The Golf Tour of The Average Hack's Dreams

It's an idea that's crossed all of our minds numerous times.  It's an idea we've tackled here at Golfstinks on more than one occasion.  It's something of which many of us have thought we'd like to be a part.  It's a golf tour for the regular guy.  Yes, it turns out, they do exist after all! 

This past weekend, I attended the Connecticut Golf Show.  It was here, among the rows of reps from resorts, club manufacturers and apparel companies, that we came across a little organization called The Tour of Western New England.  It's this tour, and others around the country like it, that is the answer to many golfers prayers - the opportunity for the average hack to play, and compete, in an actual tour. 

No, you don't travel all around the country playing the top courses with the stars of the PGA Tour.  Instead, you play courses in your general area, competing against other golfers like you.  And let's say they're not so much like you - maybe they're golfing prowess is far superior to your meager skills.  No worries, handicaps are involved.  So the playing field can truly be about as level as possible. 

So what does it take to join?  Well, it's $90 up front to join the tour.  What does that $90 get you? Tee times, access to private courses if they're a tour stop, guest privileges at most events, handicap tracking and access to other local tours.  Not bad for only $90.  From there, you pay for your golf at each tour stop, and that's it...you're in.  You can play in as many of the 20-25 events as you'd like, you're eligible for prizes, carts and meals are included and with the private course stops along the way, you have the opportunity to play some courses you normally would not.  Again...not bad for $90.

So who does this tour fit?  Well, just about anyone who has the time to play often and enjoys playing different courses week after week.  If you're the kind of player who has to play the same course or two over and over, then this isn't for you.  However, if you are that type of player, you're truly missing out on the beauty of the sport. 

As I think about it, I see that a tour like this is right up my alley, as well as the alleys of most of my golfing buddies.  We like playing as many different courses as possible.  We'll get competitive at times.  And hey, if prizes and meals are included...there's a strong possibility you can lure me in.

Swing 'til you're happy!                

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PGA Pay To Play

So I really wanted to go on one of my rants today. I wanted to get frustrated about the fact that, once again, the media is shoving Tiger (the third place finisher) down our throats, instead of taking a good story such as Robert Rock (the actual winner of the tournament) and running with that.

Here's a guy who has been a European pro for over 13 years now, with only 1 win under his belt. But he outplayed both Tiger and Rory (the almost completely unmentioned second place finisher), as well as the rest of the field, to take his second. Instead...it was the same old, same old.

But rather than go that direction, I want to get some opinions on another matter. This matter is, I'm sure, not new to many golf fans. But for someone like me who doesn't follow the tour, I can't seem to wrap my head around it. It's the whole appearance fee thing. I know this doesn't take place on the American tour. But paying an appearance fee is how they get some names to come out to a tournament such as the Abu Dhabi Championship. I don't know about you, but I have a slight problem with this.

For me anyway, it cheapens the tournament. The way I perceive it is, a golfer is looking at this tournament with no real interest in playing. But then they offer him money just to show up, so now he'll play? I'm sorry, but that sounds like crap to me. It sounds to me like you're running a b.s. tournament and you need to do anything you can to get people to pay attention. Is this an exhibition or is a legit tournament? Well, if you have to pay players just to show up...you tell me.

But, at the same time, I look at if from the other side. Is it a good idea? Would it get more of the tour stars to participate in more tournaments? Would some of these smaller tournaments get more attention?

Let's face it - if the PGA Tour isn't going to implement an actual season full of tournaments that matter toward some type of a real playoff system, all leading to a season ending champion, then maybe the pay-to-play system is the way to go. I hate the idea considering these players already have sponsorships, endorsements and the opportunity to win good money on the tour stops, but if that's how they can make the PGA Tour a little more exciting, then maybe that's also worthy of some consideration.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Golf Tournament Hype

The fans are excited. The anticipation has been building all week. Fans are talking about it amongst their friends, family and co-workers. Everyone is expecting to see some of the best play they've seen all season. Everyone is expecting to see greatness. And this isn't even the championship! Then what is it you ask? It's the Chevron World Challenge!

Ha! I fooled ya, didn't I? I know you thought I was talking about the NFL and Championship Sunday. Well, I don't blame you. Seeing the two best teams from each conference square off against one another to decide which teams go to the Super Bowl is pretty exciting. But that's not how it is in golf.

See, this is what I've been talking about. The NFL ends the season with it's most exciting games leading up to the Super Bowl - a championship game. But the second to last tournament of the PGA season is the Chevron World Challenge. Practically meaningless. But not quite as meaningless as the final tournament - the Franklin Templeton Shootout.

So what do I mean by meaningless? Well, name me one sport, other than golf, that puts it's "playoffs" right in the middle of the season. You can't. Stupid, right? The PGA "playoffs" are made up of four tournaments in August and September. But for some reason, the season doesn't end after the playoffs. No, us golf fans are treated to a myriad of meaningless tournaments after the playoffs have ended!

So why is it so mixed up in golf? Why wouldn't they simply put the playoffs at the end of the season like everyone else? This is all part of what I've been getting at. And it was on full display leading up to this football weekend, and will be on full display again over the next two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. For cryin' out loud, the NFL gets more attention when there are no games going on during the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl than the PGA Tour gets during their two biggest tournaments of the year combined! That should tell you enough!

Ah, I'm spouting off again. But I just can't help myself. It's such an easy target. One day the powers that be in the world of the PGA will pull their heads out of their 19th holes and get with the program. But until then, well, I'll keep tryin'...

Swing 'til you're happy!

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The Mental Grind Of Golf

So as some of you may know by now, I've been droning on in the past about the PGA's need (in my opinion) to restructure the tour stops, create some type of a playoff system and create a "real" PGA Championship. Whether you agree with me or not, you'd have to admit that I've got to be onto something. At the very least, I'm trying to make the tour more exciting!

But last week, after my post about restructuring and streamlining the tour, we received a comment from our buddies over at Three Guys Golf. Referring to the reason golfers skip so many tournaments, the statement "too much of a mental grind" was used. This got me thinking about two points. One having to do with my PGA playoff pursuit, the other just a general thought on the "mental grind."

Firstly, the season schedule/playoff angle. I understand that no player can or is going to participate in every tournament from January to December. There are just too many (50 last year!). But that's where it starts - shortening the season. Why not have a season that runs from March or April through October with November designated for playoffs and a championship? Why not shorten the season to twenty or so tournaments and a few opens? Make every tour stop count toward a playoff seed. That way everyone will pretty much have to participate in just about all of the stops in order to give themselves a better shot at a higher seed. Cutting out some of the tournaments will create more star-studded stops along the way. I would have to imagine this would mean a better turnout at the gate, as well as a better TV rating.

Secondly, the "mental grind" aspect. As for the reason PGA tour players can't play every week or even every other week being due to the mental grind? I'm sorry, but I have to call B.S. on that. Now I realize that the popular school of thought is that it takes great mental strength to play professional golf. And I do not doubt this for a minute. However, I highly doubt the degree to which it is exaggerated. What I mean by that is, it takes a high level of mental strength to play any sport professionally. But the old-school thought of the "well-educated, well-raised" golfer vs. the "dumb jock" that plays any other sport still exists to a certain degree. Has anyone ever seen an actual NFL playbook or heard an actual play called in a huddle? It's mind-boggling! And to think that these plays need to be communicated from a sideline, called and understood in a huddle and executed in less than 40 seconds is incredible.

I understand that a great deal goes into a golf swing. But at the same time, a great deal goes into a baseball swing, a football pass, a basketball shot or a hockey shot. Not too mention, there are plays, formations, audibles, defensive positioning and situational decisions that need to be made in a matter of seconds. And all of this happens in a venue containing thousands of screaming fans. A golfer on the other hand stands in almost complete silence so he or she can concentrate, walks the course with an assistant and has basically one job...swing a club. Not too mention, they can pretty much take as long as they choose to do this. I'm sorry but, the mental grind? I don't want to hear about it.

Further, I think part of the reason the "mental" part of the game is so emphasized by golfers is to make up for the fact there is so little of a physical aspect to it in comparison to other sports. I mean, outside of a handshake at the end of a round and maybe a hi-five with their caddie, there is no other physical contact throughout their round. Now, if a professional baseball player can play 162 games in a span of roughly 190 days, sometimes playing as many as ten to twelve consecutive days, then a golfer should be able to handle his or her schedule. Hell, if a professional football player can play his sport, sixteen times in seventeen weeks, then for Pete's sake come on! This is a sport which is so rough it has been shown to shorten the life expectancy of it's players. A sport that, on any given play as many as 21 of the 22 players on the field (if the QB doesn't get hit) have some sort of physical, many times violent, contact occur.

A golfer experiences none of this. They don't have any physical contact with anyone, they don't run, they don't jump...they don't even carry their own equipment!! But they can't handle a certain schedule because they have to think too hard? Ha!

My point here is certainly not to poke fun at a comment made, but to attempt to explain how ridiculous this popular way of thinking sounds. And it is popular! It seems the majority of golfers who take their game serious believe their sport somehow requires a greater mental capacity to play than any other sport. And if you don't play, then you must be some sort of a mental midget. It's an unfair way of thinking. It's pretty much the equivalent of a pro football player saying "Golf? What, are you too much of a pansy to play something else? Or was the chess team already full?"

Look, what it simply comes down to is, this is golf. Is it a tough sport to play? Sure. But every sport played on the professional level is. Does it require a great amount of mental ability? Sure. But again, every sport played on the professional level does. But thinking too hard is no excuse for not playing.

But to the original point, my attempt here has been to come up with some ways to draw additional interest to the PGA Tour. And if shortening the season and playing fewer tournaments will do this, then it at least deserves some consideration. I know it's probably unrealistic, but with a sport fading in both viewership and participation, it would be best for the tour to be proactive rather than reactive. Maybe my ideas aren't what the tour is looking for, but they'd better start coming up with something. Because slowly but surely, they're running out of time.

Try not to think. Just swing 'til you're happy!

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More Crazy PGA Playoff Ideas

I'm sitting here watching the NFL Playoffs and I catch a commercial or two for a golf tournament. A golf tournament? Are you kidding? They say this is the first tournament of 2012. Well, I guess it is. It's just earlier than I expected. For cryin' out loud, the last tournament of 2011 just wrapped up a month ago! But now, along comes the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

Someone help me because I don't know - Has golf always been a year round sport on the professional level? Wouldn't that cause fans to become a bit "golfed out?" I know it would for me. I mean, the off-season is one month long? Sorry, but that's just not long enough. As much as I love football, I need the off-season. It gives me the break I need so I don't get tired of a sport I love. If it was going on for eleven out of the twelve months of the year, I'd probably be bored of it.

Am I wrong, or would golf benefit from a shorter season? Do people get golfed out? I really don't follow the tour, and that's one of the reasons why. The season's just too long. And I would have to imagine many of these tournaments are somewhat "inconsequential." And if a tournament doesn't really matter, then that diminishes the interest.

I think the PGA Tour as a whole could benefit from a shorter, more focused season. If there was some type of a playoff system, then I'm sure every individual tournament could mean much more to both the fans, as well as the players themselves.

Further, if the season were to be shorter and a playoff system instituted, then due to the importance of each tournament, players would be less apt to skip any, thus creating a better chance at a star-studded field every weekend. Could you imagine Tom Brady just sitting out two or three games because they don't matter? Yeah, I know that some NFL teams will sit a couple of players during the last week of the season, but that's 1 game in 16.

Let's look at the PGA Tour numbers. Last year there were 50 tour stops. 50! Now, there were four weekends on which two tournaments were played. So, since you can't be in two places at once, that leaves 46 potential tournaments to play. Now, of the 445 players who played in a PGA Tournament last year, only 26 of them played in 30 or more tournaments, with the most being 35. So, even the player who played most often still skipped 11 tournaments! Doesn't that just get on your nerves - that players pick and choose when they want to play? That's like Aaron Rodgers sitting himself for four games, or Kobe Bryant sitting himself for twenty. What if Albert Pujols didn't play in over 40 games because they just weren't important enough? Are you serious?! It's ridiculous, but it happens week in and week out during the PGA season.

How about if that was eliminated? How could it be you ask? Make every tournament matter. Trim the fat and streamline the schedule. Make it so more players play in more tournaments. Make them count toward an end of season playoff for a real championship.

I've got several ideas to get this done. Besides this one, I've previously discussed a road to an actual PGA Championship as well as a championship itself. Someday I'll figure out how to get these combined into one revolutionary idea. And someday, maybe the right people will take it into consideration. Hey, after all, I'm just trying to help!

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Happy Holidays To Our Fellow Stinky Golfers!

The holidays are great. But the holidays are exhausting as well. Everyone agree? The running around. The hustle and bustle. The last minute everything! Sometimes you can feel like you need a vacation from being on vacation! Like you need to get back to work in order to get some rest!

Well honestly, it's no different for us here at golfstinks either. Stinky golfers Greg, Pete and myself all work to consistently put up whatever content we can. Be it informative, comical, sarcastic or just plain off-the-wall...we're doing the best we can to keep it comin' year round.

Obviously, we do things a little different around here. As you all know by now, we're not really covering/following the tours. We're not reviewing equipment. And we're certainly not trying to give you any swing advice! Lord knows none of us are qualified to do any of these things! But that also doesn't keep us from going on about the game we love. We just do it from the standpoint of your average, everyday hack. And believe it or not...that's not as easy as it sounds! Especially when all of us are working regular full-time jobs, raising kids, maintaining a relationship, family, home, etc. Or, all of the above!

Hence the need for a break/vacation. And friends, that's exactly what we're doing right now. We've been running around like chickens with our heads cut off for the past few days. So much so that we're among those people who need to get back to work in order to get some rest! So until Friday, we're not going to say a thing about golf except to say...

Happy holidays to all of our fellow golfers...stinky and non-stinky! We thank you for your continued support! And don't forget...

Swing 'til you're happy!

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The Road To The PGA Championship

It's Sunday afternoon and me and a couple buddies are watching my Patriots finish off the Jets, their biggest and most hated rival. During the game, we're talking about some other teams (one of the guys is a Cowboys fan and the other is a Vikings fan) and some other sports - namely the MLB playoffs.

It's during these discussions that I start to consider the regular season schedules and playoff scenarios of the major sports in the U.S. For some reason, I compare this to golf, particularly, the PGA Tour.

Back in February I wrote a post about the need for a real PGA Championship. The question remaining though was, how do you get there? Is the final tournament based on the world golf rankings? Is it based on the money leaders? Hopefully not. But if not either of these, what then? Well, I've added another idea to the mix, but it would require a radical change.

Currently, we play Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday tournaments. At the end of the tournament we emerge with one winner. But what if we used those days to play a series of one-on-one matches? What if a player could emerge from a weekend with a record, say 3-1, rather than finish "16th, nine shots back." What if, rather than a money list or a ranking system that no one understands, there were actual golf "standings" with a win-loss-tie record?

I'm sorry but, whether you are a golf purist or not, I feel like I'm onto something here. Imagine opening up the sports page of your local newspaper or checking the standing on your favorite sports/golf website, and instead of seeing Luke Donald is #1 on the money list at $5,837,214.50 with Webb Simpson in second trailing by $68,971, you this:

PGA Tour Standings

Luke Donald 52-35-4

Webb Simpson 48-36-7

Nick Watney 47-36-8

Etc....

I gotta tell ya, this is a hell of a lot more interesting than looking at a money list. It's a hell of a lot more interesting than looking at a ranking list. And it sure makes each match mean a lot more when you are working your way toward an actual PGA Championship. Plus on Sundays, when many players are out of reach of the tournament win, this format would give each player a shot at still playing for an individual win rather than an additional $500 or $1000.

Each player becomes, for lack of a better term, a one-man-team. An individual rather than a nameless face in the crowd. Players will have a chance to pull away from the pack to give themselves better playoff seedings. And guys who are lower in the standings have the opportunity to play spoiler.

OK, so it's still a work in progress. But it's also a refreshing change to a stale sport. I've still got a few kinks to work out, but I'm sure I'm onto something. I know there are going to be plenty who hate this idea. But I also know there will be many who may see some potential. But in the end, all I'm trying to do is come up with some ideas to pump some new life into a great but fading game. And hey, whether you agree with me or not, you sure can't fault me for that.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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What If The PGA Experienced A Lockout?

Well, all signs are pointing in the right direction. It seems there's finally some agreement between players and owners. All signs are pointing to an on-time start the NFL regular season...and I couldn't be happier! Now, if the NBA will soon follow suit, then the sports world will once again be right as rain.

But with lockouts currently going on in two of the three most popular spectator sports in the United States, it kind of makes me wonder what would happen if there was a PGA Tour lockout.

Would it be like an NFL lockout? I guess that could go two ways. With the current lockout, I think all of us know that both parties understand there is way too much money to be lost if games are not played. It's by far the most popular spectator sport in the country. When it's estimated that anywhere between $200- $250 million could be lost per week of the PRESEASON (!!), imagine what's to be lost during the regular season!

But if you look at it like 1987 (which was actually a strike, not a lockout), it may look a bit different. Back then, the owners thought it would be a good idea to play a few games with replacement players. I remember distinctly watching a "replacement player" game when flashed upon the screen was a players regular job - car salesman. This was not the NFL I or anyone else wanted to see. Can you imagine the PGA Tour heading in this direction? Many of us have no idea who many of the players on the tour are now. Could you imagine if, in place of the tour pros, we had a bunch of course pros out there? Or, a bunch of guys from the Hooters Tour? Well, I guess if many of us don't know who the players are now...

But what if it was approached like the NBA? Back in the 1998-99 season, the players were locked out and the games simply didn't happen. No replacement players. No D-League players. Just no games. By the time it was over, the season was shortened from 82 games to 50. Would a PGA lockout look something like this? Just no golf at all for almost half the season? This would be the equivalent of missing approximately the first 17 tour stops of the season. Now, before you look at the schedule I'll fill you in...yes, that includes The Masters.

But what if it worked out like the MLB strike of 1994? Everyone recalls only one thing from the '94 season - no World Series. Obviously, The PGA Tour doesn't work the same. Despite the tournaments name, there is no actual PGA Championship. But you get what I'm saying...

My question is, how would the golf world react if a lockout or strike were to hit the PGA? Would all be forgiven as it was (and will be) in the NFL? Would there be lingering after-affects as there was in MLB, a sport that was already on the decline viewership-wise? Or would it deal the sport a significant blow such as it did in the NBA which, 13 years later, has still yet to recover?

Obviously this is all theoretical as we know the PGA doesn't work the same as the players organizations in the other sports mentioned above. But that doesn't mean it can't happen one day. And if it ever does...and since Tiger has already hit his decline...would we even notice if replacement players were out there?

Swing 'til you're happy! Because one day, you too could be a replacement player.

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Golfers Dressing the Part

This weekend, the PGA Tour passed through Connecticut with a stop at TPC River Highlands for the Travelers Championship. Through a connection at my job (not my wife's for a change!) I was able to grab a couple of passes. So I took one of my boys and gave him his first taste of professional golf.

We spent a few hours wandering the course on Sunday, stopped at some greens, sat at a few tees and watched from the fairway sidelines. But all along, I couldn't help but notice something other than the golfers and their shots.

I noticed, and found it strange, that it seemed like so many of the people there to watch the tournament looked like they were about to step out on the course at any second! I mean, I don't think I've seen so many shorts (yes, I know the pros don't wear shorts) and polo's since the last time I walked into Golfsmith! Now I understand that a golf outfit, for many, is no different than their everyday wears. But I still found it to be almost comical. I swear I even heard the clicking of spikes a few times!

I began to try and equate it to other sports. I thought of the last time I went to a baseball game. I don't recall anyone dressed in full baseball garb. Of course you see team jerseys spread throughout the crowd, but that's about as close as it comes. I also stopped to remember the last basketball game I attended. Same thing...a few jerseys sprinkled throughout the crowd, but nothing more. But at a golf tournament, any one of these guys could have walked down the fairway, and no one would have known the difference! But thinking even further, I begin to recall my trip to the CT Golf Expo where I witnessed the same thing!

But anyway, what I also found to be quite interesting was the difference in the dress of these golf fans. Looking at the older crowd, I noticed more of the classic golf look - plain, khaki shorts and classic, or old-school, polo shirts. But looking at the younger guys, I see more of a casual style - cargo or plaid shorts with an untucked polo. Of course, there's always that group of the younger guys who look like mannequins that just stepped out of some combination of GQ Magazine and a pro shop. Those guys kill me. They look like they couldn't possibly be more uncomfortable...and they're just watching!

So what is it about golfers? Why do golfers dress the part when they're just there to watch other golfers? Worse yet, why do golfers do this when they are just wandering through countless demos and product booths? Are they just trying to show everyone that they are golfers? Is that like doctors wearing their white coats to to a conference about the latest advances in brain tumor treatments? Or carpenters dressing like they're on the job each time they walk into Home Depot?

I don't know, maybe these things do happen and I've just never paid attention before. But, I guess as long as people are playing the game and paying some attention to it, then what does it matter how they're dressed?

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Book Review: Little Balls Big Dreams

You know that feeling you get when you hit a ball on the sweet spot of the club? When everything clicks - a smooth, fluid swing; perfect balance; solid contact...And, of course, the ball goes exactly where you intended it to go. You think to yourself; "If I could only hit it that way all the time."

We all have those "perfect" shots inside us, we just need to work on hitting more than one a round (or season...or lifetime). But what if one perfect shot led to another and another and before you knew it, everything you ever learned about how to correctly swing a golf club connected both physically and mentally on a regular basis? Sounds a bit fantastical, doesn't it? One shot and BAM! You're a scratch golfer. Come on, that's the stuff of fiction.

Well, actually, it is the stuff of fiction - in James Wolf's novel "Little Balls Big Dreams" that's exactly what happens to Matt True, the story's lead character. Matt is your average guy in his 40s with a wife, kids and an 11 handicap. That is, until one day at his local club, he hits that "perfect" shot on the par 3, 6th hole. Everything connected - a smooth, fluid swing; perfect balance; solid contact...And, of course, the ball went exactly where he intended it to go...in this case, right in the hole for an ace.

But things didn't end there for Matt. He knew deep down that the ace changed him. He was confident that he could reproduce that swing every time and with similar results...and he was correct - he finished his round at two under par (pretty impressive for an 11 handicap). After that, Matt continued to play scratch golf and he quickly began to resurrect his teenage dreams of becoming a pro golfer on tour. And that's where the story really begins.

In Little Balls Big Dreams, Mr. Wolf takes you on an adventure of "what if." What if you could become a scratch golfer after just one, game-changing shot? What would you do? Would you put yourself through Q-school when most of the players there are half your age? Would you sacrifice your family life and your stable job for a shot at life on the PGA Tour? Would your spouse even let you give it a go?

This short novel (167 pages) takes you on Matt's journey to answer these questions and follow his dreams. I found myself seriously thinking about what I would do if I suddenly were a scratch golfer. And I could relate to the conversations Matt had with his wife over him pursuing his dream. And I could also relate to his concerns about being away from his children for long stretches of time. The only thing I couldn't relate to was the feeling of being an awesome golfer - so until that happens, I guess I'm not really sure what I would do.

But in the book, you can sit back and enjoy how the story unfolds - how Matt's decisions lead him to where he ends up when the last page is turned. Little Balls Big Dreams is a thought-provoking and entertaining story of golf, family, dreams and what really matters when you get right down to it.

You can purchase Little Balls Big Dreams HERE. Remember, Father's Day is coming up!

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Fueling A Passion For Golf

I'm a pretty big sports fan. Always have been. Although I was too young to remember, my mother tells me how my father would keep me up at night as a toddler to watch Monday Night Football. It probably dates back to those days, but ever since, I've been a huge football fan.

It was my father who really introduced me to sports. My first pro football game was with my dad and two of my friends. The first pro baseball game I attended was a Mets-Cardinals game, also with my dad, as well as my uncle and a neighbor of his. Even my first pro basketball experience, a Knicks playoff game, was with my dad and two of his work buddies.

I've tried to do the same with my boys. I've taken them to their first pro baseball game as well as their first pro basketball game. We're still working on football and a PGA Tour event is also on the horizon. I've found that a father-son connection helps create a love, or passion, for sports in general. But along the way, I've also discovered something else that has fueled my passion for sports...memorabilia.

Sports memorabilia helps keep me connected with my youth. When I first started collecting memorabilia, I did it strictly for monetary reasons. All I could think of was how, years from now, I'd be able to cash in on my acquisitions. However, as time went on, I started to realize my collection meant more to me than dollar signs. I began to realize how the thousands of sports cards, hundreds of autographs and various pieces of sports history brought me back to a time when I didn't see sports as a business. It brings me back to the days when I would come home from work at night to find my father in front of the TV watching a ball game, waiting for me to join him. It reminds me of those games I attended with my dad.

I wonder if this is a reason I don't have this same passion for golf or golf memorabilia. My father played golf a few times...found he didn't care for the game...and promptly retired his clubs. Therefore, I wasn't introduced to the game until my fellow stinky golfers lured me in roughly twelve or thirteen years ago. Had I been introduced at a younger age, I may view the game differently than I do.

Now, years later, I've gotten my boys interested in football, basketball, baseball...and somewhat, golf. I've seen this done by having me pass along my passion for the sports. However, they have seen my collection of memorabilia and have begun to show interest just as I did, and right around the same age. Maybe that's the secret.

So maybe it's time I start looking into some golf memorabilia for the boys. Then again, maybe it's time I start looking into it for myself as well. After all, I haven't completely ruled out financial gain...

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Why I'm Happy Tiger Didn't Win The Masters

Before anyone gets the wrong idea about the title of this post, I'll explain. It has nothing to do with Tiger as a person. Tiger as a person will forever be viewed as, lets say, not the nicest guy you've ever heard of. But that has no bearing on this particular post.

It also has nothing to do with Tiger's ego. You know, that ego that never just comes out and says, "He played better than me." Rather, the ego just makes excuses for why he lost. That also has no bearing on this post. Nope, it's none of those things.

What makes me happy about it is the fact that, for a few days anyway, the younger and/or lesser known players on the tour got a good amount of attention at a major! Whether the PGA knows it or not, this is just what they needed! Tiger made his charge, but Charl Schwartzel played out of his mind down the stretch! Despite his Sunday meltdown, Rory Mcilroy was the biggest news for the first three days of the tournament. Some nice performances by Adam Scott, Jason Day, Luke Donald and a good Sunday from Justin Rose may have helped the PGA out by helping to improve its deficiency in the player recognition department.

As we here at Golfstinks have said previously, too many golf fans have no idea who some of these great players on the tour are. So to see some of them withstand the Tiger Woods charge, and play right along side him, if not better, the PGA couldn't ask for anything more! Some of these players are the tour's future. These players are the guys people need to know about when a tour stop comes along that Tiger doesn't think he can win (i.e. he's not participating).

We all know viewership drops when Tiger isn't there. And turnout at the tour stop itself is considerably lower. But it would probably be different if these other players were promoted properly, or even half as much as Tiger. So maybe the PGA will take this opportunity and use these performance that are fresh in the minds of golf fans.

At some point, the PGA is going to have to realize that Tiger is not going to be around forever. Better yet they should realize, for one or two reasons, the landscape of golf is changing. Either Tiger is not the player he once was, or the other players have simply caught up and no longer fear him. Either way, it's time for the PGA to take advantage.

I'm tired of having to see where Tiger finished in every update. I see that Charl Schwartzel won, but immediately after that - Tiger Woods finishes fourth (-10). What about 2nd and 3rd? What about the two guys who tied for fourth with Tiger? This is exactly what I'm talking about above. It's time for the PGA, and the media, to jump on the bandwagon of some players other than Tiger.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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What If There Really Was A PGA Championship?

One of the greatest periods of time for a sports fan is just around the corner...March Madness. Pretty much everything about the tournament is exactly what sports fans are looking for. All the top teams, the upsets, the "Cinderellas" and, of course, the brackets.

The NCAA Tournament is one of the greatest ways to decide a champion of a particular sport. 68 teams get one game against a particular team. One shot to move onto the next round. Win six (or seven) in a row, and you're the champ. Anyone can play anyone. Perennial powers play the small schools...upsets happen. It's great!

Now what if this particular format was brought into the PGA Tour? What if a tournament billed as a "championship" actually was? What if there was a way to finish the season, without a ranking list or anything based on money, to determine a clear-cut champ? It sounds like the way to go if you ask me!

Wait...what? They already do this? The Accenture Match-Play Championship? How is this NOT the be all and end all?! This needs to replace the PGA Championship!

As it stands now, the PGA Championship is really just another tournament. OK, it's a major. But in effect, it's just another tournament. When I hear "championship," that's exactly what I expect it to be. It should take up two weekends and should determine an actual champion! So in another attempt to come up with ideas to make viewership and interest in this sport greater, I propose the fourth major to be held at the end of the season and be renamed The PGA Tournament Championship.

Think about that. You take the top 64 golfers in the world and pair them up by seed - #1 vs. #64, #2 vs. #63, etc., just like the Match-Play Championship. The tournament is held over a four day span as usual. However, by the time Sunday afternoon rolls around, only four golfers remain - The Final Four. The following weekend, the final four matchup. Thursday and Friday could be two one-on-one matchups, aggregate score wins each. Saturday and Sunday, the two remaining seeds face each other in the actual championship, again with aggregate score winning. I don't know about you, but this sounds like a winner to me!

I'm not sure exactly how you figure out the seedings - World Golf Rankings, PGA Tour money list, who knows. Hey, it's not perfect and would need to have some details hammered out. But its got its strong points. For starters, it's an actual Championship in the truest sense of the word. It's exciting - every matchup matters. And perhaps just as important (and the PGA would probably never want to admit it but it's true), is the gambling aspect. Bringing in a bracket system for fans to fill out like the NCAA basketball tournament creates even further meaning for fans. Now, every fan has a vested interest in the tournament.

The more I think about it, the more I feel it's a winner. A tournament such as the match-play championship belongs at the end of the season, and a tournament set up as such deserves not only to be a major, but to be THE major.

Every sport needs a championship game. Golf is no different. Who wants a #1 player based on some ranking system, or worse yet, based on earnings! Battle it out on the course. In the end...the one true champion will be the one still standing.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Golf After Global Warming; It's Gonna Be Great!

As I sit here looking out my window at nearly three feet of snow, I can't help but wonder whatever happened to global warming? Remember that? Here in Connecticut, that soon to be extinct white stuff fell at an unprecedented rate over the last few weeks (separate storms produced 14", 11", 2", 22" and 4" of snow within 20 days).

I guess the reality is, as long as we're driving around burning the remnants of dinosaur bones and chopping down trees like Paul Bunyon, global warming is something that will eventually happen. Oh we may not be around to see it, but our great, great, great grandkids will probably be basting in warmer temps across the globe.

Sure, the glaciers will be gone; earthquakes will be rampant; and you'll need an acid-retardant suit to go swimming in the ocean, but I'll tell you this: The golf industry will have it made!

Think about that for a second. Once global warming takes hold, most golf courses will be able to remain open year-round. Do you know what that would do the economics of golf? Today, the sport basically has an economic impact of $80 billion a year. That number could easily double to $160 billion if courses say, in Minnesota, can remain open say, in January.

Let's face it, by then, people (especially the U.S.) will probably be so unhealthy, athletic summer activities like beach volleyball, biking, and anything involving running will be out of the question for most. That being the case, many would most likely gravitate to a sport where they can ride around on a cart the entire time (especially if the cart has a roof to shade them from the massive amounts of UV light that will be coming from the sun in the future).

Now then, with so many people playing golf, merchandise and equipment will be selling like hot cakes. For example, it may not be out of the ordinary for a drugstore chain like Walgreens to have an aisle dedicated to just golf stuff; "Golf balls? Yes ma'am, pass the sunscreen aisle and the water filtration aisle, and the golf aisle will be just after that."

The PGA tour will also benefit from mass amounts of people taking up the game. It will expand to have 10,000 players competing on courses all over the world! Many tour players will be as recognizable as Derek Jeter and Tom Brady (and make as much money as those guys too). Meanwhile, Hooters Tour players will actually make enough money to support their families!

Yep, golf will be so popular, the major networks will compete to broadcast the FedEx Cup in prime time! There will literally be so many tournaments, the Golf Channel will need three networks just to cover it all (unfortunately, the programming on all three will be so lame that most people will get their golf fix on ESPN's dedicated golf network, ESPiNtheHole).

Everyone will have at least one uncle who's a golf pro at some course somewhere. And instead of riding bicycles and playing catch, kids will practice putting and chipping for hours on end and swap golf trading cards of their favorite tour players.

Yes, golf after global warming will be the cat's meow for us golfers. Of course, until then, much of the world will have to settle for waiting for the snow to melt and the ground to thaw and the grass to start growing before they can enjoy this game again. But boy will our great, great, great grandkids be lucky.

So remember, just keep ruining the planet and one day your ancestors will be able to enjoy golf year-round! Of course, all the courses will be made of AstroTurf because no grass will grow due to the giant hole in the ozone, but what the hey...

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The Breaking of Golf's Color Barrier

Breaking down racial barriers. Isn't that what it was all about for Martin Luther King? So in celebration of Martin Luther King Day, why not take a look at the PGA Tour's breaker of the color barrier?

Contrary to what many believe, know, or understand, the PGA color barrier was broken long before Tiger Woods ever hit the scene. Over 35 years earlier to be a bit more specific.

In 1961, Charlie Sifford became the first African-American to receive full PGA Tour status (In 1928, Dewy Brown was the first African-American to play in PGA Tour events, but was not given full status until the mid 1960's). But it wasn't until after nine years of playing in qualifiers and non-PGA Tour events, even winning one, that he was given full status. Sifford went on to win two events in his career, plus a Senior Tour victory.

But here we are, 50 years later, and almost no progress has been made on the tour, especially when compared to the other major sports in the United States. Since the most famous sports color barrier of all was broken by Jackie Robinson in 1947, the result is that currently 1 in every 10 MLB players is African-American. The NFL color barrier was broken in the 1940's, and currently 65% of the NFL's players are African-American. In 1950, the NBA's color barrier was broken and currently 82% of the league is African-American. Even in the NHL, whose color barrier was broken (albeit incredibly briefly) in 1958, about 5% of the league is African-American.

But the PGA continues to lag. Of all current PGA Tour players, only one, Tiger Woods, is African-American...and he is actually bi-racial. So where is the breakdown? Why has no progress been made? Has it actually taken a step backward? These are all questions for another time. But I will say, it's tough to blame the PGA. Between organizations like The First Tee, among others, the PGA has certainly attempted to expand their brand, as well as the sport itself, among the African-American community.

But with February almost upon us, Black History Month would likely be a good time to spread the name of the PGA's first man to break the color barrier. If not to help promote the game and the tour, then to help more people learn about one of the most important historical figures in the games modern era - Charlie Sifford.

Swing 'til you're happy!

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Off-Season? Golf Has An Off-Season?

Can someone please help me out with a few things here? Is the golf season officially underway right now? Are there actual tournaments going on? Didn't the 2010 season just end? I swear I just saw something about Steve Stricker tied for the lead in a tournament.

How is this possible? Why would this be happening right now? I think what I'm saying is, it's no wonder there are fewer and fewer people golfing or taking up the game of golf every year. Golf has just about everything going against it right now.

The first problem is; I had no idea there were any tournaments even happening! I'm sure many of you who are reading this were well-aware that golf was underway. But not me. I'm sure I've made it clear by now I am a very casual golf fan. Playing golf...sure! Watching golf...ehh....not so much. But when a golf tournament is competing with the NFL playoffs? I'm sorry, but out of 100 times, the golf tournament will lose 101. How can the PGA golf season kick-off during the most important time of the largest spectator sport (TV-viewer wise) in the country?! Seriously now...there is no possible way they are gaining any new viewers. Next thing you know, they'll have a final round going on during the Super Bowl!

Second; When exactly did last season end? And when did this season begin? Was there really even an off-season? If so, how long was it...a month? See? This is another problem. The season is just too damn long and filled with too many meaningless tournaments that don't get promoted properly. It's like baseball season: Is it really necessary to play for six months then have another month of playoffs? Does it really take 162 games to figure out who belongs in the playoffs? Couldn't the same be determined in, say, 100 games? You get kind of psyched up for baseball at the beginning of the year, then it's blah for four months before you get excited again for the pennant race. And even though the season is too long, the off-season is long enough to give you a break. In golf...there almost is no off-season! I'm sorry but, there has to be a break or you simply get golfed out.

Let's look at football again; This is my favorite sport and I watch the NFL at every opportunity. However, I don't want the season to be any longer than it is for the simple fact that I don't want to be footballed out! We've all heard the expression "Too much of a good thing." Well, golf is a good thing. But too much golf is not. Fewer tournaments make each one matter more. When the tournaments matter, they attract more attention. Therefore, more viewers and more fans.

So what could be done differently? Well, probably a few things. For starters, and I know it's not going to sound like a good idea to most but, having fewer tournaments could help. As mentioned earlier - fewer tournaments equals more meaning.

But what do you do with the down time? We've touched on this a bit before. Things that are fun and keep the fans interested are always a sure bet. Why not set-up some things such as long-drive tournaments and the like? It's not an actual tournament, but it's fun and certainly fan-friendly! And just a small exhibition here and there during an off-season of a decent length could do wonders to attract new fans, while still keeping the interest of current ones.

OK, so these are just a couple of silly ideas for the most part, but they are ideas nonetheless. And let's face it, with fewer and fewer rounds of golf being played each year, a change is becoming increasingly necessary.

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What If PGA Tour Golf Was a Team Sport?

Yeah, maybe this was partially inspired by the Ryder Cup, but it was much more inspired by my favorite Sunday afternoon activity....watching football.

Football, in my opinion, is the ultimate team sport. Think about it. If just one single player doesn't do his job, the play is a waste. If one offensive lineman doesn't block...the QB is down. If a wide receiver, even though he's not even involved in the play, doesn't at least run his route, or block someone downfield, the play is busted. If a cornerback or safety doesn't cover their man, the other team is on their way to six. No other sport so heavily depends on the team as a whole.

Look at basketball - at any point, one or two players per team are just standing around doing nothing - sometimes they're not even on the same side of the court! Even worse is baseball. There are times when as many as eight players on the field at once are all just watching the action happen somewhere else. Maybe the players are a little more involved in hockey or soccer, but really....who cares?

Team sports are the most popular sports in the United States. Football, basketball, baseball and yes...even hockey. But what about golf? Why is golf not played in teams? At the high school level, golf is a team sport. At the college level, golf is a team sport. But at the pro level...outside of the Ryder Cup, it's all about the individual. I understand why it's a team sport in high school and college, but has anyone ever really considered the idea of pro team golf?

Would it add or detract from the sport? I myself don't see why it would take anything away. I mean, you're still seeing the individual golfer play, right? That aspect isn't affected at all. But what if, instead of getting behind one golfer, you could get behind a team? How would teams be broken up? Would there be a draft? Or would players be eligible for teams based on their home states? For instance, maybe Matt Kuchar leads a team of players from Florida against a team from South Carolina led by Dustin Johnson. The Florida Retirees vs. The South Carolina Beach Bums...or something like that. You know what I'm gettin' at.

I'm thinking that if this was a team sport, and each weekends tournament scores added up to something towards the end of the season...this could build up to a PGA Tour Super Bowl of sorts. Imagine the final weekend of the season being a foursome-on-foursome meeting between Jim Furyk's Pennsylvania team vs. Lefty's California squad. Sounds pretty OK.

I'm not saying every weekend tournament would have to be played as a team. Tournaments would still be setup as they are now. However, each golfers individual results would affect their teams cumulative score. And at the end of the season, the two best teams will face off.

I'll tell you three ways this could/would be beneficial to the tour. Number 1 - It makes every tournament mean more. Even the smaller, lesser followed events. Number 2 - It will get the big names to the current not-so-big venues. And number 3 - It would get all golfers playing more often. No more of this Tiger Woods and his only playing 12 events crap, while everyone else is playing 20+. I don't know about you, but this is beginning to sound OK!

Now I know that some of you are saying to yourself "But golf isn't supposed to be a team sport. You play golf against yourself. You try to beat the best you've done every time you play." You know what...shut up. I always hated that asinine comment and that's why I've never attempted to make that stupid argument and never will. That's just golfers trying to justify why their sport is better than another. I can make that same stupid argument for ANY athlete in ANY sport. If it was all about playing against yourself then there wouldn't be tournaments against other golfers! Of course you're trying to play your best round ever! Why wouldn't you?! Do you think Tom Brady goes out on the field every Sunday saying "I think I'll try to do just enough to get by this time. I don't want to do better than I did last week." Do you think Kobe Bryant says the same thing? How about Albert Pujols? See how stupid it sounds? But I digress.

Maybe this is an all around stupid idea. I don't know. But it's an idea anyway. I'm just trying to think of some ways to inject some life into an often times lifeless sport.

Anyone got a better idea?

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The PGA Tour Decides To Get More Fan-Friendly. Gee...Thanks.

I checked out a Devil Ball post a few days ago regarding the PGA deciding to make some "fan-friendly" moves. While I believe that any sport making an attempt to become more fan-friendly is great, I can't help but to think to myself - "Yeah, we'll see."

Fact: No major sport is more out of touch with its fans than PGA golf. See that picture of Lefty? It's him and a handful of other guys (if even that many) who show any real appreciation for the fans that show up to the events. What is the PGA planning to do about that? What good is trying to get a few more big names to some smaller tournaments if they are just going to ignore the fans there also?

Few sports put the spectator closer to the competitors than golf. But there is so little fan interaction that it just doesn't matter. Is it really that hard to, at the very least, acknowledge the fans? Is it that hard to look at the fans and say "Thank you" after they're cheering on a nice shot? I mean, it's not an NBA game where you have to hurry back down the court to play defense! Acknowledge the fans! All you're doing is walking down the fairway anyway!

But it's not only the on-course actions of the players. It's also the lack of pre- and post-round interaction. What Jay Busbee wrote in that post is 100% on the money. Most of these guys hurry past the fans like they're carrying some rare, incurable disease! Don't these guys realize, if not for the fans, you don't have the chance to play for, or make, the kind of money you do? Yeah, you can thank Tiger all you want for that, but it's still the fans who show up to watch! You would think that once all of the Tiger controversies came to be, and the galleries were only a fraction of what they were, these guys would be a bit humbled. But no. Nothing changed.

In my opinion though, the Tiger mess is the point from which the PGA's revelation stems. And not for nothing, but also in my opinion, that's a slap in the face to the golf fan. Basically, the PGA is saying "Oh yeah, you fans...we didn't give a crap about you for the most part. But now that you're not showing up, we realize we need you. Sorry about that." It's like treating your spouse like crap. Then when they're about to walk out on you, you start trying to fix things by doing the things you should have been doing all along! Good luck with that.

The PGA put all of their eggs in the Tiger basket because of his popularity. The galleries were packed, purses were larger, the PGA was making money and the sports popularity seemed to be at an all-time high. They didn't have to do anything for the fans because they were already there! But then...disaster. Tiger is out and no one is paying attention any longer. Now what? They realize now they should treat the fans a little better? They understand now, without the fans, they don't have a sport? Excuse me, but that's crap.

We here at Golfstinks have mentioned many times in the past that the PGA just doesn't do enough for the fans, as well as its own players. And when Tiger disappeared for a while, that point was proven. I didn't know half the golfers I was seeing on TV. That's sad! When I can name more NASCAR drivers (a sport I despise) than PGA golfers (a sport I am a fan of, as well as participate in)...well...there's a problem.

So one of the PGA's solutions is to allow cell phones on the course? That's your answer?! I've been to exactly two PGA tournaments, and guess what? I took my cell phone to both!! Obviously I was courteous enough to turn the ringer off, but what are you really offering me? I'm bringing it anyway!

What I'm getting at here is, at least the PGA is making the attempt to do something. But it's not even close to enough. Yeah, putting a microphone on some of the players is a halfway decent idea, but something tells me that will get old pretty quickly. There's only so much they can have to say that I'm going to care about before it just becomes redundant and flat-out boring.

The PGA needs to take more drastic measures. Get the fans more involved. Make some autograph sessions or meet-and-greets a requirement after rounds. Encourage the players to toss a few balls into the crowds. Set-up some competitions just for fun. We've mentioned in the past a long-drive competition between some of the bigger hitters on tour. That's fun and fan-friendly! What's wrong? Some of the players don't want to participate in that stuff? Well...then tell them they are more than welcome to find a new line of work.

The PGA needs to make it a point to show the fans they are priority #1. The tour will go on with or without a particular golfer. But it will not go on if there's no one to watch. Like that spouse, if you don't show appreciation, then before you know it, they're gone. And let me tell you...allowing a cell phone in? If that's the best you can come up with, that's simply not going to cut it.

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Did Someone Say Golf Is Supposed To Be Fun?

We all recognize the golf course as a place for camaraderie, competition and challenge. But many of us also recognize the course as a place for memorable, humorous moments, jokes and some good old-fashioned ball-busting. Be it a one-liner after a wicked slice, a tee tossed just in front of a lined-up putt or an emphatic "Good luck!" an instant before the strike of the ball on the opening drive. Yup, the golf course offers up many memories just waiting to be made.

Now you hardcore golfers, who have it in your head that you're on some kind of tour, probably just read the previous paragraph and cringed. "Talking during the swing? Well I never..." That's because you never played with me and you're not part of our regular golfing circle. I pulled that crap just a couple of weeks ago with our co-founder, Stinky Golfer Tom (who, for multiple reasons, we have nicknamed "Dog"). Did he get angry? Nope. Did it ruin his round? No...Dog's round was ruined the minute he showed up to the course. What was Dog's reaction? A smile and a playful shove on his way back to the cart. Just what I would expect from Dog, which is why I know I can mess around with him. And several holes later, when I wasn't expecting it...payback. He got me with the same damn thing.

My point is, I'm not interested in hearing about your chip-in from the trap or your 35-foot putt. Ho-hum...happens all the time. I'm not going to remember your story anyway. But what I will remember is the joke someone made while walking down the third fairway. The following are some of the more humorous moments I have so far experienced in my relatively short golf career. I hope you enjoy these as much as I did at the time.

"Lost Balls"
Stinky Golfer Greg and I were playing 18 with an older gentleman, whose name has since slipped my mind. I can honestly say I remember absolutely nothing about the round except one unintended joke. The three of us were walking together down one of the fairways when we noticed a few guys from an adjacent fairway looking for their drives. The older gentleman spots the balls lying in the rough to the right of our fairway and promptly shouts at the top of his lungs..."Hey, looks like you guys lost your balls over here!" Now that's not the funny part. The funny part is, the "lost your balls" line obviously sparked a joke in the immature minds of both Greg and I. But not two or three seconds after this guy shouts out his helpful directions, he realizes what he said. He then quietly mutters "Lost your balls...listen to me...I'd better keep my mouth shut!" The joke isn't that funny to begin with. But when you hear it from a 70+ year-old guy after he realized he shouted it out loud across a couple fairways...it was priceless.

"Your Husband"
The first time I ever heard this insult, I almost peed my pants. Stinky Golfer Dog and I were paired up with a couple of other guys who, more or less, played the game the same way we play it. We all stunk, but we were having a good time. The jokes and insults were flying throughout the round. But when one of the guys left an 8-10 foot putt about a foot-and-a-half short, the other looked at him and without hesitation said..."Nice putt, maybe next time your husband can play with us." Years later, the joke now seems old and completely sexist. But back when I first heard it, I laughed out loud, as did Dog and the butt of the joke, like a little school girl. Good stuff.

"Which club you usin' Pete?"
Stinky Golfers Dog, Greg, Pete and I, for the first and likely only time, managed to drop all of our drives in a relatively similar position. So we're discussing amongst ourselves which club we're going to hit on our approach. But none of us asked Pete what he was going to use. So, not wanting to leave him out of the discussion, I decided to ask him myself. Thing was, Pete was in the middle of his backswing when I asked "Which club you usin' Pete?" He bounced his shot about 50 yards down the fairway, but hey...at least it was straight!

Looked like a path to me...
Dog and I took a cart out at some course somewhere. Dog hit a great shot onto one of the greens, but I sliced mine off onto another fairway. He tells me he'll walk up to the green so I can take the cart over to my ball. But the fairway in which my ball was lying was down a hill. I could follow the cart path down and around and backtrack to my ball, but I didn't want to hold up the group behind us. So I looked for a shortcut. Sure enough a few feet down the cart path was (what looked to me anyway) like a path down the hill. So I took a right turn and headed down. Big mistake. I realized too late that this hill was much too steep to be taking a cart down. I hit the brakes, but they were useless. I bounced my way down this hill like a rolling boulder and have no idea how the cart didn't split in two. Despite my flailing limbs as I desperately tried to hang onto the steering wheel, I notice a few guys, obviously pissed off, yelling in my direction. I saw their lips moving, but due to the creaking and banging of my cart, I couldn't hear a thing they were saying. But an instant later, I was at the bottom of the hill. So I took a quick left, headed to my ball and hit as quickly as I could. Once back up top, Dog looks at me and says..."Those guys we're pissed!" Honestly, it was a hell of a ride, but one I never meant to take.

"Do you guys see it?"
Dog and I (You may notice Dog in a few of these stories which is not just a coincidence) were playing a course with a guy we got hooked up with. We're on one of the tees standing behind Dog as he readies for his drive. Dog hauls off and takes one of his usual mighty swings. Laughter ensues. Me and this other guy are cracking up because, well, we've never seen anything like it. Dog must have hit the top of the ball just right because it popped up about knee-high and fell straight back down, almost landing back on his tee. But what me and this other guy are really laughing about is Dog, having no idea what happened, is staring down the fairway, hand over his eyes, asking "Do you see the ball? What's so funny? Where is it?" I laughingly respond "Look down you idiot." 'Nuff said.

"Not gonna say Fore!"
One time out on the course, Stinky Golfer Pete informs us he is not going to yell "Fore!" to warn other golfers of his incoming projectiles. Instead, he's going to try something new. So sure enough, a few holes out...here it comes. Pete launches one in the general direction of another foursome. Now, just so everyone knows, there was no chance at all the group was in any danger. The ball was really nowhere near them. But Pete, playing it safe shouts out his "Fore!" alternative. With his left hand raised, index finger pointed at the sky, wide-eyed and smiling...Pete shouts out..."Attenzione!!!"...and again..."Attenzione!!!" This episode happened six or seven years ago...and it hasn't gotten old yet.

There are so many more...probably some much funnier than what I have mentioned here. But I can't seem to remember them all. And whatever comes to mind, I can save those for another time.

I suppose I should also mention that I hope everyone reading this understands we mean no disrespect to the game, the courses, the etiquette or the other players. We just like to keep things loose. We like to keep the moments light. We would never do any of these things or make any of these jokes at what would be considered an improper time. But if you can't add a bit of fun to your rounds, then you simply have the wrong idea out on the course.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say...if you're reading this, then you likely have no chance of ever becoming a PGA Tour pro. So relax, have fun and keep things light. The game is a hell of a lot more fun that way.

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Want Every Golf Match to Matter? Play Fantasy Golf!

I'm sitting up late at night watching the Phillies vs. Brewers game. I'm a Mets fan so, outside of pulling for the Brewers, I don't have any real interest in this matchup. Well...that's not 100% true. I sure could use a couple of hits out of Raul Ibanez. Why? My fantasy league of course!

Roughly fifteen years ago I was first introduced to fantasy sports. A friend and I jumped into a fantasy football league, sharing a team since neither of us new exactly what we were doing. Despite starting off hot with a record of 8-3, we made a bonehead trade and lost the rest of our games (not too mention our money) and missed the playoffs. You'd think it would have left a bad taste in my mouth, but instead, I was hooked. Be it fantasy football, baseball or basketball, I haven't missed a season since. But now, a new fantasy sport has caught my interest - fantasy golf.

The thing about fantasy golf is, it's very simple. Anyone who participates in fantasy sports knows that scoring is based on stats (and there are plenty of stats). You draft your players and the better the stats they produce, the better your team does. There are so many stats in fact, scoring can be downright confusing. But not in fantasy golf. There are pretty much two ways to score points in fantasy golf:

1. Points are based on your golfers score per hole (ex. 100 points for an eagle, 50 points for a birdie, 20 points for par, -20 points for a bogey, etc....).

2. Points are based on where your golfers finish in the final tournament standings.

Also, you even have the choice to redraft your team every weekend if you'd like, depending upon which golfers are playing in each tournament.

Seems pretty simple, right? But the fun of it, as well as the chance to win a few bucks, are not the only draws to fantasy golf...or any fantasy sport for that matter. It's the draw to a game or tournament that, normally, may not interest you at all. Hence, the game I mentioned earlier.

Years ago, fantasy sports were mostly shunned or frowned upon by the professional leagues which they emulated. Participation in a fantasy league was looked upon as simply gambling. But that is no longer the case. Major sports leagues such as the NFL and MLB now embrace fantasy sports, and it's the right thing to do. Fantasy sports have increased the overall interest in the game, even if it is mainly based on statistics and not necessarily the game itself. But, these leagues realize there are people like me, who will tune into a game they could care less about, in order to watch the one player my fantasy game hinges on. Does Bud Selig care why I'm watching the game? I doubt it, as long as I'm watching.

Fantasy golf is not nearly as popular as fantasy football, baseball or basketball...but the PGA may want to look into changing that. Once again, if you want me to watch your tournament, then give me as many reasons as possible to do so. The performance of players who aren't necessarily stars, or worthy of much coverage, may not matter as much to the PGA Tour, but they may mean something to more people if they have a reason to cheer for them. Maybe I have a guy in my foursome this weekend named Jeff Overton. He's only 35th on the money list and not exactly a popular name, but I want to see if he can sink that birdie putt to get me another 50 points for my team! That, my friends at PGA Tour headquarters, is interest in your sport that you normally would not have.

I've mentioned before that the PGA doesn't do enough to promote it's players, but fantasy sports are a great vehicle for promotion! The PGA would be wise to loosen up and jump on the fantasy sports bandwagon to welcome a new breed of fan. Again, give me a reason to watch the tournament. Give me a reason to cheer for a particular golfer. Give me something other than another Tiger Woods press conference!

Fantasy sports have made me a good amount of money, as well as lost me a good amount of money (no question lost more than I've won). But more so, they have gotten me interested in games that I normally wouldn't be interested in. Honestly, how great would that be for the PGA?

Oh, and just an update, Ibanez went 1-4 with a walk...not good enough for me to pull it out. Looks like I'm going to drop another close one. I swear that guy knows I'm a Mets fan.

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