The PGA Tour makes some stupid rules, being an organization just to the right of the Gestapo, but it’s making a tournament winner “unofficial” after only 36 holes is the smart thing to do. I’m not sure what the stats are, but I’d say 36-hole leaders go on to win tournaments only a small percentage of the time. It isn’t like baseball, where the five-inning rule prevails – there’s only two teams. In golf, the odds are drastically higher someone other than the 36-hole leader will eventually win the tournament. I know, I know, this is one of the dullest blogs I’ve ... full post »

All those South Africa golf veterans who told me I was in for a treat were right: South Africa is indeed a special treat for golfers. Forgetting the golf for a moment, it is an intriguing place to visit: great roads, big cities, wild game roaming some parts of the country, fascinating history. You can tour Zulu batttlefields, take slow trains to watch the countryside, take long drives through mountains and desert, surf on great waves on the coastlines. The golf itself is superb, with some world-class courses. It seems alomost every little town has a golf course, even Soweto! I came ... full post »