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Golf, Hotels and Non-Stop Las Vegas Action
2009-10-28 19:14:00
When I first visited Las Vegas in 1994, it was to see if the lights and attractions on the Strip would in any way blind me like a deer in headlights. At that time I did not play golf so the visit was purely for the "glamor" experience: to check out the myriad of marquees, dress for dinner, see top entertainers perform, visit the sites and to try my luck at the variety of casinos. The question was, how does the City of Lights, which is an approximate six hour connecting flight from my house compare with Atlantic City, only two-and-a-half hours from New York? Is Las Vegas worth a return trip? There are so many new mammoth-sized hotspots in Las Vegas filled with undeniably dramatic touches that it boggles the mind! In recent years travel from casino to casino got much easier with the creation of a new monorail system than when I initially rented the hottest Ford Mustang I could find those fifteen years ago. In Atlantic City, you can easily walk the boardwalk in an hour or so (depen...
More About: Action , Golf , Hotels , Stop

Extreme Golf Experiences Around the World
2009-10-13 23:52:00
As the PGA Tour season comes to a close and enters "silly season", it is up to amateur golfers to decide whether or not to stash their golf clubs in a corner of the garage or to embark upon an extreme experience to an exotic locale. The serious player never wants the season to end! From "ice golf" in Greenland to playing "sand" golf in Dubai, experiences that challenge the senses as well as your ability are worthy of the trek, and the "fun factor" of being on unfamiliar territory will surely be a memorable experience. Grab a flourescent ball for this golf course:  Although temperatures rarely climb above -13 degrees celsius and with a wind chill factor that sometimes makes it feel as if it is -50 degrees in the sun, (did I just say negative 50?) Uummannqaq, located north of the Arctic Circle, is home to the World Ice Golf Championships held in March.. I wonder if there is a large crowd on hand to watch the final round? The west side of the island is also home to Santa Claus,...
More About: Extreme , Around the world , Experiences

Myrtle Beach deserves a mulligan!
2009-09-16 21:05:00
What makes a golf course destination like Myrtle Beach worthy of a mulligan?Some may say it is the beauty of the natural surroundings, others conjecture that the challenge is the most important factor when deciding whether or not to revisit a course during a vacation.One of the most meaningful factors to consider as to whether or not to return to a facility or club would be the fun I had during my round. Although the saying of allowing a "smile be my umbrella" is easier said than done on the golf course, it also helps when the destination offers a plethora of experiences to take the mind off of the more than occasional ugly shot.Let's face facts; although I am a competitive golfer, I'm certainly no Annika Sorenstam. I play within myself and have had my share of rounds in the 80's but, for the most part, I too am a weekend duffer, relegated to twilight rounds and whenever time allows.It is for this reason that, when I decide to plan a short, weekend bounce, I head over to Myrtle B...
More About: Tidewater , Myrtle Beach

Will Tiger Woods let the FedEx Cup slip through his fingers?
2009-09-05 23:35:00
Click here to listen.Despite the fact that Tiger Woods missed his final putt at the 18th hole of the Barclays, he still made watching the event a nail-biting experience. Instead of fans cheering Woods to victory, however, this time his legion of die-hard followers were holding their breath as easy two-footers became part of his dilemma."Man," Woods said, "to miss as many putts as I did this week, to still have a chance on the last green with a putt, it goes to show you how good I am at hitting it."Yes, Tiger is one of the greatest ball strikers of all time but it cost him just as much on the scorecard to slice one into the woods as to miss short putts. As Ian O'Connor mentioned, Woods' putter was "completely overmatched".Could it be that Tiger has lost his moxie, is becoming less concerned about his game thus practicing his putting a bit less and is allowing his family to consume more of his time? Placing less importance on his game but savoring the important things in life could ...
More About: Fingers , Slip

Can Michelle Wie win without team support?
2009-08-31 15:26:00
Click here to listen.Michelle Wie really wanted all of the "judges" who convinced themselves that she isn't all that great a golfer to see her in all of her glory at the Solheim Cup, and with three and a half out of a possible four points to her credit. She really shut down the naysayers!Is the "confidence boost" that Michelle Wie used to define her week in biennial match play against Team Europe at the Solheim Cup enough to change her psyche from just another player to winner? Can she finally become the female golfer that the LPGA Tour will look towards in order to boost their own ratings?As one of the most expressive cheerleaders of Team USA, Wie proved that she has a voice and is a solid team player to boot! This may also be the defining moment in Wie's career as well; the moment that fans will remember long after her first win, placing Michelle on the road to greatness.Then again, maybe not..."I think I played with as much passion as I could. I think I played with as much desi...
More About: Support

Will Tiger Woods be too old to take Olympic gold? Also Harrington on Woods
2009-08-25 17:51:00
Click here to listen.A word within almost every sports column in the United States is that Tiger Woods 'choked' and gave up a 54-hole lead at the PGA Championship to the golfer who stood in 110th position before the Sunday start, Y.E. Yang. Did Tiger choke or only prove that he is human after all?'Choke' is a strong word to associate with Tiger Woods and it is not supposed to happen to the one golfer that everyone believed to be made of steel, an alien from another planet to many fans. Some may say that he brought his "B" or "C" game to the final round of the fourth major and others may claim that Woods now has chinks in his armor but rimmed putts are hardly the stuff of failure. A second place finish yesterday makes it difficult to say that Tiger allowed "a hungrier, more focused, more composed golfer kick the stuffing out of him" as written by Jay Mariotti. Let us reserve that visualization for Padraig Harrington whose quintuple bogey forced him to drop his head once again and...
More About: Gold , Olympic

La Manga Club: Golf and Travel in Sunny Spain
2009-08-18 20:35:00
"I have seen dawn and sunset on moors and windy hills Coming in solemn beauty like slow old tunes of Spain ." Excerpt from "Beauty", a poem by John Edward Masefield, English poet laureateFollowing in the same vein as my recent interest in playing golf at the Ailsa Course at Turnberry, I have also decided to select several other destinations that I am going to make a strong effort to visit over the next several years. Although I can only cross my fingers and hope that this happens, I consider this a "wish list" of sorts.Sometimes when you wish hard enough, your wish can come true!I love the sun, beach and golf, so I always make sure to include that "trifecta" when planning a holiday. The Murcia region of Spain happens to offer the most hours of daylight of any continent and so I am considering a visit to La Manga , Europe's most famous golf resort.The Mediterranean climate boasts sunshine more than 300 days per year! Couple that with 1,400 acres of top-notch facilities, and I cannot b...
More About: Travel , Golf , Club

Tiger Woods tips on hitting the mud ball, Solheim Team wild about Wie, 18 h
2009-08-17 18:54:00
Click here to listen.Does Tiger Woods ' victory at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational portend another major failure this week at the PGA Championship?Although Woods put on a clinic this week, he may just as easily fail in his bid to win a single major tournament this season. Reuters mentioned that Tiger "sent out an ominous warning to his rivals" for the upcoming major event, but, as we have seen from Tiger this year, he has not been able to close the deal on one major title this season.Perhaps Tiger should be content realizing that there are plenty of PGA Tour events left to play this season concentrating his efforts instead on tying, or beating Jack Nicklaus' record. Knowing that just the sight of Woods creeping up the leaderboard or tied for the lead causes the best golfers in the world to fall by the wayside (most recently, Padraig Harrington's disastrous flub at the 16th) should be enough glory in itself.Even if Tiger fails to win a single major tournament this season, fans sho...
More About: Michelle Wie , Tips , Wild , Team

Michelle Wie takes rightful place on Solheim Cup team. Also, How many Buick
2009-08-10 18:41:00
Click here to listen.Michelle Wie has overcome yet another obstacle on the yellow-brick-road to greatness with her selection onto the Solheim Cup team. The question is, will she assist her fellow teammates or will heatstroke prevail, forcing Beth Daniel to place her on the sidelines?Wie has been given exemptions and handouts by the powers-that-be for so long that many people are wondering whether or not she deserves this honor and if she will make the most of it come "crunch time".The choice of using Michelle Wie happens to be the right one for a number of reasons. The most obvious reason is that the ladies on either Solheim Cup team will become better known and their popularity within their sphere will rise.Michelle Wie also deserves to be selected this time. In spite of the fact that this is her first year on the LPGA Tour, Wie has risen to thirteenth position on the points list due to an eleventh place finish at the Women's British Open. Although Wie has not won an event yet as ...
More About: Buick , Team , Place

Michelle Wie climbs to mediocrity, Tiger Woods says 'keep it down', and wor
2009-07-31 15:06:00
Click here to listen.Michelle Wie is being "considered" as a possible U.S. Solheim Cup golfer but is it in the team's best interest to have her on their side?After a disappointing bid to gain points at the Evian Masters where she could only muster a tie for 23rd place, Wie appears to be slipping into LPGA mediocrity. It is true that Michelle currently has a decent rookie year under her belt with five top-ten finishes in twelve starts, but she isn't a steady player. Wie is also behind in the total number of points needed for a top contender as this is her first official year on the Tour. Since Michelle Wie did not play in the U.S. Women 's Open, she missed the opportunity to gain double points but since the British Open is at hand, Michelle has another opportunity to catch up to the tenth position held by Natalie Gulbis.Beth Daniel will have to wait until she sees Wie's performance at the British Open in order to determine whether to make Michelle the Captain's pick although Wie...
More About: Tiger Woods , Tiger , Woods

Did Tom Watson do enough to win the British Open and Camilo Villegas' backh
2009-07-27 23:12:00
Click here to listen.When asked about Tom Watson 's chances of raising the Claret Jug at the 2009 British Open , Jack Nicklaus replied, "It is going to take constant concentration and discipline." The Golden Bear asserted, "whether or not Tom plays well tomorrow, whether or not he wins, it doesn't make a difference."After watching Watson's head held high in spite of the occasional tear being wiped away by the fifty-nine year old legend, one can truly say that Nicklaus could not be further from the truth.With an invitation to play St. Andrews in 2010, Tom will be sixty. This was his swan song. Who knows what will happen tomorrow? Will Watson will be in the same condition and if so, will he even want to play in another Open? Tom mentioned that he isn't anxious to play in another Masters because he doesn't want to be the "memorial" player in the field, applauded by the crowd as the old guy on the tee. Can you blame him?Although in five events on the Champions Tour, Watson has made e...
More About: British Open

Ailsa Golf Course at Turnberry Resort, a British Open legend
2009-07-21 17:55:00
The 2009 British Open is now in the books and golfers are looking forward to the PGA Championship, which is hurried along in order to make more room in the schedule to accomodate the $10 million Fed Ex Cup. The season is going by way too fast for this lover of the sport! I cannot watch four days of phenomenal golf without ever dreaming about what it would be like to visit Turnberry Resort , and play golf on the revered Ailsa Course (pronounced "ale-sa") where Tom Watson nearly made history for the sixth time in his career! I'm sure though, that my score would not reflect my true potential! Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson's 1977 "Duel in the Sun" brought Ailsa to public view as a golfing destination but it has been the stuff of legends way before that! Read Robert Burns' poem, Tam O'Shanter, and you will begin to immerse yourself in the folklore that surrounded Scotland as early as 1790.The wind blew as 'twad blawn its last;The rattling showers rose on the blast;The speedy gleams th...
More About: Golf

LPGA joins the Navy, Bivens walks the plank.
2009-07-20 18:14:00
Click here to listen.After LPGA golfers signed a petition rallying for the resignation of Carolyn Bivens with a show of "no confidence", the Tour is now searching for a permanent replacement.Lorena Ochoa, Paula Creamer, Natalie Gulbis and Morgan Pressel were among fifteen golfers concerned about issues facing the LPGA including a loss of seven events since 2007. The latest bailout of the Kapalua Classic was probably the nail in the coffin for Bivens. Morgan Pressel was the winner of the inaugural event and she happens to be the Tour Pro there as well. What a blow for Carolyn Bivens, the first female commissioner in the LPGA's 55-year history!Early in her career with the Tour, Bivens can be credited with establishing guidelines for the protection of players' rights and enhancing the image of the LPGA as young and vital. Remember how viewers USED to see the LPGA?Retired Navy Rear Admiral Marsha Evans has been appointed as the interim commander of the LPGA. With experience serving as...
More About: Walks , Phil Mickelson

Optimize your Golf Website Now!
2009-07-15 00:04:00
In addition to producing a weekly golf podcast and writing about golf, I represent National Positions, the leader in Search Engine Optimization or SEO. I would like to tell you about our company, which has just been recognized and endorsed as an Authorized GOOGLE Consultant for Website Optimization.Here is the "secret sauce" to National Positions' success. Contact me for a free analysis of your website:My email address is: ssolomon@nationalpositions.comWe assist both small and large companies gain a stronger internet presence and bring your website over to the left side or "free listings" of Google , MSN and Yahoo, dramatically increasing your website's traffic and drastically reducing your pay-per-click budget.SEO or Search Engine Optimization, means building a website so that it will be discovered by search engines. It also means designing each page in such a way that the site's content will be thoroughly mapped and indexed to keywords that potential customers employ when seekin...
More About: Golf

Could Tiger Woods' win at ATT foretell problems at the British Open?
2009-07-13 22:17:00
Click here to listen.Tiger Woods has made it a habit to win two weeks before a major tournament this season. He won Palmer's, Nicklaus' and his own event in this fashion and, because of this, fans are waiting to see if this streak will cause him to falter during the third major of the year.Is it possible that Tiger Woods could fall prey to the "middle of the pack" at the British Open ?Prior to the 2009 Masters, Angel Cabrera's best finish this year was a tie for thirteenth at the Northern Trust Open. He was cut from the Arnold Palmer Invitational where Tiger Woods solidly annihilated the competition. Cabrera's stats are also not that impressive: he currently ranks 187th in driving accuracy and only 140th in greens-in-regulation. It is only because of his major win that Cabrera now ranks twentieth in money leaders on the PGA Tour.Golf afficionados can now say that they have heard of Lucas Glover but, prior to a strong 2009 season and a win at the U.S. Open, Glover had only two to...
More About: Problems

Tiger loses twice in NY, the LPGA needs Woods versus Wie and handy golf rul
2009-07-05 20:13:00
Click here to listen.Tiger Woods was defeated at Bethpage Black not once but twice in one month! The first loss came at the 2009 U.S. Open where Woods' putter let him down. Lucas Glover, a relative "apprentice" on the PGA Tour, defeated the top brass there and Tiger probably needed to convince himself that it was the man, not the course, that kicked his butt.Seeking out a "rematch" of sorts, Woods took on SNL comedian Jimmy Fallon where it seemed certain that Tiger would triumph and gain bragging rights on the 'Black'. But this match did not 'officially' take place on the golf course. Instead, it was through the new Tiger Woods PGA Tour 10 that the number-one golfer in the world attempted to 'raise' the coveted trophy.In a meeting arranged by EA Sports, Woods and Jimmy Fallon teed off in Times Square, Tiger wearing his Sunday red shirt, black pants ensemble and Fallon sporting typical publinks trademark of jeans and polo shirt.Unfortunately the game was cut short. Woods did s...
More About: Michelle Wie , Golf , Versus , Handy

Can Michelle Wie and Natalie Gulbis find happiness outside the ropes of the
2009-06-30 15:42:00
Click here to listen.After watching the struggles of both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson (among the other great golfers) at the 109th US Open, it can be said that this was the year of the initiate, not the veteran. Lucas Glover, who had only won once in his career on the PGA Tour astounded and amazed the crowd with his steely gaze, focus and lack of emotion while both Woods and Mickelson fell short of the basic skills needed to get the job done.One can almost compare Glover to the lovely Natalie Gulbis who has also had a single victory but who, along with Michelle Wie , failed to qualify for this year's U.S. Women's Open and may be watching from the sidelines. Will either be offering Twitter commentary? Not likely!What separates golfers who qualify from those who don't?When John Daly missed qualifying for the U.S. Open, he remarked that his feet were tired and the greens over in Europe were much slower than those in the States adding, "talk about not even sniffing a putt!" Solid ...
More About: Happiness , Find

Woods, Mickelson pairing at U.S. Open? Kodak golf shots worth $1 million, c
2009-06-18 18:10:00
Click here to listen.What do Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington and Angel Cabrera all have in common? Aside from major victories in 2008, all three will be grouped together during the first two rounds of the 109th U.S. Open .This was a smart pairing by tournament officials as each has a story to tell.Tiger Woods is not only the defending champion (holding off Rocco Mediate and a bum knee) but also held on to victory (and a score of par) in 2002 at Bethpage with Phil Mickelson on his tail. With fourteen majors under his belt, a fresh win at the Memorial and a great family behind him "I couldn?t be happier than where I am right now", Woods is ready to tackle Jack Nicklaus' record."It's five to pass him, four to tie him," Woods said. "I'm healthy enough where I think I can give it a go."Harrington is one of the odds favorites this year (+2500 for a payout potential of US$2500 on every US$100 bet at SBG Global.) Paddy should be as he has won the past two British Open Championships as wel...
More About: Golf , Kodak , Shots , Worth

John Daly interview. Also, an environmentally friendly mosquito repellent t
2009-06-07 17:26:00
Click here to listen.John Daly says that he is finally done with the "drama" in his life, has signed an endorsement deal with both an energy drink company and Loudmouth Clothes and is returning to the PGA Tour at the St. Jude Championship next week courtesy of a sponsor's exemption. He will also attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open. Another major win? Daly maintains that his confidence, his fighting spirit and his "feel for the game" will direct him in a positive direction.Daly has played solidly in Europe, honing his skills with the assistance of golf instructor Rick Smith and believes he is "ready to play" on the PGA Tour. After the BMW Championship, JD mentioned to the Associated Press, "I'm not going to be (half-trying) like I've done in the past. I know I may not play the tour if something good doesn't happen. It's making me work harder."John enjoys connecting with his fans on a regular basis through social marketing websites, Facebook and Twitter, tweeting to keep them up...
More About: Interview , Friendly , John Daly , Mosquito

Would trash talking tweets help Michelle Wie's performance? Also the cheape
2009-06-02 16:10:00
Click here to listen.The public usually sees LPGA and PGA Tour golfers as an illustrious and highly regarded group, quotable and predictable in their demeanor. You rarely hear about an offensive or derogatory slur and, if you do, it is quietly handled by the powers-that-be (unless John Daly is involved and then it becomes fodder).Michelle Wie, for example, is becoming one of the more quotable golfers on the LPGA Tour. She is highly visible to the media and her public image is full of aplomb. Her most recent stylized excerpt?"You know, like I always say, dream high and stuff, set your goals up high, and I think it's definitely - I'm not saying it's an easy goal to achieve" ...Stanford?That's all well and good but how would Michelle Wie, and the LPGA Tour in general, handle a dose of "trash talk" amongst each other? Does any of that occur on or off the course and would it make the LPGA more interesting?Charles Barkley, during a recent media conference stated, "The best part of spo...
More About: Performance , Talking , Trash

Do the Caddyshack and the hole-in-one and don't let your macho get in the w
2009-05-27 20:49:00
Click here to listen.With the excitement surrounding "the new and improved" John Daly's return to the PGA Tour and the buzz encircling 2008 Rolex Rookie of the Year Yani Tseng's win at the Corning Classic with an upcoming second major try at the McDonalds LPGA Championship, golfers are getting out onto the course in droves attempting to mimic the shots of the professionals.More often than not, amateurs are stepping to the back tees and seeing more of the golf course than need be, and this usually refers to the men! Does this sound like you, Mr. Macho? Whereas women, in my opinion, are inclined to play a game of accuracy, men have a tendency to ignore course and slope ratings in favor of the thrill of "tipping it out" with a similar level of ability as from a more forward position.But, is it such a terrible affair to try your luck from the tips, not worrying so much about which teebox suits your skill level or will it help improve your game in the long run?If your tee shots are sho...
More About: Hole , The Hole

Michelle Wie, Mickelson flip-flops. Also identifying poisonous hazards and
2009-05-22 19:11:00
Click here to listen.Another Sunday another myriad of mishaps, this time at the Sybase Classic. Just chalk it up to more experience for Michelle Wie . With the press and fans clamoring for a win, all MW can do at this point is to offer up hope that, one day, things will be different, that one day she will break through barriers and the world will rejoice."I'm trying my hardest out there. Most importantly, I'm having fun," claimed Wie, knowing that she once again had to defend her fragile ego as computer keyboards eagerly clicked out another story similar to the last.At Golf.com, waiting for Wie to "just do it", writer Michael Walker Jr. was forced to wax creative, coming up with a comparison between Wie and pre-Masters winner Phil Mickelson. Where a correlation can be made between any two likely suspects, Walker mentions that both golfers are "massively talented, adored by fans while generating mixed feelings among fellow pros (and) capable of an amazing, tell-your-friends-about-...
More About: Flip , Flip-flops

Will PGA Tour booze throw Daly off the wagon? Also, Haney grip tip and Harm
2009-05-12 15:34:00
Click here to listen.PGA Tour title sponsor negotiations are in high gear as a number of agreements will expire in 2010. With a current bailout of six mainstays and a weakened economy looming, options are dwindling despite the aggressive efforts of Tim Finchem.Crowne Plaza is the most recent sponsor to jump ship two years before its scheduled exit date and takes along with it seven million dollars in endorsement and media commitments. FBR and Ginn are two additional casualties leaving Tim Finchem to bemoan, "We've obviously had, and are having, some bumps in the road." Temporary declines in attendance also hurt the tour and were to some degree caused by the 2008 absence of Tiger Woods but, since his return, that ship has righted itself.There are also corporations eager to extend the life of their sponsorship deals as well as new deals on the horizon, forcing Commissioner Finchem to think outside the box when considering any and all offers.New ideas to help soften a hard-hit Tour? I...
More About: Booze , Grip , Throw

Tiger Woods makes TIME hero list. Maybe comic superhero next? Target golf:
2009-05-08 15:17:00
Click here to listen.?It's difficult to think of you as a loser, but hey, you're a loser." sniggled David Feherty, as he interviewed Tiger Woods after a mediocre performance at Quail Hollow.You can lose but that certainly doesn't make you a loser...Of course the above was said jokingly as Woods could never never be a loser. Aside from his recent victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger has a total of sixty-six career PGA Tour wins under his belt with some events (like the Buick Invitational) being won six times by Woods!But did pre-surgery Tiger have better survival instincts? Before the ailments, with a bum knee, Tiger limped to victory at the U.S. Open. The 2009 version, as mentioned on Backspin, has had issues "closing all year." Usually in the hunt with golfers sweating on the back nine, Tiger has been four-over on the last three holes of events he has played in this season. Maybe having kids has made Woods a bit soft?But Tiger golf is in no way related to the rest o...
More About: Comic , Golf , Time , List

Tiger Woods and Obama go on tour. Sony shaken after dumping Wie, the Gyrosc
2009-04-27 00:01:00
Click here to listen.Soon after Tiger Woods sat in on a news conference to promote his third year as host of the AT&T National at Congressional Country Club, he shuttled off to the White House to take a tour hosted by President Barack Obama .Light witticisms were bandied about at Congressional with Tiger answering questions about his knowledge of the Swedish language which all boiled down to sayings every man should know like, "clean the house" and "wash dishes": every man that is, except for the billion-dollar variety like Woods!But what could the President want to know from Tiger Woods? Aside from the obvious golf tips, we wonder what information could have been exchanged during their meeting in the Oval Office. Here are some of our thoughts.1. Advice on the best golf simulator for the White House basement.2. Perhaps they were negotiating deals for design and construction of new, upper eschelon golf communitites in Cuba, Venezuela and Iran as gifts to his new "well-wishers".3....
More About: Sony , Tour

Do you have to be great to get the Big Break? The big snub from the Big Wie
2009-04-21 19:24:00
Click here to listen.For the average golfer who dreams of one day getting a big break and playing on tour, consider the "fantasy tour" instead unless you come equipped with a low handicap, solid-looking swing and a glowing camera presence.The golfers from season-one of the Big Break (2003) were chosen by open audition with the main prerequisities being "scratch" handicap and demonstrative proficiency with various types of shots. Personality, of course, also had to be "engaging" to the viewer as Jay Kossoff, Senior Producer of the Golf Channel, once said, "positively or negatively".Eleven seasons later, the Big Break: Prince Edward Island premieres with a similar premise but, according to the Golf Channel Big Break forum, BB Moose states that now you have to be "very good, be yourself and be able to execute at an audition". Add to the mix a great look and the group of possible auditioners just got smaller. How many golfers really have that "Survivor" look?Out of the thousands that ap...
More About: Michelle Wie , Great , Neal

Tiger Woods, Mickelson pairing ignites sparks, Michelle Wie goes to Korea-w
2009-04-14 16:19:00
Click here to listen."You've got to focus through the ficus" and "concentrate on being great!" Although these "Woods of Wisdom" are rhythmically repeated during the new Tiger Gatorade Focus commercial, it didn't seem as if TW took the advice as he could barely control his "band-aid swing" for much of the Sunday Masters rally against Phil Mickelson. Still, the finale averaged a 6.9 rating/12 share with CBS thanking it's lucky stars that Phil and Tiger tied in the third round and that Masters officials were smart enough to realize that the pairing would exude fireworks. Eight years later and the two top golfers in the world did not disappoint with Mickelson firing a record-tying front nine '30' and Tiger playing "catch-up" until the end. Both players lost steam by the eighteenth, called it quits and hastily departed Augusta National before the green jacket was awarded.The question is, what incentive did viewers have to stick around for the bittersweet climax?Many were watching an...
More About: Korea , Tiger Woods , Michelle Wie

Sergio Garcia salivates for one Masters jacket while Woods and Mickelson lo
2009-04-07 16:58:00
Click here to listen.Will Tiger Woods have any identifiable adversaries at this years Masters Tournament? Gazing into the PGA Tour crystal ball and deciding which golfers could make a move against Woods lead one to believe that Tiger is on par to win his fifth green jacket at Augusta!In all fairness, any one golfer could disrupt Tiger's equilibrium long enough to gain ground. In 2007 relative unknown Zach Johnson "just tried to maintain my focus, maintain my game plan" in order to effectively tame Tiger at the Masters.Trevor Immelman emerged victorious in 2008, leaving Tiger in a second place finish at the Masters for the second year in a row. Immelman and Johnson each had a solo PGA Tour victory prior to their Masters victories.At this year's Shell Houston Open "tune-up" to the Masters, it was interesting to see who was in top form, which player could use more work and if the winner lurked somewhere in the field.Fred Couples ate a heaping serving of Humble Pie at the SHO as cheer...
More About: Jacket , Padraig Harrington , Sergio Garcia

Can Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia take number-one status from Tiger Woods?
2009-04-02 19:43:00
One possible way for Phil Mickelson to become the number one PGA Tour golfer in the world, toppling Tiger Woods , is closely tied in to his finish at this weekend's Shell Houston Open. In order to turn his dreams into reality, Mickelson is going to have to sharpen his putting skills.According to his website, Mickelson has improved in all areas of his game except in putts per round. Out of six events, Phil now has two 2009 victories so it appears that the only way Mickelson can lose is if his mental game shatters, which it has been prone to do.Greg Norman believes that Lefty is not as strong as Tiger Woods when it comes to clutch putting and, when it comes PGA Tour dominance, "Tiger's got him on the mental edge and Tiger has got him outside nine feet." Let's not forget that last week's big finale at the Arnold Palmer Invitational came down to Woods' lengthy putt at the seventy-second hole.Although this may appear to be the "Phil and Tiger Show" on the PGA Tour, Sergio Garcia has ...
More About: Status

Wie versus Sorenstam: which brand would you buy? Extreme golf experiences,
2009-03-31 16:17:00
Click here to listen.Brand ing a product is supposed to personify the qualities inherent in the celebrity whose name is on the package. Tiger Woods' name, for example, has been chosen not only because he is a champion but because he is credible, likeable and probably the most visible person on the planet. Woods basically embodies all of the most sincere qualities of golf while, at the same time, adding a youthful "hip-ness" to any product he endorses. Annika Sorenstam, although presently retired from golf and expecting a child, has decided to remain in the public eye by 'capturing her essence' in products from wine to perfume, all prominently displaying the moniker "Annika". "The scent will particularly appeal to golf enthusiasts, career-minded professionals and active, fashion-forward women," mentioned a press release. "Like Annika, the fragrance will be casually elegant and unpretentious." Sorenstam will be celebrated this week by the Golf Channel, which will include highlights ...
More About: Extreme , Experiences , Versus