The Local Knowlege

Results for June 2011 Back to Local Knowledge Index

Larry David's many stages of grief, er, golf

Thursday, June 30, 2011 Comments
We've all been there. And judging by his "Shouts & Murmurs" column in the July 4 issue of The New Yorker, Larry David has been there more than once. The co-creator of "Seinfeld" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" has enjoyed a fruitful career as America's favorite neurotic, but hasn't enjoyed the same type of success as an avid, but frustrated, golfer.

larry_david_300.jpg"The Anger phase lasted for years, and then I entered the next phase, Denial," David writes. 'All I need are some lessons,' I told myself. 'Why should everyone else be able to do it and not me? Why are they good? I'm coordinated. I have a jump shot! I can go to my left. Obviously I have it in me. I have it in me! Next year, I'll go to Orlando and spend a week taking lessons with Leadbetter. I don't care what it costs. How can you spend a week with Leadbetter and not get better? It's impossible.' But I did, and I didn't.

Eventually, David said, he entered the final stage -- Acceptance.

"I will never stand over the ball without considering the disaster about to befall me. I'll never line up a putt and think I'll make it. Never face a chip without fearing the decel.

"And yet I'll continue to play, because I do hit some good shots, especially when I'm on the driving range. I actually hit some great range shots. What the hell is that? I've had swing compliments on the range. 'I love your tempo,' a woman once said to me. That's right--I have good tempo. I've had many other range compliments that I won't bore you with, but, believe me, I'm an eight or a nine on the range."

"So it's clearly psychological. I wonder . . . what if I blindfolded myself ? Is it possible?! Have I stumbled upon the Secret? It makes sense. The reason I can't hit the ball is that I can see it! Tomorrow I'm going to play blindfolded, and if that doesn't work then I'll definitely and unequivocally accept Acceptance. I just want to try this blindfold idea. I have a very good feeling about it. Very good."

-- Sam Weinman
Read more
Keywords:

In honor of July 4th, an ode to the hot dog

Thursday, June 30, 2011 Comments

You've heard the Golf Digest nutritional spiel for years regarding those lethal, nitrate-loaded, cholesterol-building hot dogs that you love. Here is a quick review for those who have forgotten: a dog does have protein, iron, potassium and Vitamin-C benefits, but the sodium, fat and cholesterol content are off the charts. Get one with cheese sauce, and you're looking at 545 calories. All of which is why we've always suggested a nutrition bar for a back-nine energy boost.

But this time around, you're getting a reprieve from the message: We're with you, and that's the last of the bad hot-dog news.

110530_hot_dog_blog.jpg

Why the change of heart? It's Fourth of July time for starters, and franks and the Fourth go together quite well. But, in general, a hot dog is quick and cheap, and when we're hungry, the salt and fat in a dog taste mighty fine. Seven billion hot dogs are sold between Memorial Day and Labor Day -- undoubtedly a huge chunk at the golf course -- but they are lovable and edible year-round. Here's our ode to the dog:

Read more
Keywords:

Remembering a beloved colleague

Wednesday, June 29, 2011 Comments
Forgive us for a bit of melancholy today: It's been 10 years since we lost Pete Farricker, a co-worker at Golf Digest who inspired all who met him. "The world has changed incredibly," Editor Jerry Tarde says of the past decade, "but the things we liked about Pete still shine through." A Japanese maple and plaque in the ol' redhead's memory remain outside our office, and Jerry's beautiful column from 2001 can be found here.

farricker_470.jpgPete never shied from exploring a compelling story idea, no matter the extremes. Photo by Dean Batchelder

-- Mike O'Malley

Keywords:

Woods on comeback: "I'm setting no timetable"

Tuesday, June 28, 2011 Comments

NEWTOWN SQUARE, Pa. -- Sporting a trimmed beard that looked like it belonged on Prince John in Robin Hood, Tiger Woods may not have slammed the door on playing in the British Open at Royal St. George's but he did everything except cross the moat and pull up the drawbridge. In a press conference prior to the AT&T National at Aronimink GC outside Philadelphia, Woods said he hasn't hit a single golf ball, other than a few putts, since the Players Championship when he had to withdraw after just nine holes. The prospect of Woods being in competitive fettle in so short a time seems scant, indeed. "I wouldn't go over there just to show up," he said. "I'd go over there to win the golf tournament, so I need to obviously get my body ready so I can practice and eventually play."

att_blog_woods_0628.jpg

(Related: A timeline of Tiger's stalled comeback)

Woods, who has had four surgical procedures on his left knee -- three arthroscopic and one ACL reconstruction -- did say further knee surgery was not contemplated, nor had a more drastic solution, like knee replacement, been suggested. He said that he no longer walks with crutches or wears a boot for the accompanying Achilles injury and that he was progressing without setback. While that certainly leaves open the possibility of playing again this year, the slow pace of his progress suggests the PGA Championship in August in Atlanta might well be in jeopardy, too.

Read more
Keywords:

Furyk says American golf is in good hands

Thursday, June 23, 2011 Comments
CROMWELL, Conn. -- It's a little premature to already be counting out American golf. At least that's the sentiment of one longtime U.S. golfer and PGA Tour veteran: Jim Furyk. Competing this week at the Travelers Championship, Furyk noted that despite the past five majors being won by international players, all is not lost for those wearing the red, white and blue.

Furyk specifically sang the praises of Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, Dustin Johnson and Nick Watney, none of whom have won a major championship yet, but all of whom remain talented golfers ready to move the game forward.

furyk_470.jpgFuryk says we needn't despair over the future of American golf. Photo by Getty Images.

"I'll allow you to pick four guys from any other area in the world, I won't even make you pick a country," Furyk said. "Pick an area and I'll pick those four against anyone."
 
The recent fall of Tiger Woods has naturally led some to believe the dominance American golf had held is no more. Still, others see the change in the world ranking reflecting a natural shift in the game.

Golf is just "getting back to normal now," as Australian Geoff Ogilvy puts it. "The last 15 years have been weird. [There will now be] 10 or 15 players shuffling around at the top."
 

Read more
Keywords:

Is golf evil? Depends whom you ask

Wednesday, June 22, 2011 Comments

Golf is vile, most of us would agree, at least some of the time, but Time magazine's Ishaan Tharoor has rearranged the letters and pronounced it evil.

Tharoor produced a list, Top 10 Evil Sports, and placed golf sixth, just after bullfighting and before poker (poker?).

"Apart from being the sport of choice for scheming politicians and fat-cat businessmen," Tharoor wrote, "golf is quite frankly a waste of space. It devours the public commons, swallows up water...and indulges middle-class ennui the world over. Stray golf balls take 1,000 years to decompose. And for what? A sport that, more than most, reinforces tiresome social hierarchies through its rarefied traditions and myriad country clubs."

Wow.

Golf, it seems, was the impetus for the list, based on this query he posted on Twitter: "So if i said golf was an 'evil sport,' what others would fit the category?"

Of course, some might conclude that the whole thing was done in jest. The giveaway is No. 1 on his list: Soccer.

Then again, if you've ever sat through a scoreless soccer game, you might be inclined to agree.

-- John Strege

Keywords:

Videos of McIlroy at young age predict the future

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 Comments

Since Rory McIlroy's rise to golfing prominence, especially during his recent romp at the U.S. Open at Congressional, the public has been told over and over about what a nice kid he is and that he was a prodigy growing up in Northern Ireland. This video provides evidence of both:

The footage shows an adorable McIlroy, minus the long, curly hair and with far fewer freckles, as a guest on The Kelly Show in January of 1999. McIlroy hadn't even turned 10 yet, but he already showed signs that he would be a good interview and an even better player, though it takes him a few attempts to chip a whiffle golf ball off a rug and into a washing machine.

(Related: Golf's All-Time Biggest Phenoms)

Go back a little further and there's this BBC News clip from 1998 following McIlroy's win at the Under-10 World Championship at Doral. The video opens with BBC reporter Rod Nawn saying, "Remember the swing and remember the name, for at just nine-years-old Rory McIlroy from Holywood is following in the footsteps of his golfing hero, Tiger Woods." Now that's a pretty impressive prognostication. Perhaps Mr. Nawn could share who he's picking in the 2024 Super Bowl.

Later on, McIlroy says he'd like to "become a pro and win all four majors." When asked if he'd like to win them all in the same year, he smiles and says "Yeah." A Masters meltdown may prevent him from doing that in 2011, but at 22 he's got plenty of time, and it seems the talent, to someday achieve that goal.

Also, if you notice, McIlroy, who is now outfitted by Oakley, happens to be wearing Nike shirts in both videos. The company known for its swoosh may have struck it big with Woods, but it appears it may have let the game's next star get out of its grasp.

-- Alex Myers
Follow on Twitter: @AlexMyers3

Keywords:

"[Congressional] will always be too soft to be what the USGA wants from an Open venue."

Monday, June 20, 2011 Comments
Keywords:

GW Monday: Will the U.S. Open return to Congressional?

Monday, June 20, 2011 Comments

From the June 20 edition of Golf World Monday:

BETHESDA, Md. -- After every U.S. Open speculation turns to a possible return date to the host site. In the case of Congressional the answer is clear: not any time soon.

congressional_gwmonday_0620.jpg

"We will get back," said USGA executive director Mike Davis, citing proximity to the nation's capital and the lure of the Mid-Atlantic region. However, Davis also said Congressional's status as a PGA Tour stop hosting the AT&T National is a huge drawback that impacted early-week attendance and, unlike at California venues hosting the tour, presents the same golf course conditions at the national championship as the July stop experiences.

(Related: The Reasons Rory Romped)

Congressional is locked into the AT&T National for three years and sources tell Golf World the membership is looking to get out of that deal because the event is too much of a disruption in their prime golf season. Freeing themselves of the AT&T would also make the club more attractive for a return U.S. Open. But even if Congressional can wrangle its way out of the AT&T contract, it still must overcome the new perception that the Rees Jones-renovated course does not present a stern enough challenge.

With almost guaranteed soft conditions in muggy Maryland, the firm-and-fast obsessed modern-day USGA does not get to present the course the way they will at nearly all of the U.S. Open venues lined up through 2019.

-- Geoff Shackelford

(Photo: Andrew Redington/Getty Images)


Keywords:

Rory's historic win will draw inevitable comparisons to Woods

Sunday, June 19, 2011 Comments
BETHESDA, MD. -- In the sea of superlatives that surrounded Tiger Woods' 12-stroke victory in the 1997 Masters at the tender age of 21, one voice spoke with dispassionate yet disturbing calm. Earl Woods, the proud papa, took a long drag off his filtered cigarette and in a cloud of smoke said simply: "He's going to get better." As preposterous as the notion seemed at the time, it was true. The same words likely also apply now to Rory McIlroy. He's going to get better.

Of course Woods would get better; that Masters was only the first major championship he played as a professional. Never one to disagree with the man he called "Pop," three years later, Tiger authored one of the great years in the history of golf, winning three major championships, including the U.S. Open by 15 strokes and the British Open by eight. With 71 career PGA Tour victories and 14 majors, Woods is in the discussion as the greatest ever even if he never strikes another ball in competition. He got better.

And there is no reason now to doubt that McIlory will continue to improve. In a startlingly short time, the 22-year-old from Northern Ireland, whose fresh face and wild curls make him look like the kid next door who cuts your grass, has emerged as a constant force in the majors, finishing in the top three in four of his last seven.  Read more
Keywords:

The latest on golf digest

Search

Close

Thank you for signing up for the Tip of the Week newsletter.

You will receive your first newsletter soon.
Subscribe to Golf World
Subscribe today

Golf Digest Rewards

Golf Equipment: 3Balls.com - New and used golf equipment

Sign-up for Golf Digest's Above The Cut


most emailed

most commented

most viewed