HXCarib56

Here's a good quick story on the pros, being human: While in NY, a few years ago, I worked security in the lockerroom of the Buick Classic in Westchester. The perfect scenario for me, was a long rain delay, as they would all come back to the lockerroom. I have a few things worth mentioning from that event.... Dave Stockton Jr. is an amazing chinese football player. He can kick one through the uprights with his index finger from about 10 yds away. His caddy, however, sucked. Billy Andrade is loved by the guys on tour. While they were waiting for the course to dry, they were playing putting games and he was clearly the pioneer. He created teams, rules etc...They were throwing 100 dollar bills around like paper after each game. Hilarious. Jose Maria Olazabel is the ultimate gentleman. He practiced putting/chipping for hours, even in the rain, and always said hello and made small talk in english. I returned the favor in broken spanish :) Tom Kite can't deal with playing poorly.....Some guys got pissed, some guys get upset. He ignored his whole entourage and stormed upstairs crying after shooting a 78 (I think) and missing the cut. I took a leak next to Calcavecchia. Random, but hey- I think it's funny. My favorite story from that event was this: During the rain delay, caddies and players enter in the same door. Now, there are 2 levels to the lockerroom. Upstairs, where the pros go, is plush leather, flat screens, the whole deal.....they have amazing catered food etc. Downstairs, where the caddies have to stay (my buddy literally had to carry clubs upstairs b/c caddies WERE NOT permitted, no excuses), was chilly, cheap furniture, concrete floor etc. Now, while all the pros are upstairs going nuts on the amazing catered food, enjoying the luxuries, most caddies just stayed downstairs, hung out, listened to music or whatever. Then comes Ben Crenshaw....huge rolling cart of catered food......he offers it all to the caddies, sits down on the concrete floor and eats with them...Hung out for a few hours, discussing random stuff and eating the food....The caddies were all very thankful. I was blown away. (For the record, Dave Stockton Jr's chinese football was also with the caddies) Omar Uresti got a playing lesson at 7pm in the lockerroom. Alot of the "B" level players are concerned with paychecks and that's it. From the lesser names, all I heard all day on Friday was cut-talk, money etc. Tim Herron is hysterical. He doesn't give a shit what people think. He was pounding drives, however he wanted...and he looked at me and said (with cigarette dangling) "That ball has a ****ing steering wheel on it, and I'm making the little ****er do whatever I want it to". Needless to say, he's a confident guy. I also worked the Sr. PGA Championship in Westchester, for the practice rounds. Tom Watson is the ultimate gentleman, not afraid to make small talk with anyone. Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus are both amazing during practice rounds. Arnie invited my old man on to the tee, to help him with club selection. Jack invited my uncle into the fairway, to walk down the hole with him, b/c my uncle (like Jack) had just gotten his hip replaced. He also signed his hip replacement card! Gary Player looks like he's 38 yrs old, and can still pound it...he also makes alot of little, random, dry jokes. I know there's more stories in my random events, so let me think of 'em.....Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy these! -Johnny, forever a Crenshaw fan

If you look at the callaway ball (my avatar), I make that arrow or "V" looking thing point into the cup or where I'm aiming. I don't know if that's what they intended, but it works well!

Michael Murphy's "Golf in the Kingdom" and "Kingdom of Shivas Irons" are absolutely amazing . They'll blow you away, and have you enjoying the game even more. It's almost a golf/spiritual awakening! And if you're working on the mental side of your game (as we all should be), read Dr. Bob Rotella's "Golf is not a Game of Perfect". His other books, such as "Golf is a Game of Confidence" are good, but not as good as that 1st one...which is a mental golf must.

Personally, (and this is coming from a HUGE Callaway fan), I think it's a marketing gimmick. I think these companies are pushing square clubs on us as an attempt to jumpstart the market again, while they figure out ways to scientifically improve their clubs and staying withing the driver conforming guidelines of the USGA. Before, it was big-bigger-biggest.....then titanium-titanium/mix-composite etc....Square clubs will die down (if you remember there already was some square drivers a few years back) once these companies get a handle on the restrictions....imho. I think lack of change/breakthrought technology that stays within the limits is what lead to the screws that are moveable in drivers, and now the "square-ness". It's all about spiking the market and bucking the trend...And hey, if it gets you pumped and you pound it- then they did their job. -Johnny

A draw with my driver goes about 20 yds further than my fade. With my irons, it's about 8-10 yds, depending on the bend, with a mid-iron. Regarding Tiger, I'm thinking it has to do with his ability to swing out of his pants and not worry about staying in the shot...With most of us, a swing like that would result in a block, slice, etc...With him, it's a fade.

Did any of you guys here Vijay a couple years ago at the Masters? They have mics in random places all over that course....Vijay was on a tee, back in the trees, where no gallery was allowed...He came out of his shot, blocking it far far right (it was the weekend and he was trying to make a push), and all you hear is Vijay calling himself, "You f-ing fa&g;@t mother fu*ker!!"....I had it Tivo'd, and me and my old man listened to it 20 times and couldn't believe it. More so, I don't know how it didn't turn into a big deal!

Hello fellow golf enthusiasts! My name is Johnny, and I am originally from New York. (I'm 24 and lived the first 22 years in new York, well, minus the college years in North Jersey). I'm an avid golfer......I played for my school, D-1, and am no rebounding from some sports (football, basketball, lifting) injuries (sprained back 7 months ago, had me on the shelf for 5 months, ans sprained ankle/ligament damage a month and a half ago) and trying to get my game to shape.....My low round is a course record 65 (since broken ), and my best handicap was an index between a +2 and +3. Right now, I'm playing at about a 3. I graduated with a degree in Political Science and a focus on international relations.....which leads to where I am right now. Currently, I live in St. Kitts, British West Indies, Caribbean....68 square miles of a mix between a developing country and tropical paradise. Right in the middle is a great course where I am training my game....Royal St. Kitts Golf Club. It's also where I was getting paid as an "Outside Service Supervisor" by our parent company, Marriott Golf.....until the government put me on hold b/c well, they are a bit anti-American in their policies...so now I'm waiting for my work Visa, playing golf alot, doing kayak tours part -time, working out avidly (Used to be almost 300 lbs on a 5'8" frame...am now 195), and living with my girlfriend of 6+ years who is attending Vet school on the same island I got my golf job (fate!). I got here in August 2005, and I'll be back in the states December '07. I'll probably be persuing some sort of gold job, focusing on some international business. I miss my family the most, especially playing golf with my old man. Teeing off at 6:45am, in the dew, just me and him on our home course (Storm King Golf Club)...gotta love it....I'm a golf nut, and all credit goes to him....(and my swing mentor, Jerry Impellitiere)....on to what's in my bag: Driver: Titleist 983K, 8.5 degrees, stiff speeder shaft (new driver on it's way! 2 weeks!) 3-wood: Cleveland QuadPro 13 deg, with stiff UST Proforce shaft 5-wood: Cleveland QuadPro 16 deg, with UST Proforce shaft Hybrid/Util: Hogan 3H, 21 deg, with TT DyGld stiff shaft Irons: Callaway X-18 Pro Series (3-PW...although 3 is out of my bag right now), with True Temper Dynamic gold stiff shafts Wedges: Callaway forged unfinished tour prototypes that never were mass produced....54 & 58 degrees. I'll be re-working my wedge set in the near future Putter: Odyssey 2-ball white hot blade, 34 inch Bag: My college's Ping Hoofer 2 Golf Balls: Callaway HX 56 Tour.....and I'm in love with this ball (and Callaway as a whole) Sunglasses: Overcast- Callaway, yellow tint, no frame....Dark: Bolle Golf, yellow lenses....Bright: Bolle Golf, Black lenses Shoes: Nike, Foot Joy or Bite, depending on the conditions Glove: Either FootJoy or Hagen, all leather....I can't do synthetic Headcovers: Tabasco with a gator on my 5W, red crab on my putter, stock HC's on the rest So that's a basic rundown of my story, and equipment! It'll be a pleasure to be part of the community...and if you ever need a break from the cold, let me know! St. Kitts is beautiful this time of year! -Johnny

I'm a big hater of Phil.....he's a fraud. I am, however, known for liking some of the more "hated" golfers. I always loved the way Vijay did his business.....Ditto for Sergio......I like them alot, but for different reasons. If we could all have Vijay's work ethic, and Sergio's fire and energy, we'd maybe only lose to tiger by 10 instead of 20. :)