"When you are ahead,
don’t take it easy, kill them.
After the finish,
then be a sportsman." 
Earl Woods to his son Tiger Woods
 

Join Us In Augusta This April!

Golf America Presents
Moving Day at The Masters
Join the Golf America gang at Augusta on Saturday, April 7th for the premiere golf event of the year -  Moving Day at The Masters! Your trip will include two nights lodging in Conyers, GA, all ground transportation, a badge for Saturday's grounds admission to The Masters, hospitality at The Masters, including breakfast, lunch, hors d'oeuvres, cocktails, beer and wine, and 18 holes of golf at Cherokee Run Golf Course! This is sure to be a trip you'll never forget! Hurry - space is limited to just a few more spots and selling fast!

Price $2,195
per person, double occupancy
Does not include air transportation

Send an email to jerry@jdrtours to reserve your space.

 
Howell Has His Day in LA

Charles Howell has gotten off to a great start in 2007, playing the best and most consistent golf of his career. I had the pleasure of attending his pre-tournament interview a few weeks ago at the FBR Open, and it was one of the best and most heartfelt interviews I've seen in the golf business. Anyone attending in person would have been awed and inspired by the thin, young man, and anyone watching him pound 300-yard drives (he also hit one 400+ yards this past week) would wonder how the heck he does it. Must be something about his technique. Anyway, I was thrilled for Charles this past weekend when he was able to outlast Phil Mickelson, beating him on the 3rd playoff hole at the Nissan Open at Riviera CC in Pacific Palisades. It really couldn't have happened to a nicer, more deserving person than Howell, and we hope his third victory comes a lot sooner than he had to wait for his second (5 years).

Congratulations Charles!

For the majority of the world who believes the PGA Tour starts and stops with Tiger Woods, it's back to the TV sets this week to watch him attempt to win his 8th PGA Tour event in a row! Winning two in a row is almost impossible (as demonstrated last week by Phil M.), but to win 8 in a row these days is virtually a miracle.

This week will be a true testament to Tiger's dominance of the game, as it will be played at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championships on a course Tiger's never seen until this week, The Gallery at Dove Mountain. Anything can happen during a Match Play event, and it usually does.

There is no question Tiger is the best player who has ever played the game of golf, and over 72 holes of stroke play competition I like his chances every time he tees it up. But Match Play brings out a lot of possible quirks and scenarios you simply cannot predict. You can actually shoot a better total score than the player you're matched against - and still lose.

Win, Lose, (they can't draw), "The Streak" has been fun to watch, and  we all thank Tiger for bringing millions of extra fans to the game of golf!

ps - want to win a cool million $$?? Of course you do - so click on the # 9 hole below and take advantage of The Golf Channel's generous Bracket Buster promotion. Pick every match correctly and you win a cool mil!

pps - if you win remember where you heard about their little contest!! Cash is always gladly accepted!

Golf America Magazine Is Taking the Golf World By A Storm!
Our Second Edition is Now Here!!
Click the new cover to read our latest edition

There's NEVER been anything like
Golf America Magazine In the Golf Industry,
and We Plan To Stay Ahead of the Pack!

Click Here To Read the Amazing Second Edition
Tips For Reading This State-of-the-Art Publication:
Click on any page you want to read and it will expand to fill your screen, then click on it again when you are done and it will reduce to browsing size. It's MAGIC!! Also - try flipping pages from the very bottom corners of each page. You'll LOVE IT!!

Combining the best in golf and the best in accommodations, The Course At Wente Vineyards has paired with the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa to create the new Wente Vineyards Golf Stay & Play Package.

Showcasing a unique Northern California golf and wine getaway destination, the package features a full experience at Wente Vineyards. A round of golf at the Greg Norman-designed course, rated the top course in the East Bay region, includes a box lunch on the course, golf cart, use of the practice range and complimentary wine tasting.

A special welcome gift awaits guests at the hotel, where each package includes one spa treatment per person from a collection of options (massages, facials, wraps). Deluxe "oversized" rooms, available with one king bed or two queen beds, feature 24-hour room service, high-speed internet connections and use of the 50-foot swimming pool, fitness pavilion and sauna.

Winter season midweek rates for the Wente Vineyards Golf Stay & Play Package start at $263 (for one) and $417 (for two), with weekend rates beginning at $292 (for one) and $477 (for two). The winter season package is available through March 26, 2007. More details on the Wente Vineyards Golf Stay & Play Package are available at 925-283-3700, www.lafayetteparkhotel.com and www.wentegolf.com.
              

The WGC Accenture Match Play Championship has certainly brought a lot of attention to this remarkable golf club located north of Tucson, AZ, but those in the know were very aware of this special place well before last year's announcement as the WGC's new venue.

The Gallery at Dove Mountain is a private club featuring 36 outstanding holes of golf, however it is still open to the public, with each 18-hole course available to the public every other day. This is one of those clubs you'll want to visit two days, as each course has its own distinct personality, and each is an excellent test of golf. The Match Play Championships will be played on the South Course, which makes is an absolute "must play," but my favorite of the two is the original North Course, with its dramatic desert style layout with plenty of elevation changes and beautiful scenery.

You can book you trip through Golf America Travel at 800-759-8747, or visit www.GalleryGolf.com.

Sounds pretty good to me!

If you want to take a shot at winning One Million Dollars all you need to do is go enter The Golf Channel's 2007 Bracket Challenge. If you can pick every single bracket in the upcoming WGC-Accenture Match Play correctly ahead of time, you will win One Million Dollars! It's free to enter, and even if you don't get them all right, whoever gets the most right will win some cool new equipment. Just click the image below to enter!

Paula Plays Pretty In Pink!

Using Aldila’s Pink NVS shafts in her driver and 3-wood, Paula Creamer held onto a one-stroke advantage to win the SBS Open at the Turtle Bay Resort in Hawaii, the first official LPGA Tour event of the 2007 season. Creamer battled the windy conditions on Saturday to finish the tournament at 9-under-par 207.

“I want to win as much as I can this year,” said Creamer. “It’s a great feeling I haven't felt in a while and it changes my confidence knowing I can do it, play a game and go out there and finish as good as I can each week.”

Initially, Aldila made the one-of-a-kind pink shaft for Creamer because of her love for the color pink. “After Paula experienced multiple wins using the Pink NV^TM shaft, we were flooded with requests for the shaft so we decided to offer them on a limited basis,” said Stewart Bahl, Aldila’s Marketing Manager. “The number of requests for pink shafts led Aldila to offer the shaft in every weight and flex combination of both the NV and NVS woods,” Bahl said.

The distinguishing Pink finish covers the unique Micro Laminate Technology™ of the NV and NVS that provides the golfer with enhanced power, consistent flex and precise feel. Aldila now offers both the NV and NVS Pink shaft models, ranging in weight from 45 to 85 grams, in L through X flex. A portion of the proceeds from the Pink shafts sold through distribution and those sold through Aldila’s OEM partners is donated to charities.

Golf America has partnered with Arizona Web TV to create the best Golf Show on TV - and it is delivered to you right on your computer whenever you feel like tuning in!

Our first show was shot on location at the TPC of Scottsdale, home of the FBR Open and the wildest hole in golf, and features host Keith James and the TPC's Director of Marketing, Russ Norris. It's fun - give it a watch!

Our latest show was shot at the wonderful Raven Golf Club at Verrado, just west of Phoenix, AZ and features a terrific course review with Director of Marketing Doug Foss. If you're heading to the Phoenix area for some golf make sure you watch the show to see why you want to include these courses on your golf itinerary. Enjoy the Show!

Click Here to watch Golf America TV!

THE CHATTERBOX
(INCESSA LOCQUA)

One might equate this human toothache to The Storyteller. While she is a second cousin twice removed to that blatherer, her true blood relation is actually The Snackman. Think about it. In both cases the mouth is constantly moving, though nothing good ever comes of it. At least the junk goes in the Snackman’s maw, which doesn’t really hurt anyone but him. This is in contrast to the incessant inanity dribbling from the lips of this poor wretch. Who’s to say why she can’t shut up for ten consecutive seconds, infringing upon, some might go so far as to say ruining the quietude which is one of the attractions of the game to begin with? Uncomfortable in her own skin? Blissfully unaware of the protocol of the game? Born without the benefit of the essential filter between brain and mouth that most humans possess?  Maybe it’s all three. Too bad she can’t spend her leisure hours on the psychiatrist’s couch finding out, instead of riding shotgun in the cart, offering opinions, spouting clichés and buzzing in your ear like a mosquito. In her favor, at least she’s not a blood-sucking parasite. On the other hand, you can swat a mosquito and nobody cares.

Markings: Comes in all shapes and sizes, but tendencies are to the extremes---usually either an ectomorph or endomorph.  Lips are often chapped from profuse flapping.

Behavior:  Emits a constant stream of babble during the course of a round.  She talks before, during and after most every shot of her own, and darn near everyone else’s.

Call:  “Never up never in my what a beautiful day I gotta get to the restroom aren’t these new golf shoes precious but they hurt my feet oh look at that robin want a sip of my soda I think George Clooney is the most……”

Veteran golf writer Joel Zuckerman's "Misfits on the Links" features 40 guys and gals you can't help but recognize (and hope to avoid) on any golf course you've ever visited!  For personally inscribed copies for yourself, or the favorite Misfits in your life, visit www.vagabondgolfer.com, where you can purchase individually signed copies of any of Joel's books.

A priest is playing a round of golf at the local public course when he arrives at the 15th tee. This hole is a 160 yard par three with a lake in the front of the green. It is also the padre's nemesis, no matter how well or how poorly he is playing.

Upon arriving at the tee, the priest tees up his ball, gets ready to hit and, at the last minute, looks toward the heavens and says, "God, I have been a good and decent man. Please, just this once, let me hit a shot which will carry the lake and get onto the green."

As he is about to swing, a loud, deep voice booms from the heavens and says, "Use a new ball, they go farther." The preacher steps back, thinks about the heavenly advice and goes to his bag and gets a brand new ball. He takes his stance and once again the heavenly voice booms, "Take a practice swing first." The preacher is now awestruck by the heavenly advice, so he steps back from the ball and takes a practice swing.

He takes his stance and gets ready to hit and the heavenly voice booms, "Use the old ball."

 Click Here For More Golf Jokes

Call it fate, kismet or just a great coincidence, but last month as I was visiting the vast PGA Merchandise Show, where literally hundreds of golf club companies were trying desperately to sell the world their next generation of score-lowering technology, I had brought along a copy of Tom Wishon's book, "The Search for the Perfect Golf Club, which I started reading on the plane to Orlando and finished two nights into the show. It was rather amusing to read Wishon's observations on how wrong the golf industry's approach is to most club solutions while seeing exactly more of the same flawed thinking the next day on the floor of the convention center. Don't get me wrong, the technology is real and it is flashy and it is expensive. The only it doesn't do is help the average golfer have more fun or play better golf. Anyone who has studied the average golf score over the past two decades will see something absolutely amazing. It's barely changed at all. Despite tens of millions of dollars in research and development and marketing and testing, golf scores are still basically the same as they were when Jack and Arnie were playing their best golf. Something's wrong, and Tom Wishon actually has the answers most golfers need to find before purchasing their next set of clubs. A set which will actually help them play better golf. The Search for the Perfect Golf Club is available in most major book stores, and also online at www.wishongolf.com.

Rife Putters, who have had a considerable amount of success on the Professional Golf Tours over the past 2 years, ranked 2nd on The Darrell Survey with 10 putters in play on The Champions Tour this past weekend at the Allianz Championship held in Boca Raton, FL. Amongst the 10 putters in play, three finished in the Top 10, and Rife's new Island Series Cayman putter finished tied for 1st in Putts Per Round with 27.3.

At The Allianz Championship, Rife had all but one of their putter models in play. The Antigua, Aussie, Barbados, Cayman, Martinique, 2 Bar Blade, and 2 Bar Mallet were all being used at the event. How many other putter companies can say that they were that well represented by their line? Rife's combined earnings on the Champions Tour at The Allianz Championship exceeded $220,000.00

The only putter not in play on the Champions Tour this past weekend was The Mr. Beasley….which just so happened to capture a Top 10 Finish on the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in Monterey, CA. Rife's Mr. Beasley putter captured a T-6th Place Finish at Pebble Beach on Sunday and earned a paycheck for $184,250.00.

"We are excited to be off to another great start on the PGA and Champions Tours," said Matt Molloy, President & CEO of Rife Putters. "We had every putter model we offer in play this weekend. I'm not sure if that has ever happened before. Based on this kind of start, we're looking forward to another great year out on the Tours."

Check out all the Rife Putters at www.rifeputters.com

I spent this past weekend in Flagstaff, AZ with my youngest daughter, Alex. She lives in Colorado with her mother, where she's a senior in high school, and she wanted to visit Northern Arizona University to see if it's the right college for her. We had a great time, and she loved the University, but I bring this trip up for a very important reason...golf was nowhere to be found! This past weekend was the first event of the year for the LPGA; it had one of the best non-major fields of the year playing at the Nissan Open; and Tom Watson found some of his old magic in Florida, where he won for the first time ever in that flattest of all states. It's even flatter than his home state of Kansas! There was a lot of professional golf being played all over the planet, and not a bit of it was shown anywhere we went in that lovely little college town in Northern Arizona. And you know what? I didn't miss it one bit.  

You see, I'm one of those golfers who would rather be out playing golf rather than sitting in front of a TV watching someone else play. Alex and I didn't have a chance to play any golf in Flagstaff over the weekend, but we had a lot of time to talk and ride in a car together and get out and walk around the campus, and when all was said and done, it felt almost as good as if we had played a round or two up in the pines. For me golf is all about being outdoors, being with good friends, having good conversations and enjoying life. We did all that, and there wasn't a club or ball to be found. I hope you have as good a time with your family.

Chris Robinson and Charlie Ross are playing the final round of the 2007 Match Play Championships with the match all tied after 34 holes. On the 35th hole they both tee off and hit their balls into the right rough, still well in play, but off the fairway by several yards. As they walk up to their balls they see a coyote sneak out to where their balls are and pick one up and run off into the desert. They were both playing the same type of ball with their initials, "CR", written above the logo in blue ink. When they arrive at the remaining ball they both claim the ball is theirs. Neither will back off the claim, so what happens next?

Answer Below in the 19th Hole.

Philly Mick was cruising along with a three shot lead when his luck ran out. On Friday Lefty hit a tee shot on the marvelous, short, par 4, 10^th that hit the cart path left of the green and bounced toward the 13^th fairway only to be stopped by a branch that couldn’t hold up a wren. He escaped with par. He bombed a drive of 348 yards on the...Click Here to Read More...

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Share a Round or Two with KJ

What's with all the new drinks?

I had the chance last week to play in The Big Swing, a pre-tournament event for the Safeway International LPGA event coming to Arizona next month. It was marvelous, playing the perfectly groomed tournament course at Superstition Mountain CC under perfect skies with temperatures in the very comfortable upper 70s. I certainly hope the weather is as good during the actual event! Safeway went all out, as they always do for this event, with plenty of ice-cold beverages available throughout the course, including a new drink I'd never heard of before. It's called Spark, and it is a malt beverage (5% alcohol I think) loaded with caffeine, ginseng, etc. so that it actually serves as an energy drink. The first taste was a but much, but I must say they got easier and easier to drink as the afternoon wore on. By the end of the round I had a lot of pep left in my step, so something must have worked. It got me thinking, though, about all the new drink choices we have now that we didn't have when we were younger. How'd we ever make it through high school and college without Red Bulls or diet soda? And by the way, weren't average Americans a lot skinnier back then before all this diet and low-fat stuff was invented? Now we are faced with choices between numerous energy drinks, sport drinks, diet drinks, dark beers, light beers, near beers, malt beverages, flavored vodkas, flavored rums, and the most annoying of all, the $3 16-ounce bottle of water. Used to be we could get it right out of a hose or fountain for free. Now it's got to come in a bottle. Somehow, I still feel hosed every time I have to buy a bottle of water. Anyway, I digress. We had at least 25 different choices of drinks offered to us last week during this great event, and after trying a couple cans of the new Spark drink, I did the only thing a red-blooded American should do for the rest of the evening. I went with the Bud Light. 

Answer to Rules of the Game: Since neither player could positively identify and prove the ball as theirs, their balls are both declared as lost, and they both need to go back to the tee and hit again. Since they both need to re-tee, they still start off tied. Since they are playing a Match Play event, whoever gets the ball in the hole in the least amount of shots will win the hole and take the lead heading into the 18th hole. If they tie again, then they remain tied heading to 18.