Natalie Gulbis and Paula Creamer Represent The United States In The 2006 Women's World Cup

2005

Field is finalized for the 2006 edition of the Women's World Cup of Golf
The United States will be represented by Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis, both members of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup team.

By PGA.com news services
12.05.2005 05:12 pm (EST)

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa -- The field for the second edition of the Women's World Cup has been finalized, with 20 two-player teams set to tee off Jan. 20-22, 2006, in Sun City, South Africa.

The United States will be represented by rising stars Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis, both members of the victorious U.S. Solheim Cup team a few months ago. Japanese superstar Ai Miyazato, who won the LPGA Q-School by a record 12 shots on Sunday, will team with Sakura Yokomine, while world No. 1 Annika Sorenstam will team with Liselotte Neumann for Sweden.

Miyazato teamed with Rui Kitada as Japan won the inaugural event last February at the Fancourt Hotel and Country Club Estate in South Africa. Korea and the Philippines tied for second. The United States team of Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel finished 14th.

The Gary Player Country Club will host the World Cup, which is sanctioned by the LPGA Tour, the Ladies European Tour and the Women's PGA of South Africa. The teams will play foursomes, better ball and singles over three days of competition for the $1.1 million purse.

Here is the complete field:

Australia: Shani Waugh and Rachel Hetherington
Brazil: Candy Hannemann and Luciana Bemvenuti
Canada: Lorie Kane and A.J. Eathorne
Columbia: Marisa Baena and Cristina Baena
England: Kirsty Taylor and Laura Davies
Finland: Minea Blomqvist and Riikka Hakkarainen
France: Gwladys Nocera and Karine Icher
Germany: Anja Monke and Miriam Nagl
Italy: Veronica Zorzi and Silvia Cavalleri
Japan: Ai Miyazato and Sakura Yokomine
Korea: Meena Lee and Bo Bae Song
New Zealand: Lynnette Brooky and Gina Scott
Philippines: Jennifer Rosales and Ana Larraneta
Scotland: Catriona Matthew and Janice Moodie
South Africa: Laurette Maritz and Ashleigh Simon
Spain: Marta Prieto and Paula Marti
Sweden: Annika Sorenstam and Liselotte Neumann
Taiwan: Amy Hung and Yu Ping Lin
United States: Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis
Wales: Becky Brewerton and Becky Morgan

Tis the Season to be Jolly...

2005

I'm trying a different format to see if anyone out there will respond to my blog. I notice that as I roll through the blogs on blogspot.com that there are very few responses.

Nothing about golf today. I'm just enjoying a blissful day off from work. Work for me involves operating a gas station (yes, I pump gas all day, every day). It's funny how many different things we all do in our lifetime to pass the days. I know many people who work more than one job and many who work nights and weekends...and never complain!

Do any of you out there hold down more than one job or have only one day (maybe even NO days) off during the week? If so I'd like to read about what you do. Just post a comment.

Hey, would anybody like to see my golf swing on video? I have been getting out to the range more often so if I get a few positive comments that people would like to see my swing, the next time I go I'll bring my video camera.

Heck, I'll bring my camera anyway! No prodding needed. I'm just a ham at heart anyway. :-)

My husband bought me a weighted 6 pound Nike medicine ball the size of a basketball for the holidays. I hope to improve my balance and core muscles with it. I just tried exercising with it and I'm really pooped! I think it's going to work great for me when I pull out the driver this spring.

Speaking of drivers, I just finished watching the REMAX Long Drive Challenge on ESPN. WOW! That's all I have to say!
There were women hitting the ball over 300 yards! The men were crushing their drives almost 400 yards! That's incredible!

There was even a brief segment about the kids and teenagers. I think that the REMAX Long Drive Challenge will eventually have to extend the field to over 400 yards. I wonder how long it will take for the average long drive hitter to send the ball over 500 yards. It's coming, I tell you!

So today is Christmas Day and although I'm Jewish I still celebrate! Hey, it's a day off! C'mon, How many of you would take a Jewish holiday off if the powers that be gave it to you? Oh, I bet you would go to work, sure!

Anyway, Happy Holidays, Seasons Greetings, Merry Christmas and for those in the minority like me, Happy Chanukkah (or Hanukkah, whichever you prefer!)

Consistency in Golf

2005

Barry G. Solomon's Golf Talk - The Importance of the PreShot Routine

The preshot routine is used by every  good golfer on the planet.

There are as many different routines as there are golfers.  Once you develop yours, you should use it every time you swing your club. 
Pre-shot routines are needed to help produce the same swing every time. 
Consistency is the name of the game.

So how do you develop yours?  Here are some helpful tips.
1- Stand behind your ball and picture the shot you want to hit. 
(Where you want your ball to land and where you want your ball to end up).

2- Check the wind (how will the wind affects the ball flight).

3- Choose the club you want to use to get the job done.

4- Address the ball.  (Set yourself up for success.  Check proper posture, grip and alignment).

5- Look again at your target,  close your eyes and picture the perfect shot.

6- Pull the trigger. (try to let your brain go on automatic.) 
TRUST YOUR SWING.

These are the steps needed in every pre-shot routine.  You can add swing reminders like checking club positions at different parts of the swing.  Maybe take a practice swing.

Just develop one and use it at the range as well at the course.  GOOD LUCK!!!
 
I will be giving you more simple golf tips from time to time so check back.

Golf for Beginners Podcasts 12-18-05

2005

Golf for beginners 12-18-05 episode eight we talk about how the older set of golfers still get out and play, chat a bit about our game, give a few tips and mention what's new in the latest Golf for Women magazine. We also help another golfer with a dilemma in our weekly golf mailbag. It's our longest and funniest GFB ever!

Contact us at golfforbeginners@aol.com

Have a safe and happy holiday season!

Natalie Gulbis Helps International Team Win Lexus Cup

2005

Natalie Gulbis helped an International Team of golfers to a 16-8 victory over Asia in the inaugural Lexus Cup held in Singapore.

Natalie finished with a record of 2 wins and 1 loss for her three matches. Paula Creamer, Sophie Gustafson of Sweden and Norway's Suzann Pettersen, who won the long 18th with a birdie for a one-hole victory over Japan's Namika Omata in the final match, were the three players to emerge with 100 per cent records of 3-0.

Just as she helped the US win the Solheim Cup this summer, Natalie not only gained the satisfaction of winning a team event but also gained an enormous amount of exposure and experience.

Having won over a million in 2005 already, Natalie adds another $50,000 to the pot of winnings.

Woods Has Problems; Sorenstam's Team Wins

2005

In my last blog I really thought that Tiger Woods could take the trophy at the Target World Challenge. First off it's his tournament and second he's won it six times. You would think this tournament would be just another walk along the fairway. But as I've stated on many occasions, the best golfers have the hottest putters. Tiger's putter went cold on him and, in spite of his tremendous drives, he went without a victory.

European tour players took his place at the top of the leaderboard. I'm still busy watching so your guess is as good as mine as to who will finally emerge victorious. Hey, I'm just a blogger, not a news writer, so you'll have to find out for yourselves about this tourney.

On the LPGA Tour, Annika Sorenstam's International team took top honors at the inaugural Lexus Cup from Singapore. Was there ever any doubt that the number-one in the world paired with Paula Creamer would shake up the Asian team? It was pretty funny how Sorenstam got beaten by Grace Park, team captain for the Asians. Even with her injuries, Grace dominated in their singles match. In the end, Annika's team rallied helped by rookie Erica Blasberg (who would have believed that she had it in her?).

Speaking of Blasberg, she won non-exempt status at Q-School which means she's going to have to prequalify for 2006 events. Let's hope she does better next year than in her rookie season where she barely made it into the top-100 on the ADT Official Money List.

Natalie Gulbis didn't make any waves at the Lexus Cup. I was looking forward to hearing that she dominated the girls on Team Asia but instead Gulbis didn't make a charge. I sincerely wish that Natalie makes her move into the winner's circle next year on the LPGA Tour. And for those in the blogoshpere that don't like Natalie or her father or her television show, I think it's just a case of sour grapes. Gulbis has it all. She's got game, a new 2006 calendar and a great business profile that will take her beyond golf and give her a very comfortable future. Hats off to Natalie!

Well, I'm a little under the weather today so there is no driving range practice. Instead I'm going to finish watching the Target World Challenge and root for Padraig Harrington to kick some butt!

Tiger Woods Steals the Show Again

2005

Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam are separated by continents this week but will probably wind up the winners in their respective tournaments. I get to stay home and watch only one of the two greatest golfers in the world on television.

While my sister and her husband enjoy a week's vacation in the Bahamas I sit here in the icy cold weather wondering when the snow will thaw. You see Barry and I have never played golf in the snow. It is much too difficult to try and find the golf ball (even if it IS my favorite color of yellow!)

So instead I am relegated to watching professional golf on television. The only problem is that the LPGA Lexus Cup, an inaugural event held in Singapore, is not televised.

Another week without Annika Sorenstam and yet another week of Tiger Woods.

It's not that I don't like watching the greatest golfer at the world in what is arguably his tournament to win, namely the Target World Challenge, it's just that I think I'm getting tired of the lack of challengers when Tiger is in the field.

I'm probably just suffering from golf withdrawal. I am unable to both watch as many tournaments as I can and go to the driving range. I made it a rule never to hit golf balls when temperatures drop below 32 degres fahrenheit. My hands freeze and when your hands get too cold they make your whole body tighten. Definitely not good for your golf swing!

I'm a bit disappointed that the LPGA doesn't put themselves out there as much as they should. Just last week when Ai Miyazato had her incredible win at LPGA Q-School there was no coverage and that was played in the USA!

At least the Lexus Cup is taking place out in Singapore. But tell me, don't they have satellites in Asia? I know I've watched the European tour regularly each week without a blip but when it comes to the LPGA either no one wants to sponsor the event or the LPGA is just too darn lazy to find a TV station willing to air an event.

I think Singapore is also to blame. The Singapore Council stated that they now have the ability to hold such an event but when push comes to shove they didn't make any efforts to get cameras out to Americans overseas. A typical case of poor planning overall both between the Asian community overseas and the LPGA or LET, whichever was involved.

So it's up to Tiger Woods to entertain me and I hope he's up to the task. He's been winning post season ( most recently at the Grand Slam of Golf) and even grabbed yet another Player of the Year award (was there any doubt?) I almost wonder what he will do for an encore! With Tiger running the show, you never know!

Photo Credit: © emol.com.

Natalie Gulbis Show Episode 4 Review

2005

The Natalie Gulbis Show aired last night at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel. In my opinion, the best so far, at least from a production standpoint.

If you read my preview below from yesterday, you can see I was misled by information posted on the Golf Channel Web Site themselves. "Natalie plays a practice round at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill with Danielle, the winner of The Golf Channel's Big Break 3. Natalie & Se Ri Pak shoot the LPGA's new print campaign, "These Girls Rock!" Natalie & fellow LPGA beauty Cristie Kerr spend a day at the spa. Natalie, Kelli Kuehne, and Paula Creamer spend the rain delay at Kingsmill playing poker. Natalie finishes the Michelob Ultra Open T-3, her best finish ever, which still isn't good enough for her father." That was not the content of episode 4 at all.

Actually, the show starts with a bowling adventure in Atlantic City with Paula Creamer. The girls have a blast, bowling 2 handled, throwing a bunch of gutter balls and all. It's nice to see them in a relaxed environment, dressed down from their daily TaylorMade Adidas golf attire. Natalie looks just as fine in a BeBe top!!!!!

Natalie and Paula then head out for a practice round together. They apparently have become good friends and like to push each other on the golf course to play better. Somewhere along the way, Natalie decides she is going to hit a 55 yard pitch shot at a friend or associate that is laying resting on some empty bleachers that surround one of the holes. True to form, after she learns of the exact distance from her caddy, Natalie hits him square on the shin sending him rolling off the bleachers after being hit with no warning and probably some pain. The show cuts to Natalie kneeling on the ground with her face buried in her hands. Funny, funny part!!!!

Of course what would The Natalie Gulbis Show be without some fun with her dad John Gulbis. Back to Atlantic City we go to see Natalie and dad playing Blackjack. Under the usual direction of father to daughter, Natalie has some fun but proceeds to lose all her money!! So much for being a world traveler and being able to play blackjack. Next up is the Craps table where they have some success and fun in a "team atmosphere". They look like the type of people you love to just watch have fun inside a casino, win or lose.

Up next is a glimpse of Natalie's incredibly popular FHM Magazine Photo Shoot. It was a first class shoot and we all know the results were top notch. That said... Natalie is named one of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women In The World!!!!!!

While in Cherry Hills, Colorado (Denver) this past June, 2 exciting events happened involving Natalie while she was there to compete in the 2005 U.S. Women's Open. Both were filmed for the Natalie Gulbis Show. The first, a private signing with her exclusive memorabilia company ItsAlreadySigned4U.com, took place in the evening after Round 1 at the host family's house that Natalie was staying with for the week. All the action of Natalie signing exclusive photos, hats, golf balls, and pin flags was captured on tape. It's interesting to see how Natalie and John Gulbis handle the private signing of hundreds of items without a hitch. Hopefully that portion will be aired soon in a future show. The second exiting event, which did air in this episode, was Natalie being invited to throw out the first pitch at a Colorado Rockies baseball game. Natalie is a little delayed getting to the ballpark and while being shown around by Rockies' employee Jim Kellogg, takes some ribbing from the players for being late for batting practice. The Rockies present her with a jersey, complete with her name on the back, that eventually gets autographed by all the players while she is wearing it! After a short warm-up catch with one of the players, Natalie throws out the first pitch perfectly, and is lookin great doin it. During the game Natalie makes an appearance in the Rockies' TV Booth and sits in a bit on the broadcast answering some questions for the announcers. All in all we see Natalie enjoying a great trip to Denver!

The show ends with some action with Natalie at the season ending ADT Championship in West Palm Beach, Florida. Natalie made a nice check for the event, but more importantly, pushed herself over the $1,000,000 mark in tour earnings for 2005! Done without a win, that is a great accomplishment...to be in contention that many times and win checks big enough to add up to that much is amazing. As fans, we all know her first win is just around the corner.

This show seemed to be produced a little differently than the first three. The composition and the way the clips were pieced together seemed to have a much better feel this time around.

Be sure to watch a repeat showing of The Natalie Gulbis Show by picking a good time from this schedule. The Natalie Gulbis Show airs Tuesday nights at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel.

Natalie Gulbis Show Episode 4 Preview

2005

The Natalie Gulbis Show airs tonite at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel. Episode 4 is deemed "Michelob Ultra".

Natalie plays a practice round at the Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill with Danielle, the winner of The Golf Channel's Big Break 3. Natalie & Se Ri Pak shoot the LPGA's new print campaign, "These Girls Rock!" Natalie & fellow LPGA beauty Cristie Kerr spend a day at the spa. Natalie, Kelli Kuehne, and Paula Creamer spend the rain delay at Kingsmill playing poker. Natalie finishes the Michelob Ultra Open T-3, her best finish ever, which still isn't good enough for her father.

Be sure to watch a repeat showing of The Natalie Gulbis Show by picking a good time from this schedule. The Natalie Gulbis Show airs Tuesday nights at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel.

John Holmes, Ai Miyazato Win Medalist Honors at Q-School

2005

Do so many more men than women watch golf on television that PGA Q-School is televised whereas the LPGA gets silence?

I was so excited to finally get to see LPGA Q-School finals that I looked everywhere, both on the internet and in my local T.V. listings. Guess what? Even ESPN2 didn't show it!

Don't women represent half of the population? Aren't more women today joining the golfing ranks than ever before? Why isn't anyone catering to them…I mean to US!

For any women who care out there, I think it's important to stand together and make our voices heard! I can't believe that Carolyn Bivens, head of the LPGA, wouldn't have made it a point to get this event televised! I mean, these are the stars of the 2006 LPGA season. Don't they deserve more press than the back page of the local sports section?

I read the Journal News today and the unfortunate finale to Meghan Francella's attempts at getting her tour card. That was a sad conclusion to alot of work and training on her part but I didn't even see Ai Miyazato's name mentioned, and she won!

I can say that in Japan, Miyazato is a household name. Her two brothers play professional golf on the Japan Tour and her father is a golf instructor. I wonder if there was coverage in Japan? I know that the reporters, both American and Japanese, were all over Miyazato. Cameras were rolling, bulbs were popping and the 18th green was covered with reporters.

I wrote a story on Miyazato's victory in my column on The Sand Trap. Did anyone out there even know that Ai claimed her first professional victory as an amateur on the Japan Women's Tour? Or that she was the first teenager to make over $1 million in one year?

Okay, so there are differences between PGA and LPGA Q-Schools. For one, the PGA tournament plays out over six days whereas the ladies have a grueling five rounds of golf to play. That's an extra 18 holes of pressure but the overall nerves must be evident either way. You can't take anything away from these ladies.

Also Miyazato only won a paltry $4,000 for her win whereas John B. Holmes took home a hefty $50,000. The top 24 players on the LPGA tour have exempt status whereas thirty male golfers get a PGA Tour card.

No wonder Michelle Wie wants to play on the men's tour! If she plays on the women's tour she'll earn a whole lot less money and coverage!

Aside…I just read on the Golf Channel website that Kevin Stadler only earned exempt status on the Nationwide Tour. I really thought he would be a card-carrying member of the PGA Tour by now. But in lighter news I noticed that Bill Haas has nailed his tour card. I bet he'll be sleeping alot more soundly tonight!

And just for the record, Morgan Pressel made the LPGA tour as did Brittany Lang. That makes me three-for-three on my picks!

Although I really enjoy watching any golf that's on the tube I still wish that the women got more of a chance to be visible. Okay, so they don't bomb 300-yard drives like the guys and their tee-to-greens are more predictable but it sure is exciting to watch their 100-yard and closer shots as well as their terrific putting. Pressure is the same, whether you're watching 19-year-old Paula Creamer finish off her competition or viewing Phil Mickelson trying to make a comeback after three-putting on an earlier hole.

I just wish I could have been there!

Photo Credit: © seoulsisters.com.

Golf For Beginners Podcast 12-04-05

2005

Golf for beginners 12-04-05 episode seven discusses how Ai Miyazato is a shoo-in as champion of LPGA Q-School, Jim Furyk wins Nedbank Challenge in second playoff hole against Retief Goosen, Adam Scott and Darren Clark. Ernie Els is playing golf again. Colin Montgomerie wins Hong Kong Open by one stroke. We also give a great golf tip and help another golfer with a dilemma in our weekly golf mailbag.

Contact us at golfforbeginners@aol.com with your comments and questions.

Can't Compare Natalie Gulbis and Anna Kournikova

2005

In reading an article I just came across on CNNSI by Mike McAllister, I couldn't help but wonder just how wrong his thinking is.

As I read the article I was immediately thinking "this guy is jealous of Natalie Gulbis." It just seems this guy can't stand the fact that Natalie is as successful as she is. His best comment comes near the end of the article as he states "she is only 22." With that he finally decides that she does have a long way to go in her career and that not winning by age 22 isn't the end of the world.

If I were Natalie I'd be happy as a lark to be right where I am with a nice steady career with plenty of room to improve as time goes on, thereby contributing to a long satisfying career rather than being hot like a David Duval and then "never to be heard of again." All Natalie has done is put herself in position to win almost each and every week, winning over a million dollars this year while racking up a bunch of top 10 finishes at age the old age of 22. If I were her I'd be sayin "thanks for the pub Mike."

Talk to me again when Natalie Gulbis is 30 years old and she hasn't won. For now, any comparison between Natalie Gulbis and Anna Kournikova, other than their equally gorgeous looks, is just down right premature.

Keep on keepin on Natalie

Natalie Gulbis Show Episode 3

2005

Episode 3 of The Natalie Gulbis Show aired last night on The Golf Channel at 10pm EST. Continuing true to form, the show was a gas.

From following Natalie during a practice round at the 2005 Michelob Ultra Open at Kingsmill River Course in Williamsburg, Virginia, to some time spent with Cristie Kerr, it was fun all the way. Natalie Gulbis's father John Gulbis makes a return appearance having rented Natalie a Dodge Viper for the day. Since Natalie hadn't driven a stick before, she took some quick lessons from her dad. Without giving it away......the two of them had some "father daughter" fun together.

Natalie makes an appearance on The Best Damn Sports Show and survives some great questioning. Then Natalie is pitted against Tim Brown and the hosts to see who can chip a golf ball through a series of tires hanging at various heights in the studio. If Natalie can do it, she will win a DVD for all the guests in the audience. Well our girl does it perfectly and wins!

Next we see Natalie and Cristie Kerr yuckin it up together as they get their hair and nails done during some off time before a tournament. Ya gotta love the spacers between the toes girls.......sexy!!!!!!!

Be sure to watch a repeat showing of The Natalie Gulbis Show by picking a good time from this schedule. The Natalie Gulbis Show airs Tuesday nights at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel.

Gulbis and Amiee…Friends?

2005

Oh no! Could it be that Danielle Amiee, winner of Big Break III and most notably known for abusing Pam Crikelair on that show, is golfing buddies with Natalie Gulbis?

C'mon, give me a break!

On this Tuesday's episode it sure looked as if Gulbis was being pal-sy with the bleached-blonde. Could this have just a marketing ploy to pair the two for advertising dollars and increased ratings? Gulbis is increasing in popularity with her new 2006 calendar while Amiee's popularity has been slipping since her m/c at Kingsmill in the Michelob Ultra Open.

I wonder if that eye roll was real (you know, the one Natalie threw the camera when Amiee was throwing around one of her one-liners)?

In other Natalie Gulbis Show news, What did you think about that hot, red Dodge Viper? Now that's my type of car although carrying that large set of golf clubs didn't look too comfortable for neither her nor the clubs!

Cristie Kerr is friends with Natalie Gulbis. I wonder whether or not Natalie knows Donald Trump? My bet is that they all play golf together. But who would be their fourth?

Trump, Kerr, Gulbis and hmmm…

Well, that's all I have for now. I think I would make a good fourth. I don't think Danielle Amiee would fit in that foursome, do you?

Natalie Gulbis is first on the fairway with new Golf Game!

2005

Winnipeg, Manitoba – GWAG Golf announced today that it has reached an agreement with LPGA player Natalie Gulbis. The agreement allows GWAG Golf to produce, distribute and market the Natalie Gulbis Golf Game to the ever growing global golf market.

Natalie is not only one of the most popular American LPGA golfers on tour, but has also gained great notoriety in other countries as well. With her recent success at the Solheim Cup and her current number sixth ranking on the LPGA 2005 money list, Natalie may soon be one of the most sought after female athletes in professional sport. Given her growing resume of accomplishments since joining the LPGA Tour in 2002, coupled with her upcoming reality TV show on the Golf Channel, Natalie’s popularity is a perfect fit for GWAG Golf.

The Natalie Gulbis Golf Game is a fun, yet competitive game played during a typical round of golf. Sales of the new game are expected to be significant as market studies have shown that over 70% of recreational golfers play some form of side game while enjoying a round of golf. The Natalie Gulbis Golf Game is comprised of 16 high resolution attractive pictures of Natalie and some of her favorite golf tips and quotes. Each one of the cards represents the outcome of a certain type of golf shot ("Birdie" or "In The Water") along with a corresponding point value. The "twenty second" explanation and video of the game can be found at www.gwaggolf.com.

GWAG Golf’s founder and creator of the Natalie Gulbis Golf Game, Daryl Harris, is the first to point out that the game was carefully designed to not distract players from the technical aspect of their golf game and to not burden players with having to keep score of the Game Within a Game (GWAG).
The Natalie Gulbis Golf Game will be sold through GWAG Golf’s website (www.gwaggolf.com). In addition, a link to GWAG Golf will appear on the home page of Natalie’s web site (www.nataliegulbis.com).

According to Harris, "the game gives GWAG Golf tremendous leverage to work with other professional golfers, plus attracts visitors to a website where they can begin a process of interaction based on a fun golf experience". When speaking about Natalie’s game and the original GWAG Golf Game, Harris commented that "his vision was to create a game that would not only appeal to the individual golfer but also have appeal to businesses as well". Harris went on to say that "Corporations have the ability to imprint their company logo on the original GWAG Golf Game and give them as gifts to clients as they currently do with golf balls or golf shirts. The big advantage the GWAG Golf Game has is a longer "bag life" with the customer, thus longer retention of their company name and services" while being associated with something fun.

Harris has his sites firmly set on the fairway with the Natalie Gulbis Golf Game, however he is clear to point out that there is a whole golf course ahead of him and he will take it one shot at a time.

Both the Natalie Gulbis Golf Game and the original GWAG Golf Game can be purchased at the company’s website.

Enquiries can be directed to Daryl Harris, President, GWAG Golf, 1-866-714-4924.

Natalie Gulbis passes $1 million in 2005 season earnings

2005

With her tie for ninth place and a $22,750 check at the ADT Championship in West Palm Beach, Natalie Gulbis became the 13th player in LPGA history to top the $1 million dollar mark in single season earnings. Natalie competed in 27 events this year and recorded 12 top-10 finishes to surpass the milestone. Her $1,010,154 in season earnings were accumulated without a win, setting a new LPGA record for the most money earned in a single season without a victory. Mi Hyun Kim set the previous record of $931,693 in 2004.

2006 is expected to be a sensational year for Natalie as she continues to work on her game with Butch Harmon.

Golf for Beginners Podcast 11-27-05

2005

Golf for beginners 11-27-05 episode six relates how Tiger Woods easily won at the sports spectacular Grand Slam of Golf against the grand talents of number-two rated Vijay Singh, the third best on the PGA tour Phil Mickelson and Michael Campbell who won the US Open.

Michelle Wie missed the cut (again) at the Casio World Open in Japan (at least she's improving her Japanese!) and we discuss driving range tips for the off-season as well as mental game strategies.

Contact us at golfforbeginners@aol.com

Give Michelle Wie a Break!

2005

She's only sixteen!

Being a relatively new golfer I can identify with Michelle Wie's recent bid to try and make the cut at the Casio Open in Japan this weekend. You've got to give her credit…she keeps on trying. After six attempts in men's events Wie still hasn't come up with one Sunday finish.

Chalk it all up to nerves.

Nerves can play havoc with a golfer right from the first tee straight through a round of golf. I don't care whether you're Tiger Woods, Michelle Wie or a beginner just trying to make your first drive of the day. If there are several people standing around waiting to see your swing (or you think they even care) right down to the wire when you putt into a hole for bogey and the guy before you putts in first making the hole that much smaller, being nervous can make you do stupid things. Even the best golfers miss putts from five feet and in, choking on a relatively simple putt that never would have missed if they were on the practice green. So how is it so impossible to reason that Michelle Wie would miss relatively easy putts like the one at 18 which would have given her the score she needed to move on to the weekend?

Michelle isn't the only golfer who has come up short when the chips were down. In 1996 at the Masters Greg Norman let a six-stroke lead disappear to Nick Faldo. Several weeks ago Tiger Woods, the best darn golfer in the world, allowed David Howell to defeat him in Shanghai with putting that just wasn't up to par.

I blame her mistakes on inexperience and nerves, nothing more. I scan through the golf blogs on the internet and found that most bloggers really think Michelle has a chance.

In thegolfblog.com, although there are people that don't believe Wie should take a spot away from the men on tour the writer has a point about the sponsors' interest in the phenom, "blame the sponsors of the tournament. They're the ones inviting the golfers, and they foot the bill." Some tournaments suffer from a lack of interest in their event. Putting Wie in the mix would solve that problem. For example, in Japan Wie had hundreds of followers on the course where last year's winner David Smail had only a handful of viewers.

Try to recall the names of golfers on the PGA Tour. I bet you can only come up with ten or twenty. But everyone around the globe, from the US to Japan knows the name of sixteen-year-old Wie.

And I'll bet that if the Masters' ratings slip a little, Michelle Wie's management will be getting a phone call from Hootie.

As far as the LPGA is concerned, Michelle Wie's camp possibly thinks of this step as a marketing no-no, that it doesn't benefit her career. I don't. I believe that Wie should be able to win a at least a single tournament in the women's market also, if not just for the purpose of having women around the world become a cheering section for her.

Wie is getting pulled around both by her dad, her new management, Nike, Sony and everyone else who wants a piece of her for their own growth. Poor Michelle...she doesn't seem to have any say in her own future. Being a teenager sure has it's disadvantages!

Michelle will eventually come back from these distressful incidents. Let's hope she figures things out before she turns 21 or she might not be able to change her path.

Getting back to the present, I predict that Wie will play at the 2006 Sony Open in Hawaii in January filled with renewed confidence. She will make the cut this time and will start her LPGA season on a strong not. I think she might even win an LPGA tournament. She does especially well at the majors so I'm hoping all of the jitters she encounters when playing will all but disappear once her confidence comes through. She's a great player already and can only get better.

Photo Credit: © seoulsisters.com.

The Natalie Gulbis Show Episode 2

2005

Episode 2 of The Natalie Gulbis Show aired last night on The Golf Channel at 10pm EST. If you haven't seen the show yet, it is exactly what you would expect from a reality show, and Natalie. It's raw, unscripted, and at times downright hilarious. Natalie's true personality comes through and you can't help but laugh with her.

Just to recap...episode 1 featured Natalie around her house in Henderson, Nevada. Fans got to see her house, her cars which included a Harley pickup, and even a barbeque with friends and family. Natalie also spent some time working with her coach Butch Harmon. All in all it was "really" Natalie.

Episode 2 featured Natalie Gulbis at her 2006 Wall Calendar photo shoot. Accompanied by her mom Barbara Gulbis and her agent Chris Murray of Imani Sports, fans are taken through a complete day at the shoot. A limo picks Natalie and Chris up at 5:30am and Natalie is already throwing 1 liners at you as she enters the limo. Natalie arrives at her dressing room trailer and it's a gas from there. She has a little trouble communicating with the makeup and hair people because of a language barrier, but has some fun with it. There even is a hair dryer malfunction that causes a scare for a split second, but Natalie quips "I hope I have some hair left!" and everyone is laughing. As Natalie is getting her hair and makeup done she can hear Chris and the wardrobe people discussing some of the items and swim suits she will be wearing for the photo shoot. To see the look on Natalie's face and her expressions can't help but make you smile as she expresses her option about some of them.

At that point it's off to a long walk down a dirt path and stairs to the beach, only to find the wind blowing excessively at the bottom. Natalie's gorgeous blonde hair was whipping in the wind the entire shoot! Natalie is photographed in a number of different bikinis and one piece suits, as well as, high heels of which one pair were stilettos.

Well gosh.....I can't give all the details away. You'll just have to watch a repeat showing of The Natalie Gulbis Show by picking a good time from this schedule. The Natalie Gulbis Show airs Tuesday nights at 10pm EST on The Golf Channel.

Natalie Gulbis In A Multi-Colored Bikini

2005

Natalie Gulbis looks absolutely stunning in this multi-colored bikini. What a pose! Nicely tanned, this shows Natalie Gulbis at her sexy best.

Golf for Beginners Podcast 11-20-05

2005

Folks, this is the one podcast of ours which you need to download!

First of all, it's our longest (not that a longer podcast is a sign of a great one). However golf for beginners 11-20-05 episode five is jam-packed with information from the latest victories of Annika Sorenstam and Tiger Woods to the latest putting techniques we found in Golf Magazine.

We also discuss our own Odyssey Two-Ball Putters and take another letter out of the golf-for-beginners mailbag.

If you haven't already subscribed to our audio casts, now is a great time to start!

As winter sets in and there is less golf being played, we are going to fill you with the latest golf tips, instruction and information which will keep you in great form even if you don't keep a golf club in your hands 24/7 (like WE do!).

Stay tuned for more great golf-for-beginners podcasts!

Sorenstam Takes ADT, Woods Wins Dunlop in Japan

2005

So, what else is new? The two super-golfers are tops again!

It doesn't really surprise me that either of the two money-list headliners took accolades at their respective tournaments.

Tiger Woods rallied against Japanese sensation Kaname Yokoo in a playoff to finally birdie the fourth playoff hole at that tournament. Annika Sorenstam led heading into the final round and finished two strokes ahead of Liselotte Neumann and Michele Redman. I wonder if the ladies of the LPGA will ever be able to overtake Sorenstam or will she go down in the annals of history as the one player never to drop below the number-one position on the ADT Official Money List during her "reign"?

Annika Sorenstam has now been victorious in half of all the tournaments she entered this year (10) and has also claimed several other titles along with the season-ender including the Vare Trophy and the Rolex Player of the Year award. She's going to have to expand her trophy cabinet!

But Sorenstam says that she'll focus most of her attention on winning the major tournaments so the Swede might give the other players, such as number-two on the money list Paula Creamer, a chance to move into the top perch.

Speaking of Creamer, the Pink Panther's rookie season has been incredible. She won four tournaments this year, two on the LPGA and two on the JLPGA Tour. Even with this breakout season Creamer's number two money position stands over $1 million behind the Swede!

Millionaires have been created this season on the tour. Lorena Ochoa, Natalie Gulbis, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr and Sorenstam have topped the $1 million mark. Gulbis even achieved this feat without a win! As purses increase, so will the ability to earn the big money.

In conclusion, I'm really happy that Annika ended her season the way it began, namely, with a win! Her first victory of 2005 started off at the Mastercard and now she ends her official season at the ADT, the same name that lends itself to the official money list at the beautiful Trump International Golf Club under adverse conditions. Frankly I expected a win from the both of them, both Annika and Tiger. Since they practice with each other, I guess it would be expected that the two would learn something from each other.

PS. I thought it would be interesting to select this shot of Sorenstam holding the trophy at the 2004 ADT Championship. She hasn't changed much now, has she?

Photo Credit: © Getty Images.

Great Golf Tournaments This Weekend

2005

Whether you're a golf beginner or just a fanatic (I am both) you will appreciate both the amount and type of golf that is being played this weekend.

In LPGA news, Annika Sorenstam will be defending her trophy at the ADT Championship being played at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. This is the season-ender for the LPGA tour and it is usually an exciting competition. Last year Annika needed a playoff hole to crown her the champion (her third win at this event). Only the top-thirty golfers on the official money list will be on hand to grab their share of the $1 million purse.

What is also interesting about this tournament is that Sorenstam will be going against golfers who are about ten years her junior. The girls are getting younger and are playing terrific golf. Between 19-year-old rookie Paula Creamer who won twice this year on the LPGA tour as well as having two international wins and the effervescent Natalie Gulbis (22) who is being trained now by Butch Harmon (Tiger's previous coach) I think the LPGA is going through changes that will affect it's future and dominance for years to come.

Just wait until next year when Michelle Wie (now just 16-year-old) and Morgan Pressel start competing! Of course starting these youngsters out so early has its drawbacks. For example Morgan Pressel has turned her nose up at college to begin her new career. Looking back, Christina Kim who won just last week at the Mitchell Company Tournament of Champions, left high school to turn professional and got her GED instead. It worked for her as this is her second win in two years. (Click here for our golf-for-beginners podcast 11-13-05 which relates to this article)

Another interesting tournament this weekend is the WGC World Cup Championships being held in Portugal on the European Tour. What is so interesting about this event is the format. For those of you who are beginners, this event will give you an intro into the different types of competition if you don't feel like playing a simple stroke-play format. The first day the teams (another interesting part of the tournament is that it is in team format)play a four-ball format with foursomes being played on Friday. It's back to four-ball on Saturday and foursomes again on Sunday.

Look for David Howell playing alongside of Luke Donald. As you may remember Howell recently won the HSBC Championship with Tiger Woods in the field. Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington will also be among the players.

Hopefully there will be many of us who can get a round of golf in before our seasons end due to snow or cold. This way we can make a few golf memories of our own!

The Natalie Gulbis Show airs on The Golf Channel

2005

The Natalie Gulbis Show has started it's run on The Golf Channel. A new episode premiers every Tuesday night at 10pm Eastern time. Natalie and her family, including her dad John Gulbis, are as relaxed and candid as can be. Learn about Natalie, and see her off the course in her daily life. If you miss the show Tuesday nights there are repeats running all the time as well. Be sure to tune in!!!

Natalie Gulbis Profile

2005

Natalie Gulbis Profile - A Rising Star of the LPGA Tour

The story of Natalie Gulbis is particularly interesting and one which should prove to be very attractive to American fans. This young star of the LPGA tour began playing golf at age 4 under the very personal coaching of her father, John. After a stellar amateur career in California, and after one year as an All-American at the University of Arizona, where she won four collegiate tournaments, Gulbis tied for third at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn her tour card.

John Gulbis remains an integral part of "team Gulbis," serving not only as father but also part-time coach (Natalie also works with Butch Harmon, Tiger Woods' instructor), manager, driver and fill-in caddie as they make their way from tour stop to tour stop in a well equipped Ford Expedition.The third member of this team is Natalie's mom who joins Natalie and her dad many weekends, flying in from their home in Sacramento. Disliking the hotels and motels which so often become the home-away-from-home of professional golfers, Natalie prefers a home atmosphere where she can enjoy cooking for herself. Walking the course with Natalie and her dad is a refreshingly fun time. Unlike many parents or spouses of tour pros who try to hide their identity, John is very willing to let it be known that the young golfer with that quirky back swing is his daughter Natalie. He is one proud dad who seems to experience the joy or angst of every shot along with his daughter.

Dean Juipe, a columnist for the Las Vegas Sun, suggested that Natalie might do better without the "perpetual shadow" of her father. That time will surely come someday, but for a young woman of nineteen there is considerable value in having dad and mom by your side.For her part, Natalie exudes pure joy. Her smile is constant and she has a wonderful way of connecting with her gallery. As her father confirms, she loves to talk - another trait that is so rare with many of today's golfers.

I spoke to Natalie for just a few minutes following the pro-am of the LPGA and her enthusiasm about her chosen profession is contagious.Natalie is still young and she is entitled to make her share to dumb mistakes or bad judgment calls during each tournament. In the first round of the 2002 McDonald's LPGA she showed what appeared to be some bad decision-making on one hole, which resulted in a double bogey. For what it's worth, her dad would have helped her play the hole much better, but unfortunately only I could hear his comments. That, however, was one of her few bad decisions. A round of one-over-par placed her in good position for the rest of the tournament. As so many professional golfers say, you can't win a tournament on Thursday or Friday, but you surely can lose it. Natalie's second round featured another fine one-over-par round which left her two-over-par after 36 holes - in a tie for twelfth place. Only four players were under par after two rounds, led by Hall of Fame member Beth Daniel at five-under. Natalie finished the McDonald's LPGA with rounds of 75 and 73 to end up in a tie for 15th place. This was an excellent result for her first time at the LPGA's second major.

On the Monday following the McDonald's LPGA, Natalie traveled to Blue Heron Pines Golf Club to play in a 2002 U.S. Women's Open sectional qualifying event. The day was long and hot, but Natalie was able to shoot three-over-par and qualify for the U.S. Open.With young golfers like Natalie Gulbis, the future of the American presence on the LPGA Tour is strong. We who live in the Greater Philadelphia and South Jersey area are very lucky that we get to see Natalie and the other top women golfers in the world twice every year.

Source: About.com

Golf for Beginners Podcast 11-13-05

2005

We are really happy with our latest Golf for Beginners Audio Show, Episode 4, 11-13-05

.

You can also subscribe to our podcast if you are an iTunes user.
Just click on Podcasts, then Sports, and you'll find us near the top of the list.

This week's commentary is about how Tiger Woods was soundly defeated by European Tour player David Howell at the HSBC Tournament. Christina Kim, winner of the this week's LPGA Mitchell Tournament of Champions, is congratulated and we help solve a problem for one of our listeners in our email section. He questions whether it is better to learn about irons or woods first and we help him to understand the best way to practice his game.

Send us an email and you could be featured on our next podcast!

And, thanks to all who listen!

Tiger gets Trounced

2005

The opening of the 2006 European Tour season wasn't the kind of beginning that Tiger Woods expected.

Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai was supposed to be Tiger Woods' first win in China. Instead the number-one golfer on the PGA Tour suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of relative unknown David Howell. Although during the HSBC Champions Tournament Tiger Woods remained in contention he could not polish off Howell nor intimidate him.

Of a very large total purse of $5 million dollars, Howell received in excess of $800,000 while Tiger took a second place check of around $550,000...still not bad for a weekend's worth of golf.

Usually, when the Tiger is breathing down the backs of his competitors they often fold. Instead, David Howell turned the tables on Woods, marching out in front of Tiger after each of them hit their respective shots. And birdies were flying, although not from Woods but from Howell. Howell managed to birdie four of the first seven holes but had his blips on the eighth and ninth.

Tiger on the other hand had more trouble than expected and could only achieve two birdies on the front nine but wound up giving one back. In my opinion, Tiger's putting was letting him down this weekend. The greens were undulating and Tiger was also missing those easy putts, the ones from within five feet. Missing putts is the surest way not to score. Just look at Vijay Singh. He wasn't reading the line well and had trouble sinking the short ones too.

Howell took advantage of Tiger's troubles by pushing forward in spite of the fact that Tiger still could rally and decisively claimed two additional birdies on the back nine which would eventually lead to his exciting victory.

Even though it was a late round of golf I managed to stay awake because of the thrilling victory claimed by Howell.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images.

Where Do You Put Your Ball Marker?

2005

What kind of ball marker do you use?

I personally like my gold Sackegeweya dollar but I will also use one of those new, shiny quarters floating around. There are so many people who swear by a coin which they found on the floor that eventually won them a tournament or an heirloom which was special to someone they once knew. Some people don't even know what markers they use to hold the spot for their golf ball. They take whatever they find out of their golf bag, right down to the tee they used at address.

While watching the HSBC Championship in Shanghai, China last night I heard that Colin Montogmery places his ball marker in his back pocket when he is done marking his golf ball. That got me to thinking that I, too, place my ball marker conveniently in my back left pocket.

I do this for convenience. My glove is on my right hand (I'm a left-handed golfer) so it's easier for me to reach into my back pocket to grab my marker.

Some people put their ball marker in their front pocket. I personally don't like doing that as the pants I'm wearing usually have this slightly tighter, uncomfortable band across the top of the pocket which rubs against my hand. Sometimes my ball marker drops back out of my hand and back into my pocket.

My husband regularly places his marker in his front pocket.

So where do you place your ball marker when you're done using it? Bet you never thought about it before!

Photo Credit: © Unknown.

our first podcast

Golf for Beginners Podcast 11-06-05

2005

Check out our latest Golf for Beginners podcast from November 6th. We talk about the terrific Annika Sorenstam and give some great golf tips!

Email us with your questions and comments at golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Golf for Beginners Podcast 10-30-05

2005

Check out our second golf for beginners podcast from October 30th. Our audio syndication this week talks about consistency and staying even-tempered.

Golf for Beginners Podcast 10-25-05

2005

Venturing into the unknown both Barry and I hope to deliver a podcast with a punch.

Although podcasting isn't as difficult as I thought there are still alot of small pieces that fit into the puzzle. I have become not only a writer but also a producer. Even though my creative juices are flowing I also have to write certain codes that make the program run.

But I'm on the right track. We just published our first podcast in iTunes. That means that not only did the html and xml validate but I figured out how to use Garageband!

Here's a direct link to our first Golf for Beginners podcast

Sometimes I get writer's block. Barry says that's how I know I'm a writer. I say I get a block when there are too many irons in the fire and I can't just concentrate on one item at a time. But that's the world we live in. Everything has to be done today...and with a sense of urgency.

Our weekly golf podcast is only one iron fueling an ever-growing fire. I started writing golf-for-beginners just under a year ago and it's growing in leaps and bounds. I write twice weekly for the Sand Trap which, although my editor says it shoudn't take longer than forty-five minutes to write an LPGA article, I find I finish in just about two hours. There just aren't enough hours in a day!

Looking on the bright side I get to do something which makes me happy. Writing allows me to express myself. And, if you know me, I like to talk...alot! So this new golf podcast should be exciting as it matures.

I hope to make the format of our new podcast a bit different from the visuals of this website. Barry and I like to play golf whenever possible so I hope to sprinkle tips that I found interesting during my round in my audio like "What did I think was my best shot of the day and why?" or figure out where and when my golf game took a nosedive. Either way it's going to be broadcast live, editing out the occasional "er" or "um" that happens in any live event.

Since the PGA, European, LPGA and Champions tours all interest me I think we'll also say what's on our minds about the professional side of golf. It's always fun to comment about the up-and-coming stars on tour as well as the ones who have been around since I started watching as a kid (you can never say too much about legends Jack Nicklaus or Arnold Palmer).

There will be other surprises as our audio broadcast grows so I hope you'll go along with us for the ride of our lives. It should be a blast!

Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 Push Cart

2005

I really didn't need a new push cart. I have an old pull cart from several years ago when I decided I didn't like carrying my bag anymore. The bag just got cumbersome every time I put it on my back then removed it. UGH!

I was fortunate enough to review the Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 Three-Wheel Push Cart. I was given the new push cart to test as part of my writing duty for The Sand Trap but they have removed my name from their website, replacing it with "Guest Author" because I have moved on to bigger and better blogging at Worldgolf.com so I have placed it back here on my site, where I can give myself the credit that has been denied to me by Erik Barzeski.

Here it is:

The Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 Push Cart is both lightweight and as simple to fold as its name implies. But how did it stack up on the golf course?

As Tiger Woods separates himself from the field at the British Open, I pay tribute to something they call a "trolley" across the pond. Though we call them "pull carts" or "push carts" here in the States, trolleys are a staple in the home of golf - a way to relieve players of the burden of carrying clubs without the necessity of a caddie.

Out With the Old
I've been lugging around my old two-wheel pull cart on the golf course for several years. It's old but reliable. Every round, it seems to get heavier and harder to drag. Casting my old cart aside, I felt it was time to enter the 21st century and try the latest in trolleys. My old cart was a pull cart. My new one? I push it like a baby stroller.

What better product to try than a push cart created by an innovative company like Bag Boy? With excitement, I opened the box to my new EZ Fold 12 Push Cart. I'm not particularly handy and leave all areas of assembly to my husband, but I heard that the EZ Fold was simple to put together. I told Barry to leave it to me.

Directions really weren't necessary. Inside the box I found a one-piece frame "constructed utilizing high modulus ultra lightweight aluminum tubing along with a reinforced center section for enhanced durability" and "quick release bicycle-style 12-inch wheels with sealed ball bearings." Long story short: I was up and rolling within five minutes.

My EZ Fold 12 Cart is silver, but fashion conscious golfers can choose between red, navy, or black to coordinate with your own style (or your golf bag). Bag Boy offers a padded cart seat (which fits all Bag Boys made after 1999). It attaches to one wheel (or the other) and offers a place to sit. I think I'll purchase one for those five-hour rounds on the public links (image below).

It was also a kick pulling on the carry handle that says "fold" for the really unaware which quickly squeezes the cart in half and eliminates bending down to grasp the front wheel when folding. Bag Boy picked up this nifty one-hand folding system patent from the Baby Jogger Company, the same company that revolutionized the stroller industry. Just in case you want to see the Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 in action you can catch a video created at the Bag Boy website.

With my old two-wheeler I can leave my bag on the cart, tilt down the small adjustable handle and place the whole set of clubs and cart in the trunk of my Benz along with my husband's set of golf clubs. The larger, ergonomically designed one-piece handle of the EZ Fold 12 is more comfortable for my wrists to rest upon but you cannot adjust the grip nor tilt the one-piece assembly for more comfort. You can remove the bag from the push cart and easily fold it but that's just one more step when you're looking to make a hasty departure after your round.

Take it Apart, Put it Together
The new EZ Fold needed to be disassembled and placed separately in my trunk. The two rear wheels release with difficult-to-push metal spring releases. I literally had to balance the cart on my legs and press with both hands on the release to get it to bend. Then you have to put the cart in awkward positions in order to remove each wheel. I found the difficulty in collapsing the cart disappointing, but the real test would be pushing my clubs around the golf course.

I took my new Bag Boy out to a local, hilly golf course to put it through its paces. The wheels popped on more easily than they came off and my large Burton cart bag found a comfortable position in the adjustable brackets. The deluxe scorecard holder was handy and easy to access. The pencil holder actually held the pencil in place and was located conveniently above the scorecard.

The plastic storage compartment was useful enough to store my Nutrigrain snack bars, though it was a little small, flat, and difficult to open using the small finger grip. The built-in beverage holder was large enough to carry a midsized (20oz) blue Gatorade. An optional insulated 12-pack cooler bag features an adjustable handle, tee holder pouch, and accessory pocket and is a great conversation piece to carry along when playing with a foursome.

Throughout the round I wheeled the Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 everywhere (believe me, my golf game gave me plenty of opportunity to visit all kinds of places). When I gave the Bag Boy a little push, it rolled all by itself. Once, when I pushed it downhill, it curved to the right and eventually toppled over, spewing my golf clubs along the fairway - not good! However, I must admit that it was simpler to push the EZ Fold up a hill than to pull my old two-wheeler behind me and I was less winded to boot!

I finished my round and removed the bag from the push cart. With an influx of Canadian geese occupying my golf course every year, removing the wheels became a dirty event. I couldn't clean the wheels enough before touching them and found this to be really disgusting. At least with my old pull cart I could clean the wheels just enough before placing the entire structure onto a towel and into my trunk.

My husband gave the EZ Fold its next test. Barry loves to walk but has been sitting in an electric cart recently because of an injured knee. Wanting to walk the course with his usual foursome, Barry asked if I could loan him the Bag Boy. I eagerly agreed asking him to give me his opinion for this review. One of his golf buddies recently purchased the 2005 Sun Mountain Speed Cart V1, which would serve as a nice comparison.

Barry found the Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 easy to open and not too difficult to insert the wheels. Pushing the Bag Boy was considerably easier than carrying as he usually does and at times he said he felt like he had a personal caddy!

However the EZ Fold 12 had some drawbacks. As his friend let the Sun Mountain travel freely down a hill to a safe landing the Bag Boy, having a narrower wheel base, fell over very easily. Sun Mountain also has an adjustable height handle which accomodates people of different heights. The Sun Mountain V1 also has a more convenient cable-driven brake lever near the top of the handle versus the foot brake in the middle of the axle of the Bag Boy. The Sun Mountain is lighter, easier to push, and most importantly, folds to a convenient size with all wheels attached so that you don't have to completely clean the wheels before storing the cart in your trunk. In addition the tires on the EZ Fold 12 are hard rubber versus the air-inflatable tires of the Sun Mountain which gave the Sun Mountain a softer feel.

Conclusion
After listening to Barry's comparison and trying the Bag Boy for myself, dollar for dollar, the better value goes to Sun Mountain over Bag Boy. Club Glove has also improved their own line of push carts introducing the Kaddy Stroller in response to the EZ Fold 12. The Kaddy Stroller has options similar to Sun Mountain including both hand and foot brakes, a quick-release system and a lightweight frame understanding the importance of these items to their customers. Although Bag Boy has several other designs in both pull and push carts the EZ Fold 12 is their top-of-the-line cart. Perhaps with a little more innovation and creativity, Bag Boy will create a formidable option in response to these upgraded models introduced by their competitors.

As you can see from my review, I tried to be very thorough. Some people made fun of me because I went into alot of detail, but I thought that's what a review should do! Give adequate detail for both the layman and the experienced user.

I will go over the basics here and I hope, if you're interested in purchasing one of these carts that you'll do your homework first. I'm glad I got this Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 Push Cart for free. I understand that they run about $200 in the stores and I don't think I would have been too happy paying that and not getting some of the features that are on other makes such as the new Sun Mountain that my husband tested as part of my review.

I will let you know that, in using the cart I noticed several things that you should be aware of.

One thing is for sure...if you don't disassemble this particular pull cart, you will use all of the space in your car between your golf bag and your pull cart. The wheels get pretty dirty after a round and for women, that's the kiss of death!

Also, the foot brake gets cumbersome after awhile. I really wish the EZ Fold 12 had a hand brake like some of the other models. Or maybe, if this particular footbrake was easier to use, it might have changed my mind about that particular function.

Also, allowing the cart to freewheel down the fairway is difficult for the Bag Boy EZ Fold 12 Push Cart. Barry told me that the Sun Mountain tracks straight and true and that the wheels are further apart creating a wider wheel base thus steadying the cart. If the EZ Fold 12 gets going and hits a bump, your clubs will be all over the fairway (as mine were).

I also read a brief review for the Kaddy Stroller by Club Glove which has similar features to the Sun Mountain V1 Speed Cart which Barry got to try out thanks to one of his golf buddies.

In conclusion, before you go out and decide to spend about $200 of your hard-earned cash, compare several of these carts for yourselves. Make sure they have hand brakes (and foot brakes combined) if that's what you want, a wide wheel base , a quick-release system, good solid bicycle tires and a lightweight frame.

Back to Blogging About Golf

2005

I know it has been quite some time since I have written a golf blog at this site. Somehow I thought that I could accomplish more if I had my own web address. I have owned the name Golf for Beginners with the hopes of somehow turning it into some magnificent website complete with all of the bells and whistles.

Little did I realize that there are so many other great bloggers out there in blog heaven that I would be terribly overshadowed by them. Still I continue my quest to blog. And I will also continue to write about my favorite subject golf but I don't really know where this is all taking me.

I do know one thing. I really love the sport. I take it seriously. Probably a bit too seriously for the people who I meet at the publinks. Suffice it to say that my interest in the sport totally eclipses most women's ongoing interest on the public courses. But that is what makes me special.

I intend to take my bloggings with me if I can and post most of my earlier golf bloggings here. That will take some time. But since winter is fast approaching I have plenty of time to update this site and at the very least keep my older blogs (going back one year!).

My current venture is learning how to podcast. Rudimentary knowledge of podcasting has allowed me to place three distinct podcasts on itunes. The feed can be found at: Feedburner.com. I doubt that this address will change but since I am currently in a state of flux, who knows?

We shall see what new beginnings are in store for me in 2006.

Another Golf Blog Another Day of Golf History

2005

I never thought that Barry and I would have so much fun producing podcasts. Not only do I get to spend more time with my husband but we get to talk about one of our common favorite subjects!

We also decided that it was easier for our readers to contact us at our new email address.
Email us at: golfforbeginners@aol.com

I guess that address is just easier for folks to remember. And we intend to feature letters on air (of course we would like these letters to talk about golf...) so please feel free to write to us and ask questions. No matter how "newbie"-ish you think you're being just remember that you're not alone! And we intend to expand over time to feature advice, technology and news. We're just getting our "sea-legs" and that takes time for beginners like us!

You can download our latest audio show by clicking here.

I was really ecstatic about Annika Sorenstam's win this weekend at the Mizuno Classic. Sorenstam's fifth consecutive win overshadows the four wins achieved by Tiger Woods, Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen, all terrific golfers in their own right. But now Annika is in a class all by herself and I'm very proud that a woman made an achievement as accomplished as this one in an "all boys club".
And what about the exciting wire-to-wire win this weekend (ho-hum) by relative unknown Bart Bryant at the Tour Championship? Unfortunately Tiger Woods wasn't able to get any closer than six shots and was left in the dust by the jouneyman! The $ 1.17 million dollar first prize is more than Bryant earned in his 18 years on both the PGA and Nationwide tours.

A flabbergasted Bart Bryant stated, I'm thrilled beyond description. To have struggled for as long as I did and all of a sudden in the last 15 months to win three events, even if I hadn't won this weekend this would all be worth it!"

In other news I just wanted to congratulate the great Tom Watson in his season-ending victory at the Charles Schwab Cup. The $1 million annuity was well worth the effort. Tom Watson is one of my favorite golfers. His short game is legendary and I really like the way he keeps his cool in spite of adversity. I wish I could play a round with Mr. Watson. I think I could learn alot from him.
In writing about the Champions Tour I also would like to say that I am a fan. I try to watch as much golf as I can on weekends and invariably catch the final round as I flip channels. If I get up early enough I might even watch a bit of the European Tour. I guess if you're a golf fanatic you can never get too much golf. If it's not on TV then I have to get to the driving range and if I'm not on the range I try to get in a back nine somewhere. In other words, I'm HOOKED ON GOLF!

It should be a nice week so everyone should make the most of it. It's going to get colder soon and then you're going to WISH you were out on a course firing at pins!

An 87? No Big Deal!

2005

I visited a golf course that I haven't played in some time although it's my home course. Maple Moor has been undergoing a renovation since Billy Casper Golf took it over last year. It really hasn't improved at all.

In spite of the soggy fairways (this was one of their biggest problems...drainage!) and very weedy grounds I did really well today. You see I haven't played golf in two weeks nor did I visit a driving range in over a week. I was a bit tight and didn't expect much of myself. That could be why I scored so well!

I noticed when my expectations are really high, whether it be on the golf course or in some other aspect of my life, I rarely get what I expected. When I set my standards a bit lower I seem to be able to overcome any difficulties.


Today I didn't expect anything to come of my round. I didn't expect to break 90 and certainly didn't expect to hit my shots crisp. But I did do one thing which made the difference in my game. I went over to the putting area and practiced for about 20 minutes while waiting for my tee time. I really made sure that I could read the greens. The first thing I did was to hit across the green to the other side (about 40 feet). I watched the ball as it broke and didn't care too much if it dropped. I mean, how many of us drop 40 footers?

After several minutes of long putting I then settled in on putts of about 20 feet. Mid length. And I attempted to make those putts. Again, my intent was to watch how the greens broke and gain confidence in my hand-eye coordination.


Once I gained confidence I then got even closer and finished off with short putts, inside of 10 feet. I needed to make sure that my stroke was clean and consistent. Once I felt comfortable I went to the desk and claimed my tee time.

I played golf with two really nice Japanese women, Tomomi and Yumiko who had the same time as me. I'm glad we met. They played a good game and we all felt comfortable playing together.

There was no rushing around the course, no people behind us pushing us to proceed. As a matter of fact there was a group in front of us which were playing slow so we asked if we could pass and did so.

Nothing about my round of golf was spectacular. I was hitting my 200 plus yard drives and my woods were working fine. My short stuff saved my game. Pitching, chipping and putting gave me the saves I needed today to post three birdies and five pars. Not bad for a girl who started the round with a 7 on a par-4!

Once I calmed down everything fell into place. This is only my second round in the 80's so I guess it's pretty special although I came away from it feeling a little numb and not remembering much about it...sort of like when Freddie Couples is interviewed in the middle of a round and he seems oblivious to what's going on around him.

My new motto is "steady as she goes" because I realized that there weren't many ups-and-downs and I didn't get frazzled when I hit a bad shot. Rebounding well saved strokes and kept my head clear.

I hope you play an even round of golf this week and make sure to practice your putting!

Sorenstam Rips Through Canyons Course

2005

Annika Sorenstam shows her finesse at Bighorn Golf Club after defeating 19 top golfers on the LPGA tour.

At the Samsung World Championship Annika Sorenstam quietly climbed the leaderboard while all eyes were fixed upon young phenom Michelle Wie. Sunday confirmed Annika's right to sit atop the LPGA throne while the remainder of the pack stood eight strokes behind.

A final round 69 gave the Swede her third victory this year and ninth overall in which she has clobbered the competition with an eight-stroke or better advantage.

As Sorenstam strode confidently along the fairways and greens of the Canyons Course others like Michelle Wie were having their difficulties. Wie looked somewhat amateurish as she lost her grip several times taking several unplayable lies without asking rules officials about her concerns. She did ask for help on two occasions. Okay so Michelle is just sixteen and still learning.

Wie went a bit too far on Saturday as she took a drop from an unplayable lie after alerting Grace Park. Although Michelle didn't realize it her ball landed nearer to the hole after her drop. She went on to save par but was alerted to the infraction on Sunday after the end of play after Sports Illustrated writer Michael Bamberger spoke to tour officials about it. After reviewing the tape both Wie and her caddy were escorted back to the seventh hole and the scene was recreated to prove that Wie was slightly closer to the hole. This resulted in a DQ for Wie on Sunday causing her possible fourth place finish (and $53,126) to be deleted from the record books. Let's hope the newly-crowned darling of Nike has now learned her lesson to always ask for assistance when contemplating the Rules of Golf.

"I learned a great lesson" said Wie, choking back tears. "From now on I'll call a rules official no matter where it is, whether its three inches or 100 yards."

Even though the media dubbed this tournament "The Michelle Wie Show" it was evident that no one could catch the number-one golfer in the world. Annika clearly had the lead and kept it even though the ladies were almost rained out after the completion of an almost eight-hour round.

Annika had all the right shots in her bag. Her winning ways increased the lead to nine strokes over Gloria Park at the turn on Sunday. Nobody even tried to stop Sorenstam. They were all busy chasing solo second place which finally went to number-two golfer on tour Paula Creamer.

Paula played steady golf this weekend despite not being showered with attention. I know that the ladies love the spotlight so I'm glad the Pink Panther kept her head and played evenly throughout. Creamer's final round 70 beat out Gloria Park by one stroke for solo second place. I think that the wedge for eagle on the 12th hole inspired her to finish strong.

Gloria Park didn't have a great Sunday in contrast to Creamer's comfortable round. Gloria's final round 74 ended with a disappointing bogey.

Natalie Gulbis finished tied for fourth place along with Meena Lee and Cristie Kerr. Lorena Ochoa was found in the middle of the pack once again and Birdie Kim, 2005 U.S. Open winner, can be found at the bottom of the list tied with Heather Bowie separated by seventeen strokes from Annika Sorenstam.

But young Paula Creamer summed up Sorenstam's victory best by saying, "She's probably sending a statement to the world that says, "I'm here. I'm still the best player."

Looking Forward to Watching the Samsung World Championship

2005

Annika Sorenstam, Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis sure have their work cut out for them today.
Michelle Wie is hot on the trail of the top female golfers in the world and she's only sixteen!

Annika doesn't really do her best on Sundays. That's why, during the past few days, Annika has built a solid lead. When she slips up a bit today, those extra points will come in handy.

Okay so Annika may NOT slip up today...it's just a prediction.

As I'm watching the Samsung right now I notice that Michelle Wie has turned up the pressure and is now in double digits with only Gloria Park and Sorenstam ahead of her. The 65 she shot the other day really proves that the Hawaiian has the "stuff" to be great. Wie also chokes a bit under pressure so I'm waiting to see whether or not she pulls through...oops, she just bogeyed and dropped back to 9-under. Okay, I'm just proving my choking theory while writing.

And what has happened to Cristie Kerr? Cristie has had her medical problems, that's no secret. Kerr still has two wins this season under her belt so I guess she rebounds well when she keeps her eye on the prize.

But nobody is putting any real pressure on the Swede who has won this event four times. Looks like Annika might surprise herself and win this event an unprecedented FIVE times!!

Holy Smokes!

In the last 8 leads going in to the final round Annika has pummeled her competition and has won. If she gets off to a hot start here she will clinch another title. I saw the crystal trophy and its worth the effort!
Could it be because Annika regularly plays this particular golf course? I read in my local newspaper, the Journal News, that Annika has a piece of property on Big Horn Golf Course..hmmm...
There was a delay for about an hour or so which changes the mental game of the girls as they sit and think too much...yet another problem...sitting and thinking instead of just going out there and putting it all on remote control.

Gloria Park had to take an unplayable. The other day Park had a snowman. It's good watching the best in the world choke a bit. It makes our bad shots just a little more bearable.
Natalie Gulbis is another rookie...only 22-years-old! She now takes the prize as the number one player who hasn't won a tournament this season. Okay, no real prize but her situation sounds a bit like shades of Phil Mickelson. Mickelson happens to be my favorite golfer to those that haven't read through my Golf-for-Beginners website and just pick up this weekly feed.
So as the action is just beginning I'm hoping for a read duel between the LPGA's top golfers and newly professional and newly VERY WEALTHY Michelle Wie. I hope the battle is hot and not a runaway. Sorenstam's lead was four entering the final round and now it's five.
I also hope that the LPGA becomes more popular and people realize that great golfers don't always have to hit the ball 400 yards like on the PGA Tour. Sometimes finesse and grace are better taught by females. ;-)
To be continued...

Playing Golf in the Rain

2005

I was fortunate to get out of work early with my husband on Friday. We headed over to Saxon Woods Golf Course for a quick nine.

Even though the forecast said rain I figured that it's just as important to hone my skills in bad weather as in good so we decided to see how the elements affect the score, swing, mood and all other factors.


Barry was on his best behavior (c'mon women, you know what I mean). It wasn't raining yet but there was a steady fog creeping in and we could just feel the dampness in the air but we figured that it wasn't the score that was important but the practice.

The cold and damp stiffened my bones and my ability to turn fully seemed harder to do. But they say that you have to work with whatever you're given that day so I took it easy. In doing so my swing slowed down and I developed my tempo which, when it's working, is a thing of beauty.

Rain began to fall. I noticed my golf glove getting a bit slippery. My hands weren't getting dry no matter WHOSE shirt I wiped them on. I noticed that although my distance control was right on the club was spinning around in my hands causing the club to turn over. This forced more of a draw than anticipated.

At one point my golf ball landed in a wet sand trap. Although I tried to get the club into the sand I noticed that it was banging into the sand but not pulling through the sand, thus my ball was hopelessly rolling back to it's initial spot in front of me. It was almost comical. Thank goodness that this was just practice and I wasn't in a competition or my score would have been astronomical!

It is really important, if you plan to improve your game, to know the elements. Wind and rain can wreak havoc with your game if you don't practice in these conditions. I found that out this week AND I wound up having fun doing it. The idea is to take a companion with you to make the experience unforgettable. You'll be laughing about it for years to come!

The President's Cup versus The Solheim Cup

2005

As most of you know I comment weekly on the LPGA Tour. Early in the season I blasted the LPGA because I felt that the action on that tour was stilted. I have to retract my earlier statements and add that the LPGA Tour is both alive and well! With the addition of a new "crew" of young talent and a new slogan "These Girls Rock" the LPGA is being watched by more viewers than ever before!

The PGA Tour was never in danger of losing viewership. The guys have the wherewithall to hit the ball a great distance longer than their female counterparts. Longer shots usually equal more excitement. I heard yesterday that Stuart Appleby can hit the ball over 400 yards on occasion! That's immense! Annika, on the other hand, can hit a drive about 280 regularly. The women also play golf from the men's tee whereas the men are all the way backat the tournament tees. Talk about a disparity.

But I must admit that my level of excitement was equally shared between both the President's Cup played out this weekend and the Solheim Cup which was completed several weeks ago.

I will try to examine what I find so irresistable about both tournaments.

Both are team sports. Golf is usually played as a single. You can go out and play by yourself on a golf course or hook up with a few golfers who need a fourth but it's still you against yourself. Not with these two events. It's almost like college golf which pits team against team.

Not only is are two teams facing off but its the rest of the world challenging the United States. Why is it always that way? Most of the guys on ROW play golf alongside the Americans weekly. Most have received their college education as well as their golf training in the States. So why do we have to watch these two teams square off? What are they trying to prove? Is it just for the sport or is it because the media understand that people already enjoy watching sports like football, where two teams challenge each other for a prize of some kind?

Well, it works! I can't keep my eyes off of it! I cheer until my throat gets raw whenever the Americans are up against any other team. It could also be world events that causes me to cheer so loudly for the home team. I mean, everyone in the world seems to have a beef with the USA but at the same time when they need us they're our buddies.

Okay, back to why I love this kind of competition. I think I root for the Americans because I happen to know who they are, steir stories and their faces. I don't really know all of the ROW team although I ry watch European golf whenever I can. But, in the case of Trevor Immelman versus Stewart Cink I had no favorites but still chanted "USA" "USA" whenever I saw a red hat.

In regard to the Solheim Cup I was also pleased with the look of the team as a whole. The outfits were very smart and the talent on Team USA decorated themselves with glittery American flags and red, white and blud nailpolish. Because THEY really got into it, so did I!

The European Solheim Cup team, on the other hand, wre all dressed in black, from head to toe. It almost looked as if I was witnessing a funeral. When I was little, older ladies who came from Italy used to wear alot of black. They didn't speak much English and nodded alot. It looked okay on them I guess because they were elderly but it made the younger European golfers seem a bit frightening.

Lastly, I think I enjoyed the Solheim Cup just a wee bit more than I did the President's Cup. Although I was happy that both USA teams won, I felt more in tune with the women. Okay, being a woman helps. I can more easily identify with a woman's golf swing than with her male counterpart. And I also enjoy trying to pick out which swing more closely resembles mine.

In conclusion I'm happy that these team sports exist. Team spirit allows the masses to cheer for their heroes and gives us yet another outlet which is considered to be a sport for individuals. I just wish that when I was younger I had the opportunity to learn about golf. Parents should understand the balance of sports and knowledge and try to give their kids a balance of the two. It would have been great to represent my school in team unison and feel the cameradierie which was evident in both these competitions.

My First 39!

2005

It was a day just like any other. I insisted Barry and I leave the business early as it was the start of the Labor Day weekend and I really felt we needed a break.

We got to Saxon Woods early. We had a 4:00pm tee-off but I really needed to putt and chip a little before going out since I don't get the opportunity to play or practice much anymore.

I spent about 15 minutes taking long, lazy swings with my sand wedge first, then taking out my 7-iron. I wanted to make sure that I was also mentally prepared. Sometimes when I rush out and don't have the chance to settle down it reflects poorly in my golf score and I just can't get my round going until the 6th or 7th hole.

I went through nine holes with no expectations, lazily smiling and enjoying the time we had together.

I finished with a birdie on the 9th hole after just missing a short birdie attempt on the 8th. But I kew I was doing well but had no idea just how good I was actually golfing!

When we were done with the 9 holes Barry stated that I had 6 pars and the one birdie on the ninth for a total score of 39! WOW, I never scored in the 30's before!

I was so excited that since that day I've been telling everyone about my score and the easy way it was attained!

My next goal is to score par, but I would really like to do it for all 18 holes. That IS the game, isn't it?

Badgolf Interviews Tiger Woods

2005

You can’t believe how excited I was when Tiger Woods agreed to give me an interview for the badgolf blog. But, when you think about it, he missed a cut. Where better to give an interview.

We met at a Burger King in downtown Monterey; just a stones throw from Pebble Beach. Tiger wore a black Nike cap, black Nike pullover shirt, and black slacks. He look relaxed and calm as we sat in a bright orange booth seat to have a chat.

BGB: Tiger, I want to thank you so much for agreeing to this interview.

TW: No problem, Rob, anything for you.

BGB: So, Tiger, how did it feel to miss the cut in the Byron Nelson last week?

TW: Guess how much money I have.

BGB: Huh?

TW: Go on, guess.

BGB: 75 million?

TW: Way off.

BGB: More than God.

TW: Closer.

BGB: But getting back to the point of this interview, Tiger, how did it feel to miss the cut?

TW: Have you ever seen my wife?

BGB: Uh, well, only in pictures. But I want to talk about your performance last week in the Byron Nelson, and how it felt when you missed the cut.

TW: uh huh.

BGB: Well?

TW: Well, what?

BGB: You’re not answering my question.

TW: Yes I am.

BGB: You are?

TW: Of course I am. Are you stupid or something? Aren’t you listening? Read the transcript. This interview is over.

Cheers!

Rob

How I Beat an Idol

2005

When I was a kid one of my idols was my big brother. He’s eight years older than me and when he was in high school he was a regular sports stud. Not only was he the quarterback of the football team and the catcher on the baseball team, but he also led the basketball team to become state champions. After he graduated the Baltimore Orioles drafted him in the third round, but instead of pursing a baseball career he went on to play basketball for the University of Utah on a full athletic scholarship. And as a kid I wanted to be a sports star just like him. One problem: He’s 6’4”; I’m 5’9”. Ah, fate…

He’s a good guy, my brother. Our relationship now isn’t so much of big brother – little brother, or idol and idolized, we’re really just friends. Good friends. Even though he’s in Washington and I’m in Central California, we make sure to cross paths once or twice a year; usually we meet for an NFL game – Raiders or Seahawks. Last year on one of our rendezvous we had a few hours to kill and we ended up at par 3 18-hole golf course, renting clubs and preparing to play golf together for the first time. Now, I’ve never beaten my brother in any sporting activity. But this is golf. I’d been practicing. And size doesn’t matter…

The first hole was 155-yard straight shot. Since these were rented clubs I pulled out a 7-iron and thought I’d just hit an easy one, just keep it on the fairway. Over swinging is one of my big problems and the easy-swing mentality lent itself well to my smashing my first shot within 3 feet of the cup. Oh, my big bro knew he was in trouble then.

But my bad golf tendencies emerged and the two of us mostly flounder around the course. He drove further and straighter than I but had absolutely no touch around the green, which kept me in it. After 18 holes we added up the score and what do you know -- we were tied. What are two competitive brothers to do? Well, play another 18 holes of course.

After the 14th hole of our second round I was up 6 and feeling good. Then I proceeded to 3 putt 15, 16, and score a 7 on 17 and we were tied again. On the 18th hole my brother’s drive hooked and landed within a few feet of another twosome. Neither of us had called fore and while I couldn’t see the expressions on their faces, the gestures with their fingers told us all we need to know about how they felt about the misguided shot. Well, I proceeded to slice my drive and we both figured to have a chip to the green. But as we walked down the fairway something was wrong. My brother’s ball was missing. We looked all over for it and couldn’t find it. “Those bastards took my ball,” my brother kept saying. “They took my ball!”

“You should have called ‘Fore’,” I kept replying. That and, “Lost ball, one stroke penalty.”

“It’s not lost, it was stolen,” he said. “What’s the ruling when a ball that gets swiped?”

“All I know is that it’s lost,” I said.

“I could hear them laughing as we walked up, they took the ball.”

“You should have called ‘Fore’.”

On and on we bantered while my brother frantically searched. After ten minutes he finally had to concede, the ball was gone. He took the Penalty and re-teed. He hit a nice shot to the fringe. We both chipped on. I two putted; he one putted. So he took a 5; I took a 4. And that, my friends, is how the bad golfer beat one of his childhood sports idols in a 36-hole match by one stroke.

Cheer!

Rob