Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Play Before the Pros Canada Golf Vacation at The Fairmont Banff Springs


The 2011 TELUS World Skins will once again be contested on the
historic Stanley Thompson Course at The Fairmont Banff Springs, Canada, July 25th to 26th.

Golf enthusiasts worldwide can enjoy a head start on the PGA Tour professionals with the resort's "Play Before the Pros" vacation package.

Known as the "Castle in the Rockies," The Fairmont Banff Springs is located in the heart of Banff National Park and is styled after a Scottish Baronial Castle, offering commanding views of the surrounding Rocky mountains and the stunning Bow River.


Fairmont_banff_springs


Just steps from the charming village of Banff, the Fairmont Banff Springs resort is a National Historical Site and offers a tremendous blend of luxury and recreation.

In addition to its two golf courses (Stanley Thompson 18-Hole and Tunnel nine), The Fairmont Banff Springs offers exceptional dining and shopping options in addition to a Willow Stream Spa and a host of additional recreational activities.


The Play before the Pros Canada golf vacation package includes:

The package is available from May 13 to July 24. Rates start at $798 CAD per night based on double occupancy:

    * Accommodations in a Fairmont Room (I'll bet most rooms have beautiful views)
    * Two rounds of golf on the Stanley Thompson Golf Course
    * Two tickets to the TELUS World Skins, July 25-26
    * TELUS World Skins souvenir Nike Golf shirt
    * Contest entry to win a complete Nike golf outfit (ladies would love this!)


One of the most memorable Telus World Skins Game was hosted at The Fairmont Banff Springs in 2006. Five decades of golf personalities were represented: Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, John Daly, Stephen Ames and Sergio Garcia but it would be John Daly who hoisted the trophy taking nine skins and $210,000.

This year, Telus World Skins Game partners with Nike Golf with the field all belonging to Nike athletes: Anthony Kim Paul Casey and Stephen Ames have already been tapped with two other PGA Tour golfers being announced shortly. The golf event is owned and operated by IMG in Canada.

If you are fortunate enough to visit Canada to attend the 2011 Telus World Skins Game and stay in the fabulous Fairmont Banff Springs, the visuals...scenery as well as the old world charm of the hotel, will surely take your breath away!

Canada_fairmont_hotel

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Monday, May 16, 2011

Was age a factor in David Toms defeat at The Players?

While watching the final round of The Players Championship, I heard an announcer question whether or not David Toms could go the distance this particular Sunday, a long, tiring day in which both third and final rounds were being decided. Because of his age, would Toms tire as he progressed through the back nine?

I reacted by posting a similar question to Twitter but without the age variant, wondering if Toms could hold on for the nine remaining holes to win The Players. Responses ranged from simple yet effective "yes" to "yes, he is cagey"  @BobFriend_golf. No one mentioned that age may play a factor in his defeat.
And why should it? Forty-four year old Toms is certainly not old yet he has had his share of career-limiting physical ailments. Even so, age was not the reason why David missed a three-footer on the first playoff hole at TPC Sawgrass, handing over a well-deserved win to K.J. Choi.
 

His wife Sonya's telltale thought, "You get to this stage in your career..." coupled with remarks from his caddie Scott Gneiser, "He got to the point where he was maybe kind of going through the motions," spoke volumes about what might have been rummaging through Toms' conscience. David even added that he was basically in the event to show his son how its done, not necessarily for himself.

Age limitations do play a factor in every professional golfers career but not necessarily in a physical sense. The lingering question as to "how much good golf is left?" may creep thoughts into the mental game in a sport where the median age on the PGA Tour is 30-35 years-old. Mistakes also come easier as older golfers choose the wrong shot, thinking they can still "go for it" realizing afterwards that a safer approach may have yielded far better results.

The right attitude can help diffuse the signs of aging. After forty-six-year-old Paul Goydos' third-place finish at The Players, he made reference to his age but also that this finish is something that he "can build on," adding "I'm getting to that age where I need to find something to hang onto. I don't feel old"

"No, that's a lie. I feel old." Goydos continued, "But I didn't feel old until this year. Playing bad does that to you. I've got a great job, and I'm going to keep trying to do it."

Goydos hit the nail on the head...playing bad and squandering chances make you feel old!


Media plays up the angle of age versus youth as in the battle between 47-year old Miguel Angel Jimenez - Lee Westwood on the European Tour at the Ballantine's Championship. The strut and swagger of Jimenez forced naysayers to comment on the "coolness" of Jimenez not believing that age was a factor; Westwood merely performed better that week.

That being said, with a fan base in golf getting younger all of the time, forty-something players like Toms are paving the way for a new generation of golfers like McIlroy, Fowler and Manassero. Kids identify with the coolness of the clothes, the connection on Twitter and the fact that their parents don't necessarily like the change. Hopefully, this infusion of youth will take the game to the next level.

Winner of The Players, forty-year-old KJ Choi, when asked after his win about the ability to compete and win, had advice for the younger generation of professional golfers:

"You have to be very regimented in order to have a long career out here on the TOUR.
I was able to focus, I was able to maintain physically and mentally my body very well. And I felt like I still had the confidence that I could play well out there. I train hard, I practice hard, and I think all the young players need to do that.
And I think you need to live your life to the fullest. And when I say that, I don't mean partying all the time. Live a systematic, regimented life, always be humble. That's my motto."

As for David Toms' performance this week at The Players Championship, he was the 36-hole leader and could hardly be considered "old". "No excuses, no spike marks, no ball marks, no nothing," Toms said of his three-putt bogey on the first sudden-death playoff hole. "Maybe a lot of pressure. But other than that, there was no excuse."

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Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Mickelson a candidate for World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2012?

Three-time major winner Ernie Els, former President George H. W. Bush, 19-time PGA Tour victor Doug Ford, Japan’s Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, the late Frank Chirkinian and the late Jock Hutchison were inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2011 in St. Augustine, Florida yesterday.

WGHF Chief Operating Officer Jack Peter said, "The Class of 2011 comes from South Africa, Japan, the United States and Scotland. The global nature of this wonderful Class embodies so much of what the World Golf Hall of Fame stands for. We are thrilled to welcome all of them into the Hall of Fame family."


World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2011
 World Golf Hall of Fame inductees: Class of 2011

The World Golf Hall of Fame honors golf's greatest players and contributors. Criteria for induction indicates an  honorary must be forty-years old, must be a PGA Tour player (on the PGA Tour ballot) for ten years and have either ten Tour wins, two majors or two Players Championships to be considered. 

Perhaps Phil Mickelson needs another Players Championship win under his belt before being added to the ballot?

Ernie Els was interestingly enough inducted through the PGA Tour ballot and has won more than sixty golf tournaments worldwide. He has been a fixture on the PGA Tour, the European Tour and on six Presidents Cup teams.

“I can think of no more worthy candidate than Ernie to enter the World Golf Hall of Fame,” said George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, speaking as Chairman of the World Golf Foundation. “He joins two South African legends of the game in Bobby Locke and Gary Player, which is testament to his immense ability, his superb achievements and the wonderful example he has set to all in the field of golf and, indeed, the world of sports.”

President Bush will become the second president inducted in the Hall of Fame, inducted through the Lifetime Achievement Category. CBS lead golf broadcaster Jim Nantz presented while the former President accepted his Induction in a pre-recorded address. Bush is the original Honorary Chairman of The First Tee and the Presidents Cup, as well as the recipient of the 1997 PGA of America Distinguished Service Award and the 2008 Bob Jones Award.

The late Frank Chirkinian is known throughout golf and broadcasting circles as “the father of televised golf.” From 1959-1996, Chirkinian was the executive producer for golf on CBS and led its Masters coverage. Chirkinian, who was inducted through the Lifetime Achievement Category, is responsible for myriad innovations, including the installation of a camera on a blimp and adding microphones to tee boxes.


The late Jock Hutchison was inducted through the Veterans Category. Hutchison combined with Jim Barnes and Walter Hagen to form the “American Triumvirate” during the 1910s and 20s. Hutchison is perhaps most famous for becoming the first U.S.-based player to win the Open Championship in 1921.


Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, a Japanese legend who has won more than 100 times worldwide, was inducted through the International ballot. Ozaki led the Japan Golf Tour money list twelve times but could not make the Ceremony due to back issues and the recent events in Japan.


Each Inductee has donated memorabilia from their standout career, which has been built into special Inductee exhibits at the Hall of Fame. Each Inductee will receive a case in Shell Hall and a permanent space in the Member Locker Room. The exhibits will be open to the public on May 10.


What can Mickelson donate if he becomes an inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame 2012?
Perhaps a Masters flag, one of his three green jackets or maybe even one of his trusty putters?


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Thursday, May 05, 2011

Tiger Woods ready-or-not for 2011 U.S. Open?

Remember when Tiger Woods finished off Rocco Mediate in a playoff at the 2008 U.S. Open? He hobbled around the course wincing in pain from a torn ACL in his right leg. Prior to that, Woods won two additional U.S. Open tournaments, in 2000 and 2002, in both cases being the only golfer to score under par!

Ahh, the good old days of the Tiger Woods mystique, when fans thought him to be an alien, a great guy and basically the most winningest golfer who one day would take more events than, and could be in line for, Jack Nicklaus' vacated throne.

Then came the downfall and both Tiger Woods and the game of golf suffered immeasurably. Woods' comeback and attempt to win the 2010 US Open failed as he remained within reach but struggled for fourth place, a 4-over par score of 75, to tie with Phil Mickelson who grapples year-after-year with his own demons to conquer the US Open.

Fast forward to May 5th, Cinco de Mayo, and Tiger Woods' Terminator-esque video statement, "I'll be ready!"

A precautionary walking boot on a "minor injury", a "grade 1 mild medial collateral ligament sprain to his left knee and sprain to his tendon has sidelined the former number-one golfer in the world to opt-out of this week's Wells Fargo Tournament,  

"I personally contacted tournament officials and expressed my regret in not being able to play," Woods said. "This is an outstanding event, but I must follow doctors' orders to get better."

A consideration as to whether or not Woods will enter the Players Championship or sit on the sidelines until the next major currently depends on his physical recovery but, with gossip mills churning out stories of Elin Nordegren "scoping for a new honey" and reports of how Tiger has been interfering in her private life, fans can see that the road to recovery is a long one.

It was Tiger Woods' mental lapse, not necessarily his physical condition, that interfered with his game.

It is interesting to note, however, that in spite of Tiger Woods' sprains and despite the fact that he has not won an event and has only placed in the top-ten two times this year, U.S. Open betting shows Woods to be an odds-on favorite (currently 11/1) at Congressional Country Club.

So, ready-or-not, Tiger Woods has decided to play the 2011 U.S. Open. Having a win under his belt at Congressional in the 2009 AT&T National hosted by the Tiger Woods Foundation should conjure up some positive memories and, if he can leave his emotional battle on the sidelines, Tiger Woods could make the U.S. Open his first win since the 2009 Australian Masters (unless of course, he enters, and wins the Players....)


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Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Bubba Watson: America's newest golf and fan favorite?

An article in The Palm Beach Post, "He's Bubba Watson, he's American and he's becoming a big time player," made Tom Petty's song "Freefalling" come to mind:

"She's a good girl, loves her mama
Loves Jesus and America too..."

Gerry "Bubba" Watson is fast becoming both a USA and PGA Tour 'best hope' as a young number-one player most likely to grab the top spot in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Although it will take time to 'rule' the rankings and push past European Tour golfers, I was curious as to why Bubba is fast becoming a fan favorite.
 

Can it be his social media conversation that engages fans? Although Watson's tweets are less than memorable, he still currently lays claim to over 122,000 followers. Bubba also shares videos with the fans and answers questions ...but he's no Ian Poulter!

Bubba Watson Twitter profile? Christian, Husband, Pro Golfer who enjoys giving back to help others grow in life! Your welcome.

A link from Twitter to Facebook simply leads a user directly to the Bubba Watson Facebook page (over 18,000 strong) which shows affiliations with great American charities,
"The Ronald McDonald House Charities, The First Tee of Northwest Florida, University of Georgia, PGA Tour, The Birdies for the Brave and The Green Beret Foundation."

Bubba may not be the great communicator that helps drive Lee Westwood or Ian Poulter's fan base, so it may well be his golf game that draws the crowd.


Watson has become a solid Tour golfer. After his second victory of 2011 came last week at the Zurich Classic and his third overall on the PGA Tour, fans are starting to cheer Bubba.

Avid golf fan and Yahoo contributor Mark Paul gave a sense of the typical fan feelings about Bubba, "He is a popular golfer because of his style of play. But he is also becoming popular for his quality of play."

Brett Martel , writer with the Associated Press added, "The lanky lefty's unorthodox swing and awe-inspiring power were already a draw."

In my opinion, being a left-handed golfer with a huge "down the middle" drive certainly helps Watson stand out in a crowd. Combine these attributes with his Mickelson-esque family involvement and his determination to become a better man and Bubba has all the makings of a PGA Tour standout.

Bubba was considered a bit of a "hothead" earlier in his career, "My wife, my caddie and my trainer would say my attitude's in the right spot," Watson said. "This week, I won [by] not getting down on bad shots, just staying focused on what I'm supposed to be doing."

"All the bad boys are standing in the shadows...", Tom Petty, "Freefalling"

Perhaps it was the ability to manage his anger which turned around Bubba's golf game placing him in a position to win. "If I'm going to support kids and do charity work, that's not a good example to lead on a golf course," relayed Bubba. "So I still have backwards steps, but hopefully I take two forward when I take one back, and so far it's working." Sounds like Watson has finally stopped freefalling and is starting a forward motion which may make him unstoppable.

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Happy with par at Zurich Kodak Challenge Hole #17?

Although there have been a few aces in the history of the 215-yard 17th golf hole at TPC Louisiana, many golfers at the Zurich Classic consider this Kodak Challenge hole to be a very long and difficult par-3.

Darron Stiles may have used a 7-iron to ace the 17th hole in 2005 with Daniel Chopra needing a 5-iron to do the same in the final round of the 2007 New Orleans Zurich Classic but the vision of water and newly reshaped green may be problematic for the players.

Tournament Director Rommy Fonseca conveyed about TPC Louisiana's Hole #17, "This is a unique hole that has proved very challenging for the players. It has also provided some great play over the years."

RotoExperts.com assessed that the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina caused the redesign of the 17th...

"...giving Dye the opportunity to move some bunkers around, redesign the green and generally make it hell for everyone who dares to gaze upon it from the tee box. Last year, the hole was ferocious, ceding just 38 birdies against 85 bogeys. The 17th claimed another 26 double-bogeys or worse. With a scoring average of 3.23, par will be considered a victory."

Photo Credit: WamGolf.com


WamGolf.com affirmed the 17th golf hole as a favorite, detailing the way an average golfer might play it (from about 70 yards forward):

"This was clearly a different hole from the TOUR Tees than our tees. From our tee box there was almost no forced carry over the water which runs down the left side of this hole. If you miss the green left, you're wet. A tee shot right and you're left with a chip shot to a green running away from you. It's a long green and a back left pin placement makes this hole more challenging. I was fortunate enough to hit the green in one and then three putt."


Luke Donald, looking for a way to win the Zurich Classic this weekend and take the number-one spot in the OWGR from Lee Westwood had a different version of the hole, saying a birdie at 17 during the opening round helped him to get back on track.

“I was playing great, 2 under, just not holing the putts when I had the chances," mentioned Donald. "It will make dinner feel a lot better with those birdies on 17 and 18. I played really solid today. I only missed a couple of greens. It was as good a display of iron play as I’ve done all year.”




Watch as Brad Faxon drops in a 27-foot putt for birdie on TPC Louisiana at the par-3 17th Kodak Challenge hole...opening round of the 2011 Zurich Classic of New Orleans:





Will the wind wreak havoc this week at the Kodak Challenge Hole #17 or will one of the PGA Tour players ace the hole creating a Kodak moment?



About the Kodak Challenge

The Kodak Challenge highlights many of golf's most exciting and picturesque holes in 2011 as players take on "the greatest scorecard in golf."

Created to celebrate the beautiful holes and memorable moments in golf, the Kodak Challenge is a first-of-its-kind competition on the PGA TOUR. Players must play at least 18 of 30 Kodak Challenge holes throughout the season to qualify. The golfer with the best Kodak Challenge score relative to par at the end of the season will win the Kodak Challenge trophy and $1 million dollars.


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