As I look back on my 2008 golf season (spurred on by my colleague Brandon Tucker’s column), I can’t help but feel every passing year gets better on the golf course. Even after playing more than 400 courses around the world, I still appreciate finding new gems and experiencing the subtle touches of each new resort or destination. I knew it would be a fun year when my first round in Michigan, the traditional start of my season, delivered a 79, a career low. I never sniffed it again, but the pursuit continues in 2009. Best course: The Lake course ... full post »

My first taste of a golf simulator in winter was a miserable one. I went about a decade ago while on vacation in Minnesota with my uncle and stepdad. I recall hitting miserable shot after miserable shot – which wasn’t uncommon for me back then (some would say still). I remember thinking, ‘I’m a high-handicapper, but I’m not this bad outdoors.’ So I quit mid-round. And I never came back … until recently. My round of golf at Golf-O-Rama in Michigan wiped away those awful memories. I got to play Augusta National, in December, in Michigan. How cool is that? I ... full post »

December fun at Oakland Hills Country Club in snow-ravaged southeast Michigan? Yes, it’s true. Sadly, there were no clubs involved, but that’s OK. That South course can be a real ego-crusher. Just ask Sergio Garcia, who lost another heart-breaker of a major here just three months ago at the 2008 PGA Championship. I’ve been in the storied clubhouse many times for media events and luncheons and even spent that horrendous rainout during Saturday’s third round of the 2008 PGA Championship drinking from the members bar (I wasn’t working). But this was a real treat. Osprey Management’s Christmas party was first-class, ... full post »

I got my first taste of the TOMI (The Optimal Motion Instructor) putting system while researching a story at Miles of Golf (www.milesofgolf.com) near Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was enlightening. I’ve always thought myself a horrible putter. TOMI (www.tomiproseries.com) analyzes eight key points: alignment at address and impact, path, rotation, shaft angle, impact spot, speed of the stroke and tempo. After going through a fitting session, TOMI, a distant relative of the SAM Putting System, gave me hope in my stroke. I’m already believing I can make more putts, maybe that alone is more important than having the perfect stroke. I’ve ... full post »

Why do I love Robert Sidorsky’s book, Golf 365 days: A History? Let me count the ways. 1, The format is awesome. Really. I can’t give it enough kudos for its small stature half the size of a tradition book. Yet it’s sturdy enough to be a showcase coffee table book. Sidorsky first debuted the format in Golf Courses Around the World: 365 Days. They both are must-reads, if you ask me. They’re small enough to carry on vacations and filled with enough information to keep readers interested. 2, Yes, back to the format. The book is based on the ... full post »