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Away Match Strathmore G.C. versus King James G.C. Sunday 12th September
We have our fifth inter club match of the season when we play in Perth against King James a week on Sunday. A team of 12 is needed for this match and the sign up sheet is on the match board in the changing room. Looking to make it four wins for the season, now the away day is cancelled a chance to play a new course for whoever wishes to play.
The Benefits of Aerification
The Rim Golf Club is a unique club. The breath taking views from every hole are like no other golf club in Arizona. The idea that we live in a desert climate is sometimes forgotten when we live among the largest forest of Ponderosa Pines in America. There is no doubt; it is tough to find a better environment to enjoy playing the game of golf. Growing grass in Payson is much different than anywhere in the State of Arizona. Cool season grasses grown on decomposed granite is not accomplished anywhere else in the State. Sedona, Flagstaff, The White Mountains, all have more desirable soils to work with. Sedona is the closest to our climate with warmer summers to cause substantial disease pressure in the Monsoon months. The northern courses will never experience destructive disease like we do. Cooler overnight temperatures keep pathogens in check.
In my opinion, Payson is located in the most beautiful area in Arizona. Complementing the surrounding environment is quite a challenge as a turfgrass manager. Grass, being a living organism, needs adequate oxygen, water, and light. Aerification is the most important practice to oxygenate the soil, a practice that is needed twice a year to enhance the course’s future. Conditions will only improve over the years with consistent cultivation.
Aerification Dates
September 20th Greens
September 21st – 24th Fairways
If you have any questions about our upcoming aerification practices please feel free to contact me at any time.
Justin Ruiz, CGCS
jruiz@therimgolfclub.org
928-951-3421
Gents Away Day - Cancelled
Unfortunately, due to a lack of numbers indicating an intention to attend, the Committee has taken the decision to cancel the away day, scheduled for Saturday 11 September. There is already a sweep in the fixture book for that day - sign up sheet is in the clubhouse.
What do Golf and Harley Davidson Motorcycles have in common?
Today, Lake Isle Golf and Country Club received an unlikely visitor to its 9th tee box: a 2010 Harley Davidson Nightster motorcycle!
You might ask what a tough-looking 1200cc HD Nightster would be doing riding through the rough (but not on fairways and greens) of a private golf course today?
New Roc Harley Davidson, located in in New Rochelle New York, sponsored this golf hole (as well as the remaining par-3's with other great gifts) in order to benefit the American Diabetes Association.
The golfer who gets a hole-in-one on the 9th hole will win this hot motorcycle!
So you see, golf and Harley Davidson motorcycles partner well...especially when it's for a great cause! Of course I don't know if motorcycle riders will ever look good in plaid!
Monty names '10 Ryder Cup team
Colin Montgomerie has named Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari as the three men to complete his line-up.Colin Montgomerie, faced with arguably the most difficult decision any Captain has had regarding wild cards, has named Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Edoardo Molinari as the three men to complete his line-up.
They join automatic qualifiers Lee Westwood, Rory McIlroy, Martin Kaymer, Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Ross Fisher, Francesco Molinari, Miguel Angel Jimenez and Peter Hanson in Europe’s Ryder Cup Team.
Montgomerie was left with five players in the Official World Golf Ranking Top 22 chasing a pick.
No brothers have played in the same match since Bernhard and Geoff Hunt in 1963 and Edoardo Molinari piled on the pressure with a three-birdie finish to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in dramatic fashion.
In Harrington's favour was that he was the only three-time Major winner amongst the candidates.
The biggest pluses for Donald, who missed the last match following wrist surgery, were that he has lost only one of seven Ryder Cup games, has a perfect four wins out of four in foursomes, was third at The Celtic Manor Resort in June's Celtic Manor Wales Open and was ranked tenth in the world.
Casey was one higher than that and his head-to-head record also strengthened his hand. He won the World Match Play at Wentworth in 2006 and was a finalist in the last two World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play in Arizona.
Rose scored three points out of four on his debut, partnering Poulter to two wins and beating Phil Mickelson in the singles. He also had two brilliant US PGA Tour victories earlier this summer.
And then there was Edoardo Molinari, whose brother clinched his debut on Thursday when England's Ross McGowan pulled out of the final counting event through injury.
They won the Omega Mission Hills World Cup together last November and Edoardo, winner of The Challenge Tour last season, also staked his claims by winning the Dunlop Phoenix title in Japan and the Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond - as well as coming second to Ernie Els in the US PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Only eight of the American side are known at the moment. Captain Corey Pavin adds four wild cards on Tuesday week and Tiger Woods is among those waiting for a call.
After announcing that Sergio Garcia will join the team as a fourth Vice Captain, Montgomerie went on to explain the reasons behind his three picks.
He said: "Padraig Harrington has won three Major Championships in the last three years...the stature of Padraig...he is someone we feel that nobody in match play golf wants to play.
"He is a great competitor and someone that will bring everything to The Team that we know about European golf.
"Luke Donald has played seven times in Ryder Cup and has lost only once.
"And Edoardo Molinari, what can one say about his performance today?
"In my time on the European Tour, over 24 years, I have never seen a finish like that. All credit to him, having to win and doing just that."
Montgomerie suggested he already knew his three picks before the Gleneagles event but admitted this evening he may have been stretching the truth.
He said: "I was lying at that stage!
"What Edoardo Molinari did this week was incredible, he is the kind of player we need to regain The Ryder Cup.
"I have managed to speak to some of the players today, to let people know of a decision which will go against them.
"I haven't spoken to Paul Casey as he is playing but I have spoken to Justin Rose as he was on the driving range.
"But I thought it was better for him to hear from me.
"I must have made a dozen phone calls today, I wasn't on to apologise because we have an embarrassment of riches."
Asked if had pulled rank over his Vice Captains - Darren Clarke, Thomas Björn, Paul McGinley and Garcia- Montgomerie replied: "I have not managed to pull rank at this stage and that's a good thing.
"I've been very fortunate to have three (and now four) Vice Captains. I spoke to Sergio in Spain for his advice this afternoon.
"We are all unanimous in our decision that we have the strongest possible team for Europe.
"I just want to think positively about the team that we have selected. I think the three picks are strong in every way. We are thinking about pairings.
"Since my day - I was a Ryder Cup rookie in 1991 - I don't think any Captain has had the difficulty I have had today picking three from a possible ten.
"It has been fraught in so many ways but watching Edoardo birdie the last three holes, he has made our job very easy for us with his performance today."
Montgomerie said it was not the case that Edoardo Molinari had to win at Gleneagles to be one of the three wild cards.
"It made our job easier that he did win but I don't think he had to win. What he did in the first three rounds was enough to show us that this player can handle incredible pressure.
"I don't think I have to tell you who his partner will be in the fourballs or foursomes."
Michelle Wie wins in Canada
Michelle Wie closed with a 2-under 70 Sunday for a three-shot win at the CN Canadian Women's Open, her second career victory on the LPGA Tour.
Wie, who was 12 under for the tournament, earned the winner's check of $337,500 in the $2.25-million event at the St. Charles Country Club -- the LPGA's only stop in Canada.
Wie had five birdies, including three in a row on the 13th, 14th and 15th holes.
"I made a lot of crucial putts today," said Wie, who at 10 years old was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championship.
Jiyai Shin of South Korea shot a 73 and tied for second with Kristy McPherson (66), defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway (69) and South Korea's Jee Lee Young (69).
Wie led wire-to-wire after an opening 65 and was tied with Shin for the lead entering the final round at 10 under.
"My shot was really good, but my putting was so bad," said Shin, who has four victories since joining the LPGA Tour last season.
"I (had) lots of chances for birdies, but I couldn't make it just a couple times."
Ai Miyazato (69) of Japan, the No. 1-ranked player heading into the Open, finished tied for 15th, while No. 2 Cristie Kerr (69) tied for eighth.
After the 20-year-old Wie ended her round on the 18th green, her longtime friend and fellow American player Christina Kim sprayed her with champagne.
"I was trying to run away from her," Wie said with a laugh. "All I was thinking in my mind was I'm wearing white pants, please be nice Tina."
Wie's first career win came in November at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational during her rookie season. Her opening round this week featured the second hole-in-one of her pro career.
Wie said she's heading back to school at Stanford after the LPGA's next event -- the P&G NW Arkansas Championship beginning Sept. 10.
Next year's tournament will be played in Montreal and then Vancouver in 2012.
Wie, who was 12 under for the tournament, earned the winner's check of $337,500 in the $2.25-million event at the St. Charles Country Club -- the LPGA's only stop in Canada.
Wie had five birdies, including three in a row on the 13th, 14th and 15th holes.
"I made a lot of crucial putts today," said Wie, who at 10 years old was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Championship.
Jiyai Shin of South Korea shot a 73 and tied for second with Kristy McPherson (66), defending champion Suzann Pettersen of Norway (69) and South Korea's Jee Lee Young (69).
Wie led wire-to-wire after an opening 65 and was tied with Shin for the lead entering the final round at 10 under.
"My shot was really good, but my putting was so bad," said Shin, who has four victories since joining the LPGA Tour last season.
"I (had) lots of chances for birdies, but I couldn't make it just a couple times."
Ai Miyazato (69) of Japan, the No. 1-ranked player heading into the Open, finished tied for 15th, while No. 2 Cristie Kerr (69) tied for eighth.
After the 20-year-old Wie ended her round on the 18th green, her longtime friend and fellow American player Christina Kim sprayed her with champagne.
"I was trying to run away from her," Wie said with a laugh. "All I was thinking in my mind was I'm wearing white pants, please be nice Tina."
Wie's first career win came in November at the Lorena Ochoa Invitational during her rookie season. Her opening round this week featured the second hole-in-one of her pro career.
Wie said she's heading back to school at Stanford after the LPGA's next event -- the P&G NW Arkansas Championship beginning Sept. 10.
Next year's tournament will be played in Montreal and then Vancouver in 2012.
Tiger on to second round of the playoffs
The good news for Tiger Woods is that he has at least two more tournaments left in his season after a 67 Sunday that will move him inside the top 60 in the FedExCup points standings. As for how close he is to winning again?
“If I would have putted like I did today in the middle two rounds, I would be up there,” said Woods, who is currently in a tie for ninth. “Ironically, I hit it better yesterday than I did today.”
That he did, hitting more fairways and greens in regulation than he did in his third-round 72. And that leaves Woods cofident heading to the Deutsche Bank Championship, which begins on Friday.
“The next three venues I’ve won on,” said Woods, referring to TPC Boston, Cog Hill for the BMW Championship and East Lake Golf Club for THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola ‘’ — that’s assuming he gets to the final event of the season since only the top 30 after the BMW Championship make it to Atlanta.
For now, though, Woods will head home to Orlando to continue to work on the same things he’s been working on — “Just keep progressing what I’m doing,” he said.
And though he didn’t win, he’ll go home happy at least with the progress he’s made. “Very pleased,’” Woods said of that progress. “I found something in my stroke today when I was warming up and I went with it. I hit a lot of good putts today.”
Putting has been largely the hardest thing for Woods to get a handle on since he returned to golf in April, but that, too, is obviously coming around.
“This is a week I was very close [to winning],” Woods said. “If I would have put it together on the greens for all four days I would have been right there.”
“If I would have putted like I did today in the middle two rounds, I would be up there,” said Woods, who is currently in a tie for ninth. “Ironically, I hit it better yesterday than I did today.”
That he did, hitting more fairways and greens in regulation than he did in his third-round 72. And that leaves Woods cofident heading to the Deutsche Bank Championship, which begins on Friday.
“The next three venues I’ve won on,” said Woods, referring to TPC Boston, Cog Hill for the BMW Championship and East Lake Golf Club for THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola ‘’ — that’s assuming he gets to the final event of the season since only the top 30 after the BMW Championship make it to Atlanta.
For now, though, Woods will head home to Orlando to continue to work on the same things he’s been working on — “Just keep progressing what I’m doing,” he said.
And though he didn’t win, he’ll go home happy at least with the progress he’s made. “Very pleased,’” Woods said of that progress. “I found something in my stroke today when I was warming up and I went with it. I hit a lot of good putts today.”
Putting has been largely the hardest thing for Woods to get a handle on since he returned to golf in April, but that, too, is obviously coming around.
“This is a week I was very close [to winning],” Woods said. “If I would have put it together on the greens for all four days I would have been right there.”
MIXED INVITATION DAY
MIXED INVITATION DAY REMINDER
This years Mixed Invitation Day takes place on Sunday 19th September with a start time of 11am. Members are asked to bring along a Guest for the day with No Green Fee to pay for them. A 2 Course Meal will be available at a cost of £10 per person. Excellent prizes are up for grabs with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and also Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive etc.
Come along with your guest and have an enjoyable social days golf.
Information posters on Mixed, Ladies and Gents Noticeboards. Entry sheet on Mixed Board.
This years Mixed Invitation Day takes place on Sunday 19th September with a start time of 11am. Members are asked to bring along a Guest for the day with No Green Fee to pay for them. A 2 Course Meal will be available at a cost of £10 per person. Excellent prizes are up for grabs with 1st, 2nd, 3rd place and also Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive etc.
Come along with your guest and have an enjoyable social days golf.
Information posters on Mixed, Ladies and Gents Noticeboards. Entry sheet on Mixed Board.
COLLINS TROPHY RESULT
COLLINS TROPHY WINNERS
The Collins Trophy was played for yesterday at a blustery Strathmore and an enjoyable social day was enjoyed by all who took part.
The winners were:
Sandra & Fred Barber - 42pts
2nd Dawn & Mark Tinker - 40pts (bih)
3rd Sheena & Jack Scott - 40pts
Winners - Sandra & Fred Barber
Kuchar takes Fed Ex lead
Matt Kuchar hit a ridiculous approach shot to two feet on the first playoff hole at The Barclays to win over Martin Laird.
Laird, who appeared to have the tournament in hand, needed to two putt from thirty feet on the 18th hole in regulation for the win. Unfortunately for him, he crushed his first putt a good eight feet past the hole and then missed coming back for a three putt.
With his first victory of the year at the first playoff event of the Fed Ex Cup, Kuchar takes the overall point lead in the quest for the $10,000,000.00 prize.
"Even if I had shut it down without a win, I would have felt it was a great year," Kuchar said. "To win, it's an incredible year."
Current Top Five:
1) Matt Kuchar
2) Steve Stricker
3) Martin Laird
4) Justin Rose
5) Ernie Els
Getty photo / Scott Halleran
Tiger clawing his way back
Look out PGA Tour. Tiger is coming soon to a golf course near you.
He shot 65 the opening round and 67 in the final round at the Barclays. Other than one horrendous swing to open round three which led to triple bogey, a missed one foot putt, and one bad nine hole stretch, he played some great golf.
As his new swing starts to kick in, he appears to have much greater control with both his tee shots and his approach shots. It seems to be just a matter of time before he's able to put it all together over four rounds.
With his play at The Barclays, Woods jumped from 112th up to 65th in the point standings. Three events remain in the Fed Ex Cup Playoffs and Woods has won on all three courses in the past. One win will put him right back into contention and it could come this week at round two of the playoffs.
"I haven't won all year," Woods said. "But this is a week that I was very close. I felt that if I would have putted better for all four days, I would have been right there. Looking forward to next week."
Getty photo / Hunter Martin
European Ryder Cup team set
European Captain Colin Montgomerie made his three captain's picks official today. He choose Padraig Harringtoin, Edoardo Molinari, and Luke Donald, leaving off Paul Casey and Justin Rose.
U.S. Captain Corey Pavin has four picks to make which are expected on September 7th.
The Ryder Cup will take place October 1 -3 at Celtic Manor in Wales as the U.S. will attempt to retain the Cup they won in 2008.
Getty photo / Andrew Redington
Wie Wins
Michelle Wie won her second career LPGA tournament at the Canadian Women's Open. She went wire to wire, ended up at 12 under par, and took home $337,500.00 with the win.
Getty photos / Darren Carroll
Can British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen's "trigger" help you improve your golf game?
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| David MacKenzie |
Louis Oosthuizen's victory in The Open and the discovery of the "Red Dot" concentration trigger that helped him win has golfers wanting to understand exactly how it works. Here's how.
The concept comes from a behavioral technology called Neuro Linguistic Programming (or NLP), a fairly new branch of psychology that attempts to improve a person's mental and emotional behavior. The teaching assumes that specific goals or actions (neuro) can be better achieved by "anchoring" (programming) past experiences with reinforcement stimuli such as touch, word or sight (linguistic).Louis Oosthuizen marked the now famous Red Dot above his thumb on his left glove after working with Sports Psychologist Dr. Karl Morris. During practice, when he was 100% focused and ready to execute a shot, he would look at the Red Dot and "anchor" this mental state with that sight. Then, during competition, looking at the Red Dot as part of his pre-shot routine would automatically recall that feeling and make his mind enter that exact same state.
The goal of NLP is to bring together the conscious and unconscious minds.
In this case, Oosthuizen would first make conscious analytical decisions on how to best play the shot. Then by looking at the Red Dot, a reaction would be triggered by his unconscious mind to adopt the emotional state associated with that visual anchor.
The unconscious mind does not reason, is not logical and makes no judgments. Its primary job is physiological, in regulating body temperature and breathing. But it is also a repository of feelings (hence your dreams) which (if triggered correctly) can be recalled by the conscious mind. In a game where performance can be massively impaired by conscious thinking, bringing the non-judgmental unconscious mind into the shot process can only help our scores.
Confidence plays such a huge role in performing well in golf, so it is important to be able to recall (on demand) those times you felt success. The pre-shot (and post-shot) routine is one of the most important factors in achieving this. Getting yourself into a confident, positive mind-set will massively improve your chances of success. And this is exactly what the "trigger" does.
Golf is an unusual game in that it lasts 4-5 hours. For this reason it is imperative to be able to switch on and off - relaxing as much as possible when you can and conserving energy to give EVERY shot your best concentration. During the intense pressure of The Open, Oosthuizen was able to relax in between shots, safe in the knowledge that his Red Dot would take him into the necessary state of mind to give every shot his absolute concentration and focus. It reinforced his practice and gave him the self-confidence to execute.
The next time you are on the range, practice going through your routine and get as focused as you can be on the shot you are about to play. Give it everything you have. Then look, say or feel your "trigger" - this can be visual, verbal or touch (Ernie Els uses the Velcro on his glove and Fred Couples uses a tug on his shirt.)
That anchor will automatically start to produce the desired action, which is to recall that same focused state of mind. When you hit a good shot, anchor that too in the same way. Then try it on the course and make your new "trigger" part of your routine. This will tell your unconscious mind to adopt that optimal state of mind and you will be ready to play the shot as best you can.
The Golf State of Mind Audio Teaching has been designed as a tool to optimize your mind to ensure that you get closer to your potential EVERY time you practice and play. By using techniques to increase your powers of imagination, visualization and feel, you will discover a whole new, and more powerful, approach to golf game improvement. Listen to it on the way to the golf course or practice range and you will start to play fearlessly, remove negative interferences and become transformed into a better and happier golfer. Through learning how to synchronize your body and mind with visual and feel based exercises and learning a consistent approach to each shot, good golf will become a simple subconscious process. Don't continue to waste any more time practicing in the wrong way!!!
To sign up for your FREE eBook and course of eLessons please click above link.
Is Tiger Woods really "finished" or will he break more golf records?
Last week, Drew Magary offered five reasons as to why he believes Tiger Woods is washed up or "finished" as a professional golfer. Think he's right?
Magary claimed that Tiger Woods "has put his entire being into chasing Nicklaus and we, as fans, have followed him for over a decade assuming that the record would eventually be in his grasp".
Because, "he has to know, deep down, that this doesn't mean anywhere near as much as it used to" the writer believes that Woods cannot ever return to his original greatness.
Here are the five reasons why Magary thinks Tiger Woods is washed up, will never break Jack Nicklaus' record nor will he ever be the golfer his fans want him to be:
1. What's the point?2. He isn't made for this kind of adversity.3. Other players are better now, and they aren't scared of him.4. Turns out, Tiger Woods is not preternaturally immune to pressure.5. He's not Tiger Woods anymore. So who is he? Magary believes that the demise of Tiger Woods predominately lies in the scandal that followed him around for the past year and that his brand identity (his real persona) has suffered a fatal blow. In my opinion, a person with the right mental attitude can rebound from any type of adversity and it can actually make that person stronger. Although it may take some time to shake off the effects of the past year (he should have taken the year off from golf), Tiger Woods will come back with more resolve and the fans will forget his infidelity. Tiger Woods' new "player" persona may actually increase his popularity in the long run!
Michelle Wie leads @ the CN Canadian Women's Open
Michelle Wie carded a 7-under-par 65 Thursday to take a three shot lead after the opening-round of the 2010 CN Canadian Women’s Open at St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg.After making the turn at 3-under-par, the 20-year old holed a 5-iron from 181 yards for the second LPGA ace of her career. The hole-in-one on No. 11 propelled Wie to 5-under-par to that point giving her sole possession of the lead. Despite a bogey at No. 12, she rallied with three birdies in her final six holes, including the 17th hole where she holed out from the greenside bunker.
“I just went out there and tried to go out there and have fun and focus on every shot,” Wie said following her round. “I didn't really think about my score. I just went out there and tried to hit every shot as best I could. The crowds were awesome. The people out there were cheering pretty loudly. It was just really fun today.”
Wie holds the first-round lead for the second time in her career dating back to the 2005 U.S. Women’s Open, where she went on to tie for 23rd.
Sarah Kemp took the early lead with a 4-under-par 68 and now trails Wie by three shots. The 25-year-old Australian is searching for her first top-10 as a member of the LPGA. “You just gotta stay patient, and I think that's what I've learned over the years,” she said. “Good things are going to happen if you just keep putting yourself in situations.” Kemp shined as an amateur in Australia before joining the Ladies European Tour (LET). A rookie on the LPGA in 2008, Kemp’s career-best finish came at the 2009 Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic where she tied for 12th.
Defending CN Canadian Women’s Open champion and Rolex Rankings No. 3 Suzann Pettersen put herself in contention to defend her title and earn her first victory of 2010 by recording four birdies and a bogey en route to a 3-under par 69. The six-time LPGA Tour winner is currently four-strokes behind Wie heading into Friday’s second round.
If not for a ball-snatching tree on hole 16, Alexis Thompson’s day might have been a bit more enjoyable. The 15-year-old shot 1-under-par 71 on Thursday, but it was her seventh hole of the day – the 395-yard, par-4 16th – that left her in disbelief when her drive flew into a tree and never came down. She returned to the tee and finished the hole with double bogey, derailing an otherwise promising start. Thompson salvaged an under-par day with the help of an eagle at the 503-yard, par-5 fifth hole where she hit seven-iron to 15 feet.
There’s no place like home for Toronto’s Seema Sadekar. The 25-year old, who now lives in Las Vegas, NV, fired an opening-round 1-over par 72 to lead the pack of 14 Canadians in this week’s field.
Sunny skies and windy conditions helped to make St. Charles Country Club a nail biting test for 46 of the top 50 LPGA professionals on Thursday. With temperatures in the low 80’s and wind gusts up to 45 kph, the already firm Winnipeg golf course was all the more difficult. Balls were hopping on the greens and skidding through fairways with only 24 of the 156-player field finishing the day in red numbers. Tomorrow calls for mostly sunny skies with windy and warm conditions.
Good numbers for Tiger round one at Barclays
13 /14 Fairways
15 /18 Greens
27 Putts
7 Birdies
65
Tie for 1st
For one day, Tiger Woods played like the number one player in the world again.
"It's exciting to hit the ball flush again," Woods said. "It's something I've been missing all year."
Asked whether he thinks he can still break Nicklaus's record of 18 majors, he responded, "Absolutely."
"I look at it this way," Woods said, "Hogan won all nine of his majors at my age and older. I think for every kid out there, the goal is to get there. That is the benchmark in our sport, and that's still my goal."
Woods needs to finish approximately in the top 50 this week to advance to the second round of the playoffs. He's off to a good start and certainly thinks he can still win the whole thing.
"I figure if I win, I should be OK," Woods said.
Galvin Green WIND Golf Gloves
Galvin Green is now a well respected and established as one of the leading brand names in golf providing innovate fabrics and practical designs for all weathers on the golf course.
Now the cold weather is just around the corner, check out the latest Galvin Green addition to there award winning range – the WIND Golf Gloves.
There cold weather golf gloves completely windproof with a Gore WINDSTOPPER laminated membrane. They provide an extremely high level of breathability that enables moisture to be transported away from the body.
A perfect fit with stretch options for maximum freedom of movement and swing and very durable and easy to wash and maintain.
These gloves come in Medium, Large and Extra Large in one colour, Black and white and are available online with special offers such as discounted accessories like the TROMB Umbrella or Tab Towel.
All Galvin Green garments are made to mix and match with each other so check out there full range of sweaters, t shirts, trousers and waterproofs online or instore.
Until Next Time
The Golf Support Team
Draw for RNLI Medal - Saturday 28 August
Morning starters
0800 J Grant, G Scrimgeour, J Nicholl
0807 M Shepherd, M Bell, C Fairweather
0815 G McLuskey, I Butchart, J Ireland
0822 K McVey, M Melville, P Johnstone
Afternoon starters
1300 M Tinker, W McGregor
1307 S Thomson, N Dyce
1315 E Ritchie, C McKenna, J Scott
1322 C Flannigan, R Tinker, K Ewan
1330 I Scott, E Gray, B Johnston
1337 C McDonald, F Moran, D Bell
1345 R Dyce, A Aird, A Downs
0800 J Grant, G Scrimgeour, J Nicholl
0807 M Shepherd, M Bell, C Fairweather
0815 G McLuskey, I Butchart, J Ireland
0822 K McVey, M Melville, P Johnstone
Afternoon starters
1300 M Tinker, W McGregor
1307 S Thomson, N Dyce
1315 E Ritchie, C McKenna, J Scott
1322 C Flannigan, R Tinker, K Ewan
1330 I Scott, E Gray, B Johnston
1337 C McDonald, F Moran, D Bell
1345 R Dyce, A Aird, A Downs
COLLINS TROPHY
COLLINS TROPHY DRAW
This Sunday 29th August sees the Collins Trophy Mixed Competition take place and the draw is as follows:
12.30......E. RALSTON & C. BRAND / S. FENNER & R. HAYNES
12.37......D. TINKER & M. TINKER / F. JOHNSTON & B. JOHNSTON
12.45......S. BARBER & F. BARBER / J. MORAN & F. MORAN
12.52......J. GOODFELLOW & J. GRANT / R. FRASER & E. GRAY
1.00........D. BUTCHART & I. BUTCHART / M. ASHLEY & M. ORTON
1.07........S. SCOTT & J. SCOTT / M. MENZIES & F. J. MORAN
Enjoy the day and score well!
This Sunday 29th August sees the Collins Trophy Mixed Competition take place and the draw is as follows:
12.30......E. RALSTON & C. BRAND / S. FENNER & R. HAYNES
12.37......D. TINKER & M. TINKER / F. JOHNSTON & B. JOHNSTON
12.45......S. BARBER & F. BARBER / J. MORAN & F. MORAN
12.52......J. GOODFELLOW & J. GRANT / R. FRASER & E. GRAY
1.00........D. BUTCHART & I. BUTCHART / M. ASHLEY & M. ORTON
1.07........S. SCOTT & J. SCOTT / M. MENZIES & F. J. MORAN
Enjoy the day and score well!
Mickelson talks about lifestyle changes after psoriatic arthritis, trying to take over #1
At The Barclays this week, for the ninth time this year, Phil Mickelson can overtake Tiger Woods as the No. 1 player in the world.
There are 10 mathematical scenarios by which Mickelson could claim the top spot in the Official World Golf Ranking for the first time in his career. But Woods will remain No. 1 as long as he finishes ahead of or tied with Mickelson at Ridgewood Country Club this week.
"I've been trying real hard to accomplish that. I just haven't played well enough yet," Mickelson said. "But hopefully I'll be able to put it together this week. I feel like I'm playing much better golf. I've been working on my driver again trying to get that thing in play, and I think I've kind of come on to something there, adding a little bit more loft and just getting the ball in play. So I expect to drive the ball well and hopefully have a good week.
A win obviously would give Mickelson, who ranks fourth in the FedExCup standings, the top spot. So would solo second if Woods does not win. Here are the other scenarios.
Mickelson could go to No. 1 if:
• he is third alone and Tiger is outside top 4
• he is fourth alone and Tiger is outside top 8
• he is fifth alone and Tiger is outside top 14
• he is sixth alone and Tiger is outside top 21
• he is seventh alone and Tiger is outside top 32
• he is eighth alone and Tiger is outside top 52
• he is ninth alone and Tiger is outside top 58 or misses cut
• he is 10th alone and Tiger is outside top 58 or misses cut
Mickelson, who shot 75 on a rainy Wednesday in the pro-am, won the Masters earlier this year and tied for fourth at the U.S. Open. His best finish since Pebble Beach, though, was a tie for 12th at the PGA on the strength of a closing 67.
Mickelson revealed at the PGA that he has been suffering from psoriatic arthritis, which now appears to be under control with shots and a vegetarian diet. So while the world No. 1 ranking is nice for the resume, Mickelson has had other concerns.
"I haven't thought about it too much," he acknowledged. "I'm trying to win. I'm trying to compete in tournaments and I haven't played that well the last couple of months.
"But, again, I feel like my game's been coming around. I've been able to practice and work hard. I feel great. I'm looking forward to the next five weeks."
Furyk disqualified from Barclays for oversleeping
Jim Furyk picked a bad time to sleep in.Furyk overslept Wednesday when his cell phone lost power overnight and the alarm didn't go off, causing him to be late for his pro-am tee time in The Barclays. That left PGA Tour officials no choice but to make him ineligible for the first of four FedEx Cup playoff events.
A two-time winner on tour this year, Furyk is No. 3 in the standings as the race for the $10 million prize gets under way at Ridgewood Country Club without him.
It is unlikely he will fall too far down the standings, although he eliminated any chance of improving.
"I'm kicking myself," Furyk said. "I have a way of climbing into situations that are all my fault."
Phil Mickelson appeared to be more furious than Furyk.
"The rule itself applies to only half the field," said Mickelson, noting that only 54of the 122 players were in the pro-am. "So if you're going to have a rule that does not apply to everybody, you cannot have it affect the competition. ... I cannot disagree with it more. I have no idea how the commissioner let this rule go through. It's ridiculous."
Mickelson said he told PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem how he felt at lunch.
Weir injury: Canadian Mike Weir has a partially torn ligament in his right elbow and is likely out for the rest of the season.
Weir, who said he had elbow pain before the British Open in July, told The Canadian Press on Tuesday that he had an MRI exam over the weekend. He plans to rest the elbow and seek treatment to avoid surgery.
Weir is coming off a season of eight missed cuts. His best finish was sixth at the Bob Hope Classic.
Blasberg case: The doctor who found the body of 25-year-old professional golfer Erica Blasberg told Nevada investigators he hid a suicide note and pills because he wanted to spare her family embarrassment, according to a court document.
A Henderson police affidavit detailed the hours Blasberg and Dr. Thomas Hess spent together playing golf, watching TV in a casino sports book and in her home in the days before he found her dead May 9 with a plastic bag over her head.
Detectives investigating the golfer's death searched the doctor's Mercedes-Benz, which was parked in Blasberg's driveway, and found a suicide note and Xanax pills obtained in Mexico.
Authorities have declined to release the contents of the note.
Tiger status: In his first tournament after getting engaged, Tiger Woods was runner-up to Davis Love III at the 2003 Target World Challenge. In his first tournament as a married man, Woods was runner-up to Retief Goosen in the 2004 Tour Championship.
The Barclays will be his first tournament as a divorced man.
Woods at least needs to make the cut, and probably needs to finish in the middle of the pack, to make it out of the first round of the FedEx Cup playoffs.
Etc.: It has been 19 years since no one on the PGA Tour won more than twice in a season. With 10 tournaments left on the schedule, five players have two victories. ... How low was the scoring in Greensboro? John Merrick, Omar Uresti and Charles Warren shot in the 60s all four rounds and tied for 65th.
NEW! Powakaddy TOUCH Now IN!
Powakaddy are world famous and the world leader in electric golf trolleys. Golf Support are please to now offer the Powakaddy touch trolley which have just arrived at golf support and are available to order online or instore NOW!
The Powakaddy Touch is incredibly easy to use as Lee Manvell PowaKaddy's Group Product Manager explains, 'Traditional electric golf trolleys use a roller to control the speed but the new PowaKaddy TOUCH has a new intuitive but simple mechanism. It has no roller; instead the handle is touch sensitive and slides forwards and backwards with ease. To use simply rest your hand on the handle, start walking and the trolley will respond to your speed. As you slow, so will the PowaKaddy TOUCH. Take your hand off and it will maintain that speed'. The new product offering remains true to PowaKaddy's key qualities of product innovation, design and technology which continue to drive the market and set the standard in the industry.
The new PowaKaddy TOUCH has all the key features you come to expect from the market leaders. Extremely lightweight but with a robust aluminum frame, combined with new 20AH Lead Acid Battery the PowaKaddy TOUCH with TOUCH ‘n' Go technology provides effortless motion. A 200W motor balanced with its highly efficient gearbox delivers smooth, gradual power while remaining whisper quiet.
There are some stylish and functional finishing touches too including a comfortable soft touch grip allowing for ambidextrous handling and a versatile bag grip which when used with a PowaKaddy bag provides zero movement and twist due to the key lock base. Simple to fold with a modern oversized aluminum construction, the PowaKaddy TOUCH stands upright when folded making it easy to lift and stow for transit.
Commenting on the PowaKaddy TOUCH Chief Executive Terry Hale said, "The TOUCH is a completely new product for PowaKaddy. Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest and that is certainly the case here as the user doesn't even have to think about it, they simply have to Touch ‘n' Go. It is a big step forward for us in terms of product performance and we are very confident that the product will be well received by both our current loyal consumer base and new PowaKaddy purchasers."
Visit our website or Mansfield Superstore and see these amazing additions to the Powakaddy range.
We also have a full range of golf clothing, footwear, clubs, bags and accessories!
Plus Massive Savings on brands such as Nike, Titleist, Callaway, FJ and Many More!
Until Next Time
The Golf Support Team – Remember We Don’t Price match – We Beat It!
The Powakaddy Touch is incredibly easy to use as Lee Manvell PowaKaddy's Group Product Manager explains, 'Traditional electric golf trolleys use a roller to control the speed but the new PowaKaddy TOUCH has a new intuitive but simple mechanism. It has no roller; instead the handle is touch sensitive and slides forwards and backwards with ease. To use simply rest your hand on the handle, start walking and the trolley will respond to your speed. As you slow, so will the PowaKaddy TOUCH. Take your hand off and it will maintain that speed'. The new product offering remains true to PowaKaddy's key qualities of product innovation, design and technology which continue to drive the market and set the standard in the industry.
The new PowaKaddy TOUCH has all the key features you come to expect from the market leaders. Extremely lightweight but with a robust aluminum frame, combined with new 20AH Lead Acid Battery the PowaKaddy TOUCH with TOUCH ‘n' Go technology provides effortless motion. A 200W motor balanced with its highly efficient gearbox delivers smooth, gradual power while remaining whisper quiet.
There are some stylish and functional finishing touches too including a comfortable soft touch grip allowing for ambidextrous handling and a versatile bag grip which when used with a PowaKaddy bag provides zero movement and twist due to the key lock base. Simple to fold with a modern oversized aluminum construction, the PowaKaddy TOUCH stands upright when folded making it easy to lift and stow for transit.
Commenting on the PowaKaddy TOUCH Chief Executive Terry Hale said, "The TOUCH is a completely new product for PowaKaddy. Sometimes the best solutions are the simplest and that is certainly the case here as the user doesn't even have to think about it, they simply have to Touch ‘n' Go. It is a big step forward for us in terms of product performance and we are very confident that the product will be well received by both our current loyal consumer base and new PowaKaddy purchasers."
Visit our website or Mansfield Superstore and see these amazing additions to the Powakaddy range.
We also have a full range of golf clothing, footwear, clubs, bags and accessories!
Plus Massive Savings on brands such as Nike, Titleist, Callaway, FJ and Many More!
Until Next Time
The Golf Support Team – Remember We Don’t Price match – We Beat It!
Who will rebound faster, Tiger Woods or Elin Nordegren?
 | |
| Elin Nordegren-People Mag |
After nine months of letting Tiger Woods command the stage with his numerous teary-eyed tantrums and public apologies, Elin is now taking to the periodicals beginning with the latest People Magazine in which she tells "My Own Story." This issue is going to sell a lot of copies!
“I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock," says Nordegren in a World Exclusive, "to anger and ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children.”
Although Elin "has been through hell", she now feels "stronger than I ever have" although I don't think it's because she is now a very wealthy woman.
Will Tiger Woods will be able to move on and play golf with the same determination as in the past or will he continue to be he trapped by his own insecurities?
A note to our readers:
After this blog was written, Tiger Woods did have a few words to say regarding his divorce:
"I wish her the best in everything" Tiger Woods commented after his pro-am at the Barclays adding "I certainly understand that she (Elin) is sad".
That's certainly sounds comforting Tiger. Elin thought she HAD the best of everything! Of course, the psychological destruction was unintentional...
Who could survive "without trust and love" in a marriage?
Credit
Elin Nordegren breaks the silence after divorce
(PEOPLE.com) -- Her divorce is final and she's ready to talk. Elin Nordegren breaks her nine-month silence in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE magazine."I have been through the stages of disbelief and shock, to anger and ultimately grief over the loss of the family I so badly wanted for my children," she says in the magazine's latest issue, out just days after her split from Tiger Woods was made official.
The 30-year-old mother of two, who is studying towards a college degree in psychology, says that despite her husband's betrayal, "I also feel stronger than I ever have. I have confidence in my beliefs, my decisions and myself."
In 19 hours over four visits to her Windermere, Florida, rental home, Nordegren shared never-before-seen personal photographs and opened up to PEOPLE about the emotional roller coaster she's been on, her life as a mother to Sam, 3, and Charlie, 19 months, and her hopes for the future.
"My immediate plan is for the kids and me to continue to adjust to our new situation. I am going to keep taking classes, but my main focus is to try to give myself time to heal," she says.
She tells the magazine this was her first -- and last -- interview, as she intends to remain a private person.
Gents Invitation Day - Saturday 4 September
The invitation day has attracted a good level of support and final arrangements are in hand. In order to allow score cards and other preparations to finalised ahead of the event would members taking part please add the name of their guest to the entry sheet in the clubhouse.
A raffle will take place on the day to help underwrite the cost of prizes (Prize fund of £300) and members are invited to donate a prize for the raffle - please contact any committee member accordingly.
A raffle will take place on the day to help underwrite the cost of prizes (Prize fund of £300) and members are invited to donate a prize for the raffle - please contact any committee member accordingly.
Gents Away Day - Saturday 11 September
The away day, scheduled for Saturday 11 September at Aberfeldy, has attracted little support to date with only 13 members having indicated their attendance. This level of support is insufficient to make the outing financially viable. The situation will be reviewed on Saturday 28 August and unless there is more support, the outing will be cancelled. If any members do intend to support this outing but will not be in the clubhouse before Saturday afternoon, please contact a committee member to notify your intentions. A further update will appear on this blog on Saturday evening.
Recent Competition Results
Due to problems with the computer, some recent competition results have been delayed and not appeared on Howdidido. The results of competitions played over the last two weekends were as follows:
Captain's Charity Sweep - Saturday 14 August
1st Colin Fairweather 85 - 18 = 65
2nd David Grant 84 - 13 = 71
3rd Scott Robertson 73 - 2 = 71
CSS = 71
Twos were recorded by:
Iain Butchart @ 13th; Kevin James @ 6th; Jim Ireland @ 13th; David Grant @ 13th;
Craig McKenna @ 6th; Scott Thomson @ 6th; Ian Scott @ 6th; Scott Robertson @ 13th
"Monty's Medal" Charity Strokeplay - Saturday 21 August
1st Kevin James 79 - 10 = 69
2nd Stewart Flannigan 75 - 5 = 70
3rd Scott Thomson 73 - 3 = 70
CSS = 71
Twos were recorded by:
Jerry Wood @ 4th; Christopher Flannigan @ 6th; Jack Scott @ 4th;
Stewart Flannigan @ 13th; Kevin James @6th and 13th
August Monthly Medal - Sunday 22 August
Division 1
1st Kevin James 76 - 9 = 67
2nd Scott Thomson 71 - 3 = 68
3rd Jack Scott 81 - 7 = 74
Division 2
1st William McGregor 84 - 15 = 69
2nd David Grant 83 - 13 = 70
3rd Alan Downs 89 - 17 = 72
Division 3
1st Jim Ireland 90 - 21 = 69
2nd Keith Ewan 89 - 19 = 70
3rd Craig McDonald 96 - 21 = 75
CSS = 71
Twos were recorded by:
Scott Thomson @ 16th; David Douglas @ 4th; Chris Brand @ 13th;
Michael Shepherd @ 13th; Andy Ross @ 6th
Handicap alterations still being verified due to computer problems but will be resolved shortly.
Captain's Charity Sweep - Saturday 14 August
1st Colin Fairweather 85 - 18 = 65
2nd David Grant 84 - 13 = 71
3rd Scott Robertson 73 - 2 = 71
CSS = 71
Twos were recorded by:
Iain Butchart @ 13th; Kevin James @ 6th; Jim Ireland @ 13th; David Grant @ 13th;
Craig McKenna @ 6th; Scott Thomson @ 6th; Ian Scott @ 6th; Scott Robertson @ 13th
"Monty's Medal" Charity Strokeplay - Saturday 21 August
1st Kevin James 79 - 10 = 69
2nd Stewart Flannigan 75 - 5 = 70
3rd Scott Thomson 73 - 3 = 70
CSS = 71
Twos were recorded by:
Jerry Wood @ 4th; Christopher Flannigan @ 6th; Jack Scott @ 4th;
Stewart Flannigan @ 13th; Kevin James @6th and 13th
August Monthly Medal - Sunday 22 August
Division 1
1st Kevin James 76 - 9 = 67
2nd Scott Thomson 71 - 3 = 68
3rd Jack Scott 81 - 7 = 74
Division 2
1st William McGregor 84 - 15 = 69
2nd David Grant 83 - 13 = 70
3rd Alan Downs 89 - 17 = 72
Division 3
1st Jim Ireland 90 - 21 = 69
2nd Keith Ewan 89 - 19 = 70
3rd Craig McDonald 96 - 21 = 75
CSS = 71
Twos were recorded by:
Scott Thomson @ 16th; David Douglas @ 4th; Chris Brand @ 13th;
Michael Shepherd @ 13th; Andy Ross @ 6th
Handicap alterations still being verified due to computer problems but will be resolved shortly.
Hole 14: Hole 10 - Oberstaufen-Steibis, Germany
Course:
Oberstaufen-Steibis, Germany, Hole 10
Par:
Par 5
Length:
Yellow: 438 meters / 479 yards
Blue: 420 meters / 459 yards
Red: 388 meters / 424 yards
Orange: 388 meters / 424 yards
Handicap:
Hcp 2
Designer:
N/A
Description:
Oberstaufen-Steibis is a very nice golf course located in the southwest region of Germany, next to the Austrian border. The golf course is a challenging par 70 layout in the prealpine lands up to the Alps. It is not a fancy championship course, but a nice test of golf in a stunning prealpine landscape. Holes 1 through 10 are really strong whereas holes 11 through 18 are a little bit weaker. The 10th hole is the signature hole of the course. It is a very interesting and very difficult uphill par 5 which plays much longer than the 438 meters (from the yellow tee which is the back tee). The fairway is narrow and protected with water hazards. The second and third shots have to go up a very steep slope to the highly elevated green. Moreover, the elevated green is small and well protected by water hazards. Hole 10 at Oberstaufen-Steibis is a real test and by far the most difficult hole on the course.
Map:
Pictures:
(all data as of August 2010)
Oberstaufen-Steibis, Germany, Hole 10
Par:
Par 5
Length:
Yellow: 438 meters / 479 yards
Blue: 420 meters / 459 yards
Red: 388 meters / 424 yards
Orange: 388 meters / 424 yards
Handicap:
Hcp 2
Designer:
N/A
Description:
Oberstaufen-Steibis is a very nice golf course located in the southwest region of Germany, next to the Austrian border. The golf course is a challenging par 70 layout in the prealpine lands up to the Alps. It is not a fancy championship course, but a nice test of golf in a stunning prealpine landscape. Holes 1 through 10 are really strong whereas holes 11 through 18 are a little bit weaker. The 10th hole is the signature hole of the course. It is a very interesting and very difficult uphill par 5 which plays much longer than the 438 meters (from the yellow tee which is the back tee). The fairway is narrow and protected with water hazards. The second and third shots have to go up a very steep slope to the highly elevated green. Moreover, the elevated green is small and well protected by water hazards. Hole 10 at Oberstaufen-Steibis is a real test and by far the most difficult hole on the course.
Map:
Pictures:
(all data as of August 2010)
Titleist Vokey Spin Milled Wedge - Only £74.95!
Now Available in an unrivaled number of customized options for bounce, loft and sole grind with two different groove configurations it is no wonder these wedges are Golf Supports Best Selling Wedge at present.
Available on the golf support website to customize yourself and from only £69.00!
Due to the choice available it means there is now a club for every shot requirement and swing style out there!
There are currently two groove configurations for good reason: Spin Milled grooves produce a medium trajectory and high spin and conform to the Rules of Golf until 2024, except in tournaments governed by a Condition of Competition. Spin Milled C-C grooves produce a higher trajectory with medium spin and conform to the new 2010 Rules of Golf for grooves and can be used in events that adopt the new rules as a Condition of Competition.
Vokey CC Wedge
The full range of wedges has lofts from 48° to 64° and low, medium, and full bounce sole options in three distinct, non-glare finishes: Tour Chrome, Black Nickel and Oil Can.
The Stock Shaft is the True Temper Dynamic Gold Wedge and the stock grip is the Titleist Tour Velvet Rubber but these can be amended using our website for suit your personal choice.
Vokey Tour Chrome Finnish
Please be aware all custom clubs take 10-14 days for delivery from Titleist to us so please be patient when ordering anything other than the standard.
Vokey Black Nickle
With this much choice its no wonder Titleist Vokey Design wedges have been the most played wedges on the PGA Tour since 2004.
See Our Website or come in store for more details and view our full range of golf clubs including putters, drivers and hybrids plus much more.
Until Next Time
The Golf Support Team
Tiger fans snub golfer's brand as he continues to struggle in life and on the links
Tiger Woods fans have put up with the philandering, the text messages and the domestic spats. Now comes what may be the hardest thing of all to tolerate: Losing.
Woods has played through the year without a single tournament win, putting him at 83rd on the PGA Tour’s money list. As his performance slumps, so have sales of his apparel line through Nike Inc., according to retailers Golfsmith International Holdings Inc., Roger Dunn Golf Shops and Golf Discount Superstore.
Golf apparel sales overall are on the rise, signaling consumers are returning to the course, just not to Woods. Nike gets about 10 percent of its golf sales from the Woods brand, whose shirts, jackets and pants are among the most expensive clothing the sportswear maker sells.
“Apparel is hot right now,” said Laura Dowdy, the clothing buyer for Roger Dunn, which has more than 20 stores. “Everything -- Adidas, Puma, Nike, except the Tiger brand.”
Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, doesn’t disclose sales for the Tiger Woods Collection. Nike gets about $650 million in sales tied to the sport, according to Matt Powell, an analyst at Charlotte, North Carolina-based researcher SportsOneSource, who provided the estimate for sales of the Woods line.
“We support Tiger and never underestimate his abilities as a competitor,” Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in an e-mail. “He’s a phenomenal athlete with over 70 wins on the PGA Tour and 95 wins worldwide.” She declined to comment further. Woods’s representatives did not return calls or e-mails seeking comment.
The line’s volume through the first half dropped 7.5 percent from a year earlier at Golfsmith’s 76 stores, Chief Executive Officer Martin Hanaka said in an interview. Total golf apparel sales climbed 11 percent over the same period at the Austin, Texas-based retailer.
Nike fell $1.34, or 1.9 percent, to $69.61 at 10:02 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares had risen 7.4 percent this year before today.
Negative Tiger Effect
“The Tiger effect has been negative this year,” Hanaka said. “Fortunately, other Nike products and other brands have been doing well, so we’ve been able to overcome it.”
Nike’s apparel sales climbed 13 percent in the quarter ended May 31, and its golf apparel sales also have climbed about that much this year, according to Powell. The retailer is now selling the fall 2010 men’s collection on its website. The cover boy? Not Tiger. It’s 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink. Woods appears in a list of “athletes” on a linked page.
Other than his rookie season, when he finished 24th, Woods has been in the top four on the money list every year on tour. This month, he recorded the worst 72-hole score -- 18 over par - - of his professional career.
“When Tiger’s doing well, people watch and buy his brand,” said David Martin, a branding expert with almost three decades of experience who runs Interbrand’s New York office and global golf practice. “When he’s not, people decide not to watch and they buy something else.”
Fallen Champion
Online retailer Golf Discount Superstore said it’s seen a “definite decline” for the brand. Roger Dunn, a division of Santa Ana, California-based Worldwide Golf Enterprises Inc., says almost all other apparel products are growing save for Tiger’s line.
“Before, he was a champion,” said Patrick Rishe, a sports business professor at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and director of Sportsimpacts, which analyzes the economic impact of sports events. “He conveyed discipline and consistency. Now he’s lost that aura of perfection, on and off the course, and there’s no way Nike can create that aura again.”
Woods’s personal problems haven’t helped. Yesterday his lawyer announced that his divorce from model Elin Nordegren was completed, nine months after reports of his extramarital affairs surfaced.
Cadillac Crash
Woods, 34, crashed his Cadillac sport-utility vehicle into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home last Thanksgiving, leading to his admission that he had relationships with several women during his marriage. One of those women, Joslyn James, created a website showcasing alleged text messages from the golfer that described various sex acts.
Nike first signed Tiger Woods to a five-year endorsement contract in 1996. The retailer has described the Tiger Woods Collection, launched in 1999, as “Nike Golf’s top-of-the-line apparel,” with sweaters and pants that cost more than $100 on the company’s Web site.
Nike hasn’t discounted its Woods Collection apparel and probably won’t, according to Powell, who says the company is counting on Woods returning to form and being “an important part of its portfolio.” Golfsmith also has no plans to lower prices for the brand, according to its chief marketing officer.
“The challenge to Nike is that we’ve never seen Tiger Woods weak before, and it’s completely antithetical to what his brand is,” Interbrand’s Martin said. “Some athletes can ski off into our memory as stars, but for Tiger, unless he gets it together this winter and starts winning, his career trajectory is a double-black diamond,” or exceptionally steep slope.
Diehard Fans
Not everyone has abandoned Woods. Clint Utz, 28, said he owns about 15 Tiger Woods Collection shirts and has bought several this year.
“All of a sudden, so many people were against him, but he’s still the same person that worked hard and achieved things no one else has ever achieved,” said Utz, a marketing director for Landscapes Unlimited, based in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Everyone loves a winner. They’ll come back.”
Woods has played through the year without a single tournament win, putting him at 83rd on the PGA Tour’s money list. As his performance slumps, so have sales of his apparel line through Nike Inc., according to retailers Golfsmith International Holdings Inc., Roger Dunn Golf Shops and Golf Discount Superstore.
Golf apparel sales overall are on the rise, signaling consumers are returning to the course, just not to Woods. Nike gets about 10 percent of its golf sales from the Woods brand, whose shirts, jackets and pants are among the most expensive clothing the sportswear maker sells.
“Apparel is hot right now,” said Laura Dowdy, the clothing buyer for Roger Dunn, which has more than 20 stores. “Everything -- Adidas, Puma, Nike, except the Tiger brand.”
Nike, based in Beaverton, Oregon, doesn’t disclose sales for the Tiger Woods Collection. Nike gets about $650 million in sales tied to the sport, according to Matt Powell, an analyst at Charlotte, North Carolina-based researcher SportsOneSource, who provided the estimate for sales of the Woods line.
“We support Tiger and never underestimate his abilities as a competitor,” Nike spokeswoman Beth Gast said in an e-mail. “He’s a phenomenal athlete with over 70 wins on the PGA Tour and 95 wins worldwide.” She declined to comment further. Woods’s representatives did not return calls or e-mails seeking comment.
The line’s volume through the first half dropped 7.5 percent from a year earlier at Golfsmith’s 76 stores, Chief Executive Officer Martin Hanaka said in an interview. Total golf apparel sales climbed 11 percent over the same period at the Austin, Texas-based retailer.
Nike fell $1.34, or 1.9 percent, to $69.61 at 10:02 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares had risen 7.4 percent this year before today.
Negative Tiger Effect
“The Tiger effect has been negative this year,” Hanaka said. “Fortunately, other Nike products and other brands have been doing well, so we’ve been able to overcome it.”
Nike’s apparel sales climbed 13 percent in the quarter ended May 31, and its golf apparel sales also have climbed about that much this year, according to Powell. The retailer is now selling the fall 2010 men’s collection on its website. The cover boy? Not Tiger. It’s 2009 British Open Champion Stewart Cink. Woods appears in a list of “athletes” on a linked page.
Other than his rookie season, when he finished 24th, Woods has been in the top four on the money list every year on tour. This month, he recorded the worst 72-hole score -- 18 over par - - of his professional career.
“When Tiger’s doing well, people watch and buy his brand,” said David Martin, a branding expert with almost three decades of experience who runs Interbrand’s New York office and global golf practice. “When he’s not, people decide not to watch and they buy something else.”
Fallen Champion
Online retailer Golf Discount Superstore said it’s seen a “definite decline” for the brand. Roger Dunn, a division of Santa Ana, California-based Worldwide Golf Enterprises Inc., says almost all other apparel products are growing save for Tiger’s line.
“Before, he was a champion,” said Patrick Rishe, a sports business professor at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri, and director of Sportsimpacts, which analyzes the economic impact of sports events. “He conveyed discipline and consistency. Now he’s lost that aura of perfection, on and off the course, and there’s no way Nike can create that aura again.”
Woods’s personal problems haven’t helped. Yesterday his lawyer announced that his divorce from model Elin Nordegren was completed, nine months after reports of his extramarital affairs surfaced.
Cadillac Crash
Woods, 34, crashed his Cadillac sport-utility vehicle into a fire hydrant outside his Florida home last Thanksgiving, leading to his admission that he had relationships with several women during his marriage. One of those women, Joslyn James, created a website showcasing alleged text messages from the golfer that described various sex acts.
Nike first signed Tiger Woods to a five-year endorsement contract in 1996. The retailer has described the Tiger Woods Collection, launched in 1999, as “Nike Golf’s top-of-the-line apparel,” with sweaters and pants that cost more than $100 on the company’s Web site.
Nike hasn’t discounted its Woods Collection apparel and probably won’t, according to Powell, who says the company is counting on Woods returning to form and being “an important part of its portfolio.” Golfsmith also has no plans to lower prices for the brand, according to its chief marketing officer.
“The challenge to Nike is that we’ve never seen Tiger Woods weak before, and it’s completely antithetical to what his brand is,” Interbrand’s Martin said. “Some athletes can ski off into our memory as stars, but for Tiger, unless he gets it together this winter and starts winning, his career trajectory is a double-black diamond,” or exceptionally steep slope.
Diehard Fans
Not everyone has abandoned Woods. Clint Utz, 28, said he owns about 15 Tiger Woods Collection shirts and has bought several this year.
“All of a sudden, so many people were against him, but he’s still the same person that worked hard and achieved things no one else has ever achieved,” said Utz, a marketing director for Landscapes Unlimited, based in Lincoln, Nebraska. “Everyone loves a winner. They’ll come back.”
Mingle with PGA Tour Golfers and Wives at Green Carpet Event
The PGA Tour Wives Association has partnered with Sentient Jet and the Bergen County's Children's Aid & Family Services for a charity "Green Carpet Affair" tomorrow.
This exclusive invitation-only cocktail party is scheduled to have about thirty PGA Tour players and their wives in attendance at a private home in Saddle River, NJ on Tuesday, August 24th from 6:30 - 9:30. I understand that "lavish" hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be served.
There will also be a silent auction of "experience" items such as a Ryder Cup flag signed by the entire winning team.
Additional auction items include:
Tickets start at a very reasonable $275 and I understand that there are a few still available for purchase!
Visit www.cafsnj.org for more details.
This exclusive invitation-only cocktail party is scheduled to have about thirty PGA Tour players and their wives in attendance at a private home in Saddle River, NJ on Tuesday, August 24th from 6:30 - 9:30. I understand that "lavish" hors d'oeuvres and cocktails will be served.
There will also be a silent auction of "experience" items such as a Ryder Cup flag signed by the entire winning team.
Additional auction items include:
- a day of golf with Dustin Johnson in Myrtle Beach
- a weekend with Sandy & Kenny Perry in Kentucky with 2 rounds of golf with Kenny and a lesson from his coach
- VIP tickets to Tory Burch's Fashion Week show including a meet & greet with Tory and the models backstage
- a Bobbi Brown makeup experience
- the naming of a character in a Harlan Coben novel
- a wine experience in Tuscany
- a day at The Kingdom from Taylormade.
Tickets start at a very reasonable $275 and I understand that there are a few still available for purchase!
Visit www.cafsnj.org for more details.
Ai Miyazato reclaims top spot on LPGA with win @ Safeway
Ai Miyazato was in uncharacteristic territory to start the final round of the LPGA Safeway Classic.She was nervous.
While Miyazato normally appears composed, the jitters were evident when the Japanese star bogeyed the par-4 second hole on the Ghost Creek Course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club. Then she bogeyed the par-4 seventh.
It wasn't until a birdie on the par-5 ninth hole that she steadied herself -- and cruised to her fifth victory of the year. Miyazato, who also led after the first two rounds, closed with an even-par 72 to finish at 11 under.
"Today was a really tough day," she said. "I was really nervous on the front nine. But after nine holes I made a birdie and it gave me a gook kick."
With the win, Miyazato reclaimed the top spot in the world rankings, swiping that status from Cristie Kerr, who finished two strokes back along with Na Yeon Choi.
Kerr chased Miyazato throughout the final round until hitting into the water on the par-4 18th. The American finished with a 70, while Choi shot a 71.
Miyazato, ranked No. 1 for a week in June and again for a week in July, is among five players who have been jockeying for the top ranking, including Kerr, Jiyai Shin, Suzann Pettersen and Yani Tseng. The spot came up for grabs when Lorena Ochoa retired earlier this season.
"My goal at the start of this year was to become Player of the Year. So I'm aiming for that," she said. "Everybody is so close at the top, so I don't really know what is going to happen. But it's a good motivator for me.
The Safeway Classic, in its second year at Pumpkin Ridge about a 20-minute drive west of Portland, was marred Saturday when veteran Juli Inkster, in strong position to contend in the final round, was disqualified.
The 50-year-old Hall of Famer used a weighted training aid on her club to stay loose while waiting for 30 minutes to make the turn at the 10th hole. That broke rule 14-3, which meant disqualification.
Miyazato and Kim, playing in the final pairing of the day, battled on the back nine holes after Kim pulled even with Miyazato with a jaw-dropping chip from under a tree to birdie the par-3 11th. But Kim dropped two shots with bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes.
In the pairing in front of them, Kerr missed a chance to pull even with Miyazato by misjudging a 12-foot birdie putt on No. 17. Her chances slipped away with the shot into the water on the final hole.
"I just said to myself, `How could you do that?'" she said.
Kerr has won twice on the tour this season, at the LPGA Championship and the State Farm Classic. She won the Safeway Classic in 2008 when it was at Columbia Edgewater Country Club near Portland International Airport.
"I'm not going to be far off as far as points, so this was an important week for me to finish up there even if I didn't win," she said.
Pettersen (69) and Song-Hee Kim (72) finished at 8 under.
Tseng, who the Women's British Open on Aug. 1 for her second major victory of the season and third in three years, finished 2 over.
M.J. Hur, the defending champion, was 4 over and did not make the cut. The Safeway Classic is her first and only title to date. Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel and Christina Kim were among those who also missed the cut.
Inkster was in a three-way tie for second at 8 under with Kim and Choi after two rounds. But that was erased when she used the "doughnut" training aid to practice her swing before making the backed-up turn, and the image flashed on television.
LPGA Director of Tournament Competitions Sue Witters said a viewer watching the broadcast brought the violation to the attention of tournament officials via email. By that time, Inkster was almost done with her round.
"I had a 30-minute wait and I needed to loosen up," Inkster said in a statement. "It had no effect on my game whatsoever, but it is what it is. I'm very disappointed."
Ryan Moore does things his own way
It's a Monday morning and Ryan Moore is in a coffee house. He did, after all, grow up just outside Seattle.On this particular balmy summer day, the industrial looking building he's in houses the Chattanooga Coffee Company. The brew is fantastic -- they supply about 30 restaurants in the area and have a few stores scattered around the country -- and it's also just down the street from the old Southern Saddlery Co. building, which now houses Scratch Golf.
The space is raw and intentionally unfinished and when I meet Moore at the headquarters of the fledgling club company that was founded just seven years ago, he's wearing a hooded blue sweatshirt and black sweatpants, neither of which has a logo.
Clearly, money and whatever fame he's established haven't affected him -- Moore still flies commercial, and later when he and his brother/agent Jeremy leave, they'll have to drive their rental car some seven hours to their next destination in Greensboro, N.C., after the aforementioned commercial flight was canceled due to a wicked thunderstorm.
Of course it wasn't all that long ago that Moore's golf apparel was logo-less, too, until he signed an endorsement deal in the fall of 2009 with Scratch that gave him part ownership.
It was an interesting decision, especially in the current age of big-dollar deals from big-name companies. Like Ping, for example, which endorsed Moore until his contract expired in 2008 and the two couldn't come to an agreement on a new deal. There were others interested in the former U.S. Amateur champion, but Moore says it was less about the money than it was about feeling comfortable with what he was playing.
"I didn't want to be a walking billboard," Moore says.
Financially, it meant giving up some money up front for potentially bigger money down the road as part owner of the company. It also meant Moore wasn't locked into playing a certain driver or putter as is not the case with many equipment contracts.
Scratch doesn't make drivers. They're known for their forged irons and as Moore puts it, a lot of companies say an iron is forged, but these truly are, done so at the hand of Don White, who used to work for MacGregor.
When MacGregor shut down, White bought all his old equipment, including the huge lathe he used to make clubs for everyone from Jack Nicklaus to Greg Norman. Not long after, Scratch hired White. The company had to knock a wall down to make room for his equipment -- that's how big the lathe is.
White's skill is a lost art these days. You give the guy a block of 18/10 carbon steel and he'll give you a 5-iron that's precise down to a tenth of a degree and so soft you can actually feel the ball coming off the clubface. It's a little like having Michelangelo sculpt you a lawn ornament.
MOORE CAN'T SIT STILL
Moore is tinkering around in the back of the shop. That's what he does. He tinkers. "It can be overwhelming sometimes if you don't know what you want," says Moore, who seems to have no real purpose on today's visit other than to tinker, check in with the company and meet with me for a glimpse into what a typical day in his life is like.
In all, Moore visits Chattanooga once or twice a month and when he's not traveling from tournament to tournament, he splits time between Seattle and Scottsdale. He'll soon reside in Dallas, mostly because it's a 2-hour flight from everywhere, he says. Plus, the house he just bought is "amazing."
It's not long before the talk turns back to golf clubs. The ones in Moore's bag, at least on this day, are a version of the company's AR-1 model. They're a mid-cavity back iron shaved down to resemble a blade.
"Jack [Nicklaus] had different sets for everything from Don White," says Moore, whose longest tenured stick in the bag is actually his Adams driver at two years.
Moore said he had "very little fear" getting involved with the club business, mostly because he grew up around equipment on the driving range his dad owned. Moore's current swing coach and best friend Troy Denton is also an "equipment junkie," as Moore puts it. Denton is the one who turned Moore on to Scratch in the first place after hitting some of their wedges.
With all the talk about irons and wedges and grooves, the kid with the homemade swing eventually takes a swipe at the USGA and its set-up of Pebble Beach for the U.S. Open.
Moore takes exception with the USGA's David Fay calling the greens at Pebble Beach the best greens they've ever had there, recalling a perfect 4-iron he hit on No. 12 that landed on the front edge of the green, took two hops and bounced off.
Moore does give credit, however, to the USGA's Mike Davis, the man responsible for the U.S. Open set-up, for agreeing with him about the course in an article in the Boston Globe.
"In hindsight, I wish we had put more water on the 17th green, because it got firmer than we wanted. A guy could hit a really good shot and he couldn't hold it, and we never wanted that to happen, particularly when it's the 71st hole of a national Open," Davis told the Globe. "That wasn't the golf course staff, that was us.
"Sometimes I'll see player comments, and sometimes you're like, you know what, they're right. You live and learn.''
STAYING LOW KEY
Before long, it's time for lunch and we head to The Purple Daisy, a local barbecue joint where the low-key atmosphere seems to suit Moore and his Scratch entourage well. The talk is mostly about golf and it's clear these dudes are all junkies of the game, every last one of them, including company president Ari Techner.
Afterwards, we head back to Scratch for a Q&A with Moore (click here to read), who says, among other things, that a hand injury early in his career could have possibly ended it. In other words, if he couldn't play the kind of golf he knew he was capable of, why bother?
Moore also explains why he wears the ties and sweater vests and the spikeless TRUE linkswear shoes and why he's a cat person.
A half-hour later Moore is back to tinkering, playing with nearly every club resting against the wall of the launch monitor the company had installed.
The launch monitor doesn't seem to be working, though, so they have Moore pull his own clubs and when he starts hitting 200-yard 6-irons it's confirmed. "I hit my 6-iron 170 yards," Moore says. On it continues as Moore works his way through his bag, hitting 300-yard 3-woods.
Needless to say, the sound of the ball coming off his clubface is a tad more thunderous than when it comes off the rest of ours. The distance control is also ridiculously accurate -- nearly every shot Moore hits is exactly 30 yards longer than it should be. That should make for an easy fix of the launch monitor.
Most of the guys who work here look like they could be buddies of Moore's and in some ways they are, given his relationship with the company and his laid-back, left-coast personality.
With that, it doesn't take long for the cash to come out and a bet to be made on who can get closest to the pin on the seventh hole at Pebble Beach. Thankfully, the launch monitor is not set to U.S. Open conditions. Still, my wedge lands nearly on the eighth tee left of the green. Moore? He stuffs one inside a few feet.
Six hours after his day at Scratch started, it's over. Moore packs his clubs and heads to Sedgefield Country Club for the Wyndham Championship's media day.
The funny thing is Moore hadn't even really planned to play the Wyndham Championship a year ago, but it was his first PGA TOUR event after winning the 2004 U.S. Amateur so he feels a sense of loyalty. Now he's going back as the defending champion.
Where Moore's career goes from here, who knows, but after a day with him, it's obvious he's content with its current direction yet still restless about not having won more. At one point, he says he was a better player in college than he is now.
No matter what, though, he'll always be that kid from Seattle who's a little different and does things his own way. And that's exactly how he likes it.
-PGA Tour
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