Ah yes. Sunday at The Masters. Is there a better Sunday in all of golf? The azaleas are in full bloom, the golf course is perfect, and CBS Sports has somehow figured a way to put a microphone on the birds. There's currently only 13 players under-par going into the final round. All these guys are within 5-shots of the lead, which means anything can happen today and the green jacket is up for grabs to anyone who wants to shoot a good round today. Leading the way is Jordan Spieth and … [Read more...]
Front9Back9 Golf Picks: The Masters
Ah yes, it's that time of the year. The azaleas are blooming, the birds are chirping, and Tiger Woods will miss his first Masters in 20 years while nursing a back issue. It's Masters Thursday and Arnie, Jack and Gary will be hitting the ceremonial first tee shot and then we can finally get into some real golf action. Frankly, I am tired of the hype already. Let's just get to playing some golf. The "experts" say this is the most wide open Masters ever. I guess because Tiger Woods is not … [Read more...]
Chip-In’s & Chunks: Kooch Falters, Kids Win and Phil Is a Quitter
Chip-In’s & Chunks is all about the good and bad in the game of golf from the past week. Do you have something to add? Let us know on Twitter @Front9Back9 , Facebook or Google+. Chip-In's (the good) Drive, Chip and Putt Championship is Great for Golf Most golf industry professionals will tell you getting kids involved in the golf is just as important for the game as finding a solution to the pace of play on the PGA Tour. I watched most of the competition earlier this morning on Golf … [Read more...]
Will We Ever See Another Double-Digit Major Winner in Golf History?
I know I am probably in the minority when I tell you I have not yet counted out Tiger Woods in his pursuit of breaking Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 major championships. Even with news coming out yesterday that surgery for a pinched-nerve will keep him out of the 2014 Masters, I am still not writing off his chances yet of winning four more majors to at least tie Nicklaus. It was the 2008 U.S. Open when Tiger won his last major championship. He limped around Torrey Pines as the world watched a … [Read more...]
Golf Book Review: Teeing Up for Success
I recently read a book titled Teeing Up for Success: Insights and Inspiration from Extraordinary Women. The book was written to support the EWGA Foundation and features 30 inspiring stories from women from all professions who attribute a part of their success to the game of golf. I had reached out and requested a copy because I had read some other reviews and wanted to read the entire book firsthand. I have to admit, there are quite a few inspiring stories in Teeing Up for Success. The … [Read more...]
Chip-In’s & Chunks: An Aussie Wins, Pace of Play Sucks, and Phil WD’s
Chip-In’s & Chunks is all about the good and bad in the game of golf from the past week. Do you have something to add? Let us know on Twitter @Front9Back9 , Facebook or Google+. Chip-In's (the good) Steven Bowditch Wins Valero Texas Open Luckily it was a tough day for every golfer at TPC San Antonio on Sunday. It's not often you see a player pick up a victory in a PGA Tour event with a final round 76. Bowditch overcame gusty wins and a long golf course to score his first PGA Tour … [Read more...]
Day Four Volunteering at the Valero Texas Open
Sunday wrapped up another year of volunteering at the Valero Texas Open, and I have to admit, as of right now I don't know if I will return next year for a third year. Next year's tournament is a long ways off so maybe I will change my mind by then, but we'll wait and see. Just to quickly recap, I was on the NBC/Golf Channel Broadcast Committee. What this means is I am assigned to a group to walk with and after each hole, I radio back to the TV truck to confirm the players scores. It's a … [Read more...]
My Solution for PGA Tour Pros Withdrawing in the Middle of a Round
I was on the 12th hole yesterday with my group of Trevor Immelman, Will MacKenzie and Josh Teater when I heard over the radio Phil Mickelson had withdrawn from the Valero Texas Open. Something about a pulled oblique muscle was the initial reason being talked about over the radio. Sure enough, word spread quickly around the course because over the next two holes, I had at least five spectators ask me if it was true Phil had withdrawn. In all honestly, Phil was setting up this WD perfectly … [Read more...]
Day Three Volunteering at the Valero Texas Open
Saturday turned out to be a beautiful day for golf and an even better day for a leisurely walk around TPC San Antonio with some PGA Tour pros. I wrapped up my day three of volunteering at the Valero Texas Open at around 4:15 PM, which was 5 hours and 15 minutes after teeing off. But more about that later. For round three, I was assigned to the group of Trevor Immelman, Josh Teater and Will MacKenzie. All three players started the day at 3-under, which at the time was 5 shots off the … [Read more...]
Day Two Volunteering at Valero Texas Open
As mentioned yesterday, I am volunteering at the Valero Texas Open this week at TPC San Antonio. It's my second year working the tournament and it's quite fun. I get to walk inside the ropes with the pros and call back their scores after each hole to the NBC/Golf Channel truck. The funny part about it, with all the technology we have these days, they still depend on people actually walking with a group and manually calling back scores to the truck. I'm not complaining though, because I enjoy … [Read more...]
Day One Volunteering at Valero Texas Open in The Books
As mentioned in previous posts, I am volunteering again this year at the Valero Texas Open. It's the second year I have done this job and I have to admit it's quite fun. I am on the NBC/Golf Channel broadcast team, which means I get to wear a TV sticker and walk inside the ropes with an assigned group. It's pretty cool. What I like most is just being so up and close to the players and watching how they play golf. Today there was a 2 1/2 hour fog delay, so play didn't kick off until closer … [Read more...]
Front9Back9 Golf Picks: Valero Texas Open
I am going with sort-of a Texas flare this week with my golf picks. Why? Well because I'm from Texas and live here in San Antonio where the Valero Texas Open is teeing off tomorrow. My PGA Tour Fantasy Game standings are pretty abysmal so far this year. I have a total of 3,824 points with the leader sitting at 7,131. Ouch! That puts me in 2,811th place overall which sucks. This week I am turning the tables though. As I mentioned above my picks are all Texas proud and if my four players … [Read more...]
What Winner’s Play: Patrick Reed’s Golf Gear at the WGC Cadillac Championship
Do you want to play the golf equipment of winners? Check out what’s inside the golf bags of PGA Tour winners in our weekly What Winners Play feature. What golf clubs do you play? Let us know on Twitter@Front9Back or Google+. (Side note – some of the links below are affiliate links.) You remember the Big Bertha driver? Yeah so do I. I think it was one of the first drivers I ever hit when I picked up the game of golf 20+ years ago. Patrick Reed won the WGC Cadillac Championship using a … [Read more...]
Chip-In’s & Chunks: The World’s Next #5, Hadley Gets Two and Tiger Finishes
Chip-In’s & Chunks is all about the good and bad in the game of golf from the past week. Do you have something to add? Let us know on Twitter @Front9Back9 , Facebook or Google+. Chip-In's (The Good) Patrick Reed Wins WGC Cadillac Championship and Says He's a Top Five Player in the World Patrick Reed is confident. That's good. Some will say he's cocky and some will say he's delusional. It doesn't matter what you think of the guy just know he has won three PGA Tour events in the past … [Read more...]
Valero Texas Open Adds Another Top 10 Player to the Field
I've been playing hooky today from work and with the cold weather down here in San Antonio today I have nothing better to do then check out what's happening on Twitter. The Valero Texas Open is coming up here in a few weeks and today on Twitter they have announced two more additions to the field. Yep, that's right. Zach Johnson is scheduled to play again this year in the Valero Texas Open. That's awesome and gives San Antonio two of the top 10 world ranked … [Read more...]
What Winner’s Play: Russell Henley’s Golf Gear at The Honda Classic
Do you want to play the golf equipment of winners? Check out what's inside the golf bags of PGA Tour winners in our weekly What Winners Play feature. What golf clubs do you play? Let us know on Twitter @Front9Back or Google+. (Side note - some of the links below are affiliate links.) Nike Golf is probably smiling today. In fact, I'm surprised they haven't released a commercial yet showing the fact two of the players in the four-man playoff at The Honda Classic yesterday were head-to-toe … [Read more...]
Chip-In’s & Chunks: Henley Wins, The Pink Panther Sinks a Bomb, Rory McIlroy Sinks and Tiger Woods Withdraws
Chip-In’s & Chunks is all about the good and bad in the game of golf from the past week. Do you have something to add? Let us know on Twitter @Front9Back9 , Facebook or Google+. Chip-In's (the good) Russell Henley Picks Up His Biggest Win of His Career Russell Henley outlasted the likes of Rory McIlroy, Ryan Palmer, and Russel Knox on the first playoff hole to pick up his biggest victory of his career at The Honda Classic. It appeared Henley might lose his mind after hitting his tee … [Read more...]
Who’s The Hottest Big Break Florida Contestant?
Big Break Florida kicks off tonight on Golf Channel and in true Big Break fashion, the producers of the show have again made sure to fill the new season with "easy-to-look-at-women." Is this sexist for me to write? Probably. Is most of the Big Break audience thinking the same thing? Of course! So if you think it's wrong, then I am sorry, but please leave me a comment below to let me know your feelings or hit me up on Twitter @Front9Back9. But back to the story here. Who's the hottest … [Read more...]
Chip-In’s & Chunks: Day Wins, VDub Impresses, and Dustin Fails
Chip-In's & Chunks is all about the good and bad in the game of golf from the past week. Do you have something to add? Let us know on Twitter @Front9Back9 , Facebook or Google+. Chip-In's (the good) Jason Day Wins the WGC Match Play Well my golf picks on Tuesday were horrible, I had picked Dustin Johnson to win the WGC Match Play. But on Saturday, I made another round of match play picks and nailed it! Does that count? No, it doesn't. But congrats to Jason Day for outlasting … [Read more...]
WGC Match Play Proving I Need to Work on My Bracket Picking Skills
Yikes! After three days of match play in Arizona, my golf picks for the WGC Match Play are proving to be somewhat of a disaster. With the NCAA Tournament only a couple weeks away, I need to sharpen my skills quickly. On Tuesday, I had predicted to see the following four matches in the quarterfinals: Bobby Jones Bracket: Brandt Snedeker vs. Graeme DeLaet Ben Hogan Bracket: Lee Westwood vs. Jimmy Walker Gary Player Bracket: Luke Donald vs. Jordan Spieth Sam Snead Bracket: … [Read more...]