Steve Czaban has a man crush on Hunter Mahan and Anthony Kim. Here’s Paul Azinger’s system of dividing the team into three NON-INTERCHANGEABLE parts. Here’s a good ESPN article on Boo Weekley. Here’s Sal Johnson, our great golf writing James Joyce, with his poignant observations. Finally, here’s what the British press says is going to...
Here’s Sal Johnson’s Golf Observer recap of the morning matches. Here is a picture of the Euros with Iron maiden’s drummer, Nicko McBrain. (Which will NOT become a future nickname for Faldo…). We are playing well and fired up – to matches come back from 3-down to scrape a point-and-a-half. Impressive, most impressive. Maybe...
Remember the mantra – foursomes means, “four guys hitting the ball some of the time,” while four balls is “four balls in play.”
Mickelson, Kim vs. Harrington, Karlsson
Leonard, Mahan vs. Stenson, Casey
Cink, Campbell vs. Rose, Poulter
Perry, Furyk vs. Westwood, Garcia
Valhalla: Heavenly Host to “The Greatest Sporting Event in the World” In Old Norse, the word “Valhalla” means “Hall of the Victorious Dead.” It was there – in Odin’s palace – where he, the other Norse gods, great kings, and those slain in battle would gather. In this sacred hall, the heroes planned their fight...
Hiya Hug! Great piece. As usual, Golf Observer nails it.
Let’s see: My Irish golf writer buddies on Ryder Cup gamesmanship? Check.
Melanie Hauser on Ryder Cup drama? Check.
Dermot Gileece? Check.
John Huggan of Golf Observer? Definitely check!
Finally, we lost one of the good one’s last night. Richard Wright, drummer for Pink Floyd died of cancer at age 65.
I don’t agree with Paul Azinger’s picks at all. Six Ryder Cup rookies and a lot of dead weight look to weigh us down in Kentucky. The U.S. Ryder Cup captain selected Chad Campbell, J.B. Holmes, Hunter Mahan, and Steve Stricker, passing over spunky Rocco Mediate – who went head to head with the greatest player in the game in the hottest pressure...
Irish Golf Desk is one of the great unsung websites for golf news. It’s great name too. Anyway Brian Keogh had some solid articles on Padraig. The collection is here. With Padraig specially preparing extra hard for the Masters, and with Bethpage’s layout playing into the teeth of Padraig’s considerable strengths, we have a chance to see a...
I love when Tom Belton calls me, because he has a good idea every time. Sometimes he picks my brain for legal analysis of the confluence of sports and intellectual property over the Internet. Sometimes he asks me the writer’s view of a new wrinkle he has for competitive team golf formats. Most importantly, every time he calls, he has a groundbreaking vision for...
This is a project that I am working with both as an attorney and as a writer. We’ve discussed how team golf events would benefit from some of Tom Belton’s ideas such as accelerated scoring, (where when you win your match 4&3 you get seven points, not just one), and fan participation in coaching decisions really turns fantasy sports into reality...
Four bits of golf news: One of my favorites, Karl McGinty writes about Faldo and the European Ryder Cup team. Lorne Rubenstein discusses Woods’s dominance over everyone and notes that today is Tiger’s thirty-second birthday. Hey while we’re at it, I’ve been re-reading my Strunk and White:Â The Elements of Style and want to do my part to...
Friday A.M. Alternate Shot Foursomes is not a strength of Team USA. This format is all about chemistry between the teammates. Who can deal with it better when his partner knocks the ball behind a tree? Who can stay even-keeled in the middle of turmoil? This is not a fire and forget format. Every shot counts. The penalty for getting loose is not just on the scorecard...
The U.S. team of Juli Inkster and Pat Hurst shot 67 on Sunday, but finished in second place at 286, seven shots back of the winner, Paraguay. Julieta Granada and Celeste Trioche shot a 7-under 65 in the better ball to run away and hide from the field. South Korea finished third. Team golf – it’s interesting, a great change of pace from the...
Montego Bay, Jamaica            The U.S. rode a 17-4 singles surge to power their way to a 27-11 victory in the Inaugural Pro Team Golf League US vs. Canada team golf event. San Antonio’s Anthony Rodriguez slammed home a stunning fifteen foot putt on the 7th hole to secure a 3&2 win over Canada’s Dustin Risdon...
Montego Bay, Jamaica In the 5 AM pre-dawn gloom the Jamaican sea and sky are still welded seamlessly in dark navy blue on the horizon, but already the golfers’ rooms are full of light and movement. Soon the sun will rise and set the sapphire sea all aflash, gilding gold upon the water, but to the young PGA pros-to-be, the sun is rising on a great...