I watched my first tournament of the year this weekend (and Monday night), and quite frankly, it’s good to get back into the golf thang. Without taking too much of your time, a couple of tid-bits I noticed while watching our boy Tiger get it done:

– Did CBS bring in a cinematography crew over the off-season to add some spice to the broadcast? There were a few times this weekend when I didn’t know if I was watching a lag putt or a Terrence Malick film. I know Torrey Pines is a pretty cool place, but really I always thought Pebble Beach was the kingpin of landscapes . . . well I’ve never seen more majestic shots and vanguard camera angles than during this weekend’s tournament, makes me think there is a concerted effort to add a little Sundance to the game.

And while we’re here, is California like 4,000 times more fun than the rest of the planet or what? Hang-gliding, paragliding, parasailing, ultralight piloting. Does anyone have jobs? I like to think I love where I live, but good lord, if you didn’t get jealous of that scene out there while watching the tournament this weekend you should check your pulse.

Just like my home course, really.

– I saw a lot more yukking it up on the course during this tournament than I ever have, except for maybe a Skins Game back in 1986 that featured Fuzzy Zoeller on the tee sheet. Rarely do we get to see Pros standing on a tee cracking up with other players and caddies (not even their own!), guys walking down the fairway shooting the breeze, caddies throwing their guy his cleaned ball across the green, etc. Of course this has always been a part of the game, and I never understood why golf coverage was so hell-bent on NOT showing it. Maybe they’ve had a change of heart in that department as well. If so, it’s about time.

To that end, can we stop accusing Tiger of being a “robot”? He was having as much fun as anyone out there, that kid Horschel had him cracking up, and it doesn’t look like anyone out there is treating him like Darth Vader or Bobby Knight (redundant? . . . watch some NCAA coverage on ESPN and get back to me). Of course he tends to shut it down when the tournament is on the line, but if that’s how he wins then so be it. When Phil doesn’t discipline himself in crunch time we crucify him – we can’t have it both ways.

– Gotta love McCord and Feherty.

– Gotta love the new Taylor Made R-1 commercial, that club looks . . . oh wait, what’s happening . . . NO!!!

Yes . . .

This is happening . . .

All about the payday, right? . . .

I’m not turning my head.

TaylorMade painted their faces! They let their faces be painted by TaylorMade! It’s a hall of mirrors in bad marketing gimmick deployment! I’m sure the club is sweet, and of course TaylorMade has had more than their fair share of home runs, but I gotta call them out on this one. I can see how this ever-so-thin line can get crossed in a concept meeting, I’m just surprised that Dustin Johnson’s look of sheer disappointment at the photo shoot didn’t give TaylorMade pause. I guess it’s the most fierce Justin Rose has ever looked, so it’s got that going for it. No worries TaylorMade, I still love your Ghost Spider.

Wow, what a week. This was my second PGA Merchandise Show but my first time attending Demo Day. For those of you who have never been to Demo Day, it is quite the sight. Basically, you have a 360 degree driving range with every company in the world staking out a piece of land, albeit some stakes of land are bigger than others. While I had no desire to actually hit any balls, I must have been in the minority since there was a 90 minute wait to hit balls at the TaylorMade booth. Worse was the 45 minute wait for a freaking hot dog. Seriously, how do you run out of hot dogs? What scheduling genius did not foresee 40,000 people stranded in the middle of nowhere not getting hungry?

Other highlights of Demo Day included meeting Three Guys Golf hero, Jimmy Ballard. Jimmy was there demonstrating the Swing Shirt which made our Top 12 of 2012 list. If you have never heard Jimmy talk, do a little googling. He is an absolute hoot.

Although I did not hit any balls, I did take advantage of the putting green which was much more fan friendly in my opinion. I stopped by to see some of the mid-sized companies like Axis 1, Rife and Seemore to see their 2013 putters but what really caught my eye was a new company called Kronos.

The founders of Kronos are about 14 years old (well maybe 26) but you get the idea. Somehow, they have created a putter that is simply gorgeous and rolls exceptionally well.

All in all, demo day was pretty cool although it really is fairly difficult to navigate the 3 mile circle of tents. Note to self, don’t tell anyone you will double back.

The remainder of the PGA Merchandise Show takes place in the Convention Center which is equally huge (but at least has plenty of food). I saw about 400 companies so I won’t give you the big list –  instead, I’ll just mention the ones I can remember or I took pictures of.

Let’s start with shoes. The ones I really dig this year are True Linkswear, Ecco and the new Footjoy. True Linkswear has become my favorite shoe and the new Proto and Chukka versions are killer. Ecco has a couple of new versions, the Biom Zero (below) and a dress shoe with a soft spike.

Footjoy has also stepped up the game with the M Project. I tried these on and they are very comfortable. Apparently they got the memo that not every shoe has to be a saddle.

Since I push a cart about 85% of the time, I wanted to check out all of the new carts. ClicGear’s new Rover is super cool and a bit smaller than the 3.0 version. I also saw a bunch of all-in-one versions. In other words, bag and cart connected. We actually have the AlphaRD cart in for review so look for that later. The one below is another example although I cannot remember who makes it.

On the apparel side, a few companies caught my eye. Chase 54 had a huge booth considering how young they are. What I learned is they have a big manufacturing advantage which has allowed them to produce an impressive line of clothing in a short amount of time. We have a bunch of Chase 54 stuff in house for review so be on the lookout for that post.

Ironically, it was the European companies that really stood out in Orlando. Specifically, Kartel, Lyle & Scott, Cross Golf and Tom Morris had super cool looks and we hope to have reviews for all of these companies in 2013.

Best expensive product: Full Swing Golf. $65,000 all in gets you your personal hitting range. It is the coolest thing ever, and the putting is not bad either. Seriously, if you want your kid to make the tour, buy this. Imagine 2,000 balls a day and never leaving the house. Plus, you can play all the great courses (the graphics are amazing).

Cheapest best product: Real Steak Jerky. This product single handily saved me from starvation on Demo Day. This is not Slim Jim. Nope, it’s like a steak sandwich in a bag. Seriously, it rules.

Other Random thoughts from the days:

I dig Salty Grips: Putter grips made out of cork feel great and hold up well.

Too many bouncers and fancy booths: Come on guys, this is not a night club, I dig your stuff and the company, how about being friendly? Take notes from the Loudmouth and Asher Glove folks if you have questions.

James Patrick wedges may be the best kept secret ever. Since he makes them one by one I guess it is not a surprise, but the guy is like the yoda of wedges.

Guy who you need to follow on Instagram: Known as Thee Jew Fro, and his side-kick iDaleeeO, these two are a freaking riot, and super nice. I spent Friday night hanging out with them and let me just say, it was worth feeling like hell on Saturday morning.

Until next year….

Ah the age old question, performance-tech fabric shirt or cotton shirt? Okay well maybe the question isn’t that historic, but when it comes to golf shirts, it is quickly becoming relevant. Back in the day the only option was cotton, and while nobody knew enough to complain, the introduction of various sport-tech fibers brought applause from the masses. The new shirts were lighter, cooler (temperature-wise), and seemingly allowed more room for the golf swing.

Author’s note: If I must acknowledge the fact that they wick away moisture, I will, but I am now obligated to point out that this also creates your own little B.O. factory, so maybe pipe down on that one.

I have always been a slow mover when it comes to the next big thing in golf, with the overriding principle being that I’d rather look like a worse golfer than I am . . . the opposite effect gives me shivers just at the thought of it. So when the new fabrics started coming out and the golf shirt was reinvented, I was far from first in line at the stores. The last thing I needed to do was drop $60.00 on a fancy, often shiny new shirt and proceed to honk one off the first tee into the gorse. So I stuck with the picque polos like a good frat-boy should, and after a tough day at the course I had the red scratches on my chin to prove it.

Years later I was given a legitimate golf-tech shirt as a gift and was suddenly a fan. My swing felt all sweet, as far as I was concerned anyway, and I was able to keep a bit cooler during the hottest rounds of the summer. And for a second there, I looked cooler too.

Which brings us to a new crossroads in 2012. As Adam has pointed out a few times, manufacturers are now making better cotton materials that make for a better cotton golf shirt, e.g. QED Style, Criquet, Linksoul, Martin and Leisure Society.

Oen of our favorite cotton golf shirts. QED Style Francis Polo

So there’s that. Keeping that in mind, I contend that there are two compelling reasons it’s time to make the switch back to cotton:

1) The performance techy golf shirt has been done to death, and unlike cotton, it is not timeless. Too many dudes have folded it into their everyday wardrobe. We could surely place part of the blame on the casual Friday movement, but I’m not here as an anthropologist . . . the fact is, they just aren’t legitimate good looking shirts. They were designed with a purpose in mind, and much like with the Palm Pilot or Ivana Trump, something better looking has come along that gets the job done just as well. At this point it’s just another middle-aged-man look, trotting dutifully behind the all-white Seinfeld sneakers and pale jeans (sorry guys, I know you’re all good people and probably don’t care either way).

And 2) wait for it . . . manboobs! As I hit my late 30’s I have noticed that my sweet pectorals, if not presented correctly, could easily be misconstrued as a pair of PhillyMick specials. Shocking, but true. How do I defend against this phenomenon? Wear anything BUT tech fabric golf shirts!

Exhibit #1

Performance fabric tends to hang off those suckers like drapes, bringing undue attention and shadowy stuff to one’s manmary glands. Before scoffing at this notion, please go ask two or three of your peers and see what they have to say, as it is very difficult to judge yourself in this matter (and remember, denial is Stage 1). Don’t believe your friends? Just go to the research – awesome scientists agree that 6 out of 10 men over age 30 who declare themselves innocent of bombsmuggling are actually guilty in the first degree. And guess what, this number increases to 9 out of 10 when tech fabric golf shirts are brought into the equation!  So don’t shoot the messenger – it’s science.

Man-nips? You’re on your own there.

For the past year or so I have been trying to get my son into golf which has turned out to be harder than expected. I think the root of the problem is that unlike nearly every other sport, you can’t just go play golf. Nope, you have to learn to hit the ball, chip, and putt before you ever set foot on a real course. Since kids (and Allen Iverson) are not exactly into practice, this can make breaking into the sport even more difficult. So the question becomes: How to make golf fun for kids?

For over a decade, Sunday and golf have meant only one thing – Tiger in red. Tiger has won 14 majors and some 60 other times in his traditional Sunday black pants and red shirt. While the texture and cut of the shirt may have changed, the color has not.

Now with his three year drought of major wins, I am posing the question: should Tiger abandon or at least rest his Sunday red? This may be blasphemy or branding heresy to even suggest, but let me just play this supposition out.

Ever since Tiger burst onto the scene, Sunday red brought out the Tiger in Tiger and struck fear in those who entertained the idea of challenging him. Every Tiger fist pump is punctuated in red. Every jaw dropping putt, every 180 yard eight iron is draped in red. Yes, red is the color of victory.

Red – The Color of Victory

Now, however, I wonder if the weight of emotions, history and expectations associated with Sunday red is actually more of a burden than it is a benefit.

Since golf is one of the few sports that does not require a uniform, each player is allowed to dress in accordance with his own personal style or brand. While Ian Poulter and Rickie Fowler have some of the most recognizable and distinctive looks on tour, no one, but no one owns a color the way Tiger owns red. Red is a brand, a feeling, an expectation that is universally recognized and no one knows this more than the man himself, Tiger Woods.

In a game where the smallest of differentiation of ability separates 1st from 10th place, the mental advantage often becomes the tie-breaker. While I would never credit Sunday red for the mass of trophies Tiger has won, I do believe he held a significant mental advantage over the field. Now however, I am left to wonder if the aura of red is a weight upon his shoulders. Look, I know we all get jacked up when our favorite team goes with the throw back jersey for the big rivalry game, but if you’ve spent the last 8 seasons getting trounced, at some point it loses its magic. No need to get all sappy, just move on to the next piece of superstition.

Picture if you will, Tiger, who by the way needs a tailor like Phil needs a barber, strolling to the first tee on Sunday wearing crisp white pants and a lime green shirt. Yup, the media would go nuts, Johnny Miller would have a cow and Jim Nantz would be rendered speechless but maybe, just maybe Tiger would get just the burst of confidence and vigor he needs to break through once again.

Could shedding the red be a proverbial removing the monkey? While I would love to play this experiment out, the chances that Tiger does anything this daring is exactly slim to none with slim having left the building.

Some may argue that Tiger’s relationship with Nike would never allow such a switch even if Tiger was of this mindset. While I may be naive, you will never convince me that money or contracts would ever stop Tiger from giving himself the best chance to break Jack’s record.

Alas this is all folly since we know Tiger is too stubborn and proud to ever shed the red. I would point out, however, that a certain Mr. Michael Jordan gave up the iconic #23 before reclaiming it – how did that turn out?

Adjustable Drivers: If your current driver did not come with a wrench and a manual, you’re already behind the times. In an ultra-competitive market where clubmakers are looking for any way to gain an edge, the adjustable drivers have become a hot trend over the last few years; it has even trickled down to fairway woods and hybrids. As an owner of an adjustable driver, 3 wood, and hybrid, I would like to lob a few thoughts out there on the topic.

Wait, am I playing Battleship?

First things first –  I see two different ways that an adjustable club can be of use: 1) you like to tinker with the loft and face angle for different rounds, maybe depending on course setup, daily conditions, etc., or 2) you think you might be permanently better off with a slightly closed clubface or slightly higher loft than 9.5 degrees or whatever. I would like to address both golfers below:

Golfer #1: Hey PhillyMick, settle down. Hit the ball the way you hit the ball, the course has plenty of room for that shot. Actually, the truth is, I’m not sure many people actually go this route. It seems too high-maintenance for most golfers, and to effectively pull it off would require an insane amount of range time to even know what you get out of each configuration. And I would hope that most folks understand that by tinkering with loft and/or face angle, you’re not simply dialing in a pre-programmed ball flight – you are also affecting your quality of contact, smash factor, etc., so you’d most often be better off just dancing with the one that brought ya.

Golfer #2: This guy’s a little less insane. It could be that during your clubfitting process, the pro determined that a 9.75 degree loft works a bit better for you than a 9.5 degree loft. Depending on where you stand with launch monitors, squeezing an extra 4 yards out of a club, etc., this could either be really cool or really annoying. As someone who is susceptible to being seduced by launch monitor stats, I can’t hold it against anyone for believing that a .25 degree loft difference could be worthwhile; and of course, you can only achieve and test these funky lofts with an adjustable driver.

“Now see with this lie angle . . .  hmmm . . . you still suck.”

When it comes to face angle, the adjustable club kind of loses me again. I’ve watched a video where Geoff Ogilvy describes why a slightly closed clubface works for him, and it makes total sense . .. shoot, even if I didn’t think it made sense, I would never question what a rockstar pro is up to when it comes to equipment. But for an everyday golfer, I just can’t get over the idea that tweaking the face angle of a club is also a way to perpetuate an inherent swing flaw. Since your irons are not yet adjustable, any idiosyncracy that is ironed over in the driver swing by an altered face angle would surely pop its head up with the irons, right? And an even more purist take would be to say that most golfers are striving to have a fundamentally sound swing, so let’s stay in neutral and work the kinks out on our own.

For argument’s sake, let’s say you just shouted “bollocks” to that last sentence and that you see nothing wrong with utilizing a slightly closed clubface to fight that slice. I actually have nothing wrong with that, honestly, but my experience with my adjustable clubs is that, over time, the doubts eventually start to creep in. Like most amateurs, I am not settled in to a swing that I am 100% happy with and will stick with for the rest of my life (hopefully, jeesh).  Also, my swing can be squirrely enough that a consistent factor like face angle will not yield consistent results – I’m still going to hit bad shots. And as time goes on and the bad shots accumulate, I inevitably start to wonder if this tweaked clubface is doing me more harm than good. Geoff Ogilvy knows his swing . . . we amateurs do not. Ultimately, we should be more concerned with a quality swing over the long-term than we are with short-term results, because like anything in life, the quick payoff is never the best solution.

I’ll wrap this up. Adjustable drivers are obviously no worse than any other driver, and perhaps for a handful of ADHD cases, they are a superior weapon of choice. If you like the way an adjustable club hits the ball best, by all means pull the trigger on a purchase . . . it’s a harmless option if, like me after month 1, you keep that wrench in it’s little dopp kit and go about your business. But if you happen to start digging a club that doesn’t have 14 different configurations, don’t beat yourself up over it – you’re not missing a thing.

You know how much most bloggers get paid? Yup –  nothing, squat, zippo, nada. Sure we sometimes get some free swag but honestly with the time we spend, we would be better served learning the phrase “would you like fries with that?” Now, before you tune me out as a spewing hateful blogger, let me get to the point. If you enjoy reading blogs then every once in a while you owe it to yourself to help out just a bit. No I am not passing the hat to support my golf habit but I am suggesting that you support worthy fundraising done by your friendly neighborhood bloggers.

I recently found out about an event called The Death Valley Challenge (DVC). The DVC is the dream-child of blogger Mathew Wangrycht who writes the The Breakfast Ball. The basic concept is that Mathew and his buddy will be playing golf in a virtual hell to raise money for the 1st Tee of Southern Nevada. Not a bad idea and a worthy cause right? So the way I look at the situation, it’s an easy way for me to give back to the game I love and show a little suport for a golf blogger who provides me a bit of interesting prose. Two birds, one stone as they say.

Do you have any 12:30 Tee times?

I am not saying you need to dig deep, but a few bucks is a nice gesture of support. It only takes like 2 minutes and you will feel much better about yourself. So how about it? You can donate by just clicking on the below flyer.

Recently Wade and I have been talking a lot about different swings we see on the PGA tour and how relevant they are to the average golfer. To us, it seems like the modern PGA swing has become increasingly built around pinpoint timing and tremendous power. The power generated is certainly awesome to behold but the timing required to maintain consistency can often cause havok when things go just slightly wrong.

This begs the question “do the pros feel like they need to have a razors edge swing in order to win?”  In other words, is the level of play on any given week so high that pros must play right to the limit of control in order to give themselves a chance to win?

Is this what it takes to win on tour?

Part of the reason I have come to this conclusion is because I just don’t believe PGA Pros would ever snap hook a drive if they only needed to hit the ball 270 down the middle of the fairway. Therefore, my assumption is that due to PGA course set up and the high level of competition, pros feel pressure to drive the ball as far as possible and to take extra chances in an effort to maximize birdie opportunities.

If I am in fact correct, what does this mean for player development? Do pros coming up in the ranks practice to shoot their best round day in and day out or to have the ability to go low just a handful of times each year? Are these goals mutually exclusive? Is there a price to be paid in the quest for the razors edge swing? For example, were Tiger’s knee and body issues a cost for developing a swing focused on creating power that could separate him from the field?

With the pool of young talent at an all-time high I suspect so too is the pressure to create the perfect swing. Perhaps this is a good thing for the PGA Tour but I think us regular golfers need to be wary of taking too much swing advice from our golfing heros. While is is fun to dream of hitting it “Bubba Long”, the fact is he is a virtual Gumby who has more natural coordination than nearly any human alive. Moreover, he is likely playing to a set of goals that are entirely different than ours. Why then should we even want to “hit it like Bubba”?  Except of course that chicks dig the long ball.

President Bill Clinton on Feherty? Seriously? David, must be pretty smitten with himself today knowing he landed just about the biggest guest in the world (no, not you Snooki). Now I know there are plenty of people who do not think very highly of Clinton, and I am not going to get into his politics, but I contend that if you held no bias, he is about the coolest cat around.

I give Feherty credit for giving Clinton enough rope to talk about the the things he cares about, namely his work in Africa and Haiti but also pressing him with a few good questions, eg “who is smarter, you or Hillary”. In the end, Clinton is flawless in his well scripted answers and charming with his delivery. He speaks of racial integration, his decision to give up his 9 music scholarships in order to pursue politics, his never ending desire to be the leader of the free world and of course golf.

While nearly every modern day president has played golf, Clinton played more than his fair share. He has played with dignitaries, PGA pros, actors and everyone in between but I guess that is one of the perks of holding the worlds most powerful office (that and getting 2 mulligans per round). While not official, Clinton is actually a pretty good golfer carrying about a 12 handicap until his recent heart problems.

Be the Right Stick Today!

One of the best questions Feherty posed to Clinton was to describe the similarities of golf, namely the front and back nine, to his two terms in office. Interestingly, Clinton pointed out that often a President’s final years in office are some of the toughest and that there was a real possibility of not finishing strong. Sound familiar? I am sure there are more than a few of us that can relate to a back nine blow-up. Still, more insightful was Clinton’s observation that politics is much like golf in that sometimes results are largely a result of luck, and that you must learn to accept the outcome regardless of how it was achieved. In other words, you take the good and keep the bad in perspective. Now that is Leader of the Free World quality advice.

So in the end, despite Feherty’s distinguished guest, David was very much himself, albeit he did seem a bit less disheveled. We have now seen Feherty interview people from nearly every corner of the celebrity world and while there are still a few rough edges, he has vastly improved his skills. Could we be witnessing the “next Barbara Walters”? Oh, the horror.

This one is for all the ladies out there that have been interested in golf, but have been too chicken to try. Or maybe you see golf on TV and tune in only because you have gone several days with insufficient sleep and this is a sure fire way to get in a nap. I am here to tell you, you are missing out. Lucky for you, it is never too late to pick up the crazy addicting game called golf.

Load up the cooler ladies, we are on the tee box.

I am 41 years old and have only been playing golf regularly for about 3 years. I grew up in a small North Carolina town and my only exposure to golf as a child was when The Hardy Boys would be preempted on Sunday nights for some golf tournament. As you can imagine, this was excruciatingly painful as I anticipated my weekly date with Shaun Cassidy all Sunday long. The first time I picked up a golf club, aside from the occasional Putt Putt putter during summer trips to the outer banks, was in college. My roommate begged me to take golf with her for PE because her boyfriend played, and she needed to learn. I relented, and so it began. At the time, I was still harboring bad feelings towards golf because it was the prime reason my relationship with Shaun never took off, but after the first day of class, I realized there were lots of boys in this class and golf owed me. It was a four week class and I suffered through with my roommate only to put down my borrowed classroom clubs to turn my back on golf for a few more years.

I was in my twenties when I met my husband, and like every stupid girl in a fresh relationship, when the subject of golf came up, I barfed up, “I took golf in college.” Next date, the golf course. I borrowed some clubs and sucked it up for him. We played a couple of times a year, but he was in law school so time was limited, thankfully. We got married, had a couple of kids, kids grew to full time school age and suddenly I found myself back on the course for date time. We would be out there for what seemed like forever. I thought we would be nearing the end, and we were on hole #3. Seriously? Here is where it all changed. We met friends and started playing couples golf. Beer, dinner, and fun with friends was now involved. We even gave out prizes. And I’m not talking about ones for birdies and pars. We got prizes for first ball in the water, first lost ball and first swing and a miss. This was more like it. I started out riding in a cart with my husband and before we even realized it, the girls were teaming up to play against the husbands. Everything started to change when I was on the course with the girls. Namely, my husband wasn’t standing over me trying to “help” me. Now this was fun, and I went from only tolerating 9 holes to wondering how we got through 18 so fast.

Now I have a standing Friday game with the girls and lost Sunday nights with Shaun Cassidy have been long forgiven. I still occasionally play with my husband and son, but have found the way that golf works for me. And that ladies, is the secret. If you try to play with your husband, but find yourself just getting irritated at him, find some girlfriends that might be interested. Maybe you are the opposite and that is great too. My point is, give it a try and not just once. You don’t have to go out there and be a professional golfer, but you do need it to be fun. And believe me, you will get the stink eye from the men whose tee time is right behind yours. They think they own the courses. But what’s the worse that can happen? They act like asses and you let them play through. I know so many women that won’t play because they are so intimidated by the men. Times are changing my friends. So what if you hit like a girl. I have yet to run into a man on a golf course that can hit like Annika, a girl. Get in the game.

Sunday at 10am: loaded up with a few buddies and headed to Charlotte to see the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship. 2 1/2 hours later we arrived just in time to see Rory McIlroy pound a few balls on the range, which was super cool since I had yet to see him in person. The first thing I noticed was that Rory is a lot bigger than I thought. Not Dustin Johnson big, but definitely thick. Plus he has so much leg and hip drive. The result is a club speed that surpasses anything I can relate to.

Nourishment for the Wells Fargo Championship

So after a quick buzz through the beer line we headed over to #7 just in time to see Rickie Fowler and Nick Watney reach the middle of the fairway. Actually, Watney had gone right, right into the stream, and had to take a drop. The following shot hit the rocks and landed in a back yard on the far side of the stream. After a 10 minute investigation, Watney realized he had gone OB and not into the hazard so he had to walk back to his original spot to replay his next shot (the PGA version of the walk of shame). Somewhat surprisingly, he decided to lay up rather than go for the green on what was his fifth shot (I must assume he had a harder shot than it looked like from my vantage point). A quadruple bogey later, Watney was essentially out of the tournament. Guess Three Guys did not exactly bring the good karma.

Next on the docket was to dash up to #9 to see a few other groups play then wait for the leaders to catch up. In the meantime, I did spot what I thought were the coolest shoes ever, worn by a lady no younger than 80 years old.

I hope I am this cool when I am 80!

A side note for those who have never attended a PGA Event: One thing you quickly realize is that it is really hard to get a sense of the overall picture while you are dashing from hole to hole. So for me, my goal is to get a couple of close encounters with the leaders or my favorite players then hope to catch the final drama on 18. That in mind, our plan was to head to the green on 16 and stake out a good spot.

Loading up with a few more cold ones, we found a place right next to the rope on the far side of 16 green.  From there we watched about 4 groups go through number 16 and I believe about 1/2 of the guys made bogey on the hole. Considering most had about a 220 yard approach shots, I guess that should not be too surprising. However, I was surprised to see Rickie Fowler leave his bunker shot about 7 feet from the pin then miss his par putt badly. Had McIlroy not carded a bogey on 17 and DA Points on 18, the man in orange may have regretted that bunker shot for a long time.

Rickie Fowler sizing up his par putt on 16

After watching Rory come through 16 we dashed to 18 but not before I got to meet Stephanie Wei (who is fortunate enough to cover the event from inside the ropes). For those of you who do not know, Stephanie writes a blog called Weiunderpar which is an excellent source for you PGA news. P.S. – how cool is it to walk inside the ropes? One day hopefully I will have an answer for you.

You may have noticed that I have yet to mention Webb Simpson which is because we did not see a single shot of his (in part because I cannot root for anyone using a belly putter). Plus, I just felt like it was going to be Fowler’s day, unless Rory stole it from him.

So onto 18 where we sat about 20 yards below the green. From our vantage point it looked like there was only a small section of green you could possibly land the ball and keep it withen 8 feet. As it turns out, I think there were only about 4 birdies on 18 all day. Rickie actually had a pretty good look at a birdie and probably thought he needed to make it to force a playoff. Fortunately for him, he was wrong as DA Points would end up in the bunker and take a bogey.

So back to 18 went Fowler, Points and McIroy. Now the fairway on 18 is insanely thin with a stream on the left but all three players put their ball dead in the middle. Points played first and ended up way above the hole with a nightmare putt. Fowler hit next to what I thought was about 7 feet away (as it turns out, it was like 2 feet but you just cannot see from below the green). Rory, must have known better and surely knew he had to stuff one in close but was unable to get inside of 15 feet. A couple of putts later, Rickie Fowler got his 1st PGA tour win.

Judging from the crowd around me, everyone was thrilled, especially all of the kids dressed in orange and the hotties in sun dresses. While Rory is a great player and a crowd favorite, Fowler is an American and last time I checked Charlotte is in the United States of America. In the end, we were rooting for our countryman and one of the guys who was supposed to be the next you know who.

Speaking of which, these young guys are starting to put up some victories. Without counting, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Rory McIroy and now Rickie Fowler are looking like the real deal. If you read any of our blog, you know we are huge Tiger fans, but I am coming around to these guys. They are fun, outgoing, long-driving and proving they can compete on a regular basis.

So congratulation to Rickie Fowler who is now the 2012 Wells Fargo Champion. Not only have you gotten your first win, but you have finally done what most experts have been predicting for the last few years – play like a champion.

Some of Feherty’s guest are obvious choices, like Annika Sorenstam or Bubba Watson, while others like Bill Russell are not so obvious. Samuel L. Jackson fits in the category of a not so obvious choice. That is until you learn a little bit more about him as a person and not just the man who owns a wallet that says “Bad Mother F%$%er”. While I am a huge Sam Jackson fan (yup, I call Robert De Niro Bobby), I really know very little about him other than he is in one of my all-time favorite movies (Pulp Fiction).

David Feherty sits down with Samuel L. Jackson (look Feherty said he loved Sam in “Driving Miss Daisy”

As it turns out, Samuel Jackson has battled substance abuse, as did Feherty, which I believe must have played at least some part in having him on the show. Listening to Feherty and Jackson talk, however, it became clear that they share more than just a healthy fear of “just one drink”.

Aside from sharing past demons, both men grew up in tough neighborhoods and were not handed their success. Jackson, in fact, did not even make a movie until he was 40 but has now has made 150, although I suspect a number straight to video but still . . . while Feherty did make it as a golfer at a younger age, he seems to just now be really hitting his stride. As a side note, in the episode, I heard Feherty say for the 1st time (for me at least) that he was a great golfer (well maybe he said he was a golf expert). In either case, I have never heard him boast about his talents. Oddly, I found his comment refreshing because the fact of the matter is that he was a hell of a golfer.

This particular Feherty show was a bit strange in that there was no major theme and Samuel seemed a bit bored for a while. That is until he began to speak about what seems to be his passion – helping the disadvantaged. Like Sean Penn, who during Hurricane Katrina, just grabbed his boat and headed New Orleans without telling anyone, Samuel Jackson seems to have a similar mentality about giving. During the show he provided just enough hints to his charitable projects which fly under the radar that you know he is the kind of guy who wants to give back for all of the right reasons.

Finally, Samuel Jackson gives hope to all of us hackers out there who started late but still want to believe that our best golf is ahead of us. Now a 5 handicap, Samuel Jackson, only started playing golf at age 40. He even shot a 78 and Carnoustie while paired with Tiger – yikes.

Now if someone can just tell me where I can get a Royale with Cheese?

PS: you must see Chance Manning introduce the Swing Blind training aid –

Gary McCord on the Feherty Show: What could be better than listening to two of my favorite golf announcers banter on for an hour without a golf tournament to get in the way? Lets face it, for the casual fan, golf on TV can be, how you say . . . boring. Personally, I don’t remember watching a lot of golf when I was a kid but that was probably because 15 minutes into the broadcast I was sawing logs on the couch. Thankfully, Gary McCord has added a much needed spice to the viewing experience.

Bite!

The crazy thing is how these guys actually got into the business. McCord literally won zero times on the tour (albeit twice on the senior tour) and was basically living out of a storage unit prior to getting a lucky break with CBS. To be fair, McCord made his luck when he invented an excuse to be in a TV truck one Sunday afternoon. But it was his insightful and witty explanation of how the greens were akin to chipping on your driveway and asking the ball to bite that got him the gig. Further proof that getting your foot in the door is often the biggest hurdle to success.

So let’s hit the highlights of the show, which by the way is a must-see episode. My favorite part was watching McCord and Feherty give swing tips to Aaron Baddeley. Despite the fact that you know Baddeley is in on the joke, they still manage to keep him completely off guard. I suspect it was not the actual swing tips that threw Baddeley for a loop but rather the irony.

The other two stories which were told that I was previously unaware of were: 1) the tale of McCord ripping his trousers in a tournament while bending down to plumb-bob (going commando no less) but finishing the final 14 holes using a make-shift diaper. (Feherty counters with a priceless plumb and bob joke), and 2) learning that 85% of Tin Cup was a rip-off of Gary McCords life (now I know why I love that movie despite the fact it starred The Postman himself).

Part of the reason I am such a big Feherty fan is because I admire how he has re-invented his career. While Feherty may not have a green jacket, he was on the freaking Ryder Cup team so the fact that he will be remembered more as a commentator is pretty darn amazing. To that end, Gary McCord is much the same way (or more so). Being of middle age, I have a soft spot in my heart for mid-life career change success stories as I think we all want to believe our second act can be better than our first. So my hat’s off to both of these gentlemen (now if they would both do us a favor and take off their matching vests).

Ok, I will admit it, I don’t follow the LPGA very closely but I do have a huge appreciation for Annika Sorenstam, who made her debut on the Feherty Show last night. It was actually only a few weeks ago that fellow blogger Wade sent me her swing sequence as an example of standing tall which is one of Wade’s big things. As I have mentioned in other posts, most of the men on tour, like Bubba Watson, swing so hard that we cannot physically even try to mimic their swings without pulling a muscle. In fact, we are much better served by trying to copy the swings on the LPGA tour.

So here’s the two second recap of Annika’s records: She has won 72 times on tour, has 10 majors, and a LPGA low round of 59. But for me, the beauty of the Feherty show is not in the history of the player but rather in getting to understand what makes them tick.

Being a father of a female athlete, albeit not world class, but college level, I have been around women athletes for a long time and I am convinced there are absolute differences in how they view the game and the world. However, there is no doubt that women, especially world class women athletes, are every bit as competitive and driven as their male counterparts. Annika Sorenstam was not given her 72 victories, she earned them beginning with hours upon hours of practice in her father’s basement (yes her basement is bigger than most).

On the other hand, Annika does not define herself by golf. Like Greg Norman, she is a very successful business person and continues to be part of the game at many levels. But, where Annika differs, and I think where women differ, is that many ultimately become mothers. Yes, men are dads, and good dads, but you just get a sense from how Annika interacts with her daughter that part of the reason she does not define herself by golf is that she defines herself in large part as a mother. I say this without passing judgement, it is just that I have seen tons of interviews with retired male athletes and they simply give off a different vibe than their female counterpart.

Part of the trouble with comparing men’s and women’s sports is our desire to see how they would compete against each other (ie. Michelle Wie). I think this attitude misses the point that men and women may play the game by the same name but they are different sports – not better or worse, just different.

Lastly, I must say, as bad as the men’s golf fashion used to be, the women’s was even more horrendous (so bad that they have apparently taken down all of the incriminating pictures from the internet). It was either ill fitting men’s garb or some crazy jumper type outfit. Seriously, this is what happens when men design clothes for women. Thankfully, this is something else Annika has brought to golf: women’s golf fashion that is actually flattering.

I’ve been at the beach for a few days, so forgive me if I’m way behind the times on this one – has anyone seen this picture depicting Bubba Watson’s shot on #10 (second playoff hole)?

No biggie, really.

Two things come to mind:
1) I watched roughly 316 hours of Masters coverage this year and still had no idea how ridiculous this shot was. During live action we simply saw Bubba staring down the usual tunnel of spectators, and once again I could not help but think “those people are either insane or really looking for an excuse to have jaw replacement surgery”. The shot is hit, it looks awesome, and the announcers begin to spout their usual incredulous bluster. Perhaps I’m too immune to guys like Roger Maltbie’s insistence that if you “gave someone 100 tries to make that shot they’d only be successful 4 times” in these instances. . . I’m sure they said all they could to explain to me how incredible Bubba’s shot was, but somehow I didn’t grasp the concept. I know Augusta National won’t allow blimps, but how about cranking up one of those fancy hole graphics and pointing out the actual angles involved here?

2) Sooo, that shot was freaking incredible, right? Hooking a gap wedge almost 90 degrees, what?! Oh, also, it’s the second hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Masters, sir. Good grief, what a badass. How many Augusta National members have since snuck out to the 10th hole to try and pull that shot off, or at least sent their butlers to try it and report back? “I don’t have a gap wedge, Niles, so take this pitching wedge, turn it upside down, choke up 1 inch, and let me know how it goes – chop chop!” It will be interesting to see if we ever get treated to a Nick Faldo re-enactment of the shot during next year’s coverage, not sure how the greenjackets will feel about that one. And poor Oosthuizen – we’ve all been there in match play – when he watched that shot skid onto the green he must have muttered one of the all-time ‘f#*% me’s of our generation.