Commissioner Carolyn Bivens has done her part to get the ball rolling by granting Morgan Pressel full LPGA Tour membership at the beginning of the golf year. Now 2 of the big 3 rookies (Pressel & Ai Miyazato) have secured entry into the Kraft Nabisco, the 1st Major tournament on the 2006 LPGA schedule. However, the biggest professional rookie has an entry problem. Michelle Wie does not have full LPGA Tour membership - she hasn’t even applied - and the Kraft Nabisco does not extend sponsor’s exemptions to non-LPGA member pros.
Michelle Wie has crossover appeal which the LPGA hasn’t had in over 60 years - since the days of Babe Didrickson. And that increased interest equates to more for everyone, a financial bonanza, if you will. Higher tv ratings means more ad revenue which means higher purses. More people want to see this whiz kid in person and ticket sales will go up, concessions will go up and, again, purses will increase. All of the LPGA Tour members already know that they stand a chance to ride this swelling tide. If they have any sense at all, they’re saying prayers every night for Michelle Wie’s continued good health.
Ms. Bivens is undoubtedly on the phone to the Kraft people right now, inquiring as to the status of the tournament rules update. You know, the update that will allow at least one exemption to a non-LPGA member pro. Especially that one special pro that may exponentially drive up the interest in womens golf.
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The Accidental Golfer:
Brandon Tucker:
Mark Nessmith:
Jason Scott Deegan:
I think the majors should have similar entry rules to each other anyway.
When fist this news came out that Kraft might change their rule to allow Morgan and Michelle can play, even they (Morgan fans) were all for it. Now that Morgan will get in without the rule changes, they will come out in full stride criticizing Kraft and LPGA for bending the rule for a certain 16 year old girl.
Who is going to take the first shot?
Regardless of what Morgan fans think, LPGA and Kraft are stupid if they aren't going to change the rule.
Think about it. Michelle's first major as a pro. Plus Kraft is the place where Michelle first burst into the main stage in 2002 playing Sunday in the final group with Annika. Where she finished 4th in 2003. Michelle already had enough history with Kraft and it would a stupid move for Kraft not to change the rule.
Second: Shanks, you do your homework. I don't know where you dig out this information, but the factoid on the Kraft and its exemption policy is nuclear.
You just wait a day or two and see what they (Morgan fanatics) say about this rule situation. Just wait and see.
I disagree that similar entry rules or the majors makes sense. Look at the PGA for a moment. The Masters is an elite, smaller field that includes past champions and qualifying amateurs. They aim for a "past, present, & future" of golf field. You hardly ever get a Ben Crane champion from the Masters, because he just doesn't get in the field. The US Open is for any scratch golfer who can qualify, so you get the Nationwide Tour player like Jason Gore who becomes the Tin Cup story of the weekend. The British Open gets the most international field of the majors, and the TV leaderboard is festooned with flags of different nations. The PGA is for pros only, and you get the club pro qualifiers as interesting stories.
Why would the LPGA tour benefit from making their fields all the same? The men's PGA tour clearly benefits from having their majors have different fields and different story lines. That and course selection & setup give each major tournament a distinct flavor.
I should have confined my statement to "exemptions to pros should be able to be given in all women's majors".
The reason why this is required is obvious. Michelle Wie would certainly be a contender for the title.
In the case of the men, it is very different, there really isn't any teenage guy who is good enough anyway. To be honest, I would rather have all people qualify for all mens majors, yes even Michelle Wie.
The case for the women is very different, largely due to the much lower standard of the womens game. There will be people who should get there with or without being members of the lpga.
If Pressel hadn't got her lpga membership, she should have been given an exemption too, because she would be another possible contender.
Simple Question: Why allow exemptions to amatuers but not pros?
PS: How did you put the quote in a box like that.
This continues on in the Good Ole Boy South with the exclusion of women from the field at Augusta. If any woman in the world of golf deserves an invite to the Masters it is Annika and the fact that an invitation was not sent to the top woman golfer in the world is shameful.
Miss Wie does not deserve to be at the Kraft because she is Michelle Wie, she earned her right to compete by finishing 13th on the LPGA money list in the few events she played. It does not matter that she didn't cash the paychecks, what does matter is she had the game to finish high in the order.
If the LPGA fails to recognize this fact and allow her to play they become as guilty as the Old White Men of Augusta that believe in exclusion and hence discrimination.
I'm not so sure.
I think maybe top women players should get a couple of exemptions to pga tournaments, but probably not to majors.
I believe Bobby Jones would like this idea in this day and age.
Of course this will never happen and the only way women will walk the fairways of Augusta will be by toting a bag or cutting the grass.
They are also welcome by their men to sit in the gallery and sip a Mint Julip while they fan themselves to avoid getting the vapors.
Now, apparently on second thought RRR realizes that the top female players need to play from shorter tees to be competitive. Major Championships like the Masters are golf at the very highest level. You don't handicap ANY sport when it's played at the highest level. What's next, co-ed 100 meter races where the women get a 10 meter head-start?
Sex-Based Discrimination
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals against employment discrimination on the basis of sex as well as race, color, national origin, and religion. Title VII applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments. It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations, as well as to the federal government.
It is unlawful to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his/her sex in regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, job training, or any other term, condition, or privilege of employment. Title VII also prohibits employment decisions based on stereotypes and assumptions about abilities, traits, or the performance of individuals on the basis of sex. Title VII prohibits both intentional discrimination and neutral job policies that disproportionately exclude individuals on the basis of sex and that are not job related.
The United Kingdom also passed a Sex Discrimination Act in 1975 that was a leading cause in the British Open admission rules being changed this year.
So Mr. Shanks by virtue of your own statements above, you have exercised your freedom to speak and perhaps unintentionally displayed your own bias, all while discriminating against women in the same way African Americans were in the past.
As a white male who has taken oaths to Support and Defend the Constitution of these United States and any subsequent laws for the last thirty plus years. I can safely say Sir that I never selectively applied the law or considered ridiculous a provision of same laws.
Ms. Soranstam might have finished last in the field at the Masters or chosen not to play at all. The right thing to do would be to extend the invitation and let her decide. That is promoting Equal Opportunity by giving the ten meter head start.
But in this instance, your judgement is misguided. You totally missed my point that Annika Sorenstam has not qualified BY MERIT to play in the Masters. (I further opined that she would not do well, but that has nothing to do with playing or not.) Sorenstam played in one event with men and did not do very well. Despite a plethora of offers to do it again, she has declined to play in these events where she could actually EARN the right to play in the Masters. She has never tried to qualify for the PGA Tour or petitioned for membership either. And you think she should be handed a gift invitation to possibly the most prestigious tournament in the world over those persons who have struggled mightily to qualify but did not quite make it? Doesn't work that way.
Surely you can't think that based on her peformance against inferior competition (LPGA) she has in any way earned the right to play in the Masters. That would be like putting the minor league batting champion on the major league all-star team.
The opportunity to qualify for the Masters is available to Ms. Sorenstam but she chooses not to pursue it. That is freedom. What could possibly be better than that?
I would be in favour of giving them a little help. For example the R&A have given the top 5 for the 4 womens majors an exemption into qualifying tournaments for the British Open. I think it is just Sectional qualifying.
Anyway, I would be in favour of giving some women this little boost so they would have a stage less. But giving an invite to a major like the US Masters is just ridiculous.
Letting them play from shorter tees is even more ridiculous.
Should the top five Female Professional Golfers be allowed to go head to head with the two Male Amateur Golfers that receive an invite each year to the Masters? Winners take all and the places in the field?
That would be a fair test of skill wouldn't you say Mr. Shanks and ensure only the top golfers were allowed to compete? The ratings might be higher than the Masters itself for this playoff event.
By the way Norman I am offended that you would place US in front of the Masters Tournament.
There is no association between the Masters and their long practice of discrimination with the United States Government.
I've heard your arguments before Mr. Shanks and I thought we had moved beyond that point in our countries history. Except maybe in the town of Augusta, Georgia and in your own mind.
Someday a woman will walk down the fairways of Augusta National competing in the Masters and then you can eat you female version of the Jim Crow Laws.
Of course Mr. Woods you will be expected to drive from the Men's PGA Championship tees.
What you seem to be misunderstanding is that womens can qualify for the Masters. They can qualify the exact same way as the men.
* through amatuer publinx.
* through ranking or many other exemption categories.
If you were to let women play from ladies tees, that would be discrimination. As it is, Wie can outdrive some of the men. Suppose in a few years, she were able to outdrive several of the men, and then had the advantage of teeing off from ladies tees. If she won this way, there would be uproar, and rightly so.
Qualifications:
1. Masters Tournament Champions(lifetime)
[b]2. US Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
3. British Open Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)[b]
4. PGA Champions (Honorary, non-competing after 5 years)
5. Winners of The Players Championship (3 years)
6. Current US Amateur Champion (6-A) (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year) and the runner-up (6-B) to the current US Amateur Champion
7. Current British Amateur Champion (Honorary, non-competing after 1 year)
8. Current US Amateur Public Links Champion
9. Current US Mid-Amateur Champion
10. The first 16 players, including ties, in the 2004 Masters Tournament
[b]11. The first 8 players, including ties, in the 2004 US Open Championship
12. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2004 British Open Championship[b]
13. The first 4 players, including ties, in the 2004 PGA Championship
14. The 40 leaders on the Final Official PGA Tour Money List for 2004
15. The 10 leaders on the current year Official PGA Tour Money List published during the week prior to the 2005 Masters Tournament
16. The 50 leaders on the Final Official World Golf Ranking for 2004
17. The 50 leaders on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the 2005 Masters.
What is your point?
If Mr. Shanks is true to his word and only the "Best" golfers in the world are invited to the Masters, a playoff should take place between the top four Women Golfers in the World Standings against these four Male Amature Golfers. May the best golfer win and take their rightful place in the field.
If the top four Male Amatures can't hold onto the spots after playing the Women, they really are not the best golfers in the world and should stay home.
The best alternative is to offer invitations to the top four Women Golfers in the World.
Either of these actions would meet the Spirit and Intent of Title VII of the US Code and in-turn allow Augusta National to join the 21st Century.
Miss Wie is no longer eligible for those events and would not be eligible to compete for the four spots as I described it above. She did not finish in the top four.
I guess in a sense, if you were to invite the top 4 women, it would be a bit like inviting the amatuers, in the sense that neither is likely to qualify any other route.
However with the standard of golf on the lpga, I think they would seriously struggle at the Masters. If the standard of the lpga increases, perhaps it could be considered, but as a fan of women's golf, I would rather not have the top women golfers embarrassed on such a big stage.
So Alex let me get this straight the four Amateur golfers are qualified for the Masters by virtue of the rules committee extending invites to said golfers.
My point is they may not be the best golfers invited to the event if they were matched head to head with the top female golfers.
Augusta National finally admitted a minority Club member in 1990 some 25 years after Title VII was enacted and has yet to open membership to women. To their credit they did allow the first African American, Lee Elder to play in 1975 who subsequently bravely played under a cloud of death threats.
So ya all can safely say Augusta National CC still institutionally discriminates against women folk.
Alex as a member of the legal community I would hope you can see what is right and what is wrong. There is no gray area here Alex; prejudice still reins supreme in Augusta National.
I would encourage every woman in the world to boycott the televising of the Masters, the sponsors of the event and also not attend the event with their man folk. What every tournament board understands is money, Ya all here that now!
How many years did you spend way down in Georgia? I happened to buy a house in Kennesaw, Georgia one of the most bigoted areas around Atlanta. The very first morning after moving into the home I found a bunch of flyers thrown on my front lawn advertising for various goods and services. One of the flyers caught my attention, as it was a KKK newspaper with an application attached.
I didn't submit the application for several reasons one of which I didn't think my Korean wife would approve or my Amerasian children. In fact I'm sure this was a disqualifying factor preventing the issuance of a white robe and hood. I know Georgia like you never will Alex.
In the eighties I was assigned as an active duty Air Force Advisor to two AF Reserve units, I was surprised to find that one unit had over eighty percent whites assigned and the other unit was manned above eighty percent with African Americans. All the officers in both units were white males. Yes Alex segregation was alive and well in the Georgia Air Force Reserve. No women were assigned to the White unit and only a handful in the other.
The best missions and off-station assignments of course went to the white unit. After all this was Georgia.
Within three months of observing both units I was in the General's office telling him he had a problem that needed to be fixed.
When I had finished my tour of duty Alex, both units were fully integrated along with African American and Female officers assigned. I don't roll over easily Alex. Standing toe to toe with a Georgia General and telling him he is screwing up makes the charges you floated seem quite insignificant. I’m sure some ACLU member would like to take on Augusta National bringing charges against me.
BTW Alex I would wager many of the “members” did qualify for the issuance of the garments I described above and may still have them hanging in the closet.
A woman is just as likely to qualify for any of the other majors as she is for the Masters.
For all four majors the qualification process is extremely difficult, and no woman is likely to qualify soon.
RRR, you should take up your issue with Jean Van de Velde. He wants women EXCLUDED, BANNED outright from European tour events. He wants, that even if a woman happened to be able to qualify, that she should not be allowed to do so. Now he is discriminatory, no two ways about it.
Augusta National has in effect banned women. That is discrimination no matter how you color it.
It may also surprise you that this liberal also served during several wars or conflicts beginning with Vietnam War on into Somalia. I now serve as a DoD civilian during our current conflict.
At one time women were prohibited from serving in combat areas and were mostly placed in support roles. The evolution of the military opened up many combat fields to women that were restricted earlier. When you look up at the sky Alex there is a pretty good chance a woman is flying that combat aircraft overhead.
It is also a fact Alex that women are fighting and dying right along side their male counterparts in our current war. They are not numbers on the nightly news; they are daughters, wives or mothers sacrificing all for their country.
Having served with many fine women Officers and NCOs during my career is what drives my desire to break down the walls of discrimination towards them at any level.
Finally Alex if women are good enough to fight so you and the old men of Augusta can enjoy your freedoms or way of life, are they not good enough to be able to join any damned Golf Club they want in America as long as they have the cash?
BTW Alex what does your wife or partner think of women being banned from applying or joining a private golf club? Like a second-class citizen maybe?
Have a Very Merry and Safe Christmas Alex courtesy of all the military women watching your back for you.
There are other golf clubs in other countries that don't allow women to join also, so Augusta is not alone.
However women shouldn't be given a free pass to play in the Masters.
The times I sent women to Iraq, Afghanasta or any other area of hostilities they took guns to the fight (not brooms) and drew a full combat load on arrival.
I salute you and yours for serving, but I do take exception when you diminish the role women are playing. Go to the site below Alex and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Tell the families of these women they were not in combat.
[url]http://userpages.aug.com/captbarb[/url]
This has everything to do being allowed to join a club or play golf.
Sempre Fi
I don't know Paul maybe we could find a good attorney to tell us if they broke the law.
BTW Alex most of the folks you listed above are "Honorary Members" and did not invest a dime or have a vote.
Of course in your mind there are no racists in Georgia, the South as a whole or the boardrooms across America. Just when was discrimination wiped out across the land?
I must have missed it serving overseas somewhere.
Incidently, are you capable of having a conversation without stooping to name calling? I'm hardly ignorant about how business works.
So according to you Alex, racism, sexism and all other forms of discrimination were eliminated from the South and Corporate Boardrooms across the USA. Dang I've stayed overseas way to long I missed the whole darn thing.
The homeland must be quite a Nirvana now with all the peace and love flowing around the country.
Paul I appreciate your defense of my first amendment rights and your participation in this blog. I believe that Alex has gone over the edge and we must stop responding to him so we won't be responsible for him falling into a deeper coma.
Well all I am nearing my goal of 150 rounds of golf for 2005; so it is time to polish up the Taylormades and get some rest. I need to play 36 holes a day until New Years Eve to make it.
Living on a tropical island does have some benefits.
I'm not sure what you are calling me ignorant about, since you admit that you, yourself, have used your club membership to entertain clients. But, since you admit you were wrong, I'm willing to forgive and drop the subject.
Instead they should let the women take steroids to compensate for the hormonal inequity (just kidding :-) )
The men win and they pass muster to stand on the first tee at the Masters. They lose and their tee time goes to the woman that defeated them.
The USGA, PGA and LPGA could jointly sponsor the event. The television audience and galleries for the event would be huge.
The fact of the matter is Mr. Shanks when you look at fairways hit, GIR, number of sub par rounds and average putts the women are very competitive with the men. The only real advantage a man has is distance off the tee.
BTW Augusta National was just recently lenghtened again. If you go back a few years Augusta was nearly the average length of an LPGA event course today.
The secret at Augusta is hitting a narrow fairway and staying out of the trees.
Regardless, the 4 male amateurs in question earned their invitation by beating all comers at their respective events which, by the way, were open to females too. (Michelle Wie played in one such event trying to do just that.) They should not have to undergo further qualifications against ANY professional golfers, male or female.
If any of the female pros want to play in the Masters, they'll have to earn the invitation by playing against male pros. And, yes, that door is open too.
I think it definetely would be a ratings winner.
But I still don't think it should happen, because it wouldn't be fair on the amatuers who worked so hard to gain their places.
Number of PGA or LPGA Events Entered: Mr. Woods 21, Ms Sorenstam 20.
Average Diving Distance: Mr. Woods 316.1 yards, Ms. Sorenstam 263 yards.
Driving Accuracy: Ms. Sorenstam 80 percent, Mr. Woods 55 percent.
GIR: Ms. Sorenstam 77 percent, Mr. Woods 70 percent.
Sand Saves: Ms. Sorenstam 60 percent, Mr. Woods 54 percent.
Putts Per Round: Mr. Woods averaged 28.70, Ms. Sorenstam 29.96.
Putting Average Per GIR: Mr. Woods 1.69, Ms. Sorenstam 1.75.
Scoring Average: Mr. Woods 68.86 percent, Ms. Sorenstam 69.33 percent.
Wins on Tour: Ms. Sorenstam won 10 times, Mr. Woods won 6 times.
Money Earned 2005: Mr. Woods $10,628,024, Ms. Sorenstam $2,588.240.
I would have to agree with you Mr. Shanks; the men would be severely handicapped if they allowed the women the advantage of a ladies tee.
It's a little deceptive comparing records between PGA and LPGA events. There are more differences in the courses than just the hole length. PGA courses tend to have deeper rough, faster greens and pin placements which require more backspin. Women's tees just help with the drive.
Certainly the Augusta National CC and their members exclude individuals from membership in the CLUB, but this exclusion has NO bearing on the MASTERS TOURNAMENT that I can see. Where is the issue?
The longer rough is only a factor Paul if you miss the fairway 45 percent of the time you tee up the ball. That kind of mitigates the backspin factor you alluded to when you play out of deep rough.
When you spoke of fast greens there are none faster than in Asia. You adjust for this by striking the ball with a shorter stroke and playing more break.
I'm sure the women can adjust as well since they play several events in Asia each year. Unless of course you think their breasts get in the way.
I see the Civil Rights Attorney made another disparaging comment directed at me. I will overlook this since I’m feeling quite good after shooting three over par in my first round today and taking all the Skins to boot. The weather on the island is beautiful with scattered clouds, light winds and temps in the 80s. Perfect Golf weather. I’m going for scratch in my afternoon round Mr. Attorney. Eat your heart out sucker.
It seems to me longer rough would be a factor if a player ever winds up in it--or if a player changes his/her game because of it. But probably more important is the shorter cut grass on the PGA greens which make it harder for a player to stop a ball near the hole. Remember Annika struggled with her putting at the Colonial.
If you could hypnotise Annika and tell send her on a pga course having convinced her that she was playing on a normal lpga course with lpga members, I think she would play much better golf.
However I don't think she would do VERY well, just better. I just think that she lacks the belief, and without that she has little hope.
She also lacks distance off the tee and strength from the rough and extra spin in approach shots. I think the putting would come in time if she were subjected to pga greens full time.
With the great accuracy in her game, and her other attributes, she could be a top 80 player in the mens game, despite the forementioned shortcomings, in my opinion. However I don't think that would be enough for her. She wants to be number 1 woman, and didn't grow up with any other ambitions.
I would agree with RRR up to a point. I think Tiger Woods himself said that the driving accuracy is an overrated stat. Instead, on green percentage stat is perhaps more meaningful. I think Vijay also said that he tries to get more distance in place of accuracy. I think what they are saying is that minor rough does not hinder top PGA players. They are strong enough to simply power through rough of say 3 to 5 inches. The roughs on the majors are another matter, aprroaching a feet. No one can power thorough these with any accuracy or consistency. A lot depends on the golf course itself and the set up.
As for Tiger's performance on LPGA tournaments, It would again depend on the golf course and its design. I doublt you would see too many booming drives on the par 4s. Instead, you may see lots of irons shots off the tee. Not too many holes are straight. One simply cannot blindly drive on dog legg par 4 for instance. He simply would not be able to play the golf as it was meant to be played.
As a Battle Hardened Marine I thought you would know that I, as a civilian DoD employee nor any Commander at any level can order troops into war. The President, as Commander in Chief has reserved that right. But I can send them off or go over and send them back from areas of conflict and I did just that. My tour of duty in the military started with President Nixon until I retired during Clinton’s second term and later began working as a civilian when President Bush.43 was elected
You were correct Alex on the timing of Operation Restore Hope to Somalia as it was in the nineties. To be more specific I received a call from AMC Headquarters on Thanksgiving Day stating that President Clinton was ordering (this is where that Order part comes in) troops to Somalia and prepare to have the MEF deploy from Camp Pendleton through March Air Force Base, California. The actual deployment took place from 1 December 1992 to 8 January 1993, yet sustainment (military term please overlook the spelling) missions whet on long after 8 January. I believe I gave my troops their first day off somewhere around the 20th of January 1992. I took my first day off sometime in February Yes Alex I do unfortunately send troops into harms way. Referring to my “Citation to Accompany the Award” for this particular operation, there 10,000 troops and 22 million pounds of their equipment that left on 486 airlift missions. The real challenge for this deployment was the order from the Four Star CINC AMC that no aircraft leave one minute early or one minute late for Somalia because the landing slots at Mogadishu were critical. The 486 aircraft, a mixture of C-5s, KC-10s and commercial B-747s each departed the runway exactly on time.
There are “Citations” that refer over the years to hundreds of operations that involved sending troops to hellholes all over the planet or being at the hellhole receiving the troops on the inbound missions. The first major operation I was involved in was “Operation Baby Lift”, yes Alex towards the end of the Vietnam war. I could give you the figures for some of the operations but not all (yes some are still classified) by referring to the Citations for the decorations I was awarded over the years or my “Superior” performance reports, but it would overwhelm this blog..
BTW Alex the Reserve General was not a racist, far from it. Unfortunately he was as you are uninformed and unaware of what was happening. The citation for my MSM from this assignment didn’t refer to this specifically, but my superiors at 21st Air Force were made well aware of the situation and supported my efforts.
Here is a parting gift Alex so you might learn something:
Alexander Hamilton was a great Prophet of future events when he described you and many of your fellow colleagues of the legal profession (sic) prostitution) within the beltway of Washington DC. If the shoe fits Alex…………..
Hamilton wrote:
Men often oppose a thing, merely because they have had no agency in planning it, or because it may have been planned by those whom they dislike. But if they have been consulted, and have happened to disapprove, opposition then becomes, in their estimation, an indispensable duty of self-love. They seem to think themselves bound in honor, and by all the motives of personal infallibility, to defeat the success of what has been resolved upon contrary to their sentiments. Men of upright, benevolent tempers have too many opportunities of remarking, with horror, to what desperate lengths this disposition is sometimes carried, and how often the great interests of society are sacrificed to the vanity, to the conceit, and to the obstinacy of individuals, who have credit enough to make their passions and their caprices interesting to mankind. Perhaps the question now before the public may, in its consequences, afford melancholy proofs of the effects of this despicable frailty, or rather detestable vice, in the human character.
How to play 150 rounds in a year by RRR.
Stay healthy.
Play nine holes two or three times after work on the military golf course across the street from your office.
Live on an island where if the weather is bad, just wait five minutes and start playing again.
Play two and sometimes three full rounds on the weekends. Every weekend rain or shine.
Open the club face when hitting out of the deep rough, so you avoid wrist injuries. Forget about the backspin.
Again Stay healthy.
How to shoot around PAR and win all the Skins? Play the same course a hundred rounds in a year. Knowing where to hit the ball and what club to pull under any conditions is priceless.
When you listed your vast background and the numerous letters after your name and then call me a liar in this blog, I felt the need to defend my honor. This is why I provided some detailed background on myself and to hopefully clear up any ignorance you may have about what I did in the military and after. You are the one who took what I wrote and then twisted it in your own mind and distorted it.
Now go back to the former Army Grunts and Jarhead in your office and ask them if they ever took a MAC (converted to AMC June 1992) flight while they were in the military that sent them into or out of conflict/combat? Also ask them if they took their M-16s and were issued 300 rounds of ammunition on arrival? If they answer, “Yes” then “Case Closed” Mr. Attorney and you can cease your investigation and realize you are the “tuba” in the brass band. I stand by all that I stated in this blog as derived from facts, not fiction.
BTW the handicap I carry is a six although I never saw a reason to state it in this blog. I have great days and not so great days on the course but that is golf.
Sorry to hear you have two or three more months before you can play again Alex. I need to run so I can make my sunrise tee off here on Fantasy Island.
One last piece of advice Alex bloggers do not like to be graded on their posts. If you want to grade papers become a teacher and somebody will give a crap.
When the TPFDD flows from JCS, who is tasked first to deploy into the AOR setting up airfield support for the future deployment of troops and equipment by air?
You really don't have a clue Alex about what it takes to get the gun fighters to the gun fight do you?
We did not have our ammo issued after arrival Alex. Our clips were seated and rounds chambered when we jumped off the back after landing (this came in quite handy during Operation Urgent Fury). We only were required to take the ammo, incendiaries or explosive devices away from the Marine and Army troops so they wouldn't hurt themselves or the aircraft. We got to keep ours.
BTW Alex just where did you trade hot lead with an enemy? Heck Alex, I might have already been there long before you, wondering when you and your buddies would finally show up at the party.
Stone this was my last post.
Phantomsgt goes silent now.
If there is no change in rules, by adding the Fields Open in Hawaii, which I assume Wie will play, at least one tournament will lose Wie this year--which could be the Kraft. A rule change favoring Kraft would hurt another tournament. Perhaps the exemption rule could be changed to either increase the number, or not count tournaments like the Evian which are not primarily LPGA events. I wonder if the HSBC World Match Play Open might be an event Michelle Wie could wind up playing? I think she might want to play some match play this year. If the number of tournaments stays the same, she might drop Safeway and Samsung.
Also she will probably want to try British Open qualifying. If she got out of sectional qualifying in both the British & US Open, it would be a great achievement, but of course would add the regional qualifying into her schedule, which could affect other things on her schedule.
A European lpga event is of course a possibility too, but she will have so much on with probably some Asian events, that it should be difficult to fit everything in.
It should be a fun and exciting year. Hopefully her golf will continue to improve as it has been so well.