The state of the game is good. 2007 has been an enjoyable year already. Zach Johnson's Masters victory was a feel-good story for most folks, even if the tournament itself was brutal to watch. Angel Cabrera joined Johnson as players who survived the final day of a major with Tiger on the prowl.
Despite relative health, there are some big issues in golf this year. Some are reoccurring, others are recent developments, but all may have an impact on the game in coming years. I've distilled the biggest issues to five. See what you think…
In 1989, Mark Calcavecchia hit a remarkable golf shot into the 18th green at Royal Troon, setting up a birdie that lead to an eventual victory in the (British) Open Championship. Almost 20 years later in the Tiger era, we have become awash in so many remarkable golf shots that Calc's 5-iron is almost forgotten today. But it is a very important shot historically, and it's worth recounting today. Especially as the USGA is about to embark on the biggest rule change in the last 30 years.
Tiger Woods has a kid, but that's not nearly as exciting as the finish on the PGA Tour this week as Jay Williamson and Hunter Mahan battled it out. Also this week, Lorena Ochoa, drug testing on the PGA Tour, golf course real estate, and Michelle Wie opting out of the the John Deere. That and more in this week's episode of Golf Talk.
Playing with a couple golf writer buddies the other day, a couple incidents led to this week's column. The first was when our fourth, the son of one of my friends (and an exceptionally strong player), asked me what iron his 20° hybrid corresponded to. I suddenly realized how difficult a question that is to answer.
Hunter Mahan and Jay Williamson provided some great entertainment as well as some bonus coverage on Sunday as they battled down the stretch at the Travelers Championship.
To get to Darby Creek, you drive through a few towns the likes of which you'll be surprised still exist. You'll hang a right at a driving range in the middle of nowhere, drive another few miles, then take another right. A golf course appears, and suddenly you've arrived at Darby Creek.
You may have seen the 
