Former nobody Louis Oosterhuizen parlayed some prodigious driving, nerveless putting and crazy good luck with the weather to run away with the 2010 British Open. The guy led for the last 2 -1/2 days and looked like Old Tom Morris with modern clubs. The Americans were unable to put together anything like a substantial run, most notably Tiger and Phil The most compelling U.S. performance was turned in by a guy wearing the flag on Sunday, John Daly.

While Oosty played like a guy who can win multiple majors, not many people were around to see it. The combination of odd hours and an unknown running away from the field led to low ratings for the event. This is more bad news for the game. All sports need an empire to root for or against. The Yankees, the Lakers/Celtics, the Patriots; these are the hubs the their sports revolve around. if you're lucky, you have two of them and you get to serve up rivalry every so often.

Golf needs Tiger to be Tiger, and what we have currently is Eldrick. He will certainly be very good again, but dominance is in question. The speed bump for him now is putting, and putting is in many ways an extension of personal confidence. Tiger is still regaining his personal confidence and when he gets it back, the putts will drop and we'll say goodbye to Eldrick and welcome back to Tiger.

On a day when The New York Times reported Tiger Woods has been interviewed by federal authorities investigating Anthony Galea, the Canadian doctor accused of providing professional athletes with performance-enhancing drugs, the London Sun reported Woods will pay at least $750 million in his divorce settlement with Elin Nordegren.

The Sun reported Wednesday that Woods and Nordegren will sign divorce papers next week during a court hearing in Orlando, Fla.

The deal gives Nordegren between $750 and $833 million, the newspaper said, and full physical custody of the couple's children, 3-year-old daughter, Sam, and 1-year-old son, Charlie. The couple will share legal custody.

Also, the Sun reported that Woods will be able to visit the children for up to half of each week, but he can't bring any woman around the kids unless he's married or engaged to her.

Meanwhile, Woods' agent confirmed with the Times about his meeting with federal authorities.

"Tiger willingly spoke to the authorities and cooperated fully," agent Mark Steinberg of International Management Group said in an e-mail message after The New York Times reported the meeting on its website. "It was confirmed that because he did nothing illegal, he is not the subject of any criminal investigation."

The interview with Woods was part of a second round of meetings authorities are conducting with athletes who have been treated by Galea.

The authorities are seeking to use the statements of the athletes to build leverage against Galea, who has denied providing players with performance-enhancing drugs. Galea is also facing charges because he does not have a license to practice medicine in Florida, although he is licensed to do so in Canada.

What Woods said was not known, but his statements could become public if they are used in documents related to the case or if he is asked to testify at a trial.

Woods and Galea have acknowledged that Galea treated Woods, but both have said the treatment consisted only of plasma replacement therapy on his left knee and no performance-enhancing drugs were involved.

The treatment involves drawing blood from a patient, spinning it in a centrifuge to increase the platelet count and injecting a small amount into the injured area. Galea said he used a borrowed centrifuge from a doctor in Orlando to treat Woods.

Plasma replacement therapy is legal and permitted by professional sports leagues in North America, although the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits it without prior approval.

The boys and girls at aboutGolf have some of the best simulators around. Combine that with a plush atmosphere and you have...well, somewhere I want to be.


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aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulators Playing A Key Role For Urban Golf In London

MAUMEE, OHIO - Urban Golf-a United Kingdom-based company with three indoor, state-of-the-art golf facilities in London-has chosen Ohio-based aboutGolf's PGA TOUR Simulators as it's exclusive game-improvement golf technology in its newest location in London's Kensington.
The unique Kensington facility has attracted an impressive crowd since opening in March, thanks in large part to its eight aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulators.
"aboutGolf's PGA TOUR Simulator represents a leap forward for our whole experience," says James Day, Director of Urban Golf. "Its accuracy and realism make it an essential component in fulfilling Urban Golf's mission to bring golf to the city and helps reinforce our position as the best place to play and learn golf in London."
All three Urban Golf facilities are opening the sport up to millions of golfing urbanites eager to get a quick golf fix. Urban Golf does not require a membership, all are welcome to play, practice or learn on one of its aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulators.

"Urban Golf provides the premier indoor golf center experience in the United Kingdom and we are pleased to partner with them to optimize that experience through the world's premier simulator technology," says Chuck Faust, President and COO of aboutGolf. "With such innovative and impressive facilities and so many golfers in Great Britain, Urban Golf's growth potential is unlimited. We're delighted aboutGolf's world-leading simulator technology will help fuel that growth."
Urban Golf's recently opened Kensington center is the UK's largest indoor golf venue. In addition to its eight state-of-the-art aboutGolf PGA TOUR Simulators, Kensington also features a revolutionary coaching facility and décor that is an eclectic fusion of Victorian and contemporary styles offering a nod to the surrounding area's history without betraying the cool funky style for which Urban Golf is renowned.
Urban Golf, and its PGA TOUR Simulators, provides the opportunity to enjoy golf in the heart of London. Lessons, club fitting, special events and social play are now possible in less time and are no longer subject to England's often-fickle weather.

aboutGolf, the world leader in indoor golf simulator technology, finalized a long-term licensing partnership agreement with the PGA TOUR in December 2008 to manufacture PGA TOUR Simulators as well as an exclusive, worldwide licensing partnership to offer TPC courses on the PGA TOUR Simulator, including the TPC Sawgrass' PLAYERS Stadium Course, site of THE PLAYERS Championship.

About aboutGolf

aboutGolf is a 20-year-old Maumee, Ohio-based company that has been dedicated to golf for its entire history. aboutGolf is the world leader in indoor golf simulator technology, producing PGA TOUR Simulators, aboutGolf Performance Products and Henry-Griffitts Custom Fitting. Historically, aboutGolf also produced Microsoft Golf, Greg Norman Ultimate Challenge Golf and World Tours, which is the world's most-widely-distributed golf simulation. aboutGolf® is a registered trademark of aboutGolf Limited, Maumee, Ohio.

This is a fascinating sudy of the swings of the golfers in contention at this years US Open. Note the hilarious anaolgy of Dustin's Sunday to a bad crash and the still frame of tiger springing the shaft of his driver during a full swing...awesome.

I just received an e-mail from the USGA that I thougt you might like to read. Share your thoughts on this one please...


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Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder:
The Greens at Pebble Beach Provided Exceptional Championship Conditions By Pat Gross, USGA Green Section Southwest Region Director

Some television and on-site viewers who observed the greens at Pebble Beach Golf Links at the 110th U.S. Open Championship may have asked why they did not look like the emerald green putting surfaces everyone has come to know at Pebble Beach. TV viewers saw mottled, spotty, discolored greens that would be alarming and perhaps unacceptable to many superintendents and golfers. The Poa annua greens at Pebble Beach are a combination of two construction methods - five different-aged USGA greens and 13 native soil greens - growing in multiple microclimates that require different management strategies. No easy task for Superintendent Chris Dalhamer and the maintenance staff.

The mutual goal of the USGA and Pebble Beach was to provide firm, smooth and fast putting greens to test the skills of the best players. Cosmetics and appearance were not high on the priority list. The grass on the greens is predominantly Poa annua, and like most Poa annua greens there are many slightly different types (biotypes) that comprise the turf. When the greens were maintained on the dry and firm side, significant color differences became more apparent.

The two techniques most important in preparing the golf course for the championship involved reduced fertilization and effective irrigation management. The putting greens went through a gradual dry-down process to achieve the desired conditions. They were in good shape and could handle being pushed. Moisture and firmness levels were monitored in the morning and evening, and measures were taken to keep the greens from going over the edge.

The U.S. Open is not about cosmetics; it's about providing a challenging and rigorous test to identify the best player. Producing a cosmetically attractive golf course would have been the easy task: a little more water, a touch of fertilizer, and we would have had green, pretty putting greens and soft conditions, but that was not the goal.

Managing greens to this level requires meticulous preparation for months or years. Keep in mind that this conditioning is conducted for just one week of the year. Golfers should not expect championship conditions on the greens they play on daily. Dry, firm greens require nearly perfect shots to keep the ball on the putting surface. It also demands an extraordinarily talented and large maintenance staff to achieve the conditioning. Greens that are growing very little are subject to damage from traffic and other stresses. It is one thing to stop the growth for the few days of the U.S. Open, but it would be reckless to attempt to achieve this type of conditioning for daily golfer play.

Following the championship on Monday, I viewed Pebble Beach greens that were well on their way back to normal following a little drink of water. They looked great and will continue to provide outstanding enjoyment for golfers who want to see how their game holds up on one of golf's greatest courses.

“TOM WATSON: LESSONS OF A LIFETIME”

TWO-DVD SET REACHES A MILESTONE

World Golf Hall of Famer Tom Watson’s comprehensive two-DVD set, “Tom Watson: Lessons Of A Lifetime,” has reached 10,000 units sold in the first 6 weeks of its release, it was announced today by the eight-time major championship winner and Tom Watson Productions.

“Selling 10,000 copies of “Lessons of a Lifetime” in the first 6 weeks is not only an amazing milestone, but also a true testament to Tom Watson’s popularity with golfers everywhere,” says Director Terry Jastrow, award-winning president of Jastrow Productions.

That impressive figure includes strong sales on Tom's website, the recently debuted and informative www.tomwatson.com.

The news of the milestone of the best-selling “Tom Watson: Lessons of a Lifetime” coincidentally comes just in time for two events that carry great significance in the beloved golfer’s life—Father’s Day and a U.S. Open being played at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

After all, when Tom was six years old he was given a cut-down, hickory-shafted 5-iron by his father, Ray, an accomplished amateur. Ray then showed Tom the grip, and how to hook and slice the ball—all the game’s basic fundamentals. Tom Watson would grow up to win eight major championships, including the 1982 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, when he improbably chipped in for birdie from deep rough behind the 71st green to key his victory over Jack Nicklaus, a shot many historians consider to be the shot of the 20^th century. In fact, a recreated video and play-by-play of that famous chip-in welcomes visitors to his website: www.tomwatson.com.

“It’s probably no secret that Pebble Beach, the U.S. Open and Father’s Day all hold a very special place in my heart,” says Watson, who will compete in this year’s U.S. Open via a Special Exemption from the United States Golf Association’s Executive Committee, “so the timing of the announcement that “Lessons of a Lifetime” has been so well-received since its release couldn’t be better.”

The two-DVD set—filmed at the famous Greenbrier Resort located in White Sulpher Springs, WV, where Watson is the Golf Professional Emeritus—is the golfing superstar’s first-ever instructional program and represents the culmination of more than 50 years of playing the game and learning from others.

The two-DVD set’s approximately three hours of content provides the ultimate Tom Watson learning experience, covering all facets of the game—from the grip to full shots, to chipping, confident putting and effortless-looking drives, plus specialty shots including those required in strong wind conditions. Watson shares lessons learned from his childhood through competition, and gifts from the great teachers he has encountered. Watson—who has played with and against some of golf history's greatest players during his 38-year career—shares lessons he learned from his father and from longtime club professional Stan Thirsk, as well as many professional golfers such as Nicklaus, Lee Trevino, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Bryon Nelson.

Watson has long-standing professional relationships with Adams Golf, Golf Digest, The Greenbrier Resort, MasterCard Worldwide and Polo Ralph Lauren.

The two-DVD “Tom Watson: Lessons of a Lifetime” set is now available for $49.95 at select golf and sporting goods retailers, pro shops and at www.tomwatsondvd.com. The set is also available to purchase by calling 1-800-993-5589.

PHIL MICKELSON: SECRETS OF THE SHORT GAME DEBUTS JULY 1, PLAYS ALL MONTH ON PAY-PER-VIEW AND VIDEO ON DEMAND

New York, N. Y. June 23, 2010 - Phil Mickelson, 2010 Masters champion and one of the top golfers in the world, will reveal his inside tips to improving everyone's golf game as PHIL MICKELSON: SECRETS OF THE SHORT GAME makes its world-wide television debut Thursday, July 1 on pay-per-view and video on demand.

Mickelson, a three-time Masters champion and winner of 34 PGA Tour events, including four major championships, is long known for his masterful short game. In this program he reveals his unique philosophy on the short game, and provides detailed instruction in a variety of areas including: chipping, flop shots, bunker play and specialty shots. He also shares his most memorable short game moments and behind-the-scenes footage.

PHIL MICKELSON: SECRETS OF THE SHORT GAME will premiere Thursday, July 1 at 9:00 PM ET/6:00 PM PT on pay-per-view via cable systems and satellite providers. The two-hour program was recorded in High Definition and will be closed-captioned (where available) and available throughout the summer. It will also be available on video on demand on many cable systems. The suggested retail price is $19.99.

Emmy Award-winning producer/director Terry Jastrow, who has produced hugely popular instructional tapes with Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and others, is the show's executive producer.

"No great golfer has done an instructional program in more than two decades. For years people have acknowledged that Phil has a superior short game, but the question they still ask is, 'How does he do it?' Here Phil finally gives his answers," said Jastrow, president of Jastrow Productions. "Mickelson has been outspoken on various topics throughout his career and continues to be so in sharing his "Secrets."

"My ideas about the short game are very different from a lot of the instruction I see out there," said Mickelson, "so it was a lot of fun to put this together with Terry and I'm very pleased with the way it turned out. The goal here is help golfers build a foundation so that their practice time directly correlates to improved scoring on the golf course."

Commenting on two outdated chipping tips; that "the club should go back and through the same distance" or, that there should be "no wrist" in the swing: Mickelson states, "If anybody teaches you one of those two methods, go somewhere else. There is one great way to chip and it is a method that I call "hinge and hold." There has never been a good chipper who does not conform to this technique." The program focuses on all shots from 50 yards in, and includes sections on chipping, sand shots, and the flop shot Mickelson popularized soon after he joined the PGA Tour in 1992.

"This is the first time ever that PPV and VOD cable television customers will be able to access such high level instruction from a person of Mickelson's caliber," said iN DEMAND's President & CEO, Bob Benya. "This step-by step tutorial provides the viewer with an unmatched bounty of valuable, in-depth instruction and analysis from Mickelson."

MultiVision Media, one of the leading distributors of pay-per-view sports and events programming, will be distributing the show throughout the United States and Canada.

"Phil Mickelson has made his mark this year and the timing of the show couldn't be any better for our networks and affiliates," said Brian Ricco, president of MultiVision Media, Inc. "Who wouldn't want to learn from the best? We are hoping to raise Phil's name up with the top Hollywood draws, the Pacquiao's, De La Hoya's and Mayweather's and make a statement on the PPV and video on demand platforms. These platforms provide great distribution channels for instructional sports and this show can provide a real boost for the category."

About MultiVision Media
MultiVision Media, Inc. is an energetic industry leader in pay-per-view sports, concerts, and special events program management, working with entrepreneurs, agents, and artists on the creation, consultation, and development of event programming, including concerts, sports, and other special events from event creation, production, sponsorship, and distribution. MultiVision Media Inc. will announce shortly the first PPV 3-D event to be delivered to the home, scheduled to premiere this Fall. MultiVision Media, Inc. also serves as an agent for home video/DVD, Video-On-Demand, and foreign distribution of a myriad of television programming.

First, let me assure the many people who have given me a ration of grief for blogging so inconsistently htat those days are gone...I will be in your ear constantly from now on.

Now on to the news.

After his win at Riviera, Steve Stricker passed Lefty in the world rankings to move into second place behind Tiger Woods. I like this; not too long ago, Stricker was within a 9-iron of being in Q-School oblivion. With hard work, dedication and timely clutch play he has won a lot of trophies and a lot of cash. And it couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

But the question that still nags me is, "Where the heck are the "Young Lions" that we keep waiting for? Personnaly, I am done with the idea that Sergio Garcia will be a great champion. Adam Scott? Luke Donald? Justin Rose?  They have won the same number of combined majors as the Supremes (zero) and they have a lot less hit records and infinitely less personality.

While I feel great for Steve Stricker, I shudder at the spectre of the future of golf.

So the season has kicked off in Hawaii and still no Tiger sighting since Thanksgiving. People ask me all the time, "Where is Tiger?" and while I am flattered that people think that I am plugged in to that extent, I gotta say that I don't have the answer. But the question is for me turning from a curiosity to a concern.
I told my son that the lesson from Tiger's travails is that everyone has a right to a private life, but there is a price to be paid for a secret life. Tiger is paying that price now, and part of the bill is to show up in public. I don't necessarily think that he owes anyone an apology, but the longer he stays incommunicado, longer the wounds will take to heal. The first time is going to be difficult no matter when or where it is.

My suggestion was that he come back in a British Open tune-up in England or Scotland followed by playing the Open at St. Andrews (where he is undefeated in majors, by the way). The European crowds will be more mature than the US crowds but will have a enough Guinness-inspired yahoos in attendance to gird Tiger for his first US tour appearance. 
Other reports have him planning a schedule that wold include a Masters appearance; surely the industry is hoping for that to be the case. Either way, he will also have the obligatory tearful interview on Barbara/Oprah/Larry...if he wants public approval.
But maybe he doesn't want public approval. maybe Tiger is sitting in a quiet place trying to figure out what he wants form people and from himself. Hopefully he will come the realization that for a figure as public as he is, the only unpardonable sin is hypocrisy.

NEW ORLEANS -- The PGA of America bestowed posthumous membership upon three African American golf pioneers -- Ted Rhodes, John Shippen and Bill Spiller -- who were denied the opportunity to become PGA members during their professional careers. The PGA also has granted posthumous honorary membership to Joe Louis Barrow Sr. -- better known as Joe Louis -- the legendary world heavyweight boxing champion who became an advocate for diversity in golf.

The four were honored today at the 93rd PGA Annual Meeting in New Orleans. Earlier this summer, the PGA of America Board of Directors voted unanimously to recognize Rhodes, Shippen, Spiller and Louis, each of whom was represented by a family member in New Orleans.

From 1934 to 1961, The PGA of America's "Caucasian-only clause" was a part of the Association's by-laws and prevented non-whites from membership. The clause was removed at the 1961 PGA Annual Meeting.

"The PGA of America believes these men, but for the color of their skin, would have been PGA members who play the game, teach the game and promote the game," said PGA of America President Jim Remy. "The PGA of America recognizes the importance of honoring these gentlemen with their rightful place in golf history.

"We are pleased that the descendants of these four great Americans have accepted and embraced our Association's sincere efforts to recognize Ted Rhodes, John Shippen and Bill Spiller as PGA members, and Joe Louis as an Honorary Member."