This Week at TravelGolf.com: August 17, 2004

Watching Tiger Woods during last week's PGA Championship was like witnessing Michael Jordan playing out the string for the Washington Wizards. There were still moments of the old brilliance, but nothing close to memorable. And so now we can say it: Tiger has become (gasp!) average.

From Butch Harmon to the tantalizing Elin Nordegren, theories abound. Whatever the cause, I want the old Tiger back. When Jordan was merely average, I could accept it because of his advancing age and incredible accomplishments. But Tiger is only 28. This is hardly time to begin settling for mediocrity. Judging by the tone of his most recent press conferences, however, something is clearly missing. The old Tiger would have been positively ticked after missing so many putts last week. The current version just seems resigned to his fate.

While we wait for Tiger to put it all together again (and he will, believe me), be sure to check out our usual full roster of reviews and travel features, including news from Myrtle Beach, where Oyster Bay Golf Links is now open after several key upgrades. The course re-did all its greens, replacing the old-fashioned Bermuda with state-of-the-art TifEagle Bermuda. And all in just seven weeks. As always, your comments are welcome on any topic. Have a great week.

The Lakes offer
Georgia 'swamp golf'

One of the last places you might look to play 18 holes would be right next to the 400,000-acre, alligator-filled Okefenokee Swamp in South Georgia. Yet, that's exactly where the state of Georgia decided to place The Lakes at Laura Walker State Park, one of eight courses the Georgia State Park system. It's a nifty little layout, as National Golf Editor Tim McDonald reports, that isn't too long and has wide welcoming fairways. But don't go into the woods without a club and be prepared for some undulating greens at the course.

Full story | Georgia Golf Courses

Going gonzo with
TaylorMade XD Drivers

It took a three-hour motion picture to accomplish what hundreds of rounds, dozens of infomercials and endless ridicule from buddies couldn't -- it got our reviewer to trade in his knife for a gun. The knife being his circa 1995 Callaway Great Big Bertha War Bird. The gun being a fresh off the assembly line TaylorMade 540XD. The battlefield being none other than Doral's famed Blue Course, a.k.a. the Blue Monster.

Full story | More product reviews

Three new books
aim for controversy

Associate Editor Tom Mackin takes a look at three new golf-related books that recently hit the market, but can recommend only one of them. He gives a "birdie" to "The Future of Golf in America" by Geoff Shackelford, saying the author provides plenty of thought-provoking storylines in this affordable and worthy addition to any golf library. But he only pars TV commentator Johnny Miller's new book "I Call the Shots - Straight Talk About the Game of Golf Today."

Full story | More on golf books