, and then he'd make one of his foolish decisions and lose.

Tiger has played great on Thursday and Friday of the Majors this year, and you think finally he's going to redeem himself... he's going to win a Major again.  Moving day arrives and Tiger produces just the opposite of what that day means. He's lost shots over the weekend this year. Instead of getting the Closer, we now get excuses. And is it me or is the Sunday red and black getting old?

Whether he can go from Choker to Closer again, we'll have to wait till next year.