Pebble Beach

With the PGA Tour teeing off from Pebble Beach this weekend for the annual pro-am, a quick glance at the course heading into the weekend..

Since 1919, the exquisite beauty and unique challenge of Pebble Beach Golf Links has thrilled golfers and spectators alike. Pebble Beach has been the site of golf's most prestigious tournaments, including the annual AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the 1972, '82, '92 and 2000 U.S. Open Championships. Pebble Beach Golf Links is ranked the No. 1 Public Course in America by Golf Digest in 2007. Designed by Jack Neville and Douglas Grant, the course hugs the rugged coastline, providing wide-open vistas, cliffside fairways and sloping greens. It is a delightful challenge for all players.

Pebble Beach Golf Links also includes chipping and putting greens and the Peter Hay Par-Three Golf Course and practice range. The Golf Shop and first tee are located directly across from The Lodge at Pebble Beach. 18 Holes Par: 72 Black Rating (US Open Championship): 74.3/Slope 144; Yardage - 6,828 Blue Rating: 73.8/Slope 142; Yardage - 6,737 Gold Rating: 72.3/Slope 137; Yardage - 6,348 White Rating: 71.2/Slope 134; Yardage - 6,116 Red Rating: 71.9/Slope 130; Yardage - 5,198

Tiger wins Dubai.......again

Tiger Woods maintained his stunning run of recent form by claiming a second Dubai Desert Classic title in thrilling fashion yesterday but the world number one was well aware he was on the verge of seeing his four-event winning streak come to an end.

Woods beat three-time Dubai champion Ernie Els in a play-off in 2006 to claim his first victory at the Emirates Golf Club but no extra holes were required as he registered his seventh victory in eight outings.

Having shot 31 for the back nine to set the clubhouse lead on 14 under, Els needed to birdie his final hole to force a play-off but hit his approach into the water to end his hopes. Woods, who eased to an eight-stroke victory at the Buick Invitational immediately prior to arriving in Dubai, carded a seven-under-par 65 to claim his 82nd career victory by a shot from Abu Dhabi champion Martin Kaymer, with Els a further stroke back tied for third.

The American 13-time major winner began the day four strokes adrift of Els but after reaching the turn in one-under after two bogeys in four holes, Woods blitzed six birdies on a bogey-free back nine sparked by a crucial chip-in at the 12th.

Two further consecutive birdies followed before he reeled off back-to-back birdies to finish, including a crucial 25-foot downhill putt at the last.

“I got off to as good as start as you possibly could, I was three under through four, but dropped shots at six and nine and I went from being in the mix to being out of the mix,” said Woods, who overturned an eight-shot final round deficit to beat Els in a play-off at the 1998 Johnnie Walker Classic.

“I told my caddie (Steve Williams) if we shoot 30 on the back nine maybe we will be in a play-off. I shot 31 and it happened to be good enough. I like winning by seven or eight it’s less stressful.”

Top Rated Coures in Northeast U.S.

Today we take a look at three of the best classic fairways in the Northeast U.S., as determined by Golfweek magazine’s handpicked panel of 385 course raters. The raters, who are students of architecture, attend national workshops and each evaluate 15 to 20 courses per year. Here’s what distinguishes these Northeastern courses, according to Golfweek architecture editor Bradley S. Klein. We’ve also included information on the most convenient places to land your business jet near each course.

Fishers Island Club, Fishers Island, N.Y.

Here’s an 80-year-old classic that’s still virtually unknown, which is just the way the members want it. Fishers Island, Seth Raynor’s finest solo design, sits on an island of that name in the middle of Long Island Sound, reachable by small private aircraft or by ferry from New London, Conn. The journey is worthwhile, owing to stunning waterfront holes and views of the Sound from every hole. Fishers Island is ranked No. 12 on Golfweek’s best-classic-courses list. That’s pretty impressive for a layout that still lacks fairway irrigation.

http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=786745

Merion Golf Club-East Course, Ardmore, Pa.

These days, 6,842 yards is minuscule for a championship golf course, even one that’s par-70. But Merion–which opened in 1912 and has not changed substantially since Bobby Jones sealed his Grand Slam here in 1930–remains a brutal test. All of those short par-4s get tough when you’re on the greens–or in the deep, wispy-edged bunkers. For a golf course shoehorned into 100 acres, the place is highly regarded. Located just outside Philadelphia, it ranks 7th on Golfweek’s list of the best classic courses. The United States Golf Association is so confident about its merits that it’s taking the 2013 U.S. Open here, marking the fifth time the famed layout will host the event.

https://www.memberstatements.com/login/login.cfm

National Golf Links of America, Southhampton, N.Y.

Not many golf courses are living museums, but this fairway, rated No. 8 on Golfweek’s best-classic-courses list, is a monument to which all serious students of golf architecture must take a pilgrimage. When it debuted in 1911, the Charles Blair Macdonald creation received praise worldwide. It is a collection of some great British holes, including the par-3 Redan from North Berwick and the par-4 17th Alps from Prestwick. Few U.S. courses have this kind of width, playing options and links-like playing conditions. Thanks to sandy soil, a windy location and wise greenkeeping, NGLA (as it’s called) remains a gem.

http://www.golflink.com/golf-courses/course.asp?course=805145

Poor Choice Leaves Magazine in their own noose

Golfweek magazine, one of the sports's only two national weekly magazines, is potentially courting considerable controversy. An image of a hangman's noose will be on the cover of its next edition, reports Steve Elling of CBSSports.com.

As civil rights activists protest over Golf Channel anchor Kelly Tilghman's comment back on Jan. 4 about Tiger Woods, the magazine is running a series of follow-up stories focusing on the issue, which includes feedback from former network broadcaster Ben Wright, who was canned by CBS several years ago for making sexist comments.

But is emphasizing the noose, especially with its racist connotations and galling symbolism, a form of intentional journalistic pandering?

“There was a great deal of debate over it,” Golfweek editor Dave Seanor said of the magazine's in-house deliberations. “But it was the news of the week, no question about it. That's what everybody in the game is talking about.”

Tilghman, in a freewheeling and unscripted exchange regarding Woods' dominance with analyst Nick Faldo, suggested un-humorously that players could “lynch him (Woods) in a back alley.” She was quickly suspended for two weeks.

“Clearly, what Kelly said was inappropriate and unfortunate and she obviously regrets her choice of words,” PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said in a statement yesterday. “But we consider Golfweek's imagery of a swinging noose on its cover to be outrageous and irresponsible. It smacks of tabloid journalism. It was a naked attempt to inflame and keep alive an incident that was heading to an appropriate conclusion.”

Best Balls

As you may have guessed, the best golf balls are a personal opinion. What one golfer might think is the best ball, might be completely opposite of what another golfer thinks. With that being said, as golfers... we know that Titleist, Callaway and probably Nike have the best balls availabl,e and a price tag to go with them. These are huge companies, with huge R & D labs to test and try the most cutting-edge applications to golf balls.

Titleist Golf Balls
Titleist golf balls are the most known from a brand standpoint. The Titleist Pro V1 is by far the top of the heap and what a majority of the PGA Players have in their bags. I really enjoy playing with this ball, unfortunately if your swing is off that day, it can be an expensive round of golf. I also find I scuff up Pro V's pretty quickly which is disappointing for the price you pay. Will this ball make or break your score? Probably not, if you're a 10 handicap or higher.
The next step down is the NXT Tour and Regular ball. I've played with them a couple of times, and found them to feel a bit hard (especially after playing the Pro V1). Overall I thought it was a good ball, and would play it again, but it would not be my personal, first choice golf ball to put in my bag.

The DT Solo is the bottom rung for Titleist. I have never played with this ball until I launched this site and had to break down and buy a three-pack for this review. Titleist says, "The Titleist DT SoLo golf ball applies a high-lift design to maximize distance for golfers with average and moderate swing speeds seeking the ultimate combination of distance with soft feel and guaranteed cut-proof durability." I personally didn't like how hard it felt when putting. I had no feel on the greens with this ball.

Callaway Golf Balls
The Callaway Golf Balls are the balls I usually play, if I'm just hacking it around and not taking it too seriously. The top of the line Call Golf Ball is their HX Tour Golf Ball. I have played this ball on several occasions and must say it is comparable to the Titleist Pro V1. It has great feel on the greens; moderate spin, but stops very quickly on the green; and feels nice off the putter face. I would call it a toss up between the Pro V1 and the HX Tour Golf Ball!
The next one down is the HX Hot Golf Ball. This is the ball I play 80% of the time. Mostly because I can bite the $25 per case cost a lot easier than the $40 per case Pro V1 or HX Tour Ball. This ball gives me nice distance, with moderate action on the greens. It is a little harder feeling with the putter, but when I play it most of the time, I don't notice it as much. This is a good ball for the mid-handicap golfer.

Then you've got Big Bertha and Warbird Balls. Much harder feeling, with minimal action when hitting the green. Feels like a rock off the putter face. I bought a three-pack for this review of both of these, but would not buy them again. The high handicapper might like it, and the price is very reasonable.

Nike Golf Balls
Nike has a ton of balls. Their top balls are the Nike One Black and Platinum. Even though I have been a Nike consumer my whole like, I am not with their golf products. I did go out and buy the two above balls and have to say they are very good. In fact, I was surprised how much I like them. They are priced with the Pro V1's, so are a bit steep. Definitely more for the low single-digit golfer. Nike One golf balls are definitely worth a look.

The next teir is the Nike Excite, Mojo and Distance golf balls. I have never played any of these balls, but again, got a three pack of each and alternated them throughout a round of golf. As you can probably imagine, it took me several rounds of golf to play all the mentioned balls on this page. I was not thrilled with the Mojo or Distance balls, but the Excite was not bad. I am so partial to my Callaway's and Pro V1's, that it is hard to give a good look at the other, but again, for the high handicapper, not a bad choice. Priced between $24 and $16 won't hurt your wallet too much!