Is He The Last True Amateur Ever?

Im talking about Trip Kuehne. The man who has been dubbed the last true amateur golfer. Trip is a member of the all too famous Kuehne golf family. Trip has finally done it and he won the US Mid-Am last year. This is his first USGA trophy and he can put it in the case with his sister Kelli's US Womens Am and brother Hank's US Am. The family trifecta is complete and at age 35 he will play in his last competitive tournament, The Masters. After that week he will be retired once and for all from golf the same way he started as an amateur. My hat goes off to Trip for respecting the game for so long and going out as a winner. Maybe Colt Knost should give Trip a call and ask what respecting the game truly means.

An update on my own game is due. I am scrambling left and right to make a decent score. I really need some work to get the cobwebs off. I am just not flexible right now and everything hurts. Maybe Im just getting old and can't recoup as good as I used to. I dont know, I am going to try and stretch more and work on my tempo. I will keep you informed on the progress.

Par 3 Contest To Be Televised

The par 3 contest is to be aired on tv this year for the first time ever. There has been some talk about this decision by the Masters powers that be. Some say that it is taking away form the tradition of showing too much and not keeping some things sacred to the ones that can make the trip. Well not all of us can go to the Masters and spend the week taking in all of the glory that he holds. I personally think that it is great. The more of Augusta I can see the better. Before all we got to see was the one or two clips of great shots on hole in ones that were aired briefly on the first days coverage. It is such a great tradition with most of the pros getting there children or friends to caddy for them. It is great seeing those kids carry small bags and wearing the traditional white jumpsuit. There is also talk that Arnie is going to play this year. I hope the big three play this year, Jack, Arnie and Gary. Gary Player will be in the Masters again and I hope he can make a great showing.
On a personal note I will be playing this weekend and I will let you know how it goes. Havent played much this off season, but I think I still have something leftover from last year. I will let you know.

Would You Turn Down A Chance To Play In The Masters?

Colt Knost doesn't want to play. As most of you have heard Colt Knost won the US Amateur and the US Public Links Am last year in an incredible year. He was the standout amateur and also helped the US win the Walker Cup. The prize that you receive in winning those tournaments is an invitation to the Masters the next year. Colt decided that he was going to turn down a chance to play and turn professional. I may be wrong on this issue but how in the world do you turn down a chance of a lifetime. Colt states that it was a tough decision but he thought he belonged on tour and would get another opportunity one day to play in the Masters. That is a huge gamble. He would have to win a tournament that year, be in the top 50 in the world, or finish top 30 on the money list. All of those things have kept some of the best golfers on tour without an invitation. All of those endorsements and money would have been there if he could have only waited to turn pro for 8 months. Colt will never know what it feels like to sleep in the "Crows Nest" and play as an amateur in the purest of tournaments better known as "A Tradition Unlike Any Other". I am a little biased because as most of you know I tried to qualify for the US Public Links Amateur and missed it by a few. I take it as a slap in the face to those of us who gave our all and threw caution to the wind for a chance to even qualify let alone win the thing. I say we put all of our names in a hat and have a blind draw for the invitation. I won't hold my breath but it sure would be fun. The moral of this story is don't take for granted something so special and let greed take away an opportunity of a lifetime. The money may not always be there but the memories will.

The Masters is Only 1 Month Away!

The countdown to the Masters is upon us. I am very excited and I love this time of the year. The time has changed, it is getting warmer, and the flowers are blooming. I am going to embark on a little blogging project for the next month. I will be posting only Masters stuff from now until the tournament is over. I wont be posting everyday but I will every other day or so. There are son many things about Augusta National and the Masters that I should have tons of things to talk about. Please post comments and questions you may have. I will be making my first post tomorrow so stay tuned. You may learn a few things that you didn't know before.

Tripp What Were You Thinking!

I dont know if any of you have read this story yet, but it seems that Tripp Isenhour has stooped to a terrible low. In short it seems that he has been charged with killing a red-shouldered hawk that is a protected migratory bird. Tripp was filming a "Shoot Like A Pro" show when the hawk kept making noise and interupting the shoot. They had to take numerous retakes and Tripp got mad and starting hitting balls at the hawk which was about 300 yards away. He gave up until the hawk came within about 75 yards. He starting hitting shots and saying "I'll get him now", and he did. Tripp hit the hawk and it fell with blood coming out of its nostrils. What the hell? How stupid is he? Not to mention that nobody in the 15 person film crew stopped him so I blame them as well. Tripp faces up to 14 months in jail and $1500 in fines. I am not sure what sponsorship Tripp has but I would imagine that he wont have them much longer. Tripp is playing on the Nationwide tour this year and has not finshed in the top 25 yet. He can't make birdies but can hit birdies. Great job Tripp way to make your family proud, you idiot.

Here is the full story

Primary Day and Nobody Plays Golf On a Regular Basis!

As I watch the election coverage today I was wondering which of these folks plays golf. After a little research I found that nobody plays much. What? How the bleeping bleep does that happen? Mike Huckabee doesn't play at all and McCain has only played a few times in a couple years. Hillary Clinton doesn't play because pant suits are against the dress code. Barack Obama is the only one that has been seen recently on when he played in Hawaii. How can we have a President that doesn't play golf. It just seems wrong. I can't remeber a President that hasn't teed it up a ton of times. That has to be the biggest perk of being the President. Is there any chance that I or anybody else reading this would not make it their first order of business to call up Augusta National and make a tee time. You know I am right. Well maybe being in the White House will make one of them take golf a little more serious.

Way to go Ernie!

Ernie Els won the Honda Classic today in what became a pretty decent tournament. I enjoyed watching him get his first win in almost 4 years on American soil. Ernie is trying very hard to make a comeback and put some pressure on Tiger for the #1 spot. Ernie has alot of work to do but at least this points him in the right direction. Ernie was about to get really emotional afterwards and rightly so. He is super talented and deserves this win. I look for him to contend in several majors this year. As we all know confidence is the best club that you can have in your bag.

It is getting warmer here in North Carolina and I will be playing more golf soon. I will try and post about my game more and keep you up to date on where I stand. I will be playing in a few tournaments this year but not as many as I would have hoped. My work schedule will keep me from playing any tournaments during the week. So mostly weekend gigs and a few during the week. I will keep you posted and thanks to all of the people who are visiting this blog. It is alot of fun and interesting to see how many people are visiting. My visitors keep rising every day. Thank you all.

Could Golf Be The Best Therapy!

“Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated; it satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.”
Arnold Palmer


I have been blogging recently on everyday news and info. Today I am not going to bore you with that stuff, instead I will bore you with some personal insights on golf. I believe that golf could be the next Prozac or Zoloft.
I have been in a quandry all winter from personal and economic woes, and this past weekend I got a chance to play a full round in about two months. It sucks looking at your golf clubs all winter and not being able to use those fine instruments that you work hard to purchase. That can be brutally depressing by itself without lifes stresses. I just recently obtained a bunch of free rounds from my work as a "perk" or "benefit" if you will. This is such a great thing for me as it would be for anyone. Golf has gotten so expensive that it is hard to justify the cost. My stress level has been pretty high lately bordering on defcon 4. But no drugs, vacation, quiet time or ulcers for me. Golf my friends, golf, that is all I need. This past weekend was awesome and I played very well considering no rounds in two months. I dont know if any of you can understand where I am coming from when it comes to the peace I get from golf. I know peace when I have a golf club in my hand. There is no better drug than the smell of fresh cut grass, the first tee shot, the first putt for birdie or the chance to play with some old friends or new ones. I may be crazy, but golf will keep me sane. The game of golf is something that I respect and have since I was a kid playing in junior tournaments. As a kid even though I respected the game I also took it for granted sometimes. I am older now and I have learned to enjoy the game in many different ways. Golf is something different to everyone, but for me it is my escape and my time to forget about the stresses that life throws at you. The next time you feel stressed or a little blue pick up a golf club and let it take you away to the places it takes me. You never know where you may end up.

Bracket Update! My Sleeper Came Through!

I didn't get achance to talk about my astonishing pick this past week at the Match Play Championship. Tiger just came out of nowhere and took the title. Gosh it was close there for a while. Ok I will stop blowing sunshine and concede that it was an easy pick. What wasn't an easy pick was Justin Leonard as my sleeper. Justin made it all the way to the weekend and into the semi-finals. He has made huge strides in his game and is playing with a lot of confidence. I will be watching him closely for the rest of the year, a win may be in his future soon.

The Presidents Cup Has New Captains!

Finally!!!! Couples and Norman are set to be announced the new captains for the next Presidents Cup. The next cup will be played in San Francisco on Oct.8-11, 2009. This will probably be the most touted and exciting build up to a Presidents Cup that we have had. I am so excited to have my favorite player Fred Couples to be our captain. I can only hope that he gets a chance to be a Ryder Cup captain also. There is also a lot of talk about Greg Norman as a choice, because of the rift between Tim Finchem and Greg. There has been alot of things between them starting with the World Golf Tour fiasco that Greg wanted to start and Tim then took it and made the World Golf Championships or (Tiger Golf Championships). Greg thinks this was his idea and wasn't consulted at all on the concept. Who knows what all happened,but there is no love lost between the two. I still believe that Greg is a fantastic choice to go up against Freddie. Wow, I can't wait!

Scotty Cameron's New Putters!!

Titleist just released the new Studio Select line. They are milled from stainless steel and have weights in the heel and toe to be more forgiving on off center hits. They will come in 33,34,35 in. lengths and can be fully customized at Scotty's Custom Shop. The one thing that did not change is the price, the Select line will retail for $325 and be available in March. We all know that Scotty makes the best putters and he knows it. That is one reason they are so expensive, the next is that it could one day be a collectors item. I don't own one as of yet, but I am hoping one will be in my bag soon. The price is high, but you get what you pay for!

Bracket Update!

Tiger almost ruined every bracket that was filled out, but he pulled it out in the end. Phil barely squeaked out a win and looks a little shaky. Here is an update on my picks.

Tiger won....Harrington won.....Scott won......Verplank lost.....

My sleeper Leonard won and will now take the place of Verplank which keeps all the brackets alive.
See you tomorrow.

February Madness & Bracketology!

Golf's equivalant of March Madness is upon us starting tomorrow. The World Golf Championships Match Play event matches up the 64 best in the world. I believe match play is the best way to play golf. Stroke play gets a little boring after a while, but match play allows the players to use different methods, skills and mental strategies that stroke play doesn't allow. You know exactly who the opponent is and what you have to do on each shot. No leaderboard watching involved.
Now on to the matchups themselves. I think than in this event anyone can squeak through to play Tiger in the finals, Ha. No really anyone can win in match play and my picks are this.....
Jones.....Tiger Woods
Hogan.....Adam Scott
Player....Scott Verplank
Snead.....Padraig Harrington
Sleaper...Justin Leonard
Finals....Woods vs. Harrington
Winner....Woods

Why not Phil? Putter has left him and thats scary.

I may be wrong, but lets wait and see.

Boring.....Is It April Yet? The Masters Is Coming!

I dont know about anyone else but I haven't gotten into any tournaments this year. I can remember a time when I would sit in front of the t.v. and watch golf all weekend. There just isnt any exciting players out there like the old days. I miss the people I grew up watching and admiring. I miss Fred Couples, Greg Norman, Payne Stewart, and the early 90's in general. I get excited only from the majors and the larger tournaments. I want to see the best play and make it competitive. I want excitement and people that play for the love of the game and not for sponsors and the money. That is one reason I follow the mini-tours and aspiring pros and amateurs. They are playing this game for one reason only and that is to play a game they love and make it to the "show". I write about a few of those guys and gals and I admire them for having the drive and desire that we all want and that the "elite" players seem to have forgotten.
I am counting down the days until April 10 when we all dream of the drive down Magnolia Lane at Augusta National and the first sound of "FORE PLEASE" from the starter on Thursday.
56 days and counting!!!

Garcia Has A Brand New Bag!

Sergio Garcia got a new bag this week from his main sponsor Adidas. It is a good looking bag that has the 3 stripe logo on the side with his name in the colors of his native Spain. Adidas is trying to expand their brand on tour. Adidas purchased Taylor-Made in 1998 and the Taylor-Made logo has been more prevelant than the Adidas logo and they are trying to change it. Adidas unveiled a new Tour van that will travel to tournaments and a new Tour 360 limited shoe will be coming out this week. Look for Adidas to be everywhere soon. Check out the pictures and the links.

adidas Ascend Double Strap Stand Bag - New for 2008!

adidas Tour 360 II (Running White/Graphite/Slime) - New Color!

Tommy "Two Gloves" Has a New Sponsor

He signed a one-year cash sponsorship with AO Smith Water Heaters. Who, What? You see Gainey used to be employed by AO Smith in McBee, SC before he got his "Big Break" on the Golf Channels Big Break IV. This must be a thank you sponsorship from AO Smith, because who is going to buy water heaters from a logo on Tommy's shirt and bag. Maybe I am the fool here, but the last time I bought a water heater it was at Home Depot and was on sale. To this day I cant remember the brand name nor do I care.

Anyway, congrats goes out to Tommy and his success. He is talented and seems to have the drive and passion needed to excel in the professional ranks.

They Said What?

QUOTES OF THE WEEK:

“I smoked it. I thought it went farther than it did.”–
FBR Open champion J.B. Holmes, on his 359-yard tee shot on the first hole of the sudden-death playoff with Phil Mickelson.

“I have no idea what they pay Tiger Woods to come here, but he’s worth every dollar.”–
A Golf Channel announcer, after Tiger Woods sank his winning 25-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the Dubai Desert Classic.

I would have to agree that Tiger is worth every dollar. What he does every tournament is amazing and everyone should have the chance to see him in person once in their life. JohnDaly has been dethroned as the longest hitter on tour. J.B. Holmes crushes it and makes it look effortless. Congrats to both of them.

The Super Bowl Is On!

If anyone wasn't aware the Super Bowl is on. Thought I would remind you just in case. I don't have a pick because I don't care for either team. So I will be watching for the 2.7 million dollar 30 second commercials. I'll give you my favorite tomorrow.

Congrats to Tiger and J.B. on winning in dramatic fashion. Tiger was no shock, but J.B. taking it from Phil in a playoff was impressive.

How rowdy will the 16th at the FBR be today?

It will go down as the craziest, wildest, most controversial and loudest golf hole in history. The 16th hole at the TPC Scottsdale home of the FBR Open is just what golf needs. I will be watching just like millions of others. Where else can you get a standing ovation for a great shot or putt and booed for not getting it close enough. Booing, Booing theres no booing in golf. Yes there is, at least for one week and on one hole. People ask why it is good for the game and I say its something different than the normal golf clap and tip of the hat. Golf needs a shot in the arm every now and then and this is a big shot. The players love it and it allows them to break away from the norm. How awesome would it be to walk into a stadium atmoshpere and have 30,000 people cheering for you? Golfers don't get that like other sports athletes and I think it makes this tournament one that everybody looks forward to every year. I will be watching LIVE@ on the pgatour.com website starting at 12:30. Come on and join me.

Hole-in-One anyone?

A 92 year old from Florida had a hole in one last month. A nice shot of 110 yards with a 5 iron. A modest gentleman that wanted to keep the story from his wife and that used to be a 7 handicap. Oh yea, there is one thing I forgot to tell you.........he is BLIND! Yes, blind. I have been lucky enough to have one and only one. It took forever with two great eyes and odds are against me getting another. I would like to congratulate Leo Fiyalko on his great achievement. Lets all hope we are even able to play at that age.

Way To Go Freddie!

Most of you don't know this but Fred Couples is my all time favorite golfer. I started watching him for as long as I can remember. I guess it was the late 80's. His silky smooth swing captured my attention and has stuck with me sense. I have tried numerous times to copy Fred's swing, but I haven't yet. Oh well. Fred finished T-8 at the Buick in his best finish in two years. His back has been a problem for many years and has kept him from playing the way he is capable. Fred started seeing a doctor in Texas and he has helped a ton. Keep it up Fred and I hope to see you beat the record for the most consecutive cuts at the Masters this year and maybe you wear the green jacket again. This could be the year!

Shark Laugh Strange Wilderness

Thought you might find this funny. I did. I am still laughing. I will be posting about the FBR tomorrow.

History was made...Part II

It is now Monday and Tiger did not disappoint anyone when he tied Arnold for 62 wins. He had a few stumbles along the way, but still conquered. I was on a roll yesterday with my post, but I decided that nobody wanted to read a novel in one day so I am breaking it up into pieces. Golf has been a huge part of my life and I have decided recently that I must pursue a career in golf. Since I am an average scratch golfer I dont have the ability or the funds to play on the professional level. I have decided instead to start a golf publication, club design, and instruction business. It is in its infancy right now, so I have resorted to taking a job that I am not excited about, but it pays the bills and will help fund this exciting venture. I have come to the conclusion that I can't stay an employee very much longer. I am just not built for it. I am wired differently than most people. I cant stand working for someone else. I have been a business owner before and I loved it. It was me and it is what I am good at. I am not sure who is reading this blog but it sure is a great way to vent and talk about things. Sharing it with you is helpful and comforting. All comments are welcomed and any help or donations are greatly needed and appreciated. I look forward to updating everyone on how my venture is coming along.

History in the making? Part 1

I am writing this while watching the Buick Open. I am also watching history again. Tiger is about to tie Arnold Palmer for PGA victories at 62. I know it is early, but with a 10 shot lead I am pretty sure he has it wrapped up. The man is amazing and it is a pleasure to watch him work. I was one of those that did not care for him in his early years. I was jealous. I have to admit it. You see, Tiger and I are the same age. I remember playing in junior tournaments with him. I never had the chance to be in the same group or even play in the next group. I dont remember alot of hoopla or press around him. I just remember people talking about how good he was. I have to say that I didnt get a chance to be around to see him hoist any trophies because I played so early that I was back at home before he even finished. A little scoring humor for those that need a laugh. I still have some jealous tendacies while watching him and a few others that I have followed through the years. I am jealous that I didnt have the work ethic or desire to practice and devote my youth to this game. I have always had that extra "talent" that other amatuers didn't have. Too bad I wasted it. I grew up on a golf course and the driving range was two holes away from my house. Maybe I wasn't able to appreciate how fortunate I was to have that in my backyard. As I have gotten older I understand how expensive this sport is and how lucky I was to have two wonderful parents that could afford a country club membership for me to learn the game that I still love. I dont regret alot of things in life but I do regret not devoting every second of my youth on golf. At my age now I have responsibilities and everyday aspects of life like work and bills. Golf takes a backseat to those things. I am now and will probably always be a lifetime amateur. Every now and then I see glimpses of wonder and perfection in my golf swing, maybe a USGA event will get me between the ropes of a PGA event through an amatuer exemption. But until then I will continue to watch the best that will ever play this game do something we all have had dreams of.
Part 2 coming......

Great job Luke!

I have been following an aspiring pro lately and his name is Luke Swilor. Luke is playing in a few Butch Tour Vegas Tour before the Canadian Tour starts up full time. Luke finished tied for 7th and earned $1000 for his efforts today. Luke got off to a great start with a 68 then shot a 71, but had a bad day today with an 80. Luke is a full time member on the Canadian Tour. Check out his site and blog at lukeswilor.com

Keep your chin up John!

With all the news this week surrounding John Daly I just have to say a few things. I would like to start off saying that I am a huge fan of John and may be a little biased. The news today says that John got turned down by the FBR open for a sponsors exemption. They instead gave it to Jason Day the new "IT" player that nobody wants to follow pass the first tee. If anybody ahs ever had the chance to follow John in a tournament then you would understand why the sponsors want him to play. He has a crowd as large as Tiger everytime he plays. John could be 30 over par and people would still follow. Tournaments make a killing when he shows. The FBR has screwed up big time on this one. This is a huge financial blunder considering all the press John is getting lately. Every tournament director should have John on their list, bottom line. What he does in his spare time is his business. Last weekend was one of the biggest and laid back tournaments of the year. I would have been hanging from every celebrity ceiling fan I could find, get a few winks, stagger to the teebox and knock down a 3 iron stinger up the left side. Do your thing John its who you are and some of us can't get enough of it. Listen to Butch and get that tempo in HARMONy, harmony get it. Butch Harmon...harmony get it. Oh well I thought it was clever.

On a sad note:
Tour caddie Steve Duplantis was killed today when he was struck by a taxi cab while crossing the street in San Diego. Steve was only 35.

Full story here

Good Luck D'Rae

I would like to tell everyone that D'Rae Ward the talented and lovely female professional that I have written about has retired. I checked out her website the other day and she wrote an update on her 08 status. You can check out her site and read the whole story. She has started a web site design company and is working to pay off huge credit card bills that she ran up trying to pursue her professional career. I wish D'Rae the best and I hope she continues playing the game we all love.

Click here for full story

Its been a while!!

I have not quit the game yet. I have been through a pretty rough winter and I just did not have the time or content for this blog. But I am back now. I want to hear form all of you and send me comments on what you want to here about. I am currently working on starting a local golf publication in the north and south carolina area. I am also working on some apparel and club design stuff. I will be posting more often and if anyone wants to contribute to my new business ventures please do. I might have a seperate site up or I may just take donations here. I will keep you all up to speed. Thanks for coming back even though I had nothing to say. I look forward to hearing from you all.