Random Notes and Giving Thanks

It’s a slow week on the equipment front although I have a few releases to share with you before the end of the year. With that, I’ve found a couple of entertaining nuggets from the golf equipment and business world to hold you over on this shortened holiday week.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’ve listed a few golf-related items as well that I’m thankful for. Notably missing from that list is $100 plus greens fees, being forced to take a golf cart, and square-shaped drivers. So push away from the table for a few minutes and join me for this week’s edition of the Bag Drop

No Car For You
When you lose a few billion in your last quarter and have to resort to begging to Congress for cash you cut corners anyway you can. With that, Buick will no longer supply free courtesy cars for most PGA Tour events in 2009. So the next time you’re standing in line at the rental counter, you might just bump into a PGA Tour player who after years of being pampered with “free, free, free” now gets to see what reality looks like. Although I highly doubt it will be Tiger, who is also no longer associated with Buick.

With the economy stumbling around, you have to wonder what other freebies will no longer be provided at tournaments and whether or not they and the charities they sponsor will also take the hit if there is a big downturn in corporate spending.

Ball Wars
Erik alluded to the Titleist vs. Callaway ball kerfuffle a couple of weeks ago and now you can read what Bomb and Gouge think about this as well. Included is a FAQ from Titleist and and what can only be the first shot across the bow with the new Callaway full-page ad. Personally, I think each company should just get some of these and just duke it out. Or at least give me a small portion of the attorney fees.

Giving Thanks
With this Thursday being Thanksgiving, I thought I would drop a few golf-related items for 2008 that I’m thankful for.

• New irons. I played half the year with the Mizuno MP-57 irons and the feeling when you hit one pure is buttery and the feedback on the not so pure ones wants me to improve more. Can’t wait to get an entire year and more practice time with these.
• Home Course. I probably won’t get a membership but I found a new “home” only 15 minutes from my house at Elk River Country Club. A decent driving range, short-game area and large practice putting green plus a layout that allows me to spray it around a bit and I can see spending what little free time I’ll have next summer here.
• Scorecard. I’ve used spreadsheets and some other stats tracking websites but Scorecard was far and beyond the best way for me to track my golf stats. And quite humbling to find out what I suck at as well. I’ve got a few things to work on in 2009.
• Good health. I never had to shelve the clubs at any point this year due to injury.
• The Clicgear Model 2.0 push cart is the best push cart you can buy. End of story. Walking is made that much more enjoyable with this push cart.

Final Thoughts
Enjoy your Thanksgiving and don’t stand too close to the deep fryer. And if you get a chance to tee it up, hit a mulligan for me.