SirMilton

The Pats are the team that lucked out and beat Peyton Manning's team in the playoffs and then got their rear end kicked by his little brother's team; no more, except their no-personality quarterback reportedly got two supermodels pregnant concurrently.

Memphis got overconfident and lazy and let a pumped-up, lesser team beat them last Saturday in the final minute. Dorsey who had 22 rebounds against a very good Houston team had 1 rebound - pure laziness; they were just standing around. A review of Memphis's second half offense against Tennessee revealed they never passed the ball more than 3 times in their half court. They need to average 5+ passes when in a half court offense. Tennessee revealed their true selves by losing their next game to Vanderbilt; Memphis came back and blew Tulsa out leading by more than a 2:1 margin in the all of the first half and then letting all of their bench play early in the second half. The USA conference has 4 teams that can beat anyone in the SEC on any given night - Memphis (of course), Houston, UAB and Tulsa (Tulane is not quite there). Yeah, the conference took a hit a few years back when a bunch of the old Missouri Valley teams like Louisville switched, but it has come back strong. USA is a basketball dominated conference; the SEC is a football dominated conference with a very good basketball tradition. Memphis has a final four coach and final four talent; the real question is will they get motivated? If yes, they will easily win it all. What happened to them in 1973, with Bill Walton for UCLA going 21 for 22 in the NCAA final, won't happen again. If you want to know who else will be in the final four look at who has the best coaches in the top 20 teams. Duke and North Carolina will be there if neither plays each other or Memphis; the fourth team???? Kansas?

He an obnoxious prima donna. I have almost abandoned the Golf Channel because of their obsession with Tiger. He is ruining golf in my opinion. I'll take a J. B. Holmes any day. I would rather watch Daly, even when he's hungover.

I have seen three naturally long hitters in my life; two were thin, wiry guys who had a perfect swing with perfect timing; the third was a really big guy who simply crushed the ball. Back when balls were made of wound rubber bands, a crushed ball would fly like a line drive for about 50 yards then the rubber would rebound inside the ball and it would look like it had turned on an afterburner and jump another 150 yards in a straight line seemingly twice as fast, then ball would slowly climb to a peak and then fall rapidly; this is what later was called the "pro" trajectory, except now you don't see balls launched at almost zero degrees.

Depends. I have seen a lot of players who deliberately play a slice and very consistently! A slicing ball will run almost like it has top spin on it and you can get tremendous roll A high spin ball will definitely slice more than a low spin ball with an outside in swing, and there are balls out there that will virtually eliminate a spinning slice. However, if you are just pushing the ball right a low spin ball will not help. 90% of the slicers I see have the classic flying right elbow.

You did great. Jumping holes is very poor etiquette. However, only a non-serious golfer, likely to be totally ignorant of proper etiquette, would do so anyway. How could you get an honest score for your round if you jumped? Go back and make up the jumped hole? Another problem I have frequently encountered is the bully group that wants to play through when the whole course is playing slow and everyone is waiting on someone else. They are like tailgaters, if you don't let them play through they will be playing into you and pressing you the rest of the round. I like to tell them to go for it so they will be pressing someone else and then tell a Warden who they are and what they are doing. A good Warden will let them go directly to the 19th hole.

With $3.25 a gallon gasoline, $3.00 a loaf for bread and $10+ for a single steak, its a wonder most people have any discretionary money. I agree that courses that penalize a ball hit straight, but short, are poorly designed. I personally think you should be able to putt the ball straight to the hole on virtually every hole, even if that straight shot is only a few feet wide. Carries of over 100 yards must have alternate "around" routes for most seniors, ladies and beginners. I have played golf in Arizona on "target" courses a lot (several hundred rounds) and on those courses, if you can't carry a ball 200 yards and put it in a 30 foot diameter circle, you can't hope to play 18 in under 120 strokes. However, as far as sports and hobbies go, golf is relatively cheap, even if you go first class. Want to get into bass fishing? Bassboats run $30,000-$70,000 and you need $10,000-$30,000 in gear at a minimum (my reels cost $400 each, rods about the same and there are over a dozen taken on each trip), lures run to $20 each and most anglers have hundreds or thousands. A typical day on the lake will involve about $250-$400 per person in expenses. Saltwater fishing makes bass fishing look frugal; a good offshore tournament boat can run $2 million new. Lots of men spend six figures annually fishing saltwater. Hunting ain't much better. $10,000 to $20,000+ a year is typical for someone who big game hunts (deer) and waterfowl (ducks) or upland bird hunts on a modest scale. Hunting nuts can spend big money ($30k for a 3 day hunt isn't unusual). Motorcycles can get expensive fast, and sports cars get really expensive fast. Chasing women is by far the most expensive and dangerous of all. Unfortunately, I still do just about all of the above (very little of the last one anymore) 'cause I want to and I can afford to.

Never had one either. Would like the first to be on the first hole of a big invitational tournament when there are several hundred people watching. But then, first hole par 3s are rare; maybe a driveable par 4, but then I have trouble seeing a ball without binoculars over 200 yards away.

I'm straight and reasonably accurate, just not looong; part of that comes from playing lots of target golf in the desert on courses much like the current Accenture match play tournament. I could probably play to my handicap plus 1 for each par 4 over 450, and plus 1 for each par 5 over 550. So I think I could play in the 90-95 range. I have played several TPCs when in tournament condition and scored well every time. In fact, I seem to play better on a pro course because the fairways are consistently good and the greens are exceptional. And what the pros call rough is what guys who mostly play munis call average fairways. I have played Sawgrass twice in the mid-80s, Star Pass in the mid 80s and don't recall ever playing a TPC in over 90. There are a ton of guys out there who play day in and day out within a couple of stroke average of the top 100 pros and at times can play anywhere sub-par. Yeah, that one or two strokes is a lot, but its not 20-25 strokes off the pros. Tiger's statement was arrogant BS in my opinion; he's an obnoxious prima-donna in my book. I would rather watch someone more laid back like VJ.

About $4,000 annually at my club and I own my own cart, and $75-$125 per 18 elsewhere (bringing my cart); rarely, I will pay $150-$250 to play a course like a TPC. Over the past 20 years or so I haven't found any first class courses under $75 for 18, even in the off season. I really hate places that make you use their crappy carts at $50-$100+ per round.

My favorite memory is from high school when playing a practice round alone I caught four men in privately-owned riding carts (3 wheelers as I recall). They were all completely dressed in golfing attire and all had fancy leather bags and top of the line Hogan or Wilson staff clubs (the best stuff available at the time). I was carrying an old worn canvas Sunday bag with about 6 or 7 cheap, rusted McGregor clubs and didn't even have a golf glove or golf shoes. They said come on and play through with us. The hole was a 225 yard par 3 (very long for that time and day) with a broad flat fairway between the tee and green and a single large sand trap across the entire front of the green and deep woods 30 feet behind the green. They all hit first. Two were straight, but 30-40 yards short, one was a big slice right and short, and the last man hit a driver that rolled into the sand trap. Hurriedly, I teed up and hit a 3 iron that never got 20 feet off the ground but found the green and held. The men said nothing. I politely waited until all of the 4 men got on the green, none was on in less than 3, and waited my turn, when I was out, to putt. Again, without doing much more than just walking up to the ball and hitting it, I drained a 20 footer, walked over and pulled out my ball and walked off saying "thanks guys for letting me play through". They never said a word and I never looked back. I laughed to myself the rest of the round as I knew I would never play that hole so well again in my life, but they would never know and would always wonder about the kid who blew them away on that long par 3.

Paula, you always look way hot, but you pull your visor way down so that we really can't see your eyes. Last week (the day you wore the blue outfit) the TV camera got a good shot of your eyes under the visor and it looked like you had a 2 year old paint on some big, thick, black eyebrows that looked like black cheese puffs over your eyes. Come on Paula, get some professional help on those eyebrows! I still love you, but Natalie keeps saying she can make me forget you.

Putter, Driver then 5 wood, then 7 iron (I almost always play from the fairway and like to pitch and run, rather than try to throw darts).

I subscribe to Golf and Golf Disgest to keep up with equipment changes. I pretty much disregard the results of the equipment tests and the recommendations; they are clearly bought and paid for. In a recent driver test the PING G10 was straighter and longer than all of the other clubs tested and didn't even get an honorable mention. The longest family of balls by far according to the test results was TaylorMade and they didn't even make the top twenty list.

I seriously doubt that Tiger's reign will last much longer and I am certain he will not be "the best player ever". I think you will see guys getting into the 50's in the next decade. He may be recalled more like Byron Nelson who won all of the tournaments when all of the other men were fighting WWII; in other words for winning a lot of tournaments when the other players well, just weren't very good in comparison to where players will be in another decade. Tiger was the first man to be brought up seriously into golf only from early childhood; its been done in other sports for decades. Most of the kids in my neighborhood could hit a fastball at age 8-10 (consistently rated the highest skill in sports), or throw a pass 35 yards, or kick a football 35 yards or hit a 3 point basketball shot. 75% of todays kids can't catch or throw a baseball, pass or kick a football or dribble a bsaketball; but they probably do one thing very well. I have a nephew that if he had been born 30 years ago and gottrn the same swimming training would have won dozens of swimming medals in the Olympics. He's just college swimming scholarship material in this time. None of my generation even touched a golf club before the age of 15 or 16, much less was a member of a country club or had the money to even play a unicipal course. Most of us took up golf in high school or college. I did only because the football coach asked me too because no one else wanted to play on a golf team for the school and we were supposed to have a golf team. To get to the pros in any sport now, you need to start in pre-school. Now there are lots of kids who have been playing golf since age 4 or 5 and playing sub par golf in their early teens. Tiger's winning now because he still has his youth and has gained tremendous experience. Look at women's golf - Tiger's time is running out.

Duh? 18 index and a 190 yard 6 iron? I would say throttle back and get some accuracy, instead of trying to reach a 233 yard par 3 with a 3 iron. How far would you hit a 80% 3 wood? 75% 3 wood? Generally, the less stress on a shot, the better the accuracy. If I play a course with a long par 3, then I carry a hi-loft driver (13.0 or 13.5) that I can take a smooth controlled swing and hit those big greens that long par 3s always have. I always expect a birdie putt on a par 3, and I always expect to get a birdie on half or more of the par 3s.

If you ever played with a persimmon you would remember someone complimenting a nice drive by saying something like "you got that one on the screws". I started with persimmon driver and when I was young could hit it 250+ yards , but not with much accuracy. That's when a lot of people would hit a 3 wood or a long iron off the tee and sacrifice 20 or 30 yards to put th eball in the center of the fairway. Now I hit my driver in the fairway on 90% of the par 4s and 5s and almost as far as I did 40 years ago. I get about the same air distance, but rarely get much roll anymore; today's balls fly differently.

GOLF Magazine's February 2008 issue has a review of 50 golf balls. Some of the balls are very hard to find in my area and even on the internet. Wilson's Zip and Luxe are two I have not seen and the Taylor Made Tour Black is available over the internet only. Interesting to see that Tiger's ball is the softest ball tested (and the highest spin rate too). I'm using the Titleist Pro VIx now; I like a soft ball too.

I am 60 years old and I could not play without a riding cart. Most of the courses I play have nowhere to get water, beer or a soft drink, except at the clubhouse; so, you need to carry your own. In some places, you need about 2 gallons of water per person to play 18 - how about Star Pass when its 115 degrees? 2 gallons = 16 lbs. (without ice, yuck!) add that to 14 clubs, a bag, a towel, a couple of sleeves of balls, etc. and you have too much to even think about carrying. The USGA requiring professionals to walk is ridiculous and allowing a caddie is ridiculous. Its like the rules requiring men to wear long pants or plus fours, then allowing women to wear skirts, shorts, pants, or just about anything. I would let the pros use a riding cart, an electric hand cart, a manual hand cart or carry their bags, but no caddies to help them - its not a team sport. I would also let mean wear shorts with some kind of minimum inseam to avoid gays wearing indecently short "hot" pants. Who was it that said "There is the game of golf and there is professional golf and they will never be the same."? When I was young and poor I pulled a hand cart, I never carried a full set of clubs. I might play 9 holes with 5 or 6 clubs in a "Sunday bag". Never used an electric hand cart.

I have watched soccer numerous times and believe an equal number of people picked at random from the general population, made to drink 8 ounces of alcohol, then told the object of the game was to kick a ball into a net about the size of a Greyhound bus, could beat 99% of the teams that play "Soccer" about 99% of the time. It appears to require about the same level of skill, strategy and danger as "dodge ball". An action packed game might have 10 shots toward the goal and one or two might actually go in. I prefer to watch paint dry. The best part of Soccer are the flops (faking of injuries) and the prissy officials who show colored cards to players being penalized; how ridiculous! I honestly believe its the European equivalent of US professional wrestling.

My wife has a Odyssey 2 ball which is ridiculously easy to hit well. I have never used a putter easier to line up straight. If all putts were 10 feet or less, it would be in my bag. Lots of pros use it. I'm trying to get used to hitting the new PING half CraZ long putter. This far it has proven much better on longer putts (over 10 feet) than a conventional putter; I'm no longer lagging my long putts, I'm actually trying to make them all now.

My wife bought me one for a present; its too easy. I would say that if you think you need this, get a few video lessons instead. The best swing trainers I have found are the big PVC pipe hoops and the weighted clubs. the weighted club will also help your distance.

I would hate to shed my TM 'woods" but I would play PING's 'woods" before I would play TM's irons and putter. Its always amazing to me that once a player finds clubs he really likes, he generally stays with that brand forever. Its like GM vs. Ford vs. Mopar vs. Japanese vs. German in vehicles, most people just stay with the same brand forever (I'm a GM guy with a Caddy, Corvette, Tahoe, & CK2500 4x4 Pickup).

Aim at the center of the fairway usually toward the "barber pole" (at our club we have a black and white pole in the center of the fairway at 150 yards from the green on all par 4s and 5s) with a controlled swing. Not maximum distance, but almost never out of the fairway. The exception is only for holes where there are trees blocking approach shots on one side or the other. We have a nasty par 4 at our club that has fully mature trees on the left half of the fairway about 250 yards from the men's tees, then fully mature trees on the right half of the fairway at about 325 yards. If you hit left you have problems no matter your length and if you hit right you need a banana slice or TW's 8 iron shot to avoid the trees. I usually just plan a bogey, but I have birdied it. I rarely try to go over a dogleg, or even cut it close. I very rarely try to "shape" a drive unless the fairway is very hard, then I will intentionally hit a power fade for the extra roll. I can usually aim at the left edge, land in the left center and get a 50 yard roll and stay in the fairway with a power fade. the danger is overcooking it and getting a true slice and ending up 50 yards right of the fairway in who knows what stuff.

I would trade some length in my driver for more accuracy with my short irons. I use the weighted "hittable" driver they advertise on TV for warm ups and it does increase distance. My Superquad feels like a feather after hitting a dozen or so with the weighted club. I played the grip it and rip it game when I was in my 20s and its really hard to score consistently; its the birdie, par, double, birdie, double, and too often you get beat by the guy who's shorter, but straight and never in trouble. I now only hit a driver off the tee on 4s and 5s and keep it in the fairway 90% of the time and I like it that way.