Golf and the "X - Y" Factor

February 2006

Golf for Beginners Podcast 02-26-06 takes listeners deep inside the Battle of the Sexes debate.

The latest Golf for Women Magazine recently surveyed men and women to hear their thoughts on this ongoing debate but Barry and I put our own spin on this "Adam versus Eve" battle. As more women learn the sport it doesn't appear as if this conflict will ever be solved but it sure is fun talking about it!

In our Tour Talk section we discuss the elimination of the top golfers from the Accenture Match-Play Championship this past weekend. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson were downed early in the tournament and Ernie Els didn't even make it past day-one. Vijay Singh had no better luck.

In fact Australian Geoff Ogilvy creamed Davis Love III in the finals to join Craig Parry as the only other "down-under" golfer to ever win at the World Golf Championships. On his way towards the finale Ogilvy had to defeat such top golfers as Michael Campbell (U.S. Open winner), Mike Weir (Masters), Tom Lehman (British Open) and finally Davis Love III (PGA Championship).

"Unbelieveable!" Ogilvy exclaimed. "It's such a hard tournament to believe you're going to keep going. I got lucky the first four days and the last two games I played very well."

Ogilvy takes home a huge paycheck of $1.3 million but more importantly Ogilvy moves into the top thirty on tour and has a chance to play in the season-ending Tour Championship.

In LPGA news, Michelle Wie strutted her stuff at the Fields Open in her hometown of Oahu. Although she didn't win, Wie showed the world that at sixteen she is more than capable of holding her own alongside of the best female golfers in the world. While Meena Lee and Seon Hwa Lee duked it out on extra holes, Morgan Pressel came in with a disappointing eleventh place finish alongside of Paula Creamer. Although Natalie Gulbis led early on, she just couldn't keep the lead, finishing in a tie for fourth place with Lorena Ochoa. Both of these ladies now have their second top-ten this season.

Wie takes home her first professional paycheck of over $73K. She also gets to show off her new diamond-encrusted Omega watch given to her as part of her latest endorsement deal. I wonder what the kids at her high school will think of it?

At least we know that Wie is thrilled with her new Omega. Here is what the 16-year-old was thinking about during her final round. She was asked, "How closely were you following what was going on at the end there with the leaderboard and the changes?"

Michelle Wie's reply sounded typically teenage. "Not really that closely. Basically I was checking out what time it was. My watch is so cool. I was asking my caddie, 'Do you know what time it is?' The scoreboard, I didn't pay that much attention to."

We also discuss the latest magnetic bracelets and give you our opinion of these products, including the one we tried out, the Trion-Z bracelet. A written review will be available at The Sand Trap in a few weeks (probable review date is March 17th). More audio reviews to come. Not to give anything away but I have some new Adams Idea Hybrid OS Irons in my bag…

Also make sure to tune in for our latest golf tips, served up fresh weekly by Barry. He is always working on his game and shares his tips for playing smarter, not harder. Putting tips for saving strokes are also discussed.

For questions and comments please feel free to email us at golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Sunningdale Golf Club

February 2006

Located right down the road from the Wentworth Estate in Ascot, Surrey, outside of London is Sunningdale, one of the world's great golf courses. Sunningdale Old (ranked #44 in the world) was designed by William Park Jr. in 1901 and was tinkered with over the years by H.S. Colt who served as the secretary at Sunningdale for many years. Once you are inside the electronic entrance gates, you are in an oasis. The clubhouse, locker room, pro shop and property have a good feel to them and the course has an intangible quality that gets the adrenaline going.

Sunningdale has scenic beauty to stack up against most of the world's best. It achieves a high ranking in the world without being located near the water and without having hosted any Open Championships. The terrain, sand, birch trees, heather, gorse, pines and water come together beautifully to create a unique environment. Heathland courses such as Sunningdale were developed due primarily to the underlying land's resemblance to seaside links courses. Sandy soil, the absence of mud in the winter and good drainage. Most of the area around London has a clay base and thus is not ideally suited for golf. The exception is the Surrey heathland where Sunningdale, Wentworth and Walton Heath are all located.

The course starts with a relatively easy par five opening hold with an O.B. on the right bordering the roadway. After you putt and to to the 2nd tee box you are in peaceful isolation for the rest of the round. I would imagine some people wouldn't like Sunningdale because it has some blind shots and several short holes. The stretch of holes beginning at the 5th and continuing to the 8th are as good a stretch of holes as you can find on any golf course. What makes them good is the risk/reward nature of them combined with their natural beauty. They are a cross between strategic design and penal design that works. As you play Sunningdale you are reminded as much as anything of Pine Valley. You can see the similarities between Pine Valley and Sunningdale throughout the round. This is not surprising given Colt's influence on the design at Pine Valley.

Sunningdale Old 10th hole

Sunningdale was built at a time when it was not in vogue to actively move terrain. Willie Park, Jr. is an important architect in the history of golf. He was the first to move earth to create raised greens and thus Sunningdale is an important historic course in addition to being so spectacularly beautiful. The old course follows the natural contours of the land brilliantly. This type of design principle has largely been lost on new courses, especially in the top 100 courses designed by Pete Dye and Tom Fazio. We are optimistic that architects such as Tom Doak (Pacific Dunes, Barnbougle Dunes) and Kyle Phillips (Kingsbarns) represent a new breed that are returning to this brilliant, traditional design style. I also liked the use of bunkers 60 to 80 yards from the green which make for a difficult up and down if you are in them. His mixture of long holes, short holes, uphill and downhill is the ideal combination. The 277 yard 9th is another very good example of a risk/reward hole with an extremely large green and bunkers short of the green for those that try to go for it from the tee.

Aside from a world-class golf course, Sunningdale also has a very strong Bobby Jones history. It was on Sunningdale Old during an Open Championship qualifier in 1926 that Jones shot what was described as a perfect round. The standard scratch score on the course at the time was 75. He shot a 66 with a 33 on the front and a 33 on the back. He had 33 full shots and 33 putts. The highest number written on his scorecard was a four. This feat is even more incredible if put into its proper context. He was using hickory shafted clubs and a golf ball that was nowhere near those of today's standard. On ten holes he hit his shot to the green with a two iron or a wood. The more I learn about Bobby Jones, the more I see why he is a golf legend.

Sunningdale's 8th hole

One of the problems I am finding writing this blog is that it is difficult not to repeat superlatives again and again. Any course that has made it onto the list has fine attributes (although Royal Troon only has one) and it is easy to wear out words like great, special and best when describing them. Sunningdale not only has all the attributes necessary for greatness but combines them all together into a package that makes it world class. I have been very lucky indeed thus far in my attempt to play the top 100 courses in the world. It is exposing me to experiences and places that are very privileged and special. Sunningdale has a very healthy attitude regarding visitors who will respect their rules. We wish more of America's private clubs would open up a bit more and allow visitors to share some of the world's great courses. I was fortunate to play Sunningdale on a nice crisp Fall day with the temperature in the high 50s. At the risk of over-using superlatives: I have had few finer experiences than sitting in the Sunningdale clubhouse after the round of golf with a pint of Guinness reflecting back on a brilliant days golf.

Sunningdale is a special place.

Sunningdale's home page

Cruden Bay Golf Club

February 2006

At several of the top 100 courses I have played, I've been disappointed upon seeing the course for the first time. St. Andrews, Carnoustie and Hoylake fit into this category. Not to say they are bad courses, quite the contrary, but when you first look at them they look flat and dull.

The anthesis of this is Cruden Bay (ranked # 76 in the world). When you drive into the parking lot for the first time you are simply stunned. Below you in a valley is set a collection of massive sand dunes. Among the dunes weaves a golf course bordering on the North Sea. Not any golf course, but a golf course that you will probably have more fun on than any other course you've ever played. Cruden Bay is located along the Aberdeen coast of Scotland about two hours drive north of Carnoustie. If there was ever an apt description of the term hidden gem, then Cruden Bay is it. The golf writer James Finegan says of Cruden Bay: "Outsized, non conformist, unpredictable and flamboyant".

In the world of golf there are much stearner tests such as Carnoustie, Oakmont and Olympic. Muirfield, Merion and Shinnecock are more historic. Turnberry, Pebble Beach and Kingsbarns are more scenic. But for pure fun, Cruden Bay cannot be beat. The course defies being pigeonholed. So far I have developed some broad classifications that courses have fit into as I'm playing the top 100:

1. International/National membership courses - Pine Valley, Loch Lomond, Cypress Point and the ultimate: Augusta. These clubs transcend their geography.

2. Historic courses - Merion, Chicago, The National, Lahinch

3. Championship courses - Generally all the courses on the British and U.S. Open rotations

4. The ultra-wealthy and low-key clubs - Maidstone and Fishers Island

5. The heathland courses - Ganton, Sunningdale, Wentworth, Woodhall, Walton Heath

6. The new school - Kingsbarns, Pacific Dunes, Bandon Dunes

7. Those that honor greats in the game - Muirfield Village (Nicklaus), Colonial (Hogan), Pinehurst (Ross), East Lake and Peachtree (Bobby Jones)

8. Pete Dye Courses

9. Courses designed by legendary designers - Quaker Ridge, Prarie Dunes, Camargo, Southern Hills

10. Courses designed by Alister Mackenzie

Cruden Bay doesn't fit neatly into any category. It is a truly unique location and a one of a kind golf course. Golf at its simplest is a game. Over time, you can lose sight of that as you get more competitive in matches; try to beat your personal best; try to tinker with your game or perfect your swing.

I found Cruden Bay to be a refreshing and enlightening experience. The point of golf after all is to have fun and enjoy yourself. Cruden Bay would be ranked #1 in the world if you used this as your only measurement criteria. It makes you see golf like through the eyes of a five year old. If you haven't been around a five year old lately I'll remind you: everything is exciting; there is a sense of discovery around every corner; life is good and full of promise.



I've spoken to a lot of well traveled golfers and it's no surprise to me that almost all of them rank Cruden Bay among their personal favorite courses. To be sure, Cruden Bay is quirky. There are a lot of blind shots; there are back to back par threes; some really short par 4's including one that is 258 (the 8th hole plays uphill); the course is only 6,300 yards long. You hit out of valleys up onto the tops of hills and then down into them. There are times when the Cruden Bay landscape almost seems lunar and surreal. On the 10th tee box if you look north over the beach and ocean you can see the ruins of a castle. Slains Castle provided the inspiration to Bram Stoker when he wrote Dracula. It is all truly unique and brilliant fun!

The course is located in a rather isolated location away from any real population center and as a result the members serve as caddies for visitors. The are a very welcoming and friendly group who are happy to share their wonder of the golfing world with visitors. As an added bonus I recommend staying at the Udny Arms located in nearby Newburgh. A family owned B and B, it is cozy and inviting. Being isolated you might assume they would serve basic meat and potatoes fare. In fact, the food is world class. The bar areas are cigar friendly and the wait staff makes you feel at home. Don't expect American size rooms or 200 channels of cable television. As is typical in Britain the amenities are basic, the showers are tiny but there is a facility to make a cup of tea in each room. It is one of my favorite places to stay in the world.

The first time I saw Cruden Bay was on a golf trip with eight of us touring Scotland. This was prior to my now obsessive quest to play the top 100. We were so enamored with the place that on the spot we changed our plans to stay an extra day so we could play the course over and over again. On every trip to Scotland I try to play Cruden Bay.

Cruden Bay's home page:

Cruden Bay Golf Club

LPGA Welcomes Michelle Wie to Fields Open

February 2006

The best of the best on the LPGA Tour aim for both the second win of the season as well as amassing more points to gain exemption into the final hurrah of 2006, the ADT Championship.

Michelle Wie will use her first of eight exemptions this week on her home turf in Hawaii. The 16-year-old will most certainly be the youngest and most popular golfer in the field with a close second belonging to her nemesis Morgan Pressel.

Pressel soundly defeated Wie several years ago in match play format at the AJGA Championships and recently has been outspoken about Wie's easy entrance into LPGA tournaments through exemption instead of by earning her spot.

Expect sparks to fly at this inaugural event. At the Fields Open it's not all about the trophy, points or even the share of a big $1.1 million purse. This week it's personal.

Only a hop, skip and jump from Turtle Bay Resort, Ko Olina Golf Club in Kapolei, Oahu is the second stop on the LPGA Tour. For over a week the ladies have been sunning themselves during their off-time but now it's back to business.

Although most of the same ladies have made the short journey this week there is another amongst them making her 2006 debut who has single-handedly changed the face of women's golf. Michelle Wie's long flowing swing has been compared to Ernie Els, earning her the name "The Big Wiesy" among players on the PGA Tour. Hot debates on the internet have created a whirlwind of controversy contending that Wie should first play golf on the LPGA before teeing it up with the men of the PGA Tour for the experience.

The time is at hand for Wiesy to strut her stuff. Michelle is ready to show that she can certainly compete against the best of the LPGA and hopefully put a victory under her belt. Attempting to stop her will be 132 women, all believing that they are as good or better golfers than Wie and that she is just lucky in her business ventures.

Morgan Pressel has already defeated Wie, albeit several years ago and has even one-upped Wie as recently as at last year's US Women's Open, sharing second place with Brittany Lang after failing to win at the 18th hole against a lucky sand save by Birdie Kim.

The stakes are higher this year as Wie has to prove she is worth the millions of sponsorship dollars thrust upon her. Pressure is mounting for the 16-year-old to perform at a higher level given her attempts to make the cut at several Sony Open's on the PGA Tour. Maturity, or the lack thereof, will show itself this week as a few of the top performers are barely out of high school.

From top: Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer, Michelle Wie and Brittany Lang all appear this weekend at the Fields Open.

Take for example last year's Rolex Rookie of the Year Paula Creamer who struggled last week at the SBS Open. The 19-year-old from Bradenton, Florida has the ability to make it to the top of the money list. She finished in second place last year, just beneath Annika Sorenstam in the standings but could not get a top-ten last week. Still, she is a top choice to win this week, and she rarely pouts.

Natalie Gulbis is a bit older than the others at 23-years-old. She is a grinder and with the assistance of swing coach Butch Harmon may well 2006 her breakout year.

Joo Mi Kim, unlikely winner at last week's SBS Open will try to make it two-for-two this week but Lorena Ochoa's playoff attempts have not gone unnoticed. Last year Ochoa quietly climbed the official money list despite a few snowman blips and chokes along the way especially when facing off against Annika Sorenstam at the Mastercard Championship. Speaking of the Mastercard, Sorenstam will wait until this event to make her 2006 debut, so fans of Annika please be patient!

And I'm still waiting for Q-School champion Ai Miyazato to garner a top-ten for herself. She has played in the Women's World Cup of Golf early this season and now at the SBS Open with mediocre results. I'm betting that once she starts winning, Miyazato will be unstoppable. But my opinion here doesn't really matter. Ai haw a huge following out in Japan and is as popular as Tiger Woods! Between her sponsorships and followings, Miyazato needs a win desperately!

Expect to see regulars Laura Davies, Dorothy Delasin, Juli Inkster, Cristie Kerr and Christina Kim grinding it out this week as well. There will also be a huge Asian contingency at this event. Eight sponsors exemptions have been given out, all to Asians.

What are the odds that an Asian will win this weekend?
Will Morgan Pressel eat her words about Michelle Wie?

Find out the answers to these burning questions this weekend.

The Golf Channel will air the Fields Open on February 23-25th from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. (EST). If you are a true golf fanatic, you surely don't want to miss this spectacular 54-hole event!

Photo Credit: © AP Photo/Katsumi Kasahara.
Photo Credit: © AP.

Natalie Gulbis Hottest Female Athlete Of The Year

February 2006

Natalie Gulbis has been nominated for ESPN Page 2's Hottest Female Athlete of the Year. The ESPN Page 2 editorial project currently publishes photos and the accomplishments of ten outstanding and attractive women in sports in the Page2 section on ESPN.com.



Other female athletes besides Natalie Gulbis nominated for "Hottest Female Athlete Of The Year" are Tanith Belbin, Gretchen Bleiler, Swin Cash, Vonetta Flowers, Sophie Sandolo, Lindsey Jacobellis, Kristi Leskinen, Danica Patrick, and Maria Sharapova.

Please go and vote for Natalie Gulbis!!!

Will Tiger Woods Play the Champions Tour?

February 2006

Golf for Beginners Podcast number fifteen looks at both the serious and silly sides of golf.

Before we begin, please make sure that you tune in to our podcast next week as there is something happening to both Barry and I as well as Golf for Beginners that is going to change our future and we want our listeners to celebrate along with us!

Now, on to the podcast!

There is plenty of news this week beginning with the first LPGA event of the year, the SBS Open which took place in at the Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii. This is the same resort which hosts the Big Break V:Hawaii and the thrills are equally as great.

Korean rookie Joo Mi Kim grabbed the first place check of $150,000 from opponents Lorena Ochoa and Soo Young Moon in an unlikely playoff. The good news is that Kim WON the event with a birdie in the second playoff hole as opposed to the other two handing her the trophy.

Morgan Pressel displayed her skills admirably in her first professional event. Morgan shared fifth place with Natalie Gulbis. Paula Creamer didn't fare as well, unable to stay in the top-ten but give her time. She wasn't handed her first official tour trophy until the Sybase Classic and then she just couldn't be stopped!

These ladies all have one thing in common, namely, big business is standing behind them, offering contracts for all kinds of sporting goods.

USA Today writes about the marketability of these young superstars. General manager of Nike Golf USA, Cindy Davis states, "We believe these players can create brand awareness. There has been an evolution of women in sports in general. Their acceptance has changed dramatically in the last 20 years."

Twenty years ago the ladies in the LPGA were hard-pressed to find sponsors. Today, the younger, attractive stars are naming their own ticket.

Morgan Pressel represents Callaway Golf and Paula Creamer has six contracts from big names such as Bridgestone and TaylorMade-Adidas.

Q-School medalist Ai Miyazato has really hit the big time in Japan. She is such a larger-than-life superstar that she can't go outside without being chased down the street for an autograph. She's bigger than Hideki Matsui, has eleven different sponsors and is a television star to boot! When she is exxpected to play in a JLPGA tournament, ticket sales triple!

Michelle Wie is a prominent example of the new breed of woman golfer. Her combined $10 million Sony/Nike deal exemplifies capitalism to a "tee". A large, golden tee, that is.

These days it's no longer just about a win on the LPGA Tour. If a girl is marketable, she'll be brought along and has a good chance of retiring with a golden parachute.

In Champions Tour news, Loren Roberts secured both his third trophy and a place in history this week at the ACE Classic. Roberts is the only senior tour player who has achieved this feat and he did so in exciting fashion.

And would someone please purchase an umbrella for Tiger Woods! With flu-like symptoms, Tiger had to withdraw on Saturday after being drenched after a rainstorm at the Nissan Open. This is the only tournament which Woods has played in more than three times that he has not won (at least once). His record remains unbroken.

However, even with the sniffles, Tiger can drive the ball farther than most professional golfers today. His average drive for two days at the Nissan Open was over 300 yards which put him in ninth place in driving distance. But how will Tiger fare playing golf with the seniors?

In our Blogger Weekly section we pit Vijay Singh against Phil Mickelson in a Celebrity Deathmatch. Vijay just doesn't know when to give up! He's now two-for-two in calling officials over to check Mickelson's equipment and he loses each battle.

Also, eatgolf.com is convinced that food and water are overpriced at the Riviera Country Club. We don't agree. Notoriously, sporting events charge exorbitant prices because they can get away with it.

We also talk about the importance of a good golf instructor. These professional instructors are invaluable if you are serious about your game.

Most importantly, Barry and I have BIG NEWS heading our way. We are thrilled and excited all at once. Keep listening for all of the details!

For questions and comments please feel free to write to us at golfforbeginners@aol.com. We'll discuss your email in our podcast.

Gulbis In Contention At SBS Open At Turtle Bay

February 2006

After 2 rounds of the SBS Open At Turtle Bay, Natalie Gulbis is at 5 under par and tied for 7th place. A beautiful second round of 67 which featured 5 birdies and no bogeys has put her in the hunt. Rookie Morgan Pressel is tied with Natalie at 5 under. Other notable scores are Cristie Kerr at 2 under, Paula Creamer 3 under, and Heather Young at 1 under par.

Natalie Gulbis Sets Sights On 2006

February 2006

The 2006 LPGA season kicks off today with the opening round of the SBS Open at Turtle Bay. Natalie Gulbis is entered along with defending champion Jennifer Rosales, Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, and rookie Morgan Pressel.

Lets hope Nataie gets off to a great start in 2006 with a win!

Wie and Pressel in Celebrity Death Match?

February 2006

Golf for beginners 02-12-06 episode fourteen wants to see

Morgan Pressel and Michelle Wie duke it out!

Thegolfblog.com quoted Pressel as saying, "I don't think she (Wie) needs an exemption. I've been through qualifying. Everybody who doesn't make it on the money list, other amateurs, other professionals that aren't members of the tour, they all have to go through qualifying, too. I don't see why she shouldn't, or why she should be afraid, or expect an exemption."

This week's "Blogger Weekly" had a field day with this one, quoting bloggers who agree wholeheartedly with Pressel. Of course Wieblog.com fought back claiming, "Teenage girls can be so catty… about LPGA exemptions. Wie earned her Women’s Open exemption because her virtual winnings in events she participated in would have put her into the top 35 on the LPGA money list." MEOW!

This readers, is great for professional women's golf. More interest creates more advertising dollars which fuels the sport. I'm really happy about that and will continue to report on this subject and on women's golf in general.

My personal opinion tends to agree with Pressel but allowing Michelle Wie to play in such a venue would undoubtedly increase appeal in the LPGA. Purses will increase and the ladies sport will continue to gain momentum. Just look how much interest was generated when Michelle Wie played golf at the Sony Open?

Our question of the day comes from Karl at justsayok.net. He asks, "When do you consider yourself a golfer?"
Check out our response and think about when you officially became a golfer.

We also talk about the Pebble Beach Celebrity Pro-Am. Although Phil Mickelson won wire-to-wire in 2005 he wasn't so lucky this week. He wound up with a 77 in final round action. This wasn't his best event and I sure hope Phil watches the tape and corrects his mistakes. The Masters is coming up in the blink of an eye.

And just a few handicaps which might intrigue our readers.

Our favorite player at the Pro-Am was undoubtedly Bill Murray who actually enjoys this tournament and isn't afraid to show it. His clothes fit his mood and his 14 handicap is very respectable. Murray has a membership at Sleepy Hollow CC right down the road from our house and although we have taken lessons there before, we haven't played golf there yet with Bill!

Other interesting handicaps include:
Dennis Quaid - 2 handicap
Andy Garcia - 11 handicap
Donald Trump - 6 handicap
Tommy Smothers - 18 handicap

And, did you know that Olympian downhill skier Bode Miller plays to a 10 handicap?

For questions or comments please email us at: golfforbeginners@aol.com

Merion - The Vatican of Golf

February 2006

Most major cities have their well healed suburbs - in New York Greenwich and Darien. In Chicago, the communities along the North Shore of Lake Michigan. In Philadelphia, the affluent leafy suburbs are known as The Main line. Named after the train line west of the city, the Main Line is old world, understated and rich. Merion is located in the heart of Philadelphia's Main Line and plays the part well. The land the course and clubhouse are on trace their title back to William Penn.

Memory is not one of my strengths. One minute after meeting someone I don't remember their name. Many times I have had to look at the bag tag of the member I'm playing with every three holes to remember his name and not make a complete fool of myself. And, I have gotten very good at not saying names. "Nice shot" instead of "Nice Shot, Dave", in case his name is in fact Bob.

There is, however a part of my memory that works very well when it sees greatness. I have found that the mark of a truly great course is how well you remember it both immediately after a round and six months later. Using this measure Merion is a truly great course. After playing it once I could describe every hole in detail. The shape, terrain, bunkers, doglegs, green contours, etc. At Pebble Beach you sort of feel compelled to like the course because it is so pretty and everybody raves about. But, if you're being honest with yourself, aside from the 18th hole, can you visually remember all 18 holes at Pebble? I'll bet you can't. Merion is seared into my memory. So far this has happened to me on only three courses in the world: Merion, The National Golf Links of America and Cruden Bay.

What makes Merion so memorable? It is the ultimate strategic golf course. It is not a terribly long course. First, you have to hit the fairways or it will be a long day. Second, you have to be on the correct side of the fairway in order to have a decent shot at the green. And finally, you have to be on the correct part of the green or you're in three putt territory. On every green. Also, the shot variety is really good as are the changes in direction, doglegs and uphill/downhill shots. No monotomy here. As if the golf course itself is not good enough (and it is) you also have the grandeur and majesty of the clubhouse and the Bobby Jones history. When you play the 11th hole, where Jones won the Grand Slam, you have chills up and down your spine. I have, on the half dozen times I've been fortunate enough to play.



If there was ever a course that new equipment has destroyed it is Merion. It is too bad that the U.S.G.A and R. & A. have let the situation get out of hand and length is now the primary driver of competitive golf. It would be a shame if this course is lost from major competition forever. I consider Merion to be the spirtual home of golf in the U.S. due to its greatness, its history, its association with Bobby Jones and the architecture of the course and the clubhouse.

This is the first course Bobby played a major on (the 1916 Amateur), the first course he won a major on (the 1924 Amateur) and the last course he played competitive golf on (the 1930 Amateur), completing the fourth leg of the Grand Slam at Merion in September 1930. Also, the photograph which is the golfing equivalent of the sailor on VJ day kissing a woman in Times Square was taken at Merion.

Taken by Life Magazine photographer, Hy Peskin, it shows Ben Hogan hitting a one iron on the 18th hole in the 1950 U.S. Open. It is an iconic picture of this great player at one of the most historic of courses in a perfect finish position. Hogan almost stopped playing during this final round because he was in such a state of fatigue recovering from a near fatal car accident the year before. Hogan hit the one iron onto the green and made a par to qualify for a three man playoff the next day which he would go on to win. It is one of the most heroic finishes of all time.

Merion has many unique characteristics: the red wicker baskets as flags, the bunkers with clumps of grass in the middle (known as the white faces of Merion) and the scene around the first tee. You tee off right next to the outside patio with members and guests about five feet away from the tee box. It is one of the best opening holes in golf. The view in all directions is impressive, the clubhouse building with its white-washed stone and porch, the green awnings, the mature trees, the wicker baskets. Merion also still has what has unfortunately become a rare entity in American golf: Experienced caddies, and lots of them. The clubhouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places is the golfing equivalent of St. Peter's. Also, like the Vatican, Merion upholds the traditional and the conservative in the game and in many ways is truer to the traditions than the governing bodies because they don't have to compromise with the equipment manufacturers.

In the clubhouse and on the course at Merion you naturally speak in hushed tones and in a respectful manner. In sounds absurd but it is close to a religious experience. If you get invited to play Merion, by all means make the pilgrimage.

Merion's web site:

http://www.meriongolfclub.com/default.aspx

Check Out Stacy's Golf Swing!

February 2006

It's time for all of my readers and listeners to see the golf swing behind the blog.

It's early in the season and this is my first time at a driving range but I think it's worthy of a visual. All I can say is thank goodness for my impact bag. Isn't it amazing how much stuff we golfers collect around the house which we hardly use? The impact bag has long been one of my favorite training aids but has been sitting around lately gathering dust.

I personally think that my golf swing looks pretty good!

If you have a video camera it is always a good idea to bring it with you to the driving range.

Although you may not notice a flaw in your swing upon first inspection, I think that you will be able to compare it to other professional golf swings and notice a difference. It might also be in your best interest to take the video you create over to a professional golf instructor so he/she can evaluate it for you.

I'm taking my movie (and my golf swing) over to my swing coach, Bill Moro, for an evaluation. I have one lesson remaining in my group series before I have to purchase another set. If you are serious about the sport and want to take lessons it might also be a good idea to purchase a set of four or five of them. Not only does it come out cheaper but it may take a few lessons to ingrain that new, improved swing into your practice.

Your comments or questions are always welcome.
Email me at golfforbeginners@aol.com.

Tiger Woods in the 2008 Olympics?

February 2006

Golf for beginners 02-05-06 episode thirteen asks the question,

"Should golf be an Olympic sport?"

People's Daily Online, a Chinese online periodical in English quotes Secretary General of the China Golf Association, Cui Zhiqiang as saying that the decision, "made sense as the game was becoming increasingly popular in China with about 200 courses and 200 more under construction."

Golf has been on the Olympic program twice, in 1900 and 1904. There were two golf events in 1900 - one for men and one for the ladies.

GolfToday.uk added, "They gave away gold medals for synchronized diving, beach volleyball, fencing and badminton at the Olympics in Athens. The world's best basketball players were there (minus several American defections), along with stars in softball and tennis. There were 28 sports involved, but no golf."

Previous Olympic sports have included Tug-of-War, Polo, Rugby, Lacrosse, Cricket, Croquet and water-skiing. I think it's about time that there were some form of amateur form of golf at the 2008 Olympics but it won't be feasible if professionals are allowed to play because the USA will undoubtedly win gold (who could possibly take a gold medal from Tiger Woods?).

This week's "Blogger Weekly" section focuses on yet another left-handed golfer, Gerry "Bubba" Watson. We are possibly looking at another John Daly. Bubba stated in http://www.golf.haabaa.com/blogs/?p=68, "If it ever comes down to where I need a lesson, I’m quitting. I’m never going to have a lesson. People say, ‘Quiet your hips,’ and I don’t have a clue what they mean. I just hit it."

Bubba's longest recent drive? Over 422 yards in 2004!

And finally, Barry and I discuss how using a video camera at the driving range could show you hidden flaws in your swing.

We took a camera to the range and taped my swing so look for my swing video in this week's blog.

For questions or comments please email us at: golfforbeginners@aol.com

Our Service Station Gets a Facelift!

February 2006

While Barry plays golf our Amoco station rejuvenates.

Today is our anniversary. Fourteen years of marriage to the same guy. Has it really been that long?
It's also a holiday…Groundhog Day. I don't remember the last time Punxsutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow so prepare for six more weeks of winter!

In honor of this special day I'm making sure Barry plays a round of golf with his regular foursome.

I personally haven't had much luck getting out to play this winter sigh. It seems as if every time I feel the need to get out the weather fails to cooperate.

When I hear that one day of the week will be just right, I make sure my husband gets to play first. I think he needs it more than I do. I'm also being a bit selfish because I know that if I don't make a stink when he goes out, he can't berate me for something that I might want to do.

I harbor no ill will regarding Barry's right to play. He gets really dejected if he can't get out at least once during the week. If there is a snowstorm or the temperature dips too low (for Barry it's about 32 degrees) I make sure he gets to hit a bucket at the driving range. It's heated so all he requires is a sweater. (C'mon, what are wives for?)

I, on the other hand, require a warmer day. My time out requires near perfection. Nice weather and plenty of sunshine.

Barry was the person who helped me to learn the game that I now can't get out of my blood. I can honestly say that I had no interest in the sport until he told me that I didn't necessarily have to play at the crack of dawn. That was the decision-maker for me.

Another great thing that Barry made me do was to take lessons from the moment my first set of clubs were delivered to me. That actually made golf not only more enjoyable but also made me realize that I was a natural ahem at it.

This season marks my fifth anniversary of playing golf and I'm regularly in the 80's. My swing is compact yet flowing and as time progresses, it gets more powerful. My promise to videotape it still stands as soon as warmer weather hits and I come out of hybernation.

Of course my husband's play time means more stressful work time for moi. As many of you may know, Barry and I own and operate a service station. Not only is it our anniversary but tomorrow also marks the last day of our Amoco station and our changeover to Getty.

So next year will be "Happy Anniversary to us and to our service station"!

Signs will be coming down, new ones will be hoisted into place. Barry will miss all of this commotion because golf is much more important to him than watching a couple of new signs go up.

Am I happy with the changeover? Yes and no.

There were two main reasons why we were forced to make the switch.

For one thing, we're not a "mega" station. Amoco (now BP) wants only larger gas stations that can offer 100,000 gallons or more per month, every month.

Our "mom and pop" store can't do even half that amount.

The second reason is that they have added a surcharge to our delivery making the gasoline unaffordable to sell. We don't make much money on gasoline anyway but this was like taking every last cent out of our pockets. Not going to happen, ergo, we switched.

The good news is that we got to select the type of branding.

We were offered several different gasoline companies but Getty seemed to be the one that offered us lower prices with the quality of gas remaining unchanged. Getty is pretty good stuff and it comes from Russia. Okay, take your pick. The Saudi's or the Russians.

I'm going to post some of the pics here as soon as I can take them so everyone can see our "new and improved" gas station.