SB Nation User Blog: courtgolf

Tiger Woods Prez Cup Poll

courtgolf — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 00:39:40 -0000

OK - here's what we have: two days left, three matches. Woods and Stricker have won their first two matches 6 and 4, and 5 and 3. They haven't seen the 16th, 17th, or 18th holes yet.

Assuming Tiger plays all three remaining matches, will he have to play the 18th in any of them?

Feeling brave? Will he have to play the 17th? (I'm not going push my luck and go for the 16th.)

Poll

Will Tiger have to play the 17th or 18th holes in any of the last three matches ?

Yep - he'll play 18 once

0 votes

He'll have to play 18 at least once

2 votes

He'll play 17 - but not 18

0 votes

Not a chance - all opponents will be put out of their misery early

0 votes

2 votes | Poll has closed

Maybe Wie just needs a new caddie ? :-)

courtgolf — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:13:34 -0000

Since we all know it's never the player's fault, maybe Michelle Wie would be able to get into the winner's circle with a new caddy - one who can count a little better than the other...however many she's buried in the back yard...I lose track sometimes.

She's proven that she is better than most of the LPGA Tour, at least talent-wise. However, she has only shown that she might be close to winning her first tournament once this year. And that was very early in the season when she made up a few shots against Angela Stanford...then gave them back over the first four holes of the back 9 on Sunday. (If she hadn't been playing with the pros for 6 years, 3 as an actual pro - I might have called it "rookie nerves")

So back to the point. Most of the rest of the season, she started slow, backed up, then put on a furious rush into the top 10 on Sunday - giving the impression that she was playing better than she actually was. Sort of like one of us hackers who, after making one of our flailing swings, adjusts to a perfect finishing position for the cameras, but not making the shot we were looking for.

What would a new caddy potentially do for Wie ? Simple. His additional job would be to catch Wie on Friday and Saturday and remind her that falling 6 to 10 shots behind the leader (depending on the course and the leader) is too much to make up on Sunday. If she'll stay within 3 or 4 shots and THEN put on that big Sunday rush, she'll start winning and really build some excitement since we all love seeing someone come from behind to win - especially if they are a fan favorite.

How does this sound for some caddy advice ? "Hey...Stanford...(not Angela - the school Wie is pretending to attend)...need a little help with that adding and subracting ? You're falling way behind again." No ?

Cirque du Soleil in SPAAAAaaaaacccee

courtgolf — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 19:50:45 -0000

Cirque du Soleil in SPAAAAaaaaacccee

Nope - absolutely nothing to do with golf - just a very cool story.

Guy Laliberte, one of the founders of Cirque du Soleil, bought a ticket on the latest Russian rocket to the space station and will be spending 9 days with 8 other astro and cosmo nauts.

The price tag ? A measly $35 million...but Laliberte is worth well over a billion dollars, so he won't be sleeping in a Motel 6 anytime soon...unless he just happens to buy one while travelling.

If you're a poker fan and get the Game Show Network, you might recognize Laliberte from the fourth season of High Stakes Poker. The million dollar minimum buy in season.

This is one guy I would really like to meet some day. He seems to truly love the Cirque (he started off as a fire eater and stilt walker), and doesn't mind putting his money in places where people really need it.

Rankin receives "Old Tom Morris" award

courtgolf — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:59:41 -0000

I don't know about you guys, but I am tired of groups giving industry awards to people just because they are famous and mention what you do from time to time. This week, it's Judy Ranking receiving the "Old Tom Morris Award" from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA). The GCSAA is a fantastic organisation that pools talent and education for greenskeepers in America and around the world.

I'm just wondering why they can't come up with someone a bit more legitimate than Judy Rankin to honor with this award. She mentions greenskeepers fairly often and how good a job they do - but seriously - does that really qualify her for an industry award ? (yes yes - I can hear it now - it's their award - let them give it to whomever they want - and you're right)

GCSAA presents highest honor to World Golf Hall of Famer and golf commentator
Rankin to receive Old Tom Morris Award

Judy Rankin

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Judy Rankin, World Golf Hall of Fame member and television golf commentator, has been selected to receive the 2010 Old Tom Morris Award by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).

The award will be presented during the 2010 GCSAA Education Conference at Celebrate GCSAA! presented in partnership with Syngenta, Feb. 9 at 5:30 p.m. Formerly the Opening Session and Welcoming Reception, Celebrate GCSAA! is hosted by GCSAA President Mark D. Kuhns, CGCS. The conference (Feb. 8-12) will be held in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show (Feb. 10-11) at the San Diego Convention Center.

"Judy has always recognized the value of golf course superintendents," Kuhns said. "She is one of the great players in the history of the game, making her support of the work of our members even more meaningful and impactful. She is truly a wonderful person and we are pleased to honor her."

GCSAA’s most prestigious honor, the Old Tom Morris Award, is presented each year to an individual who “through a continuing lifetime commitment to the game of golf has helped to mold the welfare of the game in a manner and style exemplified by Old Tom Morris.” Morris
(1821-1908) was greenkeeper and golf professional at the St. Andrews Links Trust Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland; a four-time winner of the British Open (1861, ’62, ’64 and ’67); and ranked as one of the top links designers of the 19th century.

Rankin won the 1959 Missouri Amateur at age 14 and finished as the low amateur in the 1960 U.S. Women’s Open at age 15, the youngest to take such honors until Naree Song broke that record 40 years later. She turned pro in 1962 at age 17 and accumulated 28 professional wins, including 26 LPGA tour victories over the next 20 years. Rankin finished in the top ten on the money list 11 times between 1965 and 1979. She was the runner-up at the 1976 LPGA Championship and tied for second at the 1972 U.S. Women’s Open, 1972 Titleholders Championship, and the 1976 LPGA Championship. Rankin won the Colgate European Open in 1974 and 1977 (forerunner of the Women's British Open), the 1976 Colgate Dinah Shore Winner's Circle (currently the Kraft Nabisco), and the 1977 Peter Jackson Classic (later renamed the duMaurier), three events that would later be elevated to major status, but they are not counted as majors in the years in which she won.

Rankin is a three-time winner of the LPGA Vare Trophy, given to the player with the lowest scoring average for the season (1973, '76, '77). She was named the LPGA Player of the Year two years in a row in 1976 and 1977, also earning the Golf Writers Association of America Female Player of the Year honors those two seasons, and was the LPGA Tour Money Winner both years as well. Rankin became the first player to win more than $100,000 in a single season on the LPGA Tour in 1976, with earnings of $150,734, and in 1977, she recorded 25, top-10 finishes on tour.

Rankin was forced to retire from full-time competition too early at the age of 38 due to chronic back problems. She then embarked on a highly successful career as a golf commentator for ABC and ESPN, which included being the first woman to work full-time on broadcasts of men's events. She captained the victorious American teams in the 1996 and 1998 Solheim Cups. Rankin became the first player voted into the LPGA Tour Hall of Fame in 2000 under the veterans category. She served as an LPGA board member and president in 1976-77.

Rankin was awarded the 1998 LPGA William and Mousie Powell Award, for exemplifying the spirit, ideals and values of the LPGA. In 1999, she earned the First Lady of Golf Award by the PGA of America, the Patty Berg Award from the LPGA for her diplomacy, sportsmanship, goodwill and contributions to the game of golf, as well as the Richardson Award by the Golf Writers Association of America for outstanding service to the game of golf. Rankin was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2000 and received the USGA’s highest honor in 2002, the Bob Jones Award, in recognition of distinguished sportsmanship in golf.

"On behalf of all the members of the World Golf Hall of Fame, our staff and more than 250 volunteers, congratulations to Judy on being named this year's recipient of the Old Tom Morris award," World Golf Hall of Fame Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter said. "Judy's contributions to the game both on and off the course, combined with her grace, professionalism and passion for the game, makes her the perfect choice for this award."

Rankin, who is originally from St. Louis, and her husband, Yippy Rankin, live in Midland, Texas. They have a son and two grandchildren. Rankin was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006. She completed treatment by August 2006 and returned to her on-air work on ABC in time to cover the Women's British Open.

Rankin was honored by the Golf Writers Association of America with the 2007 Ben Hogan Award, which goes to the individual who has continued to be active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness. She also earned the 2007 Komen Award from the LPGA, which is given to a person or organization that sets an example for others by making an outstanding contribution through personal or professional efforts via the game of golf to generate national and local support for breast cancer research, education and efforts to eradicate the disease.

Billy Andrade is a "cooler"

courtgolf — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:15:22 -0000

I've been listening to Billy Andrade call shots following a couple of groups today - he's done a pretty decent job...except when he says something outrageous. He was following Scott Verplank, who was three under through 9, then said "when you think about ball control, this is the guy you think of", which isn't really an accurate statement. Verplank is a great player, but he isn't the first name on my mind for ball control.

Back to the story - as soon as those words were out of his mouth, Verplank half shanked his second shot at 10 and made bogey, followed by two more bogies at 13 and 14, and looking at another at 17.

The same thing happened when he made a similar statement following Stewart Cink - followed by a similar string of tough holes.

Stick with yardage, lie, and club, Billy - if this is truly a "curse" you're carrying around, the guys won't want you around anymore ! :-)

The Word from the East Lake Clubhouse

courtgolf — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:30:00 -0000

Here's the word from the Larry, the shoe guy in the East Lake clubhouse after Wednesday's practice rounds. (He's the guy who cleans and polishes everybody's shoes "buffed with a fine chamois.") The shoes are coming in extremely clean.

Meaning? The guys are not walking through mud to around the course and things are drying out nicely.

The greens are firming up again with two rain-free days. Wednesday was very nice all over the metro area - plenty of sun. (Thankfully, that also means the public works repair crews could get out and start work repairing roads and utilities in some badly damaged parts of town.)

Jeff Rude interviews Ken Green

courtgolf — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 18:20:10 -0000

Jeff Rude interviews Ken Green

This is an excellent read. I hadn't heard anything about Ken Green since a few weeks after the RV accident that took part of his right leg, his brother's life, and his girlfriend's life.

I have a feeling that he's going to find a way to get back on Tour.

Heath Slocum Donates $40,000 to Local Atlanta Charities

courtgolf — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:54:55 -0000

Just got this from the tournament office in a statement from the PGA Tour:

Heath Slocum, winner of The Barclays last month and No. 5 in the FedExCup standings heading into the Playoff Finale, today announced a $40,000 donation to THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola’s TICKETS Fore CHARITY™ program. Slocum lives in nearby Alpharetta, Ga., and THE TOUR Championship this week is a homecoming of sorts for a player who went from No. 124 to No. 5 in the FedExCup standings in a matter of weeks and has a legitimate shot of becoming the 2009 FedExCup Champion. THE TOUR Championship will be held September 23-27, 2009, at East Lake Golf Club as the finale to the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup.

Slocum’s donation is earmarked for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Chron’s and Colitis Foundation, who will each receive $10,000 and THE TOUR Championship TICKETS Fore CHARITY™ tickets. The East Lake Foundation receives $20,000.

“I am excited to be playing here at home in Atlanta in THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola” said Slocum. “My wife Victoria and daughter Stella are very happy to be in the position to donate back to some causes that are near to our heart and community. I have suffered from Ulcerative Colitis since the late 1990s and since moving here have been working with the Georgia Chapter of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation to help educate and find a cure for this debilitating disease. We also know how involved Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has been in our community and the game of golf, and since our daughter was born it has become very important to take care of other children and families in need. It is also with great pride that we are able to give back to the community in which this great course is located and help those less fortunate with a donation to the East Lake Foundation. We are so lucky, and we hope that our gifts make a difference and we are able to do this for many years to come.”

“Heath’s generous donation is a prime example of the PGA TOUR’s charitable mission at work,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. “Here we have a player who found incredible success this year on TOUR and is using that success as a platform to positively impact the community in which he lives, which also happens to be a community in which we play. On behalf of the PGA TOUR, I want to commend and thank Heath and his wife Victoria for their kindness and generosity.”

This isn't a one time thing for Heath. He and his wife donate a lot of money to charities and spend time helping whenever they can.

The Tickets Fore Charities program is an effort by The Tour Championship to make sure that the level of giving doesn't drop because of the economy. The charities involved with the tournament received blocks of tickets to sell and all the money they receive in those sales stays with that charity.

The Chrons and Colitis Foundation is particularly special to Slocum since he was diagnosed with Chron's Disease after he graduated college.

Even better at East Lake

courtgolf — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:47:14 -0000

No pictures today - but we haven't had any rain in over 24 hours, so the course is drying out and it looks like there may actually be some run in the fairways. The greens are firming up, but we need more sun and a little wind to really make them tournament tough.

The weather forecasts yesterday evening were for some overnight showers - which never showed up. We'll be in that same iffy pattern the rest of the week, but there should be plenty of sunshine during the days to get the day's rounds in, and not enough rain to mess things up again.

East Lake is NOT a swamp

courtgolf — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:16:00 -0000

I have been reading article after article - blog after blog today...all by people who aren't in Atlanta, by the way...claiming that East Lake is a wash - a total loss. One genius even suggested that they find another course for the tournament. (yep - the one that starts in two days)

ANYway - just got back from there and the place is gorgeous. There is some ongoing bunker repair, as you would expect after a heavy downpour, but the bunkers are not under water and the ones that have been repaired look perfect. I spoke with one of the chairmen and he said that the biggest concern this morning was making sure the walkways were clean for the galleries. (you wouldn't want to wear your dress shoes out there - tennis shoes will be fine)

The SUN even came out around noon - guys were on the range and heading out for practice rounds.

We are expecting possible scattered thunderstorms pretty much the rest of the week, but nothing like we have been getting - so the tournament should go off without a hitch.

By the way - got to watch Mark Leishman on the range. That's one impressive golf swing ! Then watched Kenny Perry hit off the tee at 10, followed by Heath Slocum at 1...just ONCE I'd like to hit a tee shot like that !!

I'm going to send some pictures to RB to post.

SB Nation User Blog: courtgolf

Tiger Woods Prez Cup Poll

Will Tiger have to play the 17th or 18th holes in any of the last three matches ?

Yep - he'll play 18 once

He'll have to play 18 at least once

He'll play 17 - but not 18

Not a chance - all opponents will be put out of their misery early

Maybe Wie just needs a new caddie ? :-)

Cirque du Soleil in SPAAAAaaaaacccee

Cirque du Soleil in SPAAAAaaaaacccee

Rankin receives "Old Tom Morris" award

GCSAA presents highest honor to World Golf Hall of Famer and golf commentatorRankin to receive Old Tom Morris Award

Billy Andrade is a "cooler"

The Word from the East Lake Clubhouse

Jeff Rude interviews Ken Green

Jeff Rude interviews Ken Green

Heath Slocum Donates $40,000 to Local Atlanta Charities

Even better at East Lake

East Lake is NOT a swamp

GCSAA presents highest honor to World Golf Hall of Famer and golf commentator
Rankin to receive Old Tom Morris Award