Coliseum Game

I'll get back to posting about golf tomorrow. However I thought the baseball fans out there might enjoy a couple images from Saturday's Dodgers-Red Sox game at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Dodgers' move to L.A. from Brooklyn.

(Click to enlarge) 
(Click to enlarge)

"But I mostly sat around talking to the guys about stuff guys talk about in locker rooms."

John Huggan talks to Geoff Ogilvy about his win at Doral on the eve of the Masters.

Rain delays during both the third and fourth rounds forced the event into a fifth day, a state of affairs that inevitably weighs heaviest on the man with most to lose, the tournament leader.

"The last thing I wanted was more time to think about what was going on," admits Ogilvy. "Everyone who plays golf knows that the more you think about something the worse it generally gets. So sitting around wasn't great. I just had to sit around and wait because we never knew exactly what was going to happen. My wife and kids came over for a bit.

"But I mostly sat around talking to the guys about stuff guys talk about in locker rooms. Sex and sports basically!

"Having said that, I enjoyed playing in the last group on Saturday, even with the delays. For me, it was an ideal pairing. I play with Adam (Scott] all the time and who doesn't want to play with Tiger in the last group? So that was perfect."

"No, guys, it's normally bigger than this, I swear!"

Connell Barrett talks to David Feherty about his bike accident. While Feherty is in top form comically, this caught my eye:

I was writhing around, unable to breathe. I said to myself, 'If I pass out, am I coming back?' I remember feeling that if this is it for me, I'm not unhappy. I've done all right. I was ready to go, if it was going to happen. I wasn't afraid. I also remember a woman stopping. She came over and held my hand, asking, "Can you hear me?" She stayed with me until the paramedics came. I couldn't talk, but I could listen, and I remember her voice. I haven't been able to find out who she is yet. If you're out there, call me. I'd love to say thank you.

"I Tell You What, Veterans Can Kiss My Ass"

Here's a better version of the Bubba moment at New Orleans. I do believe that's an accurate quote, but I'm open to other interpretations. It's a classic.

"Do you play in a Ponce?"

The Advocate called, they want their travel story back!

Yes, as strange as it was to read a review of a flaming red Mercedes coupe in the April Golf Digest, that oddity was supplanted by Matt Ginella's wince-worthy piece on "Ponces" (groups of straight men going on buddy trips that would set off Dr. Freud's radar). But the whole thing gets even more entertaining with an online video of the not particularly compelling "ambush" of this fabulous, fabulous extravaganza.

Come on, hit the link, you know you like the torture.

Bubba and Elk Agree: The Sennheiser 816 Is The Golf Innovation Of The Year

I'll see if I can get a less Shell's Wonderful World of Golf circa-1962 quality version of this on the rebroadcast, but the audio comes in just fine. Sit back and enjoy the tension, courtesy of reader Chuck! (From round 2 of the Zurich Classic, probably picked up by the same sound instruments detailed earlier this week.)

Update on 2008-03-29 01:45 by Geoff

Well there's more here we don't know because Bubba apologized after his round according to PGATour.com.

Bubba Watson moved quickly to diffuse a tense situation that developed between he and playing partners Steve Elkington and Shigeki Maruyama during the second round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.

After he finished his round, Watson apologized for any misunderstanding that might have happened among the threesome. Watson apparently heard some movement while he was playing a shot and lashed out at Elkington and Maruyama.

"Who knows what (the movement) was,'' he said. "I was already mad for the day and I just took it out on them and I shouldn't have. I want to apologize to everyone in the tournament, whoever heard it, whoever saw it and especially to Steve and Shigeki and their caddies."

Tournament director Arvin Ginn spoke to the three players in the scorer's tent following the round. He said they were "very gentlemanly about the whole thing. They shook hands and there's no incident here.''

Steve Elkington was not asked about the incident in his post round interview. Guess they had the volume turned down in the press center!

"President of what?"

Jeff Rude files this frightening item for the Golfweek tour blog:

Dean Wilson, Zurich Classic first-round leader, grew up in Hawaii. Wilson now knows Barack Obama, presidential candidate, also grew up in Hawaii.  More to the point, Wilson now knows who Obama is.

That wasn't the case in December 2006 when the PGA Tour player was taping a television segment at a daily-fee course on Oahu. Obama also happened to be there that day, playing golf with childhood friends while on vacation.

Someone mentioned to Wilson that that guy over there might be the next president.

"President of what?" the golfer said. "President of the golf club?"

Admitted Wilson later, "I had never heard of him."

And who says professional golfers aren't focused?

Focused?

Nobody will ever accuse Jeff of being rude ever again.

Danny Gans In Mourning: Real Celebs Tabbed For Pre-U.S. Open Reality Show

Larry Dorman scores the exclusive for the New York Times.

Looks like I may have to cut down on my Today Show viewing if past NBC synergistic plugfests are any indication.

Oh and Joe Dey is officially spinning in his grave. Just wish he was there on the first tee to greet JT. And no, I'm not talking about Sweet Baby James. That's right, Mr. Wardrobe Malfunction. Maybe he'll pull Mike Davis's earpiece out?

"There have been preliminary discussions about Erin Hills hosting the event in 2017"

There wasn't much new ground to cover, even for a pro like Gary D'Amato who filed a Golf World profile of Erin Hills. I believe it's the 400th piece recounting the history of the public gem outside Milwaukee designed by Hurdzan-Fry-Whitten. Except this:

The USGA has made no secret it is trying to identify a Midwest course for the U.S. Open, and Erin Hills meets all the criteria. There is plenty of land for infrastructure; it's a public course (green fees are $160); the sandy sub-soil encourages a firm, fast turf; and it can be stretched to a titanium-testing 8,266 yards. (Indeed, multiple sources tell Golf World there have been preliminary discussions about Erin Hills hosting the event in 2017.)

I find it a bit hard to believe they would go there so soon after Chambers Bay, especially since the course needs some pretty significant changes, according to my sources.

"You'll have to don a helmet"

Thanks to reader Matthew for Sue Zesiger Callaway's review of the Segway X2 Golf. If the mere sight or thought of it doesn't horrify you, this should:

Worst of all, if you're playing by the book you'll have to don a helmet, which adds to the already high dork quotient of golf. But considering I have been nicked by an errant ball once before, I suppose it's a style glitch I can live with.

Tulsa CC To Be Reestored

I've never seen this Tillinghast course, wish I had now that Rees Jones will be converting it to one of his own. Anyone played it?

Phil's Driving Drop

Thomas Bonk considers the state of Phil Mickelson's game after his 20th place finish at Doral, and you have to think that this will be straining Phil's relationship with Butch Harmon at some point:

Mickelson has found only 55% of his fairways, down slightly from 2007 and far off his 62.9% in 2004 when he won the Masters for the first time.

He's also averaging 292.3 yards in driving distance, more than eight yards shorter than in 2006 when he won the Masters for the second time.

"If it were celebrity, then that would be fine, but it's not celebrity when all you do is get mocked about it. That's not celebrity."

Jeff Duncan profiles Woody Austin in the New Orleans Times-Picayune, offering this disturbing anecdote:

He became a gallery favorite, where fans kidded him -- "Don't hit it in the water, Woody!" -- and punctuated his shots with cries of "Aquaman," the nickname bestowed upon him by Presidents Cup teammate Phil Mickelson.

Even his playing partners at pro-am events got into the act, showing up at the tee box on three different occasions in swim goggles.

And they wonder why guys don't want to play pro-ams.

At least Woody's honest about it:

"What can you do?" he said Wednesday after his pro-am round at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at TPC Louisiana. "If it were celebrity, then that would be fine, but it's not celebrity when all you do is get mocked about it. That's not celebrity. All I do is get mocked and ridiculed and chided. There's nothing great about it."

"Bring back walking. Play with nine clubs."

Jim Achenbach is advocating playing with fewer clubs, but not as a way to combat distance increases. Instead, he has folks who think it'll make your game better.

"Everyone seems to be pretty split on the idea whether hard is good.”

Geoff Ogilvy, quoted in the final item of Doug Ferguson's notes column:

“Some people walk away thinking, ‘Geez, that course must be great because the pros can’t make any birdies on it.’ Other people walk away saying, ‘Well, that course must be boring to play because the pros can’t make any birdies on it.’ Everyone seems to be pretty split on the idea whether hard is good.”