Author: Guest Author

Drug Testing in the PGA Tour? Not Likely

As performance enhacing drugs garner attention on the diamond, is there a reason for concern on the links as well?

pga_tour_logo.jpgIf you’ve been anywhere within range of televisions, radios, newspapers, or the Internet over the last couple of weeks, you have undoubtedly heard something about the steroid controversy gripping baseball as it heads into spring training. For the first time in its history, baseball will have mandatory testing for performance-enhancing drugs following a precedent set by the NFL and the NBA years ago. And while the controversy has swirled on the diamond, there are those that might wonder, should testing for performance enhancing drugs be done on in professional golf as well?

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Scott Shines in Playoff

Adam Scott beat Chad Campbell in a playoff to win the Nissan Open, which was called after two rounds due to rain.

adam_scott_nissan_open.jpgDay after day of heavy rain in the Los Angeles area left the Nissan Open very open ended. Yesterday no one seemed to know for sure whether the tournament would be called after two rounds, or whether a third round would be played on Monday. However, two additional inches of rainfall last night made the decision to call the tournament an easy choice. The final leaderboard showed two leaders: Adam Scott and Chad Campbell tied at 9-under par. Thankfully, the rain eased up enough today to allow a playoff between Scott and Campbell and crown a winner. The playoff was decided on the first hole, when Scott sunk a 4-foot putt for par on the 18th green to cash in on an unofficial victory on the PGA Tour.

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The iPod: My Key to Breaking 80?

Can an iPod be the key to breaking 80? Perhaps…

ipod_mini.jpgAfter receiving a bright pink iPod for the holidays this year, I was unable to decide how it could enhance my life. “Just another electronic toy,” I said to myself, kind of like my digicam or my new picture-taking LG cell phone. It stayed in the box for almost a week before I attached it to my iMac and diligently began to load it with several hundred songs.

Because of their intuitive interface and small size, iPod minis and iPod shuffles are easy to use while exercising. When listening to my iPod over watching the news, I seem to have more stamina. With my favorite tunes playing in my ears, I remain on the elliptical trainer 15 minutes longer and am not as tired when I’m through. I stand up straighter, pulling my shoulders back confidently while strutting my stuff through the weight room. I now look forward to exercising, as long as my iPod is sufficiently charged.

Of course, taking my iPod to the gym is an obvious use. But I wondered: could it also help me improve my golf game?

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Maxfli BlackMAX: The Newest Challenger?

Just how good is Maxfli’s BlackMAX ball? Is it good enough to knock-off the king of golf balls – Titleist’s Pro V1?

Black MAXIn 2001, Titliest Introduced the Pro V1 line of golf balls which quickly became the most played ball on the PGA Tour due to their low spin off the driver and high spin around the greens. Titleist is the number one ball of choice on every professional golf tour and perennially leads in number of wins. Even players like Mike Weir, Sergio Garcia, and Vijay Singh who have signed equipment contracts with other companies choose to play Titleist golf balls. However, the recent introduction of Bridgestone’s B330, and the new HX Tour from Callaway, which has been earning notoriety behind a hot Phil Mickelson, has proved that there is still room for competitors in the high-end golf ball market.

Earlier this week, we introduced you to Maxfli’s BlackMAX golf ball, the newest entry into the high-end golf ball market. Is the BlackMAX good enough to compete? As promised, we’ve played this ball on course and experimented on the launch monitor, here’s what we found.

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Nissan Open: Friday Recap

The second round of the Nissan Open was more like half a round, and first-round leader Brian Davis didn’t even get to tee off.

Nissan OpenPlay in the second round of the Nissan Open was pushed back four hours due to rain and eventually suspended, as many players – including first-round leader Brian Davis – didn’t even get a chance to tee off.

Chad Campbell teed off, though, and nearly holed out two shots en route to a 6-under 65 that catapulted him into a three-shot lead over Robert Allenby. Davis was about to tee off on ten when the siren signaling the end of play due to darkness sounded, ending his round before it had even begun.

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Tom Fazio: Golf’s Hero or Heel?

Tom Fazio has gained notariety for his golf course designs, just how good are they?

Riviera Country Club 15th HoleThe golfing public seems quite divided over course architect Tom Fazio. Some adore his layouts while others despise his designs. There is no doubt Fazio has tremendous exposure from some high profile clients. Fazio “Tiger Proofed” Augusta National in 2002, he redesigned Riviera Country Club, and he has built several acclaimed courses throughout the country. So why the controversy over Fazio’s projects? Let’s look at Augusta National and Riviera’s redesigns to find out.

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Stirring Up the LPGA

Where are the Tigers and Phils of the LPGA? I like golf, but the LPGA is boring.

LPGAThe United States Team turned in a disappointing final round of 80 in the Women’s World Cup this past weekend. Young phenom, 19-year-old Ai Miyazato, shot a 6-under 67 to capture the title. The only other sub-par round on Sunday came from Lorena Ochoa of Mexico.

The US finished 14th, with superstars Meg Mallon and Beth Daniel scoring a 78 and 80 respectively. This particular venue is interesting in that the first round was best ball, the second round was alternate shot, and the final round was stroke play with both women’s scores counting toward the total score. The first round allowed the field the lowest scores with many scores below par 73.

So, why am I feeling disillusioned with the LPGA Tour?

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Big Break III Episode 1: Tasha Tossed

Tasha Browner can’t stand the heat and is promptly booted out of the kitchen after blading a pitch.

Big Break IIIThe women of Big Break III spent last week being wined, dined, and flown, boated, and trucked across the country, from Orlando, FL to Williamsburg, VA.

In this week’s show, the glitz and glamour came to an end: someone was going home.

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Curtis Strange, PGA Tour Great, Joins the Champions Tour

As Curtis Strange makes his Champions Tour debut this weekend, we should all take a moment to remember what a great player he was in his prime.

curtis_strange_1989_usopen.jpgThis weekend, Curtis Strange will make his Champions Tour debut at the ACE Group Classic in Naples, Florida.

Those very new to golf may wonder who Curtis Strange is. In fact, one’s view of Strange probably depends upon how long you have been following golf. If you’ve been following the game for a few years, you probably view him as the lead analyst on ABC golf coverage (Strange filled that role from 1997 to 2004) or as just another losing Ryder Cup captain (2002).

If you’ve been following golf for about a decade, then you may remember Curtis Strange as the player that played a large role in the United States’ 1995 Ryder Cup loss (Strange was a controversial captain’s pick by fellow Virginian and Wake Forest alum Lanny Wadkins).

And finally, if you’ve been following golf for much longer, then you probably remember Strange as the best player on the PGA Tour, if not the world, in the mid- to late-1980s, a player full of fire and determination.

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