My Daily Slice of Golf Blog

A breath of fresh air for the holidays

2009-11-29T09:50:00.002-05:00

From an informed reader:

Hello,

I am a volunteer for the American Lung Association in Richmond, VA. I came across your blog and wanted to reach out as I thought this was something your readers would be interested in.
Every year we sell Golf Privilege Memberships to benefit our organization. This year we have partnered with Golf Digest Tee Times to offer a new and improved golf program. The new Golf Privilege Membership is still the same great price of $39.95 (that's $20 off the non-ALA price) but now includes over 3300 courses and an array of online specials! I know there are a lot of discount golf memberships out there but I think a lot of folks would be interested in our membership since it offers a way of giving back to a great organization. These also make terrific gifts for the upcoming holidays.
You can purchase the Golf Privilege Membership by visiting www.alagolfmembership.org. We would greatly appreciate it if you could inform your readers of this awesome opportunity.

Here is a little more info on the American Lung Association:
The American Lung Association of the Atlantic Coast is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease. Our work takes place in the community where you live. We teach children and adults how to live with asthma, and we provide support for families whose members are living with lung disease. We fund research that will directly impact the care of people with lung disease. We fight for laws that make the air cleaner, and we help teens and adults to quit smoking. We are leading the fight for air – join us!

Kind Regards,

Dubai and Tiger

2009-11-27T15:22:00.002-05:00

What do DubaiWorld and Tiger Woods have in common?

They both crashed last night sending shockwaves throughout the world.

Both situations are in the early stages, and it is too early to speculate on how it happened, but both are in serious condition.

Our prayers go out to Tiger and his family. Let's hope this turns out better that early reports suggest.

JFB

Detail - Neighbor Newspapers

2009-11-26T09:48:00.001-05:00

Detail - Neighbor Newspapers

PGA Tour 2009 Volunteer of the year. Congratulations!

JFB

Apocalypse

2009-11-21T10:27:00.002-05:00

Sports Illustrated is my favorite magazine. The magazine has had a great effect on my interest in sports by exposing me to events that I could only imagine whilst growing up in my small town.

SI has changed throughout the years, but one thing has stayed constant...the writing and pictures...both are the gold standard when it comes to sports coverage.

Every week, they have an excerpt of an uncommon happening in the world of sports that is both head-shaking, and funny...it is called 'Sign of the Apocalypse'...and this week's is a topper. Leno and Stewart I'm sure will have some good comebacks for this one!

Leave it to the Japanese to come up with a new kink in the word kinky...no word yet on how the women will putt...but I'm guessing a man's putter will be involved. I can't wait to see this on YouTube!

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

I'm....NOT going to DisneyLand.

2009-11-15T07:27:00.002-05:00

This week's PGA golfers are in sunny Florida schmoozing Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.

All except David Duval, he slammed his trunk and will be taking the long way home in golf-speak. He is one of many that will be finishing lower than the official money bar of 125.

To be sure, he will still be able to enter tournaments in 2010 because he finished in the top 150, giving him the dreaded "conditional status"....similar to the H1N1.

Because of his dramatic runner-up finish in this years' US Open, he will no doubt get a few sponsor exemptions for next year as well, and he is exempt in the first 3 majors next year...so all is not lost for David Duval.

According to the AJC.com, he is already signed up for Q school.

Maybe this is what he wants...it's the challenge of coming all the way back...kind of like this years' US Open, when he had to qualify by starting at the local level, and making it thru the traditional way.

Whatever it is, we wish him luck.

Thanks for reading, keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Dress code?...Psshaa!

2009-11-06T20:06:00.003-05:00

A while back...(and for me, as fast as time flys...that is a long time ago) I visited a semi-private golf course to hit balls on their range. I was in a rush, so I didn't have the proper attire for this course...but, hay, I was only going to their range.

Nope.

"But sir, I just want to hit a bucket of balls...I'll even go to the far end behind where the ball retriever is sitting".

Nope. We require collared shirt, and no jeans.

Fast forward to today, that course is closed with empty homes on it, and I'm still golfing...

...with jeans.

With the rise of casual jeans in the inner social circles of the pure-breds, the dress-code is under assault.

The G20 convention in Pittsburgh this year was dotted with movers and shakers that looked like they should have been at a rodeo rather than at a world convention to determine the fate of the world.

Recently, this phenomena was covered in the WSJ noting the latest fashion...or a better word, comfort trend.

Golf courses that have strict dress codes will have to rethink their stance. Gone are the days when a $40 pair of Dockers slacks trumps a $150 pair of Diesal jeans. Golf courses need to put their dress code rules in relaxed-fit, lose the straight-legged verbiage, and get the 411 on the 501.

Last week I had the option of playing a lovely semi-private course on my day off. I picked up the phone to call for a tee time...then thought about how nice the Levi 560's that I was wearing felt...

...so I redialed and called the local municipal course.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Marvelous

2009-10-12T06:55:00.004-04:00

You gotta love the early SNL skits of Fernando Llamas I believe his "You look Marvelous" line was used 1000 times at my graduation party.

Rio "the marvelous city" will host not only the 2016 games, but will also bring golf to the games, where it so rightly belongs.
The future betting will not however be on the golfer that wins the gold, but for the golfer that builds the course.

See, Rio has no golf courses...it does have pristine beaches with scantily clad sun worshippers and sugar cane fields with...um...controlled burns.

Now it's not Billy that will be saying his famous line, but rather Norman, Faldo and Nicklaus.

No, I'm not talking about their dreams of competing with their sticks...

...they will be competing with their shovels.

So, it is in this beautiful corner of the world, that these great men will train their bulldozers over Rio Terra Firma, to reach the gold in a much more high stakes game than what the actual golf shots will contest, for the Olympic gold.

They will be competing for residuals, the right to call their golf resort the "Official Golf Course of the 2016 Olympiad", and have that moniker to have and to hold way after the Games have gone.

...and that will allow one of these great men to check their bank account while the Rio gold flows to them and say..."Mahvalas".

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Sibling Rivalries

2009-10-07T07:12:00.003-04:00

You have your Eli's and Peyton's...your Serena's and Vanessa's...and the Laroche boys...

...get ready for the Thompson's.

In case you missed it, Friday held some trepidation for two youngsters from the same household: Nicholas Thompson, and his little sister Alexis.

Big brother Nicholas, a former Georgia Tech golf standout who shared the leaderboard with the eventual winner, and Techster, Matt Kuchar at the Turning Stone Championship in Verona NY.

Little sis Alexis, a Florida high-schooler who's 14, shared the leaderboard with eventual winner Lorena Ochoa at the Navistar LPGA Classic at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail's Capitol Hill spread in Prattsville AL.

I'm sure the household was abuzz! And I'm sure the biggest question was not where they would finish in their respective tournaments...

...but rather which course would the parents walk.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

The hole-in-one

2009-10-03T16:37:00.009-04:00

There are many reasons to golf: we go to relax, commune with friends or go just for the challenge. There is the beauty and serenity of the golf course that makes a round of golf a unique experience each and every time we go...and that's what makes the game of golf so easy to get hooked on.

So when my friends and I decided to go take a day off work to play The Echelon Club in North Georgia, we were going for all those reasons.

But one of my friends got way more than he bargained for.

When you hear of people hitting a hole in one, you listen with detached interest...because, I guess as it is with a lot of events, unless you're in the moment, you can't understand the passion of being there.

Well, I was there, and I now understand the moment.

It happened on the 3rd hole. At 160 yards on an elevated tee it looks inviting, but throw a sand trap the width of the green...10 mile an hour cross-winds, and a pin placement that made you wonder if the greenskeeper "got any" the night before, and you had all the makings of a snowman in 70 degree weather.

When the ball hit in front of the hole, took one bounce into the flagpole and dropped in, we all cheered as if we had completed an insurmountable task.

We are all part of that event now, forever will our names be on that scorecard that will soon be mounted on his wall...with ball. We four are part of something that we won't forget.

My friend has accomplished something that has odds of roughly 12000 to one. Forever and a day that we play, he will have that on me.

He could have shot 500 that day, but in the end...he was the one that got his ball to fly to the stick and go in.

Yes, passion is a big reason folks golf. But hit a hole in one, or witness one, and you'll be hooked beyond passion. You'll understand the essence of the passion...

...to hit the perfect shot.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Golf Journal: John Paul Newport on the FedExCup and Whether It Needs Fixing - WSJ.com

2009-09-29T09:11:00.001-04:00

Golf Journal: John Paul Newport on the FedExCup and Whether It Needs Fixing - WSJ.com

Posted using ShareThis

Cloudy...with a chance of...

2009-09-26T09:04:00.002-04:00

Here in Georgia, we have been known for things like fried chicken and hospitality.

The last few years, however, we've been known for droughts, and as the state that has a lake that's 17' below level.

I'd be referring to Lake Lanier.

The last time that lake was level, was the same year my friend bought a pontoon boat, and berthed in on a slip in the marina....oops.

Both the boat, and slip are gone since those days. Nobody wants to boat on tree stumps, and you only had to walk out to pick up your fish, no need for trolling...no water.

But all that has changed recently with this years' H2O deluge...most recently last week's. Now the trees are green, no more drought, and the lake is full again...

...but so are basements , attics, and soccer fields.

And East Lake Golf Club.

...wait...scratch that...they have a full time maintenance crew that have the crazy task of making the golf course playable for this weekends FedEx Playoff, and they have succeeded...but will be tasked again this weekend as rain is coming.

With the advent of HDTV, greenskeepers' jobs have gotten ridiculously hard. Not only do the golf courses have to be pristine for the golfers, but also for the TV viewer. Gone are the days when the TV viewer couldn't discern a green from a..oh, let's say...brown.

Watching the golf tournament this week, I am amazed at the beauty of the course. especially the green greens. I mean, this area has had so many flash floods, that the DOT just decided to shut down major roads. I mean, my neighbor below me has a fescue lawn now, from the seed I planted in my yard the week before!

So, as we're following golf's season finale this weekend, please remember the men and women that made your viewing pleasure possible: the superindendant, and their crews...and the greenskeeper.

...I'm hiring him to do my yard next week.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Coca-Cola and Kroger Tee Up “Tickets Fore Charity” Program

2009-09-16T20:37:00.002-04:00

All Ticket Proceeds from THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola donated to the East Lake Foundation
Coca-Cola is entering its seventh year as the presenting sponsor of THE TOUR Championship, a tournament featuring the top 30 players in the PGA TOUR playoffs for the FedEx Cup and one of the most prestigious events in all of golf.
As part of this year’s sponsorship, Coca-Cola is partnering with Kroger to support “Tickets Fore Charity” – an innovative new fundraising program designed to improve the quality of life in communities where PGA TOUR events are held.
Kroger will sell single day tickets to THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola in 134 Atlanta-area stores through Sept. 26. One-hundred percent of the proceeds of every ticket purchased through Kroger stores will be donated to the East Lake Foundation, which collaborates with public and private organizations to offer Atlanta's East Lake residents opportunities to build a better future through education for children and adults, affordable housing, job readiness and connections with the broader community.

“Through ‘Tickets Fore Charity,’ individuals can experience the best of professional golf, while positively impacting the lives of those in need in the East Lake area,” said Scott Tillman, brand operations manager, Coke TM, Coca-Cola North America. “The program is a great way to further extend the positive impact Coca-Cola and THE TOUR Championship have on the local community. Through our support of the East Lake Foundation, we’ve played a role in helping to revitalize a neighborhood in our own backyard, and that’s something we all feel good about.”

“Tickets Fore Charity”
· Single day tickets are available at 134 Kroger stores for the following tournament days and prices:
o Wednesday, Sept. 23: $20 (includes $20 voucher redeemable in the Merchandise Tent on-site)
o Thursday, Sept. 24: $45
o Friday, Sept. 25: $45
o Saturday, Sept. 26: $60
o Sunday, Sept. 27: $60
· One-hundred percent of the proceeds of every ticket purchased through Kroger stores will be donated to the East Lake Foundation.

The East Lake Foundation:
The East Lake Foundation was founded in 1995 on the belief that everyone deserves a chance to succeed.
The East Lake Golf Club and THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola have helped revitalize the community and golf has been a tremendous activity for mentoring neighborhood children through The First Tee of East Lake program.
· Web site: http://www.eastlakefoundation.org

The TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola Details:
· THE TOUR Championship features the top 30 players in the PGA TOUR playoffs for the FedEx Cup and one of the most prestigious events in all of golf. This year’s tournament is held from Sept. 23-27, 2009 at East Lake Golf Club.
· Web site: http://www.pgatour.com/tourchampionship

The TOUR Championship Presented by Coca-Cola Charitable History:
· Since 1998, THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola has donated more than $9 million to a variety of local and national charities – including $1.4 million in 2008 alone.
· Primary beneficiaries have been the East Lake Foundation and The First Tee program.
· The PGA TOUR, its sponsors, and tournaments have together raised more than $1 billion for charitable causes across the U.S.

Ode to a friend

2009-09-13T16:59:00.003-04:00

The word "neighbor", has lost its meaning since I was a kid. Back then, a neighbor was someone who invited you to their family reunion. Nowadays, a neighbor is the house down the street, that gives your kids candy on Halloween...

...Frank redefined that word neighbor.

My friend and good neighbor Frank Arnold died this morning. He'd just turned 88.

Frank grew up in Long Island, caddied through the Great Depression to put food on his family's table, met his childhood sweetheart along the way, before joining the Navy and flying Navigator in numerous midnight missions in the South Pacific.

Frank loved golf, had a membership at Mystery Valley GC, and always had a game available with other US Veterans. He was either playing golf, talking golf, or watching golf. He regularly broke 100 in his early 80's...a feat all of us would be so lucky to accomplish at his age.

Golfing with him was an adventure in patience. Because of his advanced age, I wasn't just playing my game, I was also helping him play his. Macular Degeneration had started it's early destruction on his vision, so it was a given that I would be his cart- driver, fore-caddy, and hole-rattler to make his round enjoyable. Playing with Frank also meant a 19th hole trip to his favorite haunt The Grove, where we could enjoy some suds and re-live the day.

As a neighbor, he and his wife would love watching and being around our kids. If we needed a date-nite, they were always available for our speed-dial.

Frank always had a beer ready for trade when he needed a fan put in, or maintenance on his car...and I was a sucker for a good trade. "John, I need an air conditioner put in, and I have Sam Adams on ice"..."Frank, I'll be right over."

The worst part about death I think, is how much you are aware of how fast life goes on after someone you love dies. Time doesn't stop, and we're on to the next day. It's the cruel reality for the living. Now their house sits vacant. So now we'll look at a quiet house with the lights off.

Somewhere, Frank's golf shoes are sitting in the wash room, waiting to be filled...

...and it will be a while to find someone to walk in them.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Haass: What Golf Teaches Us About Geopolitics | Newsweek International | Newsweek.com

2009-09-10T07:09:00.001-04:00

Haass: What Golf Teaches Us About Geopolitics | Newsweek International | Newsweek.com

Posted using ShareThis

Golf Coach Bruce Heppler Optimistic About His Team - GEORGIA TECH OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

2009-09-10T06:46:00.001-04:00

Golf Coach Bruce Heppler Optimistic About His Team - GEORGIA TECH OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Posted using ShareThis

Golf Journal: Thanks, Golf Haters—Now Be Quiet - WSJ.com

2009-08-29T09:24:00.001-04:00

Golf Journal: Thanks, Golf Haters—Now Be Quiet - WSJ.com

Posted using ShareThis

Ohhh....crap...

2009-08-22T16:18:00.002-04:00

Quiet...do you hear that sound? It's the sound of sweat bubbling up from the pours of a Tiger. No, not the kind of tiger you see in the zoo...they don't sweat. It's the Tiger named Woods.

He's pissed, and he ain't gonna take it anymore.

I imagine the PGA Championship pushed him over the edge.

Sure he's been dinged a little bit this year, what with the drama played out over his returned of his injury-scarred winter layoff. Not only did he have to concentrate on his recovery...but the economic recovery. His planned golf course in Dubai-World is folding faster than a cheap map, and his grand Cliffs plan, scaling now to look more like a gradual slope.
Let's not forget the sponsorship head-aches he has dealt with after Buick pulled out...(and rolled into DC traffic...getting sandwiched in the process by a limo driven by Barney Frank, and the G4 flown by Pelosi). And Gatorade flubbing its way through a re-branding scheme that has even his head-covers scratching their heads...

...but hey, that's G!...

...but that's not Tiger.

The Tiger we know is bulletproof. Nothing stops him. He isn't human...he's a machine.

Then someone tugged on Superman's cape.

That someone was Y.E. Yang. A guy not even groomed for this scenario...the boy wanted to be a weightlifter, not a golfer. I mean, he didn't even start playing golf 'till he was 19!
But what Y.E. did is so scary, so illogical, that it smacks of the kind of prank you would expect an MIT grad to play on the Dean of the college. "psst, I'll do your physics homework for a week if you pull down the Dean's pants during commencement."

Y.E pants'd Tiger at a MAJOR.

The media is all excited that Tiger has registered to play in the Barclay's next week. But Tiger-speak for this is that he's driving his school bus to the bus-stop...

...and he's gonna take some kids to school.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

A classic mini-golf course

2009-08-11T18:18:00.010-04:00

Hartville Ohio is home to a 50-year old miniature golf course. My Mom would hustle me and my brother to this 36 hole mini-golf course that...at the time... sat in between a cornfield and a old farm.

We couldn't wait to play the golf course which consisted of a final hole that, if hit dead-on, would yield us a free trip to have 18 holes of more fun.

We must've played that golf course a hundred times in my youth. In the 70's in NE Ohio, it was that, or a swimming pool that had more trunks in it than a car factory and a flea market that was more fleas than market.

We didn't have much...and we didn't expect much, but something about choosing your color ball and picking a child-sized putter, made us feel like royalty. My Mom was the conduit to our memorable visits to that spot, and contributed merrily in our grand adventure.

Last weekend I went back to Rolling Greens miniature golf course. Me, my brother, his kids, and my son in tow. A third generation being introduced by a couple of grown-up kids now with gray hair and crow's feet.

It had been 30 years since my brother and I played there. On the way, we talked about the place, and how we couldn't wait to hit it through the windmill, or tee it off on one of the longest holes that must be in the Guiness book of Putt- Putt...

...or to get the free game.

My hometown's big day in the sun

2009-08-04T19:50:00.004-04:00

This weekend the sports media will be focused on two very popular sporting events. The football Hall of Fame induction and game, and The WGC Bridgestone Golf Invitational.

The cool thing is it will all be centered around my hometown, Canton, Ohio.

My son and I will actually be there this weekend so he can goof around with his grampop and his cousins. The closest we'll get to golf will be playing the miniature golf course I grew up on, and the closest we'll get to the football inductees will be watching them drive down Main Street for the Hall of Fame parade.

Growing up in Canton was just as you would imagine how Midwestern life would be; hardworking...mind-your-manners...be home for the family dinner-type people. Ohio folk are big on tradition...the Hall of Fame being full of traditional events throughout the week, parades, rib-offs, balloon lifts, car shows and the like are scattered throughout the week in my hometown.

The golf tournament was called The Firestone World Series of Golf back in my day. I caddied in the pro am once with John Cook...what a thrill! As a kid, I was able to get anyone's autograph that I could by shoving a program in front of them. My idol at the time was Curtis Strange. Getting his was momentous. Nicklaus, Palmer, Player...you name it I got it during that tournament.

My Dad was employed for Firestone during that time...he worked on the corporate jets at their hangar at the airport. He would tell me stories of the players and celebrities flying in for the tournament: from Chi Chi Rodriguez to Don Meredith...that Firestone would fly in for the weekend. I thought my Dad had the coolest job when he told those stories during dinnertime.

As I've grown older, I have forgotten those rich traditions. I even forgot these events were this weekend when I booked our flight! But the memories will come flooding back, as the stories will be told to my younger generation...my son.

...we'll reflect, gathered around a small dinner table in my tiny hometown of Canton Ohio, while the whole wide world peeps in for a look.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

School record

2009-07-31T21:54:00.002-04:00

Quick: Which college loves playing golf across the pond?

Answer: Georgia Tech: 3 British Open wins: Bobby Jones, David Duval and Stewart Cink.

BTW: Stewart Cink played with another Tech alum during his victory: Bryce Molder. If he keeps playing well, he will make it a fourth on the firth.

I remember back in the day, Cink winning the Nike Tour Championship (now it's called the Nationwide Tour) at Settindown Creek in Atlanta. A links course that stimped 15 on the final day. I was a scorer for a group a couple groups back...there names escape me now...fame is so fleeting...but I do remember Stewart Cink mowing the field down like a weedwacker on auto-pilot.
He was good at Tech. Everyone knew he was the next big deal out of the storied golf team of Georgia Tech. He almost won the US Open if not for a screwed-up final hole that was harder than #6 at Joe's Mini-Golf and Ice Cream Emporium...save for the windmill.

I still don't agree with belly-putters, but, until the USGA bans it, we have to accept it, and it has revitalized a great player...and it doesn't take away the fact that Cink beat a field on Scotland's hallowed turf only reserved for the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson.

Stewart Cink was to Tom Watson what Nick Faldo was to Greg Norman...what was a written script, only to be snatched away, scribbled, erased and edited.

Difference is, this editor took us all along for the ride with his Twitter account. He's a helluva, helluva engineer!

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Golf Rally Cry

2009-07-25T13:43:00.003-04:00

Excerpt from Golf, Naked
Used by permission:

If I Ruled the World:

Here’s an idea for a new holiday. What if one day a year every golf course in the country opened its gates and allowed anyone to play for a predetermined, reasonable,and standardized rate? Can you imagine how cool Golf Day would be?
We would need some sort of lottery or limitation to who could play where depending on age,
state of residence, years on a waiting list, or something. Whatever. Someone else can work out the details. I’m just the idea guy.

A nationwide day for golf would be awesome. It would allow each of us to live out our dreams of playing courses that have filled the pages of history books and hosted epic tournaments—most of which we’d never otherwise have a chance to see.

Imagine knowing that during the next decade you’re going to play Cypress, Congressional, Medina, Merion, Baltusrol, Oakmont, Augusta National, Pine Valley, Pebble Beach, and Cherry Hills. Wouldn’t that be incredible?

I believe it would have a massive impact on the entire golfing industry. Playing golf at a premier facility, even only once a year, would give millions of golfers a reason to keep their games in tip-top shape. Merchandise sales would go through the roof (at least for the day). Rounds, lessons, and range ball sales would all increase, everywhere. Think about it—if you knew you were going to play Augusta National next year, I’ll bet you wouldn’t travel all that way to lay a big fat egg. Rather, you’d work hard on your game, and go there in hopes of posting a respectable score.

Wouldn’t you?

Golf course owners and private club members everywhere — come on, unite. For the good of the game, you can do this!

Golf, Naked

2009-07-20T20:25:00.010-04:00

Everyone has heard the phrase "fake it 'till you make it", but how do you apply the fake it part...I mean, without knowledge of how the right way to act or to be seen before we can fake it, we all just look like ants running for the same leftover sandwich.

In golf, faking it is a very complicated process. Many nuances of being proper, can put the best intentioned soul fighting for his life amongst weathered veterans...because they themselves were once learning these same unwritten rules. It's a tough crowd that is more than willing to throw a hazing party for a newbie.

Thankfully, Greg Rowley's Golf, Naked, has given us an irreverent look at golf etiquette, and has put together a very enjoyable read of being proper in golf.

Golf, Naked is a great book for a beginner, or a seasoned golfer that has just been introduced into new golf-social circles like Country clubs, tournaments, and golf trips.
I feel it is a must-read for anyone who aspires to golf at work. In today's tough economy, if you find a job that requires the occasional golf day...you will be lost without knowing the basic ways to be proper, laid down in this book.

This book appealed to me on numerous fronts, but I kept thinking to myself that I wished I would have known these ways to act or be seen years ago when I was just learning the game.

This is not an instructional book (although the basic fundamentals are covered). This book is about what you do when you want to turn golf into a social tool for you. It's what you do before, during and after the game. This book will guarantee that you will be invited back to a very addictive game.

And for that, we thank you Greg!

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB

Golf Courses

2009-07-15T18:58:00.001-04:00

Golf Courses & Tee Times - Online Golf Community & Social Networking - Earn Golf Rewards - LastMinuteGolfer.com

Posted using ShareThis

WSJ Golf Journal: Seeing Who’s at Home on the Range - WSJ.com

2009-07-12T19:22:00.001-04:00

WSJ Golf Journal: Seeing Who’s at Home on the Range - WSJ.com

Posted using ShareThis

Kickin' it...old school

2009-06-30T19:17:00.003-04:00

Last weekend I went back in time...to 1981 exact. The last time that I had played with a bag of Persimmon.

Now, Persimmon...for those who are to young to remember (man, that makes me feel old to say that), is the genesis of the golf-word "wood". Not to be confused with the wood pencil that comes with your scorecard, the "wood" was the Mona Lisa of golf. A seductress that defined an era in golf of great craftsmanship. Names like MacGregor, Hogan and Cleveland made some of the finest woods for the sport. There were even more smaller craftsmen, like Ofer in Canton Ohio, who were able to hone their craft on this fine Persimmon wood to make stunning pieces of art.

Even if we took their "art" and cranked divots all over the golf course. There are many small bushes I've planted from the divots I created.

Playing with these clubs last week brought back very fond memories of what golf was really like. It was all about the feel of the club. The sound of the golf club hitting the ball...it was a thwack...not a ping. The game was more exact, as you had the sweet spot the width of a golf ball with the Persimmon...not like today's metals that require only that you be in the vicinity of the center of the club...could that have made me focus more on my swing? I don't know, but I haven't played in 8 months before this outing, and I put up a low 80's number...in tennis shoes...a number that I attain with today's technology on any given day.

Could it be that golf could enjoy a renaissance returning to the tools that started the love affair with the game? After playing, I couldn't help but wonder. Could it be that all this technology has turned the game sterile? I feel the game would be well served to revisit its past.

How interesting would a throwback golf tournament be? I think very! I also think that there is a vast marketing opportunity waiting for the right companies to capitalize on this. Golf, like all sports is going to need something fresh to maintain its interest...if the powers that be kick this around...they might find that old school might be the new school.

I encourage everyone to grab their old woods and play a round. See how it makes you feel.

Thanks for reading. Keep it in the short-grass,

JFB