The GrunkleGuru

Tiger KO'd By The Flat Stick

2006-07-07T09:21:00.000-04:00

Well, after the first round of the Cialis Western Open, Tiger Woods finds himself on the wrong side of the cut line again this year. I do think he will make the cut, but people are starting to wonder if there is something wrong with Tiger, and the answer is yes.

I’m not talking about the grieving process over the loss of his dad, though I am sure it has an effect on his play. I’m not talking about his new swing either. Two wins this year and a major last year prove that it is working fine. It isn’t even his attempt to gain more distance, though it is hard to score when you are buried in the rough. No, the problem lies with his formerly trusty flat stick.

In yesterdays first round, Tiger took 32 putts during his round, and average 1.923 putts per Green In Regulation (GIR). That my friend is not how you win golf tournaments. It is at least 3 total putts higher then it should be, and by averaging nearly two putts per GIR it means he is not making many birdies.

I realize that one round does not make a season, but this is something that has been going on all year. Through the first round of the Western, Tiger is averaging 1.807 putts per GIR while the tour average is 1.785. Tiger’s salvation comes in the fact that he is hitting nearly 70% of the greens in regulation meaning he has more opportunities then most players. If we go back to 2000, you can see that Tiger has never struggled this badly on the greens.

- 2006 – 1.807 putts / GIR
- 2005 – 1.731 putts / GIR (Rank: 5)
- 2004 – 1.724 putts / GIR (Rank: 2)
- 2003 – 1.732 putts / GIR (Rank: 10)
- 2002 – 1.766 putts / GIR (Rank: 83)
- 2001 – 1.775 putts / GIR (Rank: 102)
- 2000 – 1.717 putts / GIR (Rank: 1)

With the exception of 2001 & 2002, Tiger has always been an exceptional putter, and one of his greatest assets has been his ability to make the big putt. From all the way back in the U.S. Amateur when he drained that bomb on the 17th at Sawgrass, to the putt he made to force a playoff with Bob May at Valhalla in the PGA Championship, Tiger has always had the ability to make the putt when he had to. I just don’t see that this year.

Another Round of Thoughts & Prayers

2006-06-28T08:46:00.000-04:00

On a local note (Greensboro, NC), I would also like to ask my readers to hold Joey Stanley in their thoughts and prayers.

Joey is the owner of 2Salon hair studio in town, and my wife's employer. This weekend he suffered a heart attack, and today is having quadruple bypass surgery.

There is more to share, but now is not the time. Please say a prayer or hold Joey in your thoughts.

Thoughts & Prayers for Peter Gammons

2006-06-28T08:42:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, one of the great baseball writers of our time suffered a brain aneurysm.

He is resting in ICU after successful surgery. More information is available here.

I grew up and Boston, and was lucky enough to be able to read Gammons on a regular basis while he was writing for the Boston Globe, and he has poven to be a great asset for ESPN as well.

Get well Peter. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

U.S. Open 2006 - The Real Phil Mickelson

2006-06-22T11:54:00.000-04:00

Yeah, I know, I’ve been gone for a while. No particular reason why the hiatus was so long, but it just seemed like I always had something better to do with my time. However, the events of this past U.S. Open have brought me back.

There were so many stories from this recent U.S. Open, that each one could be an article unto itself. We had Tiger coming back after the loss of his father and subsequently missing the cut. We also had Duval continuing his resurgence, and if he makes just one more putt has an exemption into next years Open (via a top-13 finish). Then there was the golf course itself. Winged Foot proved once again that it is a great course on which to test the best golfers in the world. And of course, you had the unexpected champion in Geoff Ogilvy, who definitely has the game and demeanor to be around for a long time to come. But the biggest story, and the one that seems to have some long-term staying power (at least until the British Open) is the collapse of Phil Mickelson.

Even with all the stories surrounding Tiger and his return to golf, Mickelson was the story. Going for his third consecutive major, and the proverbial Mickelslam, Phil was definitely one of the favorites going into this U.S. Open, and for obvious reasons. He was playing great golf, had proven he could manage his game, and he has been embraced like no other golfer by the New York crowds. From Bethpage in ’02, to Shinnecock in ’04, and now Winged Foot in ’06, New York golf fans love Phil, and he returns the love. After all, Phil was famous, not only for his incredible skill, but also for his gambler mentality, and the fans love him for it. That being said, it was the very thing that draws people to Phil that cost him this U.S. Open.

Pundits and former players are calling it a massive choke job, but I say that this is not the case, but rather another example of the real Phil coming out to play. For 71 holes he had managed his game as best as he ever has. His driver was not reliable in the least bit, but he was doing all the right things to keep giving himself a chance to win the Open. He stood on the 18th tee Sunday afternoon needing par to win, and bogey for a playoff. I don’t even question is choice to hit driver from the tee. If he was playing for bogey and a playoff, then 4-wood would be the right choice, but he stood on that tee and by taking driver said to the entire golf world that he was going to win this event here and now. However, by not punching out to the fairway, he displayed the aggressive nature of his game. I truly think that a punch-out guarantees a bogey, but a perfectly executed recovery leads to a victory.

I’ve always been a fan of Phil and his aggressive style of play. I still remember an article in one of the publications when I was a teen-ager when Phil told you how to play the impossible shot. From the 3-iron fade under the trees, to the shot you actually skip over the pond, to the flop shot you actually hit over your head onto the green, which was my favorite because I could execute it and take money off members of the club I worked at.

That was the Phil we all knew and loved, and it was the Phil that could never win a major. Like I said, the typical major winner on any given week manages his game the best. He typically does not win because of spectacular shots, or amazing recoveries. He wins because he keeps it in the short stuff, and doesn’t make the big number. In fact, it can be said that Phil was the first golfer to employ the now popular bomb and gouge style where you hit it as far as you can and then wedge it onto the green. It works week-in and week out at the regular events, but fails miserably at the majors.

So no, Phil did not choke, he simply got to a point where he had a chance to win the most important event in his opinion, in front of a crowd that adores him, and he simply reverted back to his old ways. Phil will have another chance to win the U.S. Open, and in fact might have many more chances (look out Torrey Pines in ’08) because of how talented he is. Whether he wins or not will entirely depend on his ability to control his ‘go for broke’ mentality for 72 holes, not 71.

Hiatus

2006-02-01T15:33:00.000-05:00

Long time… No post. Sad thing is that it will be an even longer time without a post.

I have got to go on hiatus for a while for a couple of reasons. First, I am slammed at work. We are in the process of new product launches, and getting ramped up for a big international show where we have got to put our best foot forward. Since most of that falls into my lap, many hours will be consumed getting ready for the BIG SHOW.

Additionally, I have to move in 3 weeks. That’s right, it is finally going down. As of right now everything is on track for us to move into our new ‘old’ house on February 24th. We are still staying in Aycock and are excited and scared to death about what awaits us as we try to bring life back to a house that has had no real attention for over 10 years. Wish us luck.

Don’t worry, I’ll be back, when I don’t know for sure, but I doubt it will be this month.

In the meantime, feel free to talk amongst yourselves.

The Big Link

2006-01-16T10:01:00.000-05:00

Do you watch TV? Do you watch the local news? Ever wonder who thoses hardworking people are that give us those great local stories and the feel-good images that drive a local newscast?

If so, then this might not be for you.

However, if you are looking for a little insight into the world of an expereices TV Photog, and a great writer then check out this week's

The Big Link

Don't say I didn't warn you.

Sony Open Re-cap - Toms is Crisp

2006-01-16T09:40:00.000-05:00

The Sony Open wrapped up yesterday with very little drama to go with it as David Toms was as solid and steady as he usually is, and his only real challenger, Chad Campbell could not get anything going.

If you don’t remember, Toms was carted off the course on a stretcher with an oxygen mask and a rapid heartbeat that paramedics could not control. The condition was later diagnosed as supraventricular tachycardia, or in layman’s terms, “a really fast heartbeat that brings you to your knees and scares the living crap out of those who see it happen.” This victory should prove to all that Toms is back, and better than ever.

More importantly, this will be a big boost for Toms as he has shown he still has the game, and that his heart is strong enough to handle the competition.

Fantasy Focus

While results are not posted for this week, The Grunkle Guru should have a pretty strong finish (results on Tuesday)

1st – David Toms (-19)
6th – Vijay Singh (-9)
T42 – Joe Ogilvie (E)
T53 – Aaron Baddeley (+1)
MC – Ryan Moore (+4)

Tap-In's

- In a blast from the past, David Duval came out of nowhere to shoot a nifty little 63 on Sunday. The fact that he made the cut was a rather big deal as he needed a birdie on his last hole Friday to get in, but this glimpse of the Duval of old must be exciting for many golf fans.

- It looks like golf might have itself a new fan favorite on its hands, and his name is Bubba. Bubba Watson that is, and does this kid ‘ton it’. Four times on Sunday he hit drives of over 360 yards. This kid is scary long, and it looks like he has some game to go with the bombs he can hit as he finished in fourth place for the week.

- Nothing like shooting 62 on a Sunday and still getting smoked. That’s what happened to Rory Sabbatini. You start the morning in fifth place, shoot a round that is one off the course record, and you still only move up to second place (5 shots out of the lead).

- This week we have the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic starting on Wednesday, as it is a 5 round event. The scores will be low, and it would not be surprising to see the winning score at 30 under par. In other words, if you shoot a round of 3 under you will probably lose ground on the field. Buckle up for a wild ride.

Sony Open - Round 3 Re-Cap

2006-01-15T09:01:00.000-05:00

Well, going into the final round of the Sony Open, and I am going to go out on a limb with a major prediction. Either Chad Campbell or David Toms will win this event. Now, I did not have some sort of revelation or anything, but I just took a look at the scoreboard. Both of them are tied for first at -14. Third place is at -7.

If these two play at even par, it means that someone is going to have to at least shoot 63 to tie them. Just don't see it happening, so either Toms or Campbell will start the year off with the right foot forward.

Anyway, here's how the salary cap cup is doing going into Sunday.

T1 - David Toms (-14)
T8 - Vijay Singh (-5)
T36 - Joe Ogilvie (-1)
T62 - Aaron Baddeley (+2)

Not a winning team by any stretch, but it is a solid start.

Sony Open - Round 2 Recap

2006-01-14T10:34:00.000-05:00

After the second round of the Sony Open, my salary cap team is not the strongest by far, but I am satisfied with where they stand:

3rd - David Toms (-5)
T29 - Vijay Singh (-1)
T40 - Aaron Baddeley (+1)
T66 - Joe Ogilvie (+3)
MC - Ryan Moore

4 out of five ain't bad, and with my lowest player still only 9 shots out of the lead, there is bound to be some wild swings this weekend.

Sony Open - Round 1 Recap

2006-01-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

After round 1 of the Sony Open, my team is in pretty good shape

T2 – David Toms (-4)
T49 – Vijay Singh (+1)
T49 – Joe Ogilvie (+1)
T49 – Aaron Baddeley (+1)
T114 – Ryan Moore (+5)

If the cut was after round one, I would have 4 players in the field as Singh, Ogilvie, and Baddeley would all have finished on the cut number (+1). Given that there are currently 24 players tied at (+1), I don’t expect the cut number to drop tomorrow. In fact, I predict it will stay at (+1) and maybe go to (+2) if the wind keeps gusting.

Salary Cap Cup - Sony Open

2006-01-12T08:17:00.000-05:00

With the first full-field event of 2006 getting ready to get underway in Hawaii today, it is time to bring back one of my favorite sections from last year. This year it is known as the Salary Cap Cup, and basically, it is an opportunity for me to pick 5 golfers per week and see how my prognostication stands up against at least 25,000 other people.

To say 2005 was a success would be a bold-faced lie, so I won’t. I will however say that I got better as the season went on, so maybe I learned a little something through trial and error. Anyway, the rules are simple. Each week I have $1,000,000 to spend on golfers in the field for that week. A golfers ranking is based on his salary for the year, world rankings, and almost surely popularity. The best player in the field is valued at $300,000, and players drop in value to a minimum of $75,000. Results are based on money earned in the event ($1 = 1pt). Additionally, bonus points are awarded for leading after the first, second, and third round.

Player loyalty plays a factor as well because if you have a low-earning player and he has a good week, his value will go up for those who wish to sign him to their roster, but you have them for the original signing price. For instance, if you had Jason Gore when he first got his battlefield promotion from the Nationwide Tour, you most likely signed him for $75,000. After his win at the 84 Lumber Classic, his value would go up substantially (I think it was $145,000), so in essence you had and extra $70,000 you could spend on your roster over your competition.

Now that you know the rules, here is who I signed for this week:

Vijay Singh ($300,000) – Singh won here last week, and has always played well in the Aloha state. No reason to think that this will not continue.

David Toms ($287,000) – If the wind blows, you want someone who hits the ball consistently, and there is no better ball-striker on a regular basis then Toms.

Joe Ogilvie ($209,000) – It doesn’t help him any that he is a Duke alum, but Joe had a breakout year last year and there is no reason to think this will not continue.

Ryan Moore ($118,000) – The question with this rising star is not if he will win on tour, but when. Let’s hope it is this week.

Aaron Baddeley ($85,500) – Remember when “Bads” turned pro few years back, and everyone thought he would be the next great golfer? Well, it would not be surprising if you did forget him as he has taken some time to mature into his game. That being said, my sources tell me he is hitting the ball better then ever and has dedicated himself to his craft this year.

So, if you add it all up, I got $999,500 in players teeing it up this week. Let’s see what kind of dividends they pay out.

Rule of the Week - Doh! A Deer

2006-01-10T12:57:00.000-05:00

As 2006 gets started, the Grunkle Guru harkens back to his days of youth for the latest installment of The Rule of the Week.

It was a beautiful day for golf. September in New England usually is. The round was going well for all involved. This was a friendly game where the winner was more concerned about bragging rights and a drink at the end of the round then he was with collecting money.

Standing on the 17th green you truly felt like you were communing with nature. The green was elevated, so you had a view over the valley below. There was a light breeze that moved the colorful leaves in a way that made it look like fire was all around you, but the crispness in the air provided a feeling of safety. Nothing could ruin this day.

As I stood over a long par putt I contemplated all the factors that would influence the putt. “Downhill, left to right at the end, about 65 feet” I thought to myself going through my routine. “Don’t forget that this green is exposed more then the others so it should roll a little faster then the others.”

Three practice strokes later I was standing over the ball, and settling my nerves for a confident stroke. As I struck the putt, I got what can only be described as that “Old Time Feeling”. The minute you hit a shot or a putt you know it is going to be good. Nothing can stop it from going to its intended location in this case, the hole.

As I watch the putt track I hear a rustle in the woods behind me. As I turn to look, a blur shoots from the woods and across the green. It is a deer, and a beautiful one at that. The majesty with which he carries himself is truly awe-inspiring. I am comforted by the moment until I realize that this freakin’ animal has hit my putt with his hoof.

“Son of a bitch!” I scream, “That putt was dead center! I can’t believe this!”

As my friends get over their fits of laughter, one of them says, “Don’t worry, you get to replay the shot with no penalty.”

“Oh yeah,” I said, “I forgot about rule 19-1b.”

So I go through my routine again, but this time with limitless distractions in my head. Needless to say I three-putted.

Man, I hate deer.

Mercedes Championship Recap

2006-01-09T14:33:00.000-05:00

Here’s a recap of the first stop of the PGA Tour season, the Mercedes Championship.

Leaderboard

1 – Stuart Appleby (-8) – won in a playoff
2 – Vijay Singh (-8)
3 – Jim Furyk (-4)

Loserboard

26 – Fred Funk (+20)
27 – Sean O’Hair (+26)
28 – Jason Gore (+28)

The event was exciting in that the course played much harder then it had in previous seasons. The rebuilt the greens last year, and it obviously made the course play much harder then it had in the past. Also, the wind never blew less then 20MPH on any day, and had steady gusts of 40MPH. If you have ever played golf, you have to hit the ball extremely well in the wind as mis-hits are greatly exaggerated due to the dynamics of physics on the golf ball in windy conditions.

Tap-ins

- This is the third consecutive win at this event for Stuart Appleby, and the second year in a row that Vijay Singh has come in second.

- Jim Furyk owns property on Kapalua and used his hometown knowledge to his advantage for a third place finish.

- Jason Gore, the man who won three Nationwide tour events in a row to earn a battlefield promotion, and then won the 84 Lumber Classic to earn his spot in the Mercedes, finally broke 80 on the last day. And for his stellar performance Gore still earned $70,000. Not bad work if you can get it.

- Lucas Glover won his wife a new Mercedes (valued at $87,000) for a hole in one on Saturday.

- My pick, Sergio Garcia started the first tournament of the year much like he did the end of 2005. He hit almost 70% of the greens in regulation, yet averaged 31 putts per round. This equaled a seventh place finish.

- This week is the first full-field event of the year, and will coincide with my first week of fantasy golf. My team for the Sony Open will be announced on Wednesday. Stay tuned for more information.

Mercedes Championship After 3 Rounds

2006-01-08T16:13:00.000-05:00

Going into the final round the leaderboard of the Mercedes Championship looks like this:

1 - Stuart Appleby (-6)
2 - Michael Campbell (-4)
3 - Jim Furyk (-3)

On the flip side, we have the loserboard:

T26 - Sean O'Hair (+17)
T26 - Fred Funk (+17)
28 - Jason Gore (+23)

With another windy day, and slick greens facing the field, look for a winning score at 7-under par.

Mercedes Championship After 2 Rounds

2006-01-07T15:05:00.000-05:00

Leaderboard

1 - Stuart Appleby (-3)
T2 - Michael Campbell (-2)
T2 - Jim Furyk (-2)
T2 - David Toms (-2)
T2 - Vijay Singh (-2)

Loserboard

26 - Fred Funk (+12)
T27 - Jason Gore (+14)
T27 - Brad Faxon (+14)

Windy conditions made round two a bit of a struggle for those playing this week.

PGA Tour Score Updates - New Feature

2006-01-06T15:03:00.000-05:00

In an effort to make this site more relevant to the golfing addicts around the world, The Grunkle Guru will now offer daily updates during tournament weeks of who is in the top three.

Leaderboard for Mercedes Championship after Round 1

1 – Olin Browne (-4)
2 – Vijay Singh (-3)
T3 – Carl Pettersson (-2)
T3 – Sergio Garcia (-2)
T3 – David Toms (-2)
T3 – Stuart Appleby (-2)

And, for those of you who either dream of playing with these guys, or just want to see what the worst scores of the event are, we will also bring you the Loserboard

26 – Ben Crane (+6)
27 – Jason Gore (+7)
28 – Brad Faxon (+9)

Free Golf Club Analysis

2006-01-05T13:58:00.000-05:00

Typically on Thursdays we have offered product reviews, but in all honesty, there have not been many posts on Thursdays. For one reason, is that there was not a bunch of new stuff to reveal. Well, that is going to change. I got my new clubmaking catalog the other day and boy, is there some cool new equipment coming out. I hope to review a fair amount of it during the year, but until then, I want to use this time to tell you about Short Game Central’s Special for the month of January.

One service that I offer is set analysis. During this process I ask the client to fill out a short questionnaire, and return that to me along with their set of clubs. I then check their clubs for the following specifications:

Loft
Lie
Bounce (wedges)
Length
Static Weight
Swingweight
Grip Size
Club Condition
Set Makeup

Then, by taking the answers provided on the questionnaire, and the information from measuring their set, I can come up with an analysis of whether their set is properly configured for their golf game, along with recommendations for improvements.

This is typically a $50.00 service, but for the month of January, I am offering this service free of charge. I want all golfers to start the season on the right foot, and this service is a great way to get started. If you have any questions, or would like to request a questionnaire, leave a comment or you can email me here.

Let's Get It Started

2006-01-04T08:21:00.000-05:00

The holidays have come and gone, and the Guru took advantage of the lull in the golf season to play one of his better rounds in a long time (78 with 36 putts), and rest up for what is going to be a long, but enjoyable 2006 golf campaign. Granted it did not get off to a great start as New Years Eve was spent bedridden with an evil and nasty virus that was passed on to me by my loving wife (thanks for the great Christmas present honey), but I am slowly on the road to recovery, and ready for the start of the 2006 season.

It seems like just the other week, we were watching the final event of the 2005 PGA Tour season. Oh wait; it was just the other week. Well, not exactly, the 2005 campaign ended on November 6th, and tomorrow, January 5th, the 2006 season gets underway with the Mercedes Championship. Actually, this is not a full field event, but rather a special tournament for winners from the past year. This year’s event set aside tee times for 32 golfers, including:

Stuart Appleby (1) – Mercedes Championship
Jason Bohn (1) – B.C. Open
Olin Browne (1) – Deutsche Bank Championship
Bart Bryant (2) – The Memorial Tournament, The Tour Championship
Mark Calcavecchia (1) – Bell Canadian Open
Michael Campbell (1) – U.S. Open
K.J. Choi (1) – Chrysler Classic of Greensboro
Ben Crane (1) – U.S. Bank Championship
Brad Faxon (1) – Buick Championship
Fred Funk (1) – The Players Championship
Jim Furyk (1) – Cialis Western Open
Robert Gamez (1) – Valero Texas Open
Sergio Garcia (1) – Booz Allen Classic
Lucas Glover (1) – Funai Classic
Retieff Goosen (1) – The International
Jason Gore (1) – 84 Lumber Classic
Padraig Harrington (2) – The Honda Classic, Barclays Classic
Justin Leonard (2) – Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, FedEx St. Jude Classic
Peter Lonard (1) – MCI Heritage
Phil Mickelson (4) – FBR Open, AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, BellSouth Classic, PGA Championship
Sean O’Hair (1) – John Deere Classic
Geoff Ogilvy (1) – Chrysler Classic of Tucson
Kenny Perry (2) – Bay Hill Invitational, Bank of America Colonial
Tim Petrovic (1) – Zurich Classic of New Orleans
Carl Pettersson (1) – Chrysler Championship
Ted Purdy (1) – EDS Byron Nelson Championship
Wes Short, Jr. (1) – Las Vegas Invitational
Vijay Singh (4) – Sony Open, Shell Houston Open, Wachovia Championship, Buick Open
Heath Slocum (1) – Southern Farm Bureau Classic
Vaughn Taylor (1) – Vaughn Taylor
David Toms (1) – WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship
Tiger Woods (6) – Buick Invitational, Ford Championship @ Doral, Masters Tournament, British Open, WGC – Bridgestone Invitational, WGC – American Express Championship

I know what you are thinking. What about Adam Scott? Didn’t he win the Nissan Open? The answer is yes, he did win the event, but since it was only 36 holes (due to rain) it was considered an unofficial event. In other words, he gets the money and the trophy, but that is it. No ranking points, no invitations to events, etc. Basically it is about as useless of a win as you can come up with. Not say I wouldn’t take it, but those unofficial events don’t carry that much weight.

While Scott won and did not get an invitation, four golfers (Goosen, Harrington, Mickelson, & Woods) earned the right to be at Kapalua, but have withdrawn from the tournament for various reasons. While each has their own reason for skipping, and some are more valid then the others (Hawaii is a long way away for Ireland and South Africa respectively), I still have a problem with these four not making the sacrifice necessary to play in this event.

Not only does this event serve as a way for those who had a good year to build momentum for a strong upcoming season what with the guaranteed money, no cut and limited field, but it also helps to jump start the fans interest in the tour. Since the event is in January most of the country is either buried in snow, below freezing, or just not thinking about golf. The event also takes place live in primetime so that you have a more captive audience. I don’t have any exact scientific fact to back up my thinking, but I do believe that good ratings lead to more interest in golf, which leads to more rounds being played, equipment being bought, and general support of the game. When you have four of the top ten golfers in the world, and two of the most popular (Woods & Mickelson) skip an event that really is tailor made for their games, it hurts the game of golf in general.

So, I hope the new television contract being worked out has a contingency that involves the best players in the world being required to participate in these marquee events. It does good for the entire golf industry.
As for a winner, I don’t have a strong feel for anyone, but for some reason I think Garcia is going to figure out how to putt for at least one week and get the victory.

Tradgedy Strikes The NFL

2005-12-22T09:46:00.000-05:00

Word is coming across the wire that Tony Dungy's son has died at the age of 18. For those who don't know Tony is the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. No other details are available at this time.

Forget about the football, my thoughts and prayers go out to the Dungy family as they deal with this tradgedy.

Parents should NEVER outlive their children. It's just not right.

It's Not About Golf ... Looking For Guidance

2005-12-16T11:50:00.000-05:00

It’s funny how you cannot fight destiny. I remember back to high school when I would tutor fellow classmates in courses that I was having success in. Teachers would overhear how I was explaining a topic, and mention how I should consider teaching. I would just nod my head politely, while on the inside I would be mocking them. I had dreams, and goals, why would I ever want to be a teacher.

Then it was onto college where I remember where I majored in Sport Management with unknown aspirations. The one thing I do remember was that I actually enjoyed the opportunity to teach a subject for a day to my peers. It was different, and there was a feeling of accomplishment when I was told that people learned something they did not before.

After college I became a golf pro (not the touring kind), and during that time I really enjoyed my job, but now that I have had an opportunity to reflect back on that time in my life there were two things that I liked. The partying (of which I did too much), and the teaching. The feeling of satisfaction when a member would see their ball flight improve and their comprehension of the golf swing increase was a feeling that provided extreme satisfaction for me.

After that stint I went into the business world in various sales roles with varying degrees of success. Again, I found myself enjoying the experience not when I experienced the success of a sale, but rather the process of educating the client as to why they need to utilize the product or service I was offering. The opportunities that I had to speak to large groups were energizing. I found myself throwing my heart and soul into these educational programs.

But then I decided I needed to grow up. I went to graduate school and earned my MBA. It was during this time that I took a required personal development class. It was only pass / fail, but was probably the most important class that I took during the entire experience. I gained a better understanding of my personality, and with that knowledge comes power. It has helped me realize how I best handle situations, and what drives me to succeed. However, there was one aspect of the class that I had pushed aside until recently. One of the tests was designed to determine what your knowledge, skills, and abilities best suited you for. Ironically, 15 years after I was first told I should consider teaching, a computer printout told me that I might be successful as a teacher. I thought it was interesting, but just went about my life as a marketing manager, not giving it much thought.

Well, that was a few years ago, and life sure has changed. I went on to earn my MBA, I have become a respected voice in my industry, I got married, and my wife and I are blessed with a beautiful toddler who challenges me every day more then I ever could have imagined. But still with all that, there is something missing from my professional life. I have come to the conclusion that the part I like best about my job is that it gives me an opportunity to educate people. When I get to teach a seminar on our products, I look at it as a great challenge. I also have the opportunity to write articles, and teach classes on our more advanced products. So, I have reached a conclusion.
I want to be a teacher. I never would have thought about it until I sat back and looked at all I have done in my life, and what provided me the greatest challenge, but also the greatest sense of accomplishment. But now, here is the hard part.

How does one, who has no formal training as a teacher, get a job teaching? It seems like the same conundrum you see in business. You need to have experience to get a job, but you can’t get experience unless you have a job.

The one thing I do realize is that I want to teach in a college environment. It can be either at a college, university, or 2-year college. I just don’t think I have the make up to go the elementary or high school track.

So, is there anyone out there who can offer some advice on how to go about taking this next step in my life journey? I realize that sacrifice will be involved, but with everything I understand now, that is something that I am willing to make. I just need some guidance and advice.

Anyone? Anyone?

Rule of the Week - The Guru Gets Tripped Up

2005-12-07T11:21:00.000-05:00

Once again, we find the Grunkle Guru in a situation where the rules are going to come into play.

In the middle of his round he finds himself with a 15 footer for birdie. After marking his ball and looking at the line from all possible angles he is confident of his read. Slightly uphill putt that will break about one cup to his left. This putt is in his wheelhouse, and he places the ball back on the green and picks up his mark with confidence. It is early in the morning and there is still some dew on the green.

As the Guru goes through his routine of looking at the ball and then back at the hole he notices a grain of sand right on his line about three feet away. While this particle might not have an effect on his putt, it has put doubt in his mind. He decides to remove the sand, as is his right.

He leans on his putter and bends down to remove the annoyance from his line, but since the green is still moist his putter slides on the green under the weight of the Guru. With the grace of a drunken sailor on his first shore leave in three months, the Guru stumbles around, twists, and falls to the ground in a heap of embarrassment. Suddenly he realizes that his foot struck his ball and has moved it.

With his face flush with humiliation, the Guru got up, dusted himself off and proceeded to replace the ball, and somehow manage to overcome the circumstances.

“Birdie” the Guru states as he strides to the hole to retrieve his ball.

“Actually,” says a smirking playing partner. “That was a par. You had a penalty stroke for moving your ball.”

“No I didn’t,” the Guru incredulously replies. “ I was removing a loose impediment from the green, and there is no penalty if the ball moves while conducting this action.”

The two stare at each other and decide to consult the rulebook.

Who was right?

If you guessed the Guru, you would be wrong this time. The Guru had the right rule in mind, but misinterpreted it. The waiver of the penalty stroke only happens if the movement is directly attributable to the removal of the loose impediment (example: a leaf falls on the ball, and in the process of removing it the ball moves). In this case the ball moved not because of the impediment, but rather due to the lack of coordination possessed by the Guru.

Nice par.

Rule of the Week - You Sunk My Golfball

2005-11-29T14:50:00.000-05:00

It was a beautiful Sunday. 70 degrees, a slight breeze, and the Grunkle Guru and his friend/nemesis were enjoying their typical Sunday showdown. All square on 18, big bet on the line.

The Guru stride to the tee box and goes through his normal pre-shot routine. The 18th hole at Colonial Creek Golf Club is a daunting par 4. Measuring 438 yards from the back tees, this hole features a sloping fairway with deep rough that comes into play as the fairway narrows in the landing area about 280 yards out. Water fronts the green, and with today’s front right pin position, hitting the fairway is essential.

As the Guru addresses his ball he realizes that the wind has kicked up quite a bit, and he decides to go at the ball a little harder then normal. Naturally this leads to a slight disaster as his hips clear a split second too early and he blocks the ball ever so slightly off target and he ends up in the rough.

His opponent strides to the tee, and realizes that putting the ball in the fairway will give him a huge advantage. However, instead of relaxing and making a smooth swing, his desire to find the fairway leads to tension, and he too blocks his ball to the right. Both balls end up in the same area of the rough, and both have settled quite nicely down in the thick fescue rough.

As the players search for their respective balls, the Guru’s opponent comes across one and decides to take dead aim at the pin from 150 yards out. A deadened ‘thwunk’ is a precursor to the expected result. The ball comes out fat and after a shortened flight falls to its watery death with a splash and ripples in the water being the only sign that the ball ever existed.

The Guru continued to look for his ball, and finally came across one just a few paces from where his opponent played. As he got ready to strike his shot, he thought the dimple pattern looked different from what he was playing. He bent down and gently moved the grass to see if this truly was his ball.

“Weren’t you playing a Titleist?” he asked his nemesis.

“Yes,” he replied. “Titleist ProV1x. Number 4.”

“Well,” the Guru said, “here it is.”

“Then whose ball did I hit?” the nemesis asked.

“I have to assume mine.” Replied Guru. “Here’s your ball, and you lie 3 (two-stroke penalty). Looks like I have the advantage.”

“Not so fast!” screamed the nemesis. “You have to treat your ball as a lost ball since there is no way to prove I hit yours.”

What’s the ruling?

If there is reasonable evidence that the nemesis hit the Guru’s ball, then the Guru must place a ball at the spot from which the nemesis played the wrong ball without penalty.

Since both tee shots had landed in the same general area it is fair to assume that the nemesis did play the wrong ball. The Guru places a new ball and continues without penalty.

Weekend Re-cap - Turning Japanese

2005-11-22T14:37:00.000-05:00

I was not able to see any golf from the Dunlop Phoenix Open played in Japan this past weekend, but here is what I do know.

Tiger Woods defended his title after struggling in the final round and surviving a 4-hole playoff. He also sprained his ankle.

David Duval fell off somewhat this weekend, but still posted a solid tournament. Let’s hope this gives him momentum going into next season.

Golf is back in the States this week. We should all rejoice this fact.

Rule of the Week - Walking on Water

2005-11-22T14:32:00.000-05:00

This week’s rule conundrum finds our hero, the Grunkle Guru once again facing a difficult situation. Playing in a steady rain all day, the Guru hits his approach shot on the 15th hole into a steep faced bunker. Upon arriving at the ball he realizes that the ball itself is actually in casual water within the bunker.

The Guru realizes that he can take a drop, but opts not to, as the nearest point of relief would leave him with a downhill lie and his feet out of the bunker. Not exactly optimum conditions to hit a pressure packed shot, so he elects to play the ball from the watery lie.

As he addresses the ball his club touches the water, but not the sand. Playing a beautiful shot, the Guru manages to get up and down from the bunker and keep his momentum going. Upon arriving at the 16th tee, a rules official tells him that he has violated the rules of golf by grounding his club in a hazard.

“No way!” the Guru says, as he flares up at the rules official.

“I read, the Rule of The Week and I know I did not violate the rules regarding grounding a club in a hazard”

Who is right?

Once again, careful attention to the rules has saved the Guru shots. He knew that since his club touched the water, but not the ground he was not in violation of the rules.

And now you do to.

The Big Link

2005-11-21T09:29:00.000-05:00

Another week, and another Big Link. This week's selection is:

Connect The Dots

Just checked it out for the first time, and it looks like a good read if you are into software applications.

Duval Still In Contention

2005-11-18T10:42:00.000-05:00

I don’t think you will be able to find it on TV, but the Dunlop Phoenix Open is setting up for a classic weekend. As I mentioned yesterday, David Duval has finally appeared on a leader board after a long battle with his golf game, and Tiger Woods was close behind him. Well, throw a third name in that group. Jim Furyk.

The final pairing for this event will be Furyk (-9), Woods (-8), and Duval (-8). This will be a great test to see if Duval is back and can handle the spotlight. I’ll try to keep everyone posted on what happens.

A Blast From The Past

2005-11-17T11:04:00.000-05:00

Anybody remember the name David Duval? No, well that’s OK. His story is one of great achievement and an equally great demise.

In the late ‘90s until 2001, Duval was one of the best players in the world. In fact he was even ranked number one for some time. However, for various reasons Duval’s game fell apart after his victory in the 2001 British Open to the point that it was disturbing to watch.

All that being said, times might be changing for Duval. He opened up the Dunlop Phoenix Open with a 6 under 64 which was good for a one shot lead over Tiger Woods.

There is a lot of golf still to be played, but let’s hope that Duval has turned the corner. I’ve always liked the guy and hope that his game really is coming back to him.

Rule of the Week - I made a 6, no wait it was a 5...Or Was It?

2005-11-16T12:02:00.000-05:00

This week we find our hero, Grunkle Guru in a tight match against another quality opponent. The match is all square on the 18th hole and both players are on the green.

Being away, the Guru hits a putt that stops a couple of inches short of the hole.

“What is that for?” his opponent asks.

“This is for 6.” The guru relplies and his opponent concedes the putt.

Lying five, the Guru’s opponent drains his putt for a six, and what he thinks is a halve of the hole.

At that point the Guru realizes that his math was wrong and he actually made a five, not a six. This naturally sends the Guru’s opponent into a fit of rage claiming that the score stated was the score earned since it was higher then the actual score. After nearly coming to blows over this issue and holding up the group behind them, they decide to go to the committee for a ruling.

The committee agreed with the Guru. Why?

Regardless of what was said, the actual score was a five, and since no scorecards had been signed, or another shot hit, the mistake can be corrected without penalty.

For more information on the rules of golf go check out the USGA website.

Tip of the Week - A Little Analysis Goes A Long Way

2005-11-11T14:42:00.000-05:00

While the golf season is far from over here in the south, the frequency of rounds will definitely start to slow down. Now is the time to start working on your game for the 2006 season. Let me suggest you conduct some analysis on your game for the rest of the year.

Every time you play take some notes. The point of this exercise is to figure out exactly what parts of your game are weakest so that you can practice with a purpose. Some key stats you want to sample.

Fairways hit
Greens in regulation
Scrambling
Total putts

In addition, try to figure how many times you hit each club. If you find that during the course of a round you only hit your five iron once, but hit your nine iron 12 times, then you should be working with you nine iron during your practice sessions. That will help you get dialed in on shots with that club giving you more confidence.

Doing some analysis of you game will go a long way towards helping you have more beneficial practice time.

Product Review - What Happens To The Greensboro PGA Tour Stop

2005-11-10T12:46:00.000-05:00

Note: Long ahead. If you don't care about golf, the PGA Tour, or the event here in Greensboro I suggest you find another distration.

The product review of this week is not so much of a review, but rather a combination of predictions and recommendations for the PGA Tour as they work towards revamping their schedule for 2007 and the new television contract.

Yes, the PGA Tour is a product. The events the put on are consumed by viewers and attendees. It is an entertainment product and in order to stay current products must evolve over time. Golfers don’t use persimmon drivers and hickory shafted clubs anymore for a reason. Products evolve and I commend Tim Finchem and his staff at the PGA Tour for realizing that the product was slipping in consumption and what they are proposing is quite radical for the PGA Tour. In brief, here is what they are proposing:

- Shortening the meat of the schedule to conclude in September with the Tour Championship as the culmination of the main season.

- The creation of the Fed-Ex cup. A yearlong points system where a certain number of players will earn enough points to enter the final four events.

- At the conclusion of the Tour Championship the PGA Tour will shift gears and produce the Quest For The Card – a 6 or 7 event schedule that will finalize the top 125 for next year as well as allow for qualifying to invitational events for the following year.

Those are the major changes to the annual structure of the schedule, and on paper this looks like a great idea as it will allow for golf to have the meat of its schedule end before football season really get underway, and that has always hampered the tour at the end of the season.

The PGA Tour has also proposed moving the Players Championship (considered by many to be the fifth major) from its traditional March slot to one in May. This will give the PGA Tour a signature event in each month from April to September. It will go as follows:

April – The Masters
May – The Players Championship
June – The U.S. Open
July – The British Open
August – The PGA Championship
September – The Tour Championship

Additionally, the Ryder Cup and President’s Cup bi-annual events will be held two weeks after the Tour Championship annually, which will bring the best together one last time in events that, promote team competition.

The one possible knock on the system is how many events players will have to play in order to earn spots to the playoff scenario, but here’s the thing. The players support it. Most don’t play more then three events in a row simply because the season is so long (currently running from January to November), but with the main season ending in September it gives the U.S. players a chance to rest up and play in events that they want (Tiger will still play Disney), and it also gives the international players the opportunity to return home and support the tours that gave them their start.

The definitely creates a much stronger schedule and allows for excitement and heavy promotion on a monthly basis. I give Mr. Finchem and his team a tremendous amount of credit for the thought and effort that has been put into this new concept. I can’t wait to see the details come together.

While I think this concept is great for the PGA Tour as a whole, I must also express my concern for my local event, the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro. Formerly known as the Greater Greensboro Open (GGO) this is one of the longest annual events on the tour schedule, but for some time we have had a hard time getting the players that is needed for a successful event. Greensboro is not a major market, and given our recent performance I see no reason why the Tour will integrate this event into the main schedule, and to be honest I do not have a problem with that. However, I do not want to see this event get contracted, and I truly believe this will not be the case.

I do think we can do a great job of marketing the GGO (I still prefer to call it by these initials over anything else) as a lynchpin of the Quest for the Card. There will be more drama involved as the lesser-known players duke it out for their livelihood. Remember, golfers only get paid if they make a cut at an event, and unless they have won in the last two years, access to the PGA Tour is not guaranteed. They have to earn it, and with proper promotion, the GGO should be able to live a long and prosperous life as an event where fans can watch future stars and say, “I remember when the won here in Greensboro.”

That being said, I also have a suggestion for a secondary program that could benefit the Greensboro tournament greatly, and that is to take better advantage of our history.

Sam Snead won this event eight times during his career (I believe that is the number), and recently the trophy was named after him, which is the right thing to do. However, I also think that we can take better advantage of Mr. Snead’s history at this event. What if we got together with some of the other events that have strong ties to the greats of the game of golf? An annual series that offered a bonus of some sort based on their performance in the following events:

The Bay Hill Invitational – Arnold Palmer’s tournament
The Memorial – Jack Nicklaus’s tournament
The Byron Nelson Classic – Bryon Nelson’s tournament
The Colonial – Associated with Ben Hogan
The GGO – Associated with Sam Snead

Since Greensboro is the final stop, we could leverage our date on the schedule to draw an even stronger field. If we could get a spot in mid-October players would have had a month to rest up and decide if they want to play in this final event to win what could be marketed as a prestigious award. Let’s call it The Legends Cup.
The Legend’s Cup would be a point system that is sponsored by an entirely different entity then each event respectively. Since three of the events would take place in either Texas or North Carolina, it would seem that Dell is a perfect sponsor for such an event.

I predict that starting in 2007 the PGA Tour will experience a boom in popularity, as the new schedule does a fabulous job of spacing major events, as well as providing an exciting play-off style format to the schedule. All the fall events that are currently on the schedule will not remain, as they will have a difficult time lining up sponsors for all those events. Greensboro will keep its PGA Tour stop as there is just too much history here to not at least give us a chance to show we can survive, and ultimately thrive as a key event for those looking to earn playing privileges for next year.

Golf is a game built on tradition, but from time to time new traditions must be created. Remember, professional golf is a product for everyone except those that play it, and if the masses are bored with the product, it must either change, or it will die a slow and agonizing death. The PGA Tour has taken the lead for changing this tradition, but it is still up to the individual events, the management teams, and their sponsors to embrace this change, and continue to put out a strong product.

Fantasy Recap - 2005 The Year That Could Have Been

2005-11-09T15:53:00.000-05:00

Well, now that the official PGA Tour season is wrapped up, it is time to look back and reflect upon my first foray into fantasy golf.

All in all, the results were not that bad. I came in 7,940th out of approximately 40,000 competitors, so I have to consider it a success. Without a doubt, my MVP for the season was Carl Pettersson. He made a strong run at the end, and earned a victory and a top-5 in his last two events to not only secure him a spot in the field for next year’s Masters, but also helped the Guru to a strong finish to the season. For that he has garnered early positioning in next years stable of horses.

I also learned that my dartboard method for choosing players is not the greatest idea in the world. Instead I will take a stronger look at each player every week in deciding my rosters.

Just wait till next year. The Guru is going to dominate fantasyland!

Rule of the Week - Can You Hold The Door Please?

2005-11-08T16:31:00.000-05:00

Here’s the scenario…

Standing in the middle of the fairway on the 18th hole, our hero, The Grunkle Guru has 210 yards into the green on this par 5. Figuring eagle will lock up the victory he grabs his trusty 4-iron and skulls the ever-living snot out of it. As it screams past the green the crowd groans as they hear a loud crash.

“That can’t be good.” The Guru thought to himself as he trudged up the 18th hole.

Upon finding his ball he realizes that he has a perfect lie, but there is one problem. His ball lies on the carpet of the pro shop. The Guru pauses and surveys the scene. There are no out of bounds stakes between the green and the clubhouse, and according the to rules, the pro shop had not been declared an integral part of the golf course. Realizing that he is within his rights to play the shot as it lies he opens the window facing the green and proceeds to chip out and make the birdie putt.

Did the Guru break the rules?

While the head pro most certainly did not like the concept of taking a divot out of his carpet, this was a legal course of action. Since the pro shop was not declared an integral part of the course, it must be considered an immovable obstruction. In this situation, any part that is designed to be movable (i.e. a window) can be done as long as it is without undue delay.

If you know the rules you too can have a chance to try interesting shots such as these.

The Big Link

2005-11-08T07:59:00.000-05:00

Trying to get back into the world of The Big Link.

I jsut checked out this blog and it looks pretty cool. They are a Panthers fan, but I guess we will let that go for now since my team got it ass kicked last night.

Mean What You Say

Go check it out.

Rule of the Week - I Was Lost, But Then I Was Found

2005-11-01T17:28:00.000-05:00

Standing on the tee, our hero, The Grunkle Guru stares at the green on this short, and narrow par-4. He has been swinging well all day, and the conditions feel right to take a shot at driving the green.

After striking with all the force he can muster he hits a towering drive that starts right, and keeps going into the trees. Carefully, the Guru tracks the flight of his ball and marks where it went in. It does not look good as he never sees the ball come to a rest so he decides to play a provisional ball.

Truly steamed and tense right now, he makes an overly aggressive swing and the results are what is to be expected in this situation. A bad miss-hit that ends up in the rough well short of his first ball.

The Guru strides to where he thinks the first ball landed, and after a short search (two minutes) decides to go back and play his provisional. Now playing for bogey, the Guru makes a smooth swing and miraculously holes the shot for par. Just after he finishes celebrating a playing partner finds his first ball deep in the woods.

“Just pick it up.” said the Guru. “I already have par in the bag, no sense playing that shot and risking disaster.” The Guru retrieves the first ball and continues with his round. Has the Guru broken the rules of golf?

Yet again, the Guru is at fault. A provisional ball does not render the first ball lost until it is played from the place where the original ball is likely to be, or from a point nearer the hole. Since he holed out his next shot, the Guru will be at fault if he proceeds to the next hole and tees off.

PGA Recap - Congrats to the Sweedish Redneck

2005-10-31T09:15:00.000-05:00

For some time now Carl Pettersson has been on the PGA Tour, with mixed reviews. However, after yesterdays round, he can now be called Champion.

Carl shot a final round even-par 71 to earn his first PGA Tour victory at the Chrysler Championship held at the Innisbrook Resort outside of Tampa. The win gives him quite a few perks including a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, and invite to the Mercedes Championship to start the season next year, and if he has a strong finish next week at the final event of the year, he can finish in the top-40 on the money list and earn an invite to the Masters.

I’m not going to claim to know Carl well, but I do know him from my days as an assistant pro at Starmount Forest Country Club when his family had a membership and he was a star player for the Grimsley golf team. I played and practiced some with Carl during that time, and I always saw that something extra that all winners have.

It is nothing tangible, or something that you can quantify, but he had that grit. That something extra that you see when someone has a lofty goal and will do whatever is necessary to achieve it.

So congratulations Carl. You have done Greensboro proud.

Rule of the Week - The Legend of Stonehands Johnson

2005-10-25T15:15:00.000-04:00

Let me set the scene for you. The Grunkle Guru has played masterful golf for 4 days and now sits on the 18th hole tied for the lead in the Springfield Open. After a masterful drive and solid second shot, he now has 10’ for birdie and the win.

Upon reaching the green our lovable hero marks his ball and tosses it to Jimmy ‘stonehands’ Johnson who proceeds to drop the ball and watch it roll down the slope into the depths of the pond bordering the green. As the ball sinks into the muck below, a look of desperation falls upon the Guru.

“Don’t worry,” says Stonehands. “I have another ball right here, and it is the same make as that other one. No problem with the one-ball rule.”

Trusting his caddy, our hero takes the replacement ball and drops the putt for a Cinderella-type victory.

Upon reaching the scoring tent an official is waiting for the Guru and tells him he has violated the rules of golf. What rule did he breach?

Under rule 16-1b, a ball that has been marked may not be replaced with a substitute ball. The Guru is assessed a two-stoke penalty and loses the golf tournament. Stonehands is fired on the spot, and any caddy hired in the future must be able to either catch a golf ball, or know how to swim so he can retrieve those dropped.

Trying To Come Back From The Depths

2005-10-24T16:27:00.000-04:00

It funny how time can disappear if you are not careful. I have been absent from the world of blogging for numerous reasons including:

Lack of time (life has been busy)

Lack if interest (I have felt bored with the world of golf lately)

Lack of skill (my personal game has been terrible and far from blog-worthy)

All of the above contributed to a general feeling of I don’t feel like blogging, but these were not the main reasons that I have been out of the blogging community. The main reason has been that I have been busy negotiating the sale of our current house and the purchase of our next one.

When we bought our first house, we bought it for the neighborhood. We loved the location, loved the energy, and loved the price. However, as our family has grown, our house has not, and it came to decision time. Do we add on to our house, or look for something else in the neighborhood?

After some preliminary research we quickly realized that the addition was not the way to go. So we set out to find what we hope will be the house we raise our family in, and I am very happy to say that we have found it.

We are staying in Aycock Historic District and we could not be happier with that decision. However, now the fun begins.

We will be leaving the warm and cozy confines of a house built to historic specifications that was a new construction (1996) to a larger, and much older home (1905?) that will require a lot of love, but we are excited if not apprehensive about the undertaking.

Finally, contracts are signed, appraisals and inspections are taking place, and we can start looking at ways to spend lots and lots of money for our own satisfaction as we attempt to bring a historical home back to its luster, and add some modern touches as well. Who knows, maybe the family will start a renovation blog where we will offer our own experiences as well as solicit advice and quotes from those who have been there before, and actually know what they are doing.

So wish us luck as we move forward on this new, exciting chapter of our lives.

Back to the world of golf soon.

Rule of the Week - Your Honor, Your Honor

2005-10-04T17:41:00.000-04:00

Here’s the situation:

18th hole, you and your nemesis are all square in your match and you have a 45’ birdie putt, and you opponent is about 30’ away, but off the green. You opponent goes ahead and hits a miracle chip for birdie.

During his dancing and ribbing you sit there quietly waiting for a moment to interject something. Your opponent says, “Why are you smiling? You have to make the putt to tie me.”

You calmly declare, “Actually, I am away, you have to replace your ball and wait for me to play.”

A look of disgust hits your opponents face, as he screams, “But I was off the green I had the honor!”

So who is right?

You are of course because you read the Grunkle Guru rule of the day and realize that regardless of where a person is on the golf course, in match play the competitor furthest away has the honor. So even though you were on the green, you had the right to play first and your opponent must replay his shot.

Note: If this is a friendly match please don’t use this rule except to get a laugh at your friend’s pain. It is common practice for those off the green to play up. It just helps with the flow of play. Now if you don’t like the guy go ahead and call it.

Week In Review - There Was A Golf Tournament?

2005-10-03T14:34:00.000-04:00

Man, I don’t know if I can call myself the Grunkle Guru anymore. The PGA Tour comes to my hometown, and I don’t even see one shot of the action (and by that I mean live, on TV, or sports highlights). From what I understand, K.J. Choi won, and the talk of the town is that we might be losing the tournament to a new television contract.

I hope that is not the case, but given the work behind the scenes being done, I feel that we will not lose the date. We might not be in the fall in the future, but I don’t think we will lose the stop. No facts to back this up, just a prediction.

Tip of the Week - Watch the Best

2005-09-30T11:18:00.000-04:00

For my tip of the week this week, I will call upon all of you golfers to not focus on your game, but rather focus on those of the best players in the world. North Carolina is very lucky this week, as not only do we have the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro (which every media outlet is calling something different), but our neighbors in Raleigh are hosting a Champions Tour event. I encourage everyone to get out there if there is any way that they can. I would love to, but I am in the process of selling my house and have too long of a list for this weekend.

However, if I was going out there I can promise you that I would be spending a lot of time at the driving range and practice green watching these guys get ready for a round.

Pay attention to their warm-up routines. They don’t just beat balls, but rather have a set routine they go through. Even when they are done with their round, they might come back to the range for work on their game. This is where the analysis happens. If they were struggling with some aspect on the course, they work in it while it is fresh in their minds. Warm up is not for fixing swing flaws. It is for figuring out what you have for the day, and taking that skill set to the course and getting the most out of it that you can.

So if you are heading out to the course, don’t forget to spend some time at the range.

Fab Five Come To Greensboro

2005-09-28T17:07:00.000-04:00

This week the traveling road show known as the PGA Tour comes to my hometown of Greensboro, NC. Now known as the Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, most long-standing citizens still refer to it as the GGO (Greater Greensboro Open). We have been struggling with attendance during the past few years, and rumors of our demise are being discussed as the PGA Tour starts work on a new television contract. So, if you can’t make it out to watch the golf (as is the case with yours truly), make sure to watch it on TV. Those Nielsen ratings might be worth something after all. Anyway, onto the picks.

Last week I had my first week where all five of my guys made the cut. However, nobody earned more then $24,850 so I still finished in 13,848th place for the week. For this segment I am ranked 6,550th, so I have set a goal of cracking the top 5,000 for the end of the year. We are nothing if we have not goals, and mediocrity seems to work well for me in this situation. This week I have stayed away from anyone that played in the President’s Cup last week, as I think there will be a strong case of burnout hitting the competitors (Davis Love III has already pulled out of the event and he designed the course.)

Sergio Garcia – As long as he does not spend too much time in the Michelob Party Tent he is the best choice of the field. Strong ball-striker and while his putting is suspect at times, Forest Oaks is not known as tough putting course.

Tom Lehman – This guy has got to be fired up. He has a year to get a team together for the Ryder Cup and he already has two teams that work great together in Tiger Woods & Jim Furyk along with Phil Mickelson & Chris DiMarco. If he splits these guys up at any point I will be shocked.

Ryan Moore – Played here as an amateur, and is on his way to earning his card for next year. If he had played a full season his scoring average would rank in the top-30, not too shabby.

Carl Pettersson – Picked him last week, and this is a bit of a homecoming for him having gone to the home of the Whirlies. Has been playing better as of late, and I am expecting big things from him.

Kevin Na – The youngest guy on tour played well at the beginning of the year and fell off the map, look for a comeback starting….Now!

I only left $3,750 on the table this week so this is one of my more expensive teams. Let’s hope that they can hold up under the intense pressure.

Rule of the Week - Where's My Ball?

2005-09-27T14:44:00.000-04:00

Here is the situation. Playing a short par 4 a golfer decides to take a chance and drive the green. The hole is downhill and has a slight dogleg protected by trees. He hits what ‘feels’ like a great shot. However, when he and his playing partners get down to the green, they do not find the ball anywhere.

After 5 minutes of frantic searching the golfer in question returns to the tee to replay the hole. A conservative tee shot and strong approach leave him 6 feet from the hole putting for bogey (three of the tee, fourth to the green, getting ready to hit his fifth shot). As he pulls the flagstick from the hole out pops his first ball. Our hero starts jumping for joy thinking he has made a hole-in-one. However, his playing partner says that ball became dead once he replayed from the tee. Who is right?

According to the USGA, our hero has scored an ace. Once the ball is in the hole the hole is considered completed, even if the golfer played another ball. While his opponent will be upset that he lost the hole, he can take solace in the fact that his partner will be buying him a drink at the end of the round.

Meanwhile, On The PGA Tour Front...

2005-09-26T14:30:00.000-04:00

Robert Gamez earned an impressive victory (over 15 years since his last win) at the Valero Texas Open. I did not see much of this event, but anytime anyone is 18 under over four days on a par 70 track that is playing some good golf.

I did see one feel-good story come out of this event as well. David Duval made his first cut of the year at this event. Let’s hope this is a sign of things to come for an immensely talented player who has at times looked like just a weekend hacker.

All The President's Men

2005-09-26T14:17:00.000-04:00

It’s too bad that the President’s Cup has not been able to draw the interest like that of the Ryder Cup. It was an exciting event, that came down to the last day (as I predicted that it would). The weekend matches were quite exciting, and it was culminated in the singles matches on Sunday. Some of the highlights for me included:

Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk vs. Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby on Saturday was an event for the ages. In the first match (alternate shot) the U.S. squad had to win the final two holes to earn a half. Then, 30 minutes later this same group went out in a best ball match that was not decided until the 18th hole. 36 holes of pressure packed golf that while not always the prettiest, was some of the most compelling that has been seen in years.

Tiger Woods acting like part of a team. This guy had gone through 14 different playing partners in team competition since he turned pro. The pairing with Furyk turned out to be brilliant, and it brought a team energy out of Tiger that I had not seen before.

Fred Couples winning his single’s match. Freddie was a captain’s pick, and during the first three days looked to be a sentimental one at best. However, he managed to gut out a tough match against the international’s best in Vijay Singh. Huge for the U.S. squad.

Chris DiMarco is the gutsiest player on the U.S. squad bar none. Nobody has more energy for these events then Chris, and he should be on every squad until he is named captain in about 10 years. Just money when the chips are on the line.

Phil Mickelson’s expression on Sunday was classic. He though he had earned a tough ½ point for the U.S which secured the cup. However, the President’s Cup has a quirky rule where no match can end as a half when the cup is still up for grabs. His look of disbelief that he had not earned his victory was classic.

Finally, I want to comment on what was the underlying motivator for this team. All of them to a group said that they were playing for Jack Nicklaus as much as they were playing for themselves. As has been mentioned before, Jack and Barbara Nicklaus lost a granchild in a tragic turn of events this past spring, and before the matches started the team presented the Nicklaus family with a portrait of their grandchild, and stated that this was why they wanted to win. Golfers are often considered individualistic and selfish to an extent. They play a solitary game that requires a singular focus on oneself and their abilities. When you can get them to come together and play as a team, sometimes special things can happen. This was one of those weekends.

Tip of the Week - Have a Purpose

2005-09-23T09:43:00.000-04:00

This week’s Tip of The Week comes from the short game guru, Dave Pelz, and it is one that I strongly believe in.

Practice with purpose.

Don’t go to the range and just hit balls for the sake of it. When you walk out to the range or the putting green decide in advance what you want to work on. You might want to work on hitting 50-yard bump and run shots. Perhaps you want to dial in your 8 iron so that you know you can hit a high fade 150 yards when you need to. Maybe you have been struggling with left to right putts, well work on them.

If you practice with purpose you can improve your game rapidly because you will be developing confidence in an aspect of your game.

So next time you head out to the range, think about what you have been struggling with and work on that.

Good luck.

The Grunkle Guru

A Day Late & $992,250.00 Short

2005-09-22T09:55:00.000-04:00

Forgot to post my picks for this week’s Valero Texas Open, so here we go. This is a tough week on many different fronts. First, the President’s Cup is taking place, which eliminates many of the high dollar solid picks. Second, this is the time of year when players come out of nowhere to win and secure their tour cards (prime example, Jason Gore last week who I had on my roster). Finally, there is this little storm in the Gulf of Mexico known as Rita. If she stays the course that forecasters have her on, San Antonio will not experience any real issues, but you never know. Given everything that could happen, I would not be surprised to see this event shortened to 36 or 54 holes, but we’ll have to wait and see. Anyway, here are my picks for this week’s event:

Charles Howell III – San Antonio is an expensive city, and you better be a millionaire if you want to get things accomplished.

Ted Purdy – Has been a solid pick before, and the weaker field makes him a strong pick.

J.L. Lewis – Don’t know why I have him on my roster, other then to say I have a feeling about him this week.

Carl Pettersson – If he is in the field, he is on my roster. I know him from my golf pro days, and since he is pushing to keep his card, he is a good pick.

Omar Uresti – A Texan, who I also have had the pleasure of meeting in the past. Just a really nice guy, who I think will do well this week.

There you go, 5 PGA Tour stars for the low price of only $992,250. I just hope they all make the cut.

This week we also have the President’s Cup up the road in Virginia. I don’t know why, but I don’t get into this as much as the Ryder Cup. I think it is because our opponent does not have a bond like the European’s do. It is hard for a team made up of players from Fiji, Canada, South Africa, and Australia to bond into a strong cohesive unit. This is even more so nowadays since our opponents this week play mostly on the PGA Tour, and live in the United States. It just doesn’t have the same feel.

Regardless, I think it will be a good match that will come down to the final day. U.S. wins by 3 points.

Michelle Wie Turning Pro

2005-09-20T16:29:00.000-04:00

What a way to come back into the blogging fold.

According to ESPN Reports, Michelle Wie will turn pro before the end of the month and make her professional debut 2 days after her 16th birthday.

First year endorsement deals are expected to meet or exceed $10million.

Here's the strange thing though. Instead of going with traditional sports marketing firms such as IMG, she has instead signed with the William Morris agency. Seems like she might want to transcend the game of golf afterall.

Katrina - A Name I Will Never Forget

2005-09-02T15:26:00.000-04:00

I had planned on getting back into the blogging flow today after a hiatus that was forced by work deadlines, but never in my wildest dreams did I expect to come back in with such a disaster on our hands. I want to take a moment and get away from golf for a post.

There have been three major tragedies that have hit me hard emotionally. September 11th, the Christmas Tsunami, and now Katrina. While the first two were terrible, there was some closure I could take from each of them. With September 11th we had an enemy that we could focus our anger towards. I really think it helped us to get through those days because we could point at someone and blame them. It was not our fault, and we should all rally behind our leadership and take those bastards down. The Tsunami that struck this past December was tragic as well, but there was still a disconnect. I felt terrible for those affected by the event, but I had never been there, and really did not know anyone who had lost their life or the life of a loved one. Like I said, there was a disconnect by distance, and after the waters receded, so did the thoughts. But Katrina, Katrina is different.

I have made numerous trips to New Orleans for business and have always enjoyed going there. I remember time spent in the French Quarter, at Harrah’s Casino, and countless hours at the Ernest Morial Convention Center. Now, to see the devastation of the city, and the stories coming out of there, I am heartbroken. See, I knew the city. I recognized areas where photos have been taken, and I remember them in a much better light. It hurts a little more when you have a connection to the area.

When it is all said and done, there will be plenty of blame to go around. The federal government will get theirs, as will the state and local governments. To use a sports analogy, it seems like there was a pop up, and three players all surrounded it, but nobody called for it and it dropped to the ground. In baseball you can’t charge three people with the same error, but you can in this case. I think that there was some preparedness in place to assist after the storm passed, and I also believe that those resources were inadequate and quickly inundated. As for the looting, while I consider myself a law-abiding citizen, I would take whatever steps necessary to provide for my family, no questions asked. However, the gang violence, sexual assault, and general lawlessness taking place has no justification in any society, regardless of circumstances.

Finally, while New Orleans is receiving most of the coverage, let us not forget the other areas ravaged in this area. Believe it or not, New Orleans got off lucky as the storm went east of the city sparing it the brunt of Katrina’s severity. Remember those in cities such as Biloxi, MS, Gulf Shores, AL, and all the other cities and small towns that literally do not have a building left standing in their area. These people are just as bad off, if not worse.

When it is all said and done this will be the biggest disaster to strike the United States, natural or otherwise. Some will rebuild and move on with life as best they can. Others will relocate and try to start over. Many will never recover, both financially and emotionally. Events like this are truly double-edged swords. It will bring out the worst in people as we have seen. I will also bring out the best in people as I hope we will see in the days to come.

It is way too early to tell if New Orleans will be able to rebuild (I don’t think so), but regardless of what happens in the months and years to follow, the city I knew will never be there again.

Donation Sites:

American Red Cross

Salvation Army

www.guidestar.org (this site provided a directory of chartitable organizations assisting with Katrina)

On Vacation

2005-08-19T08:49:00.000-04:00

Out of town on vacation. Will return with our regularly scheduled programming next week.

Fantasy Re-Cap / Preview

2005-08-17T22:58:00.000-04:00

Before we get into the fantasy picks this week, and the results from last week, I want to take a moment to mention something about this past weekend’s final major.

Apparently, Tiger Woods took the weather delay on Sunday afternoon as the end of his tournament. He was the leader in the clubhouse when the storms hit on Sunday evening, and with the inconsistent play the leaders were demonstrating, there was an outside shot that he could have been in a playoff.

Instead of spending one more night at Baltusrol, Tiger instead headed out of town while leading the golf tournament (he had posted the best 72 hole score to date, so according to golf terms, he was the leader in the clubhouse). This really bothers me. I don’t doubt that he was confident that he would not have shot at a playoff, but come on. This is the final major of the year, you have already won two of them, and let’s face it; the game of golf is a strange one. Who knows what would have happen.

I just wish that everyone else out on the course agreed to finish at 2-under and decide it in a playoff, and Tiger had to deal with the bad publicity. Just not good form as far as I am concerned.

Anyway, the team of Woods, Clark, Perry, Petrovic, and Purdy did not do great for me, but they did not do terrible either. Four of them made the cut (Tim Petrovic was the score we threw out) and earned me a total of $556,700 which was good for 17,670th place. Not a strong showing, but one that we can hopefully build upon.

This week is unique in that there are actually two tournaments taking place. The no-cut NEC Championship (part of the World Golf Championships), and the Reno-Tahoe open (a regular tour event where the top 70 make the weekend). Given that I do not want to risk not having 5 players make a check this week, I will focus my attention on the NEC at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio. This week’s roster includes:

Tiger Woods ($300,000) – I know I ripped him, but he is still playing well, and has had success at this course.

Tim Clark ($245,500) – Solid performance last year, and really throughout the entire season makes this a no brainer pick.

John Daly ($163,500) – Not a great track record here, but this is a long course that favors aggressive play. Usually a good combination for Long John.

Jose Maria Olazabal (157,000) – Before the major technology revolution that golf is currently enduring, Jose dominated this event. He has seen a bit of a resurgence this year in his game, and he is a great value pick.

Ted Purdy (118,000) – Ted’s excellent adventure continues after a strong showing at the PGA Championship. Gotta play the hot hand.

I know I will have five players who will earn me money this week, now let’s hope that they earn me enough to crack the top 15,000.

Rule of the Week - Just Hit The Damn Ball

2005-08-16T14:03:00.000-04:00

Today is not really a rule, but rather a point of contention. The pace of play for the typical round of golf has gotten rediculous.

Let's all try to do a better job of playing 'Ready Golf'. If your playing companion is not ready to hit and you are, go ahead. We aren't playing for major championships, and it is usually a round amongst friends.

A round of golf should take 4 hours (4:30 at the max). If you are ready, go ahead. Everyone will have a better time.

Weekend Omission

2005-08-16T08:37:00.000-04:00

Since the PGA Championship did not end till Monday it really screwed up my weekend re-cap because I did not get to see how the tournament ended.

Apparently Phil won.

Don't know if it was dramatic or not.

Tip of the Week - Get The Ball To The Hole

2005-08-12T14:08:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest problems that most golfers have is leaving putts short of the hole. Here is a drill that will help you work on being more aggressive on the putting greens. It is also a great game to play with friends.

Drawbacks-

Start 10’ from the hole and roll a putt. If you miss it on the high side or long simply putt out from where the ball lies. However, if you miss low or short, then draw the ball back the length of your putter. The goal when practicing by yourself is to play nine ‘holes’ is 18 shots or less (2 putts per hole), but when you are playing an opponent the goal is to have a lower score over a set number of holes.

Keep practicing this drill until you manage to meet your set goal or beat your buddies.

This drill will help reinforce a more aggressive stroke because you want to make sure you hit the ball past the hole. This will at least give you a chance to make the putt.
Remember, never up, never in.

Product Review - Get Your Mojo On

2005-08-11T16:20:00.000-04:00

As we get started on this product review journey, I should probably give you a little background on my golf game. I have been playing the game for almost twenty years to various degrees of success. I am a long hitter, but as of late have been working on harnessing that power to gain more control over my distance and direction.

These reviews are my own personal opinion about the equipment, and while some of it might not be right for me I will always try to offer suggestions as to whom the product might benefit.

At this time I am coming out of my own pocket for the products that I evaluate here, and even if manufacturers start giving me equipment to test I will remain as impartial as possible.

The Nike MOJO is a semi-premium golf ball designed for the mid-level player. Normally, I would not play this style golf ball (I prefer one with more feel), but since I was playing slow and soft greens at Twin Oaks during the evaluation process I felt that it would be a good place to give it a shot.

The Ball – This is two-piece ball with a low compression core and durable cover. The premise is that with a softer core it will produce more spin to offset the hard cover.

Distance – This ball was long (about 5% longer then I typically gauge my distances.

Spin – Very little on short shots. Full shots were sticking nicely (mostly due to soft conditions)

Feel – This ball feels very hard on short shots making it hard for the advanced golfer to trust their swing

Durability – Very good. Resistant to scuffing.

Price – MSRP $28.99 (Can be found for as low as $19.99)

Overall – This is a decent golf ball. It is not the greatest I have ever played, but I would recommend this golf ball for mid to high handicap players and those with slower swing speeds.

Fantasy Preview - Another Shot at Glory

2005-08-10T14:52:00.000-04:00

As we get ready for the final major of the PGA Tour, I felt it best to give you a little history of my skills at creating a five-man team that can bring me to victory:

I stink at it. I have never finished inside the top 5,000. Only once have I had all five of my guys make the cut. However, I will persevere and try yet again.

Here are the rules for the site I play on (CBS Sportsline):

They have set a dollar value on every player in the field, and with a budget of $1,000,000 you have to create a five-man team that will give you more earnings then everyone else you are playing against.

Since I forgot to post a team last week, I will go right into my picks for this week:

Tim Petrovic ($79,500) – A journeyman pro who have been playing well this year including a victory in New Orleans. He is my dark horse that I just have a feeling will play well this week. In other words, he’ll miss the cut.

Ted Purdy ($88,750) – He won this year when Tiger missed the cut. Not a spectacular player, but one who has made the cut in two of the majors this year.

Tim Clark ($257,750) – 6th last week at the International combined with making the cut in all three majors makes this guy a relative value pick. In fact, I’m real happy with this one. He actually forced Chris DiMarco from the team.

Kenny Perry ($274,000) – The PGA Championship is notorious for providing good players with their lone major (such as Davis Love III and David Toms). Perry is a very good player, and has hit his stride in the last couple of years. If he is going to win a major it may as well be this one.

Tiger Woods ($300,000) – I would be shocked if there is anyone out there who does not put Tiger in their top 5. To bypass him would be ridiculous.

So there they are, and I even have $500 to spare. These are the five who will bring me days of glory or hours of agony. I guess we’ll know on Sunday.

Rule of the Week - Get the Ball in the Hole!

2005-08-09T13:15:00.000-04:00

Here’s the situation:

A golfer is on the 18th green with a long birdie putt that would give him his personal best score. After spending time analyzing the break of the green, the direction of the grain, and all other factors they consider he strikes a perfect putt. Two feet from the hole it hits a spike mark that kills its speed. The ball trickles to a stop on the edge of the hole.

Completely flustered by this heinous stroke of bad luck, the golfer walks up to the hole, and stands just a few inches from the hole. After realizing that the ball will not fall due to the concept of gravity, the golfer gives it just the help it needs by jumping up and down shaking the ground in such a violent manner that the ball leaps forward into the hole.

Does the golfer make his birdie and set a new benchmark for him to shoot for?

Answer:

Nope. If we assume that the ball was at rest, then the golfer was in breach of rule 18-2a. The golfer incurs a one-shot penalty and must replace the ball on the lip of the hole and putt out.

Instead of making a birdie he in fact made a bogey (one stroke penalty plus the stroke to hole out the putt).

So much for that personal best. Now go back out and try again.

Of course if he had been using a custom-built putter from Short Game Central he surely would have made the putt and set a new personal best.

Weekend Re-Cap August 6 & 7

2005-08-08T14:39:00.000-04:00

This past week was a pretty big one in the world of golf with only the LPGA taking a break from official action.

PGA Tour – Retief Goosen won the International being played in the mile-high air of Denver, Colorado. The big story from this week was the Sunday conditions. The weather was perfect, but they had to play 36 holes at high elevation over a very hilly and long course. This event is typically a test of fitness to begin with (most caddies use the light stand bags in lieu of the 40 – 50 pound tour bag carried on most weeks), but it was taken to new levels with the 36-hole marathon.

Special Note: A big thank you to The Golf Channel for picking up the CBS telecast on the east coast so that us sadistic golf nuts could see how the tournament played out.

LPGA Tour – Officially they were on a break, but LPGA citizen #1 (Annika Sorrenstam) continued her worldwide dominance winning a European LPGA event over Ben Rothlisberger’s girlfriend Natalie Gulbis.

Champions Tour – In the 50+ circuit, Tom Purtzer closed the deal and won the 3M Championship.

USGA – Morgan Pressel, the 17 year old who came in second at the Women’s US Open won the US Women’s Amateur in dominating fashion 9 & 8. She has been critical of Michelle Wie in the past for playing in mostly professional events, and if those two had met on a Sunday with a national championship on the line it could have been quite interesting.

While all this was exciting, the tournament of the week was on what most consider to be the minor-league circuit.

Nationwide Tour – Remember Jason Gore? He was the guy who was in the final round of the U.S. Open a few months back (previous post here), who instead of taking advantage of sponsor’s exemptions for the PGA Tour, opted to return to the Nationwide Tour and continue to hone his game. He has played in four events since the Open:

Event 1 – Tenth place finish
Event 2 – Victory
Event 3 – Victory
Event 4 (This week) – Victory

Four events, three wins, and the coveted battlefield promotion. Jason Gore is now fully exempt on the PGA Tour for the remainder of this year and all of 2006. Oh yeah, he shot 59 on Friday and 63 on Sunday (including 8 birdies in a row at one point). This guy can get hot and go low. Let’s just hope he can develop some consistency to sustain a life on the PGA Tour.

I have really grown into a fan of Gore, not so much for what he did during the Open, and how he was very good at connecting with the fans, but rather for his decision to go back to the Nationwide Tour and earn his way to the big leagues.

I think second place finisher Roger Tambellini said it best, “It's good to get him off this tour and onto the tour he should be on.”

Good luck Jason, now go get it.

Back & Better Then Ever

2005-08-08T10:18:00.000-04:00

I am ready to return from my hiatus, I think. The main reason for the hiatus was because I wanted to give some thought as to how I am utilizing my blog.

When I first got started, I did not know what was going to come of this journey, and over the course of time I have met some great people, and learned a lot. But I also think that I need this blog to be more focused. Therefore, I am gearing this blog towards a strictly business purpose.

As most of you know by now, I own a company known as Short Game Central. It has been open for almost a year now, and I am ready to start giving it the attention that it deserves. Short Game Central offers complete club repair services as well as custom-built clubs (specializing in wedges and putters). This blog is now going to become an extension of that business as I work to build my brand up.

There has been a lot of discussion, both here in Greensboro, and around the world about the business of blogging. I am of the firm belief that it is virtually impossible for a blog to be a financial windfall on its own, but I do believe that it can be an excellent accessory for other business ventures, and it is my intention to see if that is the case. Therefore, The Grunkle Guru will now have a more defined schedule of postings that will be both beneficial and enjoyable to the golfing public, not only here in beautiful Greensboro, but across the nation and around the world. The schedule of writings will be as follows:

- Monday (Weekend Round-Up) – A look back at what happened in the world of golf.

- Tuesday (Rule of the Week) – Knowledge is power, and we want you to use the rules to your benefit.

- Wednesday (Fantasy Day) – We’ll take a look at who I like for the coming week, and how my picks fared in the previous event.

- Thursday (Review Day) – A look at a product, service, or golf course.

- Friday (Tip of the Week) – We’ll get you geared up for the weekend with a quick tip to improve your game.

This will be an interesting experiment and will hopefully show the power of business blogging, but it does greatly limit my personal voice. I do not feel it is appropriate to give my opinions on worldly topics, family happenings, and other points of interest at a blog designed to promote my business.

If there is one thing that I have learned about blogging it is quite addictive. Because of my newfound desire to write my opinion about various topics, I have decided to create a new blog as an outlet for my personal views on topics not related to golf. It will take me a couple of days to launch it, but keep your eye out for The 19th Hole (what else would a golfer call it).

Thanks for your patience during my hiatus, and I hope you like the new and improved Grunkle Guru.

Time For A Break

2005-08-01T10:54:00.000-04:00

Dear Reader(s),

For some time now I have been struggling with my voice. I have felt like I am posting for the sake of posting, posting about non-related issues, and writing posts that have been absolute pieces of crap. I’m sorry you all have had to go through this, but thanks to Ed Cone, I have figured out the problem.

I’m blogging depressed.

Therefore, I am going on hiatus to fix my problem.

Not a long one. Just a week or so to get my thoughts straight, and re-focus on why I blog.

I’ll be around lurking, possibly commenting, but not posting. Look for a grandiose return shortly.

The Guru

Rave Link Review

2005-08-01T10:51:00.000-04:00

This week, I am proud to give you:

The Big Link

Go check out the latest in high-quality ranting.

Boring Battle Of The Bridges

2005-07-26T09:24:00.000-04:00

In last night’s Battle of the Bridges Phil Mickelson and Retief Goosen defeated Tiger Woods and John Daly 5 & 3 to win the final Battle of The Bridges.

I’m not upset to see the event end as it has definitely lost some luster over time. When it first happened it was revolutionary, as it allowed golf to tap into the primetime audience, and it provided a unique event as the final holes were actually played under the lights. It was a cool concept and was a ratings success.

Over time the event has dulled, and this year’s event was a total bore to watch. Tiger has announced he will not participate again, and the sponsor has not shown an interest in extending the deal. However, this is the type of thing that if set up properly could be a successful event in the future. Some suggestions include:

- Get players who want to play in this event. The foursome should be a member of the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour taking on a member of the Champions Tour and a member of the Nationwide Tour. This would help give exposure to all the tours, showcase their marketable players, and since there is so much fill-time with only one group on the course you could highlight all the tours and help create interest for them.

- Get personable players to participate. The event is rather boring when you are watching only four golfers and the only conversation between them is the requiem polite chitchat. Get some players who will display their personality in a more demonstrative manner. A little needling of the opponents will go a long way towards generating buzz about the event.

- Players put up their own money. All of these players make plenty of money and while the purse is impressive, it is not a motivator. Instead, each team puts up a set amount of money (for arguments sake we’ll say $150,000 per team) with the winning team winning it all and then making a donation to charity. Everyone wins in this case and all of a sudden you can promote an event where the competitors are playing with their own money. Definitely puts a different spin on the pressure putt.

- Mix up the format. Best ball has been the method of play as of late, but it is somewhat boring to watch. Instead, let’s use three formats for 6 holes each. The first 6 holes would be best ball, the next six would be alternate shot, and the final 6 would be a scramble. This would create better TV, and since it is a departure from the traditional golf, it might loosen up the players as well.

I’d like to see the primetime golf come back in some form in the near future. I enjoy the golf, but if they want to appeal to the masses they need to have something more audience friendly.

Look Out Greensboro

2005-07-25T15:19:00.000-04:00

I want to take a moment to congratulate my wife, Jacynthia on being selected to participate in this year's Government Works: City Academy

For some time now she has wanted to be more involved in the city, and this is a perfect way for her to get her feet wet.

I'm just glad I did not have to bribe any blogging politicians to get her in the program.

Big Link

2005-07-25T15:14:00.000-04:00

Another edition of:

The Big Link

Some good stuff here. Be sure to check it out. Afterall, this chunky white man reccomends it.

A Plea For Prayers

2005-07-18T22:23:00.000-04:00

I want to take a moment and break from golf.

I just found out that one of my good friends is going through a family crisis. All names and locations are being witheld to protect their privacy.

He and his wife struggled for some time to get pregnant and for some time, and after struggling through some miscarriages, they were blessed with a baby boy over Memorial Day Weekend this year.

Everything was fine until a recent fever led them to the hospital where further tests revealed a failing liver.

From what I understand they are looking at a liver transplant, and they are staying at a Ronald McDonald House.

If you pray please be sure to pray for this caring and loving family. If you do not pray please have some kind thoughts in your heart.

They have a tough road ahead.

UPDATE: Exciting news! It looks like they found the cause of the liver problems and it can be treated without a transplant. The hope is that their infant son will be able to come off the respirator this weekend. Thank you to all who held them in your hearts.

Greetings From West Virginia

2005-07-18T16:49:00.000-04:00

Up in Charleston, WV for a product symposium to the Facility Managers for the West Virginia School System. Boring stuff, but hopefully some good business for my full-time gig. Hopefully, we will be able to find some time for golf.

I was going to post extensively on the British Open this past weekend, but Patrick Eakes does a great job, so I will just send you his way, but only after you read my two cents.

If the British Open was held at St. Andrews any year Tiger would be an absolute lock to break Nicklaus's mark for major championships. In his two victories there he has absolutely dominated the rest of the field.

His swing looked great, and if he continues to progress with his swing changes we could easily see another streak of winning seven of eleven majors.

I love watching these guys play St. Andrews, and hope to one day get over there myself, but it is scary how much these guys can take advantage of this course when the conditions are relatively benign.

If the weather is not bad, the value of par goes down hill. When a player can drive 3 - 5 par fours on a golf course, and have mid to low irons for second shots into par fives, the game is not the same. Some of these links courses are defended by the weather, and if the weather is good, the scores will be great. Technology has made these courses much easier then their creators intended to be.

Don't get me wrong. I don't really care what someone is in relation to par. All that matters is that they are at least one stroke better then their competition. Whether that is a field of 155, the other guys in your league, your best friend, your personal best. Golf is all about playing to the best of your abilities everytime you tee it up. If your best score is 77, then you should set that as your personal par and strive to shoot at least 76 next time you play.

The Big Link

2005-07-18T16:47:00.000-04:00

Time for another edition of:

The Big Link

I have never read this blog, but I will now.

Wie Out At APL

2005-07-15T11:53:00.000-04:00

Well, Hootie Johnson can finally get some sleep. After putting together some great golf over the past few days, Michelle Wie was defeated by Clay Ogden 5 and 4.

I am still impressed by what this 15 year old girl has accomplished, and every player partner and opponent have nothing but praise for her game. I still feel that she needs to learn how to win, but that is for a different time.

It would have been very interesting if Michelle had pulled off the miracle and won the Amateur Pub Links event. While the Masters is not obligated to extend an invitation to every USGA Championship (it is an invitational event), they have traditionally invited the winner of the APL.

Given Augusta National’s stance on women being members, it would have been a much discussed decision.

However, I do think she would have received the invite. Women have played Augusta as guests, and while this would have created major headlines, Wie would not be offered membership. Just the opportunity to tee it up in one of the most prestigious golf events in the world. Now, if she ever won the Masters that would be a different story as membership does come with that green jacket.

What Did The Guru Do

2005-07-13T15:52:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are regular readers, you know that I wrote what I hoped to be a recurring segment titled, “What The Guru Did”. Well, unfortunately, I have not done much that is noteworthy as of late (unless you count rounds of 78 & 79 with no birdies, no bogeys and too many putts as attention grabbing headlines). Well, that changed last night.

We had our regular Tuesday night group together at Twin Oaks for our regular play. We play two man teams in nine-hole segments where you play best ball. $5.00 per man with a two tie / all tie rule meaning that if two groups finish tied for first it is a push and no team money changes hands. We also have an individual skins game where if you are the only one to birdie a hole you get a dollar from everyone, and if you happen to make an Ace then it is five bucks a man. Nobody’s going to have to skip a meal because of these wagers, but it definitely adds some excitement and gets the competitive juices flowing.

Standing on the first tee the weather was perfect, the pins were in easy locations and I fully expected a low score would win this nine-hole event. “4-under pushes, 5-under wins,” I said to myself as I did not want to put any undue pressure on my teammate. We handled the first hole in routine fashion; center of the green, two putts for par, and on to the second hole where things started to get a little interesting.

Hole two was playing about 72 yards with the pin on the right edge of the green. I went pin seeking and managed to hit it about 80 yards. Now I’m sitting directly above the hole with a shot that is running away from me. I have been working on my flop shot for some time now, but had been lacking the courage as of late to try it when it mattered. However, my partner was in easy two putt range so I gave it a shot, and what a shot it was.

With an open stance and an open face I deftly took my lob wedge back, and trusting that I was in the right position fired through the shot making sure to keep the club face open through impact. Gently the ball rose, and landed softly right at the spot I picked out above the hole. Slowly it rolled towards the hole, and for a second it looked like it would drop, but alas it trickled by and I made to comebacker for par.

Sitting on the third tee (longest of the course at 130 yards) I’m faced with a decision. Hit a full pitching wedge past the hole and spin it back, or punch a 9-iron and hope I have my distance control down as long is death. Perfectly struck shot. 3 feet from the hole, and I make the putt, but low and behold a roar erupts from the group in front of us. Seems one of our opponents has aced the 5th hole and has moved to 4-under.

All of a sudden we are looking at a situation where we are three shot behind despite the fact that we are 1-under through three. So what does the guru do? He dials it in and gets the focus going.

- Lob wedge to 5 feet on 4 for birdie
- Gap wedge to 3 feet on 5 for birdie
- Partner makes birdie on 6
- Lob wedge to 7 feet on 7 for birdie

We par in (including a 10 foot par saver on 9) to post 5-under and win the session.

Golf like that is fun. When you can go out and execute, and step up to the challenge that others throw your way is a very satisfying feeling.

The Weekend That Was

2005-07-11T14:42:00.000-04:00

It was a quiet week in golf this past weekend what with all the ‘big names’ getting ready to play in The Open Championship this coming week at historic St. Andrews. However, there was still some excitement to be found in the world of golf.

First, I am quite the prophet. Michelle Wie missed the cut, as I thought she would. In fact the cut was at –3 as I felt it would be. And while she is saying the right things to the media regarding her collapse during the last four holes (plus 3 to miss the cut by two), I still think she failed because she has not put herself in enough pressure situations to truly understand what her golf swing will do under pressure.

Note: The John Deere Classic definitely got the media attention it wanted, as it garnered musings from our local urbanist.

I wish her the best in her golfing endeavors as I think she can be truly great for the game, but she has got to start playing in tournaments that she has a chance of winning. Playing against seasoned professionals (either male or female) is helping build her confidence, but it is not teaching her how to play under pressure.

Also at the John Deere Classic we saw the culmination of the tragic and inspiring story of Sean O’Hair. This was the kid that came close earlier this year with a second place finish at the Byron Nelson Classic, and brought light to a story of an overbearing father. This loving dad forced his son to sign a management contract at the age of 17, run a mile for every bogey during a round, and one time withdrew his son from a tournament after 3 putting the 18th hole. Congratulations to Sean for earning this victory coming back from 5 shots to earn his first PGA Tour victory, a trip to The Open this week, and more importantly and two-year exemption on tour.

Finally, I want to remind you of a player who captured our hearts for three days in June. He had an engaging personality, an ‘everyman’ quality if you will. He was a media darling that everyone was rooting for. Until he shot an 84 on Sunday of the U.S. Open, and then all was forgotten. No sponsorships, no corporate gigs, no luxury hotels.

Instead, Jason Gore turned down invitations to play on the PGA Tour, and instead followed his dream to earn a full-time spot next year through the Nationwide Tour. Well, the U.S. Open gave Gore a confidence that he has been lacking over the last year or so, and it all came together for him this week as he won the Nationwide event in West Virginia, and the $107,000 that goes with it. It’s just too bad that the media that loved him a week ago could care less about him this week.

Ramble On

2005-07-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

It's time for another edition of

THE BIG LINK

Ramble over and check it out.

Wie She or Won't She

2005-07-08T09:55:00.000-04:00

This week on the PGA Tour is a rather slow one with most of the stars over in Europe getting ready for the British Open next week.

Note: All indications are that while security will be heightened due to yesterday’s tragic events, there will be no delay in the Open Championship.

However, John Deere, the sponsor of this week’s event took advantage of the slow time and gave an exemption to 15-year-old prodigy, Michelle Wie. She more then held her own yesterday shooting a 1-under 70 giving her a legitimate chance to make the cut. We’ll know about 4 hours after she tees off at 1:48CT.

There is a lot of debate this morning on the sports talk radio about whether she will make the cut. I say not a chance.

While it is impressive what she is doing, the cut is already at 2-under and I expect it to go to 3-under by the end of the day. That means she is going to have to play better then she did yesterday, and I don’t see it happening.

Look, she is not battle tested. She has not learned to win golf tournaments. or come through in the clutch. I’m in awe of what she can do on a golf course, and wish I had just an inkling of her talent, but she does not know how to close the deal. Can she sit on the 17th tee and know she needs to play the last two holes 1 under to make the cut? I just don’t see it happening.

Of course, those of you who know my track record in predicting the outcome of golf tournaments (I did pick the winner last week!), knows that the possibility of Michelle proving me wrong is better then average.

Fix Your Bleeping Ball Mark

2005-07-06T14:47:00.000-04:00

Over the last few weeks, I have found myself with the opportunity to play more golf then I have earlier this year. While there is nothing spectacular to report on my game (other then my amazing ability to achieve mediocrity), I have noticed a trend that must stop.

If you are playing a round of golf, please, for the love of God, take care of the course you are on. I’m not asking for anyone to do extensive maintenance, just basic stuff that should become habit every time you are on the course.

This includes two simple and easy things:

First, repair your divots. Most courses have sand mix on the golf cart and it takes no time to grab the mix and drop some in your divot. It allows the grass to heal properly and at a much faster pace. Down here in the south, where Bermuda grass is prevalent, do not replace the divot, as it will not grow back. Instead either use the sand mix provided, or kick in the edges.

Second, and more importantly, fix your #$@%^&# ball marks on the green! I cannot possibly take a stronger stance on the matter. It takes two seconds, and not only does it help the greens heal quickly (3 days as opposed to 3 weeks), but also it is just courteous.

If you hit the ball in the air and it landed on the green, I’d be willing to be you made a pitch mark. Simply take your repair tool (available in the pro shop if you don’t have one), gently push in the sides and tamp it down. If you need pictures you can find them here.

For those of us that love the game of golf, and relish every opportunity we get to play there is nothing more annoying then seeing a great round ruined because golfers in front of you do not take the time to show the courtesy you are tying to show those behind you.

I’m a strong supporter of the motto that states, “fix your own ball mark and one other” and always try to oblige, but wouldn’t it be nice if people took responsibility for their own ball marks?

Please, take it upon yourself to fix your divots and repair your ball marks. We will all enjoy the game more.

Big Link - Vol. XVI

2005-07-06T08:47:00.000-04:00

Actually, I don't know what edition of The Big Link this is, but 16 sounded like a sweet number.

Check out this week's edition of

THE BIG LINK

A new one to me, but her work is very impressive.

Out Of Town

2005-07-01T09:51:00.000-04:00

Heading out of town for the Holiday Weekend.

Here's hoping that each and everyone of you has a relaxing, enjoyable, and SAFE weekend.

Tee it up if you get a chance. I know I will.

Happy Fourth of July!

Getting Up For Cialis Western Open

2005-06-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

Watching and analyzing the week’s events on the PGA Tour is always and enjoyable experience. However, this is a special week simply because of the sponsor, and the Unintentional Comedy (I must thank Bill Simmons of ESPN fame for establishing the previous phrase) that comes with it. That’s right, this week’s stop in Chicago is sponsored by…..

Drum roll please….

CIALIS

Yep, the golfers on the PGA Tour will be competing for a purse that is generated by those men who want to make sure that the playful moment turns into the right moment. I can only imagine what the trophy looks like.

Still, I must pick my team for the week, and while I must admit to underperforming lately, I am confident that the Cialis event can give me the pick-me-up that I have been looking for.

Tiger Woods – While having a good year, he is still looking for his right moment. Not in that way (have you seen his wife), but in putting 4 solid rounds together. He plays well here and there is no reason to think he will struggle.

Jim Furyk – After last week’s letdown he is looking to come back strong and show that his disappointing finish last week was a fluke.

Justin Rose – He’s young and strong, but he has been out here a long time. Maybe this event will give him the boost he needs to finish the season strong.

John Senden – I had a little money left to spend and have never seen this guy play. Just a curiosity pick.

Ben Crane – I just couldn’t resist picking him in this event. He is a notoriously slow player and he very well might have rounds that last longer then 4 hours and he will have to seek immediate medical attention.

(Speaking of the immediate medical attention, does anyone else have scary and disturbing images of some schlep sitting in the emergency room and hoping nobody notices his ‘emergency’? Wouldn’t you hate to be sitting next to that guy?)

Well, there’s this weeks roster. Let’s sit back and see if the moment strikes them all.

Golf Course Review - Ironplay Par 3

2005-06-28T12:50:00.000-04:00

I want to take a moment to tell you all about a diamond in the rough here in Greensboro, NC. Actually, it is in Summerfield, but close enough for consideration. Ironplay Par-3 is open for business and I implore you all to give it a try.

Owned by Steve and Rick Carter, this par-3 golf course is one of the best par-3 courses I have ever played. The typical generalizations about par-3 courses such as artificial turf tees, poor maintenance, little creativity and others can all be thrown out the window. This course was designed to be a real golf course, just on a smaller scale.

The course has a routing just like you would see at a traditional style golf course. There are elevation changes, bunkers, water hazards, sloping greens, collection areas, and hole designs that allow for the beginner to play straight away, while still allowing the more advanced golfer to think through the proper shot selection. Some holes might require a high, soft shot to hit it close, while other might require aiming away from the hole and letting the slop of the green bring the shot closer to the pin. Just a fun experience that will provide entertainment for all.

The course has two sets of tees (white and blue), and there is actually a noticeable yardage difference. From the white tees, the holes will range in distance from 65 – 125 yards while the blue tees range from 85 – 150 yards creating the opportunity to play many different shots from varying differences. One of the hidden benefits to Ironplay is that the yardages are actually quite accurate. Each tee marker has a concrete slab that represents where the yardage is measured from, and when I walked off the distance from where the tee boxes were set, I found them to be quite accurate. This is not always the case at other par 3 courses, and even some ‘regulation’ courses.

My favorite hole on the course is the 4th hole. Playing through a scenic part of the land, the course has a very natural feel to it with rock outcroppings and a creek running in front of the green, the tee shot from 105 yards away sets up very well to the eye. There is a slope in the back that if a player misses long forces a difficult chip from a downhill lie to a green that runs away from the golfer and towards the creek.

The greens are very well designed and have multiple landing areas where if you hit the wrong side of the green you will be faced with a tricky putt. Bunkers are well placed and have the unique trait of long grass surrounding them leading to intimidating shots from the sand.

As for practice facilities, Ironplay is well equipped with a tremendous practice green as well as a driving range (irons only please).

So if you are looking for a golfing challenge, and are squeezed for time, or just want to work on your short game please give Ironplay a chance. I’m confident that you will add this course to your regular rotation.

Ironplay Golf Course
6261 Lake Brandt Rd.
Summerfield, NC 27358
(336) 644-7991

www.ironplay.com

Note: In the spirit of full disclosure, Ironplay has been nice enough to support my company Short Game Central by funneling club repair business my way and allowing me to use their facility for club fitting sessions.

When Eagle's Eyes Are Smiling

2005-06-27T09:41:00.000-04:00

I did not catch much of the golf this weekend, so I won’t even attempt to conjure up any type of in-depth analysis, but I will say this. The two major events of the weekend (The Barclay’s Classic on the PGA Tour, and the US Women’s Open) were contested on courses that are some of the best around.

At the Barclay’s, Padrig Harrington won for the second time this year with a miraculous 55’ eagle putt on the 18th hole. High drama that resulted in a great champion. The fact that he made the putt is incredible enough, but knowing that he had to two-putt from that difficult position to force a playoff made the putt all the more incredible. However, while Harrington’s victory was one of those high-drama moments, it was overshadowed by what happened at the U.S. Women’s Open.

While all the focus was on Annika and her run at the Sorrenslam (winning all four majors in the same year), it was the unheralded Birdie Kim (yes, that is her real name as she legally changed it to differentiate herself from all the other Kims on Tour) who won the Open with a spectacular hole-out from a greenside bunker on 18. With Sorrenstam struggling all weekend, we got an opportunity to see what the future of women’s golf holds, and it looks like it could be quite impressive. Not only do we have 18 year old Paula Creamer, who has already won on the LPGA Tour this year, but we also have Duke alum Brittany Lang (who will turn pro this summer), Michelle Wie, and perhaps the most competitive of them all, 17 year old Morgan Pressel ready to that the golf world by storm. The women’s game looks to have some budding rivalries that if marketed properly could really raise the level of awareness for the LPGA Tour, much like the women’s tennis game has gained in popularity in relation to the men’s game. Can anyone say catfight?

The Big Link - Darth Tater Style

2005-06-27T09:01:00.000-04:00

This week we have another edition of

THE BIG LINK

I implore all of you to check out Darth Tater. One of the best photoblogs I have come across.

Barclaying Up The Wrong Tree

2005-06-23T15:26:00.000-04:00

After another disappointing showing in Fantasy Golf Land during the U.S. Open last week, I am wallowing in the basement of the global standings. Sure I’m disappointed, but I’m a gamer, and therefore will keep plugging away and boring all of you with my weekly picks.

This week the Tour stops in Westchester, NY for the Barclay’s Classic. Another one of the classic courses that are not frequent enough locations for tour events. In the last three weeks, the PGA Tour has held events at Congressional Country Club, Pinehurst No.2, and now Westchester CC. Talk about a solid leg of events. This week I went with a strategy of looking for guys who perform well as these types of courses and came up with the following Fab 5:

Sergio Garcia – The Spaniard won here last year and has played solid golf as of late. Only a fool would not pick him (which is why I almost left him off my roster)

Brad Faxon – Grew up playing in Rhode Island on similar old-style courses. He too has a strong record here.

James Driscoll – The rookie is having a very solid season, and being from Massachusetts he has experience on these style courses as well.

Chris DiMarco – While he now lives in Florida, he was born in Jersey. Solid play all year leads me to believe that he will eventually break through for a victory.

Ryan Moore – While not from the northeast (in fact he is the opposite being a northwesterner) makes him a tough pick, but it is his pro debut and he won the U.S. Amateur at another well-respected northeast course – Winged Foot.

So there you have it. I’ll consider it a victory if four of my guys make the cut.

Open Drama

2005-06-22T11:23:00.000-04:00

I have been remiss in my duties as a golf blogger. I have not posted much of anything at all on the recent U.S. Open held at the famed Pinehurst No. 2. In fact, I did not see much of it at all. The weather was great in Aiken, and between golf, spending time at the pool, and the arrival of my parents new horse, I did not see much of the action until Sunday evening, but what I saw was an exciting finish to what was a great event. I sincerely hope that the USGA has the same love affair with the deuce as the golfing world seems to have. The Open is booked through 2012, but let’s hope 13 is our lucky number. North Carolina, and especially the Pinehurst area has a chance to put on a show with a global audience, and we are now two for two in producing successful events.

This tournament featured some memorable moments for me including:

- David Toms finishing up double bogey – triple bogey on Friday. This was a momentum killer, and while he played great on Saturday, I still think it hurt is mindset for the weekend.

- Jason Gore came out of nowhere during the first two days, which was not very unusual, but the fact that he hung around on Saturday was truly amazing. It is a shame that he collapsed as bad as he did on Sunday. Let’s hope this experience gives him the confidence to get his game on track. He has the personality with the media to make him a popular player on tour.

- Retief Goosen’s collapse on Sunday would have been one of the most dramatic of all-time (more then Norman’s Sunday collapse in the ’96 Masters), if not for the total collapse of Gore. Since both were out of it early on Sunday, the television crew did not focus on them and allowed them to falter in solace.

- For as much as Goosen, Gore, Browne, and to an extent Woods collapsed as the day transpired, Michael Campbell won this tournament. It was not handed it to him. To put it in perspective, out of 83 players on Sunday Campbell’s 69 was tied with three others for the best round of the day.

- The 1999 – 2001 version of Tiger Woods would have won this tournament. Back then, other players wilted when he made a charge. Now, the player’s play their game and wait for Tiger to make a mistake as he did this past Sunday (+1 over last three holes)

Patrick has some first hand experience here (yes, I am jealous, but I digress).

As usual, the Open brought us some great stories, and great drama.

What The Guru Did

2005-06-21T14:20:00.000-04:00

There is a hokey commercial series being run by Ford Motor Company and their spokesman, Phil Mickelson dubbed, “What will Phil do next?” and it typically results in a little smirk coming across my face. However, playing golf this weekend, it got me thinking about my blog and new segments I can try out. Therefore, I bring you the first installment of, “What the Guru did next.” (I have not mastered live blogging from the golf course yet so you will have to live with my bad decisions)

So there I am standing on the second tee at Aiken Golf Club, a short, dogleg right, par-5 that features heavy woods all down the right side. The tee shot is elevated and makes it virtually impossible to see the landing area. I have just made a bogey on one so I’m a little steamed and take out driver with full intention of reaching the green in two and giving myself a chance for eagle. Lately I have been playing a draw off the tee so I aim down the right side and take a swing at it. It’s early in the day so my body is not exactly moving in the fine synchronization that I am accustomed to, and the resulting body slide leads to a towering golf shot that starts right and continues to move in opposite direction then that which I envisioned. Can’t see it land, but I have a feeling it is in a clearing that will allow me to find it.

After the trip down to my suspected landing area (cursing myself for putting me in a terrible position and no doubt building bad momentum for the round) I come across my ball about where I expected it to be. There it is, a pretty Titleist sitting pretty good in some domestic Bermuda rough. I am now faced with three options.

A – I could punch out sideways, which is a relatively clear shot, but will still leave me about 200 yards from the hole, and require a fade over bunkers to a sloping green.

B – I could hit a low punch towards the hole and hope I get lucky. The ground is relatively clear, but the green is well bunkered with heavy rough around it.

C – I could guess how far it is directly to the hole and try to launch a shot over the trees. The angle I have in is very favorable with a lot of green to work with, but if I don’t pull it off precisely I am looking a double bogey or worse and basically ruining my day 20 minutes into it.

So, what did the Guru do?

What any self-respecting gambling golfer will do. I went for it. I figured about 200 yards to the hole with a flyer lie. I grabbed a 7 iron and took a mighty swing that combined the raw power of John Daly with the subtle fluidity of Ernie Els.

For those of you who don’t play golf let me take a second to describe what perfect contact feels like. There is a euphoria that overcomes your body when you hit that perfect shot. The ball is just a split-second off the club, and you know it will be good. The shot in your mind has become your shot in reality. You finish your swing and see the ball tracking on the exact line you envisioned. It’s traveling right through the window of opportunity you saw, and you imagine the joy and admiration that will be heaped upon you by your playing partners. For me, at this moment there was one small problem. I was in the trees and could not see where my ball finished up.

Arriving at the green, I see my ball resting 15’ from the hole with an uphill putt. Exactly where I thought it would be. I missed the eagle, but made birdie and proceeded on to the next tee where I now had the honor.

The rest of the day was an exercise in grinding. I did not hit the ball very well, but managed a 79 hitting only 5 fairways and 7 greens for the day (now you know why I am the Grunkle Guru).

You gotta love this game.

Delayed Big Link

2005-06-21T11:17:00.000-04:00

Back from a visit to Aiken to wish my dad a happy Father’s Day, and a good time was had by all. I got some stuff to catch up on, and will hopefully post some more details soon. In the meantime, please check out this week’s edition of:

THE BIG LINK

Go check it out.

I'm Big Time Baby!

2005-06-16T12:38:00.000-04:00

A few weeks back Wharton mentioned how all of us who blog have an ego, and we work to fill that ego by having people visit our sites and leave comments. To this day I could not agree more. I have an ego, and like to have it stroked every once in a while. It just feels good. Well, today I found out I got a hell of a stroking.

Ed Cone, the writer behind Word Up has posted a comment to one of my posts! I am honored to have the Blogfather (yes, I understand he hates that term, but it is fitting) not only read one of my posts, but take the time to comment on it.

I’ve never met Mr. Cone, or had any type of communication with him, but from what I understand about the blogging community, he is a revered fellow.

So thanks for visiting Ed, and if you ever need golf clubs please remember Short Game Central.

Apologies & Predictions

2005-06-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

Sorry I missed the Meetup last night, but I am making so much money off my blog I had to go out and buy my wife a new car.

Well, most of that statement is false, but we did buy a car last night, and with everything that was involved with that, I was unable to make it. Hope it was a good one, and I would love a wrap-up from someone who attended.

I also had to set my lineup for the U.S. Open this week. This is one of the toughest weeks to pick because even though there is a field of 156 players, realistically there are only 20 – 30 who even tee off with a chance to win. Makes it tough when you have a salary cap to work with. Anyway, here is my roster for this year.

Tiger Woods – As long as he gets some good breaks in the rough (he won’t be hitting many fairways) he has a shot. Also, he has a girl giving him grief this week so let’s see if he steps up.

David Toms – Like Patrick, this is my pick to win this week. He has been playing solid for a while, and his game is perfect for an Open. He hits it long enough, has a great touch and is a fiery competitor.

Luke Donald – It has been 35 years since a European won the U.S. Open, and if the string is going to be broken it might as well be an Englishman who has a classic game.

Steve Elkington – He had a great tournament last week, and has had a quiet season. Still, there is no better swing out there, and there is no reason he shouldn’t be in contention.

Scott McCarron – I only had a few bucks left and his name kept catching my eye.

I wish it were like college golf. Start 5 count 4. Maybe then I would have a chance.

Someone Needs To Pick Up The Torch

2005-06-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

As we all know the U.S. Open will be played on the hallowed grounds of the Pinehurst Resort in Moore County, NC this coming weekend. I am excited for this event and look forward to enjoying the action from a distance, as I will be out of town. However, there is a social issue going on that needs to be addressed, and that is the reprehensible conditions that some families endure in nearby enclaves. The News & Record's Lorraine Ahearn does a piece this week about the Lost City, and the lack of county and city services that so many of us take for granted.

I am not the person to expound on this topic, as it will take me way out of my comfort zone, but I hope that some other bloggers will pick up this torch and work to bring this disparity to light. However, I will say this.

I love the game of golf and what it can do for people and communities. In fact, the PGA Tour is closing in on generating $1billion dollars in charitable donations. However, the fact that there is such a large socio-economic disparity in a county that prospers off this game I love really disappoints me. I hope that Moore County, and the Pinehurst Resorts work to improve the quality of life of everyone in this area. The difference between the haves and the have-nots is just too great for our society.

The Big Link

2005-06-14T10:52:00.000-04:00

Meant to put this up the other day.

I now hang my head in shame and encourage you all to check out

THE BIG LINK

Tour Wrap-Up

2005-06-13T09:54:00.000-04:00

We’re going to start off with the ladies today because the top 2 in this past week’s LPGA Championship represent the present and the future of women’s golf.

Congratulations go out to Annika Sorrenstam on her second major of the year. This puts her halfway to the coveted Grand Slam, and from her play this year, it seems that there will be nothing stopping her from accomplishing that feat.

Michelle Wie proved that even though she is an amateur, and even though she only has a learners permit (she’s fifteen), she is no doubt the future of women’s golf. With four rounds under par in a major championship, this golfer was one of the few who actually moved up the leader board on the last day. I still don’t agree with the LPGA changing the qualification rules to allow an amateur to play in the Professional Golfers Association championship, but she showed that she can play with the best in the world.

Meanwhile, on the PGA tour, Sergio Garcia won with a blistering final round 65 (perhaps this will help erase some of the bad memories of the Wachovia collapse a few weeks back. Also, my fantasy team struggled on the weekend and secured me a 13,296th finish. Not exactly in the money. But neither of these is the big story coming off this weekend’s event.

Rory Sabbatini and Ben Crane were paired together for the final round. Rory is known as one of the faster players, and Ben one of the slower ones on tour. During the back nine on Sunday this twosome was put on the clock for slow play. I guess when that happened Rory reverted back into 5-year old mentality and proceeded to make a complete ass of himself. Some of the lowlights include.

- Walking ahead of Crane on the 17th hole so that he is standing behind the green while Crane is in the fairway waiting to hit is approach shot.

- Chipping onto the green on 17 and then putting out from 5 feet while Crane was walking up to play his birdie attempt. Note: Proper etiquette states that the golfer either off the green, or furthest from the hole plays first.

- Rory then proceeds to walk of the green and to the 18th tee before Crane has even hit his first putt.

- Sabbatini then hits out of turn on 18 (he made bogey on 17 to Crane’s par, meaning that Crane had honors)

- After the round is complete, Rory basically skips the handshake with his playing partner.

I commend Ben Crane for taking the high road in his post round interview and saying that it was his fault that they were playing slow, but I still can not excuse Rory Sabbatini for his actions during the day. That level of immaturity is reserved for the elementary school playground, and has no place in the world of professional golf.

Golf is not a game about rooting against players, but rather cheering louder for your favorites, but I think that Rory deserves every boo he gets from this point forward. Just flat out low-class.

Disappointed In The Local Newspaper

2005-06-13T09:23:00.000-04:00

Man, there is a lot to discuss in the world of golf this week, and I will get to as much of it as I can. However, before I get into the fun stuff, I feel that I must take the sports department of the Greensboro News & Record to task.

I have a passion for golf that most don’t necessarily understand. It is the same passion that people like Hoggard feel for local issues, or Wharton feels for urban revitalization, or Councilwoman Carmany feels for her political responsibilities. It is an essential part of my life, but not something that consumes me 24/7. Sometimes, there is too much of a good thing.

However, the News & Record has done a major dis-service to the local golf community this past weekend. Not one article has been written on the Greensboro City Championship (otherwise known as the Bryan Amateur). In fact, I only saw scores in the Sunday paper, nothing Saturday after the first round, and nothing today showing the winners. Well, I did not see anything at least. Nothing in the paper, nothing on the web, nothing in the blogs.

The News & Record is supposedly shifting their focus to more of a local paper as evidenced by the recent decision to no longer pay the NY Times for content. If this is the case, then why did they not have a reporter covering the local golf championships, or at least publish the scores of participants.

In conclusion, I would like to say that they did a great cover piece on the malaise that golf in North Carolina is facing now (which I will post on later), and I am confident that they will have adequate coverage of the U.S. Open, but for a supposed local paper to ignore a major local sporting event is unacceptable.

UPDATE: John Newsome at the N&R issued a mea culpa in my comments, which I appreciate. The results are also posted in today's sports section. Thanks for addressing this situation John.

Loving The Ladies

2005-06-10T09:33:00.000-04:00

Forgive me for I have been remiss. In my effort to come up with a fantasy golf team that might actually make the cut, I forgot to mention a couple of things that are going on over on the female circuit. The LPGA Tour is holding its second major of the year, the LPGA Championship.

As of Friday morning this is setting up to be one heck of a tournament. Tied for the lead is Natalie Gulbis, one of the rising stars on the LPGA tour who has been known more for her looks, then for her game. Throw in the fact she is dating the Pittsburgh Steelers chosen one, and many people might forget that she can play. Whether she can play with the lead remains to be seen.

One stroke off the lead was a rookie who might have already locked up the Rookie of the Year award, Paula Creamer. She already has one victory this year (before she graduated from high school), and now she has put herself in contention in a major after the first round.

Lurking 2 shots back is The Big Wiesy. 15 years old, and shooting 3-under in a major takes the term phenom to a whole new level. I still don’t think she should be playing in this tournament as she is not a professional golfer, but you still have to respect the act.

Oh yeah, the greatest woman golfer of all time is one shot off the lead as well.

Most people don’t follow women’s golf, and for the most part you can include me in that group. However, if you want to see golfers with great tempo and extremely proficient short games then check out the telecasts this weekend. I’m sure you will be impressed.

LPGA Tour Commissioner Ty Votaw has also created what I think is a very exciting concept for their Tour Championship. Details are still being worked out, but in a nutshell there will be 32 qualifiers for the event with the top 16 moving on to day two, 8 moving on to day three, and 4 playing on the final day for a $1million dollar prize. I’ll reserve judgment until I see the final format, but this sounds like a unique way to bring emphasis to the entire season and really make the final event an exciting one.

So give the ladies some love. They are coming up with unique concepts to make their product stand out from the others out there.

Strolling Through Meadowlands

2005-06-09T15:24:00.000-04:00

This past Monday I was invited to play in a golf tournament to benefit the Triad Titans, an AAU basketball program that was created as a spin-off of Rusty Larue’s basketball camps. Anyway, I accepted the invitation more for the venue then for the cause as it gave me an opportunity to play Meadowlands Golf Club. A course that I have not played in a few years, and I figured I needed an excuse to get out there again.

While I am still suffering from a torn hamstring, I felt it was good enough to play on. After all, the bruising had reduced in size from a dinner plate to a more manageable softball size bruise. I figured that since it was a captain’s choice event the strain would not be too great as we are playing the easiest shot after each attempt at greatness. Well, that was wrong. The leg didn’t hurt, per se, but it definitely affected my swing. I found myself not truly loading up on my right side and this led to may ugly pulls and hooks (rather disappointing after working so hard this winter to develop a consistent fade). Anyway our team struggled all day, but I do want to give this course a plug.

Practice Facilities – A large driving range with chipping area and putting green are more then enough for what you need here. My only complaints with the range are the lack of targets, as well as distance accuracy. I just did not feel that the posted distances were accurate based on the ball flight I was getting. It might have been me, but I do truly feel they were off.

Pro Shop – Not a great selection, but adequate for what they need. Public course pro shops have a tough time carrying products when you can always go to Dick’s and take advantage of their discounts based on their volume of purchasing. Their golf ball prices were a little too high for my liking, but what are going to do when you need some rocks.

Staff – Somewhat friendly, but nothing to write home about.

Golf Course – This Hale Irwin design is a medium-long golf course that plays to a par 72 and a little over 6300 yards from the blue tees (one set in front of the championship tees. Well-placed bunkers and water hazards work to put a premium on shot making, and there are enough elevation changes to make for some interesting stances and blind shots.

Course Condition – I would have to say it was in fair condition for this time of year. Keep in mind that we have had a cool spring, and given that this course utilizes a style of Bermuda grass, it takes some warmer conditions to really come into shape. They had some areas that they were sodding as well, so I can not give the condition a glowing review.

While through the green was acceptable, the greens were in very good shape. They rolled true, and looked like they could be quite gnarly if firmed up and rolled a little quicker.

Signature Hole – The par-3 6th. Measuring at 167 yards from the blue tees, you tee off from well above the green (80ft?) and look out over the woods. A very beautiful setting for a fun golf shot.

Overall, this course is a good play, a fair value (if in great condition), but it is not very memorable. It is three days after the event, and I can’t remember the routing of the golf course. It was enjoyable, but not one you walk off saying, “Man I can’t wait to play here again.”

I would recommend it to anyone who knows how to play the game and enjoys a challenge. It is a little tough for a beginning golfer, but most anyone who plays golf can get around this course.

If you get a chance check it out. I did.

The Particulars

Rates
Monday – Thursday: $28.00 - $38.00
Friday: $31.00 - $41.00
Weekends & Holidays: $38.00 - $48.00

Course Ratings:
Tee Yardage Slope Rating
Gold 6706 72.7 135
Blue 6323 70.6 125
White 5661 67.2 116
Red 4745 62.8 106

Boozing It Up At Congressional

2005-06-08T16:18:00.000-04:00

First off, I'm willing to bet someone else will the title of this post for an article so I am calling Dibs right now! It's mine.

Anyway, too much going on today for a well thought out post about the upcoming Booz Allen Classic this week at Congressional Country Club. This is a bit of a treat for the players as this is a classic course that is known for hosting the 1997 U.S. Open. Because of the venue you are seeing a better field then you typically would. This of course give me more options to put together and under performing team for this week’s adventure in fantasy golf. I decided to go with a mix of veterans and rookie’s to see if we can’t crack the top 5,000 this week.

Ernie Els – He disappointed me last week, but playing on a course that he won on the last time Congressional was in the golf news so maybe he can re-kindle some of those ‘old time feelings’.

Phil Mickelson – He won the event prior to the last major (Bellsouth Classic). Maybe he is making up his own grand slam.

Sean O’Hair – This kid’s got game, and we typically see a younger player win this event so he made my cut.

Jeff Maggert – Old style courses put a much higher premium on accuracy, and this guy has traditionally been one of the most accurate players on tour.

James Driscoll – He’s a Boston boy, and he looks like he could beat-up most of the guys on tour so he scared me into picking him.

These are the five I’m dancing with. I just hope they decide to show up this week.

Memorable Memorial

2005-06-07T10:25:00.000-04:00

The Memorial wrapped up Sunday night in a memorable way. Bart Bryant affirmed his victory last fall during the Valero Open (a mid-level field event) with a victory against one of the strongest fields of a regular tour event. He held off Fred Couples with a clutch putt on 18.

After hitting his 5-wood into the left side hazard on 18 (I still don’t believe that shot took such a hard bounce) he took his drop and promptly hit a 3-iron 15 feet above the hole. So now we have a relatively unknown on one of golf’s biggest stages with a downhill breaking putt to maintain a one shot lead. The smart money would be on him to miss. However, he calmly rolled it in and when Freddie could not make birdie on 18, Bart Bryant earned himself one heck of a paycheck and a tremendous victory for his resume.

Congratulation Bart. I was pulling for Freddie, but you won this tournament, no question about it.

As for my fantasy golf team, it was not good. In fact I don’t even want to talk about it.

I Don't Know This One

2005-06-06T09:02:00.000-04:00

This week's edition of the THE BIG LINK is now available.

Please join me in checking this one out as I have never been to this site before.

Patrick Eakes Wins At Hoggfest

2005-06-03T09:45:00.000-04:00

Patrick Eakes won the custom built wedge and putter that my company (Short Game Central) donated to Hoggfest. Congratulations Patrick.

There is a tremendous amount of irony in this scenario. Not only did another blogger win the prize, but it was a blogger who is almost as passionate about golf as I am. I’m sure they will go to good use whether Patrick has them built for himself, or if he has me do the work for someone else.

So congratulations Patrick and thank you for supporting such a great cause.

By the way, if you bought raffle tickets at Hoggfest in hopes of winning some custom built clubs please let me know. I will offer a Hoggfest special of 10% off any custom built wedge or putter through June 30th.

Leave The Big Dog At Home

2005-06-02T15:43:00.000-04:00

Came across a local tournament today that I think some of you might be interested in participating in.

Triad Golf Today and Golf USA are hosting a Par-3 Shootout. Here are the basic details:

Round 1 at Twin Oaks (make your own tee time) on June 16th
Round 2 at Iron Play (tee times assigned based on first round score) on June 18th

Entry Fee is $50 and that gets you:

2 rounds of tournament golf
Lunch on the second day
The opportunity to win your share of $2500 worth of prizes

For more information contact Steve Williams at (336)-349-2739

The Grunkle Guru was looking forward to participating in this event, but alas I will be out of town that weekend and unable to participate. Too bad, because this sounds like it will be a fun tournament for golfers of all levels as the field will be flighted after the first round, and there is a stroke maximum of 6 per hole.

So get those wedges shined up, or better yet order some new custom built ones from Short Game Central and see if you have the skill it takes to win this event.

Yes, There Is A Reason To Go To Ohio

2005-06-01T14:13:00.000-04:00

After last week’s somewhat impressive showing in the fantasy golf world, the Grunkle Guru is ready to keep the momentum building. After all, if I had finished at the top I would have no place to go but down. Instead, I have room for improvement (about 10,000 places).

This week the tour stops in Dublin, OH for The Memorial tournament. This is the Golden Bear’s tournament, and therefore all the big guys come out to play. It makes for a very deep field, and one that is extremely hard to predict, but I will give it my best shot.

Ernie Els – He has a new jet, some new shafts, and a new agent. With all that change he should have no problem defending his 2004 title

Kenny Perry – He is getting onto one of his rolls again, and if he keeps it up look out, this guy can flat out play

Charles Howell III – He is already a millionaire. Now let’s hope he can find his way off the island. That and there is a rumor that Gilligan lost a bet and will be caddying for him this week.

Fredrick Jacobson – The Swede has had a solid year, and anyone willing to wear the ensembles that he does has to be brimming with confidence. Either that or trying to take attention from his game.

Jack Nicklaus – His town, his tournament, his course. I wouldn’t pick any other senior citizen for my roster.

So there you have it. Some strong horses, and a few long shots. Now let’s tee it up and see what happens.

Glad Everyone Had A Good Time

2005-05-31T14:25:00.000-04:00

Well, we made it back to Greensboro yesterday. The trip to Boston was a surprisingly good time, and included a wedding, a Christening, a dinner party, and a tour our Fenway Park (pictures to come later). One thing we learned that I will throw out to others. If you are traveling with small children do not take the airline up on the offer to board ahead of everyone else. It is just more time for the little one to have to sit still. Instead, wait until everyone else has boarded and then go on. This seemed to work quite well for us.

From everything I have read and heard from attendees, Hoggfest was a huge success. I’m sorry we could not be there, and that we could not do more, but I think it is safe to say we will do everything we can to be in attendance for future Hoggfests.

Some additional notes:

Turns out I might be decent at the fantasy golf thing after all. I finished in the top 10,000 this week (a major improvement) even with one of my guys not starting. Look for a great tournament this coming week at The Memorial.

Went to the doctor today and confirmed that I tore (not strained) my hamstring last weekend playing softball. Not too bad, but the bruising is just starting to come to the surface and it looks pretty knarly. Anyway, out of action for a while, which means I will not be able to play in the Bryan Amateur this year. Too bad, I was looking forward to gunning for Patrick. Oh well, maybe next year.

Weekend Quick Hitter

2005-05-26T09:09:00.000-04:00

Just some quick thoughts:

- I’m leaving for Boston today so feel free to talk amongst yourselves. When I return I will be sure to regale you all with the joys of air travel when accompanied by a 15 month old. That is unless you see us on the news first.

- I have been remiss in complimenting YES! Weekly. They wrote a great article, and the talent level at that publication is quite impressive. Now, what do I have to do to crack the Top 10 (or make page 3)?

- I saw a news article where people are complaining about the budget and where money is being allocated. I will have more to say next week on this, but for people to select out $150,000 or a $352million dollar budget seems silly. Bryan Park is a jewel for the city and should be maintained as such. Like I said, more on this next week.

- Everyone better get themselves to Hoggfest this weekend. It should be a great time, and there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that it is for a great cause as well.

Take care, be safe, and we’ll speak next week.

This One's Got To Be A Winner

2005-05-25T14:22:00.000-04:00

After last week’s disappointing showing as a fantasy owner, it is time for redemption. That’s right, I analyzed the stats including fairways hit, past performances, trends, birdie conversion rates, putting averages, scores shot on sunny and overcast days, and even seeing how a person shoots wearing a striped shirt with plaid pants (yes, the embarrassment is typically worth 3.38 shots per round). After looking at all that I decided to resort back to my tried and true method. Throw some darts and hope for the best. Here’s this weeks roster for the Guru.

David Toms – Even though he is in a legal battle with his agent (seems the agent can’t explain the $12,000 Sable hat he expensed out), Toms owns Southwind. I would typically avoid a two-time defending champ, but his record is too strong here.

Tim Herron – Those of you who have met me face to face know I have got to pick a guy named Lumpy for my roster.

Ben Crane – His last name is that of a bird. Which naturally flows into birdie. Let’s hope he makes lots of them.

Matt Kuchar – He is on the roster because of his ACC ties. Also, he is a great value on a course he is has always played well on.

Shaun Micheel – No real reason other then he fit under the salary cap with the above four.

So that’s the roster for the upcoming Fed-Ex St. Jude Championship. Perhaps not the strongest roster you could come up with, but these are the guys I’m going to battle with.

May the Force be with us.

The Lifeguards Wish To Thank News 2

2005-05-24T10:46:00.000-04:00

Had News2 on this morning as I was getting ready for work, and they were kind enough to offer some swimming safety tips.

Their first one was, and I'm not kidding, Learn To Swim.

I don't know why, but for some reason this seems like a keen sense of the obvious.

Correct me if I'm wrong.