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Twittering on Tour

October 20, 2009
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There was a simpler time when the term "tweet" to golfers used to evoke visions of birdies. Now for many, it has become an integral part of their social lives.

As Twitter has captivated the masses, golf has carved out its own niche along the way. More and more players, as well as writers, instructors, professional tours and tournaments are using the popular web site to communicate with the world. At any time, in 140 characters or less, golfers can convey everything from their innermost thoughts to the latest news to random ramblings.

Christina Kim writes about eating pancakes, while Jeehae Lee expresses her frustration at losing bags on a flight, and Stacy Lewis chimes in with daily horoscope readings. As for the guys, on any given day you can read Hunter Mahan's comments on music he hears in the car, Chris DiMarco's updates on his beloved Florida Gators, and Paul Casey's complaints about jet lag.

Stewart Cink was the first professional golfer to gain notoriety for his tweets and he remains the most followed, with more than 1 million people subscribing to his feed. Call him the "Tweetfather" of golf, a title that certainly wasn't hurt by his British Open victory (he posted a picture of him kissing the Claret Jug in the locker room soon after defeating Tom Watson in a playoff). Recently, he continued to set the game's standard when it comes to tweeting by providing weather updates from his home just outside of Atlanta in the days leading up to the Tour Championship.

While Cink crushes the competition when it comes to the size of his legion of online fans, his fellow pros are keeping tabs on their followers as well. Prolific poster Ian Poulter entices people to sign up by promising equipment and apparel giveaways when his count reaches 1 million, while Julie Granada comes right out and pleads for more.

Don't think that some pros aren't using the new-age mechanism in part for monetary benefits either. John Daly (or whoever monitors his page) will be quick to sign up to follow your feed once you subscribe to his. He also posts messages hocking his outrageously colorful pants. Meanwhile, Anna Rawson plugs for the web site that sponsors her and Annika Sorenstam links to her golf academy.

But regardless of the content, the tweets keep on coming. Whether it's weighing in on big events, quoting from a favorite movie, posting pictures or making casual observations, Twitter provides a unique look into the lives of those in the golfing world. If you're interested in tracking your favorite player more closely, or you simply feel like wasting time, we have provided a list of golf-related Twitter pages. Enjoy.

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