SB Nation User Blog: akw144

Ian Poulter in Twitter Feud...With Some Random Guy

akw144 — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 18:19:47 -0000

Are you on Twitter? I am - follow me, @akw144. So is the Open Champion, Stewart Cink (@stewartcink), fan favourite John Daly (@PGA_JohnDaly), and the always controversial Ian Poulter (@ianjamespoulter).

When I sat down to watch the footy this weekend, I didn’t expect my attentions to turn to what these golf stars had to say. But when a feud started between Ian Poulter and some provocative lad in the UK, I couldn’t help but be fascinated.

Maybe Poulter had some beers watching the game, but as the young lad showed delight in his ability to wind up the seven-time European Tour winner, this only seemed to get under Poulter’s skin more. Even when the juvenile retaliated with abusive taunts and expletives, Poulter seemed set on having the last word to cement his alpha status.

It’s a bit of a ‘how not to’ for celebs on Twitter. Enjoyable none the less...

The exchange is after the jump.

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Yang proves golf is a sport

akw144 — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:01:37 -0000

Yang tries to convince the IOC that golf is a sport

Rumour has it that Yang had to pursaude the IOC that golf is a sport by snatch lifting 200lbs at the end of the round for it to be included in the 2016 games.

Well done on your efforts my son. I'm sure it helped.

Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/akw144
View my golf blog at: www.climaxmarketing.co.uk/blog

Happy Harrington

akw144 — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:32:10 -0000

I get fed up with the front cover of golf magazines sometimes, 'ten tips to hit it great', 'find out how Garcia can help you hit the ball further'. None are over night successes like implied.

But now, I’ve found the answer for hitting the ball 10% further with just one fundamental change! And for those who have seen the movie Happy Gilmore (who hasn’t?!) then you’ll know exactly what that fundamental change is.

Let me thank our American buddies from Sports Science for producing this intriguing experiment. Also, full credit to our great Open Champion Padraig Harrington for being the genie pig.

If you want to start smashing it past your mates when there is a skin up for longest drive then press play below and I’ll see you at the driving range that has really long bays for practice!

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Will PGA Tour Ever See Trash Talk?

akw144 — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 12:03:50 -0000

I often wonder when some young whippersnapper is going to pop up on the PGA Tour and start talking trash to his fellow competitors. Throwing insults and banter around to put their opponent off down the stretch. Not that I ever want to see it. It’s one of the games biggest strengths - sportsmanship. So, I guess the closest we’ll get to it is an Antony Kim v. Sergio Garcia Ryder Cup battle or this from Bubba Watson.

For those of you who can’t understand Bubba’s southern American twang aimed at Steve Elkington, he says: "Tell yew what, veterans can kiss my ass."

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View my blog www.undergroundgolf.co.uk

Sienna Miller: Next Queen of the Green?

akw144 — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:44:41 -0000

I landed upon some great news today. T op model and actress Sienna Miller has come down with the golf bug. It’s apparently to reconnect with her dad who loves golf. Frankly, I think that man needs a knighthood.

“I actually am a golfer now.” Miller said, “Not a very good one, but I am keen on it. I used to give my dad a hard time about being into golf, but now I completely understand it.” Good girl, I say.

If Carlsberg made women golfers it would probably be Sienna Miller. And okay, she’s no doubt hacking it round some exclusive golf club that we could only dream about being a member, not repairing her divots, with a swing that looks like a figure of eight and shooting in excess of 100 each time. But, I bet she’s the epitome of fashion for female golf. I bet she wears it well.

If the newest Queen of the Green doesn’t apply to become a Bunker Mentality ambassador I could always give her a few swing tips, right?

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Henrik Stenson Gives New Meaning to a Skins Game

akw144 — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 18:28:42 -0000

You need some balls to pull this off

Yesterday, Henrik Stenson gave new meaning to the phrase ‘skins game’. On the third hole at the WGC-CA Championship, Stenson stripped down to just his underwear and golf glove to play a shot from a watery lie after his wayward drive.

I would definitely recommend to Henrik’s personal trainer that a more cardio-intensive workout is required. Full credit for having the ~~balls~~ guts to pull this off, though. Who knows? It may start a new craze of strip golf, in which losing a hole means losing an item of clothing. Perhaps not.

I can only ~~hope~~ see Stenson’s ludicrous actions catching on in the women’s game. Here’s to praying that Natalie Gulbis pulls her next tee shot into a wet lie with some sexy lingerie on!

Let's hope Laura Davies would see sense and take a drop.

View my blog: www.undergroundgolf.co.uk
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‘EnGolfed’ in the Olympics

akw144 — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:52:13 -0000

Will golf be part of the 2016 games? Where ever it may be hosted?

As the IGF (International Golf Federation) uncover more of their plans on the 2016 golf Olympic bid, the more I look forward to hearing the outcome.

It started well, with all major forces agreeing to work together for the better of the game. The greatest male and female players ever to grace the planet, Jack Nicolaus and Annika Sorrestam, were appointed ambassadors of the bid. With the supposing greatest minds in golf gathered around one table I waited with baited breath to hear the master plan to put golf on the Olympic map.

Just like the London 2012 bid, the IOC (International Olympic Committee) aren’t looking just for a great fortnight of sporting entertainment. They want to follow the Olympic ideal. They want to leave a legacy. The same is true with any new sporting bid. They want to enhance the sport, to reach out to places the game currently can’t reach and to get new people playing it. It is a fantastic opportunity for golf.

For those who don’t know the Olympic ideal, simply put, individuals, not countries, compete against each other in peaceful sporting competition without the burden of politics, religion or racism. A lot like golf I hear you say? You’d be right. What’s more, they even have the same faults. Both the IOC and R&A have been criticised for being intractable organizations.

Everything going swimmingly to get golf in then. I’m sure the two organisations have sat down for a whisky or two in front of the Swilcan burn at sunset numerous times and bonded better than Fanny and Faldo.

Recently it was announced that if golf does get the thumbs up over the other five competing sports then it shall be a standard 72 hole stroke play event. Zzzzzz. Peter Dawson, chief executive of the R&A, has gone on record saying if any golfer disagrees with the Olympic bid then they are ‘anti-golf’. I retract my six ‘z’ promptly.

Golf, as a whole has put so much resource into the bid I can’t see anything other than the game being played in the 2016 games.

Before you start day dreaming about the fifth major however, contemplate this for a second if you may. How could the IOC, in all their political correctness allow golf into the Olympics, when golf (the R&A) doesn’t allow women into its membership?

“More whisky IOC?”

View my blog at: www.undergroundgolf.co.uk
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Poll

Will golf be in the 2016 Olympics?

Yes

7 votes

No

9 votes

16 votes | Poll has closed

Camilo Villegas Major Winner 2009.

akw144 — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 09:52:59 -0000

In this short time I’ve been on the planet I believe I know a lot about elite performance and recognising the potential of success in individuals. Having been a pro football (soccer) player for a short while followed by getting down to scratch at golf within 3 years I’ve been surrounded by the elite in their fields. I’ve seen players excel to greatness and others fall at the last hurdle.

I never bet on sport. I never do predictions on sport unless asked. Too many variables with such a fine line, and I mean a fine line between top and bottom, let alone 1st and 2nd. With the exception of a Mr. Woods. So note that what I am about to say isn’t taken likely and I will probably never do again as I’ll no doubt be proved horribly wrong.

Camilo Villegas will win a major championship 2009. Probably the US Open.

There, said it. Shoot me down. It’s just his latest performance in the last round of the Buick Invitational was truly magnificent. Composed, relaxed and in abundance of talent putting up an excellent chase. It’s not the first time either. He showed everything a champion needs. Everything but the win. The doubt in my mind that if he can pull off a major win is leading from the front. He didn’t get a chance to prove that to me yesterday night which is why I’m sticking my neck out. But if has the same mind set, attitude and belief as yesterday’s final round I know he’ll come up with goods.

Hell, I might even stick a tenner on it.

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Beer Changes Tradition at Open Championship

akw144 — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 12:40:49 -0000

via www.climaxmarketing.co.uk

Tradition
tra⋅di⋅tion [truh-dish-uh n]
–noun
1. the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, esp. by word of mouth or by practice: a story that has come down to us by popular tradition.
2. a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting: The rebellious students wanted to break with tradition.

I often wonder what tradition is because the term is used so much in golf. Is it important? Can it be changed? If so how? Who instigates change, who allows the change to happen? Why does the change happen? Should it be changed?

To be honest, I’m a twenty two year old man boy and don’t spend an awful amount of my spare time pondering this question. There are too many golf courses ‘unplayed’, too many beers not drunk, just too many girls…

But with the R&A announcing yesterday that for the first time in its Open Championship history alcohol will be on sale in all public and VIP places this year made me readdress the questions.

This is the governing body that hasn’t made a significant change to the game in over 500 years; whose job it is to grow the game but try to do so from a dad on the dance floor prospective and often fail to even reach the dance floor due to a dysfunctional hip their on a waiting list for.

Yet when Pilsner Urquell, the Czech brewer, came along and stumped up the $1.75 million USD to become the sponsored beer of The British Open Championship for the next five years and with it renegotiated tradition to allow their product to be consumed in all areas I thought I found the answer: "Money talks," not tradition. But just as you often think you’ve found the answer with your golf swing. I was wrong. To some degree.

You see, I’m pretty confident that the R&A board when making the deal didn’t want to allow Pilsner Urquell to break tradition. I bet they put up a tough fight. Can you imagine the look on the faces as an alcohol fuelled spectator whoops and hollers!? Heaven forbid such acts of support and excitement towards this sacred tournament and game occurred on our soil.

"The R&A is delighted to welcome Pilsner Urquell as the Official Beer of The Open Championship," said the R&A’s David Hill… Through gritted teeth.

At a time when corporation marketing budgets are getting slashed, golf sponsorship deals and tournaments are falling by the waist side wouldn’t it be foolish to turn down $1.75 USD million because of the sake of one tradition? Worried that if they turn down this deal another wont come along? They obviously thought so. This opened my eyes to tradition. It made me realise one fact:

On the precipice we change.

From now on I will never doubt the traditions of the game. I will embrace them with the same enthusiasm and love I have for life. I know they are there for a reason. I will tuck my shirt in, I won’t wear denim on the course and when I hole a 50 foot putt I’ll try my very best to look casual and give off a rise smile, well maybe not the later. For I am safe in the knowledge that when the game needs changing, it will change.

So is the game of golf on the precipice? Change will tell.

View my blog at www.undergroundgolf.co.uk
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