National Golf Day Visits Capitol Hill Today to Share Why Golf is So Important in America

April 16, 2013 By 2 Comments
WE ARE GOLF

National Golf Day commenced today with representatives from the WE ARE GOLF coalition visiting Capitol Hill to share the economic benefits of the great game of golf.  While I may be a little late to the party with this post being so late in the evening, I still thought I would write a few thoughts on why golf is so important to me.  I received an email last week from a media representative from WE ARE GOLF asking me to join in on the social conversation which I wanted to make sure I followed through with.  So here we go.

For me, golf is so most important to me because it gives me so much quality time with my dad.  He is my regular playing partner and the one I tee it up with the most.  The one thing I truly missed was never getting the chance to play with my grandpa, PaPa.  He passed away when I was 1-year old but my dad has always shared with me how much PaPa loved golf.  He was the one who taught my dad the game and my dad has passed it on to me.  One quick story.  Late in 2012 my dad and I were playing in a two-person scramble out at Fort Sam Houston Golf Club here in San Antonio.  Fort Sam Houston is a military base in San Antonio and has one of the largest National Cemeteries in the United States.  So one of the holes on Fort Sam Houston Golf Club runs parallel to the portion of the cemetery where PaPa is buried.  Well my dad and I were playing that hole and we just butchered the hole in a bad way.  It was that one hole that we just blew up on.  Well my dad made the comment to me while we were on the green that PaPa is probably over there laughing his ass off at us because we played that hole so bad.  It was just an awesome comment for my dad to make with PaPa’s grave site so close to the green.  So that is why golf is so important to me and I hope I am able to share with my new son just how awesome golf is.

So enough about me, I want to get to a little background on WE ARE GOLF.  This is the sixth year the coalition has held National Gold Day which was established to bring attention to the many economic benefits of the game of golf.  It seems some of our “esteemed” elected officials misunderstood this great game of golf and the benefits associated with playing the game.  Here is a short introduction straight from the WE ARE GOLF press release:

WE ARE GOLF was formed four years ago, in part because it had become clear the industry was misunderstood by too many elected officials. Longstanding perceptions of the game simply didn’t square with the facts. By focusing on the nearly two million Americans whose livelihoods are tied to golf, WE ARE GOLF has leveled the playing field for the thousands of small businesses that make up the industry.

As a result, golf is no longer being excluded from important legislation. Members of Congress now better understand the myriad benefits the game brings to their communities.

The nearly two million U.S. jobs generated by the $69 billion golf industry, and its vast economic reach, are at the core of WE ARE GOLF’S message. Given the scope and pace of federal government activity and the impact on small businesses, the golf industry can play a vital role as policymakers continue efforts to boost employment and get the nation’s economy back on track. Beyond better demonstrating golf’s profound economic clout, WE ARE GOLF illustrates the industry’s health and wellness benefits, its unparalleled charitable giving, and its environmental sustainability initiatives.

As you can read above, golf has many far reaching economic benefits.  If you don’t believe me, take a look at the infographic below which lays it out in cold-hard numbers:

WE ARE GOLF

If you get a chance, go visit WE ARE GOLF and join in on the push to help make this game so much better!

Filed Under: Golf News & Notes Tagged With: ,

There’s No Denying Pace of Play on the PGA Tour is Horrendous, But at What Level Does it Start?

April 13, 2013 By 2 Comments

Last week I volunteered at the Valero Texas Open.  I walked 18 holes with a three-some of PGA Tour professionals each day.  All four days I walked step-by-step with these guys and all four days they never finished in less than five hours.  Yes, you read that right – FIVE HOURS FOR 18 HOLES.    

The latest pace-of-play discussion is not new.  But due to the fact a 14-year old prodigy from China was hit with a one-shot penalty yesterday in the second round of The Masters, the discussion has been catapulted into the spotlight once again.  In all honesty, it needs to be visited again and again and again and I don’t think this will be last we hear of it going forward. 

Where does the pace-of-play issue start?  Does it start in junior golf at the local level?  Does it fall on the shoulders of high school and college coaches?  Or is it the pros who should set an example on pace of play?  It’s such a tough question and it’s so hard to come up with just one answer. 

Let’s look at the PGA Tour level because that’s where you hear on TV all the time from commentators and the players about how slow it was in a particular tournament.  I think the main source of slow play on the PGA Tour started with the emergence of the sports psychologist.  Ask any “mental guru” and they will tell you to form a pre-shot routine and stick with it.  These pre-shot routines take time, sometimes too much time.  Then if the player doesn’t feel comfortable, then they have are told to back off and start over.  Great, now we’ve spent two minutes waiting for you to get comfortable.  Multiply that by 70 shots on a given day, and we have 140 minutes of pre-shot routines.  I understand these guys are playing for millions of dollars in prize money and their livelihood depends on their next shot.  But let’s face it, some of these guys are well off and playing 30-minutes faster is not going to make them worse golfers.

To be fair, the slow play issue is not only a problem on the professional level.  It’s a problem on any level.  I have played in numerous local amateur events around San Antonio and 5-hour rounds are not uncommon.  I play in a golf group through my work and once a month we hold events.  Rounds are well over 5-hours during that play.  Go play in any charity golf scramble and it take 5 hours.  I volunteered last year at the Women’s Mid-Amateur here in San Antonio and the rounds took over 4.5 hours.  Again, the stakes are high and I understand that.  But golfers from all levels have to be conscious of playing time.  Maybe at the local level golf courses should install timers on the cart that beep if you get behind.  GPS units attached to golf carts have the pace of play clock but who pay’s attention to that? 

Look, there is not an absolute 100% effective way to monitor 144 golfers during a charity event or keep tabs on a golf course full of weekend hackers.  On the PGA Tour level, hitting players with one-shot penalties is the way to go.  Fines of $5,000 or $10,000 are nothing to these guys when their take home pay is millions.  You can’t penalize a local hacker who is paying money to play your course.  But starting communication in the clubhouse as you’re checking in is a good start.  What’s wrong with the golf shop attendant mentioning how important pace of play is?  What’s wrong with the marshal or starter reiterating that point on the first tee?  There is nothing wrong with it and more golf courses should start doing it. 

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Tiger Woods vs The Aussies

April 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

It’s no surprise that I am a Tiger Woods homer.  I root for the guy and I want the guy to always dominate.  I picked Tiger Woods to win The Masters in a couple different posts leading up to this week and I’m not backing off that pick.  But if Tiger Woods doesn’t win The Masters, I am rooting for anyone from Australia. 

You see, I am one-quarter Australian.  My grandma who I never really knew (Yo-Yo) is from Australia.  My dad is half Australian which I believe makes me one-quarter Australian.  Growing up, my dad’s favorite golfer was always Greg Norman so I was always immersed in Australian golf.  He always talked about him and always rooted for him.

To see Jason Day leading the Masters after the first two rounds gives me hope.  There’s never been an Australian who has won The Masters.  Jason Day is a guy who has the game and mindset to win the tournament.  It’s still way early.  There are still two days left with some big-time names behind him.  On top of that, Mark Leishman is another Aussie that is tied for second place right now.  While I don’t think Leishman will end up winning the tournament, it’s awesome to see two Australian born golfers in the top two spots on the scoreboard after two rounds. 

I also don’t want to forget who is lurking just three shots back – Adam Scott is currently sitting at three under after the first two days and is in a good position to make a run over the weekend.  Scott and Day are perhaps the two most famous Australian golfers on the PGA Tour today and I love to see them playing so well. 

It’s shaping up to be a tremendous weekend and while I always hope Tiger Woods wins every tournament he plays, if he doesn’t, I hope an Australian is able to take home a green jacket down under. 

Filed Under: PGA Tour, The Masters Tagged With: , , ,

How Important is Golf Posture Throughout the Golf Swing?

April 12, 2013 By 1 Comment

Not only is golf posture important in your golf setup, but the consistency of golf posture throughout your golf swing is the secret to hitting the golf ball with consistency. Without consistent golf posture, you can not play consistent golf.

Good Flat Back Posture VS Excessive "C" curve VS Excessive "S" curve

Good Flat Back Posture VS Excessive “C” curve VS Excessive “S” curve

Why is Golf Posture Important
The primary spinal segments that rotate during your golf swing are your thoracic vertebra (your mid back). The lumbar spine (low back) is not designed to rotate more than a couple of degrees per joint. As a result, we want to focus on the thoracic spine rotating fully through your swing.

Here is the rub: If you have a C-posture (bent over), you are putting your thoracic joints in a position where they can no longer rotate due to bony restrictions.

Not only will the loss of spinal rotation lead to a dramatic loss in golf power, but you will also lose your ability to consistently hit the ball cleanly.

Here is why: If you lose the rotation in your spine due to poor posture, your body will look for an “escape route” in order to complete your backswing. We call this escape route a compensatory golf move. The typical compensatory move that occurs in a golfer with a C-posture is that they straighten up in their backswing (become taller) and then bend back down in the downswing.

That is a lot of moving parts! Each of which makes consistency more difficult.

When golfers make this compensation, the swing plane typically gets steeper and it gets more difficult to square the club at impact. Shots typically attributed to this fault include blocked shots to the right and hooking shots to the left.

Posture Fixes
If you are under 50, a C-posture is due to habit but if you are over 50, you are more likely to have a C-Posture due to tight muscles. A key to keep in mind is that the biggest factor in your posture throughout your golf swing, is the posture you acquire off of the golf course. This includes the posture you have when your standing up in church, walking to the mailbox, sitting on your couch, and sitting in the chair at the office.

The Pelvic tilt
You can do this little “exercise” anywhere you are to determine the correct posture.
The best position for your spine is what we call “spinal neutral.” This is the theoretical position in which there is the least amount of stress placed upon all of the joints in your spine and puts them in the optimal position for movement in all plans.

Pelvic Tilt in Standing
To find spinal neutral in a standing position, first place your hands on your hips. From this position, roll your hips as far forwardPelvic Tilt in Standing as you can (stick your butt and stomach out at the same time). Next, roll your hips backward as far as you can (tuck in your tailbone).

From this position, roll your hips forward 10% and you have found spinal neutral, your “correct” posture.

The Pelvic Tilt in Sitting
To find spinal neutral in sitting, begin by slumping forward with poor posture. From this posture move in the opposite direction, Pelvic Tilt in Sittingraise up your chest and sit super tall in an exaggerated upright posture.

From this position, back off 10% and you have found spinal neutral in a sitting position. The best way that my patients have found to learn this posture is to set a timer to go off every 10 minutes while you are sitting to remind you to find your spinal neutral position.

Why, you may ask, is it so difficult to hold this position?

The answer is that your body will relax according to the path of least resistance. Over the years of sitting and standing with poor posture, the length of your muscles has changed to so that your body “thinks” that the poor posture is your normal posture.

As a result, whenever you sit with good posture, you are essentially resisting the pull of your muscles and as soon as you think about something else, your body will relax in the position of least resistance. In order to correct this imbalance, you need to change the length of your muscles.

About the Author. Dr. Ryan York is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Golf Performance Specialist. He Co-created Age Defying Golf which improves golf performance, reduces risk of injury, and helps golfers recover from injury for men and women golfers specifically between the ages of 50-75 years young. Visit us at www.agedefyinggolf.com.

 

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Front9Back9 Golf Picks & Predictions: The Green Jacket Edition

April 10, 2013 By 1 Comment

After completely failing at my Valero Texas Open golf picks and predictions last week, I’m back again this week to redeem myself.  These picks are bigger and these picks are right-on!  Below are my picks and predictions for the 2013 Masters. 

Bubba Will Not Be Close to the Leaderboard on Sunday

Look, nothing against Bubba Watson.  He played great last year and he is a tremendous golfer that can do wicked things with the direction of his golf ball.  I just don’t think he can do it again at Augusta.  Bubba Watson in my opinion will more-than-likely never win another major golf tournament again.

CBS Will Be Gifted With the Dream Pairing on Sunday

Wait.  Which “dream” pairing am I referring to?  Will it be Tiger/Phil or Tiger/Rory.  Or does Phil/Rory count as a dream pairing?   Doesn’t matter – the dream pairing I am referring to is the ultimate dream pairing with the number 1 and 2 ranked players in the world.  We will see Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy in the final group on Sunday and the ratings will be through the roof.

Tiger Woods Will Win His 15th Major Championship

Tiger Woods has this thing.  It’s his to lose.  Period.  End of story.  We will see the Tiger juggernaut back in form and by Sunday evening Bubba Watson will be slipping the Green Jacket on the back of Tiger Woods.  Boom!

What do you think will happen this weekend?  Let me know below or hit me up on Twitter @Front9Back9.

Filed Under: Golf Picks & Predictions, The Masters, Tiger Woods Tagged With: , , ,

Valero Texas Open Golf Picks & Predictions = FAILURE

April 7, 2013 By Leave a Comment

As I sit here and watch the ACM awards and try to recover from my volunteering at the Valero Texas Open the last four days, I can’t help but notice how bad my golf picks & predictions were last Wednesday before the tournament.  Here’s how I fared:

Jimmy Walker will win the Valero Texas Open

Well, Jimmy didn’t win the tournament and he wasn’t really all that close either.  He finished with a T31 finish and $35,960 in earnings.  I really had a good feeling about Jimmy heading into the week but that just goes to show how much I don’t know. 

Rory McIlroy will stuggle at TPC San Antonio

I thought his mind would be more on The Masters than on TPC San Antonio.  I thought he would surely shoot so-so rounds and miss the cut.  Boy was I wrong.  A second place finish and another $669,600 in the bank later I look like a fool.  He hit the ball awesome this week and I think the competitive rounds will leave him ready to go next week in Augusta. 

Scores will be low this week

The outcome to this prediction is debatable.  Martin Laird won the tournament 14-under, which is five shots better than last year.  In 2012, the overall scoring average for the field was 73.98 and this year the scoring average was 72.74.  Did the scores bet better this year?  Yes.  Did they get as low as I thought.  No.  I thought we would see close to 20-under but the wind actually did blow pretty hard on Thursday and also both days this weekend. 

So we’re on to The Masters which starts on Thursday.  I will be making my picks & predictions coming up in the next few days so stay tuned! 

Filed Under: Golf News & Notes, Golf Picks & Predictions Tagged With: ,

My Valero Texas Open Volunteering Experience

April 7, 2013 By 3 Comments

It’s Sunday evening and the last four days have been long – I’m sunburned and my feet and calves hurt.  If you’re anything like my wife though you probably don’t want to hear my complaining – she claims it’s all self-inflicted since I didn’t use sun block on Friday and I eat too much and don’t work out enough.  If you didn’t know, the Valero Texas Open has just completed here in San Antonio and Martin Laird pulled off an unexpected victory and stamped his ticket to Augusta.  Me on the other hand, I’m in recovery mode from my four days of volunteering at the Valero Texas Open.

As I was walking down the fairway with another volunteer today we started talking about how many volunteers it actually takes to put on a successful PGA Tour golf tournament.  We both agreed it was probably close to 1,000 if not more.  If you asked any tournament director how important volunteers are they will surely tell you there is no way in hell they would be able to successfully host the event without an army of volunteers behind the scenes. 

This was my first year volunteering since the tournament had moved to TPC San Antonio four years ago.  I had done it one year before when it was at La Cantera but after getting an email at my work requesting help this year I decided to jump at the opportunity.  My assignment was with the NBC Sports/Golf Channel TV team.  I would get to walk inside the ropes with an assigned group and radio back to a producer in the TV trailer with the scores for each player after each hole.

On Thursday when we were first being told what our job consisted of, I thought to myself surely in 2013 NBC Sports and Golf Channel have better technology to get the players scores on TV rather than having someone walk with a group and radio back to the truck after each hole.  Come to find out they actually do have live scorers who walk with each group and enter every shot into a Palm Pilot which is relayed back to a live scoring system.  My job was actually just a back-up to the live scorer to verify the scores before they were posted on the leaderboard on TV.  As the week progressed, our back-up role was actually needed quite a bit when the live scorer would enter the wrong score or miss a shot. 

So enough about my job duties, I’m sure you are more interested in which groups I got to follow each day.  They were actually awesome: 

Thursday:  Rod Pampling, John Daly, Bud Cauley

Friday:  Matt Kuchar, Rory McIlroy, Jodan Spieth

Saturday:  Brian Davis, Bob Estes, Ken Duke

Sunday:   D.J. Trahan, Martin Flores, David Lynn

Thursday’s group was pretty uneventful.  John Daly did not have any meltdowns and it was a pretty boring round.  Daly shot a 76 in the first round while Rod Pampling shot 71 on the Thursday.  Both of these players ended up missing the cut.  Bud Cauley on the other hand fired a 71 on Thursday and actually went on to make the cut and have a decent weekend.  I was quite surprised at how far Bud Caulely hit the ball.  He out-drove Daly a couple times on Thursday. 

On Friday I was assigned the premier group.  To say it was a circus was an understatement.  Security, cameras and large crowds followed every shot and it was so cool to be right there next to Rory McIlroy and see him play golf so close up.  It’s so amazing the way these guys swing and the ball is compressed compared to how my ball comes off the club face.  The highlight of Friday was of course the closing three birdies McIlroy had but on #8 at TPC San Antonio I was right there to see McIlroy hit that 5-wood about 270 to reach the par-5 in two. 

I guess in exchange for having the premier group on Friday I got stuck with two lesser known groups on Saturday and Sunday.  I actually should take that back because they guys were all cool and they are all great players in their own right.  On Saturday I was able to see Bob Estes get hot and put himself in contention for Sunday.  Also on Saturday I was able to see Brian Davis throw a couple clubs and get pissed more than once.  That was actually entertaining.  On Sunday I was able to see a local guy in Martin Flores get hot and make a run up the leaderboard.  He ended up with a T10 and a $155,000 paycheck. 

I was happy I made good on my commitment and worked all four days.  I almost backed out on Wednesday because I wanted to go fishing but decided against it since I did make the commitment.  If you are wondering, yes I was on TV quite a bit over the four days and yes I did go back and watch the coverage after recording it.  Come on, you would have watched it again as well! 

Filed Under: PGA Tour, San Antonio Golf, Texas Golf Tagged With: , , , ,

Valero Texas Open Picks & Predictions

April 4, 2013 By 1 Comment

The Valero Texas Open officially kicks off in about 30 minutes in what is being labeled as the best field of golfers to come to San Antonio in quite some time.  The grouping of Rory McIlroy, Matt Kuchar and Jordan Spieth is by far the featured morning group on Thursday and Ian Poulter, Charl Schwartzel and Jim Furyk will turn out to be the featured group in the afternoon.  I will be out at TPC San Antonio the next four days volunteering with the NBC/Golf Channel golf crew.  Here are my picks & predictions for the Valero Texas Open

Valero Texas Open Winner — Jimmy Walker

With over $1 million in earnings so far in 2013 and four top-10 finishes, I think Jimmy Walker is so close to carding his first PGA Tour victory.  There’s no better place to accomplish that goal then this week at TPC San Antonio.  The Boerne, TX resident gets to sleep in his own bed this week and I believe he will be close to the top come Sunday.

Rory McIlroy will struggle this week

Rory’s game is just not there right now.  I think he will struggle mightily this week and be close to missing the cut.  Rory says he needed more competitive rounds to get ready for The Masters next week.  I don’t think he will be playing this weekend and will have the chance to get to Augusta early.

Scores will be low this week at TPC San Antonio

Changes have been made to the greens at the AT&T Oaks course at TPC San Antonio after the course gained the reputation of being too tough.  On top of that, we had big storms blow through on Tuesday and Wednesday dumping 1-2 inches of rain.  I think the golf course will be soft and the players will be able to shoot at the pins.  Winds are expected to be in the 10-15 MPH range by afternoon.  It’s suppose to be a beautiful weekend here in San Antonio and winds are not expected to be much a factor.

As mentioned above I will be out at TPC San Antonio later today and the rest of the weekend.  I will be trying to Tweet live and post some pictures while I’m out there so check out @Front9Back9 for updates.

 

Filed Under: Golf Picks & Predictions, PGA Tour, San Antonio Golf, Texas Golf Tagged With: , ,

Valero Texas Open: 5 Players Worth Following

April 2, 2013 By 1 Comment

The players teeing it up at the Valero Texas Open on Thursday could quite possibly make up the best field we have seen in San Antonio is some years.  With two of the top-1o players in the World Golf Rankings headlining, it should turn out to be quite an exciting tournament come this weekend.  Below are five players worth following at the Valero Texas Open starting on Thursday.

1.)  Rory McIlroy

McIlroy is coming off a tough three months to start 2013.  With The Masters on his mind, Rory has decided he needs some more competitive rounds under his belt before Augusta.  That means Rory is in San Antonio this week and instantly makes him the best player in the field.  Will the tough TPC San Antonio layout get him ready for next week?

2.)  Matt Kuchar

Kuchar is currently ranked ninth in the World Golf Rankings making him another one of the instant favorites this week at the Valero Texas Open.  With one win under his belt already in 2013 at the WGC Match Play and a T13 at the 2012 Valero Texas Open, all eyes will be on Kuchar to see if he can gain some major momentum heading into Augusta.

3.)  Ian Poulter

Poulter is frequently mentioned among the top players who still don’t have a major championship trophy on their mantel.  If he can’t get it done on the golf course this week, at least you know there will be no shortage of bad clothing choices to heckle Poulter about.

4.)  Charl Schwartzel

With no wins since the 2011 Masters, Schwartzel is certainly due for a win on the PGA Tour.  Ranked #15 in the World Golf Rankings makes Charl another one of the top favorites in the field this week.  Lookout for Schwartzel with his smooth swing and don’t be surprised if he pulls off a win.

5.)  Jimmy Walker

I would be doing a dis-service to local resident Jimmy Walker if I left him off the list.  With a new baby in the house and over a million dollars already banked in 2013, I think it would be no surprise to anyone to see Walker win this week at TPC San Antonio.

Do you have a favorite this week at the Valero Texas Open?  Let me know below or let me know on Twitter @Front9Back9.

 

Filed Under: Golf News & Notes, Golf Picks & Predictions, PGA Tour, San Antonio Golf, Texas Golf Tagged With: , , , , ,

Rory McIlroy Commits to Valero Texas Open

March 29, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Perhaps the biggest name in recent history will be heading to San Antonio next week when the Valero Texas Open tees it up at TPC San Antonio.  Rory McIlroy has decided to commit to the the tournament and is by far the the biggest name to finally come to San Antonio to play.  With a schedule spot the week before The Masters, all eyes will be on McIlroy as he makes his first visit to San Antonio.

Larson Segerdahl, the Tournament Director for the Valero Texas Open, claims he has been “working quietly” with Rory and his manager for the chance of McIlroy coming to TPC San Antonio.  While that may be the case, frankly Rory needs to put in the work to find his game again.

After signing with Nike earlier this year, Rory has done absolutely nothing.  In his first start of 2013 at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship he missed the cut shooting two rounds of 75.  In his first tournament in the United States, he got bounced early at the WGC Accenture Match Play and then followed that up with a “tooth ache” withdraw at the The Honda Classic.  A couple weeks later he had a decent finish at the WGC Cadillac Championship but then chose to skip Bay Hill while all the other top players competed at Arnie’s tournament.  Finally in Houston this week, Rory has failed to break 70 and sits nine shots off the lead.

I believe Rory McIlroy chose to play San Antonio to get more competitive rounds under his belt as he heads to Augusta in two weeks.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s a big name for Valero Texas Open, but I don’t think it has anything to do with negotiations behind the scenes.  I just think Rory knows he needs more work heading into the first major of the season and this is his last opportunity.

To be honest, I am stoked about it.  I will be volunteering inside the ropes all four days next week at the Valero Texas Open.  Hopefully I will get an up-close look at Rory and really see his swing in real life.  It’s surely the biggest name to head to San Antonio in quite some time.  I don’t want to discount the likes of Matt Kuchar, Ian Poulter, Jim Furyk and Padriag Harrington, but let’s be real, Rory McIlroy is a big name for San Antonio!

Filed Under: Golf News & Notes, PGA Tour, Texas Golf Tagged With: ,

Is Tiger Woods About to go on Another Multi-Year Domination Run That Ends with his Retirement?

March 23, 2013 By 1 Comment

Let’s start by looking at the facts.  1.)  Tiger Woods is 37-years old.  2.)  Tiger Woods has 14 major championships under his belt.  3.)  He’s two years in with his new swing coach.  4.)  Tiger Woods is poised to win his third PGA Tour tournament of 2013 before The Masters.

What does all this mean?  To be honest, it might mean nothing at all.  But for me, it begs the question:  Is Tiger Woods about to go on another multiple-year domination run that ends with his retirement?

It’s an interesting question that frankly intrigues me.  When you think of 37-years old, that age is still “young” to most people.  If you’re in the corporate world, 37-years old might mean you recently completed your M.B.A and are looking to make the jump to the Executive Director or Vice President level.  For many people 37-years old means you’re just reaching your prime and have many accomplishments ahead of you.   But for Tiger Woods “37” means one thing — OLD.

Maybe 37-years old isn’t old in an age-sense, but it’s surely old in a professional athlete sense.  After turning pro at 19 with sky-high aspirations and then adding years of intense scrutiny, most people would give up.  Look at any other professional athlete and nobody lasts much longer than 40-years old.  Sure you could argue golf if different.  Things like the Senior Tour extend the careers of many golfers. Players like Jim Furyk, Fred Couples, Vijay Singh and David Toms are still playing well past their 40’s.  But there’s one huge difference between those guys and Tiger Woods:  THEY ARE NOT TIGER WOODS!

Typically, PGA Tour golfers do not deal with the media spotlight that the likes of Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, Derek Jeter, Tony Romo or David Beckham deal with.  PGA Tour players are just not on the top of the list for the paparazzi.  Do you really think if David Toms crashed his Escalade on Thanksgiving night anybody would be at his doorstep trying to snap a picture of his black eye?  No disrespect to David Toms, but nobody would be lining up to break that story and tabloids wouldn’t be running front-page stories about sex-scandals.

These things are real for Tiger Woods.  The media stalks him out.  There’s always someone there to snap a picture or get a recording of him cussing.  The bubble that Tiger Woods lives in is the reason why he will break Jack Nicklaus’ major championship record and retire without thinking twice.  Yes, this statement is something I truly believe:  THE ONLY REASON TIGER WOODS PLAYS GOLF IS TO BREAK JACK NICKLAUS’ MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD.

In the end, I think 2013 will be a history maker for Tiger Woods.  If he ends up winning Bay Hill on Sunday, the talk will turn to whether he’s back enough to win The Masters.  Personally, I think he will win Augusta and then win the U.S Open at Merion.  As we head into July, talk will turn to whether he can grab all four majors in 2013.  I then think he will win the British Open at Muirfield.  That’s right.  I predict he will win the first three majors in 2013 and we will go into August debating whether he will win the Grand Slam.  I don’t think he will win the PGA Championship at Oak Hill and will end one short of Jack Nicklaus’ record by the end of 2013.  He will tie Jack in the 2014 Masters.

What brings about these bold predictions?  I think it’s just the state of mind I see from Tiger Woods right now.  He’s moved on from his cheating scandal and is in a much better place compared to the last two years.  I think he’s starting to trust his golf swing and has regained that confidence that is needed during major championships.  He’s just a different person from what I see on T.V.

Look, I don’t know the guy and everything I see is from television and online stories.  Call me crazy, but I think Tiger Woods is about to go on another multi-year domination run where history will be made and nobody will ever come close again.

What do you think?  Do you agree?  Do you even care?  Let me know on Twitter or Facebook?  Leave a message below.

Filed Under: Golf Picks & Predictions, PGA Tour, Tiger Woods Tagged With: ,

What Does The Greatest Golfer Ever and My Son Have in Common?

January 27, 2013 By 2 Comments

On Monday January 21, 2013, my first son joined the world.  That happens to be birthday of the greatest golfer ever; Jack Nicklaus.  When I shared with my wife that our first son would share a birthday with the greatest golfer of all time, she rolled her eyes.  You see, I think he’s destined to be a golfer.  She on the other hand tells me we will never force him into anything he doesn’t want to do.  While I agree with that 100%, there’s no doubt he will magically have a golf club in his hand at a very early age.

Reality started to really set in when I was leaving the hospital last Thursday.  While we were waiting for the nurse to bring the wheelchair and cart to take my wife and baby down the truck, I found myself just starting out the window into the world.  A panic feeling consumed me and I realized at that time more than ever that I am taking my child out of the comfort of the hospital and into the world.  It was a weird feeling.  I don’t know how to explain it but I felt so motivated and protective all of a sudden.

Now almost a week later, I’m motivated more than ever each day to provide him the best life ever.  Everything I do now effects not only me, but effects my wife and child more.  It’s frankly an awesome feeling and really drives me to improve myself for the sake of my family.  Whether it be my health, my career, my business or anything else, everything I do now is for my new son.

So while I don’t actually believe my son is destined to be a golfer just because he shares a birthday with the greatest golfer ever, I do strive to provide my son with all the opportunities that allows him to find something he loves; and hopefully that will be golf!

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