The Golfers' Home

Over the weekend, I had a wonderful idea for LPGA Commissioner Carolyn Bivens on how to resolve her issue with the 121 Foreign Players on her tour.  My idea was to hire a great American Orator and Hall of Fame Golfer to teach the players his kind of English.  His name, Thomas “Terrible Tempered Tommy” Bolt.  Unfortunately, the man with one of the smoothest swings in the history of the game and also the foulest of mouths, passed away last night at 92.  Can you just imagine any of the 45 South Koreans doing Tommy’s kind of English after winning an LPGA event?

“I want to thank all those >>>> sponsors for >>>> this incredible tournament.  The >>>> volunteers were >>>> wonderful.  I want to also thank my >>>> teacher and Tommy >>> Bolt for helping me learn this new >>>> language.”

What a perfect resolution to the silliest new rule in golf.

“Today’s players owe a debt of gratitude to Tommy Bolt and his fellow pioneers,” said PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem on Wednesday.  “His golf prowess was only matched by his formidable and colorful personality and he helped launch the game’s popularity.”

An interesting comment from the Commish in light of the seemingly enormous lack of appeal from his tour during the last couple of months...  I sat by the TV on Monday (that’s right, I didn’t play golf) and watched the final round from Boston.  Over the 4 plus hours, I kept asking myself, “Who, besides Tiger brings any excitement and passion to my screen?”  Certainly not Vijay.  Think about it, Vijay Singh is the greatest 40+ player in the history of golf.  The guy has won 22 tournaments since turning 40.  He’s better than Nicklaus; better than Palmer; better than Player - so why don’t we care?  Why can’t we get excited like my dad did when he watched those previously mentioned men?  Is it our fault?  Are we all becoming too emotionless? 

I don’t believe that.  I spoke with too many friends after Tiger’s win in the US Open to believe we are void of passion. (You should have seen me in front of the TV, Monday night watching UCLA.)  It is, quite simply, that most players today really believe this is their JOB and they treat it that way.  Does Vijay love the game any less than Palmer or Player?  I think not.  It’s just that he comes across that way.  It’s not that we have lost our passion for the game we love so much… it’s that the players have lost their understanding that showing their love of the game is what makes it fun for us.

We don’t want to watch men at work.  We don’t want to watch men going through the motions of their jobs.  I want my Tommy Bolt; I want to see guys throwing clubs when they miss a shot without worry of being fined.  Well, maybe not throwing clubs, but you know what I mean.  Most of the problem is the players… they have forgotten it is ok to be vulnerable.  Part of the problem is the Tour.  Fining players for this, fining players for that.  The tour has become just like my old office.  Watching great shots is not enough.  It’s not enough in any sport.  We want the high fives; we can’t wait for the fight; we want the crash; we want the player jumping into the stands.  Without the passion we have our own lives and none of us want to watch that.

I want my passionate players.  Show us you care, guys.  I see it from Sergio, I see it from Anthony and very view others.  How cool would it be to watch Vijay running around the green slapping fives with all the fans, showing he cares?

A couple of other thoughts… I am going way out on a limb here, so far on the limb that I can feel it breaking.  Ready? Nick Faldo’s ego got in the way of his picks.  Look at all the facts and you must conclude that Darren Clark deserved to be named to the European Ryder Cup team over Poulter and Casey.  Way, way over both.  So why wasn’t he?  Why did he leave Clark off?  Why did he leave Monty off? 

I think Nick Faldo wants all the attention on himself.  I think by naming Clark or Montgomerie to the team if would have taken some of the media attention away from Nick.  What other possible reason could there be for not choosing one of them? Darren Clark is their soul; Colin Montgomerie is their heart.  Those of us that truly look forward to this event got “jobbed” by Faldo.

Talk about missing the passion.  Whether you like Monty or not, he brings to the game everything that we are missing without Tiger around. 

My final thought for the week.  WAY TO GO, DALLAS!  25% of the American team is former members of the Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Foundation.  No other city can say that.

Attention K-Mart Shoppers – broken Commissioner on Aisle 12.  If you are one of the 121 foreign players on the LPGA, please stay clear of that Aisle.  Once again, the Dictator Carolyn Bivens has gone overboard in the approach to a minor issue on the Tour.

In case you missed it, earlier this week, the LPGA revealed its intention to insist that all players with two years seniority must have sufficient skills in speaking English. A team of evaluators will assess player’s communication skills including conversation, everyday survival phrases and “golfspeak.” Any player unable to pass a required skills test can be subject to suspension from the tour.  So I guess this means if you have a serious lisp or are a deaf and unable to speak, forget about becoming an LPGA player.

Let me say, the reason behind the move is understandable.  The LPGA is having sponsorship problems.  They believe that the interaction between top players, many of whom are in that group of 121 foreign players, including 45 from South Korea, and the sponsors is of prime importance.  Further interaction between players and pro-am participants is just as important. 

The way this is being handled is totally out of line.  Not only do I think it is illegal, but once again, the Commissioner, Carolyn Bivens, seems to be creating policies that are not in the best interest of the tour.  What makes me just as upset is that Ms. Bivens is no where to be found.  Every major news source was discussing this matter yesterday; sports talk shows around the country that never talk golf were spending hours on this issue as did The Golf Channel.  I kept waiting to hear from the Commish; I called the LPGA office requesting an interview and never heard back.  How can this be?  Can you imagine any other Commissioner not being front and center during this kind of debate?

The rule should probably read all English speaking players must learn other languages.  Let me explain.  The only rights fee (monies paid by media companies to carry someone’s broadcast) paid to the LPGA is from the Asian market; in all other cases, the LPGA buys the time.  So in my mind, to keep the Asian broadcasters happy, I would think Paula Creamer and Natalie Gulbis should be learning Japanese or Korean or face suspensions. 

Why be so dramatic?  I agree - all of us should learn other languages.  I agree that if foreign-born players want to help grow the game in America or want to try and increase their marketability, they should be able to communicate on other languages, but to tie this policy to suspension due to an inability to pass an exam reminds me a of time about 60 years ago in Mississippi.

A good idea gone bad… seems to be a regular problem with the LPGA.  Incidentally, as someone that promotes the heck out of their tour, it bothers me greatly each time they do something this silly.  According to sources I spoke with, the LPGA never discussed instituting penalties with their players as they broached this topic.  Their heart is in the right place; their approach is like walking the plank.

Paul Azinger announced on Monday that two of his four picks are locked in and that you’d have to search well outside the second 10 on the final Ryder Cup list to find their names.  Makes for an interesting discussion.  During a year when choosing process was changed so Captain Azinger could pick 4 instead of 2, the Americans can barely find one deserving to make the team. 

Perhaps Azinger can call Faldo on Saturday night, the evening before Faldo goes public with his two picks, and offer a trade.  Maybe one more pick to Faldo for one extra point for the Americans?  I think that would serve our team better.

Faldo, on the other hand, has a fistful of players vying for the remaining two spots.  As I said last week, I hope Monty gets a pick, but it looks unlikely.  Even Darren Clark, the fun-loving, cigar smoking, always smiling European may be outside looking in.  Paul Casey and Ian Poulter seem odds on to make the team.  Faldo seems to making a LPGA kind of move.  Rather than delaying his picks until September 2nd, the day after the Deutsh Bank (it concludes on Labor Day) as Azinger is doing, Faldo will make his picks Sunday at 1pm.  This could be a mistake, depending on how Soren Hansen, Oliver Wilson and Martin Kaymer play this week in the last European event.

Anyway you look at it, Louisville in September is the place to be.

Well, I can finally say it, “I am getting old.”  I never thought it would happen.  I am so young at heart; except for the grey hair, everyone says I look great for my age; I still walk the golf course 85% of the time; I get along great with the younger players on the tour, so why do I, unfortunately, come to this sad conclusion?  The past few days, I drove the 1104 miles from Dallas to Bluffton, South Carolina, to enroll my son, Doug, into the University of South Carolina at Bluffton.  My son in college… that must make me ancient.

It seemed liked just yesterday that I was pushing a stroller with my kid inside.  From his first tee-ball game to lacing up his first pair of skates to learn to play hockey; from buying his first small golf club to watching him break his collar bone in PeeWee football; from all the soccer games to his making the winning basket to beat the undefeated team in the champion game of the Highland Park Youth Basketball League… I have had incredible joy watching Douglas grow from a little boy to a young adult.

Somewhere along the way, a very interesting thing happened - as the boy became a man, he chose some very important values, values that many are unable to choose.   During the summer vacation of his 16th year, Doug, along with a half a dozen of his high school friends, spent 4 weeks studying French at the University of Biarritz.  It was during that trip that my son made the decision to not smoke or drink.  Because of that choice, he took much grief from his friends.  You remember those days, right?  “Let’s go do this… or let’s go try that.  What are you afraid of?”  Well, Doug made his choice and stood behind that decision, taking plenty of crap from his friends.  It made me realize that Sandie and I, no matter how hard it was along the way, had raised an amazing son.

Like many men, it is hard for me to sometimes show my true emotions to my oldest son.  The pride I have felt as he decided to take on the game of golf at the very old age of 17.  The pride I have felt over the last year watching Doug go through what most boys that take up the game go through at 12 and 13.  The pride I have felt watching him go through the 94’s and 95’s to get to the 84’s and the 85’s, to winning his first tournament.  There are not many 18 year olds that could have dealt with the levels of beginner golf at such an old age but Douglas Newton Gribin is not your normal kid.  Through all the difficult times, the normal crap we all go through as parents, the constants with Doug of telling the truth and taking responsibility for his mess-ups are always there.  Doug Gribin is an amazing young man, and while other boys his age are off to the first year in college, Doug has chosen to continue his path towards playing college golf by enrolling in the Post Graduate Program at the Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy and taking just a couple of classes at USCB, putting off his real freshman year for another 6 to 9 months.

So you go, Doug… keep doing your 10 hour practice sessions; keep handling the good times and the difficult times with the class of a 30 year old; keep chasing your goal; keep listening to Hank and never quit trying to capture your dream.  I know I don’t say it enough, but I am really proud of you and love you very much.  And I’ll keep getting older… of course your mom never ages.

One closing note as we head into the Fed Ex Cup.  Last year at this time I was writing what a mistake the “Race for Cup” seemed to be.  I apologized the week after Tiger won the Tour Championship, the first Cup and ten million dollars.  As we enter the 2008 Fed Ex Cup without Tiger Woods, I am, once again, wondering where and from whom we will find our excitement.  Will it finally appear from Sergio? Could Padrig Harrington take another step towards solidifying his place as “the” Tiger chaser?  Can Phil find some inner strength and turn a miserable year into a $10 million payday?  Or will some unsuspecting Tour Player create some much needed magic as we turtle our way to the Tour Championship and the Fed Ex winner.

In the middle of all this, we will get one of sport’s greatest events, the Ryder Cup.  Even without Tiger, I am really looking forward to this year’s Cup.  I truly believe our US team enters as a big underdog.  Over the next few weeks, USA Captain, Paul Azinger, will choose the four additional members of the team.  That alone will add some excitement to the first two tournaments of the Cup.  One thing is certain, Azinger needs to find a couple of very hot players to add to his team.  Who will answer the call?  We’ll have to wait and see.

Hope you are doing well...

When it comes to Sports, God really helped the PGA last weekend.  Think about it.  Just how much time does he (or she if you ask most of my female friends) have for the major Championships?  In April, God is working really hard to get all those baseball prayers answered, his favorite sport; June rolls around and he definitely does not have time for the pro golfer because he is taking care of all the prayers of average golfers; July follows and he’s busy with parents prayers for the best summer vacations imaginable so he has little time for the professional golfer.  Finally August steps to our calendar and God usually has way too much on his plate with school starting. But this year, this year, God had time for the PGA.  Michael Phelps did not need his help; most of the baseball teams are through asking for miracles; the Redeem Team, the beach volleyball teams, the women’s softball and men’s baseball teams don’t seem to need him, so the PGA got their prayers answered over the weekend, quickly turning what might have been one of the worst PGA’s into one of the greatest.

Everyone at the PGA, their employees, the players, the fans and the media, were all using every prayer we’d saved, asking him to bring rain.

And he came through.  Boy did he every.  See, the PGA had spent many hours looking at the Farmer’s Almanac - you know, the book that tells you about weather over the last 100 years. It told them there would be rain all week.  They decided to set the golf course KNOWING the rain would come.  Oakland Hills, already one of the hardest designed golf courses in the world, was set up even harder.  Fast and hard and plenty of rough, added to already impossible greens made for near impossible conditions.  Without rain, Oakland Hills was quickly becoming a nervous proposition.  The players were doing more than mumbling, and the crowds were doing, well, nothing.  It was quieter than a tennis match.  In my first two days on the course, I heard a total of 5 roars.

But He came through.  With the rain and the colder weather, Oakland Hills produced a tournament for the ages with three players, each from different levels of the game giving those in attendance and those watching on TV an amazing Sunday afternoon.

Padrig Harrington (yes, I am gloating here, as I chose him to win in last week’s newsletter) came from 6 shots down: his win was the 3rd major in just 13 months, and we now have, without a doubt, the number 2 player in the world.  We have found the player that wants the spotlight next to Tiger.  What a comment he made after the Championship, “I can’t wait 7 months for the next major.”

In Ben Curtis, we found a player that could deal with the next to impossible layout of Oakland Hills.  A player that loves hard courses; a player we never think about; a player, even in those NFL logoed shirts, flies totally under the radar but somehow managed to hang when all the others couldn’t handle the Oakland Hills design.

In Sergio Garcia, we found a new man, a man who truly wants a major; a man who is now taking responsibility for his actions; a new Sergio.  What fun it was to follow him during his 41st attempt to get his first major.  Does he still miss putts? Does he still make that one silly mistake at the most inopportune time? Yes.  But for the first time, I saw him take ownership of those mistakes.  And mark my words: Sergio will win a major in 2009. 

This was a great PGA.  It’s just too bad that without Tiger in the field, there were not more people watching on Sunday.  This is the kind of Championship that would grow the game.  It is a Championship I will not soon forget.

Thanks, God, for taking the time to answer our prayers.

Ok, before I start getting the feedback about the use of God in the above writing, please know I am just trying to have a little fun.  I know many of my listeners take God very seriously, but I hope you will allow me the little banter of fun.  And who knows, maybe I’m right, maybe God does have time for the prayers of golfers.  God knows, we all try to use him for that one putt to win our match. 

I want to take a second and talk about golf at the Olympics. I am totally against golf in the Olympics.  It’s not that I don’t love golf, you all know I do, it’s just that I don’t like having any sport in the Olympics that already gives the world plenty of chance to have the best play together year round. It’s like Tennis in the Olympics, how silly is that?  We are going to see the same players playing in another event that we could have watched during any other month.  I truly believe the Olympics’ should be for sports that are not center stage.  When else do we get to see the greatest women’s softball players or the best badminton players?  Let’s leave the Olympics’ for those sports… I don’t need more tennis or golf, or even basketball for that matter.  I want Michael Phelps and archery.

Finally, as we finish our summer vacations, I want to say how important these last three months were to me and my family.  I hate getting older (I just hate the alternative more) and with each passing year, I know that the summer vacations with my children are almost over.  So, take a few minutes to love your kids, they’re leaving the nest sooner than later.

 

I have to say, I cannot wait. I cannot wait for 2010. I cannot wait to watch the best players in the world actually have a problem handling the rough.

The USGA and the Royal and Ancient announced this week that the rules limiting the groove volume and sharpness of groove edges will change as of January 1, 2010. The good news for us as Amateurs is that the rules won’t change in top amateur events until 2014. So for 4 years I will get an advantage when I step to the tee with Professional golfers.

Dick Rugge, the technical guru for the United States Golf Association said, "Our research shows that the rough has become less of a challenge for the highly skilled professional and that driving accuracy is now less of a key factor for success. We believe that these changes will increase the challenge of the game at the Tour level, while having a very small affect on the play of most golfers."

How cool will it be to see a tour player have to work harder to hit the fairway knowing that being in the rough will actually become more of a hazard? For the past 25 years, golf manufacturers have made the game easier and easier for the professionals. Has it helped us? Perhaps in a small way, but grooves will only truly assist in the spin of a golf ball out of the rough if you have enough swing speed to make it happen. Most of our swing speeds are 10-20 mph slower than the pros. So the change in grooves will be more harmful to the tour player than to us as average players.

The unanswered question is, “How much will this rule change take the longer hitters out of top spots?” Please understand the metrics of a Tiger or a Bubba. Image Fred Funk hitting a drive 265 yards on a line from the tee box to the left edge of the rough. It stays in the fairway. Now let’s take Tiger or Bubba. They hit a ball on the exact same line, 2 degrees off center. Their ball goes 330 yards. Guess where it ends up? See it’s not that the longer hitters miss more fairways; they have less area to hit. Imagine a funnel, how it gets larger the longer it is. The same is true for the long hitters. Will this rule affect them more? Quite possibly. That will hurt the game.

My point? Well, I am on both sides of this fence. I believe golf should be harder from the rough and a bunker. Heck, in today’s game, tour players will aim for bunkers rather than the rough. We should just eliminate bunkers from courses, or use the Jack Nicklaus rakes… that will have a cause and effect. So even though I like guys not being able to spin the ball from the rough, I do believe we will lose some of the fun watching (dare I say) John Daly or other long bombers working harder to keep the ball in the fairway.

I am glad the USGA finally took the step… it will be interesting to see what affect it will have on the Tours.

Missing Tiger –

Heard Tiger yesterday on ESPN Radio with Scott Van Pelt. TW said he watched on the last few holes of the Open Championship and none of the WGC. He also told Van Pelt that we would not watch any of the PGA. He said it would be too hard watching an event that he would be trying to win for a third consecutive time.

When asked about coming back, Tiger said he was on schedule. Not sure what that means, but I really want to assume that would be The Master. How cool would it be to have him back in time to challenge for another Green Jacket?

Practice Makes Perfect –

I love my boys. I know, like most dads, I can be hard on them. I don’t care what they want to be, my only rule is “whatever you choose, pay the price to get there.”

My son Douglas kind of messed around with golf for a number of years. He would work for a few weeks then move on to something else. He always talked about becoming a good golf; he just never was willing to pay the price to get there. Fifteen months ago, Hank Haney pulled Doug aside and started helping him. With his swing, sure, but more with an understanding of the game. In 15 months, Doug has had more ups and downs than most golfers have in 10 years. See, this is a fast track. Incidentally, you will all get a chance to see the ups and downs starting in September on The Golf Channel. Doug was chosen as one of the players in a new series called “School of Golf: Hilton Head Island.”

Well, the 10 hours a day of practice, the 85’s to 80’s back to 84’s all paid off on Monday as Doug won his first NTPGA Masters event. I cannot tell you how proud I am of Doug. Not the fact that he won; the fact that he is paying the price. Congratulation, son.

Who will win –

The big thing on all the Golf Channel Shows now is picking the winners of the upcoming event. They pick a Dark Horse, a Contender, a Favorite. So here I go...

For my Dark Horse -

Well, I would love to pick Tommy Armour III. He is the second hottest player on the tour over the last 6 weeks; however, his 10 day vacation might leave him a bit rusty. I also like Bart Bryant. This is the kind of tournament in which he usually hangs close. But my pick is (drum role, please) Briny Baird. He is playing in his first major of the year, but he finished fourth at the Players and actually has the best finishing record in majors since 2004 among the field.

For my Contenders –

My personal favorite has to be Anthony Kim. The kid is making all my predictions come true; however, I am a little concerned about his putting from the Open. My other personal fav is KJ Choi. The problem here is lack of a decent 4 rounds played over the last couple of months. One of these days, both of these guys will get their first major win.
That leaves me with Kenny Perry. The hottest player on the tour, this could be his week. It’s a lot to ask, but he seems to be a man to have the answers.

For my Favorite –

The odd-makers are hanging their hats on Phil at 9-1 and I believe he has a chance to be right there. He putted much better this past week, and for Phil, that is the biggest issue. Forget where he hits it… not important. Speaking of putting, you have to mention VJ and Sergio. If either can keep their putter hot for 4 days, they could run away from the field. I am, however, not secure in that feeling. So my favorite is… Tiger Woods… wait, that was a couple tournaments back. My favorite is Padrig Harrington to go back-to-back and be proclaimed the number 2 player in the world.

There you have it. Please do not bet on my picks… I am usually very bad at this. What I am pretty good at is reporting from the Championship… So please do not forget… This Sunday morning from 8a to 10a on 103.3FM ESPN, The Golfers Home is live from Oakland Hills.

Also, don’t forget to sign up for Frisco Lakes on the 13th!

Hope this post finds you well… This week, instead of The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, we have The Good-bye, The Sorry and The Amazing.

The Good-bye – It is hard to believe, but over the next four days we will say goodbye to Annika Sorenstam’s major career, at least for a while.  I think I am one of many who hopes Annika pulls a Brett Favre and at the beginning of 2009 will announce that she wants to continue to play.  She, however, would be welcomed with absolutely open arms.

Since 1995, Annika has been the face of Women’s golf, and what a face it has been.  A woman with an incredible desire to succeed; a woman with style; a woman that has put the game of golf on her back and said, “follow me to success”; a woman who leads by example, who is always looking for the elusive 58 and believes she can do it; a woman who has given back to the game at a greater level than she has taken.

In this final season, Annika has done what she does best: she wants to go out on top.  “I will not go quietly into the darkness,” says Annika.  And while she won’t make it to the number one ranking (Lorena just won’t be caught), Annika is doing everything possible to end the season Number 1 on the money list.

I will miss Annika; I don’t want her to go.  In the prime of her career, Annika has chosen to chase children, a husband and a business career rather than a golf ball and while I hate that she is doing that, I do understand. 

Annika Sorenstam is a class act.  When she chose to play in a PGA Tour event, she realized how important it was to the rest of the women of golf.  She did her week with class and understated elegance.

She never attacked the PGA Tour Players that said it was wrong.  She kept her goal in mind and worked towards that goal.  Even with all the media frenzy (and let me tell you what a jungle it was, people from every woman’s magazine in the world asking the most stupid questions) Annika stayed focused on her goal… to play her game and make the cut.  And while she missed the cut, the world smiled on Annika for the way she handled the situation.

Goodbye Annika – please come back soon.

The Sorry – It is hard to believe that over the next few days, we get more everything of Michele Wie.  Anyone been watching The Golf Channel?  Every promo for the Reno-Tahoe has Michele. 

I will not spend much time on this topic.  It is quite simple.  If you watch the PGA Tour on The Golf Channel, miss it this weekend.  Send letters to The Golf Channel asking them:

• What has Michele Wie achieved to have her face in a promo for a PGA Tour event?
  
• Don’t you, The Golf Channel, believe you are lowering your standards by promoting a participant that does not belong in the event? 

Seriously, we as the viewers have to start saying no to this.  And there are not many ways to do that.

So, why do I call this “The Sorry?”  It is very simple.  There is no question that Michele Wie has something.  I’m not real sure if it is a golf game - we will hopefully find out someday.  But, she has that quality.  A quality that could do more than anyone to help grow the women’s game.  A game that is, in some cases, responsible for her wealth.  So, The Sorry is because Michele Wie is no Annika Sorenstam.  Hell, at this point Michele Wie is no Michele Wie.  The great athletes do for others.  The great athletes carry their team on their back.  The great athletes put the game first.  From all that, they become great.  They don’t promote themselves into greatness.  THAT IS ALWAYS SHORT LIVED.

I wish, above all else, that Michele would hire me to manage her career.  It certainly couldn’t hurt.  Send those letters and emails:  Boycott the Reno-Tahoe.

The Amazing – I think America has found our next Trip Kuehne. 

At 6 years old, a young boy named Jeffrey Edelman began playing golf.  Over the next 12 years, Edelman won many, many tournaments and the State Golf Championships at Southlake.  He was one of America’s top ranked junior players. 

He was offered a scholarship to Duke University.  Jeff also happens to be a straight A student.  Jeff headed to Duke with his clubs in one arm and school books in the other.  During his freshman year, he played in a number of events and kept improving.  He was on his way, a great college golfing career and then on to, hopefully, the PGA Tour.

But something happened along the way.  Some family problems at home got to the young man.  He found college life to be something he truly enjoyed.  He starting working out and soon became a workout addict.  During the summer of 2007, Jeffrey rarely played or practiced.  He was trying to “figure out his life.”  He came to a decision that I’m not sure I could have made.

He chose his life over golf.  After speaking to his parents and his coach, Hank Haney, Jeffrey went back to school and resigned from the Duke Golf Team.  When I asked him why, he said, “Mr. Gribin, I want to enjoy my college experience and get good grades.  You can’t do that and play golf also.”  Much wiser than his years, Jeffrey Edelman has spent the last 8 months playing one or two rounds of golf.

But Jeff found something during his time off.  He found that he still loves to compete.  So Edelman entered the US Amateur qualifying field.  He spent the last couple of weeks working hard on his game.

This past Monday, with his father on the bag, Jeffrey Edelman won his qualifying tournament at Sky Creek Ranch.  He shot 68/74.  Walking 36 holes in one day at 103 degrees is hard enough, doing it at 2 under par is amazing.

So good luck Jeffrey Edelman, you enjoy your amateur status and becoming the next Trip Kuehne.  Family and friends first, work second and golf third.  It is still a great life.

Hope you are all doing well…

Ok – Here we go. I can see the letters and anger coming already.  Greg Norman winning the Open Championship would have been the worst thing to ever happen in golf.  There, I’ve said it.  Sure, it was exciting.  Sure, it was fun to watch.  Sure, we all expected him to fold like a paper airplane.  My point however is that I do not want my Champion Golfer of the Year being someone that really does not like playing golf, let alone someone that has not made a commitment to the game, especially someone that has made hundreds of millions of dollars from the game.  I am pretty sure that many years ago, Norman loved the game of golf, but not much anymore.

I had the opportunity to interview Norman, one on one, a few months back.  During the interview I asked if he missed playing.  “Absolutely not,” he said. I got the distinct impression that Norman has not enjoyed playing for many years.  I think it came easy.  Greg Norman had as much natural ability as anyone, ever.  Greg Norman enjoyed making money.  In my opinion, Greg Norman lost whatever passion he had for the game and played because he got him what he truly loved, being a businessman.  Greg Norman got what he wanted from the game.

Let’s compare Faldo and Norman.  Most hated Faldo - the villain.  Faldo with the sour face, the mean look; Norman, with the straw hat; the blond hair and the great smile.  The bigger difference, Norman had all the talent and not much drive; Faldo, ok talent, but incredible drive, an endless desire for perfection.  Give me the Faldo’s every time. 

If Norman had won it would have been a slap in the face of every golfer that spends hour after hour on the driving range working endlessly on his game. 

Padrig Harrington won’t make millions from the win.  He doesn’t have a clothing line or much of anything else.  He just has a golf game that makes me proud to be a golfer.  Don’t get me wrong: what Greg Norman has done with his professional life is amazing.  He has taken being a golfer and turned it into an empire.  I give him plenty of credit for that; I just don’t want him being the Champion Golfer of the Year.

Two other notes… this has nothing to do with age.  I love the fact that he played so great at 53.  I envy Kenny Perry and Tommy Armour.  I just wish Norman had their passion for the game.  Finally, if you think I am wrong, let’s see if Greg chooses to play in the PGA.

I finally figured it out this week.  All I have to do is be very bad at my profession… then screw up so I can get in trouble.  In other words, be disqualified, and for doing all that I will get a tremendous raise.  Isn’t that in fact what happened to Michele Wie this week?  After playing horrible golf for the last year, she manages to get herself disqualified last weekend for failing to sign her scorecard and now she gets a sponsor’s exemption into another PGA Tour event. 

SHAME ON YOU, RENO-TAHOE… SHAME ON YOU.  For those that read my newsletter each week, you know that I have been blaming the Tournament Directors for asking Michele and John to their events.  Well, it has not seemed to make a difference (of course, who am I).  So now I make a plea to each of you.  Boycott the events.  Please.  Until we, the fans, stop attending, it seems they see that as a sign to keep inviting.  We have to show that we really mean it; that they, the Tournament Directors, must stop giving unwarranted sponsors exemptions in the name of fan appreciation.

The last time I checked, this is the PGA Tour, not Ringling Brothers.  If a Tour event honestly believes they need Michele Wie, maybe it is time for that event to move into the Fall Series.  Let’s give the dates to people that want to make a Tour event.  Please see Wachovia, just six years old.  I know not every tour event is going to get the best players, but build a great event and many will come.  And that, my friends, is enough.  Maybe the Sacramento Kings need Michele.  Think she would say yes to that?

We can all name at least 10 players, professional and amateur, that would make better exemptions.  What can we do as a group of loving fans to stop these people from giving exemptions in our name?  There is only one thing and you know what it is.

You know, I really don’t like being angry.  I so love this game.  I so enjoy the PGA Tour and what it has given us this year.  Maybe it’s time to just accept it and move on… or not.

 

Ok, tell the truth.  How many of you did what I did and turned off the television after Roger went down 2 sets to love?  I don’t care what the ratings said… I know you did it, too.  Thank God, I Tivo’d the event and got to watch the greatest tennis match of all time.

Are you missing Tiger already too?  Thank God for Tommy Armour.  I knew there was some reason to watch the AT&T.  Yeah, Anthony Kim is pretty good too, but watching the 48 year old play the best golf of this career is really fun.

The question of the week:  HOW MUCH WOULD YOUR HANDICAP RISE IF YOU PLAYED BY EVER RULE FOR THE NEXT TWENTY ROUNDS?  This question has been rumbling through my head for over a week.  I am thinking of writing a book about the rules we forgive the most.  What do you think?

I have to admit, I love my work.  I am the luckiest guy alive.  I have the best listeners… I have the greatest sponsors… and for the last 7 years I have had the opportunity to take over 8,000 golfers to play in over 160 outings.  On Monday we go to Gentle Creek, what more could you ask for?

Another favorite part of my job is getting the chance to play some of America’s favorite courses.  In the last 5 weeks, I have played Congressional Country Club and this last Tuesday, I played Shoal Creek.  You remember: the country club in Alabama that had a small problem with allowing African-Americans into the club.  Well, politics aside, this is one of the most amazing golf courses in America.  Way underrated in every Top 100.  My bet - not a lot of raters heading to Birmingham.  Let me tell you, this is one spectacular site.  Every hole is totally tree-lined with incredible mountains surrounding.

Hey, check out the new website.  One of the best new parts… the ability to prepay for your outings.  No more standing in lines.  And also, check out the new membership program - more than 20 rounds of golf with half being on the weekends.

Speaking of Tommy Armour, how stupid is this one?  To add excitement to the tournaments over the past few weeks, the Tour and the Open Championship decided to give exemptions to the players earning the most money for a period of time.  The winner, Kenny Perry, has decided to not play in the Open.  Many are criticizing him; not me tough, I have no problem with his choice.  My problem comes from not moving down the list to give another player the exemption.  Why do something logical like that?  Nope.  What seems strange to me about this is that Perry had announced he was not going to travel across the pond.  Why not remove his name from the list?  Anyone notice the Fed Ex Cup leader list lately: no Tiger Woods.

After twenty years, Conde Nast, a unit of Advanced Communications, has chosen to close Golf for Women.  It is amazing, what can we do to help in the growth of the game when things like this take place?

Got to catch my plane…  Short story this week.  More to come…

There have been three times in my life that I have been lucky enough to enter “THE SPORTS ZONE.”  Those of us that play sports on a regular basis are aware of that place.  A cosmic area where you can do no wrong.  Where the game comes easy.  You see the ball the moment it leaves a pitcher’s hand.  A grounder takes that bad hop and becomes a single.  You play your sport believing you can do no wrong… that you are Tiger or Michael or Babe.  We pray for these times, but they seldom choose our body for entrance.

My first zone came while playing high school basketball.  I was a junior.  I could always play; I could always shoot.  You know those that can’t jump (white guys) were able to shoot.  Back at the turn of the previous century when I played, there was no three point line. Anyway, beginning the second half of our season, we played Birmingham High.  I went 7 for 7 from the outside and 8 for 8 from the free throw line.  These kinds of stats continued for 8 more games and at the end I had made 45 of 48 shots and 36 straight free throws.  The zone is an amazing place.

My second entrance into the zone came at the most mysterious time.  I had just left my first wife (no, I will not tell you the story).  Working in the Radio business in Los Angeles, a very big part of our lives was the Advertising Softball league.  There were about 25 teams in the league.  Extremely competitive.  The goal each year was to win the league and receive and all-expense paid trip to San Francisco to play against other city ad league teams.  The competition was always great.  I was a decent high pitch player.  Never a great hitter, I was a fantastic defensive left-center fielder.  So the playoffs start and you had to win 8 straight games to win the Championship.  I’m not sure if I was more relaxed having just become single or I just got lucky, but during those games a total sense of magic entered my body.  Over the 8 games, I went 31 for 32; my only out was a ball heading over the fence stopped by an incredible grab by the outfielder.  Hell, in two games they even intentionally walked me.  We got to
San Francisco and the magical force continued.  I have never in my life felt such power over my body and my opponents.

Last week, with my wife and kids in Los Angeles for some well-deserved vacation, we got a call that my mother-in-law’s nurse was outside her apartment banging on the door and that Nikki (Sandie’s mom) was not answering.  I rushed over and had the apartment management team break through the door to find my wife’s mother and absolute best friend lying dead in her bed.  There is nothing harder than telling your wife that her mom had passed.  While Sandie and the boys were rushing back, I spent the day taking care of Nikki and cleaning out her apartment (something I knew Sandie would never be able to do.) 

After not sleeping and holding my wife as she cried the night away, I convinced Sandie to get away for awhile and watch Will, Doug and me play golf.  This is not something Sandie does very often.  Actually never.

The zone works in mysterious ways.  You never know when it will appear and just as important, you never know how long it will remain with you.  Whether it was Niklki saying thanks; God making me look good to my wife; just being totally relaxed from being so tired… I proceeded to shot 33 on the front and ended the round at 2 under par. 

Every shot was easy.  I saw the lines; the cup was huge.  The next day we did it again and I shot one under par. Sandie was like a girlfriend on a first date - all excited that her man was so impressive.  It was fun to put a smile on her face.

On Tuesday of this week I was supposed to play in the Media Day at The Honors Club in Carrollton.  Formerly the Columbian CC, Honors is without a doubt one of the best kept secrets in the metroplex.  For almost 60 years this has been one of our best gems and no one knows.

I did not want to leave my wife, but she said go ahead.  (Now, let me say this is not normal for Sandie to say go play.)  At the end of the round we checked the scorecard and 71 looked great.  Three straight rounds under par.

The ZONE is an amazing place.  I hope and pray that each of you get to know how it feels.  I know about making money… I know about being a great husband and dad, but as someone that loves playing sports… there is nothing like BEING IN THE ZONE.

I know it won’t last, but I am enjoying it while it is here.

A couple of thoughts on Drug Testing –

1. Again I ask, “why?”  Our sport is self-imposed.  It is what makes golf the greatest of games.  There are no umpires; there are no referees.  There is one player playing a game and calling penalties on him/herself. With that being the case, why do we need testing?  This was a bad move for golf. 
   
2. When jokes are reality!  In the past two weeks, I have been asked about 100 times, “who will replace Tiger?”  My answer continues to be the same, “no one.”  Let me give you a perfect example of what I mean.  Agree with me or not, most jokes come from reality and insecurity.  Right?

The following was Top 10 player Steve Stricker’s response when asked about drug-testing: "All we have to test is one guy because we can't beat him, anyway."

Is there one player with kahones? 

Have a great week… find the zone.

 

Time to get some things off my shoulders!

Can we all just get along?

I am a liberal.  I admit it.  Being in Texas can sometimes make that difficult.  But, as liberal as I am, it is time to stop thinking everything has some sort of racist attitude or double-meaning attached.  People say some pretty stupid things in the name of “trying” to be funny.  That is the mistake, not that Kelly Tillman or Johnny Miller has a racist bone in their bodies.  Are there racists in the world?  Absolutely.  Should they be taken off the air or be made to stand at attention during the entire Democratic National Convention, yes.  But just as important, there are two major steps we must take to move into the 21st century.

1. Let’s leave the one-liners to the comedians.  Announcers and analysts need to be just that – announcers and analysts.  They need to report on what is happening and try to explain why.  They need to stop trying to be what they aren’t.  They are not comedians!  They are also not mind readers.  Stop telling us what someone is thinking when they do not know.  Stop saying what shot a player is going to hit when they do not know.  Tell us what you think they might try and more importantly, what shot they did hit and why.  STOP TRYING TO BE FUNNY; it does not work and only gets you in trouble. Hey Johnny… Italians do not clean pools.
2. It is time to give people the “benefit of the doubt” about their stupidity.  I am sick of every time someone says something we have to hear from Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton or some group about how the comment was racist.  Chances are it was not racist; chances are it was just stupid.  Johnny Miller did not need to apologize to Rocco Mediate or the Italian community for his comments.  He needed to apologize to all of us for his stupidity; he needed to apologize to all of us because he has no comedic sense.  And we need to get some thicker skin.  It is time for us to move into a higher state of consciousness.  When we play… let’s play hard and have fun.  When we work… let’s work hard.  When we are worried about issues at hand… let’s worry about something far more important than some commentator making an ass of him or herself for saying something stupid.  God knows we have plenty of things on this planet to really get concerned about.

Enough with the seeds –

On a far more important note.  Attention Sunflower seed eaters… STOP LEAVING YOUR SEEDS ON THE GREENS.  Where do these idiots come from?  Have some respect for the others on the golf course.  If you drop a shell on the green (or even the tee box) have the courtesy to pick it up.  This goes for cigarette and cigar butts also. 

And while I am at it, how about picking up your tees after you hit a shot?  Where is it written that just because you hit it into the woods you should leave your broken tee in the ground for someone else to grab?  If everyone did this and fixed two divots on every green, imagine how much better every course in the world would be.

Who says you have to hit it far –

Let’s hear it for the 48 year olds… Congratulations to my bud Tommy Armour III and his brother Sandy.  They finished second last week at the Travelers.  Ever since Tommy asked his brother to “get back on the bag”, Tommy seems to be a new old man.  He led the field in birdies with 24 and GIR’s at 83%.  The thing I love most about Armour is that “he gets it.”  More than most on the Tour, Tommy Armour III understands that to stay in the show, you actually have to practice.  Armour hits more 5 foot putts than anyone I know (not counting some guy named Tiger.)  At 48, most guys are just trying to hang around until they go get the “fun money” on the Champions Tour.  Ask Tommy about that and he says, “I believe I can play on this tour for many more years.”  Tommy Armour is the next Fred Funk and we need more of these guys.

One last look –

One last comment about the whole being a comedian thing, it goes for players too.  Retief Goosen saying, “I was trying to be tongue in cheek.”  Dare I say again, let’s leave the jokes to the comedians… if you are a golfer, be a golfer.  If you are an analyst, be an analyst. 

And, incidentally, Retief – I hope you never have to face Tiger in a Match Play event.  If you do, please blog… ”Steven Ames comments to Tiger Woods.”

Have a great week.