Woods' win at the Chevron World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club has been a long time coming. Tiger's fans have been waiting patiently, and Tiger himself has been waiting and striving rather impatiently.  It cannot be easy to fall from the world No#1 spot to off the charts in a short space of time.  Injuries, a media furore, and more injuries have plagued the former No#1 ranked golfer in the world.

Tiger's last win was at the 2009 Australian Masters.  How do I know that?  I was there.  I saw him put on the yellow jacket at Kingston Heath.  I got a sore neck from crouching down and watching between somebody's knees.  It was worth it.  Tiger was where he belonged, and in my eyes had never really left, just lying dormant until the right time.  Some said he had "lost it", "was over", I never really believed it so I kept my mouth shut (my blogging mouth, anyway).  Tiger showed some form towards the end of the  2011 Australian Open, finishing third, beaten by John Senden (2nd) and Greg "going for the triple crown" Chalmers (1st).  Chalmers, after his win at the Australian Open went on to win again at the PGA at Coolum and is set to put in a fight at the 2011 JBWere Masters next weekend.  Chalmers will be set to play key US events next year, so stay tuned... 

In that same month, Tiger played a crucial role in the 2011 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, helping to seal the win for the USA against the International Team.  

Photo Credit Bay News 9

Currently, Tiger's world ranking has ricocheted from #52 up to #21.

What is to come is yet unknown, but when golf and Tiger Woods get together, it creates eventful, inspiring and perhaps even surprising entertainment.

technorati tags: Tiger Woods, world ranking, australian golf, jbwere masters, australian open, PGA Coolum, Presidents Cup, Chevron World Challenge

Tiger is still number 1. At the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone, he played an excruciating round of 77, topped only by the even more horrendous 78 from Phil Mickelson.

Tiger had a bad day, Phil had a worse one, and Tiger should be glad.

In an "I'm-so-glad-for-playing-the-worst-round-of-my-life-glad-but- I'm-glad-Phil-didn't-score-in-the-top-four-and-knock-me-off-my-number-one-position-glad".

Which isn't very glad.

But... tomorrow is another day. And Tiger is not the kind of player you can just write off because he had a bad tournament.  No doubt he will be back to the drawing board, ironing out all the bad shots, analyzing the mistakes and going through everything with a fine toothed-comb until his game is back on track.




















Tiger has also decided to play in the Ryder cup if captain Corey Pavin offers him a wild card entry.  He has also mentioned that the lack of helicopters and reporters following him around is a welcome change and that his life is starting to "normalize".  Perhaps these conditions will herald a return to form for the world's No 1 golfer in the near future.

technorati tags: golf, tiger woods, no 1 golfer, tiger woods no 1, firestone, WGC, bridgestone invitational, golf

A big congratulations goes out to Yani Tseng, a.k.a. "The Birdie Machine" for winning the Handa 2010 Women's Australian Open at the Commonwealth Golf Club.

Tseng (Taiwan) shot a 7-under par to score a 66 to beat juggernauts Karrie Webb and Laura Davies on the final day. Speculation about the possible winner included talk of Giulia Sergas (Italy), Laura Davies (UK) and Karrie Web (Aussie). Meanwhile Tseng continued to quietly pummel the course into submission. Suddenly, during the back nine of day 4, people started to realise that not only was she leading the pack, she was streaking away with birdie after birdie. In the last two or three holes, we also realised that nobody was going to catch her, unless they figured on shooting a few double eagles in a row.

She is not called "The Birdie Machine" for nothing. She birdied five holes on the back nine and left the other competitors in a cloud of dust. Chances are we will be seeing a lot more of Yani Tseng in the future.

technorati tags: australian open golf, australian women's open, commonwealth golf club, golf, golfaustralia, golfers, karrie webb, laura davies, women's golf, yani tseng, melbourne golf

An unusual development in the "no coverage for Karrie Webb on free-to-air digital tv" saga (see my Karrie, Women and Sport post). Days after the 2010 ANZ Ladies Masters Karrie's win suddenly hit the news.

This could have occurred for a number of reasons:

1. The networks forgot about the tournament, then suddenly remembered days later.
2. The Pro Shop's coverage (One HD) sparked a resurgence of interest in womens' golf.
3. Karrie has been recently been "controversially" discussed as Australia's greatest sporting export.

Wins and Awards - Centenary medal, Golfing Hall of fame (the youngest inductee at age 30), Order of Australia - 49 professional wins. (36 LPGA tournaments including 2 U.S. Women's Open and 3 British Open wins, 8 or 11 ALPG tournaments, depending on the reporting, Japan LPGA 2)

4. A representative from digital free-to-air TV read my post. (Unlikely, but possible).

Whatever the reason, it's great to see Karrie in the news again, and tomorrow (money day) we will find out if she add another win to the tally by triumphing at the Handa Australian Women's Open on Sunday.

technorati tags: handa, women's open, australian women's open, commonwealth golf club, royalpines, anz ladies masters, australian masters, channels, digital tv, freeview,golf, golf course, golftournament, golfers, karrie webb, ladies tournament, anz masters, local,news, sport, television,womens golf,

Firstly, congratulations to Karrie Webb on winning her seventh ANZ Ladies Masters. It was good to see the free to air channels broadcasting day 1 & 2 highlights and full coverage of days 3 and 4, so well done on that front.

The results of the tournament apparently weren't newsworthy enough for Channels 9, 7, 10 and ABC. Not even Sports Tonight. Oh well, just another victory for the greatest golfer to come out of Australia (and yes, that does include Greg Norman!). I don't suppose it has something to do with it being a "Ladies" tournament. Hmm....

Other newsworthy articles were Lara Bingle's naked scandal, some other footballer duffed up somebody else, and oh yes, Richard Green DIDN'T win in a golf tournament overseas, getting knocked off by Camilo Villegas. But his not winning was more newsworthy than Karrie Webb actually... winning. Go figure.

Karrie Webb triumphed with a blistering course record of 11 under (61), and was a joy to watch. I think the Ladies Masters is a brilliant event. I attended this tournament in 2009 and 2008. 2010's tournament was held on the Gold Coast, so it was a little far to travel over the weekend. It would be nice to have some acknowledgment that the tournament actually happened. It's about time that golfers such as Karrie Webb, Katherine Hull and Laura Davies get their fair share of coverage.

Sooo.... given the lack of proper news coverage, here is iseekgolf's Bruce Young talking to Karrie Webb about her 7th ANZ Ladies Masters Victory.

technorati tags: royal pines, anz ladies masters, australian masters, channels, digital tv, freeview,golf, golf course, golf tournament, golfers, karrie webb, ladies tournament, anz masters, local,news, sport, television, womens golf,

Triumph lingerie in Tokyo has come up with yet another bizarre invention. The current offering is a corset-style green top that doubles as a putting mat. The accessories include a tee, a ball on a chain, a "be quiet" sign and pockets for extra balls and tees.

The only slight problem I can see with the garment is that in order to play golf, you need to be naked from the waist up. Perhaps these will catch on a nudist camps...

But... who really wants to play nudie golf? When does one get the urge to strip off the gear and putt at the same time? Golf is a rather conservative game, last time I checked. The dress code usually calls for um... clothes.

I not entirely sure but I'm guessing that a female probably didn't invent this.

The invention is a response to the trend of a large percentage of Japanese women taking up the game of golf.

Perhaps the study also found that these women also liked to play topless golf, or specified being naked in some way.

As a putting mat, it's not half bad. It has an electronic voice that says "nice shot!" every time you make the putt. That would drive me nuts after about 2.5 seconds (provided I can make a putt in 2.5 seconds!!)

As a garment however, I wouldn't want to wear it. It features bra cups that appear to be sadistically made out of metal muffin tins. Perhaps it has another function as a cooking device...

Given the nature of this strange novelty garment for women, I'd hate to see what the male version looks like.

technorati tags: nice cup putting bra, putting bra, golf bra, putting garment, Japanese bra

Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

"I've never won down here, so now I have won on every continent, except for Antarctica" - Tiger Woods, Kingston Heath 2009.

At Victorian sandbelt course Kingston Heath on Sunday 15th November, the final round began in a sweltering, dusty and thirsty environment. My partner and I perched upon a not-so-grassy knoll at the 1st hole to witness the tee shot of the world's number 1 golfer, Tiger Woods.

The day began with an accidental breach of security - my partner and I wandered past three security guards and almost stumbled on to Tiger's range session. It was only when I caught a glimpse of the famous final day red shirt and a security guard asked us did we have our IDs, that I realised that we were on the other side of the fence and in player's territory.

The excitement was building even before we reached the course itself. On the shuttle bus we downed a 2 litre bottle of water to ensure the proper hydration for the day. During a quiet moment a man with one of the loudest voices I've ever heard yelled:
"Do you know what time it is?"
Curious people turned to look.
"IT'S TIGER TIME!!!" The whole bus broke into laughter and in a moment of comic relief we realised just how excited we were to be seeing Tiger on the final day.

After following the field for a time, we grabbed some (incredibly overpriced) lunch and proceeded to the 6th hole where we were ready to shade ourselves for a while. Then we looked towards the 5th at what appeared to be a million colourful ants headed our way.
"What are those crowds doing?"
"Oh sh!t! He's here already." We scrambled into position as the hordes mustered in.
A young boy sat at our feet and kept voicing that he wanted to say something to Tiger.

When Tiger walked past, only a couple of feet away, the boy worked up the courage and said "You're a Gun Tiger!"
Tiger stopped for a moment, turned around, smiled and said "Thank You" before making his way to the tee. This is the type of memory that will remain long after the tournament is over.

Greg Chalmers (AUS), Francois Delamontagne (FRA) Jason Dufner (USA) and James Nitties (AUS) were snapping at Tiger's heels for a large part of the tournament. At the 14th, Chalmers was set to take the lead. We revelled in the brilliant display of skill and accuracy by these incredible players, and cheered them on - if Tiger was to be beaten, it would be fitting for an Australian to do it.

We began to get slightly sunburned - making our way to the 16th we were rewarded with both shade and solitude. From our perfect vantage point we watched a parade of golfers, Adam Scott, Rod Pampling, Stuart Appleby, and after checking the scoreboard, we saw that Tiger was -14 and looking good for the win. When Tiger appeared, the galleries were bursting with people, yet we had the perfect view and very little crowd around us. We were close enough to see Tiger brush away a fly, re-compose himself and hit one of the most awesome shots I have seen in my life. The ball landed on the green so perfectly it nearly went in the hole. It was awe-inspiring. Needless to say, we made some noise.

When we gathered round the green to watch the putt, a little boy sitting on his mother's shoulders stared at the players, open mouthed in awe and wonderment. He kept repeating the same thing over and over. "Tiiiger Wooods." The crowd started to giggle after a while as the boy repeated it for the 10th time. Then he got a quizzical look on his face as Tiger stalked the putt and lined it up from every angle.
"Is he gonna hit the ball?" The setup phase was obviously getting to him.

It was not until the very last hole that Tiger could relax. As we know, anything can happen in golf. Woods approached the 18th, made a 2 putt and sealed the tournament win to yet another colossal roar from the crowd. We witnessed the gold jacket and trophy presentation, surrounded by thousands of people. Last year we watched Rod Pampling receive the same accolades to a largely empty stand. It is expected that the new surge of enthusiasm for Australian golf spurned by the worldwide publicity will lead to larger galleries at all Australian golf tournaments. Players such as Rod Pampling, Robert Allenby, Karrie Webb and many other noteworthy Australian golfers deserve more publicity and greater accolades in their home country - perhaps this will be the start of a new era in Australian golf.
















For some, this was their first experience of a golf tournament, the spectacle of Tiger Woods and curiosity taking them into new territory. The tournament was a great promotional tool for Victoria, for Melbourne, and for Australian Golf. It is easy to forget that throughout the ages Kingston Heath has been host to a number of legends, including Greg Norman, Severiano Ballesteros, Sam Snead, Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus, Walter Hagen, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Gary Player. It would be a magical touch to begin a tradition of hosting the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath every year, as they do with the US Masters in Augusta.


Tiger won with a final score of -14, followed by Greg Chalmers at -12 and Francois Delamontagne at -10.
















Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

technorati tags: australian masters kingston heath, Tiger, Woods, Australian, Masters, 2009,Kingston, Heath, Golf, Tournament,Greg, Chalmers, James, Nitties, Francois, Delamontagne,Putting to win, Golf Swing Analysis, Golf Swing Analysis, Golf, Free Golf Lesson

The Masters at Kingston Heath in Melbourne has created Tiger fever for Australian golf fans and non golf Tiger fans alike.

Since Tiger Woods has arrived in Melbourne, the sports section of the news, previously dominated by AFL and Rugby, now finally recognises golf as newsworthy.














I will be attending the final day (Sunday 15th) of the tournament. I am rather excited to say the least. Jumping out of my skin might be a better way to put it.

Melbourne's journalists and photographers are engaged in a Tiger-spotting frenzy. This can only be a good thing for golf in Australia. It is likely to generate interest from many curious sports fans who may never have seen a golf tournament in their lives. This is also a great opportunity to get kids interested in golf in Australia, with Tiger as the perfect ambassador.

After 18 holes and a morning tee time, Tiger finished Day 1 of the JBWere Masters at 6 under (a score of 66), tied with James Nitties and Brandon Grace.




High Definition TV Coverage of The 2009 JBWere Australian Masters:

Thursday 12th November
Nine / NineHD - 12:00pm - 5:30pm

Friday 13th November
Nine / NineHD - 12:00pm - 5:30pm

Saturday 14th November
Nine / NineHD - 12:30pm - 5:30pm

Sunday 15th November
Nine / NineHD - 12:30pm - 5:30pm

technorati tags: Tiger Woods, Kingston Heath, Australian Masters, Masters, Golf,HD,TV








Simple golf tips for maximum distance, cut your handicap by up to 12 strokes, cure swing flaws - get instant access!!

Congratulations to Laura Davies, who won her second Australian Open this week. She is a deserving champion and her swing has to be seen to be believed. Many of the commentators have all but written off the more experienced players, expecting the younger players to automatically win because of their age. Wrong!! You cannot write off players like Laura Davies or Karrie Webb, and you certainly cannot underestimate their ability, creativity and ingenuity to recover and mount a winning charge.

Karrie Webb was visibly disappointed with her performance but she is still Australia's best golfer and no doubt we will see her winning again in no time. She was gracious enough to give me her autograph, even though she probably would rather have been somewhere private to reflect after the game.

During the presentation, I was glad to discover that all proceeds from the Australian Open ticket sales will go straight to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal. The haze from the fires was still visible throughout the tournament. It was a proud moment and I commend the organisers of the event for their generosity.

A small but important note to the Australian Open organisers: Please set up the will call office/tent at the MAIN entrance to the golf club. This will ensure that people can actually find the entrance and get in. It would also help if the attendant at the main gate had a clue where the other entrances were located so he doesn't send people off in the wrong direction, down the wrong street and headed for nowhere.



Were it not for the extremely kind guy in Car Park B who gave us a lift after we had been walking for at least ten minutes in the wrong direction in hot sun, we would not have found the entrance, which was a poorly marked, unlabeled side street leading to a long dirt road between a football oval and a primary school, at least a couple of kilometres walk from the front entrance. How anyone expected people to find this secret hollow is beyond me. Thank you Car Park B guy, you know who you are and you are a legend.

I received a great lesson from one of the Golf Pros from Drummond and found out much about my swing and the appropriate clubs to use. I didn't realise the importance of club fitting and consultation.

When I swung a hybrid Callaway Diablo for the first time, I realised what I could actually achieve with the right equipment. I was suddenly hitting the ball further than I have ever done in my life. I have always been curious about hybrids for some time, now I realise why they are so popular. It's simple - they are so easy to hit. I also discovered that because of my height and strength, I should not be using standard womens' clubs. Instead I fall in between the male and female clubs categories and I need taller clubs to make them easier for me to hit. I now realise that many of my clubs are probably too short for me. But I can't complain, I got them for $5-$15 each!

I will be shopping for new additions to my set, including the new tour Callaway x-22 and possibly one of the new Diablo drivers. The prices are reasonable at the moment - they can be found for $80-$100 each (excluding the driver!) on sale. I will be checking Drummond Golf and House of Golf for new specials and be sure to check the "Hot Specials" page for new deals this week.

technorati tags: Laura Davies Australian Open 2009 Karrie Webb golf callaway diablo x22

Picture this scene - you're at the 18th green, 5-10 metres away from the hole, holding on to the rope, watching Rod Pampling and Marcus Fraser battle out a sudden death playoff. The playoff results in a par for each player and they return to the 18th tee once more. Two more playoffs and holding your breath for around 20 minutes, Rod Pampling scores the winning shot. The crowd erupts into a colossal roar.

And some people say golf is boring.

The day was amazing, the food was incredibly expensive.

1 salad sandwich - $7.50

I ask you - it was two pieces of bread, a tiny bit of grated carrot, avocado dip and one small piece of lettuce. Was the bread gold plated?

The day was mind blowing, we were metres away from Robert Allenby, Rod Pampling and my partner nearly bumped into Peter Lonard as Lonard was coming out of the changing rooms. We watched Peter Senior (legend) putt on the 12th and Scott Hend tee off on the 13th.

Scott Hend hit the ball and we watched his long walk to his ball. Then we realised he wasn't stopping. He kept going, going and finally walked around to the back of the green, approximately 318 metres away. Holy crap, that's a long drive.

The realisation dawns when you actually watch these players in action. They-are-really-really-good. When you see it on TV, it doesn't quite have the same effect.

For the first time in my life I saw the presentation of the gold jacket and the trophy. If you love golf or are even just curious about golf, I suggest attending a tournament at least once.

technorati tags: Rod Pampling Wins Sportsbet Masters 2008 Huntingdale

My partner and I were shocked and saddened last night to learn that Seve Ballesteros has been diagnosed with a brain tumour. He is true magician of the game, an inspiration to champion golfers and fans alike.

May you have the strength and support to make it through this difficult time. Here's to your speedy recovery, Seve. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you.

technorati tags: seve ballesteros

The game was going so well. Elsternwick Golf Course, first nine holes. The sun was glinting from behind the clouds, my partner had just got his third ever birdie on the second hole and I was driving well. My short game was a bit sketchy but since this was our first game back after playing the Apollo Bay Golf Course, I wasn't too fazed.

Suddenly my scorecard showed consecutive bogeys. I was quite content. Another bogey on the seventh. Happy days.

We began the second nine with a relaxed and easy game.

And then it happened.

Before I go into the event in detail, I would like to make it clear that I am a normally well-adjusted person. I have been described as "even-tempered". Perhaps even "bubbly" at times.

Until my ball landed in the right side bunker at the 17th.

For some reason I had a feeling of dread as I approached the cavernous bunker. The lip seemed taller than me and for some reason I found this daunting.

"Remember the Jack Nicklaus book" A soothing voice said inside my head. I relaxed again. Then I seized up again. I couldn't remember. Whatever precious nuggets of genius Jack had imbued in my brain had somehow leaked out the other end, leaving a void of panic and terror.

I tried to remember as best I could - open the clubface, hit the sand behind the ball...

So far so good.

Then I struck the shot. My ball flew upwards, upwards and upwards.

Then it just stopped, cruelly wedging itself just below the lip of the bunker.

Something inside me snapped.

"Yaargh!" I ran up the side of the bunker and grunted, striking the ball hard enough to make it dribble back down into the position it had first landed.

"F@&#* ing sand!"
*THWACK*

The ball repeated its journey back down to my feet, leaving a rather pretty little bubble-pattern behind it.

For some reason this really offended me.

*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*

"Arrgh!! Yah!"



















In my mad fury of swinging and thwacking I realised that at least two of these particular shots were nowhere near the ball. They were aimed squarely at the sand for the sole purpose of revenge.

"Yiggh! Ack!! Raargh!!"
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*
*THWACK*

I could tell that my partner wanted to say something at this point but thought better of it.

"Graghph!!"
*THWACK*

Finally the ball came popping up out of the bunker and landed on the green, quite close to the pin. A lovely shot.

I took this as the final insult. I stormed out of the mangled bunker (apologies to the greenskeepers and other staff) and stood on the lip, panting maniacally.

"Ruh!"
I threw my cap down in disgust and stormed off to get my putter.

On this rather lonely walk back to my bag I was thinking "Wow... people actually do throw their hats down when they do a bad shot. Then I realised that I had done exactly fifteen bad shots and got mad again. I finished my putt and as we were walking to the next hole I muttered "What did you get?"

"A par." My partner replied. "You?"
"Eighteen."

I was almost immediately calm again. For some reason the sand was out of reach and so was my fury.

My partner sensed this was a good time to speak.
"Er, you know that thing... in the bunker?"

"Yes?"

"Your left arm was bent."

(*Argh!*)

Unfortunately I had managed to forget the most basic rule. "Keep your left arm as straight as you can". I must have looked like a deranged woodcutter.

I have learned so much from this experience. I have realised that you can't, simply can't lose your cool at any time on a golf course.

Not even to take out your revenge on an inanimate object.

technorati tags: golf bunker rage sand wedge elsternwick

My dream Sunday Bag had a conniption recently. I was walking from the 10th to the 11th hole (really the 1st and 2nd as it was a nine hole golf course!) and it happened.

My 7 club bag had six clubs in the main compartment and a water bottle in the zip pocket but nevertheless the strap decided to give way.

*SPROIING!!*

So all of a sudden I am walking on a forty-five degree angle trying to keep the bag upright.

My partner looked at me quizzically.

I muttered "don't ask", loping along on the same forty-five degree angle.

For the rest of the round I had to grip the top of the bag to stop the clubs from falling out. My hand started to cramp by time we finished playing.

So, I visited a sewing store and bought the tools I will be needing for my repair job.

A canvas needle:













And extremely heavy duty cotton from Russia.













I don't know why it specifically needs to be Russian cotton but the lady in the sewing store insisted it was the strongest and best quality. And I don't want to take any chances of this strap breaking free and the same thing happening during a round.

In the meantime, my partner repaired my bag with black gaffer tape - he reinforced it crossways on the inside of the bag, then wrapped one long piece around the edge of the lip. To date it has held quite well, it even survived a round in Apollo Bay.

But now the time has come to get the needle and thread out and sew the bag back together. I only hope I can remove the sticky residue from the top of the bag in time for my next round.

technorati tags: golf sunday bag repair gaffer tape

Birdie comes before par - this is the way it went in my case anyway... I got my first birdie recently at Elsternwick Golf Course on the 2nd hole (approx 128m). I teed off using (of all things!) a 7-wood.

I drew the club back about 90 degrees (I think - this expertise apparently comes from playing Tiger Woods on Playstation - and they say computer games have no real-world applications!)

The two guys who had just left the 2nd green stopped to watch.
I made contact.
I heard an expletive and joyous sounds from my partner. The two guys kept watching.
I saw the ball land on the green and thought "well, that's good. I won't have to chip."
The closer I got to the green, the more I started to realise what I had just done.
The ball was possibly a metre or more away from the flag.
But it was no gimme.
My brain went haywire.
I crouched at one end, then at the other. I think I was holding out my putter to line it up. Little did anybody know, I didn't quite know what the putter-holding was actually for. All I knew was that it looks good. Tiger does it all the time.
It was time to putt.
I took a deep breath.
Then another.
Then another.
I started to get lightheaded and decided to stop taking deep breaths.
"Stop looking at it and just putt!" I thought. I couldn't stop looking at it. Was there something I missed? A secret break? I didn't know. The importance of the shot started to weigh upon me.
"If you don't do it now you're going to freeze and f@ck up!"
I finally hit it.
The ball coasted on a straight line, then rolled towards the outer left of the cup. It was heading to lip out.
"Oh well," I thought "at least I'll get a par. I've never got a par before. I got a bogey once but that's not the same as..."
I heard a shout. My partner was practically levitating off the green. The ball bent neatly to the right and went in. I was stunned.
Nobody said anything for a second as we stared at each other.
"Rasthermathugraaaa!!!" I shouted.
"Woohooo!" he yelled.
"Yeaaaaahh!! Haaa!! Whooo!!!" I shouted again.
I celebrated Tiger Woods style by leaning back almost horizontally and pumping both fists in the air. Then I looked around, adjusted my cap like I do this all the time, and walked off with my clubs muttering "Haaaa!!" breathlessly.
We continued in a daze. I think it took me a few holes and many wistful "I got a f@cking birdie" repetitions for it to sink in.
If you pardon the pun.

And no, I still haven't got a par yet....

technorati tags: golf birdie elsternwick golf course

The crowds that gathered at Torrey Pines from 6am received more than just a playoff. In the words of Rocco Mediate, "they wanted a show, they got a show". The 18 hole playoff ended in a cliffhanger, forcing play to continue to the 7th hole. At the end of the first nine, Tiger was out in 35, Rocco in 37. It seemed Tiger would lead this playoff to its conclusion. At the end of the 18th, Tiger had made a 36 and Rocco had made 34. Both scores were fixed at 71, even par on this course. It seemed par was the score to beat and sure enough, par was the score that finally won, Tiger shooting 4 to Rocco's 5 on the par 4 7th hole.

When asked about his injury, Tiger simply said "I'm glad I'm done." The world's number one golfer deserves some ice and some well-earned rest. Rocco Mediate has gained a whole new legion of fans and it is likely we will see more of him after this tournament.

Meanwhile, the coverage by Ten and TenHD in Australia was truncated at best. It is not enough for golf fans to see the last putt roll to the hole. Australian viewers missed out on seeing Tiger meeting his family on the green, missing out also on the presentation and the raising of the trophy. If this were the tennis and Roger Federer was not seen holding the trophy and making a speech, there would be widespread outrage. A subtle message needs to be sent to Channel 10, ie. get your act together! If people are so desperate to see the finance report and the 78th episode of "Totally Wild", the programmers could show them on Ten Digital, while continuing the uninterrupted US Open coverage on Ten HD. It's a wonder that nobody has thought of that before. Perhaps I am a genius. More likely, golf has been largely overlooked in favour of football, rugby and cricket. It is sloppy and shows a lack of respect. Australia has a multitude of golf fans, Channel 10. Be prepared to look after them. After all, we stayed awake from 6am, 5am and 2am respectively so a few more minutes of coverage is hardly too much to ask.

~end rant.

P.S. The odd hours have messed up my circadian rhythms for at least a week now, I recall the wee hours of the morning, waiting for the golf to begin. I remember looking at my partner and giggling while he laughed back, his rabid devotion to golf mirrored in my own bloodshot eyes. It was worth every second.




Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

technorati tags: golf 18 playoff tiger woods rocco mediate US open torrey pines 2008 channelTen TenHD coverage

After catching our collective breaths from one of the most exciting golf tournaments in recent history, an incredible feat by Tiger Woods ensures that the story is not yet over for the US Open 2008.

At the beginning of the 18th hole of Round 4, Tiger's score was at even par and there was some doubt as to whether he would be able to catch Rocco Mediate's score of 1 under par. Woods began with a double bogey on the 1st and a bogey on the 2nd, upsetting the momentum gained in Round 3. He went on to bogey the 13th and 15th and it was becoming apparent he was fast running out of holes. However there was no doubt in many people's minds that Tiger would endeavor to do something special. Tiger was recovering from surgery on his left knee and the pain was visible after every swing, making it difficult to watch without wincing along with him. Tiger, however pressed on and at the 18th green holed a 12 foot putt to make an essential birdie. Now Rocco Mediate and Tiger Woods are tied for the lead at the end of Round 4, forcing a playoff to decide the winner.

The unmissable 18 hole playoff will be screened tomorrow so check your local guides, these times for Australia (VIC) only:

Tuesday 17 June
Ten & Ten HD: 2 am (EST) 18 hole playoff

There seems to be no personal rivalry between the two - Tiger refers to Rocco as the "nicest guy" and Rocco has made similar comments about Tiger. Rocco is a jovial fellow, when speaking on the subject of maintaining concentration he conceded it "...was a little difficult with nutto (Tiger Woods) in front of me doing all this crazy stuff." The crazy stuff being two incredible eagles and an outrageous chip in for birdie during Round 3.

The rivalry that exists between the two must therefore be simply the desire to win. Both will try their best to take the glory, knowing that the other will pounce in the event of any mistakes made during the playoff. With history in the making and the excitement levels rising even higher, there is no more to say other than this: may the best man win.

If you missed Round 4 or wish to catch up on the highlights, check out the latest videos here:
US Open Wrapup Show



Putting To Win - Tour Pro Reveals Easiest Way To Lower Scores. The Culmination Of Seven Years Work, This E-book Is Packed With Information, For Anyone Who Seriously Wants To Improve Their Golf Scores.

technorati tags: golf 18 playoff tiger woods rocco mediate US open torrey pines 2008

This is it!!

The US Open at Torrey Pines 2008, San Diego, CA.

Finally I will see in High Definition what I have only seen previously on Playstation 2's Tiger Woods 2003! The real course at Torrey Pines.

As for those of you who live near the course, you lucky lucky ba...
...people.

The US Open will be hosted at the South Course of Torrey Pines (courtesy of Torrey Pines' official website):





















This is what the players will be faced with right from the start. Here is the layout of the first hole:

























Easy no? I'm completely sure of my ability to play this hole with no problems... as long as it's on Playstation!

It would be truly amazing to be there to watch the world's #1, #2 and #3 golfers all in the same championship. According to PGA's website, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Adam Scott will be playing together in the same group on the Thursday and Friday.

My pick? I would actually love Tiger to win it but to see an Australian win the US Open would be a treat! Adam Scott is yet to smash through that glass ceiling. And let's not forget Phil Mickelson and Trevor Immelman and all the other incredible players in the field.

Most of the time I'm just happy to be watching golf, regardless who wins. But.. GO TIGER!!!




















Here are the broadcast times as of Thursday 12th June 2008. Be sure to check your local guides - these times are for Australia (VIC) only!:

Friday 13 June

Ten: 6am - 12pm (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 12pm(EST)


Saturday 14 June

Ten: 6am - 12pm (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 12pm(EST)


Sunday 15 June

Ten: 6am - 12pm (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 12pm(EST)


Monday 16 June

Ten: 6am - 11am (EST)
TenHD: 6am - 11am(EST)


If you are without a HD set top box, perhaps now would be a good time to purchase one. In the magic that is High Definition TV you can almost see the players' eyebrow hairs blowing in the breeze.

technorati tags: golf US Open Torrey Pines Tiger Woods 2008

Hee hee. Ho ho. Hoo hoo!

Following are my most recent golf purchases. I have my Wilson Sunday Bag (update: the strap broke on the first round so my partner neatly fixed it up with black gaffer tape!)

The Elsternwick On Course Golf Shop just happened to have a sale on when I needed to buy a set of clubs. The discounts are incredible.


Precept 9 Iron - $10
This is my Stuart Appleby club. Why you ask? Because he wears that Precept cap, even in Playstation games! Maybe this club will help me play like him (hee hee!)

































Greg Norman 5 Iron - $5
I've always wanted a Greg Norman club. My partner has a Greg Norman SW ($3 at an op-shop!). I am a big fan of Greg Norman, he is an Australian (more of an international citizen now!) and a living legend. I hope to see him play more tournaments in the near future.


















PGF Spectrum Pitching Wedge - $10
This is so far my most versatile club. I use it for everything! Shots around the green, short approach shots, but I don't putt with it! Jack Nicklaus, in his book "The Best Way to Better Golf" refers to one golfer that became an expert with the Pitching Wedge almost exclusively. Perhaps I can learn from that.

















Taylor Made 6 Iron - $5

What a bargain! I know you can't normally find Taylor Made clubs for under $10 so I was extremely lucky here. Many of these clubs were recommended to me by the golf Professional from South Africa. This particular one I chose on my own. Why? I liked the heaviness of the clubhead.


















PGF Spectrum 7 Wood - $15
My saviour. If you are not quite so confident with your 3-iron, I recommend you try one of these. I used this for most of my second shots throughout the round. The distance is exciting and it is a little easier to hit than a long iron. It's also easy to for me hit a straight shot and it's nice to have the hole shortened a little bit!




















PGF Spectrum 3 Wood - $15
My other saviour. I loved using my partner's "Shark" driver but this club seems to fit me better. The length is great and it is so easy to hit the ball long and straight. It's almost as if the club was fitted for me before I bought it! (Note: I recognise the importance of club fitting and finding a club like this off the rack is no substitute for good advice from a golf professional). This club helps me to hit more fairways and get closer for my second shot. I remember searching for my ball in the fairway about a third of the distance to the hole. I heard my partner calling "it's over here!" I looked up and saw the ball over half way to the green. I had to stand back when I got to my ball just to marvel at how far I had actually hit it!!





















Wilson Green Machine
This is my ideal putter, and the one I am using at the moment - Wilson Green Machine. It is simple and easy to use. Recently I have begun to hanker for a Golden Bear putter because it is very similar. My lucky ball is a Golden Bear and I have achieved around 4 bogeys so far!

technorati tags: golf clubs shop sale bargain

For some reason it has become increasingly difficult to find a Sunday Bag in Australia. Unfortunate, as these bags can be used for the driving range and proper rounds of golf, not just par 3s. At present I do not have fourteen clubs so I have no need for a large bag. Sunday Bags can be carried easily and are convenient for walking the course without a buggy.

The Sunday Bag also has a rich history, as this Art Deco representation of St Andrew shows. The larger stand-alone bags seem to have become more popular but some (like myself!) prefer the Sunday Bag for convenience.




















The Sunday Bags vary in price and features. Here are a few examples:

Women's Mulholland Sunday Bag Endurance $599.00
All leather, holds up to 10 clubs
















Clearly, this is a top of the range, quality leather item. This actually reminds me of expensive luggage. The kind you would be scared to run over cobblestones or gutters. Impractical for my own purposes but perhaps more suited to someone with a warm car and golf cart.

Golf is a messy game - the last few times I have played I ended up with soaked feet, socks and shoes, muddy cuffs on my jeans and a rogue splash of mud on my cheek that I didn't notice until I entered the bathrooms at the 19th hole. Another memorable time was when nobody graced the golf course except for my partner and me. Why? Because rain, hail and lightning were forecast. We knew this, but our enthusiasm overpowered the weather. I remember teeing off on the second tee with hailstones the size of marbles peppering the back of my head. The second green was so covered with hail that it was completely white. Do you know, it's actually surprisingly easy to putt over hail. Or it was that day, anyway!

When we returned the pro shop, we met a golf professional who is a childhood friend of Trevor Immelman, winner of the green jacket at the 2008 US Masters at Augusta. He gave me some advice he learned in South Africa. "If there is lightning and thunder, put your bag under a tree, get away from the water and lie down flat in the middle of the fairway." Good advice.

Or you could do what we actually did when the thunder and lightning rolled in. Just played faster.



Palm Springs Sunday Bag $14.99-$39.00
















2 way divider. Web handle for carrying short distances. 2-point adjustable single harness strap. Balls/Accessories pocket plus a full-length clothing pocket. The bag doesn't specify how many clubs the bags will hold but one would assume it to be around 7-10. Comes in five colours.



Nike Skinny Range Bag $49.95 -$69.95
















Three pockets, holds around 7 clubs. Lightweight and compact. Fits a substantial number of clubs despite the small size.



Titleist X80 Carry Bag $49.95-$59.95





















The bag features 2-point adjustable sling, 7.5" molded top with divider, Velour lined zippered accessory pocket and pen holder, amongst other things.


Personally, I had a hankering for a Wilson Sunday bag to match my Wilson Staff cap (see previous post "my new favourite accessory"). For some reason when I tried Ebay, the only Sunday Bags available were from the US. I was in a hurry because I wanted to play the following week and I didn't want to hire clubs and a buggy again. I just had to put faith in US mail.

Fortunately I found the perfect match in Maryland:

























Wilson Deluxe Sunday Golf Bag in black. Light weight, weighs less than a pound. Convenient zippered pouch for balls and accessories. Adjustible shoulder strap. Easily holds up to 7 clubs.

Price: wouldjabelieve... $23.50 (including postage)

And my wonderful seller sent the bag First Class mail, allowing it to arrive on the Tuesday before my round.

No more club hire for me!!

technorati tags: golf wilson sunday bag