I couldn’t help but stare at the ball in disbelief. Had it jumped mid-swing? Did I close my eyes? Did my club suddenly grow a half-inch? Those are the only logical explanations I have for what happened today on the golf course. I whiffed. Missed. Wasn’t a practice swing, either. I can honestly say it IS the first time in my life I MEANT to hit the ball and didn’t. I didn’t play golf until college, so I never flailed at the ball in vain as a kid. Until now. I have my excuses (always do). Unfortunately, drinking wasn’t one of ... full post »

Anything associated with Clint Eastwood has to be hip, right? Mr. Dirty Harry loves golf and it shows in his sportswear clothing line, Tehama, which he co-founded in 1997 with Nancy Haley. Just in time for Father’s Day, Tehama has announced a new way to stay and look cool on and off the course. Tehama, a Native American word that means “abundance of nature,” continues to find ways to blend unique natural elements to make its shirts seem more comfortable than most. I’ll try not to overwhelm you with too much technology talk … how Tehama has gone green, how some ... full post »

Here’s the ultimate Father’s Day gift: Why not take dad to a golf course he’ll remember the rest of his life? A round at Pebble Beach … wow! An 18-hole stroll at the Ocean course at Kiawah Island … sublime. A 36-hole day (with caddies of course) at Whistling Straights … what a livin’. Any of those treats would knock dad’s socks off. But there’s a way to make them even better. While he’s still riding the high a week later, give him a Ballkeeper, purchased at golfballkeeper.com. The Ballkeeper will allow him to cherish the memories forever. Created by Eddie Seckinger, ... full post »

Father’s Day gifts are hard to buy. Dads are tough to buy for in the first place. They don’t collect hundreds of knicknacks (junk) for the home that moms love. And Father’s Day doesn’t call for hugely expensive gifts that Christmas and birthdays demand … pricey items like golf clubs and fishing rods. But the holiday DOES require a gift, something that says ‘Hey Dad, you’re one cool dude.’ A good book is a perfect choice. They’re affordable and not likely to get lost and gathering dust on a shelf. Here are some books to consider: * The 100 Sporting Events ... full post »

I’m about to turn 37 in August. In golf years, that means I’m about 1,000. I’ve taken so many swings I’m surprised I’m not a complete amputee. My back aches every day. My tennis (golf) elbow starts burning about the third hole. Before every round, I pop three ibuprofen to numb the pain. Some days it’s four. So friends out there in cyberspace, give me a little advice: When is it time to move to the white tees? Some people call them the senior tees. I call them a blessing. My game isn’t always sharp enough to play from the ... full post »

My opening moment of glory at Chambers Bay was stolen by a gray sheet of rainy fog. I had heard through the golf rumor mill that the views from the clifftop clubhouse at Chambers Bay, overlooking the sprawling course and the Puget Sound near Tacoma, Washington, were to die for. Unfortunately, the only thing I could see was a misty cloud so thick it reminded me of those old Scooby Doo episodes. The ones when Shaggy and Scooby would cut the fog with a knife and eat it. “Welcome to Scotland gentleman!” a greeter said to a group of golfers dropping ... full post »

I’m packing my Pro-V1s, my Callaways, my Bridgestones for my upcoming trip for some golf in Seattle. I’m just not packing them where I used to. In the good old days, or maybe my naive days, I stuffed my golf bag with sleeves of new balls in preparation for a clash with a new golf destination. One of my biggest fears is stepping up to the tee at Bay Hill or Whistling Straights or Kiawah Island’s Ocean course and having to pull out one of those shag-bag balls at the bottom of my bag. To play your best, you should ... full post »

Right about now, I should be teeing it up at “El Jaguar,” the newest shining star in the Jack Nicklaus course empire near Merida, Mexico. The golf course, part of the Yucatan Country Club at the Yucatan Village and Resort, was all set to have a grand “grand opening” this weekend. Nicklaus was scheduled to talk about his layout and his new Nicklaus Academy. Olympic legend Marc Spitz - a star swimmer who was Michael Phelps before there was a Michael Phelps - was set to unveil his swimming academy. That was before the media frenzy hit about the swine flu. ... full post »

I have more than passing interest in the upcoming “Big Break XI” about Prince Edward Island, which airs on The Golf Channel at 9 p.m. April 20. I’ve experienced PEI’s golf offerings and loved every course I played. I’d love to go back. Instead, I’ll have to settle for reliving it through TV. The bloggers are already raving about the six “hotties” that will be on the show (along with six men), but I’m more interested in the courses as eye candy. (Yeah, I’m a golf nerd I know). Tourism PEI (tourismpei.com) hopes the viewers in 110 million homes will ... full post »

Yes, you can WAX Tiger Woods. You can OWN the world’s No. 1 player. Well sort of. Let me explain. For the first time in its 44-year history, the Hollywood Wax Museum is offering hand-sculpted wax figures and original costumes for auction on May 1. Yep, you can OWN a WAX version of Mr. Woods. Sounds like a great addition to any golf memorabilia collection. Also a little creepy … but hey, it will make for great conversation at a dinner party! Over 200 figures, including top stars, musicians, athletes, and historical individuals will be sold. Worldwide bids can be placed ... full post »

When Detroit hosts major events, like this year’s NCAA Final Four and the 2006 Super Bowl, it’s an issue that always comes up … What are fans to do in a cold-weather climate to entertain themselves before the big games? Sadly, golf in Detroit is not an option. I’m sure there’s always a collective groan from well-heeled sports fans when the ‘D’ is announced as a host site. Places like Miami and San Diego are prime locations for events because of the beaches and the golf. Detroit has, well, neither in March. Instead, the casinos have made more than their ... full post »

Oh, how I dream of being Irish. Not for the green beer, although that sounds fun. It’s not for the corn beef and cabbage, either, although I eat that tasty treat more than just once a year on St. Patrick’s Day. It would give me a regular excuse to visit my favorite golf destination on the planet – Ireland – more often. I’ve been three times, and each trip was better than the last. I’ve visited in the so-called shoulder months … April and October … and both were wonderful for golf. The climate was mild, high 50s, and the ... full post »

It’s always fun to discover the “next big thing” before it actually explodes into the public spotlight. The problem was “the next big thing” didn’t look like the next big thing while I was snooping around for it. I traveled to Northern Ireland in September, 2007, to catch the Walker Cup at the revered Royal County Down. A young local hero, Rory McIlroy, was all the rage. In a perfect world, the wunderkind would lead the Great Britian and Ireland team of budding stars to a trouncing victory over those hated Americans. There was one problem: McIlroy brought his ‘B’ game. ... full post »

What’s the best indicator of a good book? For me, it’s reading the book cover to cover in less than a month. And that’s exactly how I tackled “A Course called Ireland” by Tom Coyne, published by Gotham Books (www.penguin.com. A hard-cover costs $26). I’ve never finished an entire golf book in that amount of time. Most golf books I adore for the photos of those courses I’d love to play in the future. I dabble in reading them from time to time, but rarely do I finish them. Coyne’s book drew me in for two reasons: It’s an interesting story, ... full post »

I have to admit the first time I visited Bay Hill Club & Lodge earlier this decade I was impressed. But not that impressed. The golf course, site of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard (back then it was sponsored by Cooper Tires), regularly provides must-see TV when the PGA Tour comes to town, but playing it wasn’t the blow-me-away experience I expected from such a respected venue. The course felt like so many other Florida country club layouts I’d seen … too flat and too predictable (bunkers in front, water here or there). After playing golf at Bay ... full post »