by Jeff Skinner
Like many of us I spend plenty of time surfing the web and all my favorite sites but I still appreciate a good print magazine. The October issue of Golf Magazine has to be one of the most interesting issue in a long time. It’s full of great pieces that will keep you interested during the gazillion commercials while we are watching the BMW Championship this weekend.
The magazine is titled “The No.1 Issue” and it has a myriad of articles featuring many No.1’s in golf. The “People Portfolio” features many familiar faces that are famous for something other than golf. Michael Douglas is called the Comeback Player for his battle with cancer. “After cancer, you have a deeper appreciation of things, and golf is one of them. You appreciate driving to the course instead of driving to the hospital.” Golfers as varied as Mike Ditka, Ivanka Trump and Joel McHale are profiled and give us their different perspective on golf.
Page 58 gives us “The Number Ones of Everything: Most Unheralded Golfers of All Time (Larry Nelson), Five Ways to Ruin a course by Tom Doak (stretch it to 7000 yards), Worst Course Names, my favorite, Rat River Golf Course. They list the Best golf cities with Austin Texas topping the list and give us a listing of the best 19th Holes. As the best 19th hole cocktail they choose The Dark and Stormy from the Copper Lounge at The Turning Stone Resort in Verona, N.Y. I haven’t been to Turning Stone but I have had more than my share of Dark and Stormy’s, hands down the best drink after playing 18 holes, or 9 holes, or 1 hole or thinking about playing a hole, or putting on your socks. You get my drift.
World Number One, Luke Donald bares a bit of his soul in the Golf Magazine Interview by Paul Mahoney. Donald is open and honest and lays it out right here. “I would swap being No.1 for Phil Mickelson’s four majors.” I bet any top player without a major would say the same exact thing.
Travelin’ Joe gives us all his No.1’s from top courses to cheap courses to courses you never heard of. His No.1 driving range is World Woods Golf Club in Brooksville Florida. He also selects The Pine Barrens course at World Woods for his N0.1 course Under $100. He is absolutely right on here. World Woods has a practice facility you wouldn’t mind spending the entire day on. Pine Barrens is unlike any Florida course. Tom Fazio uses the contours of the pine forest and has plenty of playable waste areas that will challenge you but still lets you play golf.
The No.1 Fighter in Golf? No debate here, it’s Erik Compton. He of two heart transplants and multiple attempts to earn his PGA Tour card. Compton is a golf playing miracle and an inspiration to anyone who knows his story. His story transcends golf and Cameron Morfit has an excellent interview with him. “Compton Credits his good play in part to his brushes with death. I’ve been kicked in the head, had so many issues, there’s an I don’t give a s—t factor. It’s like a rebirth for me.” Compton is a special person and hearing him talk is amazing.
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