New Low Update

In my post, New Low for Some Golfers, I shared how a man was stabbed in the leg by someone in the group ahead. The confrontation was over whether to let the victim and his group through on a par-3.

The update is the man may lose his leg. It sounds like he's lucky he didn't bleed to death because his femoral artery was punctured.

But, really? Was not letting a group play through worth a man's leg? May be more to this story, but the situation certainly got out of hand.

Good luck to the victim and hope he is able to heal.

Sergio Kept Playing

After a 12 on a par-4 hole, I give Sergio credit for staying in the game. He ended up shooting five birdies after the 12.

I suspect that's the difference between pros and amateurs; they can mentally re-focus quickly and keep playing.

When I was studying for the Bar exam, I learned a saying, "Hit it and move on!" I try to apply it to my game, but...

Happens Even to the Pros

Sergio Garcia started the round with an eagle at Doral today. Then, he shot a 12 on a par-4 hole.

He has my sympathies. Most of us have done it where we blow up on a hole. It will be interesting to watch how he responds. Throw the rest of the round away or keep fighting until he sinks his final putt on 18?

Congrats Hunter!

This year is the Ryder Cup, and it was great to see America's Hunter Mahan defeat Rory McIlroy in today's final match at WGC-Accenture's Match Play event. It's just start of the season, but I figure as much momentum as we can build before the two teams meet at Medinah CC is only a good thing.

Kudos also to Mark Wilson who beat Lee Westwood in the consolation match. Either McIlroy or Westwood would have been World's #1 men's golfer with a victory in the desert, but it wasn't to be this week.

Golfer Sues Club for Lowering His Handicap

A golfer has sued his club because he claims it lowered his handicap index by 7.7 strokes over a five-year span. He's suing the club for defamation because he said it made him look like a cheater.

Unfortunately the article doesn't elaborate on why the club lowered his handicap. It's possible that the club's handicap chair believed he didn't post his scores each time he played, and posted for him. Those scores must have been pretty low if it resulted in lowering his index by 7.7 strokes.

The golfer's comment that he went to competitions and there would be no one there was an interesting one. He claims it's because his friends didn't play with him. Or, it could be they all knew he was a sandbagger and they felt why bother playing if the guy is going to win all of the time.

When I was a member at a club, my dad and I would play in a couple's tournament every Sunday. When the same couple won every week for about 3-4 weeks in a row, we decided what was the point in entering. We can't beat "statistical anomalies"!

This case makes me wonder... if he is guilty of sandbagging, why would he sue, and if he's not guilty, why bother suing and what took him so long to sue. The lowering of his index occurred from 1999-2004.

Bradley's Apology for Spitting

I've written a couple of times about my reaction to seeing golfers spit, especially on the green.

PGA Tour's rising start has apologized for his spitting at Riviera Country Club last week.

Good of him to do so. It's really an unattractive habit.

Tiger's Gamesmanship

I watched Phil's interview with the press after his impressive blowout of Tiger yesterday at Pebble.

The best question was did Butch Harmon, Phil's swing coach and Tiger's former swing coach, tell Phil some of Tiger's gamesmanship tactics. Phil sheepishly replied with a grin, "Yes, possibly."

Given Phil's spanking of Tiger yesterday, it would appear Butch told Phil a lot of his secrets. I thought it was odd that Phil putted out first on 18th, since the tournament winner usually putts last so he can get all of the applause and end the tourney with a climax. Phil though putted out.

Tiger was then left with a 3-foot putt and he missed it so badly that it left him a 5-footer coming back. As they say, turnabout is fair play.

I'm not a fan of gamesmanship, and have had it done to me for about seven holes. It made me more focused and resulted in a sweeter win for me. And, if a player has to resort to that kind of tactics, well, it says a lot about that person. Or I should say, it says how little that person is.

New Low for Some Golfers

One thing I've always enjoyed about golf is the decorum and etiquette among the golfers. There is an odd sense of being insulated while on the course from the ugliness of the real world.

But, some golfers in Fort Worth, TX brought the real world onto a local golf couhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrse. A threesome wanted to play through a slow foursome. One of the members of the threesome got into verbal altercation with a member of the slow group and it turned physical. Someone in the foursome stabbed him with a broken club and because of the amount of blood loss, he could lose his leg. Click here for the article.

How sad that slow play could cause such damage. The golfers in both groups need a reality check about what's important in life. Playing through and speeding up play aren't worth a man's leg.

As golfers, we can do better.

Sunflower Seeds on the Green

The weather in the Bay Area has been unusually dry this year. I got to play golf two weeks in a row. The first course had sunflower seed shells fairly close to the hole. The second time I played, the sunflower-seed enjoyer was a stranger in my group that the pro shop put with my threesome.

The first week, the sunflower seeds looked fairly moist, so the shell spitter was likely a few groups ahead. I have to say it was a bit gross to have to deal with the shells. At least the guy in my group was "considerate" enough to spit the shells away from the hole and he did this may be only for the first few holes. He stopped having them by the middle of the round.

I enjoy sunflower seeds too, but I wouldn't think of spitting them onto the green. If you enjoy those seeds, have a cup that you can spit the seeds into. That way, every one can enjoy a shell-free round of golf!

Temper Tantrums: Tennis Pros v. Golf Pros

2012's golf and tennis seasons have started. The first two PGA Tour events were in Hawaii and the first major for tennis, the Australian Open, just started this week.

Maybe golfers in HI were laid back with their mai tais, hula dancers, and roasted pork. In contrast, one tennis pro in Australia had a four-racket meltdown.

I've seen a golfer break a club or throw their club a la Sergio Garcia in my last post, but I don't think I've ever seen a pro golfer break four clubs. I guess that's one advantage of golf over tennis... if you want to break something, you have up to 14 clubs to break:)

Garcia Loses It

Sergio Garcia apparently has an anger management problem. I didn't see it, but I heard about his spitting into the cup after missing a putt. That's beyond gross and childish.

His latest temper tantrum is tossing his club into the water after pulling his shot 20 yards on a par-3 hole.

You can watch it here.

I don't care how poorly you happen to be playing, that's inexcusable. Do that in front of a client, and you can certainly kiss that client good-bye.

Happy Holidays to you and yours! May your golf rounds in 2012 be filled with birdies and pars!!!

Monkey Off His Back

Tiger Woods finally won a tournament. It happens to be his own tournament where he's the host and his Tiger Woods Foundation is a benefactor. His win doesn't just benefit him and his foundation though. It benefits the game of golf and even his competitors are hopeful that Tiger is back to his past form. McIlroy and Westwood both hope to compete against Tiger when his game is back on top.

I don't know how to explain it, but when Tiger is in contention, golf is fun to watch. We've watched two years of golf without him, and it's just not the same without him putting for a win in his red shirt, black pants outfit. As to those who are complaining about his white shoes on Sunday, I don't think he cares. He got his "W" and I suspect he was more concerned about getting that than making a fashion statement.

Welcome back, Tiger, and I hope to see the same in 2012!

Congratulations USA Team!

My favorite tournaments include The Masters, Ryder Cup, and Presidents Cup. After the loss in Wales of the Ryder Cup, I was thrilled to see the Americans win the Presidents Cup.

Even though I like Greg Norman, Adam Scott, Ernie Els, and others on the International team, I will always cheer on the Americans. Frankly I know golf fans that seem to always choose the other team, whether the Europeans or Internationals. I've never understood if you were born in America, why you wouldn't root for the Americans? This victory is especially needed during our country's economic tumult, involvement in wars, and general malaise.

It was nice to see the Americans' fighting spirit and the closeness among the team.
Both the rookies and veterans alike did well. Tiger certainly had to make everyone pause and think he might break Jack's record of 18 Majors. Maybe still too soon to say that, but his game certainly looks better than we've seen in quite awhile.

Congrats Freddie, John Cook, proud father Jay Haas, and the members of the US team!!!

The Swinger

Two Sports Illustrated writers, Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck, have written "The Swinger" based on Tiger Woods' life since hitting the fire hydrant nearly two years ago.

It's fiction, yet it makes you wonder how much is based on truth, such as the drug test results and the number of women that Tiger considered his conquests. Given who they have offended, I wonder if writing it was worth losing access to those people and various places.

For a winter golf read, it's mindless entertainment. Keeps your head in the game of golf at least.

My peeve though is the ending. If someone can tell me what the last sentence is referring to, I'd appreciate it. As it stands now, I'm just annoyed that I have no idea what it's referencing.

Enjoy!

Changes to Several Rules

The USGA announced a couple of changes to the Rules. http://bit.ly/sfMRFi

One change makes a lot of sense, which is if you address the ball (take your stance and touch your club on the ground behind or in front of the ball) and the ball slightly moves without you touching it with your club, then that's no longer a penalty. You now just hit it where it settles.

They also changed the definition of address. It's now just when you place your club in front or behind the ball. You no longer need to take a stance to be considered addressing the club.

Ready Golf - What It Is and What It Isn't

I know it's been a while since I last wrote. I've had the stuffing kicked out of me with things going on in my life. I'm coming out of it now and had to share this story.

Yesterday a friend and her group were behind the field of a tournament. Because the course wanted the tournament to have a head start, there was about a hole in between her foursome and the last group of the field. As her group was putting out, she saw a twosome in a cart cut in front of her group and tee off on her next hole a par-3.

She drove up to them as they were approaching their balls on the green, and asked what they were doing. She explained that they went off behind the tournament and they weren't holding up the field. She asked them to either mark or pick up, but her group would be teeing off and finishing the hole first.

The twosome of 20-somethings defended their rudeness by saying they were playing ready golf. As you can imagine, that didn't work for my friend.

So to be clear, ready golf is among members of your foursome. Whomever is ready to hit next, should hit, rather than wait for the player farthest from the hole to hit. It is certainly NOT a concept to be applied between foursomes, like these youths tried to pull.

It's simply rude to cut in front of a group that is keeping up. And, to use a concept of golf incorrectly, shows their ignorance or a dismal attempt to bluff my friend.

Hope you can get out and play more golf before the change in the seasons!

Power Broker-Golfers in DC

Check out the latest ranking of power golfers in D.C.: http://bitURL.net/bjsu

Congratulations to two women who are on this list: Linda Divall, 7th, and Jean Statler, T-43. Wish there were more women, but at least two made it.

I can only imagine the stories they have about playing golf for business as a women. And, I wonder what they'd say about how golf has helped their careers.

Ladies, get golfing!

Get Ready for a Great 2011!

Hi Everyone,

This post will be the most personal one I've ever written. I know I've disappeared for most of the year. As a member of a country club in the Bay Area, I took up the challenge in mid-May to stop the Board of the club from making some foolish mistakes in renovating the beautiful, classic "Golden Age" course I've played for the last 20 years. The list of mistakes are numerous, and the fight to save the club has become futile.

Because I no longer wish to contribute to the destruction of the club, I have decided to leave the club at the end of this year. I do so with sadness because I have so many fond memories on the course: three separate holes-in-ones, countless rounds with my father, my niece, and my nephew, and countless rounds with friends that I'll miss and hope we'll continue playing together elsewhere.

It's been a tough year staying focused on business (although I did launch my Golf to the Green Celebrity Interviews) and this coming year looks like a tough one as well given that my nearly 13-year old Cocker Spaniel, Reggie, has been initially diagnosed with cancer. I learned yesterday, on my birthday no less.

I can't tell you the tail spin it has put me in. The sadness, feeling of helplessness, and fear for my Reggie. We'll know more on Wednesday or Thursday when his biopsy results come in. If you believe in the power of prayers and positive thoughts, please send some his way. Reggie and I thank you for doing so. My friend, who was helping me prepare the book proposal for my business golf book, On Course for Business, found Reg darting across a busy street near the golf course and took an hour to catch him. She brought him to my house, and we had a bumpy start, but the rest is history.

I was online this morning and saw a post for a vision board software. Don't know if you have ever created a vision board where you cut out magazine pictures and post them on a board. I've done it in the past, and was amazed when I looked at how many of the pictures became a reality in my life... including Reggie.

Check it out: http://bit.ly/g7AcJA I know with what's going to go on with Reg, I'm going to need help staying focused on my goals for 2011. I have several exciting projects in the works that I look forward to sharing next year, and will need to keep moving forward. What I like about this software is you can play the video of your vision board on your computer, iPad, smartphone, or post a copy of your vision board on the wall of your office. I plan to play my vision board video on my iPhone when I wake up and before I go to sleep. If you want to lower your handicap, put it on your vision board.

I hope you have a joyful Holiday Season and a Happy and Healthy 2011! Tell those you love that you do so, and stay healthy.

Best regards and pars,
Suzanne

Nicklaus and Annika versus Norman and Ochoa

Wouldn't that be a great match to watch in some Skins format or some other tournament? Unfortunately it's not a match on the golf course that is happening any time soon.

It is about a golf course though in Rio de Janerio, the host of the 2016 Olympics. The two pairs are competing for the design of the golf course to be played when golf is officially back in the Olympics. The Olympic committee though hasn't decided whether it will use an existing course or decide to build a new course.

Annika and I spoke about the 2016 Olympics when I interviewed her in my Golf to the Green Celebrity Interviews. I enjoyed talking with her about what she thinks about playing golf for business (rather than as her business) and what she's been doing since leaving golf. I invite you to listen in to our interview!

GM as Tournament Sponsor

There are rumblings that GM is going to be named as sponsor of the Doral tournament. Last year was the first year that GM wasn't a sponsor of a golf tournament in decades.

GM will be using its Cadillac brand, which makes sense as it markets to high worth folks, and those folks play golf.

It's good to see a few companies coming back to golf as sponsors. Good for the game and I hope it means a positive outlook for the US economy.