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Times are tough for Tiger

August 8, 2010 /
Tiger Woods reacts after missing his putt on the 12th hole during the final round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, August 8, 2010. REUTERS/John Sommers II (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT GOLF)

The face of Tiger Woods says it ass, as he misses his putt on the 12th hole during the final round of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational golf tournament at Firestone Country Club in Akron. The entire weekend was a disaster for Tiger, and Plain Dealer columnists Bud Shaw sums it up.

Golf shirts from the Tiger Woods Collection retail for $100 in the Firestone Country Club pro shop. Hats are $28.50. Neither will help you play golf like Tiger Woods.

For the first time in memory, that’s not a disclaimer as much as a selling point.

To match the game Woods brought to the South Course this week at the Bridgestone Invitational, you’d have to miss fairways, flub chips, quit on shots and putt as if you spent the morning hooked to a caffeine IV drip.

The only way this tournament could more accurately embody the tumult of 2010 for Woods after Saturday’s third-round 75 would be if he were riding in a cart and that cart careened off the course into a fire hydrant.

Woods’ 5 over round was his worst at Firestone since his previous worst — 48 hours earlier. His 11 over after 54 holes is the highest relative to par since he turned pro in 1996.

“I drove it terrible, hit my irons terrible, didn’t putt well, and it added up,” Woods said before heading directly for the driving range.

For Woods to fix everything that ails him in one driving range session he’d have to stumble across Butch Harmon, Hank Haney and a hot tub time machine there.

We’re seeing a new Tiger who actually has to deal with his personal life outside the course. Maybe he needs a trip to Vegas . . . . .

Courses, Gear

Golf clubs and country clubs having tough time in recession

August 4, 2010 /

As you probably expected, the recession is having an adverse impact on golf course memberships and country club memberships.

Recession-battered golf courses aren’t just coping with lighter crowds. Some are edging perilously close to bankruptcy. Courses from Florida to Arizona, where golfing was once a daily exercise, face major cutbacks or foreclosure.

Myrtle Beach, S.C., a once-booming 70-mile strip of beachfront property nicknamed “Golftown, USA,” has been hit especially hard: Where there were about 125 golf courses in 2006, there are now around 100.

“It’s just a shakeout of golf,” says Donald Wizeman, CEO of Myrtle Beach Golf Association, which produces a website for golfers traveling to Myrtle Beach. “The real estate market is so depressed here.”

Things are just as bleak in Arizona. Eight golf courses in the Phoenix area have gone through foreclosure or bankruptcy since commercial properties started facing serious financial problems in 2008, according to IonDataExpress.com, a real estate analysis firm. Many more are reducing their hours this summer, says Tom Stine, co-founder of market researcher Golf Datatech.

You should also expect to find incredible deals for golf travel and green fees on courses all around the country.

Courses, Resorts, Travel

The British Open celebrates golf history at St. Andrews

July 15, 2010 /
ST ANDREWS, SCOTLAND - JULY 15: General View of an Open Championship flag during the first round of the 139th Open Championship on the Old Course, St Andrews on July 15, 2010 in St Andrews, Scotland. (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

The professional golf scene today is mostly centered on stateside competition, but the game’s historic roots are overseas, and this week marks one of the game’s oldest and most prestigious competitions – the British Open.

The Canadian Press had a great interview with Arnold Palmer, one of the first American players to play on the Old Course at St. Andrews.

“I felt that if you were going to be a champion, you couldn’t be a champion without playing in the Open and hopefully winning the Open,” [Palmer] said. “So that was part of the whole program for what I was doing.”

Palmer won the Masters and U.S. Open in 1960. On his way to St. Andrews for his first British Open, a conversation with sports writer Bob Drum led Palmer to effectively create the modern version of the Grand Slam.

He finished one shot behind Kel Nagle. Palmer won his claret jugs at Royal Birkdale in 1961 and Royal Troon in 1962.

Even so, St. Andrews remains a big part of his life. Palmer was given an honorary degree at the St. Andrews University on Tuesday. The only disappointment was not getting to play in the “Champions Challenge” because of bad weather Wednesday.

The Bleacher Report also put together a nice preview of the field this year. As the article states, with 49 of the top 50 players on the field this week, it’s sure to be an exciting tournament. Will Tiger be able to regain the mental determination that led him to so many victories? Will Justin Rose and his perfect rhythm net another win this year?

If you’re interested in getting to the Open, or just getting to the Old Course some time soon, Wikitravel has a comprehensive guide to getting the most out of your St. Andrews experience.

Courses, Travel

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 from Wii

July 3, 2010 /

Tiger Woods might be having trouble in his personal life, and it may be affecting him on the links, but he’s his old robotic self in the new Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 from Wii.

The game gets a great review from IGN, provided you have MotionPlus.

Last year’s Tiger Woods wasn’t just a great playing game of golf, it was a pretty awesome showcase for Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus peripheral. The company was clearly so proud about what it accomplished, it even beat Nintendo to the punch as the first game on the market to support the motion device. Armed with all that Wii MotionPlus knowhow, the Wii Tiger Woods team set out to improve an already fantastic golfing experience with the yearly follow-up. Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 might not be a massive step up from the previous incarnation, the game is a significant improvement and there’s a ton to enjoy even if you’ve plowed through last year’s 2010 edition.

It’s not the real deal, but it’s a fun way to pass the time at home.

Videos

Organize your trunk with this golf organizer from Samsonite

June 12, 2010 /

Is your trunk a mess with all the golf gear, dirty shoes and golf clubs? You probably need to check out this cool trunk organizer from Samsonite. It’s an ideal solution if you golf often and you want to keep your stuff organized (or your wife is on you about it!).

The organizer is the ideal size for any trunk or back seat. With two levels, it fits nicely in the trunk but it doesn’t take too much space. The bottom level has room for three shoes, so you can fit more than golf shoes. The ventilated mesh front door makes it easy to see what’s in there and it makes it possible to air out the shoes while storing them.

The top level has a bunch of compartments to store all sorts of stuff, from phones, to sunglasses and cigars, along with golf gear like gloves and tees. It also has movable dividers so the user can customize it in the way that fits his needs. There’s plenty of room for stuff like shirts, shorts, jackets and more.

It’s also a great gift, so keep this one in mind as you’re shopping for Father’s Day!

Gear

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