There may be another stop on the PGA Tour this week, but c’mon, who is thinking about The BellSouth Classic right now? Here at The Sand Trap we’re in full Masters mode. We’re checking the quality of our HD signals, we’re buying snacks and timing how long it takes to get to the refrigerator and bathroom and back to the couch, and we’ve put all of our family and friends on alert: we cannot be bothered a certain four days next week.
Here at The Sand Trap, as we like to do with all the majors, we’ve quizzed our staff and come up with some predictions. Find out what we think about the course, who will win (and with what score), who could be a dark horse, who will disappoint, and what will surprise us (though, by spilling our surprises now, will they surprise anyone?).
Read now, and tell us whether you agree. And remember: this article will still be here after The Masters is over. For some, that will give them bragging rights. For others, tremendous shame…
The 
The third annual 
This is Season Two of the 460cc driver era. Nearly every major company has produced at least one – and up to three – drivers that have maxed out at the USGA/R&A arbitrary limitation of 460cc, plus or minus 10cc for manufacturing tolerances.
Spring is in the air here in Cleveland, OH… kind of. With an occasional dusting of snow here and there, I remain undaunted. The month of March and the blooming of my wife’s tulips point to a soon-to-be spring. Unfortunately for me, the misfortune of living in a climate where the ideal golfing weather takes a five month hiatus, I have grown rather rusty. Therefore, I have done a little research in hopes to get my body, mind and spirit back on the right track.
Stephen Ames managed to avoid a train wrecks all week long, never carding back-to-back bogeys. That’s more than Retief Goosen, Jim Furyk, Camilo Villegas, Henrik Stenson, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia, and Tiger Woods can say. He put on a clinic in the final round, staying steady under pressure and maintaining composure after a double-bogey on the 10th hole. He played with both skill and luck, the latter of which helped him enormously on the 16th hole when his ball took an unnerving bounce but wound up close enough to the pin for him to drain an eagle putt.
Greg Owen choked away a tournament at the 17th with a three-put from 40 inches, Sam Saunders may be the clup champion but he can’t play on the PGA Tour yet, and Fred Funk weighs in on Distance. Also this week, loud drivers, golf’s fifth major, making the 17th hole at the TPC of Sawgrass tougher, and some Tiger news – his dad, his putter, his interclub matches (the Tavistock Cup), and his Ryder Cup preparation. Plus, Tim Finchem gets a new contract. This and a whole lot more in this week’s Golf Talk Podcast.
If only the rest of us could pick golf up as fast as Kathy Whitworth did. She won the New Mexico State Amateur in 1957 and 1958, just a few short years after picking up a club for the first time. Her determination and natural ability put her on the fast track to success.
When it comes to the tee ball, TaylorMade leads, it does not follow. The 300 series driver was #1 on tour in 2000 and 2001 and TaylorMade followed with the successful r500. More recently the r5 and the r7 quad have been found worldwide in the bags of Tour professionals and amateurs alike.