Golf Secrets » Golf Tips

Gary Christian makes PGA Tour after selling knives and sleeping in van

Ben Paramor — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:28:09 +0000

A lot has been said and written about the luxury life on the US PGA Tour but none of it strikes a truer note than the words of Gary Christian as he walks down Pebble Beach’s famous 18th hole: “It sure beats selling knives.”

It sure does. Behind Christian, the Pacific Ocean crashes into the rocks of the Monterey coast. Ahead of him stretches a world of possibility. “It sounds a little bit daft, but I truly feel that I am being preserved for something really good,” he says. “I get right to the point where it seems that I might be at the end of the rope and then something good happens.”

Given the peripatetic career of the 40-year-old Englishman, it is hard to deny him his spiritual optimism.

Our star courses deserve better ranking system

Ben Paramor — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:15:31 +0000

LET’S find a better way to rank our golf courses — that’s the message from course architect and former Irish Close champion Declan Branigan.

Branigan, a former international who won the Irish title twice, the West of Ireland championship on two occasions and two East of Irelands, is not a fan of golf courses being rated in numerical order.

As a course designer and golfer, the Louth man appreciates the quality of all kinds of golfing facilities, and feels that the system of ‘top 100 rankings’ favoured by golf magazines is unfair.

What is particularly interesting, is that Branigan has been a member of those ranking list panels, so he has inside knowledge on the strengths and limitations of the exercise.

His biggest problem with the system is the potential financial cost to golf clubs, particularly those rated well down the list.

One conversation he had with a group of Scandinavian visitors to Seapoint illustrates the point.

Decision

“I asked them straight out how did they make their choice of courses to play in Ireland and they said: ‘We google the top courses, then we select the region we want to visit, then we look at the courses we will play in that region and then we make our decision purely on the rankings’.

“And I said to them, ‘would you not try some other courses that locals might recommend?’, and they just said, ‘look man, we are over here for eight days.

Golfing Holidays in Ireland

admin — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:36:57 +0000

If you’ve ever wanted devote a one-year sabbatical to nothing but playing golf in Ireland, you can. Ireland has well over 400 courses in seven regions, packed into a country the size of Maine. You could play a on different golf course every day for a year and still have a number of undiscovered gems waiting. If a typical three-day or seven-day golf holiday makes a better fit for your schedule, you can play courses designed more than 100 years ago, such as the Old Course at Lahinch Golf Club in County Clare, in Shannon, on Ireland’s southwest coast. Read more…

Tiger Woods fighting fit and back in the game ahead of the Abu Dhabi Championship

Ben Paramor — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:47:44 +0000

And yet this is precisely the vision that greets us here in Abu Dhabi: a revitalised Woods, fiercely focused on reclaiming his supremacy and proving that last month’s victory in Los Angeles – his first anywhere for 749 days – was no aberration.

As if that prospect were not tantalising enough, Woods starts his first tournament of 2012 in a threeball alongside the men most likely to upstage him, Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy. It is difficult to recall a trio blessed with quite so much stardust. When they tee off together at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club at 7.40am on Thursday, and again at 12.05pm on Friday, they should galvanise the galleries in the Gulf like never before.

< Read more…

Ex-golfer busted in child porn sting

Ben Paramor — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:22:29 +0000

Steve Thomas, a former Champions Tour player, was arrested in an undercover Internet child sex sting in Florida, Golfchannel.com reported Tuesday.

Thomas was one of 40 people arrested in Kissimmee, Fla.

Detectives posed as juveniles, parents or guardians in online chat rooms and instant messaging programs, luring suspects to a location in Osceola County with the purpose of having sex with a minor.

Thomas was listed by the Sheriff’s Office as Stephen Wesley Thomas, 55, of Meridian, Miss. His occupation was listed as “professional golfer.”

Thomas played in 44 events on the PGA Tour, making 13 cuts. He played in 34 Champions Tour events with two career top-10s. He last played a full schedule in 2009.

Tiger Woods to start US Tour season at Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February

Ben Paramor — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:17:08 +0000

Tiger Woods will make his 2012 US PGA Tour debut at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am next month.

For Woods, who is kickstarting his 2012 campaign at the Abu Dhabi Championship on 26-29 January, it will be his first appearance in the tournament, which runs from 9-12 February, since 2002.

“It will be fun going back,” Woods said on his website. “It’s always been one of my favourite spots.”

The winner of 71 US PGA Tour titles and 14 major championships last played at Pebble Beach in the 2010 US Open, when he tied for fourth.

Woods ended the 2011 season by winning the Chevron World Challenge, an unofficial 18-man event he hosted, to end a two-year winless drought while he struggled for fitness and form, with his private life in tatters.

Slumpdog millionaires

Ben Paramor — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 07:32:11 +0000

FOR every Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy hitting the high notes in the world of golf there’s a slump dogging some of the sport’s most famous multi-millionaires — and that’s no fun at all.

Truly this game giveth and then taketh away. Once the magic fades and the golf ball no longer obeys the wishes of its owner, it sets up a chain reaction that can result in a seemingly unstoppable meltdown.

All golfers, particularly professionals, are destined to suffer a drop in form at some point.

The big problems arise when what started as a blip, then evolved into a run of bad luck and then a bad year, transmutes into a downward spiral that seems irreversible.

Of course, it’s all relative.

World No 1 Luke Donald put in the shade by Ian Poulter’s openig 65 at Australian Masters

Ben Paramor — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:27:15 +0000

Poulter fired a six-under-par 65 at Victoria Golf Club to gain a one-stroke advantage over local hopeful Ashley Hall.

Peter Lonard, Jarrod Lyle and Matthew Giles were among six players on 67, one shot clear of Rod Pampling and Richard Green and two ahead of Donald.

Australian Greg Chalmers, looking to add another trophy after his recent Australian Open and Australian PGA titles, matched Donald’s 69, while defending champion Stuart Appleby returned a 70 after deciding only at the last minute that he was fit to play.

Nathan Green’s 69 included the shot of the day when he holed his second from the fairway for eagle at the par-four third.

Donald closes in on money title

Ben Paramor — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:36:04 +0000

DUBAI – Barring a miracle, Luke Donald will make history on Sunday.

Alvaro Quiros had his lead cut in half to two after three rounds of the Dubai World Championship on Saturday, but Donald moved into fourth place with a six- under 66 and is well on his way to winning the Race to Dubai.

If things play out as expected, Donald will become the first player in history to win the money title on both the European and PGA Tours in the same year.

Donald, the world’s top player, had a flawless round to move four shots off Quiros’ mark of 14-under 202 and needs to finish in the top nine to ensure the historic title. Furthermore, Rory McIlroy would need to win the tournament to have Donald squander the opportunity, but the reigning U.S.

Graeme McDowell holds narrow lead over Westwood and pack at Sun City

Ben Paramor — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 18:10:57 +0000

Graeme McDowell will take a one-shot lead into Saturday’s third round of the Nedbank Golf Challenge in Sun City.

McDowell overcame a double-bogey seven on the 14th to card a five-under-par 67 at the Gary Player Country Club.

At seven under par the former US Open champion tops a crowded leaderboard in South Africa with Lee Westwood – the defending champion – Martin Kaymer, Robert Karlsson and Jason Dufner all one shot behind.

Luke Donald is five shots off the pace after a 72 left the world No1 two under alongside the home favourite Charl Schwartzel. The

McIlroy and McDowell 68 lift Ireland in World Cup

Ben Paramor — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:38:51 +0000

IRELAND joined Australia at the top of the World Cup leaderboard after a 68 from Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell in today’s foursomes lifted them to 13 under par.

Starting the day two behind overnight leaders Australia, the Irish duo produced six birdies and two bogeys in the alternate shot format at the Mission Hills Resort on Hainan Island in China.

It moved them level with Richard Green and Brendon Jones, who posted a 70. Scotland, meanwhile, are one off the pace on 12 under following a 69.

“Today was good,” McIlroy told reporters.

“Both of us are very pleased about the score that we ended up shooting today. Read more…

Greg Chalmers wins Australian Open as Tiger Woods finishes third on return to form

Ben Paramor — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 09:52:53 +0000

The Australian left-hander made five birdies in a closing round of 69 and edged out compatriot John Senden by a solitary stroke after the latter’s long birdie putt at the last curled just around the back of the hole.

Former world No 1 Tiger Woods’ return to form saw him finish third, two shots behind Chalmers, but after finishing with an impressive 67 he would have been rueing missed opportunities during his third round of 75 yesterday.

Defending champion Geoff Ogilvy stormed home with a sizzling 65 to finish in a five-way tie for fourth place, while Adam Scott (68) was among the group of players at nine under.

Woods: I was lucky to be selected

Ben Paramor — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:14:03 +0000

SINGAPORE – Former world number one Tiger Woods said on Thursday he was fortunate to have been picked by U.S. captain Fred Couples for the Presidents Cup defence in Australia later this month.

Woods, winner of 14 majors and considered one of the finest players ever, has tumbled to 56th in the world rankings and not won a single title since the explosive revelation of his marital infidelities at the end of 2009.

The dramatic collapse has left many questioning his inclusion by Couples ahead of the likes of U.S. PGA Championship winner Keegan Bradley for the matches against an International team at the Royal Melbourne club from Nov. 17-20.

“I’m honoured to be picked,” Woods, who has played every Presidents Cup since 1998, told reporters in Singapore on Thursday.

Rory McIlory must let his golf, not his agents, build his brand | Lawrence Donegan

Ben Paramor — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 01:16:49 +0000

Never in the history of professional golf has an agent won a major championship or played in the Ryder Cup, or signed a multimillion-pound deal to display the name of a bank on his shirt, which makes this week’s fuss surrounding Rory McIlroy’s decision to swap one Mr 10% for another all the more curious.

Why should anyone care that Andrew “Chubby” Chandler of International Sports Management has been dumped for Conor Ridge of the Dublin-based company Horizon Sports? The two men at the centre of golf’s most talked about tug-of-war may have different profiles, personalities and business methods, but even they would agree that McIlroy will make a ton of money whoever is running his business affairs.

The reason for that is McIlroy himself.

Red-hot Hoey sparkles in Spain

Ben Paramor — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 01:18:02 +0000

MICHAEL HOEY has been made to feel as much at home at the Castello Masters this week as tournament host and local hero Sergio Garcia, so warm has been the reaction of friends and colleagues on the European Tour to the Ulsterman’s recent Dunhill Links victory.

This week is Hoey’s first outing since he eclipsed a world-class field, including compatriots Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, at St Andrews and he performed with the same poise, class and confidence during yesterday’s opening round at the Club de Campo del Mediterraneo.

Even when misfortune reared its ugly head and Hoey stumbled to a bogey on the tricky par-three 16th and a double bogey on the difficult 17th, the 32-year-old bounced back in style, holing a 40-foot putt from the fringe for his seventh birdie of the day at the last.

The broad smile of satisfaction said it all after Hoey signed for a 67 which left him with a share of third place on four-under par with six others, including Garcia, whose own form yesterday fuelled hope in the 31-year-old’s home town that his three-year title drought on the world’s top tours may soon end.

LEAD

The lead was held by England’s Ross McGowan, who for the second time in three weeks illuminated an otherwise desperate season with a first-round 64. Read more…

Tiger Woods’ hot dog attacker said he took inspiration from Ryan Gosling film Drive

Ben Paramor — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:44:18 +0000

Brandon Kelly of Petaluma, California, told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat on Tuesday that he was the man who threw the hot dog and he’s a fan of Woods.

Kelly even went as far to say that he hopes the 14-time major champion eventually breaks golf great Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 major titles.

However, he said he formed the idea for the dubious gesture after watching the movie “Drive,” in which Ryan Gosling stars as a stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver.

“I threw the hot dog toward Tiger Woods because I was inspired by the movie ‘Drive,’” Kelly told the newspaper.