Golf Digest Search Results

Inside Golf World Podcast: How We Cover The Masters

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 16:20:00 GMT

By Ryan Herrington

Dorothy Parker famously professed, "I hate writing. I love having written."

Trust us when we say we know the feeling.

A blank computer screen can be one of the scarier sights for any journalist, particularly when you're assigned the main piece at the year's biggest tournament. In this week's Inside Golf World Podcast, Golf World contributing writer Jim Moriarty discusses what went in to reporting and writing the game story from the 77th Masters, which chronicled Adam Scott's playoff victory over Angel Cabrera.

Of course, the week that was at Augusta National saw more storylines play out than simply Scott becoming the first Australian to win a green jacket.

Moriarty details how he went about keeping the various subplots (slow-play warnings, illegal ball drops, etc.) organized so that come Sunday night--and into Monday morning--he was able to craft a cogent, entertaining look at the year's first major.

Listen to the podcast
Subscribe to the Inside Golf World series in iTunes

Follow @GWCampusInsider

Golf World Monday: TSA policy's golf "challenge"

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:10:00 GMT

By Jim Moriarty

From the March 11 issue of Golf World Monday:

The TSA, guardians of the near-naked full-body scanner, vigilant confiscators of aftershave and minty fresh mouthwash in excess of 3.4 fluid ounces, dutiful practitioners of the little old lady pat down, has declared that, in the future, it will be acceptable to travel with lacrosse sticks, ski poles and, most importantly, no more than two carry-on golf clubs.

Hailed by sportsmen far and wide, this newly relaxed policy does present a downside risk. Since your average golfer travels with 14 clubs, we -- and I think I can speak for all of us here -- are now faced with the dilemma of which two to choose for this preferential treatment and which dozen will be left to the mercy of heartless baggage handlers like innocent lambs led to the slaughter of the fatted Louis Vuittons.

Naturally, the putter and the driver are the two clubs that leap to mind as the most idiosyncratic, neurotic and, frankly, vengeful and, for that reason alone, seem to be the likeliest choice for the overhead bin of history.

Related: The best buddies-trip spots

After all, imagine the reaction of either one of those two if we were to select a couple of, say, mid-irons at random. Who among us can afford to gratuitously insult either club?

Follow @GWMoriarty

Ancient skull discovered in Musselburgh bunker was that of a frustrated golfer

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:31:00 GMT

By Jim Moriarty

In a discovery of nothing less than hickory-shattering significance, the longest suffering bunker player in the history of golf has been unearthed by greenkeepers on the fourth hole of the world's oldest golf course, the Musselburgh Links. Not unexpectedly, the 2,500-year old skull was found beneath the lip of the bunker which the ancient player, it has been theorized, was unable to clear after what can only be surmised were sufficient attempts to result in extreme agitation and, ultimately, death.

Photo courtesy of Geoff Shackelford

Musselburgh's fourth hole is known as "Mrs. Forman's," so called because drinks were served through the window of a nearby house, thus making it not only golf's first fourth also its first 19th. The comity for which The Old Golf Course's fourth was celebrated made it a favorite place for golfers to linger during a round so it's not terribly surprising evidence of such lingering would continue to, well, linger. While anthropologists at Dundee University were unable to immediately ascertain the cause of death, there is little doubt among historians that it was a case of atypical mortification. While the partial remains from 500 B.C. predate Mrs. Forman's hospitality, in light of current discoveries there is every reason to believe the area surrounding the fourth green served as a traditional clan gathering point for the passing of animal skins filled with meade and the ritual hurling of insults at inept bunker play.

The discovery has sparked a local controversy even greater than the hair raising maelstrom swirling around Donald Trump's Scottish golf links since the person thought to be the worst the bunker player in history has been determined to be a female. Anthropologists insist, however, that there is no historical basis for believing that sex has anything whatsoever to do with bunker efficiency and, in fact, if anything this was an indication of the tenacity of the ancestors of the women's game. As proof of this lack of gender bias, researchers point to Tommy Nakajima and Walter Hagen or, among better-known male amateurs, Tip O'Neal and Barack Obama.

Old bones are not a rarity at the Musselburgh Links. The second hole of The Old Golf Course, dubbed "The Graves", is thought to be the final resting place of the soldiers who perished in the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547. The bodies were supposedly buried on the golf course to discourage the playing of golf a thousand years after it was determined the bunker on the fourth, alone, wasn't going to get the job done.

Archeologists are in hopes further excavation will yield the entire remainder of the fourth holes' Iron Age skeleton. Already found were the phalanges and metacarpals frozen in an overlapping position while, nearby, a crude implement thought to be the tool the unfortunate golfer was attempting to use has also been discovered. While the wooden shaft of the club, quite naturally, has not survived centuries stuck in the ground, the iron head has. Carved into the back of the somewhat larger than normal club were the words, "Modus Eugenius Saracenius."

Follow @JimMoriarty

Editor's Note: The above account is satirical. At least we're pretty sure it is.

Tiger talks about his round with Obama, WGC Match Play

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 22:09:00 GMT

By JIm Moriarty

MARANA, Ariz. -- It's not often Tiger Woods can get a kick out of winning $15, but when the guy you're splitting the pot with is the President of the United States, a Hamilton ($10) and a Lincoln ($5) take on new meaning, even if Hamilton only made it as far as Secretary of the Treasury. Barack Obama isn't the first POTUS Woods has played golf with -- that distinction belongs to Bill Clinton -- but he's the first President who still had the nuclear codes handy.

Related: Photos of Obama playing golf

Woods is famous for giving out nicknames to close, and sometimes not so close, associates. Did he come up with one for the President? "Partner," replied a smiling Woods. And how, exactly, does one go about giving the needle to the most powerful man on the planet? "Easily," Woods replied, well, easily. "Playing with the President was pretty cool. He's just a wonderful person to be around. And we won.

Woods will compete for the first time since winning at Torrey Pines.

"He's a pretty good athlete," Woods continued. "We all know he played a lot of hoops. I kind of forgot he's a lefty, but to see him out there hitting shots, he hit it well. And we didn't play under the easiest conditions. It was blowing harder than this (Tuesday at Dove Mountain) and it was a little bit cooler than this. He's got amazing touch. He can certainly chip and putt. If he ever spent -- after these four years -- spent more time playing the game of golf, I'm sure he could get to where he's a pretty good stick."

Butch Harmon, one of Woods' former teachers, spent the day before Woods played with Obama giving the President golf lessons. "It was just a nice day," said Harmon. "It was his (the President's) vacation and I'm going to leave it at that."

So, in just three days, Woods will go from playing with the man who authorized the mission to get Osama bin Laden to a head-to-head battle with Charles Howell III. About the only thing those two golfers have in common is that they're both skinny. "Well, I lived with the guy in Orlando," said Woods of his first round opponent in the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. "You'd see him out there on the range and the putting green just grinding away. His work ethic has never changed, never waned. I admire guys who put in that kind of work. It's not easy to do."

Outside of his appearance before various members of the Secret Service, this is Woods' first outing since winning at Torrey Pines. "The first week, I didn't touch a club and just got away from it," said the three-time winner of the Match Play. "And the second week I started hitting balls, chipping and putting. Then the past week, I started playing quite a bit, got my playing feel and all that done."

Follow @GWMoriarty

(Photo: Getty Images)

What's Ahead For Tiger Woods?

Jim Moriarty — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT

He is unlikely to ever again dominate as he once did, but 2013 could be the start of the most intriguing chapter of the icon's career.

Podcast: "Inside Golf World" discusses Tiger Woods' future

Steve Hennessey — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:26:00 GMT

By Ryan Herrington Predicting much of anything in professional golf is a dangerous undertaking, the opportunity of being wrong far more likely than being right. We thus proceeded with caution in putting together our...

Furyk looks Ryder Cup ready with Friday 64 at East Lake

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 22:49:00 GMT

By Jim Moriarty

ATLANTA, Ga. -- For those who were concerned that, after a couple of balky finishes, most famously at the U.S. Open at Olympic Club, Jim Furyk might not have been the best of all possible captain's picks for Davis Love III's U.S. Ryder Cup side, fret not. Furyk, the 42-year-old veteran of seven previous cups (and seven more of the Presidents variety), has sent an all clear from Atlanta and the Tour Championship and it read as follows: 3-3-3-3-3-3-3. That was just on his first seven holes. He added a couple more for good measure at the ninth and the 10th, finished the round with a six-under-par 64 and a one-shot lead over Justin Rose at the halfway point at East Lake, where Furyk won the FedEx Cup two years ago.

"To be able to write 3 on your card nine times in the first 11 holes was a lot of fun," said Furyk. "I've never seen a card that pretty, just all those 3s."

Supremely confident in his own way of doing things, Furyk nevertheless heard the second-guessing of the chattering class. "Really, the opinions that matter to me are those of my captain and those of my teammates. There are eight guys that had a voice in saying who they got to pick. There were six, seven, eight really good choices. I'm humbled and honored that those eight individuals and the assistants and Davis chose me," he said. "As far as having to prove myself . . . look at the way I play golf, the way I swing the golf club and grip the putter, look at the way I go about my business. If I really cared what the critics thought the last 19 years, I really wouldn't be here, if that makes sense."

One thing Furyk will bring to Medinah next week is a lot of experience, a lot of toughness and a lot of versatility. He was, after all, the first player to successfully pair with Tiger Woods when Woods was at the height of his powers and capable of intimidating his opponents and his teammates equally. Bubba Watson, who played in his first Ryder Cup two years ago in Wales, asked Furyk how many teams he'd been on during their round Friday.

"I said eight. And I know to the young guys that seems interesting. I don't want to overplay it," he says. "My job is to go out there and play as well as I can and help my team in any way I can. I think I've always been good with tough pairings. I'm a guy that the captains can move around a little bit. I can fit in with a lot of personalities. So, I'm flattered by that and, again, I think that's probably one of the reasons I was chosen, for more than just golf. But I don't' want to overplay it. We've got a bunch of really good players. Right now I'm focused on trying to play well at this event and anything I do here is going to help me get ready for the Ryder Cup. It'll be easy to get up over there. "

Don't count Woods among those surprised by Love's choice either. "If you think about it, he's basically two swings away from being probably in the top five in points," said Woods after his second round 73 dropped him from a share of the Tour Championship lead to T-12. "Him being picked, it's not that controversial to us as players. Since '97 he's been on every team with Phil and myself. We've been on every team together. He's been so solid and so rock steady. He's a great team player and he's playing well. He went 5-0 last year (at the Presidents Cup). This is what he can do. As I said, he's two swings away from being in the top five in points."

Follow @GWMoriarty

(Photo by Getty Images)

Rory and Tiger are enjoying the familiar ride

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:27:00 GMT

By Jim Moriarty

ATLANTA, Ga. -- Despite the comedic offerings of the baton-passing Greg Norman -- who, unencumbered by excessive knowledge, was able to divine like Carnac the Magnificent that 36-year-old Tiger Woods was, in reality, intimidated by 23-year-old Rory McIlroy -- what seems to be increasingly clear is that Woods is neither envious or afraid of the youth and skill of the young Irishman; nor is McIlroy in any way awed by the elder statesman who has won 12 more major championships than he has. If anything, they seem to share a mutual respect and actually enjoy playing together, which is something they've done a lot of lately.

Woods and McIlroy have kicked off three of the four FedEx Cup Playoff events paired together. Tiger was one shot better in the opening round at the Barclays while McIlroy nipped Woods by a shot the first day at BMW. Tiger put a little distance between them with a four-under-par 66 to McIlroy's 69 in the opening round of the Tour Championship at East Lake CC. It was also good enough for a share of the lead with Justin Rose. Of course, McIlroy won two of the three previous playoff events, so opening round results, like a financial prospectus, aren't necessarily indicative of future returns.

Related: Like Tiger, like Rory

By now, neither Woods nor McIlroy can dodge the questions about one another, with or without the help of Norman. "I enjoy playing with Rory," said Woods. "He's a great kid. Over the years there are certain pairings for me that I've enjoyed and Rory is one of them. You probably don't believe this, but I get along really well with a lot of guys out here. Rory is no different. I give it, they dish it, and we have a great time. This is a fraternity out here."

McIlroy agreed. "It was great. I always say groupings like that, it's a great atmosphere, it's a great buzz. I wish I could have shot a couple shots better," he said.

Woods birdied two of the first three holes, both of East Lake's par fives and hit it close on the 12th and 16th holes against a bogey on the fourth when he didn't get up and down from a greenside bunker and another on the 14th when he lost his driver right into the deep Bermuda rough. "It's long enough but it's also thin enough that every ball is going down to the bottom," said Woods. "It's tough to get out of there. I mean, I saw Rory at 13, he missed the first cut by less than a yard and had no shot."

Related: Tiger Woods vs. Rory McIlory

Rose, who along with McIlroy will be facing Woods and the rest of Davis Love III's American squad in the Ryder Cup next week at Medinah CC, rolled in a downhill 52-footer for birdie at the last to cap off his four-under-par 68.

While Woods and McIlroy are among the Fab Five who win the FedEx Cup automatically if they win the Tour Championship -- and thus control their own fate, as it were -- Rose, not so much. The scenario for the Englishman taking the $10 million goes something like this: McIlroy finishes 17th or worse; Woods in a three-way tie for fifth or worse; Nick Watney in a three-way tie for third or worse; Phil Mickelson T3 or worse; Brandt Snedeker a three-way tie for second or worse; Louis Oosthuizen T2 or worse; Sean Foley's digital video camera implodes; the entire state of Georgia runs out of barbecue sauce; and the Atlanta Falcons are flexed into prime time. Or something like that.

"From a FedEx Cup point of view, it's a position of having nothing to lose, really," said Rose. "I've only got this tournament on my mind. A lot of other guys have two trophies on their minds." And, lest we forget, Samuel Ryder makes three.

Follow @GWMoriarty

Where Destiny Leads

Jim Moriarty — Wed, 04 Jul 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Driven by curiosity as much as success, Sean Foley goes about the business of teaching Tiger Woods with purpose, perspective -- and his eyes wide open.

Love announces two assistants, other Ryder Cup plans

Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:11:00 GMT

Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III confirmed what Fred Couples let slip at the Memorial Tournament, that he and Mike Hulbert would be the first two of Love's four assistants when they face the Europeans at Medinah CC in September. "I talked to Fred all the way back in January, so he did pretty well to keep it under his hat all the way to Memorial," said Love jokingly. "But talking to Fred about how we were going to do this, working with them on picking the other two, I think staging this is different than we've done in the past, but I am waiting on a couple guys to see how they play, where they fit in the mix of the points list."

Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Love is leaning toward active PGA Tour players to round out his assistants, along with getting help from his brother, Mark. If veterans like Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker fall down the points list, they might well fill that role, just as Love did in Wales. "My next two are going to be harder," said Love. "I'm going to need to fill those gaps with guys that are out here playing -- like Corey (Pavin) did with Paul Goydos and myself. That's what Fred and Mike and I are doing right now is trying to figure out who's the best fit for the next two."

Of more interest was what Love had to say about the actual playing of the matches. "The three of us and a lot of other players, we've gotten together and decided that we think we'll go with the alternate shot format first in the mornings on Friday and Saturday," said Love. "We feel like with our team, the way it's shaping up, the way it's played in the past, that's a good thing for us to do right off the bat in the morning. We feel like across the board, the players that I've talked to were either for it or heavily for it. So, I think we have a lot of confidence that we're better at that format than people think we are, and we're going to go with that in the mornings and it'll give us more flexibility for having to make pairings in the afternoon for best ball."

Love also gave some indications on how he was leaning in course set-up. "We really haven't made any hard-and-fast decisions yet," he said. "It's hard to have a short-hitting team these days, so we're probably going to be a long-hitting team. I would think that the shorter rough, more creative shot making, firm, fast greens like we've been playing. That's what we're used to over here. We're used to making a lot of birdies, too. I think we want to at least tie or win holes with birdies because that gets the fans excited. But Medinah is Medinah. It's going to be a big, hard, long golf course no matter what we do."

-- Jim Moriarty
Follow @GWMoriarty