Fifty More Places to Play Golf Before You Die

All golfers dream about playing famous golf courses, historic courses, exotic courses or finding a hidden gem that's Off the Beaten Cart Path. Let's face it, we would all like to play just one round at Pebble Beach and St. Andrews both of which are open to the public. This would assuredly be golf nirvana. But the cold, hard truth is that most of us will never set foot on such hallowed links. Time or money seems to hinder our best intentions.

But let's just imagine that we win the golf lottery and have virtually unlimited resources with which to travel and play any courses we so desire. Which ones do we select? Where can we go to whet our golfing appetite? Fifty More Places to Golf before You Die will help to answer these questions.

Written by freelance writer Chris Santella as a sequel to his successful Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die, Fifty More … takes us on a world wide journey to familiar and not so familiar courses. Familiar courses include Pebble Beach, Harding Park in San Francisco (site of the recent President's Cup) and Pinehurst #2. Courses that are perhaps little known to us in the United States include Devil's Paintbrush in Ontario, The Machrie Golf Links in Scotland, and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in China. Santella catalogues these six and forty-four more around the world.

Each course has been recommended by someone who knows the golf course well and provides insight for playing the course. You will recognize many of the names of those who have shared their stories for this volume. Consider Amy Alcott, Bob Charles and Ian Baker-Finch for starters. And if you do just happen to get the inclination to go, Santella has provided us with “If You Go” information at the end of each chapter that includes Getting There, Course Information, and Accommodations.

Santella has hit a successful niche with this style of book - Fifty “Whatever” Before You Die. He has penned five other titles in this series. And Abrams Books is a master at publishing these picturesque and entertaining coffee table-style books. This volume is well appointed with forty pictures from the fifty chosen courses.

Fifty More Places to Play Golf Before You Die is an engaging read and well worth consideration as a Christmas gift for all golfers. It will stir the wanderlust of your favorite golfer.

Phoenix not on 2010 LPGA schedule

The LPGA schedule for 2010 was announced just a couple of days ago in Texas. And guess which golfing mecca has been left off of the globe trotting schedule. Go ahead. You get three guesses.

Phoenix, Phoenix and Phoenix. Right. Good guess. For the past thirty years the LPGA has held a tournament in Phoenix. But not next year. For thirty years Arizona golf fans have supported the LPGA event as it moved around the valley. But not next year.

It's not like we didn't see this coming. We all knew the 2009 event at Papago was a one year shot. Yet we all held out hope that the new wizards at the LPGA would pull off a miracle. Apparently the change is not what we hoped for. It's a sad time for golf in Phoenix.

Here's a couple of good articles on the LPGA schedule and an insightful take on the LPGA dumping Phoenix in favor of the Far East.

Idiot golf scribe of the week

There is one dynamic about Tiger Woods that cannot be denied. Whatever he does, be it on or off the golf course, is closely followed and scrutinized and people quickly form opinions. By now most golf fans have heard of the Tiger temper incident in Australia last week in which a Nike driver found its way into the gallery. Opinions have been formed.

We here at Eye On Golf have ours. Quite simply an incident like this is bad-bad-bad for golf for a number of reasons. It's a bad image for the sport especially since Tiger is the face of golf. There is a high possibility of danger involved for gallery members. It make for a terrible role model. Young golfers mimic Tiger. Do you want young golfers behaving as such on your golf course? Bottom line is there is no excuse for such actions.

Now, as we said, everyone has an opinion on this incident. Golf writers have ponied up their thoughts on this in pretty good numbers. But, we believe we have found the worst and, unfortunately, he works for a national publication, GolfWeek. Check it out right here complete with video and comments. Bear in mind, we think Mr. Soderstrom has an excuse or two just like he makes for Tiger. He is young, impressionable and has no concept of proper demeanor and etiquette on the golf course.

Therefore he has been awarded this ignominious distinction. Hopefully in the future he will think before he writes.

Editors note: This will not be an award that is handed out with any regularity - hopefully - rather, it will be held in reserve for those special moments of journalistic ineptitude.

Tiger and Michelle save the golf world

Just when you thought the golf season was over the most important week of the year occurs less than two weeks before Thanksgiving. Mark down this date – Sunday, November 15, 2009. On this one Sunday the game of golf which has been pretty much gasping for air the past few years finally got the revitalizing treatment it needed. It got the shot in the arm to cure all ailments.

The treatment: Tigers Woods wins in Australia and, although this is not earth shattering in the United States, it is life saving for the game in Australia. Not to mention that this is another continent conquered by “The One.” This was the first victory for Woods in the Land Down Under. And if you're keeping such statistics, he has now won on every continent save Antarctica.

But, Wood's victory was only half of the medicine. The life-giving dose came from Michelle Wie, the Hawaiian child prodigy who everyone expected to be the savior of the women's game. Problem was Wie had accomplished virtually nothing – until Sunday. Sometime late in the twilight, long after Woods had given the Australian golf world its biggest thrill since Greg Norman, Michelle Wie finally kicked ass and took names. And the names, which are some of the top female players in golf, include Creamer, Kerr,Shin and Pressel. Wie has now established herself as one of the preeminent players in the game not just one of the best known personalities.

Who wins here? Right now, Santa Claus. It has already been reported that boys and girls from Brisbane to Cabo San Lucas are right now changing their Christmas lists to include golf equipment from Nike. In the future it should be everyone who loves the game.

The burden of responsibility for the revitalization of the game now falls on the few who fancy themselves as the leaders in golf. The credibility of such organizations is at stake.

Golf media ticked at LPGA

Alrighty then, yesterday the LPGA named Michael Whan as the new commissioner. The announcement caught the golf media totally unaware and the scribblers are ticked. Here’s a few examples.

At GolfObserver.com, one of the better websites for everyday golf news, Sal Johnson flat out lambastes the LPGA for the rookie PR move the LPGA put on. It's a fun read.

Ron Sirak, veteran LPGA observer for GolfWorld, was not totally thrilled with the timing or the info either.

Randall Mel, senior writer for GolfChannel.com, wonders a bit about Whan’s credentials at this critical time for the LPGA. Be sure to read the comments at the end.

And finally check out waggleroom.com for a little on Whan’s employment-saving move.

Assessment: The first day Whan opens the door to his new office, he'll have to please the ladies of the LPGA and now gain the confidence of the golf writers – again.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Golfer makes ace and albatross in the same round

If we were to have a post-round gathering at the 19th hole and the discussion turned to the skill of PGA Tour participants, There would perhaps be dissension concerning who has the greater skill. However, we would not question the overall skill of these players. As the slogan says – These guys are good! - very good. How good is good or very good?

Well, when you combine very good with the appropriate portion of luck that comes along with dedicated practice and developed skill, you might have a nine hole stretch like Nicholas Thompson had yesterday at Grayhawk Golf Club during the Frys.com Open. First, let it be understood that the scores are very low in this tournament – very, very low. After three rounds Troy Matteson leads at 19 under on the strength of back-to-back 61's (9-under each day). But his scorecard is not spectacular, did littered with lots and lots of birdies and one eagle.

The great scorecard belongs to Thompson who shot 30 on his back nine yesterday. But it's how he got to that number that's incredible. That 30 included a double-eagle (albatross) and a hole-in-one (Ace) – all within a three hole stretch. That's right, an Albatross and an Ace in the same round on the same nine.

Now the odds of making an ace are reasonable, so to speak, but variable. Experts at these number things figure about 5,000 to 1 for a low handicapper and a little lower for a tour pro. But take a guess at the Albatross. As best as anyone can figure, the odds are one million to one. But what are the odds of making an Albatross and an Ace in the same round? I don't think anyone has taken the time to figure that out. Perhaps the odds are about the same as winning the lottery each and every time you play for a month.

So, which would you rather have – the Albatross and the Ace or the lottery?

Book Review: SI The GOLF BOOK

It's big and it's beautiful. Weighing in at nearly five pounds and possessing an eye-catching cover, Sports Illustrated's latest addition to its sports pictorial series has entered the world of golf. And it has taken it on in spectacular fashion. SI's THE GOLF BOOK is a heavyweight in the world of golf books – literally and figuratively. As it sits in our library it is second in dimension just lagging behind Jack Nicklaus Simply the Best, but first in quality. As it rest in our mind it's on the top rung of our fun ladder.

THE GOLF BOOK is the ultimate coollection (no misspelling here) of golf photographs. It is pure fascination to leaf through the pages and encounter photographic bliss with every turn of the page. There are photographs from virtually every era of golf. It is certain that on numerous occasions you will find yourself asking the question, “Where did they get that?”

A certain amount of text and facts are involved but that is at a minimum. But don't skip the text. The articles, all by SI staff and contributors, are timely to the period and absorbing today. There is a enchanting essay by Bernard Darwin on Francis Ouimet's victory in the 1913 U.S. Open that is highlighted by a photograph of Ouimet's scorecard which was kept by Darwin. Lots of history on that page. And don't forget to read the forward by Roy Blount, Jr. It's cleverly done and a fun read and gets you into the spirit of the book.

However, in the end this volume is a photographic essay of the history of golf. The publication is separated into seven chronological sections categorized generally by historical significance. The pictures and text included in each division are pertinent to the era.

Our favorite was the Centerfold - yes, a centerfold. In a poll with a panel of fifteen judges, each was asked to name his or her favorite golfers of all time. The final list and a masterful pictorial montage make up the centerfold. Once you get passed the centerfold, don't hastily pass by the pictures of equipment, clubs and balls in particular. You'll get an appreciation as to how the game has changed.

If there is a golfer in your life who has the the slightest interest in the history of the game, this is the perfect book to place in his or her library. While the game of golf can always be a great topic of conversation, this volume itself will generate great quantities of verbal communication. It is a must have for every golfer.

We could go on and on and on and … extolling the virtues of this book. Just get it!