Did you happen to catch the Golf Channel reporting on the Alexis Thompson petition? Here’s the background. Thompson is a 15-year old golfer from Florida that turned professional earlier in the year. In limited action on the LPGA tour she won more than $330,000. Note, that she is not a member of the LPGA. To be a member the requirement is 18-years of age.
Back to the petition – she is requesting the LPGA tour allow her to play in 12 events this season, via sponsor exemptions. Presently, the tour only allows an individual, non-LPGA member 6 tournaments under sponsor exemption. She is not petitioning to become a member of the LPGA, just asking to play 6 additional events.
I do not see how the LPGA and its commissioner Mike Whan can say no. First and foremost, she’s a tremendous talent. Frankly, the LPGA needs her star power. With leader boards that are more and more becoming crowded with international players, the LPGA would welcome an American contender. The question they face is how do you position that yes vote.
The American Golf Census is counting as many of the country’s 27 million golfers as possible. Being counted shows your support of the game and lets policymakers better understand how golf enhances the lives of millions of Americans from all walks of life. All registrants are automatically entered into golf's most spectacular sweepstakes totaling more than $100,000 in prizes! The prize package includes the latest golf equipment from Taylor Made, Callaway and Nike - Dream travel for two to Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, Southwest Ireland and Pinehurst - Not to mention, a once-in-a-lifetime April weekend in Augusta, GA, and golf instruction at the ANNIKA Academy. Visit http://www.americangolfcensus.org/ to be counted and maybe win big!
Recently, our local newspaper carried a Letter to the Editor from a gentleman that seems to regularly offer his opinions on golf subjects. The article began with a walk down memory lane that reminded we “chronologically challenged” readers of the munies we grew up playing.
No tee times, no carts, carry bags and a course that was fairly straightforward. Place your ball in the rack and when it was your turn tee it up. Where I grew-up the nine hole public course featured 4-holes on each side of the railroad tracks and then back over the tracks to the Par 3 No, 9 finishing hole. Separate tee boxes gave a slightly different look to the 2nd nine, but the tracks were still there.
All was well with the gentleman’s “Letter” until he began pontificating and portrayed golf course design as one-dimensional. He further described today’s courses as “monstrously long and difficult.” I beg to differ.
During the past twelve months I’ve had the privilege to play more than 30-Myrtle Beach area golf courses. I’m a writer doing 20+ course reviews each year and an average, mid-teen handicap golfer. Thank goodness I’m a better writer than I am a golfer.
Granted there are some monstrously long and difficult holes, but I’ve found this area’s courses quite playable. The one thing they have in common is their diversity. A case in point is reflected in the two Glen’s course we played last week. Heather Glen Golf Links and Glen Dornoch Waterway Golf are in name and positioning quite similar. However, both are quite different in playability, length and visual appeal. I thoroughly enjoyed and had fun on both golf courses, but for decidedly different reasons.
If you’re concerned with distance and difficulty, play from the tees that are appropriate for your handicap. However, if you’re concerned with playing one-dimensional golf courses on your Myrtle Beach trip, talk to your golf director. Make sure they know you’re looking for golf course variety. There are plenty of courses to consider and they’ll be happy to accommodate you.
Ryder Cup team competition is by far my favorite televised golf event. It’s been a long two years since Boo galloped down the fairway, but this coming Monday the hype begins again. Everything will be analyzed to death by a horde of golf reporters. Frankly, I can do without their yakking.
If Phil and Tiger play together, so be it. If Fowler proves to be a wise choice, so be it. If the quiet Furyk takes a leadership role, so be it. Just let them play!!!
Back in “the day” there were three national publications and a few regional magazines dedicated to golf. Most golfers subscribed with game improvement as their objective. It was a simpler time and television was just beginning golf coverage. Now, we have even more print vehicles, a ton of online from web sites to eMagazines and a television channel dedicated to golf with their own web site of course.
At the risk of oversimplification, which I’m about to do, that’s entirely to much media dedicated to golf. If you’re like me, you have information overload! More and more I’m tuning out the talking heads and only coming back for tournament coverage.
Most of us play golf because we love the game, not the drama.
MURRELLS INLET, SC (September 16, 2010) – Kristy McPherson has been honored with induction into the University of South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame. She was a three-time First-Team All-American; two-time South Eastern Conference (SEC) individual champion and SEC Player of the Year in her senior year. She has finished second in her last two LPGA events the CN Canadian Women's Open, where she closed with a 66, and the P&G NW Arkansas Championship, where she shot consecutive 68s in the final two rounds. Those two strong showings have allowed her to climb to 23rd on this year’s LPGA money list.
MURRELLS INLET, SC (September 3, 2010) – Bobby Perkinson of Alcoa, TN made double bogey on the par-4 ninth hole at the TPC of Myrtle Beach on Friday afternoon. However, the 74-year-old retiree still shot his age for a net 3-under-par 69 and a one-stroke win in the nearly 3,100-player event. Three players tied for second place - Bob Butler from Massachusetts, Chetan Suman Dosh from India and Joseph Williams from West Virginia.
The Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship held annually in the latter part of August is a premier golf tournament. Utilizing more than 50-Myrtle Beach area golf courses the event is for every player with a verifiable handicap. As soon as we have the 2011 dates, we’ll get them posted. See you at the 19th hole!
There’s not another golf destination in the world that can host 3100 golfers on 52 area courses and still say, “come on down we’ve got plenty of room!” August 30th through September 2nd the Myrtle Beach area hosts the Golf.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. Practice rounds and pre-tournament warm-up events actually begin as early as Friday the 27th. That’s a week of great golf.
Even though you might not be playing in the World Amateur, there’s still plenty of room for your group’s quick get away. And there’s plenty of tee times and great golf awaiting you. Check in with the Myrtle Beach Seaside Resorts golf director and staff to get the ball rolling. 800-682-5699 or http://www.myrtlebeachgolf.net/
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!
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.
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.
