10 People (Or So) Who Won’t Win The U.S. Open

Posted on June 11, 2009 by

gesIt’s that time of year again.  With the U.S. Open next week at Bethpage Black…can’t wait… with all due respect to the great and near-great golf scribes in the world, here is B.I.G.s version of 10 (Or So) People Who Won’t Win the Open:

1.  Blair “Wee Man” Leburn- although he has the prodigious length necessary to hit the par fours in two, his other nickname of “nice drive” should be explanation enough on why he would struggle in this most revered championship…plus he’s a fuzzy foreigner

2.  Ed “let’s all paint our faces camo and get a cocktail” Butler-  stopped at security for his Glock 9 to which he replied “What’s your problem?  Never seen a handgun in a shoebag before?”

3.  Michael “Did I tell you how good I hit the ball yesterday?” Scott- always played great the day before which is problematic in a 72-hole event

4.  Ed “where is it, where is it, I can’t see that far” Hardee- just had his bad eye rebuilt which is a shame for those of us who love to tell him his shot went in the water when it’s really pin high 10 feet

 5. “Touchdown”  Tom Bair- all set to head to qualifying but stopped by police for the combination of a strong odor from the bag of Whattaburgers in his travel bag  and the silver golf shoes he was wearing to the airport

6.   Tom “Lanky” Pashley- qualified for several USGA events but will only play those held at Pinehurst #2.  Just doesn’t understand why they don’t just move the Masters to The Deuce

7. Matt “Matty G” Ginella-  too busy working on The Matty G Project- tracking down (stalking) the prettiest cart girls in golf and blogging about it.

8. Patrice Hardee- got the short game but not tall enough to see over the back tees at The Black

9. Mike “The Old Pro” Harmon- liberal Yankee press don’t take kindly to his rants on how if global warming was true how come the greens don’t come back ’til May and he can’t cut that 1-iron like he used to?

10.    Laura ” waive the bleed and you’re over” Sequenzia- backed out of special exemption when told nearest decent Tapas bar over an hour away

11.  John “what’s our tee time tomorow?” Rusher- has completed the Grand Slam numerous times.  Author of the bestseller “How to Attend All Four Majors and The Ryder Cup on $5 a Day.”

12. Jim “Tiger” Woodring- in a spring cleaning frenzy got rid of all but 22 pairs of his golf shoes…not sure that would last the week

13. Marion “The Governor” Moore- a true contender but Open is same weekend as Carolina Dixie 4-ball Senior Team Championship…playing in Walterboro this year, Thatababy!!!

14.  John “another seabreeze if you pleeze” Corder- finds the 6-hour round a little too quick for his taste…just kiddin’ Boogalee.

So, there you have it.  Everybody wants to tell you who will win the Open but only Best In Golf tackles the tough issues.  Cheers and see you on the couch.

Posted in Friends, US Open | 3 Comments

The Golf Pro Diaries Chapter Two: The Rebellion

Posted on June 6, 2009 by

oakAngel Oak CC, so named for the centuries old tree guarding the clubhouse, practically invented the club tournament in the U.S. back in the day when the 2- woods were persimmon and the golf  bags leather.  The cars were black and the golfers white.

The year in the club archives is a matter of some dispute but most old timers agree it was somewhere around 1924 or 1925.  Bobby Jones was the reigning US Open champion, Babe Ruth hit 60 home runs fueled on hot dogs and lager…and Angel Oak was planning  a party…a big one.

Proibition, although in full swing,  was only a slight annoyance at A.O.C.C.  You see  the reigning club champion, Andrews B. Pine III, known to his friends as “Big Pine”, was an excellent engineer by day, but his skills as an amateur bootlegger were legendary in the Lowcountry.

It’s said that a still in the back of  Big Pine’s law office produced the see-through liquid.  But, when mixed with Miss Cheryl Pine’s fresh lemonade, created a concoction which all remembered…at least  the first one but rarely the second.  Many an Angel Oak celebration was fueled by Miss Cheryl’s lemonade, and more than one ended in song.

Big Pine, so named for the sheer size of the man, in addition to an unfortunate incident out on Old Route 17 involving his brand new Nash Rambler and a 60-foot Loblolly, was a natural at golf.  It was reported that after bogeying the first nine holes of the final  match against highly skilled and short game master Tad L. Pole, one gulp of Miss Cheryl’s  lemonade at the turn and Big Pine finished off his victim with nine straight threes and a 10th club championship.

Tad complained briefly to the tournament committee but pretty soon all were sipping the pink mixture, and singing a song of appreciation to the champion.

Fast forward to the current day and not a lot has changed.  Head Pro Spike Lemon is busy finishing up the preperations for the ultimate event at the club…the The Blue and The Grey.

…To be continued

Posted in The Golf Pro Diaries | 4 Comments

The Most Underrated Things In Golf- Live Golf Early in The Morning

Posted on May 19, 2009 by

slDid you watch the Irish Open over the weekend?  If not get it on Netflix.  This was golf as I like it and I know I’m in the minority.

I like to get up on Saturday, and Sunday when I’m all prayed up and don’t need to go to church,  flip on The Golf Channel and watch what will seldom be boring, unless they are playing in Spain that is…the European Tour.

What never gets in the polls of best golf announcers are the undisputed heavyweight champs in the ”let’s send it out to 15″ group–that is Scotland’s Renton Laidlaw and Dougie Donnelly.  These two make me laugh with fewer words than any two humans possible. 

Like when they exchange:

“Don’t cough on me Rent, you might be spreading the swine flu.”

OR 

“Dougie you’re awfully quiet today, a little too much of the grape last night perhaps?” 

I also love the way they call out the nationality of the golfer, for better or worse…like:

“And another VICIOUS  lip-out for the Spaniard!!!”

OR

“The motorway behind the green seems to be off-putting to the Irishman”

They don’t feel the need to talk the entire time and give their audience some credit for knowing a little about how golf douis played…totally foreign to us, pun intended.

The weather was pure Ireland, cold and rainy.  The contestants were Irish, Northern and Regular, Scottish, Swedish, English, Spanish, and French.  But the story of course was Shane Lowry of Northern Ireland or Narn’ Iron’  if he were to say it, a 22-year old amateur known well to Europeans as a phenom…and he more than proved it. 

The fact he had to pass on the half-million Euros after winning in a playoff was such a minor thing in the grand scheme of things, I just hope he realizes that in his youth and holds on as an amateur for a little longer…at least until the Walker Cup at Merion.

Padraig with his three majors, Rory in Dubai, and now Shane?  What’s next…we need to pay attention to find out…and I for one can’t wait.

If you don’t normally watch the European Tour do yourself a favor and give it a try, where you just might hear:

renRenton: “This putt reminds me of an Irish Setter I had as a lad”

Dougie: “Rent, you were never a lad”

Posted in Amateurs, Underrated | 2 Comments

The Best Par Threes in Golf: The 15th at Cypress Point

Posted on May 2, 2009 by

cp-3The 16th hole at Cypress gets more attention than Susan Boyle and is a great hole…in fact it might be the shortest Par 5 in golf 

But the one I like is the one you get to play a few minutes cp-15earlier…number 15.  Cypress was built back in the day when if the land gave you two short holes in a row, that’s what you bulit.  No need for enough space between tee and green for a cathedral with a pool screen.

It’s 90 yards shorter than the next and a whole lot easier because of it…and a lot more fun…it’s a beauty and a Best In Golf.

Posted in Par Threes, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Had To Happen…

Posted on April 15, 2009 by

end1First let me say I love Angel Cabrera…I love the way he won the US Open at Oakmont, smoking a couple Marlboros to calm his nerves.  I love the way his country idolized him after that win and even more that now he’s a cross between George Washington,  Alan Shepherd, and JFK.  And I think it’s super cool.

What I don’t love and never will is the long putter winning a major… If you use a long putter and are like me, a ten posing as a six , it’s cool.  If you win your flight in the Member- Member  or take a few bucks off your pals on a Wednesday after work, have at it. 

But the Masters?  Please.

It took longer than I thought.  It’s a distinct advantage to bury a putter in your stomach under pressure I don’t care what you say, it just is.  Cabrera hit some rediculous shots on Sunday, maybe the worst ever for a winner, but he made the crucial putts.

I know I know the putter is available to all, but that doesn’t make it right…he’s got the Green Jacket, but in my humble opinion, he shoudn’t.

I wish one of the ruling bodies would say “Win the Honda-Northwest-Whatever” with the Belly but not our tournament…grow a pair and you will be Best In Golf.

Posted in Masters | 3 Comments

The Most Underrated Things In Golf…New Grips

Posted on April 9, 2009 by

grips1I just recently aquired a new set of irons…Mizuno MP-52s to be exact.  I forgot what it feels like to play with a real golf club.  Let’s just say they “communicate” with you on all quality of passes, know what I mean?

Anyway, that’s another post.  What I want to tell you about today is whether you are playing with brand new shiny forgings (like moi) or are still clanking it around with your Eye 2 Berylliums, you owe it to yourself to slip on some new grips.

A golf clubs parts are simple.  We spend all of our time looking down at irons seeing how they fit the eye, endless chatter about shafts but why not the part that connects you to the ball?  I don’t know about you but the feeling of a new grip just makes me more confident in the shot.  I may very well lay the sod over another chip on the way to a bogey or worse…but man it felt good doing it.

Golf Pride is the undispted heavyweight champ in the golf handle biz and with good reason.  In fact about 80-90% of the tight pants crowd in Georgia this week will be playing one of the 60+ models they produce.

Take it from B.I.G. and put a little love on yourself this week…go get yourself some new rubber…it’s a Most Underrated Thing In Golf.

P.S. I prefer mine in pink.

Posted in Underrated | Leave a comment

Myrtle Beach Remastered

Posted on March 28, 2009 by

plA couple weeks ago I went to something pretty cool right in the heart of Myrtle Beach.

The Burroughs & Chapin Co, one of MBs biggest companies, probably THE biggest, did something good.  Pine Lakes CC has had a few lives.  It was originally the golf component of  The Ocean Forest Hotel, one of the super-swanky spots that popped up in the roaring twenties.  When the hotel finally met its demise the golf course carried on, although not known as one of the areas must plays.

An interesting sidenote is Sports Illustrated was first discussed by Time Inc execs in the bar at Pine Lakes, pretty neat.

Two years ago B&C closed the “Grandaddy” and rather than pop up a few hundred houses in this most desired area, resurrected the golf course.  So an old standard, the oldest among 100 in Myrtle is back and better than ever.

Posted in Courses, Myrtle Beach | Leave a comment