Handicapping the FedEx Cup virtually impossible

The FedEx Cup playoffs get under way this week at The Barclays with no clear favorite.  Usually, Woods would be most everyone’s choice, but he’s at No. 112 in the standings, between Bob Estes and Cameron Beckman. Besides, we're saving Tiger for the Ryder Cup.

Ernie Els is on top of the standings with 2 wins and 6 top 10 finishes. Furyk, Stricker, Rose and Mahan also have 2 wins and impressive top 10 finishes. Michelson, Overton, Bubba Watson, Kuchar and Clark round out the top 10 in the standings, each with good credentials.  Dustin Johnson is lurking at No. 11.

So, who raises their game to the top and walks away with the FedEx Cup?  Of the players with 1 win, Michelson is probably the favorite choice. Frankly, I’m a little tired of hearing “a win captures the world No. 1 ranking from Tiger” line. Overton hasn’t won a tournament this year. Bubba’s not ready. Kuchar’s too nice. Clark had his moment and Johnson has a cold.

I think the winner comes from a player with 2 wins this year. Els, Furyk and Stricker are great choices if you like steady. Each is built for the long haul the FedEx Cup requires. Rose was hot earlier in the year, but I’m going out on a limb and choose Hunter Mahan.

Life is good for Mahan. He has a pair of wins for the year, 3 top 10 finishes and recently married a former Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. The FedEx Cup is the only thing missing and of course all newly weds need an extra $10 million.

While on this site, take a look at the great golf packages in Myrtle Beach and get yourself and some friends down here! The courses are in great shape and the weather has been spectacular. You may even want to take a cruise on the new Aquasino and get a little sports book on Hunter Mahan. However, if you have even half a brain you’ll avoid my prognostications and just play golf!

What can we say about the PGA Championship?

With all the turmoil involving local favorite Dustin Johnson – and I’ll get to that in a moment – we witnessed a pretty good golf tournament.  “Phil Fans” saw a strong finish by their boy that promises hope for the future. The “Young Guns” shined with many of them getting a taste of being in contention, but showing their not quite ready. Even the “Old Guard” was well represented by Elkington and Furyk.  Of course my pick to win showed signs of the former golfer know as Tiger Woods, but in the end he showed his game isn’t back, yet.

Most importantly congratulations to Martin Kaymer and Bubba Watson.  Kaymer made the putt he had to make and Watson’s charge on the back nine reminded many of Arnie’s charges. In the end Kaymer’s game prevailed.

Regarding Dustin you have to feel for him.  Nothing about the incident was right.  There’s no reason for the PGA to have bunkers in-play that far behind the ropes.  I don’t care that everyone should have known.  There’s no reason the fans should be allowed to tear-up those bunkers.  There’s no reason a rules official was not with the leader.  There’s no reason the Marshall did not clear those spectators from the bunker. There’s no reason that Johnson’s caddy didn’t alert him before walking off.  Finally, there’s no reason for Dustin Johnson not to know the local rule that brought the bunker into play.

With all the “No Reasons” one stands out.  Dustin and his caddy should have been aware of the local rule. They should have been clear headed enough to recognize the situation.  Would this have happened with Phil and Bones, or Tiger and Stevie? I don’t think the caddies would have allowed such a glaring error. 

Who’s the favorite this week?

Where did this PGA season go?  Already we’re into the opening round of the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Michelson’s win at the Masters was a 2010 highlight. McDowell holding on while my hometown favorite melted away provided a U.S. Open that was painful to watch. A virtual unknown won the Open in a Tiger like “no quarter given” fashion. So, what does the PGA Championship hold for us?

Frankly, who knows? We have Michelson coming off a 78 final round at the Bridgestone. Although Tiger’s 77 final round was better, his tournament score of plus 18 was awful. Our U.S. Open winner is for real, but I have no idea if the Open winner (What was that South African’s name?) is even in the field. The No. 3 ranked player in the world is mending and an analyst is fighting a Ryder Cup Captain! If you’ve caught some of my past postings, you know I’m no fan of golf reporters and analysts.

With all that said I believe this is the week that Tiger Woods rights the ship. We know he’s at his best in the Majors. Frankly, even in this most trying of seasons, he has been respectable in the Majors. Remember, I picked Dustin Johnson to win the U.s. Open and looked like a prophet until Dustin played his front nine on sunday. Maybe Tiger can avoid the meltdown.

 

Ranking golf courses

Of late Myrtle Beach area golf courses have fared quite well in various “Best of…” categories. The awards are well deserved. How rankings are done varies by publication, but people that know what they’re doing do all.

I have never been provided the opportunity to rank courses for major golf publications. I do have the opportunity to annually author more than 25 course reviews for web sites and regional publications.

My system of review is simple and begins with always being able to find something good about every golf course. From that point there are four basic criteria that contribute to a course’s character.

1. Hospitality: Simply stated there’s no reason for visiting golfers to ever be treated poorly. A good experience with the bag drop, pro shop and starter gets you started in the right frame of mind. Bad experiences upon arrival have the opposite impact on your day.
2. Playability: At the risk of oversimplification playability simply means that you’ll shoot a favorable score regardless of your index or ability. Forced carries, extended dog legs, and in play hazards are not the primary character of the course.
3. Challenge: Not every golf course falls into the “challenge” category, but each needs to have some holes that do. Big drop offs between the No. 1 and No. 3 handicap holes does not a challenging golf course make.
4. Beauty: A golf course that’s appealing to the eye ranks high in my book. I’m from the school that believes a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day at work. Next time you’re first in the hole and holding the flag, look back down the fairway and enjoy the moment.

One caution is in order. If you start thinking too much about the four points above, you’ll lose concentration and your game will suffer. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

Makin’ the turn

Every once and a while we like to drop a few words about something strange that happens on the golf course. I’m talking about something stranger than my swing. Here’s one your going to love.

July 4^th was a great day for our family to play golf. The weather at the beach was perfect with unseasonably pleasant temperatures, clear skies and a slight breeze. We called Myrtle Beach National first thing in the morning and made a 2:00 PM tee time for Kings North.

It looked like we might have this premium course to ourselves! No other players were checking-in, the range was vacant and the starter said we were wide open. We played the front nine without seeing another golfer until we got to No. 9 and noticed a single on the green.

We made a quick stop at the clubhouse for a drink and some crackers and went directly to No. 10. Just getting out of their carts at the tee box was a foursome! They were not in the clubhouse. They were not behind us. They were not in front of us. Where did these guys come from???

I asked, “Did you just finish the front nine? Are you sure you’re on the right course?” There are three 18-hole layouts at MB National. They assured me they had just finished the front nine on Kings North.

We watched as they teed off. They were all over the place. We immediately headed to No. 11 with plans to play No. 10 at the end of the round. We tend to play quickly and had some fun dinner plans for that evening. I did not want to wait one minute on our mystery foursome.

Writing this I still have no idea where these guys came from. In fact it’s almost comical, but they must have belonged there. As they teed off on No. 10 there wasn’t any question from the ranger. However, once we finished No. 18 and headed to No. 10 tee, he was right there asking where we were headed. We quickly shared the story, had a good chuckle and finished our round.

No, I do not believe alien golfers invaded Myrtle Beach! 

That’s swing thought number 12

When a shot goes astray, I’ll often blame “Swing Thought Number 12.” That’s the one found just in the beginning of my backswing! There are still 37 swing thoughts to follow.

Between advice from a dozen golf publications, the Golf Channel’s instructional shows, on-air tournament analysis and of course our helpful friends, we are blessed with hundreds of tips and pointers about our swing. It’s information overload. With the exception of our friends (and who listens to their advice) none of the others have ever seen our swing.

If you are really interested in game improvement, get help and direction from a PGA instructor. The Myrtle Beach area is blessed with both some great teaching pros and wonderful golf schools.

I know you’re not coming to the beach for golf lessons. You’re coming to wear the grips off your clubs and play some outstanding courses. However, do not give-up on some game improvement just because you’re interested in playing as many holes as possible.

Since many golfers to the area return with their families, a morning clinic or private lesson during your vacation might be just what the doctor ordered. There are numerous opportunities and your accommodations golf director will steer you in the right direction.

If you’re a family of golfers (like our three generations), a vacation that focuses on golf instruction is appropriate. A few years ago it was our Christmas present and all had a great time. Again, work with your golf director and they’ll help you put something together. They’re knowledgeable about more than tee time availabilities.

Most area courses are more than willing to go the extra mile for their visiting golfers. With enough advance notice a short clinic prior to your group’s tee times can be arranged.

Take advantage of the instructional opportunities available to you through teaching professionals. You’ll find the game is a lot more enjoyable when you can eliminate those 40+ swing thoughts.

He’ll be back

Like most golf fans I cringed as Dustin Johnson fell apart on his way to a final round 82 at the U.S. Open. The championship was there for the taking. In a previous blog I picked Johnson to win.  I overlooked his inexperience and previous poor Sunday rounds.

Although I do not know the young man, everything I’ve read and heard says he has the character and mental toughness to close the deal on a Sunday. Call me a “homer,” but I thoroughly believe this 26-year old has more than enough game to win a major, soon.  

So many choices. So little time.

With the U.S. Open beginning today at Pebble Beach there has been the usual build-up. The media is attempting to stir us into a frenzied state of anticipation. Personally that’s exactly what I like about the majors.

Since promotion of this year’s event began I’ve changed my favorites as often as I’ve change my shirt. With the temperatures soaring well into the 90s in Myrtle Beach twice a day shirt changes are in order. Call me crazy but I really do enjoy playing golf on the hottest days of the year. Anyway back to the point.

I always begin thinking one of my two favorite players is sure to win the major tournament soon to begin. I’m a fan of Phil Mickelson and hometown pro Dustin Johnson.

Of course along comes that darn Golf Channel. With “all Tiger all the time” coverage they cast that seed of doubt in my mind. Maybe the world’s number one is back on track. We’ve all seen him do some miraculous things in the majors.

Of course the media doesn’t stop with Tiger. They tell us there’s a youth movement this year. Guys with big belt buckles, less than conservative clothing and an absolutely fearless attitude could very well prevail. The 20 something’s have won on some big stages this year. I really believe Anthony Kim is ready to make a splash.

But, those media types are not done with me yet! How about those foreign players! Lee Westwood is playing great golf this year. McIlroy won in Charlotte and Justin Rose won Jack’s tournament at Muirfield. It just makes to much sense to ignore a foreign player’s chance. Maybe a young foreign player will walk away with this year’s U.S. Open trophy.

You can see my dilemma. According to the media gurus, just about everyone in the field could win this tournament. Left with that thought I recalled what a mentor from 40-years ago told me, “Given to many choices, most people will choose not to decide.”

With that sage advice in mind, I’ll ignore the Golf Channel gurus and announce that a young gun that seems to win regularly at Pebble will prevail. Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson will be paired Sunday and Dustin wins a very close U.S. Open.

      

Hats off to the guys with the mowers

Over the past four/five weeks I’ve been fortunate to have played more than my share of golf. It’s one of the great advantages to living in the “Seaside Golf Capital of the World.” One of the true beauties of the Myrtle Beach area golf product is the tremendous diversity of courses.

This Northeast corner of South Carolina and Southeast corner of North Carolina read like a virtual “Who’s Who” of golf course design. Names like Fazio, Maples, Dye, Byrd, Nicklaus, Palmer, Player, Floyd and many others resound throughout the golf community. Although, courses may share a similarity each is distinct in its own way.

However with all that said the Myrtle Beach area courses I’ve played this late spring and early summer share one very distinct feature. They are in great shape! Frankly, I was concerned how the area would recover from the unusually wet and cold winter we experienced.

Well my hat is off to the area golf course superintendents and their crews. These folks did yeoman like work this year under challenging weather conditions. Couple weather and difficult budget times when 2009 play was off considerably and you have to respect the folks that work their miracles every day.

Next time you play a round of golf and really appreciate the condition of the course find out the superintendent’s name. Drop him an e-mail of appreciation for his work.

Two area courses have closed holes to make renovations on greens.

Panther's Run Golf Links at Ocean Ridge Plantation and nine holes at the 27-hole Sandpiper Bay Golf and Country Club have closed to change greens from Penncross Bentgrass to the more heat tolerant MiniVerde Ultradwarf Bermudagrass.

River Club in the Litchfield Beach area was scheduled to close June 23 to replace A1 Bentgrass with Champions Bermuda.  The owner/management group, Myrtle Beach National Company, has decided to keep the course open until at least next summer.

Possum Trot is on schedule to reopen June 18^th after rebuilding and resodding 5-greens.  Reports are that golfers will be very pleased with the renovations.