Pro golfers might not be the first “needy” people you think of when you think of charitable organizations. The fact is, though, that many of the young golfers on the Duramed FUTURES Tour, the developmental tour for the LPGA cannot make ends meet as they grind week to week to try to earn their LPGA Tour cards. The newly formed Future Stars Foundation aims to provide assistance for FUTURES Tour players as they travel the country competing in the 18 to 20 tournaments it takes to have a shot at the big show. The group, spearheaded by writer Dave Andrews, ... full post »

These excruciating economic times have claimed another victim: Tiger Woods. GM just announced that it would be ending its nine-year endorsement deal with the world’s number one golfer. Although both sides called the decision “mutual,” driven by GM’s desire to save the $7 million/year they were paying out to Woods, it is not clear how the legendary golfer’s life will be impacted. Woods and his wife Elin are expecting their second child in early spring, and the sudden economic insecurity imposed on the young, struggling family with this announcement can only be imagined. With the Woods family breadwinner expected to remain out of ... full post »

It was 50 glorious degrees today in central Illinois, and I decided to head out to my home course to sneak in nine holes – likely my last chance this season. There is an inherent gamble in playing “one last round,” though. If you play well, you are infused with confidence and good thoughts all winter, content with your skill and quietly eager to get back out come spring. If you play poorly, all is lost. Kiss your winter good-bye. You doubt your swing so much that you begin to wonder if you’ll ever hit a solid shot again. You simmer ... full post »

WASHINGTON, D.C. (MFI newsfeed) – Fed Secretary Henry Paulson today announced a plan to provide $25 billion immediately to bail out America’s moribund persimmon driver industry. The move is an attempt to help make the former stalwart of American golf equipment once again competitive in the world market. “Persimmon,” explained Paulson to a skeptical Congressional oversight committee, “is to golf what private jets and luxury spa retreats are to corporate executives who have run their companies into the ground. And as they say, ‘What’s good for golf is good for America.’” When asked specifically about the nearly two decade-long shift in the ... full post »

I’ve been Equipment Editor around here for a while now, and some of my colleagues have at times insinuated that I might take golf equipment a bit too seriously. This is a grossly unfair assault on my character. So what if I can talk for hours on the benefits of a 58-degree wedge, the relative merits of various golf bag strap systems, or bamboo vs. polyester fiber golf shirts? To prove my point, I would like to direct your attention to BogeyPro Golf. The guys at this upstart Minnesota golf equipment company are the self-appointed court jesters of golf. Their innovative and ... full post »

The Castle Course, newest addition to the hallowed links at St. Andrews, has racked up a few prestigious awards. The golf course has been recognised by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine as the “New Course of the Year.” It was also named “International Development of the Year” by Golf Inc magazine, beating out the Els Club in Dubai for the title. In August, the Castle Course was recognised by the Institute of Groundsmanship, the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and some leading turfcare journalists as the 2008 “Turf Professional Project of the Year.” Now, does this mean there aren’t some ... full post »

Several years ago, while I was interviewing golf course architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan in the veritable golf museum that are his offices in Ohio, one of the golf mementoes that caught my eye was a napkin signed by Pete Dye. Along with the signature was a drawing of the 17th hole on The Straits Course at Whistling Straits. Hurdzan told me that he was so impressed by the course, he asked Dye, the course architect, for a print of one of the hole blueprints. Dye responded by saying, essentially, “What blueprints? I don’t use blueprints.” So Dye drew the hole on ... full post »