Category: 19th Hole

Golf News for April 12, 2017

April 16, 2017
All those years of practice, and all we really needed to get a Green Jacket was $140,000!

Brunswick driving range gets facelift under new ownership — The driving range formerly known asChad Hopkins Golf Center has been taken over by the new ownership and management group that is operating The Bath Golf Club. The driving range and mini golf center, located at 305 Bath Rd. in Brunswick, will renovate and reintroduce itself as “Sandbaggers Driving Range and Mini Golf.”

Masters green jacket found in thrift store sold at auction for nearly $140,000 — The six-figure final bid for the so-called “thrift-store Masters jacket” was quite a price, given that its owner said the jacket was acquired at a second-hand store in Toronto for $5.

Why TV viewers policing the game from afar is actually a good thing — We could not possibly disagree with the premise of this opinion any more: “But, to get back to TV viewers, the call-ins regarding Garcia on Sunday should not make people think there is no value in having anybody and everybody who can help a player turn in a more accurate scorecard do so. The call-ins are part of a fundamental rule of tournament golf, that the players turn in accurate scorecards.” Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

Yes, golf is a sport — just a boring one — Opinions are like Bean boots, everybody up here’s got at least one pair. From a purely aesthetic perspective, golf is far superior. Then there’s the other, more subtle differences. For example, take the soccer player who feigns an ankle injury, rolling around on the pitch in affected agony in hopes of drawing a yellow card on his opponent, and contrast him with the amateur golfer who calls a penalty on him- or herself, a penalty no one witnessed, and, in so doing, misses the cut to qualify for the U.S. Open by one stroke. Golf is, if nothing, much more important than the other games. In our opinion! Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section below.

Ten Facts About Golf in Celebration of Earth Day 2017 — Radical, and ill-informed environmentalists would have us believe that a golf course is somehow bad for the environment. In fact, in some circumstances, the local golf course is the only place to go and enjoy nature and the environment. A professionally managed golf course can demonstrate environmental stewardship and provide a place to meet exercise and fitness goals. As part of the celebration of “Earth Day” on April 22, here are 10 facts about golf, promoting the sport and the environment.

Golf News for April 10, 2017

April 15, 2017
When you don’t qualify for The Masters, you get the Natty Throne

Assistant Golf Professional — Sugarloaf Golf Club is seeking an Assistant Golf Professional.

Golf Scramble to Support LifeFlight of Maine — Maine is the second most rural state by population density in the United States. LifeFlight of Maine helicopters, flying at 165 miles per hour, bring lifesaving equipment and critical care nurses and paramedics to emergency scenes and small, rural hospitals throughout the state. Join the fundraising Golf Scramble June 26th at Martindale Country Club.

Embattled Harris Golf involved in a 2nd golf course-related dispute — Because of Coulombe’s promise, Harris Golf not only backed out as a competing bidder for the Boothbay club, but sold Coulombe adjacent land at a discount price and helped prepare the course for its initial season under Coulombe’s ownership, the lawsuit alleges.

Five courses that put the green back in golf — Hundreds of golf facilities across the U.S. are designated as sanctuaries. They limit pesticides, enhance habitats and institute green initiatives such as solar-powered carts and geothermal clubhouses. Many reclaim water, use the natural environment and promote eco-friendly practices to players.

Home lookie-loos shouldn’t be policing golf tournaments — As we’ve said elsewhere on these pages, whoever took the call, or acknowledged the text, should never be allowed near a Rules Committee again.

Inside the Natty Shack, a college football style tailgate at the Masters — Smylie slummin’ it outside the walls of Augusta National.

This Week In Golf Biz: Kirkland Ball Back In Costco, Nike Extends Rory, Homeowner Resists Augusta — The putter Arnold Palmer used to win a dozen tournaments, including the 1964 Masters, was sold at auction for $97,690.

Masters 2017: Sergio García Finally Wins First Major Title — “It is unquestionably the high mark of García’s career, but his first major title may not even be the highlight of his year. In July, he is set to wed Angela Akins, whom he met when she was an on-air reporter for Golf Channel. Akins, who played golf at Texas Christian, affixed Post-it notes with sunny messages in places like the bathroom mirror where García was sure to see them.”

How Much Better A Golfer Can You Become In 12 Days? Much Better — Turns out, game improvement is more about the quality than the quantity of time you put in. In other words, the two hours you spent mindlessly hammering drives till your hands went numb probably won’t drop your scores. Starting with simple skills, like putting and chipping technique and basic ball-striking moves, will set you up for more success.

Golf News for April 8, 2017

April 15, 2017

Courtesy Old Golf Images [oldgolfimages.com]
MSGA Spring / Summer Tee Times Released — With the first MSGA event of the year only a few weeks away, we’re happy to announce the tee times for the Spring and Summer Weekly and Mid-Week events. Click here to view the times.

2nd Assistant Golf Course Superintendent — Golf Club in Kennebunk is looking for a 2nd Assistant Golf Course Superintendent.

It’s Time For Golf—Yes, Golf—to Get Political — The social engineers are coming for golf!

Your best golf purchase in the last 5 years? — Equipment discussions on-going at GolfWRX.

9 Ways The USGA Has An Impact On Golf — USGA by the numbers. How do they love golf? Let us count the ways…

Anderson Finds Trust in Srixon Golf Balls — University golf coach puts Srixon in team’s bag. “I tried a lot of different golf balls and some felt ok but would get sticky after a while.” Anderson said. “I like how the XV you can play 18 one day with the same ball and feel confident taking that same ball out the next day for another 18.” We’re lucky if we get the same ball around an entire 18!

Rock’s Best Handicappers — Sometimes even some of the world’s greatest rockers need a break from their busy schedules of debauchery. Some invest their off time in fine wines, businesses, acting, or other arts, while others will happily try to take each other down in the calming sport of golf!

 

Golf News for April 7, 2017

April 15, 2017
Follow the Money-colored Golf Balls!

Why does Bubba Watson use pink golf balls? — He uses green ones, too, so look for those on the weekend — or maybe even on Monday, after everyone’s left you can hunt for the green balls he couldn’t find.

Sorry, it’s not for sale: Meet the homeowners who have resisted Augusta’s advances — Living in a sea of parked cars for one week a year is only a minor hassle, the Thackers say, and it doesn’t prevent them from going about their daily routines. Come Masters week, Herman still fires up the grill while Elizabeth rakes the pine straw in the yard and keeps her landscaping immaculate. The other 51 weeks they enjoy their privacy.

Fantastic Four Lead at Augusta — “I love looking up and seeing the big leaderboards,” Fowler said. “It’s a cool thing about Augusta, very old school with the non-electronic leaderboards out there. It’s a lot of fun to see your name up there, so hopefully I can go ahead and keep it up on the big leaderboards.”

Fought, ASGCA, and Fry, ASGCA, provide their perspectives on Augusta National — As part of a roundtable discussion on Augusta among golf course architects with Epoch Times, John Fought, ASGCA, and Dana Fry, ASGCA, included their viewpoints on the best the course has to offer – and a couple suggestions for improvement.

GCSAA Job Board — Did you know Golf Course Superintendents Association hosts a nationwide Jobs Board?

As we all get out for our first rounds of the season, here is a refresher course on Etiquette Around the Greens:

Golf News for April 6, 2017

April 15, 2017
DSG 100e – A hi-tech premium ride built for both serious and casual golfers.
Field Staff – South Central Regional Representative — The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) is seeking a dedicated professional to serve as a conduit to the nine affiliated chapters within Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Snoop Dogg played golf in Augusta and it was marvelous — Wuh-woh, Snoop Dogg wants to Rap Up The Masters!

Trump Wins Privacy Rights Case in Scotland — An anti-Trump activist urinated on his golf course, then sued when staff cameras filmed her. It’s what we might call a wicked pissah!

How exactly is Bernhard Langer still so damn good? — Langer’s greatness lies in his organized, consistent but also intuitive approach to patient improvement. If you’re a golfer, it’s worth paying attention.

The snitch speaks! A conversation with the fan who ratted out Lexi Thompson — Why is The PGA encouraging this behavior? “I’m the Henry Hill of golf! I’m the guy who nailed Tiger with a four-stroker at 15 at Augusta in ’13! Remember? Cost him the green jacket? His wedge hit the stick and ricocheted back into the water. And he lost his mind and dropped a full yard BACK from the original spot? What a fraud! Anyway, I didn’t catch that one until dinnertime. Same with that time I nailed Padraig Harrington nicking the water from that riverbank lie that one time. Slowed it down 50x. Nailed him good. What a scammer!”

Golf Cart of The Future — It looks like you could fit an entire foursome in there!

Opinion: Golf’s Leaders Must Take Stand on TV Call-Ins — In the pre-Twitter era, the O’Meara incident faded away quietly. But the issue of amateur rules officials phoning in potential violations from home continues to rage. Hopefully, leaders in our game will take a stand and end this scourge once and for all.

Golf News for April 5, 2017

April 15, 2017
Michael Bruce of Fort Fairfield follows through on a drive.

Bruce places third in putting in national youth golf contest — Michael Bruce will be honored by proud citizens of his hometown of Fort Fairfield Thursday, April 6 at a reception beginning at 5 p.m. at the Fort Fairfield Elementary School. The 9-year-old has just returned from an expenses-paid trip to the national Drive, Chip and Putt Finals, held at Augusta National, the home of The Masters golf tournament, where he placed third in his age bracket.

Golf for Life promotes golf in Houlton — Golf is a lifelong sport. Some take the game up as children and other wait until later in life to learn to play. Last year over 50 beginning golfers took part in the program and that exceeded expectations.

The 6 best quotes from Jack Nicklaus’s Masters press conference, ranked — Old School: “We wanted to grow up with our kids, so that’s what we did.  And so we got married and we waited 14 months before our first one. Sometimes the first one comes anytime.  The second one takes nine months.”

LPGA commissioner Mike Whan weighs in on the Lexi Thompson ruling — We think the entire rule allowing viewers to phone or text infractions to the Rules Committee is outrageous. Imagine if other sports allowed this behavior?

Embracing events and other streams of revenue could help golf courses increase their popularity — On top of business outings on the course, which can be very lucrative, golf courses are also becoming popular spots to hold events. From small business meetings to award ceremonies to charity tournaments, golf clubs have opened themselves up to the public on a broader basis, whether the event directly involves the game or not.

New Vertical Groove Driver golf club being used by Rocco Mediate and John Daly — Feeling groovy? “We’re the only club in the world that has vertical grove face technology.  What the vertical grove’s do, carries a tighter dispersion down the fairway and we’re getting more carry distance. It’s a disrupter to what’s out there today.”

Golf News for April 3, 2017

April 14, 2017
Meet the newest staff members of your local driving range

Where have all the golf writers gone? — “Jordan Spieth wins the Masters, and the Dallas Morning News isn’t there? Are you kidding me? It has been pretty much across the board ever since the 2008 market crash and other economic and market factors severely impacted media companies. Most newspapers, beset with reduced resources and staff, no longer cover majors and many don’t even have a reporter assigned to golf.”

Golf Course Mechanic, Sugarloaf Golf Club — This full-time, year-round position is responsible for the repair and maintenance of all golf course equipment, detailed record-keeping and a preventative maintenance program.

Ranking the Top 20 Golf Courses in the World — “The modern game of golf has been played since the 15th-century in Scotland. And from the humble, rolling sheep-grazing spaces of the early courses of the British Isles, through the grand venues of the Open rota and similar, to the wide-ranging masterpieces in the U.S., there is no shortage of brilliant golf courses to choose from. To that end, feel free to disagree or debate. Any and all discussion ultimately betters the game we all love and serves to enhance future venues.”

Why choose robots for driving range outfield maintenance — Truebot robots are an alternative to traditional driving range maintenance equipment and can offer facility overall cost savings of between 30-50%. There energy cost is a third of what thermal machines would cost, and can provide significant savings on human resources. Another beneficial feature is how quiet the robot are which is a huge advantage in a golf-playing environment.

Rules Question of the Week — If a player’s ball lies in a water hazard, which object in the hazard may he touch with his club during the backswing for the stroke?

A) A branch of a bush growing in the hazard.
B) A small insect moving along the ground near his ball.
C) A small mound of sand directly behind his ball.

Answer.

The non-golf fanatic’s complete guide to the 2017 Masters — This article isn’t for the serious golf fan. That group already knows everything inside of this. This is to help out the sports fan wanting a quick crash course on what has happened since the last time they checked in on the sport, at last year’s Ryder Cup.

And now for something completely different…

Our only question is, what type of shoe do you wear, golf or bowling?