Strathmore Golf Club Juniors Eligibility For Competitions

May 2009
Following are the conditions for eligibility to partake in Club Competitions.

1. LADIES SECTION

Operate within the Congu Handicap Scheme. All females who have already attained their Congu Handicap are eligible to play in all competitions.
In future to qualify for a Congu Handicap a female must play to a 108, after Stableford adjustment.

2. GENTS SECTION

Juniors of any age provided they have a current Congu Handicap are permitted to play in any Wednesday Competition, as these competitions are not drawn.
Juniors who have attained the age of 15 and have a current Congu handicap will be permitted to play in Weekend Competitions.

NOTE. These arrangements will operate until the Gents Section A.G.M. on Friday 23rd October 2009. At this meeting the Gents Membership will decide on the future policy regarding Juniors eligibility to play in Gents Competitions.

3. MIXED COMPETITIONS

These competitions are open to all members with a current Congu Handicap, subject to the following arrangements.
a) Players under 15 years of age must be partnered by an adult member (over the age of 18).
b) Only one Junior will be permitted to play in each drawn Group.

From the Rough - Another view of Valderrama

May 2009
As one of the traveling companions with the blogger, I feel compelled to write a rebuttal to the above, well-written but misguided review. I appreciate and respect the author’s unbridled enthusiasm of his review of Valderrama. I too had that enthusiasm as we pulled into the resort and golfing complex. When there is an individual in uniform controlling the entrance gates to approve (or disapprove) of your playing privileges, you usually are in for a special day. And once inside the gates of Valderrama, you truly believe something special lies ahead. The place is immaculate. It feels like hallowed ground. History was made here. And history will probably be made here again. In short, before you put a tee in the ground, the excitement level is high.

It must be noted that my blogger colleague and I did not play in the same group. He was invited to play with a special, elite traveling group. I played with the third member of our trio of friends, each of whom is on a quest to play the world’s top 100 courses. My golfing partner and I flew into Madrid the day before and drove almost 10 hours south to Spain’s southern coast. Spain is a beautiful country – it is very dry and much more mountainous than ever imagined. Our drive took us through the city of Granada, which is home to the famous Alhambra palace. What shocked us most about Granada was the snow capped mountains that framed the city. These are the Sierra Nevada mountains, not unlike the Sierra Nevadas found in this country. Another highpoint of our day-long trip were the roads in Spain. They are real and spectacular. Perfect condition. No potholes, no traffic. Truly a pleasure to drive in this country. We passed seemingly miles of nothing but olive trees. There are more olive trees than people. Kind of like Scotland where sheep far outnumber humans. Refreshing.



Golfing Letdown

So where did things go wrong? First, as we were about to tee off, we asked the starter if it ever rains in the southern part of Spain. It’s probably a question he doesn’t get too often. After all, they don’t name it the Sun Coast for nothing. But it was a very cloudy this day and it looked darker on the horizon. “No, it never rains in Spain,” he confidently said. I was both pleased and relieved as I had left my rain suit and umbrella in my hotel room. By the third hole, the rain was pelting down. So much for Al Roker sitting in the starter house.

Although the rain was an unwelcome surprise, the bigger let down was the Valderrama golf course itself. This is where the big differences between my blogger colleague and I exist. My second shot on the first hole was my first clue. My drive was on the left edge of the fairway with about 160 meters to the green for a second shot. Not a great drive but certainly playable and acceptable to my level of play. But the second shot would require either a low stinger beneath the cork trees that would have to stop suddenly on a tiny green or a high lofty shot that would have to, by luck, ricochet off the cork trees and drop onto the green (see blogger pictures). It was then that I realized this course was built for Seve, not for Steve, Joe or Jim and their 8 to 14 American handicaps.

The second hole was a bit more ridiculous – cork trees in the middle of the fairway. My drive was where it was supposed to be – in the fairway. My reward for hitting the fairway? A punch shot to advance the ball under the trees. I couldn’t get near the green. And of course there was cork trees overhanging parts of the putting surface.
A quick comment on cork trees. They are fascinating. Never saw them before. Yes, they are spongy like a cork. I like cork, especially when it is released from a lovely bottle of Bordeaux. I don’t like cork when it unfairly obstructs my approach shots to green after green.



By the third hole, I said to my playing partner and traveling companion, “I’ve played this course before. It’s called Harbour Town. Hated that tricked up place and it isn’t worthy of being in the top 100.”

As we reached the fourth hole, the rain didn’t let up but the flow of the round did. We were delayed by the slow play of the two groups ahead of us. This gave us the chance to meet up with a lovely married couple and we joined their twosome. He was from Scotland, she was from Ireland. Golf was obviously in their blood. Money was obviously in their pocket as they were members of both Valderrama and Loch Lomond. Both had game but more importantly they were truly informative about their courses in Spain and Scotland. As for the fourth hole itself, it was more of the same. The picture looks nice but even the blogger admits that part of the green is blocked by overhanging trees.

By the time we got to the ninth hole, the rain was teeming down. Kind of like Octomom when her water broke. It was so intense and unexpected, the rain actually sent our Scottish/Irish friends packing. They had had enough. However, after we shook hands to say goodbye, the Scot, seeing my pathetic frame as if I were in a wet-tee shirt contest, offered me his rain suit. I’m not yet comfortable to jump into another man’s trousers but I quickly seized his waterproof jacket. All I had to do at the end of the round was to return it to Al Roker, who would put it in the Scot’s locker. Another reason to love Scotland, I declared.

The rain on the back nine continued. Admittedly, the golf course improved somewhat. But I think you get the idea that trying to bend and shape shots into covered greens gets old fast. My comments and rebuttal, however, wouldn’t be complete without a note about the “iconic seventeenth hole.” Yes, history was here during the 1997 Ryder Cup. My blogger colleague is correct in saying this is an uncharacteristic hole compared to the others because of the lack of overhanging cork trees around the green (perhaps there was an emergency corkage need for some Contador 2005 Benjamin Romeo). But what was most shocking about the 17th hole was the man-made pond in front of the green. Actually, calling it a pond is an injustice to ponds. If you look closely at the blogger’s second picture, you see the “pond’s” pool liner that is covered by sunken green algae. It’s kind of like the neighbor who has an in-the-ground pool but never cleans it. All that was missing was a diving board and a slide.

19th Hole


I didn’t hate Valderrama. As noted, I was very excited to visit Spain for the first time and play this historical course. I was pumped for a course that I thought would exceed expectations. But with the rain in Spain not staying on the plain and a course that doesn’t reward good shots, my Valerrama golfing experience was disappointing. Plus, and this cannot be ignored, at 300 euros plus 60 euros for a cart, the golf set me back about 480 large. Ouch!

What did I like about Valderrama? I like small greens, and small areolas and Valdy had about 18 of them. Plus the course was in beautiful shape. The scenery was just average – there was a lot of real estate. Keep in mind that this is a resort course. Think Harbour Town, Doral, Palm Desert. If you look really hard, you can see the Mediterranean Sea and the tip of the Rock of Gibraltar. Frankly, the views found within the low country of South Carolina (Yeaman’s Hall), cliffs of Bandon Dunes or windmill at Long Island’s National excite me much more. The biggest plus, as it is with all of our trips, was my playing partner. We were soaked yet thirsty. We reveled in our disappointment of the course yet had a lot of fun. The pops we consumed during and mostly after the round are and will always be a key component of any of our trips.

Finally, perhaps the best way to judge a golfing experience is to ask yourself if you would return. This doesn’t mean a second round in a day – that would be too easy, especially if, like my blogger colleague, money is not an issue (his idea of hard times is no salt on his peanuts or drinking 12-year-old Macallan instead of 15-year-old). Would I make another transatlantic flight to Spain just to play Valderrama? I would do – and have done it – for Scotland, Ireland and England. Spain, despite its rugged beauty and the extreme courteousness of its people, is not a place I would return for another golf experience. There are way too many other places I’ve got to play and re-play.

Mixed Section Event - Sun 31st May

May 2009
Tomorrow sees the Mixed Section hold a Texas Scramble. The draw for this event will be made on the day, at 1200 hrs with the first tee-time being 1230. Get there early for all the fun of the fair, and if you fancy a late entry, be there also!

Club Championship/Tankard Qualifiers - Round 1

May 2009
After the fun of Captain's Day and the excitement of the Cash For Kids event, its down to business once again this weekend for the first qualifying round of the Club Championship and Tankard Trophy.

A quick reminder of the specific rules in place for this weekend:

1. After the completion of Round 2, the Top 16 Gross Scores will go forward to the Championship KO’s and the Top 16 Nett, who have not qualified for the Club Championship KO, will go forward to the Tankard KO Rounds.

2. All Competitors are to be aware of the requirement to be available for the allocated tee-times for the KO rounds. If a competitor is in a qualifying position and are unable to comply, they are to contact the Comps Sec as soon as possible after Round Two, in order that the qualifiers can be adjusted accordingly.

And so to the draw for the weekend:

First Up:

0800 SA Robertson, M MacGillivary & M O'Toole
0807 M Scott, M Grieve & K Taylor
0815 L Bushby, K Mitchell & D McDonald
0822 J McBain, C Petrie & GN Hunter
0830 B Jackson, R Milligan & A Docherty
0837 C Davidson, R Miller (FH) & J Ireland
0845 C Fairweather, A Jones & P Simpson
0852 Mike Bell, S Schofield & G Bruce (FH)
0900 S Bolderson, B Simpson & I Stewart

Next in Line

1200 C McKenna, I Scott & M Tinker
1207 G Martin (Jnr), D Gillespie & D Robb
1215 A Hughes, R Tinker (Jnr) & E Ritchie
1222 A Easton (Jnr), D Thomson & D Grant
1230 W McGregor, C McDonald & Matt Bell
1237 S Thomson, A Aird &
C Thoms
1245 E Gray, F Martin & D Gordon

The Tailenders

1700 F Moran & G Haynes
1707 I Butchart & D Douglas

Good Hunting Gentlemen.

What a Weekend!

May 2009
Last weekend saw the Club's Captains Day Competition take place, with all the usual fun prizes, donated by the Captain up for grabs. An excellent fun day was had by all and our Congratulations go to Alan Jones for taking the overall prize.

Following hard on the heels of Captains Day was the inaugural Radio Tay Cash For Kids Strokeplay Trophy. No less that 100 players turned out for this event, and found the course in immaculate condition, though the Strathmore Breeze did cause most of the visitors a few problems. The auctions and raffles raised in the region of £5000, which is a tidy sum for a first time out event. Thanks to all Strathmore members who played in the event.

This Blog

May 2009
The Strathmore Gent's Section Blog, as the opening title says, is an avenue to provide information to Strathmore Golf Club members, provide details on upcoming events, publish results, and the odd tale from the course. As with all Blogs, a comment facility has been available, allowing members to provide witty interaction or general comment.

This is a privately run blog run on behalf of all Gent's Section members, and recent comments have become no more than attacks and complaints over decisions taken by the Gent's Section Committee on behalf of it's members. The Club has a notified procedure for complaints, using the e-mail provided on this Blog, therefore the ability to post Comments has been removed by the Blog Team until further notice.

This blog will NOT be used to promote/endorse or give voice to any agenda by any member of the Club, it merely serves as an information portal and will always remain that way.

Do the Caddyshack and the hole-in-one and don't let your macho get in the way

May 2009

Click here to listen.




With the excitement surrounding "the new and improved" John Daly's return to the PGA Tour and the buzz encircling 2008 Rolex Rookie of the Year Yani Tseng's win at the Corning Classic with an upcoming second major try at the McDonalds LPGA Championship, golfers are getting out onto the course in droves attempting to mimic the shots of the professionals.

More often than not, amateurs are stepping to the back tees and seeing more of the golf course than need be, and this usually refers to the men! Does this sound like you, Mr. Macho? Whereas women, in my opinion, are inclined to play a game of accuracy, men have a tendency to ignore course and slope ratings in favor of the thrill of "tipping it out" with a similar level of ability as from a more forward position.

But, is it such a terrible affair to try your luck from the tips, not worrying so much about which teebox suits your skill level or will it help improve your game in the long run?

If your tee shots are shorter than your opponents, you may not be able to "drive for show" and you may be forced to use longer clubs on your approach to the green. The inability to outdrive your competitor may actually creep into your mental game, psyching you out and forcing you to question your ability.

Commenters on the Golf Channel's discussion boards agree that ego plays a large part in the game of golf. Problems that ensue include overswinging as well making bad course management decisions.

As one analogy stated, "If you were a beginner or intermediate skier would you ski down a double black diamond run? Unlikely.

Most recently I have been placed into the position of playing from the "whites" or men's tees (in many cases) and found that the game changes enormously as you step back. After several attempts of struggling with my long game and mainly woods, I moved forward to the ladies tees and the result was definitive! I actually found myself more self-assured, with my entire game cooperating from tee to green.

I can't hit a golf ball 295 yards just short of the green like Michelle Wie does so my ego is put on hold by keeping home plate at the senior tees!

This week, Golf for Beginners focuses on fun and easy golf exercises to improve core strength and flexibility so that, when you do get out to the course, you will be the Tiger on the tee!


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PEBBLE BEACH

May 2009
The first and only time I've played golf in California, I was fortunate enough to play Pebble Beach. I played with three of my friends in early December and we were lucky enough for the weather to be about 70 degrees and sunny.



The course layout and views were unbelievable and I was able to picture shots I had seen in highlights on television throughout the years. There were many great holes and I can't even imagine how difficult the course would have been had the rough been really high or if the wind was blowing hard.



The four holes that really stood out were numbers seven, eight, seventeen, and eighteen.





Number seven, pictured above, is a short downhill par three surrounded by bunkers and the pacific ocean on three sides. This hole is not very difficult if the weather is calm, however, if a strong wind is blowing, it could be a nightmare.







Number eight, pictured above, is probably the most difficult par four I've ever played. This is a dog leg right in which you have to hit a very good uphill tee shot to set yourself up for a very difficult second shot. Your second shot will be hit over a cliff and the ocean to a very small green surrounded by bunkers. I would imagine there is at least one million golf balls in the ocean near this hole.





Number seventeen, the famous hole where Jack Nicklaus hit the pin with his 1 iron at the 1972 U.S. Open is another fantastic hole. This is a long par three to one of the most narrow greens you will ever see.





Number eighteen, pictured above, is one of the most famous par fives in the world. As you can see, the pacific ocean is along the entire left side of the hole as you play to the green. Depending on how much risk you want to take on the tee shot, you can play it safe out to the right or try and cut the corner over the ocean.



Course information:



18 Holes

Par: 72



Black Rating (US Open Championship): 74.3/Slope 144; Yardage - 6,828

Blue Rating: 73.8/Slope 142; Yardage - 6,737

Gold Rating: 72.3/Slope 137; Yardage - 6,348

White Rating: 71.2/Slope 134; Yardage - 6,116

Red Rating: 71.8/Slope 129; Yardage - 5,198





PEBBLE BEACH GOLF LINKS
Resort Guests$495 incl. cart
Non-Resort Guests$495 + cart








Overall, playing Pebble Beach was a fantastic experience. The hotel accommodations, resort, and service were excellent. The pro shop was cool and they even have a full spa if you aren't there for the golf. Viewing the sites along 17 mile drive was nice. We had some great caddies for our round who provided good advice and kept us moving along when we started sight seeing for too long.



I highly recommend playing Pebble Beach if you ever have the chance. Although expensive, this is a once in a lifetime experience that you will not forget.

Before and After

May 2009
Wanted to share a couple before and after pictures with you guys.  Haven't had much time since the season is picking up to post any blogs.  You will like these pictures of a couple things that we have worked on recently.  We are out to make a difference at The Rim Golf Club.  If you haven't noticed these last couple years of quality change here is a couple small things that we do as the season goes on to improve and keep improving the golf course.  Before too long you may not be able to put your finger on it, but the coursewill  just looks sharp and tidy over time.  The little things add up to make a big difference.


These are pictures off our pothole bunker on the twelth hole.  The back of the bunker was damaged and falling apart.  I reshaped the bunkers edge to give it a clean line and also to help the mowers do a better job getting it collar hieght so the ball will easily roll into the bunker on a short shot.
















These pictures are of the walk off on #18.  Last year the area was definitly struggling from improper irrigation.  We install some pop-up irrigation and bingo grass year-round and we free up a guy from handwatering that area.  Much more has been done to the course since I have been here and much more is needed.  These little things add up to create the big picture that our members see day in and day out.















Have a great time on the golf course.  I hope you guys enjoy it out there as much as I do.  This season, even with a few set backs may be our best year.  The water supply is great and we have a stand of turf that just continues to get more healthy.  If this year doesn't please you enough wait until next year when all the turf continues to fill in and the pocketing in the rough is completely filled in.

-Justin

BOOK REVIEW - THE DOWNHILL LIE

May 2009


In The Downhill Lie, Carl Hiaasen takes you through his hilarious journey back into golf after a 32 year layoff. He details every step of the way, including his rounds, buying new equipment, taking various lessons, and culminating with his play in a member guest tournament.

When Hiaasen got married and had kids in his twenties, he decided he no longer had time for golf and quit the sport. Many years later, in his fifties, he made a decision to give golf another shot. Obviously, many things about the game had changed and he gives a very amusing account of the trials and tribulations of his return.

The funniest parts in my opinion detail all the various lessons, swing changes, equipment changes, and purchases of various swing improvement gadgets that seemingly provided no improvement whatsoever.

Here is an excerpt from the book one year into his return:

Exactly one year after I purchased those secondhand Nicklaus clubs, my transformation was disturbing. I owned two pairs of golf shoes and a half-dozen vivid shirts in which I wouldn’t have been caught dead twelve months ago. I had four drivers of varying lofts, weight distributions and shaft flexibility, and I couldn’t hit any of them the same way twice. I was trying out a flashy new putter that I was concealing from my wife, and I found myself conversing about gap wedges and fairway hybrids with persons I barely knew. At nights I lay awake reliving the day’s round, shot by shot, in self-lacerating detail.”

If you are interested in a very funny and easy to read book about one man’s pursuit of golf improvement, I highly recommend picking up a copy of The Downhill Lie.

Michelle Wie, Mickelson flip-flops. Also identifying poisonous hazards and a day just for golf?

May 2009

Click here to listen.




Another Sunday another myriad of mishaps, this time at the Sybase Classic. Just chalk it up to more experience for Michelle Wie. With the press and fans clamoring for a win, all MW can do at this point is to offer up hope that, one day, things will be different, that one day she will break through barriers and the world will rejoice.

"I'm trying my hardest out there. Most importantly, I'm having fun," claimed Wie, knowing that she once again had to defend her fragile ego as computer keyboards eagerly clicked out another story similar to the last.

At Golf.com, waiting for Wie to "just do it", writer Michael Walker Jr. was forced to wax creative, coming up with a comparison between Wie and pre-Masters winner Phil Mickelson. Where a correlation can be made between any two likely suspects, Walker mentions that both golfers are "massively talented, adored by fans while generating mixed feelings among fellow pros (and) capable of an amazing, tell-your-friends-about-it birdie or a what-was-she-thinking bogey on virtually every hole."

Phil Politi added in the Star Ledger that both Wie and Mickelson "thrill and disappoint all at the same time."

Flip-flop feelings of highs and lows, ups and downs, of coming close yet falling short is what makes fans observe both golfers in spite of what is to come. We will groan, we will probably shout at the television, "come on, even I could have dropped that putt" but we will watch hoping for a miracle shot and for the day that Michelle Wie wins an event. She will win, it is just a matter of time.

One difference between the two which separates us from Michelle but makes us feel for Mickelson is that Phil resembles "everyman", the guy that is just like us, the underdog struggling for a win, a regular Joe.

Perhaps fans feel a bit of distance from Michelle because of the way she attained fortune and sponsorships without ever having won an event. Her professional etiquette is also still lacking as it was noted that Wie still walks off of the green before the final putt of her competitors has been holed out. Mickelson proved himself early on at the Northern Trust Open, one of only four golfers ever to win as an amateur and always provides a professional demeanor. We're still waiting for Michelle to lift a trophy and hope that she will gain propriety as well.

Eagerly watched by fans, disliked by fellow golfers, both players have helped their respective tours gain and retain an audience. LPGA players were angry that Wie preferred the PGA Tour to the LPGA and, according to GQ Magazine, Mickelson was considered one of the Ten Most Hated Athletes with fellow golfers nicknaming him "FIGJAM".

Love them or hate them, if it were not for "flip-flops" there would only be fairways and greens with no struggle needed to achieve greatness. Michelle Wie is now earning valuable points towards joining the prestigious Solheim Cup team and Mickelson is working out the kinks for the upcoming Colonial. If they both succeed, we will applaud; fail and the tabloids, internet and fans will have something more to talk about!

This week's Golf for Beginners offers advice from Phil Mickelson on the flop shot. The video below was chosen to show Lefty's ingeniuty and the ability to think outside the box.



Also discussed is the importance of National Golf Day and what you can do to bring it about. Golfblogger.com helps us to identify poisonous plants so that we don't have to add Calomine lotion to our shopping lists!


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This podcast is supported by OrlandoGolf.com, 866-443-8566.

Photo Credit: © Kansas.com, Marco Garcia, File/AP Photo

A Lower Body Golf Swing Can Generate Maximum Power

May 2009


A Lower Body Golf Swing Can Generate Maximum Power
by: Mike Pedersen
The perfect lower body golf swing involves the legs to a very large extent and it is therefore true to say that exercise that conditions these parts of the body will have a positive impact on the quality of the golf swing. 

This truth is obvious when you take a closer look at the lower body golf swing. During the backswing, the feet, knee and hamstring muscles are extremely important. The rest of the lower body golf swing movement will usually require a lot of participation of the hip and lower back. 

Thus no good golf exercise program designed to improve the golf swing will avoid the lower back. In fact some golfers are puzzled at first when they see some of the golf specific exercises which concentrate on the hamstring and lower parts of the body. 

They may initially feel that too much emphasis is being placed on this lower part of the body. Actually too much emphasis can hardly be placed on the lower body when it comes to the golf swing. This is because that is precisely where most of the golf swings happen. 

In the past, even when golfers though of a little exercise, their emphasis was always on the upper part of the body, rather than on the lower body, when thinking about improving their golf swing. 

Times have changed and today every genuine golf exercise program will usually place a lot of importance and emphasis on the muscles on the lower body for the sake of the golf swing.

These lower body golf swing exercises will involve both stretching exercises as well as strength-building exercises that will usually involve weight training. 

A good program should include a wide range of different exercise and you should also be able to use various golf aid gadgets to correct weaknesses in your golf swing. 

By strengthening your lower body golf swing you will always feel more confident and better prepared to perform a more powerful golf swing.

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness swing trainers in the country, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds and manual at his proper golf swing site - Perform Better Golf. 

Captain's Day 2009

May 2009
Captain's Day, a Stableford event, is held on Saturday, and with the usual prizes (nearest the pin etc) up for grabs, the groupings are as follows:

1st Tee

1030 L Duncan, C Davidson, L Bushby & B Jackson
1037 Mike Bell, A Ross, E Ritchie & I McGowan
1045 D Beale, I Butchart, C Fairweather & G Martin
1052 J Torrie, D Robinson, C McKenna & S Bolderson
1100 S Schofield, C Thoms, J Rough & C McDonald
1107 DJ Alexander, D Findlay, A Aird & M Grieve
1115 S Thomson, D Gillespie, A Low & A Easton

10th Tee

1030 F Martin, M Truswell, J Davidson & E Gray
1037 GS Allan, A Ramsay, C Brand & A Jones
1045 Matthew Bell, J Grant, D Grant & B McGowan
1052 I Scott, D Gordon, G Hunter & R Milligan
1100 R Michie, DM Alexander, W McGregor & D Thomson
1107 R Tinker, M Scott, M Tinker & D Fathering

Good luck to all those taking part.

MATCH PLAY- BARKLEY VS. WEBBER

May 2009
This video is from "The Haney Project" and shows a one hole match between Charles Barkley and Chris Webber. Webber's reaction at the end is especially hilarious.


AMATEUR WINS IRISH OPEN IN DEBUT

May 2009
Irish Amateur Shane Lowry won the 2009 Irish Open in his debut on the 3rd playoff hole. This was a huge win for the 22 year old in his home country. Lowry missed a 3 foot putt on the final hole of regulation that would have won it for him but went on to beat Robert Rock of England in the playoff.

Lowry was heavily supported throughout the tournament by his home fans and this video shows a great celebration on the green after he holed his final putt.


GOYDOS LATEST VICTIM TO PGA PRESSURE

May 2009






Paul Goydos pulled a Kenny Perry at the Texas Open. After birdieing the 16th hole to take a one stroke lead, he then immediately bogeyed the 17th and 18th to miss a playoff by one shot. I'm not sure what happens to these guys coming down the stretch, but it doesn't look like any fun. The pressure was clearly evident on 18, when he yanked his 5 iron into the left rough, and then hit a horrendous chip that barely got onto the green. Under normal circumstances, he probably gets that ball up and down 8 out of 10 times, but under the pressure he didn't come close.

Zach Johnson took full advantage and won on the first playoff hole over James Driscoll, who fired a final round 62 to make the playoff. Johnson repeats as champion of the Texas Open, continues his stellar play for the year, and now has the Fed Ex cup points lead for the year.

CRAZIEST SWINGS OF ALL TIME

May 2009
This video is a medley of some of the wildest swings of all time, ending with Charles Barkley.


Galigolf Blogger

May 2009

Surfing the web recentlyI stumbled across a blogger on the other side of the world that attracted my attention: Gilagolf. Gilagolf is a malay term meaning “Golf Crazy” and this kindred spirit plays golf courses in Malaysia and blogs about them.


There is a real art to writing a critical review, and he has it down. I'm a big fan of this genre and appreciate that not everyone loves every course. He gets an A+ for honesty. Also, him and I philosophically agree that many courses are over-hyped. His writing is very opinionated and is also laugh out loud funny.

Commenting on Fraser's Hill Golf Course: "It’s impossible to recommend this course to anybody, except people who intend to commit suicide. Terrible, terrible experience." On the courses amenities: "No card, no balls, no lockers, no maintenance, no nothing." You won't believe the pictures of the course he has within the post, it looks truly awful. His description of the dog following him around the course is hilarious.

The full write-up of Fraser's Hill is here.

I love his rating system of courses, especially his lowest rating: "Absolutely Astoundingly Crap", which is one rating lower than, "Waste of time and money."

His pictures are truly interesting; While they are obviously playing the same game we play, it looks a lot different. I was particularly struck by the narrowness of most of the courses and some of the geographic land formations (like the one at the top of this post). Malaysia is a mountainous, hot and tropical country that gets a lot of rainfall and the pictures and descriptions show this to great effect. I also like his maps and scorecards within the blog. Getting to courses here looks more like trying to deciper a treasure hunt map than anything else.




His reviews come with warnings on getting to the courses, like this one, "The idea is, DO NOT SPEED in a kampung area unless you have a death wish. Kampung people are very communal so if you mess with their chickens, cats or family, they will likely surround your vehicle and overthrow you."



His descriptions of playing on courses torn apart by wild boars, quicksand and some ridiculously poor course maintenance will offer the armchair traveler much enjoyment.






His write-up of the Selsa Hills Course, also gets extra style points: "The worst fairway in the whole world can be found here, in Selesa Hills Golf Course," and "Please don’t even think about this course. You’re better off standing in a driving range and have people hit their driver straight at you." He pulls no punches, "Make the turn and it descends into being plain, boring and crappy again. The first nine is a like a girl before marriage. After the turn, it’s post marriage, she becomes lazy, fat and hideous."

Like him, I am also always struck by the raving reviews you see in magazines and on web-sites, especially where the actual experience can be so different. In this vain, he re-writes a marketing piece done for the people at Bukit Unggul, replacing the original flowery prose with his own version below:

“Very few golf courses in Malaysia leave a lasting memory… Bukit Unggul Country Club is NOT one of them. Craved into a 65-hectare valley, the par 71 5,858-metre long 18-hole course is an unnatural piece of crap mutated by renowned American architect, Ronald Fream, who is also a suspect in the latest crime of defacing golf courses around the world. Golfers who play here for the first time instantly realize how screwed they are with each hole of wrong yardage and sadistic treelines that eat your balls. Golfballs, that is..”

“Playing he (sic) sadistic course demands a beretta 9mm and a precise shot to the head to end all misery. Here, a non existent fairway and green maintenance programme by the management ensures a muddy, dirty experience for all golfers, and especially for beginners, remind them just how lousy and useless they are and that they should stay home and curse the day they took up a golf club. Its un-maintained Bermuda Tifways fairways and tees, and bouncy Tifdwarf (do we actually give a darn what Tif actually is??!) greens exist harmoniously among a luch, majestic tropical rainforest, filled with wild boars and monkeys who will not hesitate to attack and kill golfers, simply to make play a true test of agony, like middle age torture, or wearing a corset at your crotch.

Bukit Unggul Country Club is simply an forgettable experience. However it will often return randomly as a nightmare that will revisit you night after night until your dying day.”

There, now that is what I call truthful advertising. Enjoy!


Gilagolf blog

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