Weather on Tour an Inconvenient Truth

The weather seemed horrible last summer, didn't it? Some would say it was even worse throughout the winter. So far, spring has shown us more of the same... From the US Open to the Canadian Open, rain has poured on golfers like never before.

Off the top of my head, I can think of only a few events that were not meaningfully affected by weather during the last twelve months. The Viking Classic, for example, never even got off the ground! Feel free to correct me, but it certainly seems like the worst weather we've seen on tour in a generation!

Case in point, just last week the Bay Hill Invitational was forced to stretch play well into Monday, after thunderstorms and rain forced a stop on Sunday.





In Europe, the rain has been pouring just as much on tournaments - a condition that has been compounded by cold weather. You will only rarely see a European Tour event that doesn't air footage of players wearing full rain gear and/or cold weather wind shirts, playing under a grey sky.





But, the cold has certainly not been limited to Europe. The Southern United States has been hit with brutal weather as well. Canadian "snowbirds", who usually head South during the winter, in order to avoid the cold (and to play golf, of course) were greeted with frigid temperatures last October as far south as Miami - and it really never improved. One friend called it the worst winter he's ever seen - and he's seen a few...

I can certainly confirm that, when I spent time in Florida this past January, I was waking to frost on the ground in Orlando and needed to wear heavy clothing when I travelled to Miami (for the Dolphins vs Steelers game). In fact, I didn't play a single round of golf while I was there, despite spending a few days at Doral... still incredible to me.

Moreover, courses all over the South have suffered from the bad weather. One has only to watch the Haney Project on television to see the patchiness. In fact, I'm told by avid golfers that the Southern US is littered with blotchy fairways and damaged greens.

What really struck me was that, with only a few months before the Masters, these photos were taken of a snow-covered Augusta National golf course. I don't know how often THAT happens, but it can't be a regular occurrence. Luckily, the geniuses that maintain the grounds (to those extraordinary standards) already have the place in immaculate condition for the Masters.

The point is, the oddity of weather conditions this year is undeniable.




So it is that, as the saying goes, "when it rains it pours!" This image of a snow-covered course in Georgia is really nothing more than a snapshot of a sport that has struggled to keep its head above water all year, in weather but in other ways too.

Fighting a financial crisis that threatens the viability of some tournaments and with its biggest star rocked by personal scandal, the last thing professional golf needs now is to find itself at the mercy of mother nature week after week.

I'm not an environmentalist by any stretch. I certainly try to respect the environment, but generally I don't support the Gore notion of man-made weather and I don't subscribe to the enviro-cult of "think Green". But, as a friend said recently: "man, you gotta wonder!?"

Call it El Nino, or blame it on an unhealthy attachment to fossil fuels - something is very wrong in the sky this year and it makes the likelihood of five consecutive days of nice weather seem unreasonable to expect!

The PGA Tour requires tournaments to be played over almost a full week. Its really that simple. Forget the gate receipts, sponsors pay a small ransom for the pro-ams that are played in the days before the actual tournament. These events raise huge sums of money for charities, but they also fulfill basic requirements of sponsors, who are asking more from golfers and of tournaments as a return on their considerable investment.

While it is trivial to the final result, these peripheral events are actually the backbone of how the PGA pays its players and how the sport remains viable.

As it pertains to the actual tournament, Thursday and Friday are played with large fields of players trying to make the cut. As is often the case when bad weather hits a tournament early-on (as was the case at Bethpage), it can cause panic. If nothing else, it kills the flow of an otherwise perfectly planned event, especially when weather cuts time in half (or worse). It may become a bit easier to manage the field after the cut has been made, but then you also fight a worse enemy - the loss of public interest.

In fact, I don't know anyone who likes to watch golfers play in the pouring rain, even at the Open Championship in Britain (where it always rains). Part of the appeal is the natural beauty of the course and the aesthetics that surrounds the game. If a beautiful sunny picture paints a thousand words, then a wet grey picture paints only one word... blah!

I'm sure that ratings are directly impacted by weather, if anyone cares to check. But, the impact on fan interest is far worse when a tournament can't finish on time. How many people watched the conclusion of the Bay Hill Invitational, after the finish was pushed into Monday morning? Whatever the exact answer, it was most likely less than a third of the audience that would have watched on Sunday. The cost of that is immeasurable.

When golf is in a fight for relevancy, the return of Ernie Els as a legitimate powerhouse and his dogfight with Kevin Na was an important event to showcase. It would have been a good shot in the arm, had it played itself out during prime weekend television coverage... Not so much, when aired on Monday morning.

Obviously, there isn't much anyone can do about it, except maybe hope for the sun to shine and for a break in the trend to emerge SOON. But, weather does what weather wants. I'm going to hope for the best at the Masters, but I'm planning for the worst and bringing a sweater and some rain gear. Better yet, I'll buy something green at the gift shop!

Weather, as Al Gore put it, is just an inconvenient truth...

The #1 Ball Launches "Ball Fitter"

Ever wonder if you should use a hard ball for distance, or a softer ball for touch around the greens? Perhaps something in between? Do you need more spin or less? As our friends at Titleist point out, the only thing every hole has in common is your ball. So, to help you decide what type of ball you need for your game, they have launched a new interactive ball fitting tool.

Every hole on a course may have its own characteristics, so we play every hole using a different combination of clubs and a variety of shots. More importantly, golfers at different levels and different ages will approach the game quite differently.

A scratch golfer will not play a hole quite like someone with a 20 handicap, so the priority in a ball's characteristics would certainly be quite different. As such, it may be the most important tool in your bag.

For example, I play a Titleist Pro V1 90% of the time, because it helps most with my short game. Drive for show, putt for dough, as they say. I also prefer the feel of that ball against the face of my Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport II putter. The exception is when a course is wet, or if playing in Canada in the spring when the greens are softer. Then, I can get away with a harder ball to take advantage of the longer drives and still attack the pin.

All this to say that despite the fact that we get caught starring like deer in headlights at this year's new drivers, new iron sets, wedges and putters, we are guilty of buying used balls and/or whatever is on sale.

Despite growing competition from a number of manufacturers (there are new and improved designs at Srixon and Bridgestone to name just two), the Titleist Pro V1 remains the most popular ball on tour, because of its "feel" around the greens. Subject of a technical redesign last year, the new grooves rule on tour has put more emphasis on spin.

The question is, what ball is right for you as a golfer? Titleist has launched a new ball fitting tool. Give it a try and see what you find: http://www.titleist.com/ballfitting/

Hard to Watch - Even Harder to Understand

Although I suspect that certain people enjoy watching Tiger Woods suffer, I find it tough to see someone of that stature fall so far. Maybe Tiger Woods needed to be knocked off his pedestal, but it is hard to understand how anyone could enjoy seeing a man surrounded by so much self-inflicted grief.

Tiger Woods "the golfer" is an exceptional, almost mystical figure. We have witnessed all the glory and the dominance. With his ability, obvious since he was only a child, Tiger Woods will still certainly be remembered as the best golfer of all time.

Tiger Woods "the man" however is still a mess. His life is a series of question marks and frankly the interview today is just further proof of that.

Part of me wishes I could still "like" Tiger Woods, but I find it almost impossible. He just isn't my type of guy. This isn't about whether or not he is flawed, because I recognize that we are all flawed in some way - even people with extraordinary talent in one way lack in some other way. As I have written before, I can disregard almost any past transgressions to anyone who seems genuine and grounded. I have never felt that from Tiger. I can't relate...

Then, there is the lingering feeling that this is all a big show. I have had media training. I know the techniques that consultants teach people who are faced with questions and I understand the process that allows someone like Tiger Woods to deal with uncomfortable media situations. As such, I recognized that most of the answers seemed prepared again during his interview today. Tiger appeared well rehearsed and his repetitive theme sounded heavily scripted.

Having said that, Tiger Woods faced some serious questions - questions he is not really obliged to answer. Whether you accept answers such as "it was all in the police report", or believe anything he had to say for that matter, it must be gut wrenching for a man like Tiger Woods to face the world in this particular light. The word "humbled" comes to mind...

The stark reality is that Tiger has lost more than just a few lucrative sponsors. And, though we are often quick to judge, we must remember that HE is the one who lives with the loss of tremendous public support and respect, he is the one who has become the late-night punch line, he is the one who must face his wife, face his mother, face his friends, and face the world to a certain extent, while wearing his sins across his chest.

So, even if I am not prepared to "like" Tiger Woods, I am also no longer willing to persecute him. As Frank Nobilo said, we can not canonize him for having done this interview, but we can accept that these are steps that he is taking to begin rehabilitating his career and his life.

As he returns to competitive golf, the backlash is really only just beginning. The tough part is not behind him - not by a long shot. It will be interesting to see if Tiger Woods can behave with the utmost grace now, in the face of the unspeakable rudeness he will almost surely encounter.

That is but part of the price he will pay for having had all his flaws publicly exposed.

John Daly: Extreme Makeover - Golf Edition

What a difference a year makes! At this time last year, people were wondering what had become of John Daly. Missing in action for months by that point, the big blond golfer (known to his friends simply as "Lion") had not played a round in any American tournament during the last months of the previous season, or the first two months of that new season. Worse, he didn't appear to be scheduled to play anywhere. His website seemed all but abandoned; his personal message on it had not been updated in a long while and all the news being written about him seemed bad. Still without a tour card and playing mostly in Europe, more than one person had surmised that the two-time major champion had reached the end of his career.

It was not until he was finally spotted in Augusta GA, signing autographs outside the Masters, that anyone knew what had become of him. As it turns out, despite what seemed like many reasons to quit, John Daly had done just the opposite. He was working behind the scenes to rebuild his career and reshape much of his life. This was not just some minor tweaking either... This was Extreme Makeover - Golf Edition!

As usual, much of the press written about his appearance in Augusta was negative. I laugh now as I recall how few of the mainstream writers commented on the fact that John Daly looked years younger and more physically fit than he had been in years. Few also mentioned that thousands of fans were lined-up for a chance to meet one of the most popular golfers of all times. As usual, the media's focus was on his troubles - rehashed over and over.

But despite the usual press, last April was a good time for John, because it marked the public re-emergence of the NEW Lion, in many ways. Looking at him today, almost one full year later, the transformation has been fantastic and worthy of more than only a passing mention in a story about his past. Since the mainstream media can't seem to do it right, I thought I might try.

You see, I have no interest in revisiting the past, like so many who have written about John Daly. I am more concerned about the the present and the future. Suffice it to say that John Daly has lived a full life and one that has not always been easy - especially on himself.

It is plain to see however that, through his recent actions, John Daly realizes more than anyone else that it is time to fish or cut bait.

So, one year later, John Daly has lost well over 100 lbs, he has signed deals with several new business partners and sponsors and, perhaps most importantly, has started to play much better golf. His deal with clothing manufacturer Loudmouth has served the added purpose of providing him with a unique and unmistakable style.

Much of this transformation and his quest to earn his tour card, is being documented in the new reality television series "Being John Daly", which airs on the Golf Channel, Tuesday nights. It is worth watching. I have enjoyed the first few episodes tremendously.

But, despite his efforts, Daly is fighting more than just himself in this attempt at redemption. The years of controversy have left scars, some that are not healing as well as others.

Money issues still exist and probably weigh on his mind more than he lets on. Despite having tremendous earning power, things aren't what they used to be just yet.

Certain members of the press are not interested in the idea of a "new" John Daly. He has been dogged - if not hounded - by a group of writers including Steve Elling of CBS Sports, who seem to have an agenda to besmirch Daly as often and as viciously as possible. Of course, there's plenty of history there, but he is clearly still a target of the press.

Of course, John has also had to fight the establishment - the stiff shirts of golf - who are not always willing to forgive and forget. He is not always invited to tournaments anymore, despite their having profited greatly for decades from John Daly's tremendous ability to draw fans and sell tickets. While he was at the top of his game, they clamored and lined up to ask him to attend and paid him appearance fees to help sell tickets and attract sponsors - but not so much now that he needs them.

Nonetheless, through thick and thin, John Daly has remained a warm, deep feeling, and tremendously charitable guy, who has done a great deal for the PGA Tour, for its sponsors and charities. That alone is reason enough to stand behind him and cheer him on.

The Future of Golf

Anyone wondering or worried about the future of golf need look no further than Rickie Fowler to know that things are looking up. Not since Sergio Garcia has any young up-and-comer shown such natural ability and not since John Daly has any rookie so quickly captured the hearts of young golf fans.

Like Tiger Woods, Fowler's appeal extends far beyond the "usual" golf fan. He has the look, he has the panache, but unlike others before him, he also has the game to round out the package. Sure, there have been many other young guns with many of the same necessary ingredients at one time or another. Most went on to fizzle and none ever lived-up to lofty expectations. Anthony Kim, Justin Rose and Rickie Barnes come to mind. While they are all good golfers, none has ever given Tiger Woods much to worry about. But Fowler has something more - an intangible. Fowler has a level head and a steady demeanor that is impressive, especially in a game that rewards mental toughness and cold blood.

If Tiger Woods can credit much of his own success to his legendary mental toughness, then being able to play each stroke with consistency and focus is what will either make or break Fowler. When I asked Rickie Fowler (via Twitter) how he manages to keep it together on Sunday, especially when the pressure is very intense, he quickly responded: "I just remind myself that I've hit that shot a thousand times and it helps keep me in the moment." The simplicity of his answer and the common sense of the approach is an example of why this guy may soon become a premiere golfer on tour.

Moreover, Fowler may become one of the biggest money-making machines the PGA Tour has ever seen. As Fowler likes to say before he starts every round, "ITS GO TIME!" While Tiger Woods faltered, Rickie Fowler stealthily stepped into the spotlight and is now busy winning the hearts of young golf fans, who are eager for someone of their own generation to follow. The Puma gear, the cool hats over his long hair, and the aw-chucks attitude all help set him apart from the crowd and to make him a sponsor's dream. He is truly unique in golf, he stands out in several ways among a group often criticized for being clone-like. He represents what some hope will be the "next" generation of North American golfer.

Having said all that and perhaps best of all... Rickie Fowler is likable. Those who know him, like commentator Michael Collins, often speak of his excellent character, easy disposition and good nature. At a time when golf's super stars have sour faces and utter four letter words on camera, wouldn't it be great to have a star we can actually like!

The only thing left to do is light up the course, rack up the wins and stare down the current #1 player in the world. This is no small task, but if all golf fans hunger for something, it is a legitimate contender to take on Tiger Woods head to head, week after week. So far, only Vijay was able to do it for any length of time.

Of course, only time will tell if Rickie Fowler really can become golf's next big star. Golf is unkind to those who fall short, but something tells me that Rickie Fowler's star has plenty of shinning to do.

Will Tiger Woods Ruin the Masters

From the first speculation that Tiger was planning a return to golf at either one of the Tavistock Cup, the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, or at the Masters in Augusta, my hope has been that he might not choose the Masters as his comeback stage.

I am a Northerner. My ancestors did not have the wherewithal to keep moving South, so my golf season does not usually start until after Masters week. This is golf's version of the Stanley cup, the Superbowl, and the World Series, wrapped into one of the classiest sporting events on the face of the earth.

As I have done before, I'll be in attendance again this year, to walk the hallowed grounds where legends have played the game. If there is such a place, this is where the ghost of Bobby Jones still lives. Every blade of grass, every sandwich wrapped in green, every famous azaelia lined hole - all of it is steeped in history and tradition. But, what will it be like at Augusta National amid the media frenzy?

My legitimate fear is that Tiger will not be greeted with open arms, instead being confronted with hostility. For as many fans as Tiger Woods still has, there are now a multitude of Tiger-haters, all waiting for a chance to heckle and lash out. It is by virtue of being King of the Hill that people will try to knock him down, especially when he has shown such monumental signs of weakness and personal flaws.

Tiger's caddie, Steve Williams, can threaten to shield his boss all he wants, but he will certainly be no match for the anger that has festered in the hearts of Tiger-haters for these many months. As unimaginable as it may seem at Augusta, this could get messy.

The obvious issue is this: you can't do what Tiger did, from his formerly lofty pedestal, and hope to avoid all forms of flack - even at Augusta National.

I know that several players have agreed with the notion that the Masters is secure enough that Tiger can avoid a free-for-all like what would surely have transpirred at a venue like the Phoenix Open, or the Honda Classic. There, Tiger would have felt the full brunt of the anger.

Nonetheless, my opinion remains that the Tavistock Cup would have provided a great warm-up venue for Woods, while also allowing Tiger-haters their stage to let it all out, to get it over with and to finally vent their collective frustration. It would have been an ideal place for Tiger Woods to answer a few questions at a small venue and to ease the media hunger.

Then, Bay Hill would have been less crazy, as the story would have already played out the week before. We all know how short an attention span we have! Only silence seems to drag this on and on! Furthermore, Bay Hill is a place where Tiger has dominated and could have played with some degree of confidence, while getting comfortable with what surrounds him. Nothing shuts up a critic quite like a sound beating, as Stephen Ames once learned.

At last, Tiger could have walked the course at Augusta in relative peace, amid the most well-behaved crowd on tour. The Masters tournament would have been spared the embarrassment of the media frenzy that is now almost certain, while still retaining all of the upside - most importantly the TV ratings.

All this could have been achieved without forsaking the sacred etiquette and decorum that makes Augusta National so special.

As far as I'm concerned, choosing the Masters to make a comeback was another selfish act by a man who often seems to care mostly about what gratifies him. This may be a bit harsh, at a time when we are being sold on the notion of a reborn Buddhist Tiger Woods, who has spent months reinventing himself. Maybe I just don't buy it, yet.

One doesn't hire Ari because one IS a good person, one hires Ari to help APPEAR to be a good person. There is a distinction...

I certainly look forward to attending the Masters weekend. I will see someone win a green jacket, maybe even Tiger Woods. All I hope is that the event doesn't get lost in the buzz...

I'm interested to know what you think.