Kenny Perry knows Jack!

Kenny Perry became one of only two to win Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Golf Tournament three times this past weekend. It is safe to say that the first two tournaments were not coincidence, and he joins Tiger Woods (who won three years in a row), in displaying three coveted trophies from this prestigious event found by Jack Nicklaus. Perry also won in 1991, and 2003.

Back in 1976, Jack’s idea of an “Augusta style” event took shape after years in the making. With but three goals in mind, began the annual event at Muirfield Village Golf Club. The first goal was to have an event that would attract the best players in the world (only 75 of the previous year’s earners are invited); next was to host in his hometown area where his love of the game learned at a young age would be well represented. Third, to use a portion of the proceeds to benefit worthy charities.

Currently, the main beneficiary of The Memorial is the Nationwide Children’s Hospital, having received millions in donations from the tournament founded by Nicklaus on the course he co-designed. This was, incidentally, the first golf course built for both player and spectator alike with its “amphitheater” viewing. What Jack developed, along with land planner Desmond Muirhead, was nothing less than a spectacular golf setting in Dublin OH, dubbed #17 on the top-100 courses in America by Golf Digest.

Kenny Perry may have not only solidified his chance to get on the Ryder Cup team by repeating what was his first win on the PGA Tour, but also has to some degree followed in the footsteps of Jack Nicklaus by finding ways to give back, and promote the sport of golf.

While their approaches differed slightly Kenny Perry also built a golf course, (Country Creek), in 1995. Country Creek caters to the average, to high handicapper. Green’s fees are daily fee, in the $30 range; however, both his, and Jack Nicklaus’s intent are in lock step, i.e., giving something back to the community, and giving something back to the game of golf they both took up as young boys.

PGA Tour win number eleven must have indeed been as sweet as "number one" for Kenny Perry, but just with another ONE on the end.

Congratulations!


From Gotta-Grip

The Golf Channel meets "JackAss", Or a Felony?...You Decide

We make a point of writing positive golf stories on our golf blog, and on our web site. We also post the "related videos" at the bottom of our blog that rotate though various types of golf-related scenes. Below is what I would call JackAss meets The Golf Channel

This one caught my eye (and easily could have "cost" the subject his eye, even his life).

I think the title of this post says it all...Warning, this video is disturbing!!



I only have one question (if this was real)...How Dumb Can Some People Be?

Like a friend of mine says, "Ignorance can be fixed—stupid is forever!"

Your thoughts???

These two definitely don't gotta-grip!

Golf Wishes Happy Birthday to Stewart Cink

With four PGA wins and eleven total wins, including charity events and two wins at the Mexican Open, Stewart Cink could probably consider beating Tiger Woods again in 2008 as a goal. He did beat Tiger in the 2004 WGC-NEC (now known as Bridgestone) Invitational.

One of his other wins that year was when he beat Ted Purdy in a marathon five-hole playoff that was (for the most part) captured as depicted here...




An amazing shot from 75 yards out with the sun directly in his eyes (and in the sand), proved to be enough to get the ball close enough to edge out Purdy for the win.

Although it has been a while since he was in the top-10 worldwide ranking, Stewart Cink is building an impressive career, with two second place finishes this year already.


The Gotta-Grip Team

Golf and News Are Four-Letter-Words!

Tiger Woods, Rory Sabbatini, Arnold Palmer, Davis Love, Payne Stewart, Lee Trevino, Greg Norman and others…may all be joined by a new celebrity—not for golf, but for public speaking fame. Welcome Sue Simmons to the club!

I was not even nine years old when I heard my first curse-word on the golf course. Getting to ride with my dad when he golfed several times back then, I got a taste of bad language from my father’s friend who had a nasty temper when he missed a shot.

I freely admit to having cursed myself, and I have heard the most demure; shout, mutter, utter, mouth, and/or gesture a curse word in my life. I must also admit to being amused by the YouTube video sent to me as an e-mail link by a friend where Ms. Sue Simmons "lets the F-bomb fly" on an NBC TV News program, in what she apparently thought was a taped teaser for the 11:00PM news in NYC, which was actually LIVE...OUCH!

Sue Simmons is a New York City TV Anchor on WNBC. After making a major four-letter word faux pas, she apologized for her remark, which was meant as a joke not to be televised, and went on to say that it will not happen again. I would think that like the rest of the world, she means it will not happen again until she stubs her toe, etc. Apparently, there has been so much flack over her on-air remark that she may lose her job…A job she has had for a long time.

Curse words have no place on live TV where kids are potentially watching, nor do they belong on a televised broadcast of a golf match, but let’s face it—We are all human.

If you think about it, no person (unless born, raised, and died in a monastery), will go through life without hearing surly language. I even wonder about what the Amish, or Monks say when they accidentally drop a brick on their feet. No matter what words come out of one’s mouth at that time, we know what they meant and why they said it.

I say…lighten up; Sue Simmons shouldn’t be fired (I am sure she already feels bad enough), just like Tiger, Rory and any other person who shows their human side occasionally at work should not lose their entire career over mere words. If however, they were publicly showing hatred, as opposed to anger, that is another story, which requires swift and severe action.

I am playing golf this weekend so I promise to try to keep my mouth shut if something bad happens on the %#@* course, but will report the $&@# here if I fall short.

A guy from Gotta-Grip.

Golf Will Miss Ms 59!

Annika Sorenstam known by some as “Ms. 59”, the only woman golfer to turn in a score of 59 for a day’s work, announced she is retiring from the game. She will be missed, and it remains to be seen if/when she will be joined in that exclusive club of ONE.

When people like Tiger Woods consider you an amazing athlete on the golf course, as well as consider you a close friend, you know you have been good for the game of golf.

By retiring at the age of 37 (at the end of the 2008 season), she will hold short of becoming the all-time winning golfer on the LPGA. This will also prevent her from capturing more majors than others, but she certainly has nothing to feel unfulfilled about.

Annika Sorenstam stands at 72 all-time wins, and 10 majors, putting her in the company of Louise Suggs ( 58 wins, 11 majors), Patty Berg (60 wins, 15 majors), Mickey Wright, (82 wins, 13 majors), and Kathy Whitworth (88 wins, 6 majors). Annika, however is likely to stand alone in the “59 club” for some time.

Ms. 59 also leads the pack to the bank with over $22 million won during her career.

Annika made more history for being the first woman since 1945 (under a sponsor’s exemption), to compete on the PGA Tour at the 2003 Bank of America Colonial. For me, watching her teary-eyed remarks on TV after missing the cut, was almost like watching Dorothy leaving OZ. She indeed tested her mettle to the breaking point, using the scar tissue from that hurt to serve as her inspiration for the remainder of her career.

There are many newcomers on the LPGA Tour poised to take a shot at the throne Annika leaves behind. As she departs to start a family with her future husband Mike McGee, many are likely breathing a sigh of relief knowing their odds of winning just increased substantially.

You Go Girl!

The Gotta-Grip Team

Golf Loves a Winner…And a Runner-Up!

The winner that golf loves this week is none other than Sergio Garcia, but the world also got a good look at Paul Goydos. Both of these golfers showed exemplary form, and what a finish they put on during what was a tumultuous day of golf.

The wind alone, prevented shots that normally would have been routine for the top golfers in the world, from rising above par…Add fast greens and unpredictable roughs, and you have the recipe for an “anything goes” afternoon of golf at the 2008 Players Championship.

One thing was clear to the players as they danced around the top positions looking for a break, which was voiced by Sergio as he accepted his trophy...I am sure he spoke for all when he said, “I would like to thank Tiger for not showing up this week”.

It makes you wonder the effect that Tiger actually has on the field weekly, and (maybe) makes you appreciate the few events he misses so we get a chance to focus on some of the other “Good Guys” in Golf.

Sergio has had a long spell, which while not completely dry, has seen him falter in his putting at critical times. Not so this time! On a day where the viewing audience at home got a look at just how windy it was when on Par 3 hole #17 of the playoff, his tee shot landed in the center of the green. It then took a right turn, following the green contour, and all but came to a stop 12 feet from the cup, when the wind pushed the ball (you could actually see it accelerate), towards the hole stopping about four, to five feet away. He just missed the put, but since the wind that drove his ball towards the hole had also put Goydos’s tee shot in water, PAR was good enough for the 28 year-old Spaniard to claim the top prize.

It was unclear which of these two would win when they headed off to begin the playoff, but leading up to this moment, it was clear that both were worthy competitors.

Paul Goydos proves to be someone that the game, its players, and the viewing public have adopted as the new golfer to watch & I hope we do see a lot more of him. Not too bad to earn over $1,000,000 for second place either.

Some players were saying that this tournament should indeed become a Major in golf. I agree and yesterday, it was “major fun” to watch.

Congratulations to both from the team at Gotta-Grip.

Real-World GOLF 2008

On Monday, October 25 1999, I arrived at O’Hare Airport in Chicago in time to catch my flight, which was heading to Omaha, NE. It was a typical Monday morning (pre-September 11, 2001), so getting to the airport lacked distinction, with the exception of a report on the radio that a plane had perhaps been hi-jacked with a celebrity on-board.

I believe (going from my memory) that the early reports inaccurately, and with sketchy details, alluded to a suggestion that a rock star was involved.

During the 1-hour flight, which was on a beautiful fall morning in the Midwest, I remember looking out the window and thinking about the report, I had heard earlier, wondering who it was and what happened.

Little did I know that the flight I was on would be one of the last for several hours, which was not diverted. As it turned out, we would not be delayed due to the “runaway” plane with professional golfer Payne Stewart aboard. There were five others with him as they headed directly towards [what would have been] intersecting our flight path over central Iowa.

We all know the tragedy that became of this flight, which resulted in six souls, including Stewart, perishing that day in a field after the plane with its incapacitated crew, & passengers finally ran out of fuel—tumbling to the earth.

I feel confident to say that if anything could have been done to save them, as the military, and ground radar followed the flight, it would have been. I think we would all have wanted to change the outcome if we could.

I suppose it is with that as a backdrop, that I wonder how those close to John Daly must feel watching him (if reports are correct) careening out of control at this point in his life. I also (based on experience), know that intervention is what might be needed to save his life.

I feel that the recent statements by Butch Harmon telling Daly to “get help” should not only be applauded, but others in the industry might choose to become more involved in intervening on John Daly’s behalf.

It is sad that the spectacle of Mr. Daly’s troubles seem to be what the media is after…"Daly seen drunk in public; Daly a no-show for Palmer; Daly Plays Golf Without Shirt" etc.

I hope those that can reach this aircraft we call the "Daly Express" in time, decide to help get it down without incident. He is a great player and he is good for the game when he is well.

John…Listen to those who care about you…You are clear to land when ready!

The Gotta-Grip team

Champion's

Happy Birthday to the Legend’s, ah…make that, Senior’s—I mean Champions.

Some forward-thinking people got together with Liberty Mutual back in April 1978 to offer a chance to see some of golf’s greatest players play in teams of two. This turned out to be a popular event that year. And on April 30th, 1978, the team of Sam Snead, and Gardner Dickinson won the the inaugural event.

These were certainly two champions, but Mr. Dickenson is perhaps the lesser heralded of the two…He still holds the record for best percentage in Ryder Cup match play.

The Legend’s tour took hold the next year to become a place for golfers over 50 years of age to go to [continue to] compete. The Legends Tour eventually became the Seniors Tour, and ultimately the event we now know today as the Champions Tour.

This week it was Tom Watson and Andy North taking home the bacon, but they will have to pedal hard to catch up with Hale Irwin (the Tiger Woods of the Champions Tour). Tiger himself, trying to catch up to Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA wins on the regular PGA Tour.

Happy Birthday to all the Champions of golf!

From the gotta-grip team.

The Wachovia

In the six years that the Wachovia has been held at Quail Hollow Club, the players have had the chance to vie for an 11% cost-of-living increase in the top prize vs. year one in 2003.

Last year Tiger Woods took home $1,134,000.00 for his efforts, while the 2003 winner (first year the Wachovia tournament was held here) received a mere $ 1,008,000.00.

While we all would welcome that kind of pay increase, in six years (especially when the base is over one million dollars), you have to wonder what Dick Lotz, and Tom Weiskopf think about the 37.8 times the $30,000 they won respectively at this course 37 years ago when the Kemper Open was held there.

Winning at the same course in 1970 & 1971 when the event at this club was the Kemper Open was perhaps more important to Lotz, representing one of three of his PGA victories.

While, it is interesting to see how the increase in prize money compares to the prize money from the past, it is more interesting to ponder what if the following items had increased similarly (37.8 times) since 1970.

The average cost of a new home in 1970 was just under $27,000
Times 37.8 = $ 1,020,060.00

Cost of a new Cadillac de Ville Convertible in 1970 was $6,068
Times 37.8 = $ 229,370.40

Cost of first class stamp in 1970 was 6¢
Times 37.8 = $2.26

National average cost of a gallon of regular gas in 1970 was 36¢
Times 37.8 = $13.61

Cost of a gallon of milk in 1970 was $1.15
Times 37.8 = $43.47

For my money, PGA golfers have always been and will be worth every penny they earn…because they earn it. However, while a penny bought a lot more back in 1970, there’s a lot more pennies to go around now.

Speaking of my money, I predict Phil Mickleson will win even though Vijay Singh is the favorite as of today.

From your friends at gotta-grip

A Great Year for Golf—and Byron Nelson

As the 2008 EDS Byron Nelson Championship drew to a close, the weather teased the players with a wet course to open the final round. The players teased us with a tight race, which ended with another tease of a sudden-death playoff after Adam Scott drained an eight footer to tie Ryan Moore. This ultimately ended with Adam Scott on top after three extra holes.

Reflecting on this tournament led me to discover that three golf greats (Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, and Ben Hogan), were all born in the same year, 1912.

Today’s event is perhaps something that Golf’s Ultimate Gentleman (as he was known), of this trio, Byron Nelson, would have approved of the growing popularity of his namesake tournament, having 41golfers from other countries competing as of Thursday.

Perhaps he would be pleased that six of the top ten left on Sunday were from America. Certainly, Mr. Nelson would be proud of Bart Bryant, and Brian Gay, who are both native Texan’s, as well as fellow golfers.

Most of all, he may be proudest of the over 100 million dollars this tournament has raised in the past 40 years.

We marvel at Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player (as we should), but the likes of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson laid the foundation of modern golf, and they are owed much for their contributions to the game.

Tiger has many accomplishments to his illustrious career, but we should not forget that in the short 14 years that Byron Nelson played professional golf, he managed 11 victories in a row, keeping him ahead of Tiger by five, and all before his retirement at the age of 34…one & a half years older than Tiger’s age today.

Here’s what the top ten from today’s Byron Nelson Championship have to shoot for…From the list of professional golfers with the most wins.

Sam Snead – 82 wins, Jack Nicklaus – 73 wins, Ben Hogan – 64 wins, Tiger Woods – 64 wins, Arnold Palmer – 62 wins, Byron Nelson – 52 wins, Billy Casper – 51wins, Walter Hagen – 44 wins, Cary Middlecoff – 40 wins, Gene Sarazen – 39 wins.

Compared to the top ten from today’s tournament, with a total of 13 (counting today) PGA career victories between them, Byron Nelson’s 52 wins in fourteen years looks pretty amazing indeed.

Congratulations to Adam Scott for winning the 2008 Byron Nelson Championship in spectacular fashion sinking a 49’ put to put the tournament away after three sudden death playoff holes.

Nevertheless, remember that in retrospect, 1912 was indeed a great birth-year for golf too.

Congratulations to all from the Gotta-Grip team.

The 2008 Masters Tournament in Augusta…What did I learn?

First, I learned this exciting year had DESTINY written all over it for Trevor Immelman and congratulations go out to him.

I learned that having a childhood hero like Gary Player coach you through what most agree is the #1 tournament in golf is special, and to win the tournament & be able to share it with your fellow compatriots from South Africa as well as your hero has to be the ultimate in golf.

The best picture of the day on CBS [for me] was when they showed a picture of [then] five-year old Trevor in the arms of Gary player.

Back at the tournament Sunday, Trevor managed to stave off the rest of the field, including Tiger Woods, Stuart Cink, and a very impressive relative newcomer Brandt Snedeker, who, if they handed out awards for grace under pressure, would have taken home more than a tie for third.

I learned that like almost all Masters Events, weather could play a big role in the outcome. In Augusta in April, the weather can change from calm, to rain, to beautiful sunshine, to extreme wind, from day to day.

It appeared to me that most all players were able to cope with these changing conditions well, with the exception putting. When they forecast that, the wind (on Sunday) could be a factor on puts longer than five feet, you know you are in for a tussle when you reach the green. Theses are greens that are easy to misread in good conditions, let alone having to plan on an extra tug in one direction or another. Perhaps adding high-power fans to the practice greens will become the next rage in golf.

I learned that past performance (seven past champions competed through Sunday) does not guarantee a victory.

One thing we all learned, Tiger Woods is every bit as much of threat to anyone leading a tournament as he has ever been. I will bet that Trevor Immelman is just glad they ran out of holes, because Tiger (although he admits he was putting poorly the entire week), was starting to come around Sunday, as he usually does. BTW…All who responded to our Gotta-Grip.com Blog Question picked Tiger Woods to win.

Congratulations to all 41 players who hung around over the weekend for 2008 in Augusta, as well as to those who earned the right to come back next year.

Golf Products Come From Ideas...

Thinking back to the 1980’s and earlier, I played golf occasionally, and for the most part did not give much thought to marks on the green. Sure, whenever I would see a ball-mark left un-repaired, I would get mad, but when it came to spike marks, there was little to do about them on a busy weekend but put & pray.

Well someone was thinking about spike marks left on greens and within several years, an invention was born. Faris McMullin and Ernie Deacon of Boise ID were brought together by fate.

Faris was in Boise making fishing equipment, and was adept at improvising, while Deacon was experimenting with ways to provide traction for golfers during winter metal cleat bans at the club he managed, when he asked if McMullin could help.

The “help” came in the form of the first non-metal golf spike that became adapted by golf courses all over the world, as well as by golf shoe manufacturers like FootJoy.

How this actually all came to be is probably worthy of a book by Malcolm Gladwell (author of The Tipping Point, Blink, How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference), because there were many people involved getting this new form of traction to “gain traction” in the market place.

I had the privilege to meet the past president of SoftSpikes (Rob O’Loughlin), via phone, who told me they knew when they acquired the worldwide rights to market the SoftSpikes product they had a winner. However, getting people to change their minds about metal spikes was another thing. People were set in their ways.

As the story goes, the first “domino” to fall was Wynstone Golf Club in No. Barrington, Ill when in 1994 they banned metal cleats altogether.

It was a process of chipping away at the traditions that eventually brought forth the soft spike revolution that helped golf course superintendents breathe a little easier. In fact, they breathe about 10% easier today some say, in the reduction of maintenance costs associated with upkeep on greens where steel spikes were previously allowed.

Overall, there were several companies, whose efforts added up to the complete reversal of the steel spike tradition, ranging from a local fly-fishing expert, to a cigar-tip and golf tee manufacturer. It took many talented people to get what should have been the world’s biggest no-brainer accepted.

Of course, this is all history now, with most all courses only allowing non-metal spikes on their courses, but some pros still wear metal to this day. Having attended a PGA event in 1995 when there was much discussion and many complaints about the greens having too many spike marks, I can only imagine how frustrating it was to try to earn a victory in what could be termed a non-professional landscape.

Golf is perhaps just like mainstream business in that until people see the benefits in a product/invention, they are slow to adapt.

We ourselves are inventors, marketers of golf products, and golfers who dream of ways to help golfers enjoy the game.

Not all companies can experience the same success as SoftSpikes (having sold well over one billion), but we persevere nonetheless.

Golf, Google, And The Earth

When I woke up this morning, I opened my browser...to be greeted by a black Google Screen. I thought something was wrong until I saw the message that said..."We have turned out the lights, now it's your turn - Earth Hour".

Golf is most definitely a part of the environmental movement, and in fact we have an article on the subject titled 'Environmentally Friendly Golf' that talks about the various reasons why golf courses are an integral part of the local ecosystems.

Additionally, how golf course management is becoming conservation, preservation, and dedication to ensuring that the land they occupy remain an environmentally friendly place where plants and animals have a place to thrive even when the surrounding areas are giving way to building.

Companies like Cruise Car Incorporated are offering solar power assisted battery solutions that help by reducing the draw of electricity by course operators.

Turf care is taking a turn for the better with less chemicals, and more organic materials being used. Companies like Eco-Cover are poised to dramatically reduce the need for plastic wrap & cover for routine tree and dispersed area maintenance on new planting.

There was even a story about eco-friendly golf tees that made headlines a while back.

All in all, this "blackout" that stared me in the face when I opened up Google this AM, was a good reminder that not just Earth Hour, not just April 22nd (Earth day), but every day I golf, I will be applauding the new type of effort going into the ecology at the golf courses in the US, and around the world.

Kyle Lograsso...A Kid You Should Know

The world may have seen a glimpse of the next Tiger Woods; and that “glimpse” might just be spelled… K y l e L o g r a s s o. But he does not expect that comparison, nor does his family need that comparison. They are just glad he is Kyle.

Even if you do not play golf, and let’s also assume you don’t have children, his story is one you should know.

I was introduced to the story of Kyle Lograsso in an e-mail by a friend, which simply said in the subject line, “You gotta see this”. I do not know about you, but I get many e-mails that make similar demands, but this one “was all that, and much more!”

I clicked on the YouTube link, and a story of a young golf prodigy, reminiscent of the 1978 appearance of Tiger Woods on television at age two, began playing.

However, this story soon became much more than about talent. It started with his golf skills at age four, and then re-wound to his early life struggles with a deadly condition.

Kyle Lograsso was born in 2002 to a US Marine and his wife, who luckily saw something in one of his eyes that triggered a question to their doctor upon his two-year checkup.

At age two, Kyle was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer of the eye that affects about 250 children (usually before age five), in the US each year. Therefore, you could say that this diagnosis put Kyle (in 2002) in the category of about one-in-a-million.

While recovering from the operation that saved his young life, and with his family, led by his military father, stationed overseas, Kyle was forced to stay out of direct sun-light to heal, so one of his favorite things (at age two), was watching the Golf Channel.

Through one eye, he was instantly hooked on watching golf. This, and this alone, is what they attribute his developing his own skills for the game. At age four he was already shooting in the 40’s for nine holes.

We take great pride in the US, and the around the world, in lifting our sports heroes up on pedestals. By the time an athlete is in college, if they show real promise, they are showered with offers from professional sports teams that just about seal their fate with a guarantee of living happily ever after, and retiring wealthy.

There are rare occasions that we get a chance to see greatness before all the trapping’s of money, fame, endorsements, and the glamour, take hold, and “cloud the view” into the spirit of our heroes.

Golf is also typically a sport in which there are numerous exceptions to the “jading of the stars” rule, because the game of golf itself, The PGA, and the companies that support the game do so much to help people stricken with illness by donating to worthy charities.

Instead of a story where a talented young kid grows up to be a rich and famous golfer who gives back, Kyle Lograsso almost lost his life before age 3 and now at age 6, he is already giving back through the organization they formed to raise awareness and money for helping others.

The rest of his story, with links to the charity his family started, and current progress of this remarkable young man can be found at his web site http://www.kylelograsso.org.

I am old enough to have seen the Mike Douglas show live back in the late 70’s when Tiger Woods thrilled the studio audience, as well as the host, and guest, Bob Hope, with his golf skills (at age 2).

Kyle Lograsso may be the next Tiger Woods of golf, and when it comes to taking it to the next level; he is one-in-a-million.

Go Kyle Go!!!

It’s Not too late to Rent a House in Augusta

Recently on the Internet, there has been a flurry of activity revolving around the Masters Tournament (one of the most prestigious stops on the Professional Golf Tour). I noticed there are companies on line that offer house rentals near Augusta National by the week starting April 7, 2008.

In fact, if you have an extra $4,000 to $6,000 you can stretch out a little bit more that you can at your average Holiday Inn. That may sound like a steep price, but for the convenience of being within twenty miles from Augusta National Golf Course in April, there is a price to pay.

If you, and four friends were lucky enough to all get tickets (albeit unlikely), for the tournament, $1,200 each for the week for lodging would seem like “a steal” in that town.

One house had a pool, workout area, housekeeping service, the works, all for a measly $4,300 for the week.

Don’t worry about your “significant other” sneaking off to Georgia on a lark to attend the tournament and blow five grand on a house for the week. You see, they would have had to plan this far in advance. This year is SOLD out for general admission; and don’t think you can just waltz in there for the practice rounds either; those folks probably ordered last year and were lucky enough to be picked at random for the pre-show show. They are accepting requests for 2009 now though.

So you may be relegated to watching the tournament on TV in that $5k per week abode if you head down uninvited. I do not even want to guess what tickets go for from scalpers near the event.

Therefore, I will be plunked down on my couch at my home, watching to see who gets the Green Jacket this year…The Green Jacket of Golf.

The Green Jacket of Golf will be put on the winner, with the help of Zach Johnson (The 2007 Winner), on April 13, 2008, barring a rain delay or other event that impedes the tournament.

Speaking of the Green Jacket, I wondered about that, why green. I did some research online, and read the players first wore the jacket…not AFTER the event, but DURING, so that reporters and fans could distinguish the players from the other (distinguished-looking) gallery.

There will no doubt be a battle this year by the strong field nearing 100 as I write this. Who doesn’t want to win this one?

It will have extra historic significance if Tiger Woods) wins because he is winding his way towards beating Jack Nicklaus (73 wins), and then on to becoming the all-time winning golfer once he reaches the magic number of 83 wins, which will be one better than Sam Snead achieved.

Historically, Augusta has presented many different golfers with a chance to compete, as it changes with wind, rain and the other curves that spring days in Eastern Central Georgia.

Just like a good horse race, the weather may play a role in who’s wearing green this year.

So if you are one of the lucky ones to have waited your turn to get tickets (and I mean waited), and get one of those creampuff rental homes as your bunkhouse, think of the rest of us while you are there.

PGA Drug Testing One, Two. A Prescription for an Interesting Summer 08

It looks like it is a forgone conclusion that there will be drug testing on the PGA Tour. I am sure the opinions about this vary from player to player, fan to fan, and official to official.

However, the one whose "opinion" counts, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, has made it official.

While it is generally believed that Mr. Finchem agrees that golf is the sport where honor, integrity, and honesty dictate that players turn themselves in for breaking any rules, and therefore no such testing is needed, it is nonetheless a fact that testing starts summer 2008.

Golfers have received training as to what to expect, what is legal and illegal, and what, how, why, but not necessarily when and where they can be tested. This may include surprise visits to their homes for random testing.

Looking at other sports like football, baseball, basketball that have employed drug testing, one might deduce that it is only fair that professional golfers also follow suit.

If you look at the way golf is is set up; i.e., if a player does not play well in [any] tournament, they don't get paid that week, then it stands to reason that there would at least be the temptation for using performance-altering substances to enhance their chance of taking home the trophy (and cash) for their efforts.

However, I think what drug testing in the PGA will uncover, is that these athletes are indeed full of mood-altering, and performance-altering substances foreign to most others...Substances like Character, Pride, Generosity, Hope, Charity, Skill, Witt (see David Feherty), and good old-fashioned hard work.

It may be hard for us not making a living by doing something that we "enjoy" playing every chance we get, to fully understand what it's like for most players on the PGA Tour. Traveling up to 30 weeks per year, living away from family & friends, and having to be at the top of your game—just to keep your card so you can come back and do it again next year must take its toll.

I for one, will be glued to the TV this summer, waiting for any infraction of the new PGA Tour Drug Testing Policy to be announced during my favorite tournament(s).

Tournaments showing the professional golfers that I admire so much. Tournaments sponsored by Cialis, Viagra, Ambien, Plavix, and other fine products whose commercials include warnings like "see your doctor to make sure that "NAME OF DRUG HERE" is right for you...Side effects may include: vomiting, dizziness, erections lasting longer than four hours, drowsiness, fainting, diarrhea, constipation, and in rare occurrences, death". You know the ones!

After having the United States Congress hold hearings on whether baseball players did, or did not, take something to enhance their play, it's good to see that the professional players in golf, for the most part, haven't had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the new testing reality this summer. We don't need to waste another (whatever it costs to hold hearings for three days in Washington), [penny] on what athletes are doing to their bodies.

Bottom line is this was inevitable, but I fear the only scandal that may arise out of this is the illegal sale, and trading, of Tiger-Urine...for human cloning of his DNA.

Golf Trade Shows Can Be Exciting

My business partner Bill and I first displayed our product Gotta-Grip using the trade show booth you see in the picture below. This was built by the company that was marketing our product at the time.

In case you are wondering if this is real wood or not, it is real; and real heavy too. We set this booth up three times with the help of our friend Gary & crew from Legend Marketing Group (actually the first two times we helped Gary).

As you can see it is a small replica of a pro shop replete with slat-wall, a podium, electric outlets to run the machines to capture trade show attendee information...the works!

A total of nearly 50,000 eager promotional products distributors filed by this booth, and many who sell logo products to golf tournaments stopped by to say, "what's that...does it clean grips, hold golf balls?" We would then explain that our product was a grip conditioner, and demonstrate it as many times as we could in a three-day period at each show.

What you can't see in the above picture is just how darned heavy the thing is...

I was always nervous that the wall (about 275 lbs.), would come crashing down like the house in the Wizard of Oz , leaving nothing but a bunch of legs and shoes visible to those passing by looking on in horror. Luckily that never happened.

We did meet a lot of great people, and got to show Gotta-Grip to thousands of eager promotional products distributors; who would in turn, order samples to show their golf tournament director, and corporate clients.

Now that we're settling in marketing our product for 2008, we will no longer be requiring four refrigerator-sized crates, fork lifts, dock workers to haul us into place. But I guess I look at the picture now with fond memories.

We offer black product now, perfect for displaying the multiple color logo options, instead of the different color samples in the picture.

As for trade shows, we started adding videos to help make sure everyone walking by gets a full understanding of what Gotta-Grip does.

Let Him Eat...Crow?

I will admit when I was 10 years old I threw rocks at birds on several occasions.

We used to have Blue Jays that would terrorize us, and the other birds where I lived. Now that I am older, I feel bad about taking action against them.

I can only imagine how bad Tripp Isenhour feels following the incident recently published about his accidental killing of a Red Shouldered Hawk in Florida while "shooting" (no pun intended) a television show.

The show, titled "Practice Like A Pro", (which was also reported as "Shoot Like a Pro", and "Play Like a Pro" in some sources), was inturrupted several times by a noisy hawk. According to reports, Mr. Isenhour took aim at the tree where the noise was coming from and the hawk was hit and killed instantly.

I read that the Red Shouldered Hawk eats Small mammals, amphibians, reptiles, small birds and large insects. You would think this would be a desirable animal to keep around in a state like Florida where the animal's "menu" consists of all the things people pay good money to get rid of.

You can click on the picture below to see what Wikipedia has to say about this bird.

Like most stories reported, there are two sides to the story, I watched a video posted on the Golf Channel where Mr. Isenhour was intervied about the details of the charges against him.

Tripp Isenhour claimed it was an accident, and that he was merely trying to scare the bird that was making noise away, by shooting at the tree where the bird was perched. He went on to say it was a "one in a million shot", that they called the authorities, and buried the bird per the instructions of the officials. . He concluded by stating that he was remorseful about the incident.

Perhaps we should leave it at that.

The alleged scene of the alleged crime was reported to be the Grand Cypress Golf Course according to news reports. One I found had some more background (video too) on the type of bird it was and why they are so loud.

I am sure this was an isolated incident, and perhaps some good will come of this. Awareness has been raised and that is usually a good thing.

Let's all move on, and try to be better from this. Tripp too!

Getting CUSTOM Back in Customer Relations

In this economy it's important for companies to remember keep the customer first and that means customization...in our case, custom golf products.

We sell to these tournaments through companies well versed in logos (promotional products distributors).

I have been involved in the golf tournament industry for the past several years. We were selling our patented golf product (Made in the USA), through a supplier that also manufactured it and are now handling the marketing of this too.

Since the very nature of our golf product dictates that it be customized for each event (golf tournament premium, promotional golf accessory), I became interested at the sheer number of different logos that there are.

Our product has had many different logos since we began marketing the product. My business partner and I may never see all of them, but several are particularly interesting, because of the varied background of the companies.

Through our manufacturer and their promotional distributors, our product has been logo'ed with everything from Boeing, (the company that makes airplanes), to national charities, for local tournaments across the country raising money in the name of children killed in accidents, to a large Korean company (Samsung), to big box retailers, to large insurance companies, to top rock bands.

In fact the last (embroidered logo) units that were made, have not been given to the band yet, but they are a gift for the lead singer (Ed Roland) & company, of the band Collective Soul.

As it turns out Ed Roland is an avid golfer.

I had the chance to meet Ed at a show recently, having been invited by my friend Dean Zelinsky, of Dean Guitars to see the band perform in Chicago. After Ed learned about the business I was in, he said, "Get me some of those". He will be receiving them in time to use them in his "off-tour time" this spring, with their very cool Collective Soul logo.

I was so impressed with their live show in Chicago that I decided to buy them all Gotta-Grips myself. I am not sure who will read this blog, but please don't tell Ed about the surprise that is headed his way from Westy!

If you want to hear their new music, check out their web site at http://www.collectivesoul.com, it is very good, as is their live show.

It's funny how many rockers are good golfers; Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, blues legend Kim Simmonds of Savoy Brown, Darius Rucker & crew from Hootie & the Blowfish, even Tommy Lee occasionally wields a seven-iron.

Now that we are doing full color printing on our product we can get three (we're working on even more in the future) logos so that the value of the product becomes equal in its "billboard" capability, as well as its usefulness (product to help golfers get a better grip on their clubs as they play).

It is also good to think that in some way our product can be enjoyed for the way it looks, in addition to the way it works…I guess you could say we are putting the CUSTOM back in Customer Relations. If you are interested in seeing more of our products, including our patented Gotta-Grip, you visit us at http://www.gotta-grip.com.

How Did We Get Here? (In the golf business)

Remember the first time you went golfing with your father, brother, or uncle? I still can recall my father giving me all the typical instructions and warnings that fathers give their sons that first day out on the course. "Stay with me, when I say duck—you duck!”. “When Paul [my dad’s golfing buddy] misses a shot, really, really, duck...and watch out for flying clubs, etc."

Well, I was 8 years old then and my father not only loved the game of golf, but it was in part, how he earned his living. He was an announcer and sports director for WBBM (CBS affiliate in Chicago, IL), and the year was 1964. My father, Joe Foss was a very good golfer and was very excited about the prospects of teaching his love & skill for the game of golf to my brother Jay and me.

As fate would have it, he suffered a severe stroke in the prime of his career and he was unable to continue working, or playing the game of golf, he loved so dearly. We still have the oversized get-well card that was signed by the touring pro's playing in the Western Open that year; including signatures from such greats as: Billy Casper, Chi-Chi Rodriguez, (a young Raymond Floyd), Tony Lema, Gene Littler, etc. Although left paralyzed from the stroke, dad could still give my brother and me verbal golf instructions…and he followed the tour on TV and radio until he died in 1982.

The golf clubs that once seemed so big to me became the set I played with for years, but I assure you they never achieved the same scratch-golf numbers that once adorned the scorecards when my father wielded them so gracefully. Nonetheless, golf has always appealed to me as a game that is enjoyable no matter what the skill level or social economic status you have attained.

Although the clubs I learned on were tour blades, the (leather) grips had lost their luster long before my brother or I had learned to play, so we never really knew the difference until we got older and sampled new clubs…WOW what a difference! When my wife became pregnant with our twins in 1991, I bought my first set of new clubs. Soon after that, the new clubs I used the most (driver, 7-iron, pitching wedge, etc.) started to lose the new feel on the grips. I used to sand them with sandpaper to get that "feel" back, but soon found out that you can only take away so much material from the grip before it becomes "unusable". There was nothing but pine tar, bee’s-wax or, re-gripping available on the market, which were messy and picked up dirt on the grips. Re-gripping is the best option, but you cannot always do that before a round.

I thought if I could find the right material and develop a method (tube that is always on the golf bag when/if you needed it for applying that new feel to golf grips ON THE GOLF COURSE instead of having to take them out of service twice per year, I might have a business. I would be doing a service to all the golfers like me who want consistency in every shot, but don’t necessarily re-grip their clubs every season, as they should. After trying to market the invention in 2002 with little money, I all but gave up on the product…until my partner Bill stepped forward.

Bill O’Connell is a brilliant insurance executive, and is a very smart businessman, who happens to love golf too. His company sponsored an event at the International in Denver in 2003, and he asked if he could get some of my product to give "as golf gifts" at his hospitality tent at the event. It was a little magical...Similar to the Post-It Notes story, soon after the event, people were calling him saying, “Where can I get that?” He ended up buying the patent, trademark and offered to have me join him in marketing the product.

Bill took Gotta-Grip to an old acquaintance that happened to be the Chairman of a parent company of a large promotional products manufacturing supplier. They too, saw the benefit of Gotta-Grip. We had licensed them the exclusive rights to manufacture and sell through their distributors in the Ad Specialty, Promotional Products market (an 18 billion dollar per year market), for custom-embroidered golf gifts at tournaments, and as sales gifts.

When Mr. O’Connell retired from the insurance industry in 2007, we decided to begin marketing Gotta-Grip ourselves. We are the suppliers to promotional distributors who call on corporate, promotional, and charity tournament markets.