Green Opium and the World's Biggest Golf Market

"Golf is like a drug".

You've probably heard that before. In fact you may have even said it yourself a few times. Those times when you simply couldn't say no to a round despite a plethora of extremely urgent projects... or the times when you began to think of, and lust for, your next round in the car on your way home from the course. Yep we've all been there.

The Chinese have a name for this phenomena: Green Opium, and apparently, it's becoming a bit of an epidemic in the new China... and than means an enormous pent-up demand for everything golf.

The thing is, China's in a league of it's own when it comes to population. Despite planning programs and one-child rules, China's population is over 1.25 billion. One out of every five people on the planet are living in China! That's going to be a huge market for anything, but when it comes to golf, the Chinese seem to have a particular ...affinity. Or maybe it's the fact that golf was banned for decades during the cultural revolution and is just now being reintroduced in a big way, but the rapidly growing Chinese middle class is taking up golf in droves ...and then some. The golf club manufacturing sector already uses up a 10th of the country's annual titanium demand, although golfers make up less than 0.1 percent of China's population. That's pretty impressive. Then there's ultra cute Chinese golf star Zhang Lian Wei and mega golf resort Mission Hills in Shenzhen, China. To me it all adds up to a country that'll be a golf force to be reckoned with in the years to come. With golf, like with almost everything else when it comes to China, there seems to be almost no limit to what is possible.

I'm just wondering how long it'll take me to learn Mandarin.

Presenting Golf Girl TV!

Click to Play

The first episode. An overview of what's to come on Golf Girl TV.

OK, this is huge! Getting this first episode made, and up on the Internet (all by myself, I might add) was an undertaking. Because there's definitely a learning curve associated with each. step. of the process. And if you've seen me play golf you already know I'm not good at learning curves. But here it is.

That said, it's far from perfect; it's only an intro really... and it's almost 5 minutes long. From now on I want to try for under 3. And, I've got to stop reading the teleprompter. Damn. I've definitely got to work on lighting and sound and other production qualities...upgrade my equipment a bit a lot...but that'll happen...and I've got I've so many great ideas for future episodes!

There are still a number of issues I need to resolve with hosting, etc. I'll let you know as I resolve those, but now that I've gotten the initial (annoying) learning curve out of they way, the show is just going to get better and better. Currently Itll be here, and on GolfGirltv.com as well as on Bliptv, which is a great place to host videos (thanks Joe C).

And there'll be a new episode every week. Uh-oh...I better get started on next week's show!

Golf Girl TV Premiere Postponed till Tomorrow

Oops! Due to various minor technical difficulties, such a me not being able to figure out exactly how to get the video from my computer to...wherever, the premiere of Golf Girl TV had been postponed. Till tomorrow. Hopefully.

Please accept our apologies for this delay.

Sincerely,
The Staff of Golf Girl TV.
(In other words, me)

Golf Girl TV - Premiere Later Today !

If I ever finish editing, that is. Editing is a total pain in the ass derriere, BTW.

It's 2:00am right now, and I'm sort of falling asleep, so I'll have to finish up tomorrow.

See, the problem is... today was gorgeous here in CT and I couldn't resist playing 9 holes after work...then having a glass of wine...or two...at the cafe. And now I'm up at 2:00am. Well, the show must go on, but g'night for now.

My Dubai Golf Lust Continues

For some time now I've had a bit of an obsession with all things Dubai. After all, I love over-the-top, at least from a distance. And subtle is something I aspire to only when I feel it's 100% necessary, like at a funeral. Otherwise, the bigger, the brighter the more breathtaking...the better. In my book, anyway.

So Dubai, that sparkling playground on the Arabian Peninsula, the fastest growing city in the world, was naturally going to attract my attention, and once my golf obsession kicked in last year, it became even more alluring. Because Dubai is golf central for the Middle East, with high profile tournaments, high level resident golfers and major golf developments slated for completion by the end of the decade.

On the other side of this double edged sword however, I've read a couple of recent articles about the rising cost of playing in Dubai. Indeed it seems a new imposed government fee has made Dubai one of the most expensive places in the world to play a round of golf. Unfortunately, it looks like my trip may have to be postponed for the forseeable future. Ouch. I hate unrequited lust!

Dottie Pepper is so Unsubdued

She's outspoken and controversial and she's a women's golf champion. Her 19-under-par finish in the 1999 Kraft Nabisco Championship still stands as the lowest score in relation to par in a major championship. And that's just one among many career wins.

At the Solheim cup recently she made a "poor choice of words", and these days she's generating almost almost as much buzz as Oscar de la Hoya in Drag. And that's saying something.

Welcome Back Golferette!

I thought she had abandoned the fairways of the the blogosphere for greener pastures greens... In fact the other day, I reluctantly removed her blog from my seriously overweight blogroll.

Fortunately though, The Fairway Flapper is now back to writing about golf. It turns out her absence was just a hiatus bought on by a blogging-at-work scolding incident (I can relate to that, big-time) and an ulra-busy summer.

Lizzy's latest post is about Golf Meet-ups and what a great way they are to get together with a group of golfers in your area for outings and events. I just checked in my area and found several within easy driving distance and each had it's own unique theme and flavor. I'm definitely signing up for this one.

And that's the thing I like about The Fairway Flapper. She finds really fun golf stories. And as you may have guessed, I love a fun golf story. So get Lizzy back on your list!

A Re-MARK-ably Cute Golf Accessory

I love ladybugs and I love butterflies, and this is the season for both. At least here in Connecticut it is. The little critters are all over the place. So it's the perfect time to get one of these adorable magnetic ballmarkers. They're on sale too, at EastCoast Golf Sales.

Nick, who always marks his ball with an out-of-circulation French 20 centimes coin, called the colorful designer markers "silly". Well, I just ordered the re-MARK-able yellow butterfly, so there Mister.

Golf Girl Nikki Garret - She's Not a Slut, Guys

Yes she's extraordinarily sexy, but that doesn't mean she's "a prostitute". Or that "she's sexually promiscuous" or "so lustful she likes having sex on a golf course." A recent unauthorized spread in testosterone-drenched, uber-randy Zoo Weekly magazine more than implied as much, and now Nikki's suing.

The catalyst for Zoo's salacious story seems to have been the stunning photo of Nickki taken for the 2007 Women of Professional Golf calendar. A photo that showed her wearing the cutest lavender golf outfit ever! Evidently the zoo guys hardly noticed the outfit, but what do they know about fashion, right?

In addition to being gorgeous, the 23 year old Nikki is an extraordinarily talented golfer. She was my Golf Girl of the Week back in early May when she clinched back-to-back wins in Spain.

Well, we'll see how the case goes for Nikki. She's undoubtedly acquired lots of new fans since this story broke, the problem is that many of them are probably not at all interested in her golf game. Oh well, guys are sooo immature. We all know that, don't we?

Hand Held Golf Video Analysis is Here - and I Want It

Almost a year ago I posted lustfully about the Nokia N93 Golf Edition, expounding on the awesome features of the phone and its Pro Session Golf Software...and lamenting the fact that it wouldn't be available here in the US for "quite a while". Well, "quite a while" is relative, and yesterday... a bit ahead of schedule... I received a press release from Helsinki announcing a new downloadable version of the Pro Session Golf video analysis application that takes the fierce Golf Edition functionality global. While last year it was launched as part of the "European only limited Nokia N93 Golf Edition", the new global version works on expanded device range. It's compatible with several members of Nokia’s gorgeous (my adjective) N family 95,73, 93, and 93i, to be exact.

Yes sure, the iphone seduced me momentarily, but Nick accaparated mine before I could take it out of its box. Don't ask me how the fbleeeepk he managed that, but the fact is he now owns it and proudly flaunts its virtual scorecard app. Well, I'll just let him enjoy my his iphone. I'm getting a Nokia NSeries. I'm not sure which one yet, maybe the 93i, but once I decide I'm downloading the the Pro Session and I'll be the one flaunting.

I've always loved Nokia, and Nokia is hugely involved with golf - Nokia NSeries is an official sponsor of the PGA European Tour. The phones have top notch video cameras too, which I can definitely use for the nascent Golf Girl TV. Yep, no doubt about it, I want this.

Birthdays are Like Golf...

...much more fun if you don't keep count.

Golf Girl's Diary turns ONE today! I can't believe I've been writing about golf for an entire year. And playing for two seasons! The state of my game? Um, let's not go into that right now. Suffice to say I've got lots planned for the next twelve months! Including continued work on my game, several unique golf trips, stories galore and ... the imminent debut of Golf Girl TV.

Thanks so much for visiting GGD during the past year. I hope you'll stop by often during the coming months and I welcome you to check out GGTV starting September 26th.

I promise to keep it fun, flirty and fashionable!

The Fedex Cup - Tiger's Not the Only Winner

As the dust settles on the the first ever Fedex Cup I see more than one winner emerging.

There's Tiger Woods, that's for sure. Clinching the Tour Championship... and The Cup... with characteristic ease, he confirmed (as if confirmation was needed) that he's simply the best.

Then there's the event itself. Much maligned over the past months, in retrospect, even early doubters and naysayers now admit it produced some awesome late season golf and just about everyone agrees it's here to stay.

Finally, there's proud golf grandmom, Abby Clausen from Nashville, TN. She submitted the winning recipe in the Fedex Cup Cocktail Contest! Inspired by her hometown hero Brandt Snedeker, the PGA tour rookie who made it down to the final 30. "Brandt is a sweet and delightful young man" Abbey wrote, "...and this drink matches his fun loving personality". Abby then told an endearing tale of Brandt signing autographs at an area tournament and joking with her grandson, who at that moment, decided to pursue golf seriously. Now he's co-captain of his high school golf team.

So The Snedeker Snickers Cocktail won for it's imaginative combination of ingredients and for it's compelling connection to the golfer who inspired it.

Snedeker Snickers Cocktail

Ingredients:

1 ounce vodka
1 ounce white creme de cacao
1 ounce dark creme de cacao
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 teaspoon chocolate syrup
Crushed ice

Combine all ingredients and blend until smooth, serve in an old fashioned glass.

Many thanks to everyone who entered. All 48 recipes, and notes on the golfers who inspired them, will be featured in my book, Fedex Cup Cocktails. Look for it here later this year.

Natalie Gulbis & the Solheim Slumber Party

As much as I love Natalie Gulbis, I must admit, I sometimes avoid her awesome website. There's just too much beautiful blondness for me to handle. Every time I peruse her pages I end up at my hair colorist, begging him to transform me into the blonde I was meant to be. And the results are always disastrous. My brunette genes are just too dominant. I mean, I've seen Asian, Indian and African girls who can do blonde better than I can... Christie Kerr, Paula Creamer, Morgan Pressel, Brittany Lincicome...same thing. They all have that blonde-lust effect on me. So I've been sticking with Nicole Castrale sites thus avoiding the bastions of blondness and yet another hair color horror.

A couple of days ago however, a post in The Golf Blog tempted me back to Natalie's world and I was rewarded with a wonderfully detailed day-by-day account of life with Team USA as they get ready for the intense competition of the Solheim Cup. Well, despite the inevitable jet lag and the spector of a showdown with Team Europe, these girls seem to been having a blast. They're doing all kinds of fun things together, like putting on make up, getting dolled up for a big gala, playing ping pong and pool with the caddies, wearing really cute outfits, exchanging awesome gifts...Natalie's lyrical account made it sound like one big golf girl slumber party. I almost expected her posting to finish with a playful pillow fight!

As we know though, these girls are serious golfers; professionals of the highest level, and it hasn't been all fun and games. The team has already spent numerous hours on the pristine fairways and greens of Sweden's Halmstad Golfklubb, strategizing together, mapping their games with their caddies, and practicing. The competition promises to be intense, and I look forward to watching it live on the Golf Channel this weekend.

I'm also hoping for a few more posts from Natalie...and maybe even that pillow fight.








Oh, BTW, one of the girls above has an appointment with her hair colorist tomorrow.

Awesome Amy ... Sabbatini-esque Golf Blogger

I read about Amy's golf blog on Heather's golf blog and I'm sooo glad I did, because Rory's wife can really write! Her pre-Tour Championship blog is lyrical and engaging in a way many golf blogs (including this one, at times) are not. Granted, the girl has an inside track and I imagine she's got some excellent sources, but it's the way she makes the PGA inner sanctum seem so accessible that make this such a great read. In a voice so down-to-earth and casual that's almost disarming, Amy sets the scene leading up to the Tour Championship tomorrow.

After reading Amy's blog, I wandered around on the Rory Sabbatini website for a while, and you know what? It's an excellent site... graphically appealing, easy to navigate, and rendered to provide a truly personal experience with this most controversial golfer, and his colorful entourage. Whether you're a Rory fan or not (and I know a few some many who are not) I urge you to check it out. You might just change your mind. I sure did, and I learned a cool new adjective in the process. And that's so "Sabbatini-esque".

Justin Rose Needs a Drink

Just one little cocktail. OK? After all, he's now Britain's top golfer.

A fifth place finish in the BMW Championship boosted Mr. Rose ahead of Luke Donald and into that top position. And he's the only English golfer in the field for the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta this weekend. So, I'm counting on one of my English readers to create a Fedex Cup Cocktail for this young man. The contest closes at midnight Saturday so get mixing...STAT!

It looks like Justin's going to need that libation...big time. He's never even seen East Lake and he's not going to be able to take a single practice shot prior to Thursday's opening round. The pro-am has even been cancelled. It seems the greens are in extremely "fragile" condition due to a summer drought. So let's wish Justin the best... and let's make sure he has a cocktail named after him.

Southern Ingenuity and a Fedex Cup Cocktail

A friend of mine writes a highly entertaining regional blog called Sex & the South. Well I love the south, and I'm really into I'm not adverse to sex, so I always look forward to her picturesque posts. Her blog's subtitle is: Where Dolce & Gabanna meet Smith & Wesson, so that kind of gives you an idea, right? Well this "Southern Belle with a twist" doesn't play golf herself...yet...but The Gent in her life does. So she pays attention.

Well one of her faithful readers, Don S, read about the Fedex Cup Cocktail Contest in this blog and sent in an awesome redneck cocktail recipe that I just had to share with you. It's called the "Weekley Sledgehammer" and guess which one of the final round golf guys it's named after? Hint: He's the guy Tiger calls his hero.

"Weekley Sledgehammer"

Get an empty one gallon pickle jar. Fill it half full with cracked ice. Pour in a quart of good moonshine, but lacking that, just use a fifth of high-proof vodka. Add the juice from one dozen limes and one cup of confectioner's sugar. Put the lid on the jar, wrap it in a bath towel, and gently shake it until the towel freezes onto the jar.

Pour yourself a drink into a frosted pint fruit jar and enjoy it and one or more others while it's still really, really cold. Stand up and try to walk, and the sledgehammer will conk you on your noggin.

So to speak. Hurry up and create your Fedex Cup Cocktail. The contest closes at midnight on Saturday, 9/15! The remaining golfers are those illustrated in the graphic below! ----->

The Tour Championship - Guys in the Final Round

I don't know about you, but I've got a visual memory. Lists of names and statistics don't do much for me. So I made up this colorful little graphic which presents the 30 players still in the field for the finale of the PGA TOUR FedExCup Playoffs.

It kind of looks like a stamp collection...doesn't it?

From left to right, top row to bottom:

Tiger Woods, Steve Stricker, Phil Mickelson Rory Sabbatini, K.J. Choi,

Aaron Baddeley, Adam Scott, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Sergio Garcia,

Geoff Ogilvy, Zach Johnson, Charles Howell III, Ernie Els, Brandt Snedeker,

Justin Rose, Woody Austin, Mark Calcavecchia, Scott Verplank, Hunter Mahan,

Brett Wetterich, Boo Weekley, John Rollins, Stewart Cink, Jonathan Byrd,

Robert Allenby, Tim Clark, Camilo Villegas, Heath Slocum, Padraig Harrington

Golf is so Unpredictable... Except When it's Predictable

It was Tiger Woods, undisputed Master of the Golf Universe, winning at historically Tiger-friendly Cog Hill.

Yes, this was a predictable one. Predictable, but by no means dull. Aaron Baddeley and Steve Stricker made sure of that. The two, who began the day with a one shot edge, were soon confronted with a Tiger charge. By the time they got through the ninth hole they were sharing that lead with Mr. Woods. But these guys didn't just melt right down ... they made an amazing array of birdies that prolonged the suspense for a couple more holes.

It wasn't till the 12th, when Tiger made a breathtaking showpiece of a birdie, from a 50 foot putt, that the predictable outcome crystallized and Tiger took over to win.

So, despite the predictability, It was very compelling golf. For the third week in a row, yet ooo. The players may be ambivalent about it and the golf writers have torn it apart, but this Fedex Cup playoff thing is working for me.

Golf Guys Can be Ultra Elegant

This photo made my day!

I found it while reading the MAXのClassical GOLF blog. Not reading it actually, because other than the occasional golfing blonde joke, the popular blog is mainly in Japanese and my Japanese, I've got to admit, is rather weak. But I do look at the pictures, and sometimes I'm rewarded with a gem like this.

Arigato Max!

Golf, Controversy & Cocktails

The controversy continues, and it's all about the Fedex Cup.

Again today, there are those insisting that the championship is, in Fedex parlance, "damaged goods" and should be shipped to a trash bin. Some are even speculating the the commish might loose his job over this, though Mr. Finchem himself hardly seems worried.

Personally, I've been enjoying it all... and I'm happy to report that I now have 37 submissions for the Fedex Cup Cockail Contest. There are two weeks to go, and the field is down to 70 players...so get your entry in soon for a chance to win some great prizes...and get some publicity for your blog or website if you've got one. The rules are here and a list of the remaining players is there.

So choose your golf guy and go for it. I can't wait to taste the results.

Dirty, Sexy Money...and Golf...and the Fedex Cup

For the past several weeks it's been alluded to, and hinted at, like a dirty little secret, but today it was made perfectly clear: A deferred annuity is simply not that sexy, even if it's $10 million.

Instead of the delayed gratification of the Fedex Cup annuity, Master of the Universe Tiger Woods, suggested today that it would be better to see the $10 million stacked up at the first tee, World Series of Poker style. That may be one of the changes to expect for the event in 2008...or maybe not. Most agree that there will be changes. The format will be tweaked, communication between players and commissioner's office will be improved, and despite the golf scribbler's grumblings and the top golfer's complaints, this Championship will stick. It takes years to establish tradition and prestige, and the Fedex Cup is just getting started.

The Awesome New England Golf Weekend

There's something decidedly...daunting...about confronting the realities of the work place after the most perfect long weekend imaginable. The projects awaiting completion seem particularly mundane,and tasks "left for later" three short days ago, now cry out for immediate attention. All the while I'm trying to hang onto the memories of those three fleeting days, each one a picture perfect tableau of cobalt blue skies, bright sunshine and cool,dry air. We played golf each day; fun-filled, relaxing rounds, because the courses just weren't that busy. It seems Labor Day barbecues and family gatherings kept the masses occupied. We had sumptuous outdoor dinners on Saturday and Sunday evening and lunch in the garden at our favorite French Bistro yesterday.

Then there was the Deutsche Bank Championship and the memorable golf it yielded. The Tiger/Phil rivalry rekindled. Admittedly, I don't like Phil Mickelson. I don't like him at all, and for a very good reason: he absolutely reminds me of a guy I went out with in high school, who was a jerk. OK, I know it's a visceral reaction, but I can't help it. Every time I see Phil I think of...well I won't go into the sordid details, but suffice to say I find the very sight of Mr. Mickelson quite disturbing. Well, it seems I might not be confronted with those memories of my adolescent misadventures at the BMW Championship next week; Phil's hinting that he might be a no-show.

Damn, he does remind me of my old ex-boyfriend.