Tiger and Jack

Jack and Tiger. Tiger and Jack. When looking at their victories over the years, they are both impressive. Tiger seems to be ahead, but Jack still has something to say about it.

The Numbers GameSince everyone is on the Tiger train this week, I thought I’d jump aboard. Cody wrote a great article earlier in the week and so did Gary Van Sickle over at CNNSI. Gary stole some of my numbers thunder, but I have some other interesting nuggets to share this week in The Numbers Game about Tiger at 50… wins that is.

Since Jack Nicklaus is constantly disparaging Tiger‘s achievements, I thought I’d do a bit of a comparison between the two. Even though it’s difficult to compare golfers from different eras, the results can still be quite revealing. For me, it has cleared the picture up a bit more and prepared the stamp “Greatest Golfer of All Time” for Tiger Woods.

Read on to see what I mean.

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Golf Talk [Episode 032]

I have a question for Tiger: “Have you ever mistaken your wife’s twin for Elin?”

PodcastTiger Woods becomes the youngest player ever to amass 50 wins on the PGA Tour, beating Jack Nicklaus by nearly three years. Also this week, Michelle Wie’s “mossy” penalty, Wie’s fall in the world rankings, the Ryder Cup, Colin Montgomerie’s “Money Hole,” and the oh-so-dumb questions reporters ask Tiger. Tune in to this episode of Golf Talk for more.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 032 as an MP4 file. For those who want to subscribe to us in iTunes, click here.

For this week’s Show Notes – links to articles we discuss in the show and additional information – just read on.

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2006 International Preview

The pros play the only tournament where +33 could secure the victory. You gotta love that Modified Stableford point system!

International LogoThe beauty of the Colorado Rocky Mountains is beckoning this week, as the PGA Tour makes a quick stop in Castle Rock, Colorado for the International before heading to Chicago for the PGA Championship. Even with Tiger sitting out this week, there is still a lot of anticipation in the air, as Phil Mickelson makes his return to the tour after taking two weeks off to rest following the British Open at Royal Liverpool.

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Tiger Goes for a Dozen

Can anyone stop Tiger’s roar at Medinah? Don’t bet on it.

Thrash TalkI want to start by congratulating Tiger Woods on his 50th PGA Tour victory. That’s pretty remarkable to say the least. Tiger helped make the Buick Open one of the most exciting tournaments this season. It’s also fun to watch the battle for Ryder Cup points. Vaughn Taylor took a huge step in securing a spot on the team, while Lucas Glover barely missed out on gaining some much-needed points.

All in all, it’s an exciting time to be a golf fan. The battle for the Ryder Cup is heating up, and the season’s final major championship is next week. The PGA Championship returns to Medinah for the first time since the Tiger/Sergio battle in 1999. If this year’s tournament provides as many memories as the 1999 version did, golf fans are in for a treat.

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Titleist Launches 906F2, 585.H, 755, and Detour

The Titleist brand has long been aimed at the better player. Their new lineup of scoring clubs definitely builds on that strategy with clubs specifically designed for the low handicapper.

Bag DropI’ve never understood the rationale for launching new equipment in the fall. Is it to boost sales in the fourth quarter? Is it to give off-course shops a holiday season shot in the arm? Or is it to force pros in northern climes to add inventory just as they’re trying to clear the shop for winter?

It just seems that ever since the big boys (Titleist, Callaway, TaylorMade) decided to opt out of the January PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, new product launches come in barrages in the spring and fall. So be it in this new age of club marketing.

Anyway, on to the latest… after teasing us for some months now as their staff pros put the goods to use on the various tours, Titleist is releasing new fairway clubs, hybrids, irons, and a new Scotty Cameron putter. Read on for a quick rundown on what to expect when they officially hit the market on August 15.

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Volume Seventy

What Will Natalie Gulbis Do Next?

From flying golf balls to moving mini-tours, this week’s edition of Hittin’ the Links has it all. If Tiger Woods can get to 50 wins, then by gosh The Sand Trap can get to the 70th volume of Hittin’ the Links!

Enjoy the links from the comfort of your own cubicle.

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Tiger Makes it a ‘Nifty Fifty’

Tiger Woods becomes the youngest player in golf history to win 50 times on the PGA Tour.

Tiger Woods is a freak of nature. Sunday marked Woods’ 50th win on the PGA Tour. In winning the Buick Open, Tiger became the youngest player to 50 wins, breaking the old mark set by Jack Nicklaus by nearly three years. What a ride it’s been watching Tiger Woods for the past decade.

Tiger Woods and 50-Win Cake

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Ian Andrew, Golf Course Architect

Ian Andrew of Ian Andrew Golf Course Design offers up his opinions on how modern golf equipment technology is overwhelming architecture, doctor’s notes only to use a golf cart and the Masters ball.

Throwing Darts TitleThrowing Darts returns with golf course architect Ian Andrew, owner of Ian Andrew Golf Course Design. Ian worked with Doug Carrick of Carrick Design for 17 years before leaving in 2006 to open his own firm.

Ian is best known for his restoration and renovation work of golf courses in Canada. Ian started a blog called The Caddy Shack to detail his thoughts on golf course architecture as well as to give us an insight in the day-to-day operations of running his own design company. It has been interesting to read the daily posts on the current state of the game as well as the projects he has been working on. Ian also shows considerable passion for promoting the great history of golf course architecture which includes Stanley Thompson, Alister Mackenzie H.S. Colt and Charles Alison just to name a few.

We hope you enjoy this interview.

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Nike SasQuatch Tour Driver Review

The Nike SasQuatch has found its way into the bags of Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie. Will it find its way into yours, too?

Nike Sasquatch Tour Driver HeroWhen we first scheduled our Nike SasQuatch (SQ) review back in May for August 4, we did not know Tiger Woods would have won the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool less than two weeks prior after pulling his SQ only once in competitive play.

Only a few years after being dissed by Phil Mickelson as “inferior equipment,” Nike has built some incredibly well performing golf balls and clubs as well as a large stable of PGA Tour pros to use them.

During the SasQuatch’s development, many believed “SasQuatch was merely a code name and that “SQ” or some other product name would be used upon release. Of course, the average person knows only that Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods play the SasQuatch, and “Woods” and “Wie” carry a lot more weight than any individual product.

I’m no Tiger Woods (or Michelle Wie), but I’ve given the SQ a thorough test. Read on to see what I thought of the driver that wasn’t used to win the 2006 Open Championship.

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