Back to basics..

Well, I'm finally going to make my way out again and start playing more golf. I haven't played since the end of May and before that my desire was very lack luster, at best, and in decline. I know something was up when I would think about playing and then think about all the reasons NOT to play..eventually the reasons not to play always won over. Lately, however, I've been thinking of the reasons I loved playing like the smell of the early morning grass, the feel of a good chip, the feedback from a well hit iron, the early morning golf ball tracks on the green. As insignificant as each one of these are, all of them together really make the experience wonderfully bliss.

I've decided to also really streamline my bag and start walking the course again. I put the Sun Mountain Speedcart and cart bag in the garage and sold the GPS unit. I've also taken all the even numbered irons out of the bag and only going to carry the bare essentials. I'm going to start becoming a student of the game..again. True, I've been playing off and on for over two decades now and know what it takes to hit the ball, but now is the time to work on my mental approach to the game and working the essentials to becoming a better golfer.

12 billion dollars and counting..

Maybe I'm late to all of this and I couldn't see too much buzz on the Golf Channel but looks like this is the end with Tiger and Elin Woods. Looks like "The Man" is out and on the prowl..literally..as he was spotted partying with one of his former..well I guess not former now..mistresses.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,26536102-912,00.html?from=public_rss

This fiasco has reportedly cost shareholders of American Express, Gatorafe, Gillette and Nike 12 billion dollars.

The study focused on nine sponsors: Accenture; American Express; AT&T; Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf (Electronic Arts); Gillette (Proctor and Gamble); Nike; Gatorade (PepsiCo); TLC Laser Eye Centers; and Golf Digest (News Corp.). Overall, the researchers figure the scandal reduced shareholder value in the sponsor companies by 2.3 percent, or about $12 billion.

Run..Tiger..Run!!

Stupid but funny..

Funny Stuff..sorry Tiger.

I just got a link sent to me by My Dog Ate My Blog on Tiger..hillarious. Not much to say about the whole issue so far. "You Da' Man" got caught for something that was eventually going to happen..sooner than later. I offer him no sympathy as I too am a family man and he should've..at least..thought about his kids.

I think in a case with Tiger..he's not "The Man" this time. I think deep inside he's just a kid, or shall we say a cub. Sure he can handle the pressure of draining a downhill, double breaking 10 foot putt on a plane of glass, but reality is he has a family to deal with now and at best he's a bogey golfer here..something I, and other proud fathers, can beat him at for sure. His ball(s) went OB and there are no free drops.

I'm getting excited and can't wait to see the expression on my kids face when they wake up tomorrow morning. I guess you know you're a parent when you get more excited in buying the kids goodies, rather than receiving. Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone, even you too Tiger.

Chill out man..

I just caught this off of Yahoo this morning:

MELBOURNE, Austrailia (AP)

The low point came at the 13th.

Woods had played the par-5 12th nearly perfectly until he badly missed a 5-foot birdie putt. Still steaming, he opted for driver off the tee at the 354-yard 13th, especially with the pin to the back right of the green. The only place he couldn’t afford to hit it was to the right.

It went well to the right.

Woods slammed the head of his driver into the turf, and it bounced up and into the gallery to the left. One surprised fan caught the club and returned it.

“That was my mistake,” Woods said. “I got hot after a bad tee shot and let go of the club.”

Read the whole story here: http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-australianmasters&prov=ap&type=lgns

Tiger would've been "The Man" if he gave the driver to the individual it went flying at..now that would've been cool. Isn't that what they do in all sports anyhow..the spectators get to keep what comes to them..c'mon dude.

A solid 7 iron?

more about "That's a solid 7 iron.", posted with vodpod

Wow, that's one heckuva a strong iron..sucker didn't even bend. Just curious as to why she was so pissed.

New look..'sorta..

Well after years of keeping the same GN template I decided to get a little fancy and design my own banner..oooohhh...actually it was alot harder than I imagined..but just followed one of the million "how-to's" using Photoshop on the internet.

I also changed the template to something a little more clean looking. I know alot of serious bloggers have swapped over to Wordpress..but for this nomad I am fine with Blogger..and it's simple too..right? I added that little global tracker on the right and am Twitterized.

My favorite shorts.

I have to say I do not any golf pants as I wear shorts all the time..yes..even in the rain. Just as the title says, out of all the assorted "golf" shorts I like to wear my most favorite are these:

I have to say these are the cheapest shorts I've bought as I got them from Marshall's, but I'm an avid fan for the bermuda-khaki style shorts.

Those flowers are hand-painted which I think make them unique. I've had these for about 4 years now, but they still look like the way they did when I bought them.

Anyway, if you want to check out some other colorful threads, NBC Sports has a cool slideshow link that shows many of the pro's in their Sunday best. I have to say I'd be willing to sport some of JD's pants, if they cut'em down to shorts.

Bulls on Parade

During my college days..heck even NOW..I’ve always had the greatest of respect for the folks that ran through the cobblestone paths during the celebration of St. Fermin in Spain.

Although I’ve been to Europe and it’s outlying countries a few times in college, it’s probably a good we didn’t go there during our venture back then because I’m sure after a few beers and/or bottles of Sangria we’d be doing this run.

We all know this world famous bull run that starts on the windign streets and ends in the bull fighting arena from watching clips from TV and/or YouTube, but to really participate in it (by the rules..yes, it has rules..you're supposed to run slowly at first and then haul ass as the bulls get closer..simple..makes sense.) has to be one of the greatest challenges of all mankind.

Even thinking about it, it gets my adrenaline pumping..but alas!..now being a married man and a father of two kids and piloting a Toyota Sienna..the closest thing I’m going to get to running in front of a 1,500 pound Angus, barreling down, will be chasing a putt in Spain instead at La Mangas Las Lomas Village.

La Manga has three courses (South, North and West) with the South Course being the preeminent course (..’kinda like the South Course at Torrey Pines..go figure) which has hosted numerous events including the Spanish Open and Q-School for the European Tour. It was designed by Robert Putman back in 1971 (his other design is surprisingly in Visalia, California) and then revamped by Arnold Palmer in the beginning of 1990 and then polished up even further. The South Course at La Manga is tougher in the front (longer par 3’s and 4’s) but eases up in the back stretch..my kinda’ course..give me the pain up front and let me relax.

The North Course is tighter surrounded with lush palm trees and larger greens, ideal for the shot-maker. The West Course winds through pine trees and has more sloping fairways which require conservative play from the tee. Either way you can’t lose by playing any of the courses at La Manga..just get out here!

'Wanna Bet?

Just played in Las Vegas last week and as it happens to all of us..we’re out there with our regular group getting ready to tee off and then someone blurts out “Longest drive for a buck?”. KA-CHING!! Bring it on!! Usually, in my regular group, this is already a part of our betting by-laws and no need to bring it up these days at the start of the day. We usually play skins but with a limit up to every 6 holes and then the skins tally would reset again for the next 6 holes and so on..we’re wimps.

I have to admit though that playing skins does get boring (I guess it depends on who’s winning and losing right?) and we started implementing various side bets along the way and utilize a “dot” for each win on a bet a player won. We give each “dot” a numerical value and toward the end of the day multiply each "dot" per dollar(s) value agreed to upon from the beginning.

For example, someone may throw out a side bet and say “Up and down for a dot?” If one of the other players bite then it’s on! Basically, if you can get up and down then you win a “dot” from each player who bet against you. If you can’t make the up and down then you have to pay out a “dot” to each person. You can just about make a side bet on anything these days..the opportunities are endless. We automatically add automatic "dots" on “draino’s”, which basically are anyone who can put it in the hole in one stroke from a agreed upon distance from the hole..obviously tap in drainos don’t count for squat.

Something with playing golf and Las Vegas that go hand in hand..anyway for further reading check out this casino guide.

"I'm baaaackk.." :)

What's up nomads *chime crickets* well my deepest apologies for not keeping this place up to date but we've been in a whirlwind trying to deal with our home and everything going on in the GN household in these last few months this year.

In light of everything going around, unfortunately, my appetite for golf had declined at an alarming rate and literally placed on the back burner. But ALAS! I am back with a vengeance and have great hopes and aspirations for the rest of the year and plan on making some upgrades to the GN blog as well. Stay tuned!

See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil..

I finally got to see the final round of the 50th Bob Hope Classic this afternoon. I know it's been like two days right..?! I DVR'd it (..mine's not a TiVo) and was fast forwarding through to all the good parts. I, like many of you, were hoping for a tight 3-way play-off right with Pat Perez, Steve Stricker and John Merrick (who's that..?)

It looked pretty tight until Stricker had that devastating blow out on the 10th hole tee box. I was keeping an eye on Merrick, but he just lacks "being there" to keep it under wraps. I would say he was trying to just keep pace with Perez, but I'd say the lack of experience and keeping cool got the better of him. Perez wasn't any better than these three, BUT was cool under pressure and that laser on the 18th was the nail in the coffin.

BUT..what I kept replaying the most was Pat Perez's second shot at the 15th hole, Par 3. When I saw it for the first time I was like "What the..?"..did that just happen? I've been searching numerous golf forums and there seems to be alot of discussion about this particular incident, particularly at The Golf Channel Discussion Board. (search the "Rules and Rulings" forum and it's the "Pat Perexzs chip shot on 15th hole" thread) - sorry I'm not able to direct link as The Golf Channel seems to be hiding the url. Alot of good info. on this though.

Here's the shot in question:



From what I've been reading, as long as the ball returns to the place of rest then we're kosher. My other question though is isn't he improving his lie when he taps/pushes down the grass before the ball. Something doesn't seem right?

Natalie Gulbis Tip..it works!

I used to watch the Natalie Gulbis show on the Golf Channel. I was happy when she finally one her first tournament..think it was the Evian Masters in France. I'm not sure if they still show episodes of her show or if if there are new ones out.

I happend to watch this one episode where she was talking about her pre-shot routine. Anyway, she said when you tee the ball up (driver), visuallize the WHOLE area (from the top of the tee'd up ball to the point where the tee goes into the grass) as your sweet spot.

This made so much sense to me and helped out immensely. I'm sure, at least I did, that you focus on hitting that itsby-bitsy ball at the bottom, right? Well, why not focus, not on just that little white thing, but the whole area from the top of it to the bottom..? Imagine hitting a softball on the ground..easy 'huh?

88

That's what I shot at Skylinks yesterday..and I am more than excited..still. It's quite weird the type of chemicals that get released into our brains when we shoot a score that we like. I'm still giddy about it. On the flip-side, for me, when I shoot a bad round I get bummed out and it does affect me for the rest of the day.

I see it this way, I'm spending close to 4-5 hours out there playing a round and as a result of spending this time out there I DO expect, of myself, to show for it. For me these "results" is a round in the 80's. I, and the rest of you who may be reading this, take golf a tad more seriously than "just having a good time". I'm not out there flipping clubs of course on errant shots, but I'm going to try my hardest to save par/bogey..I just may not be "showing" it to you.

Anyway, I have to agree that when you take time away from the game your swing "resets" and your mental aspect of the game gets "cleansed"..no bad thoughts. I have also been toying with my swing and tried something "new" a couple weeks ago.

I started to take my swing back on a shallower plane, which I thought it felt like, and I was hitting the ball the best I've ever had in my life. The consistency of making solid impact was the first thing I noticed and then distance. I played with a buddy of mine yesterday and I asked him to really watch me and see if I was too shallow..which it still felt like. He said he has never seen me on this consistent plane ever before AND that the swing was not shallow. This was it!

My biggest swing inconsistency contributor has been my right arm (righty) on the backswing. I've been under the impression that you wanted that classic "L" at the top. I said screw it, because it's another thing I have to remember to do. I just let my right arm stay relaxed and it's just sitting lower at my side..there's no active effort to control it. BINGO! All I think about now is the downswing..what a relief!

The last two times I've played with this "new" swing I have only missed four fairways..and not by much..it was either a weak push or a low hook..none which were at all damaging to the hole at hand. I've actually gotten a "tad" confident where I'm stepping on it a little bit more to get a little more out of it..at certain times.

Anyway, to get back to my 88. I'm on the 18th hole, I drove it into a bunker and had to chip out, and was lying 4 on the green. I quickly added the score and I needed at least a double to break 90. The putt was about 10 feet out, downslope, with a slight downward break, right-left, and it was playing fast..not fun. I got up there and and took the putt and it was moving at a perfect speed..and went in..I haven't felt the warmth of golf happiness in awhile.



and HAPPY NEW YEAR!