Steve Duplantis, made infamous in Alan Shipnuck’s Bud, Sweat and Tees, has died. In a hurried piece on Duplantis, Shipnuck reveals a bit more about the late caddie. full post »

In 2007, golf lost a wonderful writer. She didn’t die…a good thing. Instead, mystery writer Roberta Isleib turned her focus from Cassie Burdette, struggling tournament professional, to Rebecca Butterman, psychologist, psychoanalyst, psychiatrist…whatever, SHRINK!!! Rebecca and Cassie had crossed paths in Cassie’s fictional world, and the young LPGA star makes an appearance in Isleib’s novel Deadly Advice. It’s a cameo, to be sure, and a little hopeful, as Cassie has just been named to the Solheim Cup team (talk about a meteoric rise!) However, it’s the rest of the novel that catches and keeps your attention. ... full post »

Leslie Fiedler, the late and great literary critic and professor at SUNY-Buffalo, published a tome late in his life titled “Fiedler on the Roof.” It had nothing to do with Tevia; it was simply a title waiting to happen, with the roof representing the point before dying. Funny story, Leslie and his wife were once stuck near the roof on a balcony as a fire burned their house (they were rescued.) They used a doctored image on their holiday card the next year. ISABELLE LENDL ABOVE Anyhoo, when I read the results of the recent Doherty Championship from Florida, ... full post »

In a very open blog entry, Will Wolfrum writes How about this discussion: How is it even possible that there is only one African-American on the PGA Tour? Or: Why does the Golf Channel have 33 on-air announcers, but only two of color? Those are good questions. Number one, based on Q-School results (numbers blind to race) and Nationwide Tour standings (also blind to race) is easy to answer and impossible to accept and defend. Come to think of it, so is the answer to number two. The audio and visual images of the past two weeks have ... full post »

Watch out for Darren. I’m just saying… full post »

In an incredible sense of foreshadowing, Kelly Tilghman’s unfortunate use of the “L” word has brought about her own professional “L.” She has been tried and convicted in a kangaroo court, sentenced to two weeks probation, with the threat of greater action against her as the brouhaha escalates from spark to roaring blaze. As the woodpile grows, pundits rush to judge and continue to miss the mark in an attempt to make a statement. Consider Golfweek’s Jeff Rude: Tongue slips are the dark side of on-air banter. But when searching for truth, it’s usually prudent to examine intent. Tilghman ... full post »

In preparation for the 2008 tour season, the US PGA Tour unveiled its annual, new look to pgatour.com, the tour’s website. The born-again appearance can be divided vertically into six rough layers, and I’ll take a look at each one here. At the top, gone is the background sliver of what looks like some cracker, Jim Furyk, Frank Lickliter Junior and Adam Scott (nice diversity there..how about africans, asians, and europeans of non-white appearance.) Replacing it is simple blue and white, the clouds and the skies, all that is good. This top slice serves as the navigational layer ... full post »

I don’t mind confessing before God and my readership (is it plural yet?) that I am a poacher. The envy that I bear for other writers outweighs my sense of propriety; when I see a good idea, I steal it. Such was the case the day I read Kiel Christianson’s post on Winter reading tips. I’ve been fortunate to read a number of truly wonderful golfing books over the years. Rick Reilly’s two fictional pieces are smart reading. Anything involving Kenny Lee Puckett, from the twisted mind of Dan Jenkins, is a must-devour. Turk ... full post »