crazygolfguru

It's funny that you guys mention Hunter Haas & David Branshaw. Those are two of the guys I found myself following around the course. I have always liked Hunter and make it a point to follow him whenever I get the chance. But I wasn't familiar with David Branshaw until this week when a couple buddies of mine got to golf with him during the Pro-Am. Based on their recommendation, I followed him around the course yesterday and he surprised me with his solid play. I will be following his career on the PGA for sure.

Hey, I know there isn't much else going on, so I was wondering who is watching the Nationwide Tour this week? I am lucky enough to live in the wonderful city of Boise, so I have been out at the course watching next year's rookies rip up a beautiful course. I you haven't checked it out, I recommend giving it a look.

On a new course where I had to play the front nine twice (leagues on the back nine interrupted my game at the turn), I shot a 47 (with an unlucky lie in a bunker that added 2 strokes) and then a 44. The best part was targeting my first score as the mark to beat and then demolishing it by 3 strokes.

To be honest, a part of me really was hoping for a tie. I wanted to see Bud squirm in his seat as he made some futile attempt at diplomacy while making up a rule on the fly. Personally, I would rather see home field advantage go back to the way it was - alternating every year. The easiest way to incentify the All-Star game would then be a cash bonus - say split all of the game's profits equally among the winning player's favorite charities?

I spend time on my own blog (I'll be kind and omit the link, but if you wanted to search for it, you would find it), ESPN.com, •••••••.com, & oobgolf.com

So, I stayed up way tooo late last night watching the last All-Star game ever to be played at the historic Yankee Stadium (the new one will be complete for next season). The American League won again, but after 15 innings of compelling ball. There were a lot of great defensive plays (Dan Uggla excluded) and only a handful of brilliant offensive moments. But I'm curious to know whether I was the only one who watched. If you stayed up for the entire game, what was your favorite moment?

...with all that said, what do you think of the International Golf Federation's recent announcement of their intention to get Golf into the Olympics by 2016? Would this inclusion legitimize the sport, or would it bastardize our beloved game?

Actually, it has been 19 years! Talk about perseverance. In the PGATour.com article about his win, it indicate that Rick's father tried to talk him into an early retirement a few years back. A couple of years and one $180k purse will make a believer out of anyone. I look forward to watching Rick on the Tour next year as he lives his (and my) lifelong dream.

I am jealous, I love going to the Nationwide tournaments because you can get so much closer to the golfers. Considering the number of current PGA Tour players who are graduates from the Nationwide, it is a great opportunity to see some of the up and coming talent (just look for the yellow jerseys). My next few weeks are going to be full of tracking the John Deere online, tracking the Open Championship online, tracking the Canadian Open online, and trying to sneak out for a round sometime.

If I took the offer, not only would I get bored with the game but the Golf Gods would lose their favorite target for all their rage and anger. That would never happen because the Golf Gods appear to get too much amusement from my horrible game.

I am curious to know if anyone is paying any attention to the John Deere Classic, or are you all eagerly anticipating the Open Championship next week? If you are watching, who do you think will win? (By now, you should be able to see Ken Duke, Kenny Perry & Garrett Willis at the top of the board). Personally, I am rooting for J.B. Holmes this week.

That is the funniest thing I have read in a long time. Your POOR DOG! You forgot one of the most controversial: walking the course (aka playing as the game was intended to be played). I typically ride (I know, shame on me), but when I hit a shank, I sacrifice the cart and walk to make ammends, which usually works.

I've never thought of it that way. I've always thought that "the Golf Gods must be Angry" when I am not doing so well. I've even gone as far as to offer up sacrifices to the Golf Gods in an effort to appease them and see some immediate improvement. What can I say, I must be crazy.

Sam Goldwyn said "The harder I work, the luckier I get." My belief in the "Golf Gods" is that when I work on my game, I will see improvements. When I don't work on my game, my skills will "soften" and my luck on the course will get worse.

I guess I should admit defeat. I am now convinced that Kenny should go over and play in the Open Championship.

Ok, you're right. I really don't think I would want to be around. But it would be fun to watch on YouTube where I could laugh in the privacy of my own home without the risk of getting a club broken over my head.

I really don't see all the hype surrounding Sergio, so I don't believe he is going to win. I think it will be someone new this year, perhaps their first major title. My guesses are as follows: Europeans: * Tim Clark (I know he's S. African, but I'm throwing him into the European group anyways) * Alex Cejka * Henrik Stenson Non-Europeans: * Stewart Cink * Robert Allenby * Hunter Mahan

This is my point exactly. Kenny is playing his strategy to get to his major. It's like hitting a 4 iron to the middle of the dogleg instead of trying to crank a driver and cut off the corner. Sure, he probably has the power and the game right now to take home the Claret Jug, but he is playing his strategy to get onto the Ryder Cup team. Frankly, I can't see why we wouldn't want a guy on the team who not only wants it so bad, but has executed a well-planned strategy to make it happen.

Are you kidding? I would love to be around when someone blew up like that, it would be hilarious. In fact, it sort of reminds me of my brother who will blame every bad shot on something (a bird chirping, or a plane flying overhead, or someone dropping a tee on the ground during his backswing, or... you get the picture). I empathize with the kid, but can't afford to abuse my clubs to the point of having to replace them.

To add a little counterpoint to this argument, I put my vote in for "no." Frankly, Kenny has never done well across the pond and his spot on the Ryder is practically locked up, so why risk it? Besides, he is playing so well, so why not stay a little closer to home and pick up some fast cash at the Milwaukee?

As a high capper, I think it's great whenever I get a compliment on the course, even if it is my worst shot of the round. Crazy as it may seem, I let those compliments go to my head and actually play better as a result. So I say, enjoy the ego trip they are putting you on, because they obviously don't know any better.

Amen to that! Until someone achieves a resume that is even 1/2 of Lefty's, I don't really want to hear comparisons to Tiger.

If you are going through the "guts" of Utah, you may want to stop a few hours before St. George and check out Thanksgiving Point (I know I have mentioned it before). I bet it will be cooler than St. George or Arizona this time of year, and the course is worth the stop (in my biased opinion).

aw man! I just got back to find I missed the whole contest by 36 minutes! Congratulations to Soup Fan & Alan B! But that's not gonna stop me from downloading and trying out the software. I have been looking for a good stats package for my game (I have been trying to do it all in Excel - yikes!), and this looks like it will work perfectly!

If you think that hitting a Par is intoxicating, just wait until you hit your first birdie! Congratulations and welcome to the "addiction!"