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This was the scene at Casperkill Golf Club in Poughkeepsie, New York on Sunday afternoon. Hurricane Irene had her way with the Robert Trent Jones layout. What looks like a lake in these pictures is normally a stream that is usually eight to tens yards wide. The downpour caused the stream to overrun its banks and was 60 yards wide on some areas of the course.

3rd Hole

11th Hole

7th Hole

by Jeff Skinner

As Gary Player carried on in the Masters Media Center yesterday he had the press rolling in the aisles.  He touched on a number of subjects related to golf and totally unrelated to golf.  But that’s Gary Player, more open and honest and rambling then anyone walking around Augusta this week.

I am Player fan and he usually doesn’t shock me.  But this time he did.  Talking about the quality of golfers today versus the quality of the best in his day he claimed that neither was the best group of all time.  Today’s group fall short of the big three of Jack, Arnie and Gary for sure but Player says you have to go back even further to find the strongest group of the greatest golfers that ever played the game.

Gary Player says that the trio of Ben Hogan, Sam Snead and Byron Nelson was better than that of his contemporaries Jack, Arnold and himself.  Maybe it’s Player’s reverence for Hogan as the greatest ball striker of all time that shades his judgment toward them.  Maybe he’s a bit too humble to include himself in the “greatest group of all time” discussion.  Certainly each golfer had their dominant years and all won their share of majors.  But Nelson retired while still in his prime and Hogan came late to the major championship party.

Jack, Arnie and Gary were beating each other up for fifteen years.  If you throw Tom Watson into the mix you have the greatest group of golfers that ever walked a fairway.  Both groups represent some dominating streaks.  Consider this: from 1942 to 1954, in ten Masters, (there was no tournament during 43-45) Hogan, Snead and Nelson won six Masters Championships.  In the ten years from 1958 to 1966 Nicklaus, Palmer and Player won eight green jackets.

If Player thinks he wasn’t part of the greatest threesome in the history of modern golf, he’s wrong.  With all due respect Mr. Player, it was Nicklaus, Palmer and Player. Period.

by Jeff Skinner

No mattter where he goes he’s a star. The Coolest Guy in Golf, Miguel Angel Jimenez shares the lead at The Volvo Golf Champions and he does it with a flourish.  It seems the 46 year old was a little upset at his putter and slammed it enough to break the darn thing. He finished his last five holes putting with a lob wedge, and managed to birdie 3 of his last 4 holes.  What a character.  Stay thirsty my friends.

The US PGA and The European PGA have come up with a new, shared logo.  It looks pretty cool and will be used by both teams in addition to their own logos.  It’s a great idea that is long overdue.

You have to love the pairings at Torrey Pines.  Putting Tiger with Rocco was brilliant and throwing Tiger’s homeboy, Anthony Kim in with them made for a nice group.  Phil got the same treatment when they put his buddy Dustin Johnson alongside him and Justin Rose.  Great idea for all the fans!

Nothing like a youth movement on the PGA tour as 24 year old Sunghoon Kang leads at Torrey. The rookie from South Korea hopes to give Rickie Fowler and the other young studs a run for their money.

Speaking of Fowler, how about his deal with Golf Digest.  He signed on as a playing editor.  With Tiger’s departure Golf Digest must have needed another stud to fill out its lineup.

Ryan Ballangee of Pro Golf talk is walking the aisles of The PGA Merchandise show, and asking what we all want to see. Check it out and tell him, Natalie Gulbis of course.

John Daly’s pants, what can I say?

Golf Week has a great page on The PGA Merchandise Show. Click here and your in Orlando.

Saving the best for last, Amy Mickelson walked 18 holes with her hubby on Thursday. It was the first time since her diagnosis that she was able to follow Phil for the day. “This is huge for me,” she said. “It’s just so fun to be out here. Of course, I watched all of Phil’s rounds on TV, but it’s not the same as being here.”  It’s wonderful to see Amy back on the course.  All the best to her and all her family.

by Jeff Skinner

The guys over at Golf.com have ended this year by answering “11 Questions for ’11: Who, What, Why in 2011.” Michael Bamberger, Alan Shipnuck, and Gary Van Sickle give their answers and predictions for some intriguing questions for the 2011 golf season.  Their opinions are certainly interesting and worth a read but here is what we all really want to know: my perspective on their 2011 questions.  Read on my friends and enjoy this New Year’s Weekend.  Our 2011 golf season is just around the cold, wintry corner.

1. Have we seen the end of the Tiger Woods era? Absolutely not.  Right now Tiger and Sean Foley are in their laboratory cooking up that new swing formula.  Woods is too good a golfer and athlete not to be a major force in golf.  While we may never see the dominance Woods displayed in 2000 he will surely win again.  He’ll have more issues with his mental side of the game than with his physical.  Regardless of his play he’ll still be the tours’ and the networks’ biggest draw as long as he wants to play.
2. 2. If not Tiger, who will be No.1? I think we will have multiple number ones in 2001.  Westwood for sure and Martin Kaymer will very likely have some weeks in the top spot.  Will Phil take a turn?  I am not too sure about Philly Mick claiming number one.  He’ll need to win The Masters again and maybe another major.  He just does not play as much as a guy like Kaymer so he’ll have to finish high in each start.
3. 3. With the schedule shrinking, a new TV contract looming and the European Tour gaining strength, what’s the prognosis for long term-health of the PGA Tour? Considering the economic environment the PGA Tour is doing fairly well.  Some creative thinking involving expansion in Asia and maybe some negotiations with the European Tour are in order.  The Euro’s are stronger and more visible than ever and it would be advantageous to have as many of the “world’s best” playing tour events.
4. 4. Is Phil Mickelson the new King of Augusta? Absolutely.  With three wins at Bobby’s place he owns that course.  Forget that he knows each inch of that course as well as anyone who ever played there, including Nicklaus, Phil owns Augusta and its fans, excuse me, patrons.  Phil is the fan favorite wherever he tees it up but Augusta is extra special for him.  The support he get there is unrivaled and worth a few shots per round.  Watch for him to get his fourth green jacket in 2011.
5. 5. Can Americans take back the LPGA Tour? That’s not happening.  The US has many interesting players but the sheer number of top Asia players is overwhelming.  Unfortunately, the US golf fans are color blind.  They only see red, white and blue and that is regrettable.  There are many interesting foreign players on the LPGA but U.S. fans refuse to embrace them.  However, there is a simple answer to this question: Michelle Wie.  Wie is the only woman playing that moves the needle in the states.  When she plays people watch.  When she wins a lot of people watch.  There is still plenty of time for her to win, she’s only 21.
6. 6. Now that they’re 30, can Sergio Garcia or Adam Scott be relevant again? Scott showed sign of regaining his old form, especially with his putter so yes; he can compete with the big boys.  Is there is a player more in need of an effective mental coach than Sergio?  He needs help with those five inches between his ears.  Without it he is done.
7. 7. With the U.S. Open heading to Congressional Country Club, and hard-core golfers running the executive and legislative branches and taxpayer-owned GM reentering the sponsorship biz, will Washington finally embrace golf again? If they don’t it’s their own fault.  Congressional is a great place and with Obama playing more than any president since Ike, Washington is ripe for golf resurgence.  Here’s a thought: get Obama to play in the Golf Digest US Open Challenge.  Have Barrack put his game to the test on the Open layout with Justin Timberlake, Michael Jordan and say, Halle Berry.  He would be more effective there then he is with Congress.
8. 8. Do aging multiple champions Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Padriag Harrington and Vijay Singh have one last hurray in them? I think all of them could win a regular event somewhere in the world again.  But a major win is a different story.  Ernie played well last year and is capable of another major and Paddy could compete also if he would stick with one swing.  Goose needs to find that putter again before he’ll get another and Vijay may be toast.  He’s hit more balls than anybody and it may be catching up with him.
9. Does Fred Couples care enough to usurp Bernhard Langer as the dominant player on the Champions Tour? In a word, no. Freddy plays golf because that is what he does.  He wins some and loses some and cares about them equally.  Langer plays because he wants to win.  He’s motivated.  Freddy gets plenty of press for his laid back, fan friendly style.  Langer gets trophies.
10. Will the Olympic golf movement gain momentum? In other parts of the world that have yet to have a deeply rooted golf culture there may be some interest. As far as the U.S. goes there isn’t much that can happen.  As we have seen if it isn’t Tiger or Phil, it is just the hard-core golf fans that are interested.  I don’t see the Olympics doing much for golf in the U.S. in 2011.
11. Now that Martin Kaymer is old news, who is the next big thing? If 2010 showed anything it showed us that we have a great crop of golfers under 30.  Dustin Johnson may be the best of the Americans and with Rory, Ryo, AK and Rickie there is no shortage of possible superstars ready to break out.  But my two best bets for a fascinating year in 2011 are Matteo Manassero and Alexis Thompson.  Manassero won on the Euro Tour at 17 and plays like a veteran but with the enthusiasm of a teenager. I hope he’ll bring his game over to the US so we can all get a view of him up close.  Alexis Thompson will turn 16 in February and has already asked the LPGA for six more sponsor exemptions so she can play more on the tour.  If Commissioner Michael Whan wants a big shot in the arm for his tour, he’ll figure out a way to get Thompson playing while not offending his current members.  She’ll be playing somewhere in the world so it may as well be the LPGA.  She is a much fun to watch as any golfer out there and it would be bad for the LPGA to lose her to another foreign tour.

by Jeff Skinner

Ian Poulter is finally showing that he has the game to back up that boastful mouth of his.  In 2008 Poulter said that he was the only one with enough talent to challenge Tiger Woods.  While Poulter has been a good player he failed to play up to his swagger and a Woods/Poulter showdown never materialized.

Things may be about to change.  Woods has come down to the level of a mere mortal and Poulter has refined his game and hardened his will of late.  His win at the Hong Kong Open is his tenth career win on The European Tour.  Combine that performance with his Ryder Cup record and his 2010 WGC Match Play Championship and you have a player to be reckoned with on both tours.

Poulter had an amazing week in Hong Kong.  He flirted with the magical 59 in the second round and ended up with a sizzling 60.  He followed that with a 67 in the third round and was able to hold off the assault by Simon Dyson and Matteo Manaserro.

Having learned his lesson, Poulter chose not to talk of being the world number one.  “I’m not playing the game saying, ‘I’m going to get to No 1′. I tried that once before and it didn’t work.  I think I’ll just try winning next week and see how high I can go. Tiger has dropped a lot of points. (Lee) Westwood is world No 1. If I keep playing well, then who knows?”

This former pro shop professional may be ready to make his move into the upper elite of professional golf.  We all know his has the ego, now it looks like he just might have the game.

by Jeff Skinner

It’s a marquee pairing at The Bridgestone Invitational, two of the world’s best and most popular golfers going head to head in the final round of a significant tournament.  Tiger Woods and Anthony Kim playing together in the final round is enough to make golf fans giddy with anticipation.  There’s only one problem: they’ll be teeing off as the second pairing of the day at 7:45 am.  They will be done with their round long before the leaders tee off and you’ll only get to see some taped highlights.  Tiger will probably be on his jet getting out of there before leaders Sean O’Hair and Ryan Palmer have laced up their Footjoys.

Woods is at 11 over and Kim is at 10 over and they were out of it after day one.  At least Anthony Kim has a legitimate excuse.  He is playing in his first tournament since his thumb surgery three months ago.  He’ll need a few outings to get his game back in shape but his partner is running out of tournaments to find his.  If Kim has a legit excuse then maybe we could say that Tiger has an illegitimate excuse (cheap shot, I know).  Tiger’s game is long gone and is nowhere in sight.  He has no solid part of his game right now.  He is spraying his driver, iron shots are nowhere near as accurate as they should be and his short game looks like a 14 handicapper.  At least Kim shot a 69 on Saturday to show there is light at the end of the tunnel.  The light at the end of Tiger’s tunnel is a freight train full of mediocrity and early tee times and Tiger is standing in the middle of the tracks.

by Jeff Skinner

It was an absolutely awesome US Open.  Any Open at Pebble Beach is truly special.  With all those great, diabolical holes perched on that gorgeous slice of ocean-side landscape, even if the golf is less than stellar the views are spectacular enough to keep you awestruck.

I was disappointed that one of my favorite golfers wasn’t able to make the cut.  The Coolest Guy in Golf, Miguel Angel Jimenez missed the cut at Pebble Beach this year but Miguel always finds a silver lining in every situation.

He was able to spend a few days with his good friend and lookalike, The Most Interesting Man in the World.  Stay thirsty my friends.

by Jeff Skinner

Once again we see something happen in golf that happens nowhere else in sports.  We have heard it before: where else does a player call a penalty on himself?  There is no sport that is self-officiated like golf is.

Unfortunately, Brian Davis had to call a penalty on himself during the playoff in The Verizon Heritage and in doing so it cost him any chance at the victory.  This is one of the aspects of golf that separates it from all the others.  Honesty and integrity are part of the fiber of the game.  Brian Davis may have missed out on the first place trophy but he has won much respect from his fellow players and fans.  Jim Furyk discussed the call after his win:

To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I want to win the golf tournament. It’s obviously a tough loss for him, and I respect and admire what he did. To be there and be in the battle and have an opportunity to win the golf tournament, and then have to call a penalty on yourself has got to be extremely disappointing. I admire him for what he did. It’s a testament to our game and the people that play on the Tour, and that we have so many guys that do that. It’s just awkward to see it happen at such a key moment in the golf tournament. Awkward for him to lose that way, and a little awkward for me to win. Obviously I’m very happy to win but you almost don’t know how to react. I want to react to the crowd and kind of wave and let them know, that, hey, I’m excited, but I don’t want it to take away from Brian. It was an awkward moment, an awkward way to win.

Did Jerry Rice ever tell a referee that he really didn’t catch that ball?  Did Michael Jordan ever let the refs know that that call wasn’t really a foul?  Heck, even Derek Jeter cheats a little on the relay to first on a double play ball.  Ever hear of the “in the neighborhood rule?”  Trying to get a little extra advantage is part of the game in other sports.  The spitball, stealing signs, stickum, holding and taking a dive or two are almost expected in all the other sports.  Not in golf. You play it as it lies and follow the rules.  A cheater is the most loathed person in golf.

This isn’t the first time Davis has made a call on himself that had consequences. He is the same player that penalized himself in Q-School and ended up not making The PGA Tour by one shot.  Needless to say Davis’s reputation is not one of a cheater.   You have got to love this game.

by Jeff Skinner

Friends and practice partners Yani Tseng and Suzann Pettersen played a friendly round of golf on a sunny Sunday afternoon yesterday in California.  However, the stakes were a bit higher than their normal skins game.  The two LPGA stars teed off in the final group at the season’s first major championship, The Kraft Nabisco Championship.  Tseng bested her buddy, playing solid, conservative par golf coming down the stretch. She had pulled away from the field with an eagle on two and a birdie on three.  She actually led by four strokes during the final round.  Pettersen had to gamble to make birdies and she had plenty of opportunities but couldn’t convert on three of her good chances on the back nine.

When Pettersen’s eagle chip on eighteen just missed the cup, Tseng had her second major championship.  This 21 year old has three LPGA wins and two are major championships.  She won the LPGA Championship in 2008 and is the only player since then to win two majors.  At 21 she could a significant force on the tour for decades.

Tseng’s controlled, even temper play contrasted with Pettersen who as usual struggled to control her emotions and was even caught on air dropping an F-bomb.  Stuff happens and Suzann Pettersen isn’t shy about showing her emotions.

Tseng was thrilled with the win and after a champagne shower from her LPGA friends took the traditional leap into Poppy’s Pond with her caddy and a few friends.  It’s a wonderful tradition and a great way to kick off the 2010 major season.

by Jeff Skinner

It was the best of times; it was the worst of times.  For Anthony Kim and Vaughn Taylor it was a tale of two tournaments yesterday at The Shell Houston Open.   Kim’s almost snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when he bogeyed his final hole to fall into a tie with Taylor and force a playoff.  After landing in the greenside bunker Kim played a wonderful sand shot to six feet.  The putt would have won the tournament and given Kim his first win since the 2008 Wachovia Championship.  Kim let it slip by and faced Taylor in the playoff.

Taylor had finished with a flourish by sinking an eighteen foot putt for birdie on the last.  It left him one shot behind Kim and waiting by a television to watch the finish.  For Taylor a win would have given the Augusta, Ga. native entry into The Masters.  It would have been a fairy tale ending with the hometown boy making a triumphant return home to play before his hometown fans in the most special of tournaments.  When Taylor’s playoff tee ball landed in the sand and his approach also found a bunker his dream was over.  He’ll have to settle for a second place check of $626,400 and watching The Masters from behind the ropes instead of playing inside them.

Kim’s par on the first playoff hole gave him his third career PGA Tour victory and completed a comeback of sorts for Kim.  After his two wins in 2008, the high expectations for Kim’s 2009 season went unfulfilled.  He spent the early part of the season traveling the world playing golf, collecting appearance money and practicing less than he needed.  This win validates Kim’s new attitude this year.  He has rededicated himself to practicing more, changing his diet and controlling his temper.

Talking about his missed putt on eighteen he said, “Two years ago, that bag may have been in the water,” Kim said. “I might not have had clubs to go to the playoff. But I just feel calm out there, I feel no sense of urgency. It’s something that’s happened naturally and not something that’s been forced.  I’m comfortable with who I am out there. I found my identity.”

He said he has a different perspective now,” “I just look back at last year, after the season was over, I was just complaining about everything. I felt like I deserved to win a golf tournament without trying. That’s not how it is.”

“I’ve put in a lot of hard work, so I feel like when I’m out there, I know I’m going to do well. Having that confidence really has propelled my game, I feel like, to a different level.”

It sounds like Kim is doing something all “twenty-somethings” do sooner or later.  He’s maturing.  With his skills and a new attitude he’s sure to be winning more and fulfilling those high expectations.