Category: Hot Topics

I’ve been fortunate to attend many golf tournaments. My first was in 1984 as I watched Bob Tway hole a bunker shot to defeat Greg Norman on the 18th at Inverness for the PGA Championship. Most recently I saw the 2003 British Open at Royal St. George. While I’ve had a blast at every tournament I’ve been to, I’ve always found it difficult to attend a tournament and not feel as though I’ve seen all I could. I’ve finally come to the realization that it’s impossible to see everything – the players, the course, the spectacles – unless you’re there for multiple days.

To make the most of your trip to a professional tournament, I’ve put together a quick “how-to” guide. Take advantage of my experience to make your visit to a professional golf tournament even better.

Continue reading “Tips for Attending a Professional Golf Tournament”

Golf used to be a game of feel, and not just around the green. “This looks like a strong 6-iron,” the pro would say to his caddie (or vice versa). Elevation, wind, temperature, green contours, and even mood could change a club selection.

Years later, caddies and pros got wise and began measuring yardages (often with yardage wheels like the one shown at right). Caddies would show up on Monday and Tuesday to walk the course, measuring every conceivable yardage and writing them all down in a little booklet. They’d include numbers that indicated the carry distance of a water hazard, draw arrows indicating severe slopes and funnels on the greens, predominant wind conditions, and notes about areas in which you did not want to miss.

In the 1990s, this too faded away as caddies with yardage wheels were replaced by ultra-accurate, GPS- and laser-measured yardage guides. Every pro has the same yardage book these days, tailored slightly to suit a particular pro’s playing habits, and caddies spend their Mondays and Tuesdays without a yardage wheel in their hands.

Continue reading “Rule 14-3b: The “Range Finder” Rule”

He may not have the most attractive swing or win the ladies over with a long drive, but he gets the job done – almost. Chris DiMarco is like the average person out for a day of golf, but he’s regularly in contention at the majors.

With television ratings of the 2005 Masters tournament as high as they’ve been since 2001, Chris DiMarco has become a household name. Just ask my mother! If you don’t like Chris DiMarco, you should be pulling for him now. It is his turn to finally win a major tournament. After all, it’s our nature to side with the underdog, and Chris DiMarco is America’s New Underdog. He’s this year’s Phil Mickelson. Mickelson was a crowd favorite in the past years not only because of his playing ability but also because he had not won a major. People also like Phil because he is left-handed and they can shout “Lefty! Lefty!”. How long until we hear “Claw! Claw!”?

Continue reading “Is Chris DiMarco America’s New Underdog?”

Another mesmerizing major championship week has passed, but the Masters is still on my mind. So before we start looking ahead to the U.S. Open, I’d like to spend a little time talking about a topic that now seems to resurface every year at Augusta.

It’s the delicate subject of Hootie’s balls. No, you’re right, that doesn’t sound good. It shouldn’t. And I really wish he’d stop talking about them.

The Masters always brings a mix of the sublime and the ridiculous. The 2005 playing of this great event had both. The ridiculous quotient was achieved by Augusta National Chairman Hootie Johnson before the tournament even started. Good thing Tiger Woods and Chris DiMarco provided such a sublime finish to the actual event to help us momentarily forget some of the silly things Hootie had to say.

Continue reading “Hootie’s Balls”