With the USGA decision to allow the use of distance measuring devices, the market for laser range finders and GPS units has grown considerably in the last year with companies coming out with various approaches to help golfers judge distance. Can a talking GPS unit be far behind?
Well, look no further as it has already arrived with the QuickRange GPS unit. The QuickRange GPS bills itself as “the simplest distance to green device available” and while that may be true in some areas, there are still some issues that hopefully will be resolved in future versions.
Nothing gets your blood boiling more than a showdown between two stodgy golf executives. And because I love to give people what they want, you get a front-row seat to our second celebrity deathmatch. This time LPGA Tour Commissioner Carolyn Bivens and PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem square off in the battle of the golf execs.
2006 was marked by extrordinary play from a number of players. Some we’ve come to expect it from, and some we wouldn’t. This week in The Numbers Game, I thought I’d show some facts and figures from these players and just how impressive and sometimes ugly it got.
Annika Sorenstam decided to play golf with the men this past weekend. The world’s number one female golfer teamed with Fred Couples at the Merril Lynch Shootout and finished in last place. While Sorenstam was playing a silly season event, 
Dick’s Sporting Goods, Inc. and Golf Galaxy, Inc. have entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger whereby Dick’s will acquire Golf Galaxy. Under the terms of the agreement, each outstanding share of Golf Galaxy common stock will be converted into the right to receive $18.82 per share in cash, without interest. The Merger Agreement also provides for the assumption of outstanding employee stock options and warrants of Golf Galaxy, except that, the holders of vested in-the-money options and warrants will be permitted to elect to cash out such options and warrants. The Merger Agreement contains a provision related to limited solicitation of third-party proposals and a customary fiduciary out for unsolicited proposals.
It’s a grey, cold November day here in the northeastern U.S. and it’s days like this that drive me to the travel section of golf magazines to dream of a winter golf trip. Trouble is, to get to those places I have to fly. I hate flying.
Pinemeadow Golf has been around since 1985, but I didn’t know much about them until this year. After checking out their website, it’s easy to see they are looking out for the “average” golfer. Most of the die-hard golfing fanatics want the most expensive and popular golf clubs, whether it’s TaylorMade, Titleist, Callaway, etc.
The PGA Tour season is over, but we’ve still got a lot to talk about. Paul Azinger is named the 2008 Ryder Cup captain and introduces a new qualification system. Fallout aplenty about Tiger’s decision to skip the Tour Championship. Michelle Wie is smacked down by the Euro Tour Director, and, oh yeah, Adam Scott gets a victory. All that and more in this episode of Golf Talk.