More Travels.. The Hunt Club at London, Ontario

Am in Canada for the Open... Staying with the  B-Man. Always gracious... Went out today to the Hunt Club with Woody and George.. Lost $15 (US?).. Woody's got game..Shot 74.. George will see this and give him hell... nice day..nice course.. Only complaint?.. The Greens need to roll.. rough was a little thick for the upcoming Canadian Am.. tough on us..Drive 'em straight.

.. can you say Oosthuizen?

JAT: Just a thought... Sunday at a major is a different beast.. just ask Dustin Johnson.. a big "Duh" right? So few people have ever found out what they are made of.. going to the really big meeting or event to perform in a manner that is somewhat uncomfortable. But there is a sense that you can't wait to show 'em what you got. So far this guy has played at a level only Paul Casey has been able to keep in his sights.. Should be a great Sunday! I think we may be in for a surprise (I know I said that a few days ago and before that as well). The big O could take off (again) or another guy could shoot 66. The weather will play a part of this and no crystal ball here that really works but I'm amused by the lack of Americans on the Leaderboard (did Poulter know something?) and so forth but Westy (my choice until he finally wins a major) could make it somewhat predictable.. or Casey (who has won a World Match Play Championship) could run another seemingly unflappable South African down. PS-But Ooos hung tough. Very Tough. Congrats!

Buster takes off this week for the Canadian Open.. shoot me a note if you'll be there. Guest of the very cool guys at CFF Stainless Steel. Looking forward to seeing the big B. Have sticks will travel!

St Andrews... Looking forward.. to what?

@SFBAYGOLF Kerr & Creamer unless Tigre wins this week RT @johnraser In your opinion, what's the most exciting story in golf right now?

@PlayersTowel St Andrews: Woods Appears to Be Confident but Is Searching for Consistency http://is.gd/drZTa

I so look forward to the Open.. have, it seems, all my life... but my golf story is two Americans on top of the LPGA after a lot of years of asking the question: where are the Americans? I'm not a nationalist, but I root for the home team and sure find Paula and Cristie a bit more accessible than an interpreter.. Paula and Cristie are the biggest story in Golf unless Tiger makes a run.. Agreed. But, can I pick Westwood again?  ...beware of the wounded golfer and the "experts" have picked the top players in the world. how about Darren Clarke? Who's your pick?

Saw the story about Tiger dumping his Cameron for a  Nike Method Putter... will it matter to anything but his bank account? There is the logical answer about it being heavier and Tiger thinking that will help him on the slower greens of St. Andrews. And KJ Choi borrows a page from the handbook of one Randy Haag... Look him up at Amatuergolf.com.

I've finished watching the miserable job the Golf Channel has done to preview the Open and the much better job that ESPN has done...It's time to get this show on the road and let the players do the talking. My hope is that someone someday puts someone with an ounce of intelligence in charge of the Golf Channel someday. It is truly an embarrassment most of the time.

"This place is a beast and a half" CK... The Ladies will play their Open this week

"This place is a beast and a half".. was a tweet from Christina Kim and I've heard they will play Oakmont at just under 6600 and par 71...have heard a lot of buzz on this one... and that the US Women's Open is finally on a grown-up golf course... so let's get it straight... nothing compares to Oakmont. I say that having never played it but one of my regular companions on course has and as a close to scratch player, did not break 90... He doesn't necessarily travel well but it's a very tough course and he has tour length on his side.. I for one will be very interested to see who is number one in the world of Ladies golf after this week... I'm picking Kerr...

..a few Tweets:  

@Kstupples Played the front 9 at oakmont today. I have to hand it to Johnny Miller a 63 round this course has to be the best ever

@Kstupples pebble has nothing on this place. Pebble is like a walk in the park, this is like climbing Mount Everest!!!

@TheChristinaKim: For the record. I have never in all my life seen a golf course like Oakmont. This place is a beast and a half

..will add to this one... it's Monday night.. 

Oakmont could lay claim as the most-challenging venue used for USGA competitions. At the 2003 U.S. Amateur, only one golfer out of the 312 starters for stroke-play qualifying managed to break par (70), while the stroke average was 79.014. Then again, Johnny Miller carded a final-round 63 to win the 1973 U.S. Open, which is considered by many to be one of the best 18-hole rounds in major-championship history.

Course Preview (USGA Site).

Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng, Anna Nordqvist go off the 1st tee at 1:14pm Tee Times

Angel Cabrera shot 5 over par to win the ’07 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

Link to a mostly (gotta be) excellent article in the New York Times about Cristie and delayed Motherhood.. and being the first American woman golfer to hold the number one ranking since??? bet you didn't know!

@KayCockerill  Mike Davis is setting up course similar to men's open in 07. Green speed is 13.5-14 on stimp and hole loc will be almost identical.  

Hmmm...prediction for the week: Winning score will be +4 and cut will be +12. Even par will be a terrific score any single day.

Can't wait for Women's Open to start tomorrow at Oakmont. I'm really curious as to how the women will play the course. Greens r outrageous!

@Golf_Tweets  Oakmont Is Cage Fighting in Fashionable Clothing Link to Armchair Golf Blog #Golf#Blog

40 Players in the Field are using a PlayersTowel. Buster Loves these Towels. Lightweight, Microfiber Waffle design that holds moisture really well.

"If the USGA wants to embarrass us, it's possible.", Natalie Gulbus in USA Today.

"I never came close to breaking par," Gulbis says. "On the first hole, you have to land the ball 15 feet short of the green, and it still might roll over the green. We've never played a course where you have to think about putting the ball off the green. You might have to think about that five or six times a round.

NYT Article: Question on Lips at Open: How Far Over Par?

NYT After Day One:  An Amateur Tames a Tricky Open Course

@ZachJohnsonPGA I'm picking Cristie Kerr to win Womens Open at Oakmont. Best of luck to all participants.  Thursday 6:48pm PDT

@ronsirak 46 players didn't break 80 in Womens Open at Oakmont. Under 10-stroke rule huge number cud play weekend. 146 players within 10 after rd 1.

What's Next? Open Champs? Tiger's $700 Million Divorce? the PGA?

About this time of year the forums start buzzin' with what will be introduced in the fall by the oems's and thoughts turn to the Open Championship and perhaps the PGA... but I'm thinking Ryder cup and all the gossip... Monty snubs Faldo and Pavin snubs Zinger? or Not? Sorta reminds me of the grave dancing in Corporate America when  a new boss comes in and has about 4-6 months where he or she will blame their predecessor for all their problems.. or do they?.. seems if they know what to do they'd just do it... haven't read Azinger's book... be interested to hear what anyone thinks about it...Oh..and lost in the hoopla at the French Lick Resort in Indiana (Larry Bird's hometown) and the 43rd PGA Professional National Championship, University of Illinois men’s head golf coach Mike Small hoisted the coveted Walter Hagen Cup last night for the third time – and the second time in as many years. Article on PGA.com.

So what are you looking forward to?