The fun, flirty, fashionable golf blog - We cover golf for women & men... competitive players & casual fans, living the golf lifestyle. Golf is our passion.
At their simplest infographics are merely charts or graphs, but they can also be compelling works of an illustrator's art.
The Masters begins in a week and already it's THE major topic of conversation in golf. The tournament's distinctive history and unique traditions... combined with the wealth of statistics that come out of it each year makes it quiet "infographically friendly".
A bit later today... 12noon ET to be exact... I'll be joining Golf Goddess Margarit Brigham of Enlightened Golfer to talk about... golf.
We'll discuss the state of the recreational game... on course and online... and we'll touch upon some of awesome organizations that are working to make golf more accessible. Particularly for women. We'll talk about how golf media has grown exponentially, and share links to some of the great new golf publications (digital and traditional). ~ The show can be heard live at 12:00 on Blog Talk Radio.
Or if you're not free you can download the file and listen at your leisure. I'm sure it'll be a fun and enlightening time.
The first thing I thought of were the headlines it would produce. Any time a golfer has a last name that's also a word, things can get ...well... weird. Who'll ever forget the Jim Nantz reciting Bette Midler in honor of Justin Rose debacle, right? Needless to say, I was expecting the worst. -->
A couple of decades ago Playa del Carmen was the small, sleepy fishing village tourists passed through on their way to Cozumel. Now it's the center of the Mexican Rivera, and has itself become a mecca for travelers seeking a south-of-the-boarder holiday on the Caribbean Sea. Playa offers Mayan ruins, beautiful beaches and golf. Lots of golf.
Two human years, it's been theorized, is like 10 in blog years, which means Golf Girl's Diary is approaching 45... and I realized a few days ago that the time had come for a facelift.
I didn't want to do anything radical, just a quick fix to reverse the signs of aging... without down time or risk of complications, if you know what I mean...and if you've ever inadvertently messed up the coding on your blog, you do.
. It was boorish question, but Tiger Woods didn't hesitate to answer it.
Asked who he'd most like to follow among the next generation if he were a fan at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the answer came quickly: "For me personally, I would go watch Ryo"
Tiger then attempted to explain the unique appeal of the Japanese superstar, mentioning basic characteristics like his gentle demeanour and the purity of his putting stroke.
My first official round of golf took place in France, on a municipal course just outside of Paris, and my biggest cheerleader in learning the game has been a Frenchman. That same Frenchman is also my favorite and at times most annoying playing partner. The French Open, back in 2007, was my first time at a professional golf tournament.
Remember last week I told you about the social media golfers in Spain who've launched Twittour, a Twitter-based golf tour? Well the Twittour website was designed by one of those golfers, David Amezqueta, and a couple of days ago he sent me the above rendering of... @GolfGirl. She's a whimsical Marge Simpson look-alike who clearly loves the color pink.
David is from Pamplona and has his own blog, Mike Belindo, where he talks about golf and life... and features many of his own illustrations. It's in Spanish of course, but even if you don't understand the language it's still a fun blog to look at... and if you hang around there often enough David might just do a portrait of you.
Her fourth place finish today at the inaugural RR Donnelley LPGA Founders Cup means that her designated charities will share in the $1 million all-charity purse. Not surprisingly, Birdies for Breast Cancer the charity she founded five years ago and has worked for tirelessly, will get one half of her $40 thousand winnings. The other half will go to The Muhammed Ali Parkinson's Charity.
On Saturday evening Cristie received the prestigious Muhammad Ali Award for Sports Achievement at a glittery gala, hosted by the legendary three-time World Heavyweight Champion. The evening honors leaders in sports, entertainment and business who, like the iconic boxer, exemplify a winning spirit and singular generosity.
Celebrity Fight Night has been held annually for almost two decades and has raised over 65 million dollars for Parkinson’s research. It's universally recognized as one of the country's top charity events and, year after year, it attracts the world's brightest stars for an incredible live auction and extraordinary performances by top entertainers.
Cristie looked stunning in a in firey red one-shoulder evening gown and sat with fellow honoree Halle Berry who, it turns out, is quite obsessed with... golf. In fact Ms. Berry hosts her own charity golf classic. ~ I'm guessing the actress may have asked for a couple of tournament tips from the golf star.
The LPGA now moves on to Los Angeles for the Kia Classic.
Photo of Cristie Kerr: Michael Buckner/Getty Images, North America
Several days ago Ryo Ishikawa posted a message on his blog for the people of Japan. One of my Japanese friends, Noriko Imano, told me about it and supplied her translation.
Even though I'm in the US, I can feel that people in Japan keep calm and cooperate closely. I'm very proud of this as a Japanese, from the bottom of my heart. At the same time, I've been thinking what I can do as a professional golfer. I'm far from Japan now, but I'd like to send words to encourage people in Japan who are fighting fears. When you wish very strong, it surely comes true. If everyone tries his best for what he/she has to do, good things will happen finally. I really believe so. This is the time when Japan and the world should be tied closely.
For Noriko... and for the other Japanese people I've spoken with... this message was both comforting and inspiring. It resonated with both young and old... in cities and in the countryside.
Over the past several days, the international press has collectively marveled at the Japanese sense of community and connectedness. Many have noted the absence of disorder, looting and lawlessness because in most of the rest of the world the reaction to disaster has looked quite different.
On September 11, 2001 I was working for the US branch of a French fine art publishing company. We had dozens of clients in downtown Manhattan, some just blocks from where the World Trade Center stood. I called each one of them in the dark days that followed the collapse of the twin towers and, one after another, they told me that their main concern in the wake of the of the attacks, was looting. Some resisted leaving their shops despite the chalky dust that that lined the streets and hung in the air and acrid smoke from the still-burning rubble. By the time I made my way down to see these clients several days later, the dusty streets had been cordoned off and the National Guard had been brought in to provide security. I passed through check points to get to the small galleries and shops and visit with the beleaguered shopkeepers. Ultimately, there were few reports of lawlessness the aftermath of 9/11... and many stories of courage and kindness... but the fear of looting was very real, and many of the natural disasters that occurred in the decade that followed 9/11... in widely disparate countries... produced reports of looting and price gauging.
Japanese culture, and the way the Japanese people are handling this monumental disaster... their civility, equanimity and respect for order... has become a huge part of the story these last days and the calm cooperation that Ryo referenced with pride in his message home, has captured the attention of the world. Earlier today I received a message from Noriko that linked me to an article in Golf Digest Online, Japan. It featured the above photo from yesterday's Pro-Am at theTransitions Championship .
"Here is Ryo at Pro-Am in Ryo's color. According to the article of Golfdigest, during Pro-Am, Ryo's driver shots were not very good, so, he practiced driver at the practice range till 7pm. He was the last person who left the range."
Editor's Note: If you read this blog regularly, you probably know I've been Ryo fan for years. In fact I first wrote about him almost four years ago ashe prepared to compete at Junior Worldand I've written himdozens of times since. It's been awesome to see him do so well.Ai Miyazato, Mika Miyazato, Makoto TakemuraandRyo's sister Yokoamong them. I loveJapanese golf fashionandaccessoriestoo and had been planning to get over there this summer. That may have to be put off for a bit but in the meantime I'm working on a couple of great ideas for supporting Japan and the Japanese people. I'll keep you posted.
With temperatures rising into the fifties and the last traces of snow quickly (finally) melting away, courses here in CT... and throughout the tri-state area... are preparing to welcome the season's first golfers.
The latest in club technology from top brands will be there for the trying... and buying, there will be seminars, clinics and contests galore, with great prizes up for grabs and lots of give-aways to be had.
PGA Tour Pro Billy Andrade will be sharing stories, signing autographs and giving golfers the insider tips for a better game and top rated PGA instructor George Connor will be giving free tips and lessons. The Putting Doctor, Joe Bermel will also be there throughout the show, demonstrating his “Keys to Good, Consistent Putting.”
After a particularly harsh winter the show presents a great way for Nutmeg State golfers to get back into the game and start the season in style. Check out the CT Golf Show website for more details.
CT Golf Show
Connecticut Convention Center - Hall B
100 Columbus Blvd
Hartford, CT 06103
Last year at this time it seemed the latest revival of the Full Cleveland had finally played itself out.
After two seasons of near ubiquity, many assumed it was headed back into hibernation for a decade or so, as it's done a number of times in the past.
Apparently however, that assumption was misguided as recent tournaments have yielded several sightings of the sartorial misdeed.
Tiger Woods and Graeme McDowell were both rocking the look at Doral last week... perhaps emboldened by Rory Mcilroy's rendition at Honda earlier in the month... or Lee Westwood's at the same event. That's four of the world's top ten right there, and though I don't foresee a full Cleveland-clad Martin Kaymer anytime in the near future, it wouldn't surprise me to see plenty of white belts worn with plenty of white shoes at PGA events this summer. And these days, as fellow golf blogger courtgolf astutely pointed out, the look can be taken to the next level by adding a striking white driver and/or a pure white putter.
Court, who writes over at Waggleroom, and regularly comments on timely topics at a number of other golf blogs, generally concentrates on more "weighty" issues, however he's also a keen... and often bemused... observer of fairway fashion. In a quick tweet yesterday, he asked me:
What's the next level after "Full Cleveland" ? If a guy also has a white driver...is there something after Cleveland ?
I thought it was a legitimate question... and I think it needs a name. Any suggestions anyone? The sooner the better, I'm have a feeling we'll be needing it for Ian Poulter at the Masters in a couple of weeks.
Chapeau Noir Golf, one of the world's best golf fashion blogs, a more in-depth analysis of the look we know as the Full Cleveland. Also....The Full Cleveland is a whimsical coming-of-age novel by Terry Reed.
Spring is just around the bend, and the search is on.
Birdy & Grace, has launched its second annual search for the Golf Woman of the Year, so if you know a woman with a passion for golf, family, fitness and community... or if you are that woman... listen up! ~ Because that's the type of woman they're looking for.
An “everyday woman", who inspires or helps others through the way she lives her life. Shannon Hall is a good example. She's the 2010 Golf Woman of the Year winner.
The prize is an awesome one: a trip to New York City for a photo shoot with a top fashion photography team. The winner will be showcased as a featured model in a forthcoming Birdy & Grace collection catalogue and in pr campaigns for Spring 2012, she'll also receive custom-fitted outfits, and other prizes.
Birdy & Grace blends fun, flirty and fashionable with perfectly functional. They consider things like pocket placement, fabric texture and length to ensure a flattering fit on all body types and full range of motion for every aspect of the golf swing. Each item in each Birdy & Grace collection is both contemporary and classic... and designed to work equally well on the course and in town.
Sharon Sunoo and Teress Stephens founded their company to create golf clothes with stellar street style. Clothes that could comply with even the strictest country club dress code, but still shine on the streets of New York. That's what they've done with Birdy & Grace.
The rules and requirements for Golf Woman of the Year are pretty simple, and you can nominate yourself or someone you know. The nominee must be an amateur woman golfer over the age of 25 and must answer this: What does golf mean to you; where you see the future of women’s golf; what social causes are important to you and why; and why would you make a great ambassador for Birdy & Grace.
Each entry must be accompanied by a photo, and the deadline for entries is July 1 2011. Submit yours to info@birdyandgrace.com and become a "fan" of Birdy & Grace on Facebook... and you're good to go.
The combination of his stellar on-course accomplishments and his superlative star quality make Ryo Ishikawa a uniquely entertaining professional golfer.
Today however, the eyes of the golf media are collectively focused on Ryo Ishikawa as news of devastating natural disasters in Japan makes its way to our shores and to the fairways of TPC Blue Monster at Doral.
In Miami at the WGC Cadillac Championship... amazingly... the one they call "Hanikami Ōji" heard the devastating news this morning, checked on the safety of his loved ones, then finished his first round at 7-under 65, in second place.
Ryo has a tough weekend ahead of him as he battles the Blue Monster and deals with the unfolding news of the tragedy in his homeland, but no matter how the tournament turns out, his strength will surely be an inspiration to his fellow golfers and to golf fans everywhere.
It's an odd little instrument... and I'm not really sure what it does... so it may not be worthy of the prestigious Golf Gadgetof the Month designation.
From what I can see, though, this rare vintage "New Haven Golf Meter" measures yards and miles. I don't not know how it works.... or... if it works, but it looks like a pretty awesome collector's item to me.
If anyone reading has used a Golf-O-Meter, I'd love to know more about it. It might just help me to take my game to the next level this year.
Early one morning a couple of weeks ago, a lone golfer was observed on the range at Dove Mountain, hitting balls in the chill desert air. It was Ryo Ishikawa. GolfWeek writer Jim McCabe described the scene, including the gaggle of photographers sprawled on the frosty grass nearby, dutifully doing their job.
Ryo is back on the scene this week for the star-studded WGC Cadillac Championship and at 19 he's the youngest in the field. As expected, he's adding characteristic color to the proceedings. At today's practice round he wore multi-chromatic Yonex stripes. Always observant Ishikawa fan Noriko Imada, sent me a link to the photo above just a few minutes ago.
On Thursday Ryo will be part of what's sure to be a popular pairing. He'll be playing with Rickie Fowler... who compliments him perfectly... and for the first time with rookie wonder, Jhonattan Vegas. Señor Vegas revealed in an interview earlier today that he was having trouble getting used to all the media attention he'd been getting of late. His Japanese playing partner could certainly to give him some advice on that topic. Let's hope they discuss it.
BTW, did you know there was a Magazine in Japan that's exclusively about Ryo. Issue after issue, it's pure "Hanikami Ōji"... and even if your Japanese reading skills aren't quite up to par, it features fantastic photos and whimsical graphics. found out about it from another huge fan, @pipaatgreen ... who you should definitely follow if you're into Ishikawa.
Twittour was dreamed up by a group of Spanish golfers on Twitter who call themselves #jugones which means... gamers? Close enough. Anyway, these golfistas twiteros from all over Spain got to know each other over time via the celebrated social network. They soon found they shared a passion for golf, and not long ago decided to do what most of us never get around to: they organized a real life golf tour and devirtualized their love for the game... and Twittour 2011 was born.
Twittour 2011 will be a series of tournaments on different courses in Spain. The first event, Twittour 2011-Lerma, took place this past Friday at Golf Lerma, a pastoral parkland course in the Castillian countryside three hours north of Madrid. Lerma was created on a site that was once a hunting estate, and when the Twittour group arrived at the course on Friday morning they found the wide fairways and undulating greens covered in a dusting of snow. The hearty jugones were not intimidated however, and once the snow stopped falling they got right down to business despite the cold north wind whipping across the Lerma's many lakes. After their wintry round the players had a sublime Spanish dinner... with lots of wine. Prizes and awards were then presented.
Twittour 2011
The Twittour 2011 website is great. There's a blog where members write posts about the tournaments and discuss current events and issues in golf (the awesome @martasegura writes about women in the game). There's also a media gallery with photos and videos and a schedule of events among other things. And what's so inspiring is the way these golfers got together and made their Twittour a reality. It looks like the next event is scheduled for May 20 in Madrid.
If your interested in global golf... and who isn't these days... if you're interested in the joy and conviviality of the game, and also if you're intrigued by the way social networks can bring people together, check out the Twittour 2011 website, (if you don't speak Spanish you can put it thorough Google translate and you'll get the gist).
The #jugones have a good thing going on, and their enthusiasm for golf is quite contagious.
One of the more talked tweeted about off-the-course golf stories of the past week was the strategically placed rumor? report that a group of PGA Tour wives were pitching a reality show. The topic was timely and the packaging was perfect. It came just as our voyeuristic hunger for the unscripted adventures of attractive people reached new heights. Thank you Charlie Sheen.
Various elements of the PGA Tour wives reality show story have since been denied, and the golf talk on Twitter has reverted back to its default: Tiger Woods. Though he's not playing this weekend Tiger was being talked about... a lot... by fans and detractors, by fellow tour players and golf icons of the past. And by many writers, bloggers and journalists who are as fascinated as his fans and who know the value of his name in a headline.
Tiger was omnipresent on Twitter this weekend where tweets like "I keep thinking of Tiger Woods whenever someone mentions #tigerblood" were popular. Once again, thank you Charlie Sheen.
When you look at who's commanding attention in today's fragmented, pop-culture obsessed, search-engine-optimised media landscape there's a pretty good chance it won't be the one with the most relevant message... or the most important story. Kelly McParland addressed this idea today in a pensive piece for Canada.com's National Post. Seeking anonymity? Join the PGA Tour. is the sobering title and in it he ruefully declares, "Golf needs Tiger like a politician needs votes".
In the past PGA Tour wives tended to live their lives out of the public eye and under-the-radar.
When they did appear... a few times each year... it would be in feature stories or sidebars, where they'd be shown collectively raising funds for children's charities or visiting flood-ravaged neighborhoods. They were always giving back and they were always in a group.
Only when the Ryder Cup came around, every two years, did the story get blatantly glamorous, as WAGs appeared in evening gowns on their husband's arms at glittery galas. There they became an integral part of the US-Europe rivalry and individual wives were featured in the press... if only for a fortnight.
When Elin Nordegren appeared on the scene in 2002 she quite naturally became the main focus among the golf wives. For most of the remainder of the decade she set a standard defined by discretion and an extreme desire for privacy... so fans were left to speculate about what life was like for a PGA Tour wife, and many went with the simple assumption that all such women were uber-wealthy and leading highly cloistered luxury lives.
When, at the end of the decade, things fell apart at Chez Woods, the effect was that golf suddenly became fair game for tabloids. Privacy/discretion became a thing of the past. So I wasn't surprised yesterday to see that a group of PGA Tour wives purportedly shopping around a reality show.
The ladies involved seemed to be interesting, uninhibited and anxious to establish their personal brands and they were the kind of wives we never got to see in the past. Their husbands are extraordinarily talented, but none of them are currently in the the top 10 or the top 50... or the top 100. Only one of the guys has won and only one has ever made a Ryder Cup team. I thought the show sounded promising, however, real-time reaction... courtesy of Twitter... was mainly negative, and the chief complaint appeared to be that because the husbands aren't top golfers the show would be boring and no one would watch. I'm quite convinced that just opposite is true. A story about women whose husbands were not at the top would almost certainly be more compelling. Their lives would be less insular and more entangled... and the weekly specter of missed cuts and the looming possibility of a lost card would add a continuing element of suspense.
Since rumors of the prospective program first broke, a couple of the women involved have denied they ever intended to do a reality show, so who knows if it'll ever see the light of day. The one think I think we can be sure of is that we'll now be seeing more of the wives of PGA Tour players than we ever did in the past.
The tournament is Connecticut's biggest sporting event, and though it takes place the week after the US Open there's always a stellar field, so it's no surprise that the commitments are already coming in; defending champion Bubba Watson and 2009 winner Kenny Perry will be there, so will Vijay Singh, Anthony Kim, Lucas Glover and winning rookie, Jhonattan Vegas.
The 2011 Travelers Championship runs from June 20 - 26, so put it on your calendar... You'll be guaranteed an awesome time.
This just in: @TravelersChamp is offering a 20% discount on tickets for the next 11 days: http://bit.ly/12quQo. Enter the promotional code 20FOR11.
He started his company in 2000 with a long term vision that included the popularization of golf and the fostering of a inclusive culture built around the game.
More than a decade later Golfzon has become the biggest player in the international golf simulator market while remaining focused on its core mission, which is to make it possible for everyone to enjoy golf.
Mr. Kim's timing was spot-on. His country had just weathered the Asian financial crisis, and a movement towards a reduction in working hours was underway. In 2004 the government began implementing a five-day school and work week and many hard-working citizens discovered the joys of a two day weekend for the first time. Meanwhile a young Korean golfer, Se Ri Pak, had become a global star and a symbol of national pride. As she won multiple major championships on the world stage she inspired an interest in golf that cut across all segments of the Korean population.
The dilemma at the time was that the game was too expensive and the courses too crowded to allow access for casual fans. That's the challenge that inspired Young Chan Kim to create Golfzon and introduce his country to new-concept golf culture, free from the time, space and cost restraints of the traditional game. Golfzon's virtual reality screen golf was first launched in 2001, mainly for instructional purposes, but screen golf cafes soon followed and that was where Golfzon reached the mainstream, creating something of a cultural phenomenon. ~ In Korea one can now enter Golfzon virtual-reality tournaments, with money, cars or a ticket to play in a real golf tournament as prizes. Thousands participate, and the final matches are televised.
There are currently over 5000 screen golf cafes in South Korea ...each cafe usually has two to five simulators... and Mr. Kim's company has supplied 65% of them. ~ Global expansion is underway, with a growing presence in Japan and China as well as in Europe... and Golfzon just entered into an agreement with Canadian company Live Golf Imports Inc. to bring their state-of-the-art simulators to the North American Market. ~
It's not all about building the business however, Golfzon culture takes its social responsibility very seriously as well, with initiatives that support the Korea's master craftsmen and regional community groups, as well as programs that foster young golf talents.
I think we'll be hearing quite a bit more about this dynamic company as it strives to create a global "Golfzon culture for the enjoyment of people of all age and gender".
Photo - top: golfzon.com
Photo - Se Ri Pak: Scott Halleran/Getty Images Sport
It was boorish question, but Tiger Woods didn't hesitate to answer it.
