My Bag today

10.5° Octane tour Blur Prototype
17° Octane Redboard 73s
20/23° mx-700 YS-q hybrid 
5-AW RAZR tour vs-proto 85 stiff
54/59° CG-15 nippon 950 
2 Ball Mid/Belly
ProV1
Playerstowel

Kraft Nabisco.. and why the LPGA is good to watch for most of us..

In a word: Tempo. Love to see the hard and super fast greens at Mission Hills. Played the course once in 110 degree heat. Fattened my wallet with a few Benjamins that afternoon. Had to resuscitate one of our foursome with Coors as I recall. THE cure for heatstroke!

I have played some Championship golf on fast and firm courses and know what all the girls are dealing with this week.. hard to hold the greens even with short irons. When I played the Bridgestone RX I could never get enough spin on the ball to stop it with anything longer than a 9i. After a nice afternoon on Black Horse I swapped balls.. back to the ProV1. It putts better and is close enough in distance off the tee (a big thing for me) but I can stop a 6i on a green that would not be possible with a lower spin ball.. so what's the point? Championship conditions requires some adjustments.. most of our shots out there require an ability to control the ball from inside 130 yards.. Driving is critical as well.. you cannot play good golf if you can't drive the ball decently. But on a fast and hard course I can hit the ball lower off the tee and run drives out past 260 and my scores become a function of an ability to launch and spin the ball with my 100 mph driver swing speed inside 160..The Prov1 is a very versatile ball. It works for me and it works for the average tour player swinging at 112. I can hit that butter cut with it into greens and now with my new high launching irons I can take all the heat the summer will bring. But I need that Tempo .. that's the point. There is very little difference between my game and the typical LPGA tour player. My distances are very close to the ladies. I hit one more club than the longer hitters and am right their with the rank and file...   


It really helps me to watch the ladies. Have proven that with performance. Would love to hear what you do to improve your game away from the course and range. Sandra Gal really got my attention last week. Her tempo is superb. A female Ernie Ells.

I have been annoyed at the lack of HD coverage on the Golf Channel of women's golf. They say it's in HD but we know better. So this week I am happy to be improving by watching the ladies at the Dinah Shore. Really enjoying the tournament and I think there is a message for the LPGA here.. Better courses, set up tough. It's good for the game! The first Major of the year is here. I'm ready.. We punched the greens at the club yesterday...

The view from behind the first green at Salinas Golf and Country Club.

WRX and Callaway get my vote for Great Customer Service

I hang out on golf forums. Longtime BSG guy from the early days and now a contributor when I think I have some relevant experience on WRX. Have played the game as well as a 2 and started someplace at well over 100 for 18 holes. Learned to play the game from a wonderful former LPGA pro and have appreciated the lessons in life that the game has taught me.. Have been given equipment to use by Taylormade and Callaway but have spent most of my "serious" playing days with Mizuno clubs in my bag along with  a Titleist or Taylormade driver. So I got a PM from the owners of WRX and they had a "deal" for me.. send specs and get clubs.. Hope you'll like them and say nice things. I did ...and got a fresh box of Callaway RAZR tour irons in a week and a half and after a very pleasant phone call with their customer service folks had a gap wedge to match a week later.

I love to look at Equipment Pictures and find some of the guys who shoot the pro tourneys at WRX to really do a great job . The latest from the Transitions Championships.

I have a bit of a collection on Photobucket. Some nice stuff over the years.  

What prompted the post was a simple transaction between Callaway Golf and myself and the awareness that everything sorta comes full-circle. I learned to play with x-12 Callaway irons and now am back using graphite shafted Game Improvement irons from the company that first helped light the fire within me.. Along the way there have been some triumphs and lots of fun. Some profound frustration too. Many years ago I got paired up with a couple of guys who told me they felt blessed to love golf as much as they do... Feel the same way.

It's that time of year.. can smell the Master's. No greater spectacular in sport for my money. Absolutely heaven on earth. Enjoy the walk. I don't really care what Tiger does. 

  

Octane Tour Driver 10.5  Proto Blur

Burner 18 Redboard

20 mx-700 hybrid YS-Q

4-P RAZR tour vs-proto 85

52/58 CG-15 nippon 950

2ball white ice blade

proV1

...and a bag full of callaway!

In My Bag. 12/26/10

10.5 Octane tour Blur 44 3/4"
18 Burner Redboard 73
20 mx-700 mizuno hybrid YS-q
4-Pw J38 Pocket Cavs (bridgestone) i80 Steelfibers
52/58 Cleveland CG15 (52-2 dot, 58-3 dot) Nippon 950s
Rife Barbados (black) SuperStroke lite

No. 5. 188 yard par 3...

a picture is worth..a lot. hit it close.

A Ryder Cup fan. An American cheering for Monty's Boys...

@GaryVanSickle Monty got Seve on phone for team meeting last night. In the passion department, Europe takes early 1-up lead.

@JasonSobel  Stats show Miguel Angel Jimenez has been tweeted about less than any other player this week. Do you all hate wine, stogies and ponytails?

@TheChristinaKim  Oh my sweet Jesus. I just saw a glimpse of TW on the Golf Channel. WTF is Corey thinking with that rain suit?! Beyooooond tacky. Shameful!!!

@GaryVanSickle  Ryder Cup redux: Monty says there's no I in team. US asst captains have their names in big letters on jacket backs. Wouldn't "USA" suffice?

@ogilviej  Assume they are saving good looking US uniforms for game day at Ryder Cup, thus far I wouldn't rake leaves in first few costumes.

..and .. are you listening to me?  ... twitter is the medium... and Pavin has done every fan in golf a huge disservice by "banning" tweeting by Cink and others on the team who are prolific (Bubba and Fowler especially) .. am I rootin' for Paddy and Westy?... maybe... even Pavin's missteps likely won't swing me but this guy is missing a lot of the points of the Ryder Cup.. It's not war.  His wife Lisa has acted arrogant and the whole thing stinks... lets get to the playin'. I've seen Pavin caddy for his former college roommate in Q-School and I know he is a great champion... but so far as a Ryder Cup Captain ? Thumbs Down.

Pavin and Gray and Tiger and Phil...The Ryder Cup Circus

So is Tiger gonna play in the Ryder Cup? Has Corey sat with him.. Is Jim Gray telling the truth? ..Listen here folks and let's be fair, I ran big organizations in my career.. thousands of people...never would a few days go by without me at least talking with 20-25 of my top people. They would include the 10 or so Presidents/VPs  that reported to me, but also top sales and service people as well as Sales Engineers and generally the brightest stars in our universe.. Don't know if Corey was caught without an answer here but did he really think he was not going to be asked about the number one and two players in the world.. He's not doing his job very well IMO... from the little mistakes on Twitter and now with Jim Gray.. There is something about a lot of these guys I don't like. They are great competitors and guess they don't need good organizational skills or something but this is another mess. It will be forgotten quickly if the US wins the Cup, but the likelihood of this beginning is a lot of young players (Kuchar and Overton come to mind quickly) and going to be looking for leadership..not only from Phil and Tiger but from Corey as well.. He needs to step up his game. Monty would pick Tiger.. So there. Get real. He plays.. even with a broken leg.

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.