In this article, I lauded the state of New Jersey for passing legislation designed to test all high school athletes for eighty different steroids and performance enhancing drugs. Sadly, I learned today that the New Jersey testing program has a serious gaping hole. Athletes will only be tested during the playoffs and only if their team is competing. After forming a...
Woody Paige of the Denver Post reports that such a serious rift has developed between the tour and the rightsholders of the prestigious and unique “International” tournament – featuring the Stableford scoring system – that the Denver Tour stop’s future is in serious jeopardy. Paige writes: Jack Vickers, founder of The International, and...
CAN A TEAM GOLF LEAGUE WITH INTERNET USER INPUT HELP THE U.S. RYDER CUP FORTUNES? – LEHMAN AND CAMPBELL THINK SO… Cinnamon Hill Resort, Montego Bay, Jamaica The normally sultry afternoon heat on this Caribbean paradise is softened by a gentle December breeze. Along serene crescents of white sandy beach palm trees dip and sea gulls swerve while local...
The AP reports that in 2008 the LPGA Tour will begin testing athletes for steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Specifics as to testing will be determined over the next six to nine months – and therein will lie the truth as to whether testing will actually have some teeth or simply be lip service. This is the best decision Carolyn Bivens has made as...
I played soccer and ran track my whole life and never had shin splints. Throw on a pair of wing-tips, move to NYC and get old and Holy Smokes! Walking the golf course becomes downright difficult. Shin splints are also hereditary. Jay: (last year) Dad, you’ll never believe it, but my shin splints are absolutely killing me. I can’t walk. Dad: Oh I can...
Lorena Ochoa ran away and hid, winning the LPGA Tournament of Champions by a record ten shots. Did she also steal the Player of the Year honors from Annika Sorenstam? One Sporting Life writer thinks she has a good shot. Joe Logan seems to agree with me that Phil Mickelson’s Collapse was the most terrible moment of 2006. Here’s is the rest of his season...
While I get a few new things ready for the end of the week, go visit Geoff Shackelford for his analysis of Tiger Woods the designer (My bet is he sells alot of expensive real estate and lands a major fairly quickly) and over to Golf Observer for Sal Johnson’s recap of Adam Scott’s victory at the Tour Championship and coverage of Paul Azinger’s...
He’ll play in the Accenture and Buick events, but Tiger Woods will skip the Tour Championship at East Lake next week. Citing that playing seven out on nine weeks was “taxing mentally and physically,” Woods dealt a major setback to the tournament by taking a pass. As Phil Mickelson will also not attend, none of the champions of the four majors will...
Three administrative matters today. First, I’ll be finishing my roundup of most of the candidates for “Best New Private Course” shortly. My reviews of Ballyneal, Liberty National, Dismal River and Bayonne will be up at Cybergolf next week. Here are some preliminary thoughts on Bayonne – which looks remarkably like another excellent course...
Joe Logan of the Philadelphia Inquirer has started a good weblog called Golf, Inq. (Clever!) Joe is a first rate sportswriter who blends everyman opinions with a respectful, observant and insightful writing style. Back in the summer he and I shared some thoughts on how wonderful it was to have Merion back in the informal “rotation” of U.S. Open courses in...
New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle was at the controls of a small Cirrus-SR20 plane – a plane notorious for its difficult handling – that crashed into an Upper East Side residential high rise at 3:02 PM. Lidle and his flight instructor are confirmed dead. Lidle’s passport was found in the street below the crash, which occurred on about the 40th and...
Here’s a great alternative golf vacation – take part in some of the most unique golf tournaments in the world. My favorite is the Bushmill’s Malt Causeway Coast open, held over four days in June at four world class courses in Northern Ireland. Players are paired in four man teams and play one round each at Portstewart, Ballycastle, Castlerock and...