Recent Golf World articles on course architecture, ecology and the economy reinforce that there are no easy answers for a flagging industry so super-charged by personalities, profits and brands that it saw no need to plan for the other shoe dropping. How about reviving some of the faded, publically owned gems through an annual "extreme makeover" competition? Industry professionals could "give back" to communities by transforming courses into environmentally appropriate, economically sustainable destination points for everyday golfers offering "good of the game" initiatives, clinics, leagues, outings, and even tour stops. Naive? Maybe. But I'd take the bet that the nexus of America's entrepreneurial know-how, our national tradition of neighbors helping neighbors and a true passion for golf could make it happen.

Ray Romano, multi-millionaire, flies in to meet Haney in a Learjet, shows up unshaven, needing a haircut, shirt un-tucked, collar wrinkled and unbuttoned. This poor boy act has got to go. The more I look at this jerk the more I am sickened by his lack of respect for the game of golf and Mr. Haney. Typical Hollywood homeless look. Give me Charles B any day. Not everybody loves Raymond.

Hello, I am a faithful subscriber that loves your magazine. I am currently searching for the "perfect" set of new irons for me to purchase, and have thoroughly enjoyed reviewing the equipment issue. One question: I am a 10 handicap, but no means a great ball striker. I am wondering why you did not review the Nike VR irons in your equipment issue. Did Nike not participate in the study? I am very interested in the VR full cavity irons, but would love to see your review on them first.

Dave Gardner, Louisville, KY

I believe those of us who play from the left side are increasing in number due to the availability of quality equipment and the growth of kids hockey programs around the country which encourage a natural approach to shot making. How about moving into the 21st century by changing terminology to “front foot/back foot” - “top hand/bottom hand” from the traditional right/left used in instructional articles for the past sixty years? Minimal impact to right handers and appreciated by southpaws.

Interesting how Eldrick has done what only he could do....open our eyes! There are so many exceptional golfers on tour that deserve recognition yet do not receive it because the golf media insists on focusing on TW, whether he is playing or not, whether he is in contention or not. Granted, he is the best golfer in the world and, as such, commands attention. But golf is so much more than that! Those of us who play the game, love the game and respect the game, deserve to see more than idol worship by those who cover the game. Look a little deeper!! The majestic game of golf has so much more to offer!!!

Many years ago, we were in Boston Garden to see the Globetrotters who were in town and playing a game against the Washington Generals before a Celtics game. Bill Russell came through the lobby on his way to the dressing room. I tried to shake his hand but he just brushed by me and kept moving. I said to him " If you were five feet nine inches nobody would care who you were." He stopped and turned around, stared at me for a few seconds and turned and went where he was going. It was fortunate for me that I was with 5 other guys two of which were over 6' 5" tall! I can still see Russell's stare and this was over 50 years ago. Later in an interview he gave to somebody Russell said the only thing he "owed" the public was a performance. Everything else was his personal life and the public had no right to even ask him about it. I thought about that in the context of what Tiger Woods is going through. Tiger should just man up and get on with the golf. Of course, Russell made almost zilch in endorsements while in Boston whereas Mr. Woods is down for some 100's of millions. I frankly don't care what Woods does off the course ( I feel for his wife and children ) but I have enjoyed the hell out of him playing golf and I think if he got back to doing that ASAP.

Congratulations to Roland Merullo for his great article in the March 22nd issue. He really hit the nail on the head. I got my son interested in this great game I love. As a Pastor he needed to relax somehow, and he got it on the course. We are both very competitive. I was Club Champ at my club 38 years ago and now he beats me regularly and thats the way it should be. I emailed some of my golfing buddies about the story and they were able to read it on the net and really enjoyed it. Again, congratulations on a story that can bring tears.

I need a new set of irons and I need your help! I have an average score of 90 but no "official handicap". My swing speed is between 85 to 100mph+. I currently have an imitation set of R7 RAC cavity back taylormade irons that are 6+ years old. I want to shoot in the 80's consistently and hopefully break 80 one day soon. Any suggestions, questions, or feedback?

An IMITATION set of TaylorMade irons? Did you use imitation money to buy them? Do you drive an imitation Mercedes Benz? Do you own an imitation Golden Retriever? First things first, take those fraudulent irons and burn them. Second, write a letter of apology to TaylorMade at 5545 Fermi Court Carlsbad, CA 92008-7324. Third, take a look at the Hot List to get an idea of what's out there and what's good. Fourth, go find a pro shop that has a quality fitting program and an ample selection. See which of your favorites generally suits your mood and needs and then get fit for shaft flex, lie angle, length and grip size. Fifth, get a few lessons and regular checkups this summer with your local pro. If you're not breaking 80 by the end of the year, it's probably because you need a new driver.

If we're not there already, someday all of us will be saying, "I used to be able to." We might not wear the bottoms of our trousers rolled, but we'll have more trouble tying our shoelaces, and we will certainly feel a little sting of sadness at the sight of a tee ball that seems to head south almost as soon as it started heading north. What to do about all this is one of the great eternal questions brought up by the great game. Say "yes" to it, the Zen masters would advise. Play in the rain sometimes. Maybe introduce a child, grandchild or younger friend to golf and siphon some enjoyment out of their pleasure. In the end, we can soften the blow, but we can't dodge it.

I am so pleased that Roland Merullo is a contributing columnist to Golf World. His piece on the game of golf and the realities of mortality in the March 22nd issue ranks right up there with the golfing works of the late John Updike and the late Herbert Warren Wind. Merullo grew up in Revere, MA, Updike lived and golfed in Wenham, MA, and Herbert Warren Wind spent his days in Brockton, MA. Clearly, short golf seasons and long winters produced outstanding writers! I may be wrong but another excellent writer and Golf World contributor, John Feinstein, lived in Southern Maine, a stone's throw from the literary triumvirate from Massachusetts!

Questions that need to be answered: Why give these interviews on the same day as the conclusion of a PGA Tour event and upstage the competition? How angry was Tim Finchem when he found out? The reason for this timeline of events is pure and simple: it was the ultimate power play with Team Tiger sending a message to the lords of golf that Tiger, to steal a line from Reggie Jackson many years ago in describing himself, "is the straw that stirs the drink." Unfortunately Jim Furyk, after being winless for several years, finally gets another one and becomes a mere footnote in the sports press last night and today. Nice way for Tiger and his team to treat a fellow pro. I'm sure this is annoying to a number of players. Tiger could have let Furyk have his moment in the sun and done these interviews outside of the Thursday to Sunday PGA Tour framework. We've waited since Thanksgiving for some comments. We could have waited another day or two. But Team Tiger seems to have an agenda and they don't care how it impacts people. Sorry, Jim. You deserved better.

I have been a long time supporter and admirer of Tiger Woods, not just for his golfing prowess, but for his professionalism and his class.  I am now very disappointed in him as a man, as a husband, as a father and as a son. He has disappointed and embarrassed just about every person who could possibly be important in his life. The public may restore him to his pedestal once he begins to win again, but his pedestal will forever be just a little shorter than those of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson. Tiger may beat all of their records, but he will never stand at the same level as them again.

It will be good to see Tiger back on the tour though it's with mixed emotions. As many youth have done, they've (we've) dissed their parents' teachings of life. Now it's not about what he's done but how he responds to what he's done. Augusta will keep out the idiots but something still should be said to express the feelings most have shared. If Tiger is greeted with silence by the gallery the first day, he will get the message. The most powerful expression will be one he has never received. Sort of like his late Dad talking to him. Now if a second coming of Bob May will show up the golf world will see some truly great golf competition. I'd even come in on a sunny day to watch that.

The return of Tiger at the Masters is the height of arrogance. To disrupt the greatest tournament of all for the other players is a shame. Can we now call the patrons fans and know that money always wins out over morals. Shame on you, Augusta and Tiger.

The story about Keith Anderson and the Evans Scholarship warmed my heart. I am an alum of the Evans program (University of Minnesota). The Evans scholarship is a tremendous program and seeing what it did for Keith Anderson confirms that Chick's dream is alive and well. Hopefully, more needy caddies will be aware of this opportunity from you sharing Keith's story.

Recent issues of Golf World have been a pleasure to read with more focus ongolfers other than Tiger Woods. I've never been a real fan of Tiger's because he seemed to be too "me-focused," placing himself on a pedestal above all the other golfers. The same goes for the TV coverage. We are finally able to see other golfers that are a part of the tournaments and not an overdose of Tiger Woods especially when he is not in the mix of the final outcome. I certainly hope you keep the mix of coverage as it has been in Tiger's absents after his return to tournament play.

It has been pure joy to watch golf these last few months on television without Tiger Woods on the scene!  I didn't know that there so many "other" golfers playing the game.  I'm sure if he comes back to play the Masters, he will be the only one we see, and we will have to listen to the announcers talk about how good it is to have him back.

Am I the only golf fan who is not enthralled at the prospect of Tiger's return to golf? Because what it will mean for TV coverage will be cameras focusing on Tiger getting out of his car, walking to the range, waiting on the tee, striding down the fairway, pacing around sizing up putts, chatting to Stevie, even scratching his ear, instead of tracking a hundred other excellent professionals who will at that moment be executing shots. I mean golf shots, equally worthy of the true fan's attention.

Knowing how much and how long I have loved the game of golf, many people have flooded my e-mail in-box with jokes, cartoons and amusingly-doctored photos dealing with the Tiger Woods affair(s). After taking a cursory look at a few of them, I haven't even opened the rest...and don't plan to. Here's why... My lifelong interest in golf and the great champions who have played man's oldest game, is as much based on their character off the course as their prowess on. For example, I grew-up with Bobby Jones as my hero for how he led his personal life in spite of his fame for his mind-boggling on-course exploits. Similarly, while always believing Babe Didrikson Zaharias to have been the greatest athlete of the twentieth century, what I admired most about her was the way she demonstrated time and again, by example, just what a woman was capable of in a so-called Man's World... right up to the end of her tragically abbreviated life. Like every other student of the game, I hope to continue being rendered speechless by the unmatched quality of every facet of Tiger's game, the fierceness of his never-say-die competitive spirit, and the trancelike self-discipline he musters and sustains without interruption through seventy-two holes. What's more, I don't question for a moment that he is entitled to a personal life with its byword being the name of his yacht, or rather ship..."Privacy." All of that having been said though, in my opinion, Eldrick Woods may be an on-course Tiger, the likes of which none have come before him, but alas, off it he is no Mr. Nicklaus, Mr. Hogan, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Jones, Mr. Ouimet or Mr. Vardon. Pity.

We've received many questions on the 2010 Hot List, most involving individual requests for club-buying advice. This one on the Hybrids list fell in that category, but gave Golf Digest Equipment Editor Mike Stachura a chance to explain a bit more about the process of creating the Hot List.

Hoping for your opinion. I am looking at hybrid iron sets. Was wondering if the "lesser" companies like Orlimar, Lynx, Hippo etc. can stand up to the "big boys" like Adams, Cleveland, Ping, Wilson (D-FY or even Di-9) etc. ? Is the quality close? I have been playing for about 5 months now and shoot in the low 100's and want to get to the 90's by the end of summer if possible. So am looking for a quality set of irons, preferablly all hybrids, without breaking the bank. Thank You for your help!

Stachura's reply:

First, in each year's Hot List process, we consider the ENTIRE marketplace.
Those products that make the Hot List fundamentally enhance the paradigm of
that particular club category. Those that don't make the Hot List, in the
simplest terms, fail to move the needle in any meaningful way in some or all
of our four Hot List criteria (Performance, Innovation, Look/Sound/Feel,
Demand). In other words, we've evaluated all of these products and they
simply do not measure up.

Why? First, any club that is significantly less expensive than main line
equipment very likely will use cheaper component materials (shaft, grip).
This can be particularly deficient in something like a graphite shaft. In
other words, don't be fooled by a sporty paint job.
Second, most of these lower level entries do not spend the time, money and
manpower to develop an innovative product. There has been little testing
done to ensure performance is superior to past products, and there is little
sense that elements like turf interaction or sound or even consistency of
manufacturing are at the highest levels.

Third, how much exactly would you save by purchasing a low-level product?
You might find a set of Orlimar Spectre hybrid irons for $400, but for $600
you can get a set of Cobra S2 Max irons (Gold, Hot List 2010), or Cleveland
HiBore XLi (Gold, Hot List 2009). For that same $400, you can still find an
Adams a3OS set (Gold, Hot List 2008). That's a significant amount of money,
perhaps, but don't forget that the Cobra, Cleveland and Adams sets have a
trade-in value, while the Orlimar Spectre's trade-in value on the PGA.com
Value Guide is exactly $0.00.

Finally, I'm not saying that you can't enjoy yourself to a sufficient degree
by opting for an off-brand. Instead, what we do with the Hot List is
determine the products that are superior across our four criteria. If that's
not important to you, and if price is the only thing that matters, then you
may choose to go another direction. Golf Digest, however, is only
recommending the clubs that appear on the Hot List.

Thanks, Rob and Mike.