Not all tournaments are created equal. Here are four big things tour events can do to make every week feel like the Phoenix Open: 1. Turn up the pressure 2. Encourage players to have fun 3. Make charitable efforts ultra-competitive 4. Add some spectacle
If the Minnesota Vikings do ever make it back to the Super Bowl, then what happens to those purple people-eaters who lord over the 16th tee box like it is some sort of Nordic funeral pyre? Do they abandon their post in an effort to be there for their favorite football team as they play for the first NFL championship or stay in Phoenix and remain members of the loudest arena in golf? We can verify this later but I’d be very surprised to see many Colin Kaepernick or Ray Lewis jerseys hanging around the Waste Management Open this week. Now on to this week’s Superlatives.
For everything that sucks about traveling: airport security, lost luggage, jet lag, there are two things that I think we can all agree are awesome about jet-setting. Food and booze. For the troopers out there that are making their way to the Phoenix area this week, here are a couple local spots that will more than satisfy any spectator after a long day of walking the course.
Following a sub-par — not to be confused with under-par — round at Wailea Golf Club’s Emerald Course, I couldn’t help but smile. Hell, I was in sun-drenched Maui, it was 84 degrees, my Connecticut driveway was covered in snow and, while I couldn’t locate most putting surfaces, I had discovered earth’s most beautiful spot. Maui — Hawaii’s second-largest island (729 square miles) — is a must-visit destination, whether you’re a golfer or not. My wife, Deb, can’t differentiate between a putter and a driver; however, she now knows the difference between a lomi lomi massage and a Swedish massage. Besides the rub of the green and shoulders, other popular Maui activities include world-class shopping, dining, snorkeling, whale-watching (between November and May) and sightseeing. Or simply relax poolside or on the beach while sipping Mai Tais or Lava Flows, and wait for the indescribable — and incomparable — Maui sunsets.
In the beginning there was Bandon Dunes. The landmark David McLay Kidd design, which opened in 1999, has since been followed by four more world-class sister courses. But make no mistake — it was Bandon Dunes that put tiny Bandon, Ore., on the map and paved the way for Bandon Dunes Golf Resort to become arguably the world’s finest golf resort.
With the players of the PGA Tour making their way to Arizona for this week’s Phoenix Open, one of the first things that comes to mind is what the city of Phoenix has to offer. For those of you who find yourself in the surrounding area, or are making the trip to the desert to catch the action, here are some of the best bars, clubs, beers, and restaurants worth checking out in your down time.
In this week’s Fantasy Foursome, Jon Lord tees it up with the names on the tip of everyone’s tongue, or the names of the tongues saying everyone’s name in New Orleans this weekend.
ORLANDO, Fl. – Kentwool performance socks have come a long way in a short time (less than three years). If their presence at the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show is any indication, Kentwool is just getting started in providing the best golf socks available. Mark Kent, company founder and CEO, talked about his vision for the company, its history and where Kentwool is headed in the near future.
Where to hold ‘em, where to fold ‘em? America offers a plethora of choices for players who favor games of chance, many of them operated by Native American Tribal Nations. At each, you can putt on smooth fast greens by day and up the ante on even smoother, faster green felt tables at night.
ORLANDO, Fla. – One of the more unique and stylish products showcased at the 2013 PGA Merchandise Show was the David Musty Putter, the only putter head made entirely out of wood. As the brainchild of David Musty, a former home builder and custom stair designer, Musty Putters are personalized to each player based on their choice of wood, head style and finish. Each putter features a high center-of-gravity to promote a true forward roll immediately after striking a putt. The enlarged sweet spot helps to eliminate offline putts and leads to more consistent makes.
Jon Lord reviews the week that was through the words uttered by those who made headlines in the last seven days, including the PGA Tour’s decision to prohibit credentialed media from live-tweeting events – at home or on site. “As you know, our media regulations prohibit the use of real-time, play-by-play transmission in digital outlets. In order to enforce these regulations, beginning this year, we will revoke the on-site credentials of all journalists affiliated with outlets that post play-by-play coverage, whether those posts are originating from tournament site or otherwise.” – Ty Votaw, executive vice president of communications for the PGA Tour, with a misguided missive toward the media, targeting the Twittersphere. “The idea that journalists live tweeting play-by-play hurts the PGA Tour or its TV partners in any way is idiotic.” – ESPN’s sports biz guru Darren Rovell commenting on the latest PGA Tour press release.
Hey there, hi there, ho there — children don’t have sole dibs on the fun at Walt Disney World, which is truly an unsung mecca for big kids. Call me goofy, but I’d bet 99 percent of today’s adults haven’t outgrown our love for Disney — even if our busy daily schedules don’t allow time to show it. Well, it’s time to make time. It’s amazing what a trip to Disney, 22 miles southwest of Orlando, will do for the grown-up soul. Take, for instance, the 30-ish wheeler-dealer type barking into his cell phone at Disney’s Animal Kingdom during our visit. The loud conversation drew incredulous stares, but nobody blinked at the Mickey Mouse ears atop his head.
New Americans with Disabilities Act provisions governing access to golf courses by persons with a disability take effect January 30th, and architects and course owners are scrambling to assess the ramifications for their golf courses. The new provisions, which will be enforced by the U.S. Department of Justice, require at least one 48-inch wide pathway providing an accessible entrance to each green, access to at least one teeing ground on each hole, (which does not have to be the forward tee), and access to least one practice facility station or 5% of all the stations, which ever is greater. Access to bunkers is not required at this time. All golf courses are obligated to conduct “access studies” to determine their compliance with the law. The law applies to every public golf course in the country as well as every private club which provides public accommodations.
There might be no better destination for star-struck golfers than the Sawgrass Marriott Golf Resort & Spa in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The Marriott is the host hotel of the adjacent TPC Sawgrass and its The Players Stadium and Dye’s Valley courses, both open to the public, with the Stadium hosting the annual The Players Championship. PGA Tour headquarters and numerous tour professionals call TPC Sawgrass home, so you’re almost guaranteed to spy at least a few famous golfers either inside the 77,000-square-foot Spanish-style clubhouse or on the massive practice facility.
Idaho has earned a well-deserved reputation for fresh air, spectacular landscapes and delicious potatoes. Perhaps surprisingly to some, the state, particularly the Idaho Panhandle, has also been gaining major traction as a golf destination. Because I also have a well-deserved reputation for enjoying fresh air, spectacular landscapes, delicious potatoes and golf, I decided to visit this neck of the woods to check out its worthiness as a serious golf spot. I’m a believer.
9. Fogging impressive Faced with an interminable fog delay at the Farmers Insurance Open on Saturday, Jerry Kelly and Lucas Glover showed off for the cameras with this cool two-man trick shot. 8. Good week for …
Jon Lord dusts off the ‘ole yearbook and schools you on 1st and 2nd round pairings…
Hey there, hi there, ho there — children don’t have sole dibs on the fun at Walt Disney World, which is truly an unsung mecca for big kids. Call me goofy, but I’d bet 99 percent of today’s adults haven’t outgrown our love for Disney — even if our busy daily schedules don’t allow time to show it. Well, it’s time to make time. It’s amazing what a trip to Disney, 22 miles southwest of Orlando, will do for the grown-up soul. Take, for instance, the 30-ish wheeler-dealer type barking into his cell phone at Disney’s Animal Kingdom during our visit. The loud conversation drew incredulous stares, but nobody blinked at the Mickey Mouse ears atop his head.
Aviara Golf Club is much like a supermodel with a Mensa membership — there’s a lot more there than meets the eye. The 7,007-yard, par-72 beauty, located in Carlsbad, Calif., gives you the feeling you’re playing golf in a gorgeous nature preserve. In fact, you essentially are. The tough Arnold Palmer-designed layout (75.0/144 course rating/slope) — which will host the LPGA’s 2013 Kia Classic March 21-24, as well as in 2014 and ’15 — overlooks the Batiquitos Lagoon ecological reserve, which serves as a lovely backdrop.
There might not be any golf destination that’s cooler than Palm Springs. Of course, we’re talking about the region’s cool vibe, not the temperature which, during summer, often hits 110 degrees by noon. That’s definitely not cool. Today’s Palm Springs might not be the Swinging Celebrity Party Central it was in the 1950s and ’60s, but there are still enough nods to the region’s past to conjure up great memories, including omnipresent mid-century modern architecture and superb resorts — none more historic or cooler than the La Quinta Resort & Club.
