ACE'S TEXAS GOLF 24-7 & SPORTS UPDATES

ACE GOLF Update FEHERTY BACK But NO MORE GOLF

2008-07-03T09:20:00.002-05:00

Feherty Is Back Where He Belongs

It was grand to hear David Feherty's voice on the other end of the phone the other day, just as it was fabulous to learn that for the first time since a horrific bicycle accident last winter, he was walking the fairways at Warwick Hills in the Detroit suburbs last week at the Buick Open analyzing golf and, as always, constantly cracking wise on the CBS golf telecast.

On March 15, Feherty was at the tail end of one of his typical 50-mile rides not far from his home in Dallas when he was knocked off his bicycle by a pick-up truck hauling a trailer. He suffered a separated shoulder, three broken ribs, one of them cracked in two places, a torn bursa sac in his left elbow and a punctured lung.

None of them were laughing matters, even if he still makes light of it all nearly four months later, even if his elbow is so mangled it very nearly resulted in an amputation and even if he probably will never be able to play golf again. But as Feherty would probably say, if he'd thought of it first, the man couldn't play golf when he was all in one piece, anyway, so what's the difference?

"I will never play golf again, there is no way," he said earlier this week on his way to Baltimore to host a charity dinner to help raise research funds to combat ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. The next morning, he and Tom Watson hosted a group of 36 recovering soldiers from Walter Reed at the Chevy Chase Club for a day of golf, including a few three- and four-star generals caddying for the wounded warriors.

But back to Feherty's golf game, or lack thereof.

"I'd have to re-learn the game completely," he said. "Learning it the first time was bad enough. It's the perfect excuse for me. It's destroyed my burgeoning senior career."

But don't let the funny man kid you. There was a time when Feherty, a native of Northern Ireland, was a fine player. He won five times on the European Tour, finished in the top ten on the order of merit (money list) twice and played for Europe in the 1991 Ryder Cup. But he gave it all up to join CBS in 1997, and viewers ever since have been howling at his often self-deprecating humor and appreciating his frequently dead-on commentary.

There is also a darker side, as well. In a 2006 interview in Golf Magazine, Feherty spoke at length about his past problems with depression and alcoholism, saying "I used alcohol to mask my inner demons." He also savaged Tom Cruise, the Scientologist actor who had said at the time that therapy and drugs were useless and that depression was best cured by physical exercise.

"Actually, some sort of exercise would have helped me," Feherty said in the interview. "If I kicked the hell out of Tom Cruise, I'd feel a lot better about myself."

Despite his painful injuries, Feherty made it to Augusta National a month after being released from the hospital to work on the Masters telecast for the network. In retrospect, that was not a particularly good idea, considering that his elbow was still an ugly mess that required constant care, including hours in a hyper-baric chamber and using what he described as a "wound vacuum" to speed the healing process.

"I was on so many antibiotics, when I walked into a doctor's waiting room, the fish would all die in the tank," he said. "I worked the Masters, but I didn't know how serious it was. The crushed elbow was much worse than they initially thought. I put on 25 pounds and ended up on depression medicine again. I was in a recliner for two months. My elbow kept swelling up and I needed four surgeries on it. Because my bursar sac was destroyed, my lymphatic system was crushed, as well. Getting it all to heal was a long process. It took a long time."

Still, Feherty prefers to think positively. He said that while he may never be able to swing a golf club in anger again -- unless it's to take a swipe at smarmy Gary McCord's shins -- he will be able to ride his beloved bicycle again, and still take a shotgun out for hunting or target practice every now and then.

"I feel terrific," he said the other day. "I've thrown away all the pills. I'm an alcoholic and an addict, and I need that endorphin release. Now that I can walk a golf course again, that's my kind of medication. It's better than going to a meeting."

Of course Feherty couldn't help but point out that his return to PGA Tour telecasts also coincided with the news that Tiger Woods won't be playing again this year, and probably won't be back until a few weeks before the 2009 Masters.

"That was kind of a downer," he said. "I love to watch Tiger Woods, and I'll miss him out there. But last week (at the Buick Open) we had a heck of a finish and the game will go on. We've been spoiled with Tiger the last ten years. But when you take him out, you also have to appreciate what's left. These guys really do play so good. They play fantastic, and it's well worth watching."

And of course, it goes without saying that Feherty will be well worth listening to as he walks the fairways with the tournament leaders in the AT&T National at Congressional this weekend.

Even when he's not on the air, the man always makes me laugh. At the 1999 Kemper Open, I was walking inside the ropes at the old TPC at Avenel following then unknown Rich Beem on his own rollicking journey to his first tour victory. Feherty was all wired up for action, but at one point came rushing over to a couple of golf writers with some breathless news he just had to report.

"Len, Len, you're not going to believe this, but I've got the Dulles tower in my headset," he said. "They want to know my height and my position. I told 'em 'I'm five feet nine and standing in the middle of the eighth fairway at the TPC at Avenel.'"

Welcome back to Washington, Mr. Feherty. Looking forward to seeing you up close and personal back on the golf course this weekend. Better yet, can't wait to hear if the Dulles tower tries to get in touch again.

ACE GOLF Update Brett Hull makes hole in one

2008-06-27T10:06:00.001-05:00

Brett Hull makes hole in one

10:29 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com

Given his goal-scoring prowess, Brett Hull probably had better odds scoring the Stars' Stanley Cup winning goal than the two big shots he experienced last Thursday.

Hull and fellow Brook Hollow Golf Club member Bruce Nelson matched holes-in-one. Nelson aced No. 4 with an 8-iron from 139 yards. Hull got his on No. 10, holing a 6-iron shot from 172 yards. Witnesses say that neither player had their foot in the crease.

10:29 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 25, 2008

By BILL NICHOLS / The Dallas Morning News
brnichols@dallasnews.com

Given his goal-scoring prowess, Brett Hull probably had better odds scoring the Stars' Stanley Cup winning goal than the two big shots he experienced last Thursday.

Hull and fellow Brook Hollow Golf Club member Bruce Nelson matched holes-in-one. Nelson aced No. 4 with an 8-iron from 139 yards. Hull got his on No. 10, holing a 6-iron shot from 172 yards. Witnesses say that neither player had their foot in the crease.

ACE GOLF UPDATE TIGERS SEASON OVER

2008-06-19T15:22:00.001-05:00

Tiger to have season-ending knee surgeryUpdated: June 18, 2008, 6:46 PM EST add this RSS blog email print Tiger Woods walked tenderly out of Torrey Pines with a U.S. Open trophy he was destined to win on a left leg worse than anyone imagined. A group of children called out to him and Woods looked over and waved.

Tiger out for seasonTiger Woods not only won the U.S. Open, he apparently did so with a double stress fracture in his tibia and a knee that will require reconstructive ACL surgery. Now that all the facts are out, what do you think about Tiger's performance, the PGA Tour's ability to survive the season without him and whether Woods will still be able to break Jack's major record?

ACE'S GOLF Update TONY ROMO ready for the U. S. Open

2008-05-06T09:26:00.002-05:00

Tony Romo Ready for Another Shot at U.S. Open

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo loves golf. And he's very good at it. And this year, he's going to be at the site of the U.S. Open anyway. So he might as well try to play in the tournament, right?

Actually, attempting to qualify for big-time professional golf tournaments is nothing new for Romo. He has tried multiple times to qualify for the U.S. Open and for the Byron Nelson Championship. He hasn't succeeded yet, but he hasn't embarrassed himself, either.

ACE GOLF UPDATE Woods scores another Tiger-like come-from-behind win at Match Play

2008-02-21T11:34:00.001-06:00

"I just kept saying I could win in regulation," said Woods, who had a back-nine score of 6-under-par 30 despite a bogey. "That's what I've always done, even if I'm 2-down with three to go or 3-down with five to go or whatever it may be.

"I've been in that situation a lot of times. I always say I can win in regulation. It doesn't mean that you do, but you have to believe that you can. And today was one of those lucky times where everything just happened to turn my way at the right time."

Woods, who has won four straight official events worldwide, survived on a day that was again marked by "upsets." He first made a name for himself nationally by pulling off these kinds of match play comebacks at the U.S. Amateur. In 1994, at the TPC-Sawgrass, he trailed Kuehne by six holes in the 36-hole match and rallied to win 1-up. Two years later at Pumpkin Ridge, he won his third straight Amateur when he came from 5-down against Steve Scott. In that match, he was 2-down with three to play and won in 38 holes.

"I heard it was just like how he used to win the U.S. Amateur," said Arron Oberholser, who defeated Mike Weir, 3 and 1, and will be Woods' next opponent. "He's been doing that stuff since he was 14 years old."

Woods struggled for most of the day. He hit his first tee shot out of bounds, and made bogeys at the ninth and 13th holes to allow Holmes to win with pars.

The comeback began at the 14th hole, where Woods drained a 14-footer to pull within two. He made another birdie at the 15th, although it didn't matter because Holmes had already bogeyed the hole by three-putting, his lone mistake on the back side. Then Woods made a 22-footer for another birdie at the 16th to tie, before rolling in the 36-foot eagle putt at the 17th that gave him his first lead of the day.

"You're playing the best player in the world," said Holmes, who three weeks ago got his second PGA Tour victory when he defeated Phil Mickelson in a sudden-death playoff at the FBR Open. "I got 3-up with four or five to play and I was like, 'Let's not do anything stupid here. Make him make birdies and make him beat you if he's going to do it.' And he did. He started making a ton of putts. There's not much you can do when he played 5- or 6-under in the last four or five holes. What do you do?"

One thing he could have done was make an 8-footer for birdie at the 18th. Woods had missed the green short, and chipped up for a conceded par. Holmes, after a 347-yard drive, had just 90 yards to the pin and wedged close for a tying birdie, but the putt broke off to the left.

"I'm a little frustrated," Holmes said. "I really thought I'd made that putt right there. And I hit a good putt, we just misread it. … You have to give it up to him. He struggled a little bit early in the round, then made every putt he looked at when he needed to. That's why he's the best."

And now he faces another player who's considered a huge underdog. Oberholser is playing for the first time this year after recovering from a shoulder injury. His victory over Weir was his first official round of 2008.

Oberholser, who like Woods grew up in California, has rarely played with the world's No. 1 golfer. They have never been paired in a PGA Tour event, and Oberholser had to think long and hard about the last time they were in the same group -- it was at a college tournament in 1996, when Woods was a sophomore at Stanford and Oberholser a junior at San Jose State.

"The guy has proven that he is so much better than the rest of us when he's on -- including the next best player in the world," Oberholser said. "For a guy like myself, even though I'm the 33rd-ranked player in the world, the gap between me and him seems so big, because he's so much more experienced than I am in just about every facet of the game. We're the same age, but golfwise he's about 60, mentally. He's seen it all, done it all at a very young age. And it's helped him progress further and faster than his peers."

And yet it still took a miracle finish for him to take care of Holmes.

Bob Harig is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com. He can be reached at BobHarig@gmail.com

ACE GOLF UPDATE TIGER WOODS

2008-02-20T13:29:00.001-06:00

Winner of 5 straight, Woods needs 6 matches in a row to win WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

I coulden't bet against him.

ACE GOLF UPDATE The 10 greatest seasons in golf history

2008-02-04T12:35:00.000-06:00

1. Byron Nelson, 1945
The numbers are still staggering, more than 60 years later. Byron Nelson won a record 18 PGA Tour events in 1945, including 11 in a row, all while beating up on Hall of Fame opponents like Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Jimmy Demaret. Contrarians are quick to point out that he won only one major that year, but that's only because there was one played. Nelson won the PGA Championship, then a match play format, beating Gene Sarazen, Mike Turnesa, Denny Shute, Claude Harmon and Sam Byrd along the way.

2. Tiger Woods, 2000
Tiger Woods' 2000 season is the benchmark by which all other golf campaigns in the modern era, including those of Woods himself, are now compared. He set or tied 27 PGA Tour records while winning nine of 20 starts, but here's the scariest proposition: It could have been so much better. Woods finished fifth at the Masters (the only major he didn't win that year) despite carding a triple-bogey and double-bogey in the opening round and was runner-up at the prestigious Players Championship, Tour Championship and WGC-Match Play Championship.

3. Bobby Jones, 1930
No player has won the modern Grand Slam, but Bobby Jones did clinch the antiquated version of all four major titles in one season, winning the U.S. and British opens and U.S. and British amateurs in 1930. A career amateur, Jones retired from competitive golf at the end of that season, saying at the time that winning championships "is something like a cage. First you are expected to get into it and then you are expected to stay there. But of course, nobody can stay there."

4. Ben Hogan, 1953
Score one for achievement over consistency with this selection. Sure, Ben Hogan's 1946 season included 13 victories, but it is the '53 campaign for which he is best remembered. Just four years removed from a life-threatening car accident, Hogan competed in only seven events and won five of them, including three majors. Why didn't he win the fourth? Because at the time, the PGA Championship overlapped with the British Open.

5. Annika Sorenstam, 2002
Annika Sorenstam was never better than in 2002, when she carded 11 LPGA titles, three second-place finishes and three thirds, finishing in the top 10 in 20 of 23 starts. (She also won both international tourneys she competed in, as well.) During the season, Ms. 59 set or tied 20 LPGA records and won her fourth major championship, successfully defending her Kraft Nabisco title.

6. Ryan Moore, 2004
Before 2004, only three men had won the U.S. Amateur and NCAA individual championship in the same year -- a trio of guys named Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods. Ryan Moore not only joined them four years ago, he one-upped 'em, also winning the U.S. Amateur PubLinks, Western Amateur, Sahalee Players Championship and four other titles.

7. Mickey Wright, 1963
We can debate which of Mickey Wright's seasons really belongs on this list. Is it the 1961 campaign, during which she won 10 titles and three majors? Or '63, when she posted 13 wins and two majors (including the Western Open, then considered a major)? I'll take the latter, if only because it was her third of four consecutive years with double-digit victory totals.

8. Jack Nicklaus, 1972
You didn't think we'd get through this list without an entry from Jack Nicklaus, did you? While the Golden Bear has many seasons that could be nominated (he won multiple major titles in five different years), he gets the nod for his 1972 campaign, during which he won the initial two legs of the Grand Slam and five other events.

9. Arnold Palmer, 1960
Wherever Jack's name is found, Arnold Palmer's won't be too far behind. In fact, Arnie's 1960 season is eerily similar to that of Nicklaus in '72. Palmer won eight times that year, claiming the Masters by one stroke over Ken Venturi and the U.S. Open by two over Nicklaus.

10. Lorena Ochoa, 2001-02
Lorena Ochoa's eight-win LPGA season in 2007 helped her rise to No. 1 in the world, but it may have paled in comparison to her amateur exploits in 2001-02. In 10 college tournaments at the University of Arizona, she won eight, including seven in a row, and finished second in the other two. After turning pro in May, she played in 10 Futures Tour events, winning three to top the money list and earn her LPGA Tour card.

Jason Sobel is the ESPN.com golf editor.

JOHN DALY Says Never hit a shot without it

2008-02-01T15:32:00.000-06:00

Never, ever hit a shot without going through your pre-shot drill. Not on the practice range, and certainly not on the golf course either. Your pre-shot drill is critically important to your golf game because it focuses your mind on all the keys to putting a good swing on the ball. Here's mine:

(1) Stand behind my ball and set my target line. Mr. Harvey Penick said it best: "Take dead aim."

(2) Visualize my shot soaring through the air exactly on line and trajectory that feels best for the situation.

(3) Walk up to my ball and take my stance: square alignment, feet parallel to target line.

(4) Check my ball position: off inside left heel for driver, more towards the center as the club I'm using gets shorter.

(5) Check my upper body: arms hanging straight down from shoulder, hands in perpendicular line with chin and ground.

(6) Check my ball position by imagining a line straight up at a 90-degree angle from the ground: if it touches inside my chin, it's too close; outside my forehead, too far away.

(7) Check my grip: the V's formed by my thumbs and first fingers are pointing just right of my chin.

(8) Look/Waggle. Look down the target line, then back at my ball, and waggle my club head over it. Four looks, three waggles. No waggle after fourth look. Time to let 'er rip.

(9) Exert slight (slight!) increase in grip pressure on fourth look. I'm reluctant to include this, because I've made such a big deal of you relaxing your grip. But for me, an ever-so-slight increase in grip pressure is my way of saying it's time to get down to business. You know, Grip It and Rip It.

As I said, that's my pre-shot drill. Looks like it takes forever, but it really doesn't, you will soon learn to do it without thinking but one must always remember to do it. And while I might shorten my pre-shot drill some with middle- and short-irons, I always follow it to the letter when I hit driver. You don't have to copy it. Prefer three looks and two waggles? Two and one? Be my guest. It all depends on what you're comfortable with.

Just don't try to get away with, say, ten looks and nine waggles. If you were to do that at the Lion's Club in Dardanelle (Ark.), I'd have to get someone to politely ask you to remove your butt from the course -- unless your playing partners hadn't already come up the side of your head with a 2-iron.

But whatever mix you settle on, go through your pre-shot drill every time. Trust me -- grooving your pre-shot drill will help your groove your golf swing.

John Daly is a five-time PGA Tour champion, including the 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 British Open.

ACE'S TEXASGOLF24-7 UPDATE PGA Tour's new cut policy stirs controversy, but little action

2008-01-16T14:45:00.000-06:00

PGA Tour's new cut policy stirs controversy, but little action

Published: January 15, 2008

HONOLULU (AP) — Democracy arrived the day after 18 players who made the cut at the Sony Open were sent home.

On the bulletin board in the Waialae Country Club locker room, next to a notice of a mandatory player meeting in two weeks at Torrey Pines in San Diego, someone posted a one-question survey written in pencil.

Do you agree with the U.S. PGA Tour's new cut policy?

The vote was unanimous - 6-0 against the new policy, with 63 abstaining.

That's the problem with independent contractors with a free lunch and millionaire's income. They preach about policies that supposedly are ruining their lives, but when it comes time to do something, they go to the range.

Or maybe they don't think anyone will listen.

``It's always back to the same thing,'' Stephen Ames said. ``Play better.''

Ames didn't sign the sheet last week, although he said he disagrees with the policy. He feels more strongly about how the tour reached this decision, which essentially amounted to about 20 players speaking for 250 without really talking to them at all.

The policy that has raised so many hackles?

Whenever the top 70 and ties includes more than 78 players, the nearest number to 70 make the cut. The others still get credit for making the cut, and they receive official, last-place money and FedEx Cup points. But they don't get to play.

Twelve times last year - and that's about average for the last decade - the top 70 and ties to make the cut led to a weekend field almost the size of some tournaments. That meant a two-tee start with three players to a group, 5 1/2-hour rounds, as many as three groups waiting on tees, and some players grumbling why it takes so long.

The highest number of players to make the cut last year was 89 at Disney in November, and perhaps it's no coincidence the policy board approved the new cut policy about a week later.

Among the 18 players it affected at the Sony Open was John Daly, who was playing on a sponsor's exemption and was outraged. It seems he met a family from Australia on Wednesday that had saved up money to come to Hawaii and watch him play, but they couldn't make it to the tournament until Saturday.

``I make the cut, and now they're not going to be able to watch me play,'' Daly told Golf Channel.

Even if you believe that story, anyone claiming to be a Daly fan knows better than to wait until Saturday to watch him play. Sometimes it's not safe to wait until Friday. Daly withdrew six times last year; Jack Nicklaus withdrew seven times in a career spanning four decades.

The outrage is that a guy with a history of quitting is the first to complain about not getting to play.

But forget Daly for a minute.

What happens when a guy who actually sells tickets is sent home under this rule?

``I'd like to see if, by chance, Mr. Woods happened to be in that mix, and he has to go home, how the sponsors would feel,'' Ames said. ``The No. 1 player, the star of the PGA Tour, and he has to go home?''

The six who signed their names against the policy were Jerry Kelly, Paul Azinger, Carl Pettersson, Jay Williamson, Daniel Chopra and Patrick Sheehan. If you notice that none is among the top 50 in the world, consider that Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh also were outspoken against it.

``I don't like the rule,'' Stricker said. ``It just seems like it doesn't benefit any of the players. It seems like our tour is about giving opportunity, and here's one they're taking away.''

And players were worried about the point structure in the FedEx Cup?

This is a far more meaningful - and divisive - issue.

ACE GOLF UPDATE STAY FIT OVER THE WINTER

2008-01-11T09:28:00.000-06:00

By Chris Ownbey : Published for AG December 2007 Print | Email

Winterize Your Golf Game

How many times have you started a new golf season with high scores, short drives and aches and pains? Let’s be honest, it happens more times than you’d like.

If you are like most of us, you tend to spend the winters being sedentary. Do yourself a favor: As winter approaches and you find your golf season coming to an end, review these tips on how to winterize your golf game.

The golf swing is very athletic. You use every major muscle in the body in a specific sequence of motion to enable you to hit the ball solidly with power.

It’s a proven fact that muscles used in the golf swing that are not exercised and conditioned on a regular basis will not respond to the correct golfing techniques. Golf is athletic, and we are athletes. Name a sport that doesn’t have an off-season. All athletes work on their bodies during the off-season to reach their true potential.

Why wouldn’t you?

There are three main physical fitness components every golfer must have to play their best. To be a successful player you need strength, flexibility and balance. These are all equally important and should not be ignored in your golf-specific, off-season training program.

Strength: Core strength and rotary strength

It takes strength to maintain good golf posture and to rotate your upper body powerfully into the ball. A lower level of golf-specific strength will result in difficulty with posture and downswing power. For incredible rotary strength, try standing rotation twists.

Stand facing toward the weight machine

Grasp the handle with both hands. Now strengthen your arms and rotate your torso to the right. Imagining everything is connected, use your big muscles to pull to the backswing, then repeat to the front and rotate to the left.

Perform two sets of 10 reps

Flexibility

A flexible back and hamstrings are a must to achieve a full backswing with no muscular tension. Lack of flexibility creates tension in your golf swing, robbing you of clubhead speed and distance. For increased flexibility, try the lunge with instep touch reverse twist.

Stand tall with your feet together

Step out with your right foot as if to do a lunge

Place your left hand on the ground in line with your left knee

With your right hand on the side of your head, rotate and look behind you toward the ceiling

Take your right hand and elbow, reach down and touch the inside of your right foot

Repeat both sides

Perform two sets of 10 reps

Balance

Have you ever fallen out of balance during a swing? Of course you have; everyone has. So why do golfers ignore balance training for a better swing? Just as you can’t expect to fire a cannon from a canoe with any accuracy, you can’t expect to express the strength and power necessary for a long drive, mid-iron shot, shot from the rough or chip shot with any accuracy if your body is out of balance. You can’t teach balance, you can only train for it. For perfect balance, try doing standing lunges.

With your feet together, hold a golf club extended out in front of you

Step back with your right leg into a lunge

Twist your body to the inside so your left hand is reaching to your right knee

Extend and rotate your body, keeping your arms straight to the outside fully extended and hold

Push back up and repeat

Perform two sets of 10 reps to each side

Don’t let your clubs get dusty and forget about your game during the winter or off-season. It’s no fun to come off the course feeling spent when you should have energy to spare. You have between three or four months to greatly improve your strength, flexibility and balance. It would be the wisest thing you could do to winterize your game for next season.

Chris Ownbey is a Titleist Performance Institute certified Golf Specific Trainer for the Golden Bear Golf Center in Carrollton. For more information, visit www.chrisownbeygolf.com or call 214-457-9684

Adams Golf Expands Tour Staff

2008-01-07T16:37:00.000-06:00

Is it possible that Plano-based Adams Golf might be thinking of itself as a challenger to the Big Boys (Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway, Ping, Nike)? That's the first thought that entered my mind when I read the news that Adams has signed Rory Sabbatini and Aaron Baddeley to endorsement deals.

Adams has always had a strong presence on the Champions Tour, with Tom Watson, et.al. And Adams has signed LPGA stars in the past, including, currently, Brittany Lincicome. But Adams' presence on the PGA Tour has usually been limited to second-tier players.

But Sabbatini and Baddeley are big names. Both golfers are in the Top 20 in the world rankings.

ACE GOLF UPDATE And They're Off

2008-01-03T15:48:00.000-06:00

The 2008 PGA Tour season has started in Hawaii. Tiger and Phil are off this week, but Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, and Rory Sabbatini are in action today. Follow the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Championship here.

ACE GOLF Update WIE Playing with the Women in 2008

2007-12-21T11:55:00.000-06:00

Wie reportedly won't play vs. men in '08 season

For years, golf experts have told Michelle Wie she should focus on getting her game together and learn to win on the LPGA Tour.

Now, instead of trying to play in men's events, Wie may be heeding that advice.

The 18-year-old will only play against women in 2008, but hasn't ruled out a possible men's event in Asia at the end of next year.

The former phenom's coach, David Leadbetter, told CBSSports.com that Wie has a plan to regain her old form that saw her come so close to qualifying for the men's U.S. Open a couple of years ago.

"I think she just wants to reestablish herself," Leadbetter told the Web site. "Obviously, after such a terrible year, her biggest goal needs to be getting her form and confidence back. You do that brick by brick."

Wie's plans were also reported by London's Daily Telegraph.

Wie struggled with injuries in 2007 and earned just $23,024 on the LPGA Tour. She didn't break 70 all year and had four official rounds in 80s, which would have been six had she not pulled out of the Ginn Tribute and the U.S. Women's Open

ACE GOLF Update from the Texas Golf Association:

2007-12-20T09:46:00.000-06:00

TGA Expanding Statewide League Play in 2008

News from the Texas Golf Association:

Dallas, TX -- The Texas Golf Association is pleased to announce new, exciting changes for Statewide League Play for 2008. League Play was started by the TGA in 2006 with a single conference of 8 teams in the D/FW area. In its second year League Play grew to 28 teams in 5 conferences in Dallas (3), Houston (1), and Austin (1). The TGA expects League Play to continue to grow and hopes to add conferences in new regions throughout the state. Male golfers from TGA Member Clubs (ages 21 and older) from all skill levels are encouraged to enter a team and participate in this unique and exciting team event.

New for 2008, there will be both a spring and fall season. The spring season will be played on Thursday afternoons from March 6th through May 8th, with the finals being played May 22-23 at The Hyatt Lost Pines Resort in Bastrop, TX. The entry deadline for the spring season is February 13th with an entry fee of $500 per team (visit www.txga.org to print an official entry form). The fall season will be played from August 28th through October 30th, with the finals being played November 13-14. If a club chooses to enter a team for both seasons, and does so by the February 13th deadline, the entry fee is reduced to only $900 per team.

League Play is offered to all TGA member clubs for 2008. However, a minimum of 4 teams from a specific geographic region is required to establish a new conference. League play gives male amateur golfers the opportunity to play competitive rounds in a team atmosphere on quality golf courses, while building friendships and camaraderie with fellow club members. Players receive their full handicaps as reported on the GHIN handicap system.

In League Play, a team of (8) eight players square off against another team within their conference in 4 separate Four Ball matches and 8 Singles matches, simultaneously. Matches are scheduled for Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. The winner is the team that accumulates the most points in the overall match. At the end of the season the conference winners will advance to the statewide playoff matches to be conducted on neutral sites. For a complete explanation of the League Rules visit the TGA official website.

The entry deadline for the spring season is fast approaching. For more information please see the League Play homepage, under "Championships" on www.txga.org or contact the TGA office at (214) 468-8942.

ACE Update SOBEL'S FAVORITE COURSES of 07

2007-12-17T16:09:00.000-06:00

My favorite courses of '07
by: Jason Sobel

I wake up to the realization that it's not getting any warmer here in central Connecticut (hmmm, maybe the impending snowstorm tipped me off), then check the calendar and notice that it's devoid of any more trips to warm-weather locales.
So I grudgingly walk out to the driveway, open the trunk of my car and remove the golf bag and spikes that have occupied that space since, oh, early March or so. Then I carry 'em inside, down to the basement, say one last solemn farewell and resign them to the back corner, knowing my golf is officially over for the year.
That was the scene on Thursday morning and no, I'm still not over it.
Instead of looking at the 19th hole refreshment half-empty, though, I'm taking this time to review my favorite courses that I played this year.
My own personal list doesn't boast as many headliners as I've played in years past, considering I'm not eligible to slap it around Augusta National again until 2012 (media members can't enter the lottery until seven years after playing on a Masters Monday) and I wasn't enough of a kamikaze to try my luck at Oakmont (and shoot, what, 130? 140? No thanks) following the U.S. Open.
However, I did enjoy some old standbys and found a handful of brilliant new courses (well, new to me), which is really all that can be expected, right? Well, here are my nine faves for 2007 -- call it a half-Weekly 18, if you will -- with a special homework assignment for you at the bottom:
Boston GC: This list is in alphabetical order, though were it ranked by my favorites Boston may still be tops. An ultra-exclusive club on the outskirts of Beantown, the course is located on an otherwise unrecognizable strip of road, only noticeable by a street number on a mailbox at the front entrance -- just the way the membership likes it. A Gil Hanse design and the brainchild of the late John Mineck, BGC is at once a classically challenging course that is also very playable. Just don't expect to find any extra amenities. There is no tennis, no pool and when I was there, even the beverages came straight from a smallish fridge located behind a bar in the austere clubhouse.
Kapalua Resort -- The Plantation GC: Believe it or not, covering the PGA Tour's season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship is a pretty cool gig. Not only does the limited field leave plenty of time for pineapples and maitais (not necessarily in that order), but the Plantation course is always made available to the attending media on Monday following the final round. As if to prove just how tough the pros had it during the week -- on the course, at least -- Mother Nature didn't take it easy on the ink-stained wretches this year, unleashing a feverish Kona wind that resulted in a 5-6 club difference from one direction to the other.
Ko'olau GC: Depending on what you've read and where you've read it, this monster is either the toughest course in the world or the second-toughest. I haven't seen them all, but I'll vote for the former. Target golf at its best (or worst?), Ko'olau requires not only deadly precision but a great feel for distance control and club selection. On one par-5, my desired targets called for 5-iron off the tee, 3-iron second shot and 9-iron into the green -- only to realize that the last one should have been a wedge. If you don't lose at least a few sleeves of balls here, you're just not trying hard enough.
Newport CC: I never talk to strangers. It's not due to fear or lack of conversational skills; it's just that making small-talk with some guy I'll never see again strikes me as a pointless practice. While covering last year's U.S. Women's Open at Newport, I broke that rule, shooting the breeze on a shuttle bus with member Turner Scott, who was volunteering that week. Five minutes later he was inviting me to return as his guest and we now have a standing annual game at a grand old course that is easily in my top five coolest I've ever played. Maybe I should start talking to strangers more often.
Prestwick GC: Game 1 of my British Open day-after double-header, Prestwick has the allure of being frozen in time since it served as first host of the championship in 1860. From the train running parallel to the first hole to the large square green that completes the track just yards from the modest parking lot, I almost felt guilty not using a hickory-shafted mashie to swat my featherie around the yard. For all of the advancements to the game in the last, oh, 147 years or so, it's simply impossible to recreate a venue like this.
The Country Club: Site of local boy Frances Ouimet's improbable 1913 U.S. Open victory and the U.S. Ryder Cup team's equally stunning come-from-behind win in 1999, the Brookline, Mass., standby retains all of its old-world charm. I was struck by how eminently walkable the course is and will forever remember each member of our foursome taking a shot at the famous Justin Leonard putt on 17. (Sadly, none of us got a chance to celebrate like Crenshaw's crew.)
Tower Ridge CC: There's a special place in my heart for this course, tucked into the side of Talcott Mountain in Simsbury, Conn. My former home track, a few dozen of us were chased away three years ago when the course was sold to a new owner, who promptly fired the popular head pro and tripled our monthly rates. Like a jaded lover, I chafed at returning to the scene of the crime, but finally fell off the wagon late in the year, finding the course fun, challenging, in pristine condition -- and without another soul on the grounds. What a shame.
TPC-River Highlands: I know, I know -- just another TPC course. Many are cookie-cutter layouts without much charm. The host venue of the Travelers Championship, River Highlands seems to have a love-it-or-hate-it relationship with players, but consider me a fan. Those final four holes can all result in birdie or triple-bogey -- or in my case, double-bogey or triple-bogey. When I played at the media day for the PGA Tour event, then-defending champ J.J. Henry was camped out at the tee on the driveable par-4 15th hole and convinced me to hit driver. You'd better believe I still blame him for the ensuing result.
Western Gailes GC: Wow. This is a beautiful, brilliant gem outside of Glasgow that doesn't garner nearly enough attention in discussions of the best courses in the U.K. Here's a tip: Bring your A game. I didn't, and my playing partners (esteemed writers Scott Michaux of the Augusta Chronicle and Ron Green Jr. of the Charlotte Observer) are still crowing about it. Here's another tip: Save time to enjoy a pint or two on the clubhouse patio while staring across the Irish Sea in the waning twilight. You won't be disappointed.
OK, there's my list. Now it's your turn. Tell me about your favorite courses you played in 2007 -- not necessarily the "best" but your own favorites -- by clicking here and I'll post the best responses in a few days. Have fun.

ACE GOLF Update on JOHN DALY

2007-12-14T10:39:00.000-06:00

By Mulligan StuPosted on Fri Dec 14, 2007 at 09:50:05 AM EDT
That's the first question, and it comes with a caveat: It applies only to his approach to golf, not his approach to life.
And it also comes with a follow-up, but only if the answer to the first question is "yes" (a prospect I find dubious): Is it too late?
As has been reported previously, John Daly has signed on with Butch Harmon to "get serious" about his game:
"Butch will push you. I never had anybody push me to do things," Daly said last week. "I need to be pushed hard. It's something that maybe should have been done a long time ago, but I was too stubborn. You get a little older and your eyes don't see things and you don't feel the same as you would normally."
I'm sure that all the tournament sponsors and fans disappointed over the years when Daly walked out on them, or just phoned it in, are taking comfort in the fact that Daly's eyes have finally been opened.
Well, we shouldn't reach that conclusion too quickly. Daly says the right things about Harmon pushing him, but we know two things about this relationship:
Harmon does push his players, and he gives it to them straight.
Daly has never surrounded himself with people such as those in No. 1.
So it should be an interesting relationship, if it lasts. If it doesn't last, I think it's more likely it might fail because Daly can't handle Harmon's regimen, rather than Harmon being unable to handle Daly. Think about it: Corralling John Daly and resurrecting his game? That'd be more impressive than anything Harmon did with Tiger Woods. With Woods, he had a student of immense mental acuity and intense dedication and focus.
Daly is a nitwit whose main focus is on beer. But he does have great golf skills, much better than his record - two majors notwithstanding - has shown. Prodigious power with a gentle touch and underrated short game.
If Daly really is serious, perhaps it's not too late to add a few more wins. The talent has always been there. Now we'll truly find out whether - and how much - Daly cares.

ACE GOLF UPDATE

2007-12-13T15:29:00.000-06:00

Midland Pair Wins Texas Team Challenge
Midland golfers Brian McKinley and Steven Young teamed up to take the trophy at the TaylorMade-adidas Texas Team Challenge, played recently at the Hyatt Hill Country Resort in San Antonio.The tournament features twosomes of golf professionals from both the Northern Texas PGA and Southern Texas PGA.McKinley and Young posted rounds of 67-64, good for a 13-under 131 total. But they were forced to a playoff by the Benbrook team of Michael Henderson and Troy Denton before being crowned champions.Philip Bleakney and Vince Jewell of Dallas finished third.

ACE Update Austin #1 City to play Golf

2007-12-11T10:35:00.000-06:00

According to Golf.com (hat tip to Waggle Room), the best golf city in America is Austin. And Dallas ain't too shabby, either, coming in at No. 4:10. Rochester, N.Y.9. Portland, Ore.8. Atlanta7. San Jose, Calif.6. Seattle5. Orlando, Fla.4. Dallas3. Las Vegas2. Columbus, Ohio1. AustinA couple things to know about this ranking: Golf Magazine only considered the 50 largest cities in the country; and their criteria appears to have relied heavily on a ratio of the average green fee in each city to the city's cost of living; on the number of big-time architects who've designed courses in the city; and on such things as weather and per capita number of courses.After the magazine ran the numbers, Austin came out No. 1 and Dallas (DFW, actually) No. 4. San Antonio checked in at No. 13, Houston at No. 27.Here's the blurb that appears on the Web site for Dallas:
No. 4. Dallas, TexasPopulation: 5,950,033Median home price: $145,500Number of public courses: 107Median green fee: $38THE GOLF: Dallas is a giant for rich golf history and value play. You could explore the Ben Hogan trophy room at Fort Worth's Colonial Country Club, then check out Lord Byron's memorabilia after your round at the Four Seasons/TPC Las Colinas. Your lore tour can continue for $16, what residents pay at Tenison Park, Lee Trevino's stomping (and hustling) grounds back in the '60s.THE REST: There's barbecue, the 'Boys, plenty of golfable winter days — and some great runways in addition to the fairways. Says our favorite Big D resident David Feherty: "Dallas has all the sophistication of a big city and none of the attitude. And if you lose a lot of money betting college football and have to flee, it has the best airport in the country." And here's what they say about Austin:
No. 1. Austin, TexasPopulation: 1,485,922Median home price: $176,200Number of public courses: 32Median green fee: $40THE GOLF: Austin, the cultural and economic pride of Texas, is a great city. No surprise there. But the Lone Star State capital is also a great golf city. The best, in fact. It has the nation's best combination of weather, name designs, and affordable, accessible golf. It's home to quality munis like Riverside, where Harvey Penick held court for 34 years; acclaimed resorts like Barton Creek, with two Tom Fazio courses at 68th and 69th on Golf Magazine's Top 100 You Can Play; and dynamite daily fee courses, including Circle C and Cimarron Hills. There are also exclusive courses, like Austin Golf Club, where Ben Crenshaw plays. While summers sizzle, the fall weather is perfect, and you can play virtually year-round.THE REST: With its fabled 6th Street, and nearly 100 live venues in the area, Austin is known as the "Live Music Capital of the World." And it's arguably America's 'cue capital, with dozens of mouth-watering rib joints. You can add to those a new title: "The Best Golf City in America." The full package is available here.
Labels: austin, dfw, houston, san antonio

ACE UPDATE Masters Par 3 Contest to be televised for first time by ESPN

2007-12-10T15:42:00.000-06:00

The Par 3 Contest, an annual nine-hole event played the Wednesday prior to the Masters, will be televised for the first time in 2008 by ESPN, Masters Tournament and Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Billy Payne announced Thursday.
Since 1960, tournament participants, non-competing past champions and honorary invitees have taken part in the Par 3 Contest, a festive, family event held on a nine-hole, par 27 course on the grounds of Augusta. Golfers have often had their children caddie for them during the event, whose past winners include Masters champions Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Raymond Floyd and Ben Crenshaw.
"The Par 3 Contest is a lot of fun, one of the real highlights of every year," two-time Masters champion Phil Mickelson said. "It's been a wonderful experience to have my daughters caddie the last two years. It's special because it's a rare opportunity for both players and patrons to enjoy the game as families."
The contest takes place on the Par 3 course built in 1958 by architect George Cobb and Masters co-founder Clifford Roberts. The nine-hole course is par 27, 1,060 yards and played over DeSoto Springs Pond and Ike's Pond.
"It is an event everyone enjoys and we think it will demonstrate to kids just how fun golf can be," Payne said.
ESPN will cover the 2008 Par 3 Contest on Wednesday, April 9 from 3-5 p.m. ET.
"ESPN looks forward to bringing the Par 3 Contest to a national television audience for the first time," ESPN President George Bodenheimer said. "Fans will now be able to watch many of the greatest names in golf, past and present, as they enjoy a fun day of golf with friends and family."
Payne also announced Thursday that children ages 8-16 will be admitted free during the tournament when accompanied by an accredited patron.
"We want to inspire the next generation of golfers now," Payne said. "We're serious about exposing youngsters to golf and the Masters."
Earlier this year, the Masters granted ESPN exclusive U.S. rights to televise the first two rounds of the prestigious Masters Tournament beginning in 2008. A Spanish-language telecast of the first two rounds of the Tournament will also be presented in the U.S. on ESPN Deportes. Weekend coverage will be on CBS.
ESPN has televised the Masters internationally since 1993, bringing last year's Tournament to Latin America, Canada and parts of Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

ACE Says It's Shark Week

2007-12-07T13:19:00.000-06:00

Shark Week
The Merrill Lynch Shootout, again hosted by Greg Norman, takes the spotlight this weekend, as 12 two-man teams will battle in three different formats over 54 holes. Among the duos are Norman & Bubba Watson, Fred Couples & John Daly, Charles Howell III & Nick Price and Woody Austin & Mark Calcavecchia

Tip of the Day: Quick Tricks for Extra Yards

2007-12-06T12:48:00.000-06:00

By RICKY BARNES
When I need to squeeze out some extra distance from the tee, I make two adjustments.

1. I move the ball back two inches in my stance, so it's well inside my left heel.
2. I tee the ball lower, so the top of the ball is barely peeking over the driver's crown.
My ball flight stays about the same when I do this, but I compress the ball better, therefore launching it at a higher rate of speed. The result is a drive that flies five to seven more yards so I can carry a hazard or the corner of a dogleg.

RICKY BARNES won the 2002 U.S. Amateur Championship and is currently vying for his PGA Tour card

THE MONEY SHOT

2007-12-05T12:11:00.000-06:00

First, remember this saying – “two things forward, one thing back.” That simple axiom is the basic idea to chipping. You want to keep your weight and hands forward and the ball back. To get the proper set-up, place your feet one club head width apart. Place the ball a comfortable distance in front of you and keep the ball in the middle of your stance.

Next, bring your forward foot back one inch (left foot for a right-hander). Finally, while keeping your heels on the ground, turn both feet a little towards the target. For a point of reference for how much to turn, your big toe of your trailing foot should point at the back of the ball. Your ball is now back, and you’re in the proper set-up for impact with your lower body.

Now place 80 percent of your weight on your forward foot and make sure that your shirt buttons are in front of the ball. Next, de-loft the club by pressing your hands forward until your hands are off of your left inner thigh, making sure you keep the clubface pointed at your target. This is the set-up that allows you to achieve solid chip shots and lower your scores.

Ninety-nine percent of all bad chip shots can be traced back to either a faulty set-up or two technique problems – weight on back foot when finished or left wrist breaking down through and after impact. Two drills to fix these issues are “right foot back” and the “two-club drill.”

To properly execute a chip shot, allow your body to rotate around your left leg. The right foot back drill will allow you to feel your weight stay on your forward foot and also feel your chest rotate through the shot to the point that your chest almost faces the target when you’re done.

If your left wrist breaks down through impact, a simple drill is to grab a broom or two clubs and place it outside your left rib cage. While swinging through, don’t let the clubs hit your ribs. (Be careful with this drill; it’s for small soft shots and not half-swing or full-swing shots.)

Now you’re ready to hit a few shots. Hold your finish and ask yourself two questions: Is my weight forward when I’m finished and did I burn myself? If you can successfully answer those questions, you’re now coaching yourself to a better short game. Perfection is not necessary at first, but knowing what you did right or wrong is the key to improving.

The Best of Public Golf 2007

2007-12-04T15:05:00.000-06:00

The Best of Public Golf 2007

Best OverallCowboys Golf ClubSame song, but different verse.Once again, Cowboys Golf Club captured the Best Overall Public Golf Course award. But this wasn’t a runaway victory like years past – far from it. A handful of courses closed the gap between themselves and the seven-time winner, but that is no knock on Cowboys. It’s just that those other courses significantly improved in all aspects to closely rival what Cowboys delivers to each paying customer.And what is it about Cowboys that makes it so great? It starts off with the hospitable staff that treats you like royalty as soon as you enter the parking lot. While the price tag for a round of golf is a bit steep, it includes all the food and non-alcoholic drinks you can handle. And then there’s the golf course, a spectacular Jeff Brauer design that traverses through the rolling landscape just off Lake Grapevine.Cowboys is still numero uno amongst the public courses in the area, but others are nipping at its heels.

Go COWBOYS

Kelli Kuehne Earns Back LPGA Tour Card

2007-12-03T16:33:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Kelli Kuehne on her fourth-place finish at the Final Stage of LPGA Tour Q-School on Sunday. Kuehne regained her fully exempt status on the LPGA Tour. She was in great position the first three rounds, then stumbled a bit in the fourth round with a 76. But she rebounded with a superb 67 in the pressure-packed final round, becoming one of the 17 players to earn cards for 2008.
A True Texan

COWBOYS 11-1

2007-11-30T15:39:00.000-06:00

Dallas Cowboys stay out front in 37-27 win

IRVING – Let's not be naïve, the Cowboys were supposed to beat Green Bay on Thursday night.
Once the Packers placed defensive stars Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila and Charles Woodson on the inactive list before the game, and Brett Favre missed the last 2½ quarters with elbow and shoulder injuries, there really was no legitimate reason why the Cowboys shouldn't have left Texas Stadium as the NFC's top dog.
Then again, you could argue the Cowboys were supposed to win important home games in the last 12 months against New Orleans, Philadelphia and New England, but didn't.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/spt/football/cowboys/stories/113007dnspotaylor.31a2445.html
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