What? Now I am Penalized for my Mark

I have decided to assess myself -  a 9,000 stroke penalty for all the times, in 60 years of golf, that I may have misplaced my marked ball.

In other news the LPGA has decided to do away with rules officials, this will not only save money but allow viewers to be part of the tour, as all viewers will now become official, officials.

Sad, but a sport just now gaining a few new fans may now lose some of them. 

Meanwhile, the weather is getting better each week and I have played two or three times each week for the past month.

Nothing in the world better than playing with the grandkids

PGA Tour From Congressional Country Club

I like the final pairing today on the PGA Tour at the Quicken Loans National,  Ernie Els and Billy Hurley the III. Also great to see V.J. playing like his old self. Too hot for anything outside here today so good TV golf and with some Rockies Baseball later. Guess I will take it easy.

At my age, I can't do much to hit it farther, but I can keep working on my chipping and putting

Enjoy the day and get out on the course soon.

Dustin Johnson and the Open

Not sure the PGA of America wants Dustin Johnson to win. Remember the PGA tournament a few years ago? Put that along Joe Buck constantly talking about the ball moving and the free drop because of the tower and this tournament is getting annoying to watch. 

Attention PGA, sometimes grass bent from being walked on straightens and could cause the ball to move, even if it was walked on by a group or two ahead. 

Amazing how particular they are one week, and the next week players may be picking up, cleaning, then placing their ball for each shot. 

The official made a ruling, then they wait for more than an hour and tell Mr. Johnson that he might be given a penalty, after the round. Nice way to take his attention away from the task at hand.

And here I thought it was pathetic that Baseball started using replay. 

Think I will head out to the garden and pull weeds. 

Another Year in Golf

Well the majors are over for the year. Phil won, Tiger did not. But mark my words, Tiger will win one next year. Jason Dufner might win another also, I don't think he is a flash in the pan. Now back to my own game, still working to get the handicap down to singles.

Looks like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are both playing for Nike now. That gives Nike the number one and two players in the world as Tiger just moved from three to two. I did a quick, what’s in the bag, check on Rory and it is all Nike, ball, clothes, everything. I see where the two have already done their first commercial for Nike together.

Myself, I will keep playing whatever I can get on e-bay and some cheap stuff from Wal-Mart.

Still waiting on a deal from one of the biggies-got the handicap down to 12-could be soon.

Still trying to hit the ball longer-who isn't? Tried new driver or two, several new balls.  Here is what I have learned-fitness is the key. Stretch, get stronger (I am using the long bands and enjoy the exercise). And work on developing your stamana, thats about it. At 64 it is hard but I will continue my attempt to hit it deep.

Two old golfers (much like me) stood looking across a river that boarder number six on the front.  One old duffer looked at the other and said, "Look at those idiots fishin' in the rain, what's the matter with them" .

Thoughts on Harry Ted Potter Jr., John Daly and Q-School

So another new winner on tour—Ted Potter Jr. wins at Greenbrier. Missed five straight cuts then wins, shows just how fickle this game can be. Looked like he was heading back to Q-school (the last one) and instead he has two guaranteed years on tour and a ticket to the Master’s.

And what is going on with John Daly? He is looking like the Daly of old. If he can come up with enough sponsors’s exemptions I think he will win his card back. Fans love him and he is proving he still has game. He needs four years to reach 50 and the seniors tour, I expect he will be welcomed there with open arms, he flat out brings in fans and $$$. Hard to keep a player with a 70.1 scoring average out of tournaments but some of these good-old-boy tourneys remember too many of Daly’s bad moments. Hope they open up and let him play. He is playing this weekend so I will set my DVR as we will be on the road to a family reunion (please feel sorry for me, it won’t help but I need it).

The Web.com Tour instead of Q-school and everyone needs to earn a card through a year on this tour, good-old-boys at work again. This concept is as bad as the BCS and the Hockey (let everyone in) playoffs and the NFL Pro Bowl. Golf never has reached the viewing numbers it would like and this will not help. Will we see the good young players on other tours (Europe, Australia) come to America for a year in the minors so they can play the PGA tour? NOPE!

Golf In the Heat - Hey, It's 100 Degrees

Golf is so popular simply because it is the best game in the world at which to be bad.

 ~A.A. Milne

Gotta be past 60 to enjoy golf when it is 100 degrees out, seems like everything works better when it is warm. Have to tell myself to face the target (turn) in my swing, warm weather helps.

Seems as I get older I have had to narrow my stance, too wide restricts the chance for the hips to help you finish the swing.

Best thing about playing golf past 60 – I never feel bad about riding, no walking for me, well maybe if it’s flat and I play just 9, and it’s not too long. Oh-forget it I am gonna ride.

Enjoy the Fourth-and be safe.

Winter Golf and Snow

Can't play at 7,200 feet this time of the year. Good news is I will retire in June so next fall and winter I may go south a way's and play. Love fall, love football hate the golf weather. We have had 2 nights where we were -16 and -12 and so far 23 inches of snow--nothing like dreaming of warm weather and good golf.

Sorry Padraig --We Caught Ya

For the second time this year a professional golfer has been disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard. After a viewer emailed in a rules violation by Padraig Harrington he became this years number two. Seems his ball may have moved a full dimple, or even a dimple and a half. This was determined after careful slow motion study of Padraig bumping his ball as he picked up his marker.

He said all the right things about the rules and the disqualification later, but I bet he was steamed. All of the sudden viewers think this is the home shopping network and they are supposed to call in.

I love golf but do not believe we should have turned the game over to television snitches. By the way if I could just move my ball a dimple and a half closer once in a while, I believe I could go to the tour – from my double digit handicap now.

Golf and Snow

We have snow and cold here but the PGA is off and running in Hawaii. Love watching golf this time of year. Can’t play golf in the snow, so watching on TV is the next best thing-

“I never did see the sense in keeping my head down. The only reason I play golf is to see where the ball goes.”
Charles Price Golfer-at-Large (1982)

Viewer Call In Golf

So here we go again a viewer calls in a violation and Camilo Villegas is gone from the Tournament of Champions in Hawaii. Villegas was chipping up a steep slope to the 15th green and twice the ball rolled back toward him. The second time, Villegas walked over and casually swatted (Craig Stadler and John Daly style) away some loose pieces of grass in front of the divot while the ball was still rolling down the side hill.

That is a violation of Rule 23-1, "When a ball is in motion, a loose impediment that might influence the movement of the ball must not be removed." The penalty was two shots. Villegas had already signed his card which disqualified him for signing what was now an incorrect score card.

Well, all is not lost, Camilo still got $50,000 plus for his day of golf.

Ever wonder what would happen if we started calling in basketball, football and baseball rules violations the officials missed? Sometimes the penalty seems a bit harsh for the violation. But that’s just me speaking.

-Enjoy the golf-

How Do You Spell Graeme Anyway?

Graeme McDowell has been voted player of the year by the Golf Writers Association of America. Not sure I will ever learn to spell his name. I am good with the spelling of Tiger or Phil just in case they rise again next year.

Let Me At Um

-David Fay to retire-

David Fay is retiring from the U.S. Golf Association and I am waiting by my phone for a call. I even checked my answering machine to make sure it was working in case I happen to be outside scooping snow (something I do a lot of these days).
When Fay stepped down last Friday many people were surprised, not me. He is nearly as old as I am and old guys like us need to play golf not watch others play. But I will put down the clubs and take over if the call comes. Ordered two dozen golf balls yesterday just in case someone in the Association office is on vacation and they accidentally call the wrong person.

FORE !

FORE – Is that enough warning for one of my wild shots?
Looks like I don’t even need to holler.
A case brought to court by Dr. Azad Anand, who was struck in the eye ( and blinded in that eye, according to news stories) by a shanked shot in 2002 on a New York (Long Island) golf course by his friend Dr. Anoop Kapoor. (I think this may have strained their friendship.
Anand said his injury was caused by Kapoor failing to yell "fore" or some kind of warning for a ball headed his way.
But the New York State Court of Appeals upheld a lower court ruling, saying that Kapoor was not at fault.
"A person who chooses to participate in a sport or recreational activity consents to certain risks that are inherent in and arise out of the nature of the sport generally and flow from such participation," the court wrote.

Giving Golf for Christmas

This is a bit tricky. If you know exactly what is wanted, golf stuff can be a great gift. If you guess, giving golf for Christmas can and likely will be a disaster. I give my kids (all grown-up) golf balls every year. But I know what is good, what they like and what they play. Not sure anyone should pick out a bag, clubs or balls for Christmas, stick with shirts, sweats, bad ties, books and food items. This stuff they can re-gift—now that I think of it bad golf gifts could be re-gifted for bad golfers.

Fall is Gone Winter is Here

We had a great fall and now winter is here. And winter means snow and Ice everywhere, maybe that’s what we get for living at 7,200 feet above sea level and its cold outside. Not sure I will spend so much time here in the winter when I retire, but that is still a while away. I am now officially starting to think about playing some golf – only six months away.

-N-

Football--New Rules

Tough time of the year for me, getting cold, fall heading into winter, nope. Lots of people in Wyoming call this time of year hunting season, but not me, it’s the end of golf and the beginning of football. There is some difference—I play golf and watch football. I like to play golf at this time of year. Not many people on the course and it’s really not that hard to find golf balls in the snow, they almost always leave a trail. This year I am going to limit myself to watching only five or six football games a week. That may sound like a lot to many people but about half of what I usually do. I even have a few suggestions for new rules to make football more exciting.

1. Use two footballs instead of one.
2. Allow holding—anywhere, anytime
3. Ten points for a drop kick field goal of over twenty-five yards
4. Let the soda and hot dog venders on the sidelines and into the huddle during time outs.
5. Have all teams wear white uniforms
6. Fine any network using a sideline reporter one million dollars—I really hate sideline reporters.
7. All music in the stadium must be from the band—no more obnoxious music
blaring from huge million dollar boom boxes.
8. All football games must be played outside
9. Instant replays will be sent to the nearest local sports bar with everyone in the bar getting three votes
10. Night games will be played without lights—players will be allowed flashlights and spectators are each allowed two glow sticks