A release just hit my desk announcing nominees for this year’s Golf Tourism Scotland’s Gold Standard Awards. The nominees for Golf Course of the Year are: Ailsa Course at Turnberry Balcomie Links (Crail) Castle Stuart Golf Links (Inverness) Duke’s Course (St Andrews) Kingsbarns Golf Links Muirfield North Berwick West Links Prestwick Torrance Course (St Andrews) So what say ye, guys? Got a pick? If you were planning a golf trip to Scotland, any of these on your absolute must-play list? BTW, winners will be announced in November at Turnberry Resort. full post »

In this press release that just came across my desk, NBA legend and noted golf nut Charles Barkley is quoted as saying “Golf is no fun when you suck.” Charles, if you’re reading this (and I’m pretty sure you are), on behalf of the entire golf industry, STOP SAYING THAT! If word gets out, 99.52% of all golfers on the planet just might give up the game. Fact is, with the right attitude, with the right friends and with the right beverages, golf is a blast, even if you suck. I’m living proof. (BTW, if you DO suck, check out the golf tips at GolfInstruction.com. ... full post »

I get tons of press releases. I mean, if I had a nickle for every press release I got, I’d be able to take a year off and just travel around playing golf at PGA Tour host courses. So I have no idea why this one from Visit Scotland caught my eye. It’s entitled “Whisky Month May 2009.” Checking it out, I see where “the month of May is Scotland’s Whisky Month and sees our two biggest whisky festivals come alive as several of Speyside’s beautiful towns welcome The Spirit of Speyside Festival and Inveraray Castle opens its doors for The ... full post »

Titleist has a very cool promotion going on on their web site. While supplies last, they’re giving away copies of Pete McDaniel’s excellent book, “Uneven Lies: The Heroic Story of African-Americans in Golf.” Click here to get yourself one. Also, check out our latest episode of the “TravelGolf.com This Week” podcast to hear Dave Berner’s interview with Pete McDaniel. full post »

Do you want to see golf in the Olympics? The International Golf Federation is busy “lobbying the International Olympic Committee for one of two open spots on the sports calendar for 2016, and with a decision on the 2016 sports roster to be made in October of 2009, golfers are being encouraged to cast their vote for Golf in 2016,” according to a release that just came across my desk. If you want to chime and and show your support, cast a vote at www.golfin2016.org. “This survey is designed to provide a compelling data point for Golf in 2016,” I’m told. full post »

Allow me, dear readers, to take zero credit for this observation; reader Elliot DeBear just e-mailed it in: A recent study found the average golfer walks about 900 miles a year. Another study found golfers drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a Year. That means, on average, golfers get about 41 miles to the gallon. Kind of makes you proud. Almost feel like a hybrid. Thanks, Elliot! (By the way, Elliot’s also been posting some great reviews of golf courses on our sites, including Greg Norman’s El Camaleon Golf Course in Mexico, Bethpage Black in New York, Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club ... full post »

I just read that John Daly auctioned off his Mercedes on Ebay. I won’t bore you with rehashing the other Daly lowlights of late (Bruce Stasch and Mike Bailey can bring you up to speed). But I did want to ask if anyone still doubts my prediction from September of 2005 when I took heat for calling John a funny, loveable buffoon and predicted that years from now, as he’s dragging his oxygen tank around the track on Champions Tour, his career win total will look an awful lot like it does right now. You can read it here. full post »

This just came across my desk… Tim Rosaforte will announce The Rosies, his annual year-end award winners from the 2008 golf season tomorrow and Sunday on The Golf Channel’s “Sprint Post Game” (6 p.m. EST) and “Golf Central” (9:30 p.m. EST) programs. Categories include: * Player of the Year * Shot of the Year * Tournament of the Year * Surprise of the Year * Moment (Snapshot) of the Year * Putt of the Year * Newsmaker of the Year * Breakout Player of the Year But let’s hear it - who are your picks, guys? full post »

Fans of the TravelGolf.com This Week podcast heard me talking a few weeks back about a whole slate of improvements at ScotlandGolf.com, the top source on the web for info about golf in Scotland. We just rolled out another improvement there: reader course rankings. You can rank and review your favorite golf courses in Scotland by simply finding them in the ScotlandGolf.com course guide at www.scotlandgolf.com/scotlandgolfcourses. On each course listing, you’ll find a possible five stars and a link that says “Submit your rating.” You can also scroll down each listing to the “Reader Ratings / Reviews” section to see what other ... full post »

It seems the LPGA has made official something we knew when we asked golf instructor Beverly Fergusson early last year to blog for TravelGolf.com: She’s among the very best teachers in the U.S. The LPGA just released its first-ever list of The 50 Best Teachers and naturally Beverly made the cut. Members of each of the five LPGA Teaching and Club Professional sections did the voting and Beverly was named among the Western Section’s best. Click here to see what teachers in your area made the list. You can read Beverly’s golf blog here. And to contact her for lessons, click here. full post »

As Bill Wolfrum blogged at WorldGolf.com, a team of scientists studied Tiger Woods’ sweat when creating the formula for the new “Gatorade Tiger … a new line of Gatorade Thirst Quencher formulated for Tiger Woods in great-tasting flavors he selected.” With their Tiger study done, you have to assume these guys are out looking for work. Budweiser ought to bring ‘em on board to study John Daly’s sweat. Us golfers know beer and golf go together like Greg Norman and Chris Evert. In fact, forget studying his sweat, I say just bottle it. With Big John’s fan appeal (and ability to produce ... full post »

New readers might have noticed that our Beverly Fergusson is calling out Chris Baldwin for his claims back in May that golf pros are afraid to teach the driver. Folks who have been following these blogs for awhile, though, will surely remember the last time Baldwin borrowed a pair and tried to take on the golf instruction community, even going so far as to write that golf instructors are the modern-day equivalent of snake-oil salesmen or chiropractors (which, of course, made the PGA set apoplectic. At the time, I considered docking Chris’ pay (didn’t, though, I did bench him for three ... full post »

My man over at The Deep Rough got his “hands on some Nike Sumo Irons, fit with the Diamana for Nike stiff flex graphite shafts.” He posts his thoughts along with his photos. Nice looking sticks. PS: Got a golf or sports blog I should be reading? Let me know. full post »

The Canadian organizers of the President’s Cup are creating a spectacle and playing “into the hands of that most disturbing of human characteristics; Nationalism!” The Principal’s Nose writes in his golf blog. “These team games are meant to foster good relations but instead are often hi-jacked by those competing or watching as an opportunity to teach someone a lesson. Has it become so ugly that representing your country or continent or part of the world is more important than what the founders of our great game envisaged?” PS: Got a golf or sports blog I should be reading? Let me know. full post »

Nosing around golf course web sites and promotional materials these days, I’m starting to wonder just how hard it is to become a ‘renowned golf architect.’ A google search just netted me 9,210 pages with that exact phrase. full post »