Golf in Canada.ca

Tiger Has Nine Tales

2009-12-08T06:35:00.004-05:00

In the early morning of November 27th, Woods crashed his 2009 Cadillac Escalade. Then, on December 2nd, we found out about Tiger's infidelity. It's now December 8th and it looks like the crash is still in progress.

Over the weekend it appears six more names have been added to Tiger's list. The list of "transgressions" is growing and we're not sure whether the list is complete.

It took only a few hours after the accident before I began to receive jokes, both images and text, playing on the Tiger Woods ordeal. I'm sure I'll receive more before the whole story is revealed.

I just stopped by the PGA.com site to see what news they had to offer and it appears they're staying clear of the whole affair. Probably a wise thing as the PGA could possibly be one of the biggest losers when the smoke clears. Although I'm quite sure that Tiger's first golf tournament appearance will draw record crowds and the television numbers will be enormous, after that I expect numbers to decline (and most likely the sponsorship dollars).

I'm looking forward to my next issue of GolfDigest as they also stand a lot to lose as Tiger Woods is a regular contributor to their magazine. The GolfDigest website has posted a number of "Letters to Tiger Woods" so they are not completely avoiding the matter.

And, no updates have been added at TigerWoods.com.

Freeing Eagles

2009-11-18T06:18:00.003-05:00

This Saturday, November 21st, the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival (FVBEF) will be releasing a bald eagle at the Sandpiper Golf Resort in Harrison Mills, BC. The release of "Bandit", celebrates the beauty and diversity of the region by highlighting the incredible relationship between the bald eagle and the cycle of the salmon.

At 11:00am today, Wednesday, November 18th, you can hear the story and meet "Sonsie", a live eagle that was previously rescued but unable to return to the wild.

Sandpiper Golf Resort is ideally situated on the Harrison River, and even weeks before the eagle numbers will peak, there are between 300 and 400 eagles on the river's banks. Sandpiper is proud to be a viewing site for the 2009 Festival. Information on Viewing and Eco Tours can be found here: http://www.sandpipergolfclub.com/golf/proto/sandpipergolfclub/viewing_ecotours/viewing_ecotours.htm

For more information on the 14th annual Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival, visit: http://www.fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca

The Best Courses You Can Play

2009-09-05T05:58:00.005-04:00

For some reason Highlands Links of Ingonish Beach, Nova Scotia has this aura about that has golf publications swooning. After playing the course in 2008 I have since been trying to figure out the attraction.

The August/September 2009 issue of SCOREGolf has an article on "The Best Courses You Can Play" across Canada. Once again Highlands Links topped #1 in Atlantic Canada.

In 2008, a playing partner and I toured Nova Scotia playing 10 courses in 9 days. We rated each course and found Highlands Links to sit in the middle of the pack. In fact, of the four courses on Cape Breton Island, Highlands Links produced the lowest score. Highlands Links doesn't even crack our Top 50 rated courses across Canada (and we only rank courses we've played).

The is not to say that Highlands Links is a poor course in any way. Playing the course was very enjoyable and the history of the course is quite impressive. But history is not the only thing that makes a course special. If I had an old set of hickory golf clubs would you want to play with them? The first time might be special but after that I'm sure the interest would die.

I've chatted to a number of golfers about golfing in Nova Scotia. I'm not talking a handful of people, I'd say well over 50 and not a single person would rate Highlands Links as their favorite course in Canada, in Atlantic Canada, or even Nova Scotia.

It makes you wonder whether the golf publications play, or even visit the courses. Is Highlands Links your #1 course in Canada?

"I'll Fix Your Game Now!"

2009-08-16T06:41:00.003-04:00

The August 2009 issue of Golf Digest had an article with "50 Tips From The 50 Greatest Teachers". In this article the lesson rates were quoted for the top 5 instructors in America. I was shocked at how David Leadbetter (#3) had a rate of $3500 for a 3 hour session. For this kind of money I would expect a guarantee of making the PGA Tour. His lesson rates would be more than what I spend in two years of golfing.

On average the top 5 instructors provided lessons in excess of $600/hour. Admittedly, these instructors should be able to provide some valuable help but only a professional with a boatload of money would ever use them. I wonder how they stay sharp when their source of employment is so limited. Therefore, I will assume that the more you make the more you pay.

Would you pay $600/hour for a golf lesson?

My Ideal Golf GPS

2009-08-05T17:11:00.003-04:00

The golf market seems to be flooded with high end golf GPS systems that simply do too much and are too complicated for the average golfer to use. Here's what I'd like to see in a golf GPS system.

Mapping: You can map your own. Simply find your custom points through Google Earth, another aerial photography system, or map it at the course. The mapping file is not encrypted or secretive. It's open source.

Screen: I'm not fussy. Black and white works for me. The yardage isn't any more accurate in color and I don't need any graphics. Just give me a distance.

Custom Points: Eight per hole should be good and let me name the points what I want. With my handicap I generally aim for the middle of the green anyways. Telling me the distance to the front or back of the green doesn't mean much. In fact, I could probably get by with one point per hole. I'll leave the other 7 points for the good golfers.

File Storage: Have a secure digital slot in the GPS. Get rid of the specialized cable and custom software. Just copy a simple file with named coordinates and slip it into the GPS. Done.

Price: Less than $100. A gold GPS should not cost more than my club set.

Is anybody reading this?

Twitter With the Pros

2009-07-25T05:54:00.004-04:00

Since the British Open I've begun following Stewart Cink on Twitter. I know I've tried keeping up with my Twitter posts and I've found it a great deal of effort. Perhaps the pros find Twitter a type of relaxation during play and leisure. As well, Twitter is a way to keep in touch with fans around the world in a personal way without being too personal. I typically find Twitter more of a job and have a great deal of trouble remembering to post.

It didn't surprise me to see how many impostors there are using Twitter. I just did a search for "Tiger Woods" and found 15 wannabees. (The Tiger doesn't use Twitter!)

Below is a list of popular golfer who I follow on Twitter:
Chris DiMarco - @ChrisDiMarco
Davis Love III - @Love3D
Ian Poulter - @IanJamesPoulter
John Daly - @PGA_JohnDaly
Michelle Wie - @TheMichelleWie
Natalie Gulbis - @Natalie_Gulbis
Pat Perez - @PatPerezGolf
Paul Casey - @Paul_Casey
Paula Creamer - @ThePaulaCreamer
Rory McIlroy - @RorsMcIlroy
Stewart Cink - @StewartCink
Stuart Appleby - @StuartAppleby
Trevor Immelman - @TrevorImmelman

Kudos to Tom Watson

2009-07-20T06:45:00.003-04:00

After watching Tom Watson perform at the British Open this past weekend I have only to say that it was one of the greatest performances I have ever seen despite not winning the event. The pressure must have been enormous and the manner in which he conducted himself through each round and even after defeat is why he is considered a Legend.

"It would have been a hell of a story, wouldn't it?" Watson said. Sorry, Tom. It was a hell of a story.

As I close in on my 52nd year I thought my best years of golf were behind me. Taking up golf in my mid-40s has always made me wish I'd seen the fun in the game years ago. After watching Tom Watson this past weekend I now think my prime golfing years are ahead of me. I guess there's still hope for me and my 15 handicap.

Dr. Feel Good Zero Latitude Putter

2009-07-05T06:10:00.005-04:00

I don't mind companies making claims to improving your golf score and giving a money back guarantee but when they border on ridiculous I have to say something.

On Friday I watched a paid Golf Channel ad for the Dr. Feel Good Zero Latitude Putter by X-Factor Sports. The putter head does look unique in that it is designed like a hammer head and it perked my interest. After watching a few minutes the actual product did appear to have some merit. Then came the claim that, "This putter will save everyone 10 shots per round." Ouch.

The ad also also went on to say, "The Dr. Feel Good Putter actually aligns itself into the ball every time giving you the most accurate putter ever." Now since when does a putter align itself? Is there a computer built into this thing?

Frankly, I'm tired of reading these claims and will gladly provide an honest assessment of any golf related product. That being said, I'd love to see my 15 handicap drop to 5 all because I've taken my 34 putt average per round down to 24.

The RCGA Golf Card

2009-06-24T08:45:00.004-04:00

Seems I didn't read the details about the RCGA Golf Card I purchased this spring. I thought I was getting a deal with golf at half price at selected courses across Canada. And, after just booking a round to use the RCGA Golf Card for the first time I read the fine print to discover the card is good before the golf season starts and after the golf season is over. Well, not exactly but pretty damn close.

I even went so far as to buy my wife a card because we are visiting Deerhurst Resort this summer. I though a the half price deal would more than pay for the price of the cards. Readings the fine print I see I can get a half price round before June and after October.

I then explored other 1/2 price course coupons to see if any could be used in June, July, or August. None had better deals and some had ever worse. My RCGA Card now appears to be next to worthless as very courses participate in my area.

Which Golf GPS is Right For You?

2009-06-17T05:48:00.003-04:00

The golf market has become saturated with golf GPS systems and almost all of them are aimed at the golfer with the high income. Callaway has recently added their flavour with the uPro. The uPro, although a nice looking product has a list price of $399 US. We're talking the price of a decent set of clubs all to get the yardage to a flag.

Many golfers have bought the rangefinder type of GPS but I have found the units to be slow to use and worthless if you don't have line of site to the pin. My 15 handicap rarely sees me playing consistently from the fairway and often trees hinder my approach at some point in my round. Using a rangefinder can also breaks your focus for your next shot as concentration has to be switched to operating an electronic device.

Thank goodness Bushnell has invested in the iGolf brand and kept at least one sub $200 golf GPS unit on the market. Many first time buyers get tricked in to thinking pricier is better.

Did you know:

All GPS systems use the same satellites? This means the accuracy will be the same for almost every GPS system on the market. The difference will vary only with the chip inside the GPS unit and there's only a few of those.
Colour yardages have the same accuracy as black and white. I'm always miffed as to why someone would buy a colour GPS when all you want is the yardage?
Many GPS units require you to purchase a yearly membership before you can use the unit. Buyers forget the hidden costs. This is why I use the iGolf brand, because I can GPS a golf course myself and choose not to purchase the membership.

In my book simplicity is the best and so I'll stick with my Bushnell Neo and watch others fork out the big bucks for golf GPS systems that do exactly the same.

A Dash of Daly

2009-06-13T18:18:00.006-04:00

After watching some of the St. Jude Classic this weekend I can't help but make comments on John Daly's pants. His pants must have the PGA bigwigs wondering how the attire should be handled and I wonder whether some sort of alteration to the PGA dress code is around the corner. Now wouldn't it be great to see Daly match the pants with a set of clown cleats?

Don't get me wrong, I think it's great to see a golfer add that little bit extra to the game and John Daly is just the person to do it. And, best of all it's good to see him keep his shirt on.

Is It Your Putter?

2009-05-30T10:30:00.005-04:00

After watching a paid advertisement on the Golf Channel for the F2 Hamilton Series Putter (http://www.f2golf.com) I was more than impressed with the displayed results. How can a putter guarantee to shave strokes off your game?

I've seen golfers use a 30-year old blade putter and putt so remarkably well that you wonder how an aged club could possibly hit a ball straight. I've always concluded that it was the holder of the putter and unlikely that the putter itself had made the difference. Yes, there's something to say about the feel and the grip but I'd still say a good putter will adjust quickly to anything put in their hands.

I'm going to investigate a bit further into the F2 Hamilton Series Putter, and, if I can get my hands on one, I'll provide you with my opinion.

Greening the Workplace

2009-05-08T06:24:00.004-04:00

Environmental issues are a concern everywhere, especially on golf courses. At Arbutus Ridge Golf Club on Southern Vancouver Island, a Greening Committee made up of five to six team members meet monthly to discuss methods of making the course more environmentally-friendly. From setting up recycling areas to replacing or fixing and old refrigerator, the committee's goal is, "to convert to self-sufficiency, to become completely carbon neutral."

To read a more complete article visit: http://www.golfbc.com/about_golfbc/media/press_releases/2008/10/10013_0810071430-488

Is your local course doing its part for the environment?

Hook Link & Sink It

2009-04-20T07:00:00.005-04:00

A unique golf experience can be had at the Sandpiper Golf Resort in Harrison Mills, BC. Their Hook Link & Sink It program combines a one-half day of incredible sturgeon fishing with 18 holes of golf. The program is completely scalable with groups from 4 – 144 participants. A typical package includes guided fishing, lunch or dinner, golf and shared power cart. Packages start at $249 per person. Accommodations at nearby hotels can also be arranged.

This would be an adventure my partners and I would love to explore. It would be one helluva road trip.

More details can be found at: http://www.sandpipergolfclub.com/golf/proto/sandpipergolfclub/hook_line_sink/hook_line_sink.htm

Golf on the Radio

2009-04-02T05:59:00.006-04:00

Most golfers tend to watch golf and many forget that the Internet can provide some useful commentary and tips that don't require the visual experience. Below are a few of my favourite Internet broadcast links.

Read Golf Radio (http://realgolfradio.com): Hosted by Brian Tayler and Bob Casper (son of "Billy Casper"), Real Golf Radio began syndicating in 2003. Originally airing in 1999, the show was created as a format to give golfers an insight into the golf world on a medium void of the topic.

Golf Talk Radio (http://golftalkradio.com): Golf Talk Radio with Mike & Billy can be heard LIVE every Saturday morning on the Central Coast of California from Paso Robles to Santa Maria. Podcasts of recorded shows are available.

Golf It Up! Radio (http://golfitupradio.com): "Golf it Up! Radio" is a fast-paced one-hour golf themed variety show hosted by PGA Professional Jay Williams and veteran broadcaster Tod Allen.

Tee It Up Radio Show (http://kevinhaime.com): Tee It Up with Kevin Haime is a live call in golf talk show. Every week Kevin takes your calls and questions on the golf swing, how to hit the shots, the latest teaching methods, the latest equipment, club fitting, and everything that's hot in golf from the World and PGA Tours to all your local golf news.

Tee Bird - Part 2

2009-03-29T08:54:00.004-04:00

After a few emails to birTee.com I did find out that they have an easy solution to the carrying of the birTee. The birTee Clip looks like the standard retractable belt clip used for swipe cards for building access. These are easily obtained from birTee or you can always pick up a variation at your local Staples or Wal-Mart.

Tee Bird

2009-03-22T07:11:00.002-04:00

Yesterday (Saturday, March 21) I visited the Ottawa Gatineau Golf Expo. Many of the same exhibitors were displaying their wares and travel distinations were in abundance. I did notice that the number of electric golf cart dealers were down from three of the previous year to only one.

One of the new products that caught my eye was the BirTee (http://www.birtee.com). Resembling a badminton bird, the BirTee comes in eight different heights and should be reusable for a long time. I think the view of the image requires no expanation as to its use and design. The BirTee is reasonable inexpensive for the durability it should possess. My only question would be when it comes to carrying the tee. Typically I carry my tees in my pocket but the BirTee doesn't look like it's suited for this mode of transportation. Perhaps a review will be forthcoming as the 2009 golf season gets into motion.

Personally, I would have called it the Tee Bird but perhaps that name has already been used.

Aroostook Valley Country Club

2009-03-08T09:11:00.002-04:00

Aroostook Valley Country Club is located between the towns of Fort Fairfield, Maine and Four Falls, New Brunswick. Their location is unique, and because of this uniqueness it can also pose problems. The golf course and clubhouse are located in Canada, yet the Pro Shop and access roads are in the United States (green fees are in Canadian dollars). Recent Canada/US border issues has made access to the course a bit quirky. From Canada you'll have to pass through customs near Fort Fairfield, Maine yet you'll have a secondary option when leaving the course to Canada via Brown Road. Details and interesting articles can be found at: http://www.avcc.ca/notice.htm

More Match play? I don't think so.

2009-03-02T17:12:00.002-05:00

The Accenture Match Play Championship finished yesterday with a 36 hole match between Paul Casey and Geoff Oglivy. Some golf fans have been wondering why there isn't more Match Play events as biennial events such as the Ryder Cup and the Presidents Cup draw large crowds. The results of the Accenture Match Play Championship are a prime example as to why Match Play events will be few and far between.

Early bow outs of fan favourites like Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, and of course, Tiger Woods probably saw the tournament suffer severely at the gate. A final showdown between Woods and Michelson (even if subjected to the consolation) would have brought the fans out in droves but a final between Casey and Ogilvy just didn't seem to have the same flavour.

Leave match play events to the local club and the major biennial events mentioned above.

Mike Weir Inducted

2009-02-10T06:44:00.005-05:00

It strikes me as odd that Mike Weir, at a young age of 38, can get inducted into the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame. It's not that he isn't deserving of Hall of Fame status, it's the timing. Can you think of another sport that inducts an athelete when they're in the prime of their career? Is there no other Canadian golfers worthy of induction at this time? Frankly, I'm very confused as to why the induction has occurred at this time. I get the impression that the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame is trying to raise their profile. A Google search for information on the Hall of Fame is difficult enough and no induction details for Mike Weir is posted at this time. Shame.

According to other websites the official induction will take place during the week of the Canadian Open, July 20-26 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.

Scorecard Comments

2008-12-14T08:31:00.003-05:00

Many scorecards get sent to me throughout the year for posting on the Golf in Canada website. One thing I've noted is the number of times someone's name has been stroked out with a black pen. This leads me to question why names are ever added to scorecards.
Does adding a Pro or Manager's name to a scorecard really matter? I can't believe for an instance that the scorecard functions better or is more important because a name is added.
A scorecards primary function is to allow golfers to keep score. Secondly, the scorecard should help a golfer navigate the course. And lastly, the scorecard should function as an advertisement by providing location, phone numbers, website address and email, and an attractive course photo.

"Get in the hole!"

2008-09-23T06:38:00.002-04:00

The obsession with yelling, "get in the hole" has grown to the point of annoyance. I did a Google Search for these quoted four words and found that I'm not the only on that has grown tired of this pointless verbal expulsion. In fact, some of the sites want to "bring the jerks to justice", whatever that means. Justice may be a bit extreme but a few kind words like, "don't be stupid" may be enough.

Read these sites for further details:
http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/devil_ball_golf/post/Frontier-justice-for-quot-Get-in-the-hole-quot?urn=golf,88247
http://www.iamlivid.com/2006/07/24/get-in-the-hole/
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/mccarthy/2008-02-24-Golf-fans-Rome_N.htm

LPGA to Speak English - Why Not?

2008-08-30T07:52:00.004-04:00

During the past week the LPGA's English-only policy has draw a lot of heat and I can understand why. I can also understand why the LPGA is implementing the policy.

If I ran a business in an English speaking neighbourhood and hired non-English speaking staff to service the counter I can hardly expect my business to prosper. The same holds true for the LPGA. With the influx of many non-English speaking golfers to the LPGA Tour I can see advertisers and pro-AM participants having doubts about spending their dollars where they think they won't get good value for their money. The LPGA may be seeing a drop off in revenue and this policy may be a way of stopping the slide. I don't believe the decision is meant to be an attack on non-English speaking golfers but as an agressive business decision.

The PGA Tour does not have this issue, yet.

Slow Play & Etiquette

2008-08-21T05:42:00.005-04:00

The past weekend I visited the CN Canadian Women's Open held at the Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club in Ottawa, Ontario. I was very impressed with the quality of play and organization of the event. However, two things irked me about the players.

The speed of play was appalling. Rounds were played in approximately 6 hours. An average foursome goes out and plays a round in 4 1/2 hours and can be removed from the course if they don't keep pace while professionals (typically in twosomes or threesomes) play slow with no penalty. The pace of play sets a very poor example for the junior and casual golfer.

Etiquette, for the most part, seemed to be missing. I found it very odd that after putting out players immediately left the hole of play and headed to the next tee. I often saw a couple of ladies waiting on a nearby tee while the third was still putting out on the previous green.

Improve Your Balance - Cross Your Feet

2008-08-13T06:00:00.003-04:00

On page 36 of the September 2008 issue of Golf Digest has an absurd article (thank God it's only a page) entitled "Improve Your Balance - Cross your feet to learn to swing in control". I'm going to keep an eye on the ranges and practice areas to see how many golfers I see trying this technique. I'm sure I'll count "none". My balance is much better without crossing my feet and I'll continue to do so. Has golf really stooped this low in filling pages in a magazine?

Frankly, I would expect something less bizarre coming from David Leadbetter.