Golf Secrets

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.

SI model Kate Upton: Family is ‘diehard’ for U-M football

Rory Joseland — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:39:10 +0000

Kate Upton is making the media rounds, promoting her appearance on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition.

One recent appearance was on Colin Cowherd’s show on ESPN Radio.

After Cowherd mistakenly said she attended Michigan, Upton corrected him and said her family consists of “diehard” U-M football fans.

“Every year, we have a huge family reunion after Thanksgiving and go to the Ohio State-Michigan game,” she said.

So be sure to look for her in 2013 in Ann Arbor.

• Related: Upton helps Justin Verlander with video game

• Related: Upton on the cover

Upton, 19, was born in St. Joseph and is the daughter of Niles High athletic director Jeff Upton and the niece of U.S. Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.).

Battle of the Magpies

Luke Vallis — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:27:49 +0000

DORCHESTER Town Reserves begin their Wyvern Challenge Cup campaign with tonight’s visit of Wimborne Town.

The Avenue Stadium clash kicks off at 7.45pm.

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.

Winnipeg not big enough for Jets, Bombers: report

Luke Vallis — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:55:13 +0000

Winnipeg Jets fans cheer as their team plays the Montreal Canadiens during the first period of their NHL hockey game in Winnipeg, Manitoba, October 9, 2011. Some Jets fans have altered the words of Oh Canada.

Kidney makes one change as determined Ireland head to Paris for battle with in-form France

Rory Joseland — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 03:43:22 +0000

IF Ireland are heading to Paris with a deep sense of injustice at the manner of Sunday’s defeat by Wales, they are determined to keep it private.

The disciplinary hearing convened yesterday to examine Stephen Ferris’ final-minute tackle on Ian Evans concluded the incident should not have incurred a penalty, never mind the yellow card or citing that followed.

It was a pivotal call by referee Wayne Barnes as Leigh Halfpenny steered the penalty between the uprights to snatch a last-gasp 23-21 victory for Wales.

The repercussions for Ireland are considerable as they now head to Paris – where they have prevailed just once since 1972 – desperate to rescue their Six Nations.

They may have been robbed of a momentum-building win by Barnes’ decision, but coach Declan Kidney today refused to condemn the official.

“We’re within 48 hours of another match.

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…

Hope that psilocybin may help treat depression

Rory Joseland — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 10:02:50 +0000

Psilocybin is found in psilocybe semilanceata or liberty cap mushrooms (Above) via Shutterstock

There is hope that an active ingredient found in magic mushrooms, psilocybin, could be used to help with the treatment of depression.

Two scientific studies published this week show how activity in certain parts of the brain is subdued by an ingredient found in magic mushrooms, psilocybin. Results from both studies conclude that people exposed to psilocybin have clearer memories, which may provide an insight into the effects of psychedelic drugs on the brain.

Lead author for both of the studies was Professor David Nutt, from Imperial College London.

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…

London officials mull ticket policy for babies

Luke Vallis — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 10:14:47 +0000

LONDON (AP) – Organizers of the 2012 London Olympics said Tuesday they would consider options for new mothers who want to bring their babies into venues, after some parents complained that they have to buy full price tickets for their infants.

The London Organizing Committee made the statement after complaints flooded the British parenting website Mumsnet, with pregnant women who bought tickets for themselves – but not for their unborn children – wondering what they could do with babies who were breast-feeding. They argued that a months-old child would not be taking up a seat of its own.

“Of course we understand that some new mums may want to take their babies to events they have tickets to, and we will look at what we can do when the remaining tickets go on sale in April,” the committee said in a statement.

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.

Lynch to lead Airlie Birds

Rory Joseland — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:13:29 +0000

New signing Andy Lynch has been named as the captain of Hull FC for the 2012 season.

The power of peer pressure

Luke Vallis — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:44:50 +0000

Peer pressure often gets a bad rap, but what about when it’s power is used to promote positive outcomes? Marianne’s guest is journalist Tina Rosenburg. She explores how a range of different programs are using the power of social connection to better our world in her book “Join the Club.”

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.

Steven Pienaar still has a role with Spurs, insists Harry Redknapp

Rory Joseland — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:20:45 +0000

Harry Redknapp has reassured Steven Pienaar and the rest of his fringe players that they can break into the Tottenham first-team in the second half of the season.

Tottenham face Everton at White Hart Lane on Wednesday knowing a victory will put them level with second-placed Manchester United and three points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City.

Redknapp is likely to recall the likes of Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modric and Gareth Bale after resting them for Saturday’s 3-0 FA Cup win over Cheltenham.

That could mean a return to the bench for Pienaar, who has started just five league games for Spurs and been linked with a return to Everton on loan, but Redknapp has told the 29-year-old that he can still force his way into his first-team plans.

“Players like Pienaar and (Niko) Kranjcar are good players and they can get in the team,” Redknapp said.

Terras face a test of character

Luke Vallis — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 22:31:28 +0000

BRENDON King has branded tomorrow’s trip to Arlesey Town (3pm) as a huge test of character for his in-form side.

Weymouth, who beat high-flying AFC Totton 3-1 last Monday, have taken 10 points from their last four games and are odds on to continue the momentum at Hitchin Road this weekend. <