I have a lot of junk in my golf bag: a dozen ballmark repair tools, Band-Aids, cigar cutter and lighter, plenty of golf balls, extra Soft Spikes, bug spray, sunscreen, extra gloves, rain gloves, etc., etc. The Boy Scouts would be proud, because with all my gear, I am always prepared. Well, almost always. I actually don’t have any room left over for rain gear. Enter Sun Mountain, maker of golf bags and outerwear. This summer, Sun Mountain introduced a Micro J line of outerwear, featuring the “jacket in a jar.” According to the company, this jacket would even fit in my over-stuffed ... full post »

Well, I hate to say, “I told you so,” but I told you so. Be it dumb luck or prescient insight doesn’t really matter. My prediction of Europe over the U.S. in the Ryder Cup by at least 7 points turned out to be overly generous to our side. Big deal. Look how we’ve played over the last few Ryder Cups. I think my cat would have chosen Europe, too, if he weren’t so preoccupied chasing moths around the house. I’ll leave the endless “Whys” to others; however, it certainly does seem that if the U.S. players aren’t playing for and by ... full post »

Let’s call a mashie a mashie: It’s going to be a rout for the Euros at the 2006 Ryder Cup. Two of our top three guns, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk, were knocked out in the first round of the HSBC World Match Play Championship. Furyk was whipped by Robert Karlsson, member of the Euro team. Woods lost to Shaun Micheel, who finished second behind Euro Cupper Paul Casey. And no, Micheel is not on our team. Furthermore, two of our team members, Chad Campbell and Scott Verplank, missed the cut at the 84 Lumber Classic. Verplank is fighting injuries, no less. ... full post »

Watching Michelle Wie shoot 5-over at the first round of the 84 Lumber Classic, I was reminded of Japanese television. I lived in Japan for nearly four years, and was continually intrigued and repulsed by the way certain television shows reveled in showing people in uncomfortable, painful situations. Drag a guy wearing a loin cloth on his ass along a gravel road behind a tractor to see how long he could hang on? Funny stuff. Throw darts into the butt-cheeks of another guy to see how many stick before he breaks down? Funny, funny stuff. Extreme close-ups of the crotches ... full post »

From the AP wire: FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Patty Berg, the golf pioneer who won an LPGA Tour-record 15 major titles and was one of the 13 founding members of the tour in 1950, died Sunday. She was 88. Berg won 60 LPGA titles, served as the first president of the LPGA, and was elected into the LPGA and World Golf Halls of Fame. Berg hailed from my native Minnesota, more than enough to garner my reverence. But it was Berg’s signature series of golf clubs that resonate most with my golfing soul. My brother-in-law, Doug, loved golf. He didn’t hit the ... full post »

Anyone notice Jim Furyk’s shirts recently? He’s wearing shirts that button all the way up, sort of like golf version of the cool retro shirts Charlie Sheen wears on Two and a Half Men. The shirts are made by Chiliwear, and are technically known as “Performance Camp” shirts. Sounds like what you wear at a summer camp for the theatrically inclined, but that’s neither here nor there. My point is that these shirts have turned the hawk-nosed, bald, concave-chested Furyk into a bit of a fashion plate, at least in my eyes. I like the idea of the buttons all the ... full post »

Author Mike Cortson sent along the following cautionary tale. I share it with you verbatim, for your edification and justification: In 1923, Who Was: 1. President of the largest steel company? 2. President of the largest gas company? 3. President of the New York Stock Exchange? 4. Greatest wheat speculator? 5. President of the Bank of International Settlement? 6. Great Bear of Wall Street? These men were considered some of the worlds most successful of their days. Now, 83 years later, the history book ... full post »