A Reminiscence of Pens

My Golf Digest (December) article, asking the question, "What is the collective form of a box of pens?"

The Point of Distractions

This months Golf Digest article looks one of the pieces of the puzzle currently out of place for former world number one, Tiger Woods.

Nostalgia-The Aging Disease

Something profound happened to me recently. I was at customs in Brisbane Airport, writing down my birth date on the immigration form, and the page jumped out at me. For the first time, two concurrent numbers reflected an uncomfortable truth. I am getting old.

Growing old has never worried me, mainly because it was something that only happened to others. When you are male and young (or think yourself to be), everyone who has a standing relationship of more than six months is old. But this moment in time was something of a wake-up, and upon further examination, I find that I am exhibiting tell-tale, irrefutable signs of aging.

The chief of these is the increasing prevalence of nostalgic thought. The habit of reminiscing about the past was to me, always something that old people did. Invariably, it induced a yawn and a roll of the eyes as the mind immediately wandered off to the present. Day of yore have little relevance to the young.

But lately, nostalgia is creeping up on me, especially when it comes to golf. The summer golf season is simmering, waiting to ignite, and makes me yearn, just a touch, for the heady days of the late 80’s when there was a feverish sense of excitement surrounding the onset of the tournament golf season.

Golf changed forever during this period. The arrival of Norman mania in 1986 lifted both media interest and participation in the sport. A simple test of this could be found playing out at the club I first joined as a junior when I moved to Sydney in 1985.

Kogarah Golf Club is situated right next to the airport in central Sydney. It is highly visible, and with plenty of passing traffic. Despite this, in 1985 you could fire a gun there on some days and not be seen or heard by anyone. Every Friday afternoon, a group of guys would head out for a skins match – and I mean up to ten players, teeing off in one group. It was never a problem because there was no-one in front, or behind.

Come 1986, this was no longer possible. Golf changed. People wanted to play. Tee times filled up, memberships grew, and most visibly, this new legion of golfers flocked to the summer tournaments to watch, filling the fairways with numbers not previously seen.

Much of this excitement was built around Greg Norman. Why, commercial radio even kept a hole by hole report on his round on the airwaves over the weekend. The Shark was to the 80’s what Tiger Woods is to the noughtie’s, but most importantly, he was Australian.

Remember those tight pants with the front pockets that the Shark used to wear? The ones that made wetsuits look like hessian sacks by comparison? I had them, about five pairs, the more colourful and garish the better. His wide takeway? I had one of those too. Niblick shoes with the flap over the laces? Had to have them – although as soon as Shark stopped wearing them, I threw mine out.

I even used those dreadful Spalding Tour Edition balls for as long as Shark did, until he realised they were crap (after they cost him three majors) and mercifully moved on. I knew they were crap long before him, but if the Shark used them, well, there was only one choice.

When the Shark flew into town, every news crew in existence was at the airport waiting for an exclusive. More to the point, we watched, glued to our screens as he alighted from his jet like Australia’s own version of royalty. He was news, he was golf, and he was the man.

Of course, those days are long past. Shark is in his 50’s, with a dodgy, sutured together body and his mind on other things than golf. We’ve got new stars now, perhaps more of them than ever before, but none with the kind of charisma and magnetism of the blonde bomber.

That’s not to imply a criticism of any of the current crop either. They are who they are -Scott, Ogilvy, Baddeley et al, are all brilliant players in their own right, with their own personalities and individual ways of conducting themselves. By any assessment they are world class golfers, competing with distinction during golf’s most competitive era.

The difference is though that we know what we are going to get from them. We’ll get good, often magnificent golf, but rarely much drama. We don’t anticipate them tearing up the back nine on Sunday with birdie after birdie, chasing down the leader, a cacophonous roar greeting every putt holed. We also don’t foresee an implosion of train smash proportions; the unknown and the unpredictable was what made Norman so tantalising, so utterly fascinating and ultimately, entertaining.

Perhaps that’s the key. Golf is about entertainment, and our expectations of what should fall under that description are now a moving target. The precedent, the model, is built around a one off, home bred, unique individual, the type of which may only come along once in a lifetime. We also have a degree of over-familiarity bought on by the immediacy of the internet and digital age, which, when combined with the rapidly shrinking attention span of the ‘Now’ generation creates an environment ill attuned to the staid, time consuming nature of golf.

But the game is still here, we love it, and it’s not going away in a hurry as a result. This affinity for the game is also the chief reason why we reminisce about its past – the seeds of nostalgia need passion in order to germinate.

Or old people

Nothing to do with Golf #1

Totally non-golf related, I know, but I couldn't resist the temptation to put this spectacular photo on the blog. Shot at the infamous Shipsterns break in Tasmania, this has to be the scariest looking wave in the history of surfing.

There have been bigger, to be sure,but for reflecting pure evil and a desire to tear body from limb nothing quite matches this.

Songdo Championship, Final Round

Just a few hours to air in Korea, and to sort out a winner in the $US3 million Songdo Championship. Fred Funk leads, and looks ominous given that he really hasn't holed a putt of note so far this week. Funk is close to the straightest hitter I've seen in professional golf, and plays such mistake free golf that it is hard to see him blowing himslef out of this event.

Someone is going to have to come and get him, and that person might be John Cook, who tends to find his best form late in the season. Cook is two shots back at 6 under and has an air of confidence about him at the moment. If he doesn't get the job done today then it might be worth a flutter on him over the next few weeks.

Other than Cook, keep an eye out for Russ Cochran and Michael Allen, both in good touch and hitting the ball a long way. There isn't a golf course in the world where length off the tee isn't some sort of an advantage.

Soaked at Songdo

In Songdu, Korea this week covering the Songdo Championship on the US Champions Tour for Golf Channel. Sodden is the right way to describe the week so far, including yesterday where I managed to stay half dry until a monsoonal downpour on the final hole that finished me off properly.

Day 1 was windy and wet, and the scores reflected the difficulty of the conditions, with Fred Funk, Jay Don Blake and Michael Allen shooting 3 under par 69's to lead.

I was on course for the day, and spent it with the group of Tom Watson, Fred Funk and Jay Haas. Great to see Tom Watson playing up close and personal. At 60, he still hits the ball beautifully and with a precision that would still be the envy of many half his age. Not his best day on Friday with a few wayward drives on the back nine but he has nothing left to prove to anyone and appears to be enjoying himself regardless.

Today out with the three leaders from the first round after the seeded draw has taken place. On air from 2pm Korea time.

Thailand Open , OneAsia 2010- Post Mortem

Playing catch up at the moment, and just about to head off to Korea next Wednesday for the Songdu Championship, a US Champions Tour event that I will be working on for Golf Channel.

There are a bunch of interviews that I did last week posted on the OneAsia website. Check out them out on the following links,

Andre Stolz
Simon Yates
Day 4 highlights
Pariya Junhasavasdikul

Final Round preview, 2010 Thailand Open

It was a long day today. At the course at 9am, on air at 12pm, but in the interim did five interviews with various players. Then four hours on air, a rain delay, and forty minutes to finish off the broadcast just in case someone made a few birdies to close and changed the story after all the camera's had been turned off.

As it turned out, Liang Wenchong leads by one from Terry Pilkadaris and the 23 year old Thai, Namchok Tantipokakul.

It is a good looking leader board, with one of the key sub-text's to tomorrow's action being the story of Terry Pilkadaris, who this week was banned from playing on the Asian Tour, a tour where he has full playing status.

Pilkadaris has been fined by the Asian Tour for playing in OneAsia events, but has challenged the legitimacy of those fines in court. Even though no final ruling has been made, the Asian Tour have chosen to ban him from playing further on their tour.

Should he win tomorrow, it will doubtless be a very emotional Pilkadaris who steps up to make his victory speech in light of what he has been through recently. With regard to his case against the Asian Tour, further hearings are still in the pipeline before a conclusion is drawn on the matter and I'll report on the results when the matter is finalised.

Nonetheless, it looks like another fantastic finale is ahead of us tomorrow. It will be shown in 260 million homes around the world, check your local guides for dates and times.

Chicks on the Sticks

This month, a look at the world of female caddies in professional golf in Chicks on the Sticks

Thailand Open ,Round 1, OneAsia 2010

Made it to Thailand in one piece after a day of flying from South Africa, and now firmly ensconsed in the commentary box as round 1 heads into the afternoon.

As you might expect, Liang Wenchong leads after the morning round at 5 under. He is playing so impressively at the moment, and after finishing in the top 10 of the US PGA Championship it would be a brave man who would bet against him winning here.

Others who played well this morning are Brad Kennedy, Matt Millar and Matt Griffen, all at 4 under par. Perfect conditions for scoring today, with a light sea breeze in, soft greens and immaculate fairways. It looks like a great week for golf in Thailand

Thailand Open , OneAsia 2010

Just a few days left in South Africa before heading home, and then jumping a flight to Bangkok for the next OneAsia event in Pattaya. Another $1 million up for grabs, fantastic money given the relative strength of the fields at this stage of the OneAsia journey and chances are those that have made the commitment to OneAsia this year will remember it as golden time in their careers. There has never been such a thing as easy money in pro golf but some great opportunities await on OneAsia this year and pretty soon that story is going to get out.

The event is telecast again on ESPN Star and the ONE network in Australia, amongst other new outlets.

Quiet on the Golf Front

Things have been ridiculously busy on the home and business front of late, so blogging has fallen by the wayside. And it is likely to be that way for a while really, I'm heading off to Sth Africa to Haskell Vineyards to do some work for a few weeks so the schedule is flat out for the forseeable future.

After Sth Africa though I am off to Thailand for the Thailand Open, held in Pattaya this year, and then the last part of the ONE Asia season kicks off in earnest with a lot of action through September, October and November.

I'll keep my eyes and ears open for anything that is happening in and around the game in the meantime.

The Open Championship 2010- Round 1

It's here. The biggest golf tournament of the year. The best. The one that every golf lover wants to attend, and every pro wants to win. I still look forward to it every year, and it's about the only time now that I feel a slight pang of jealousy for the guys who have the privilege of teeing it up.

I played in the 1997 and 1998 Open's at Troon and Birkdale and they are two of the fondest golfing memories that I have. And I have a feeling that this year may throw up an unusual winner- no real rationale for it, just one of those hunches.

It is going to be a great week.

The Year of the Kid

If the golfing year of 2009 was defined by a late night car crash in a moneyed Florida enclave, what moniker will be assigned to 2010? With the emergence of a raft of precociously talented youngsters, chances are it will be remembered as "The Year of the Kid".
This months Golf Digest article can be read here.

"You know, for everything in life, there is always a beginning and there is always an end"

Golf writing may be under seige at the moment, but there seems no end to the wonderful array of talent still prepared to apply themselves to the noble art.

And it is always good to stumble upon a brilliant piece of writing that cuts to the core of the value's that this great game has been founded upon. Passion, tradition, resolve and endeavour are a few of them. So is tragedy, an element explored beautifully in this story from the U.K's Daily Telegraph.

Golfers doin' the HAKA!

A great moment at the end of the Indonesia Open on the weekend, as a group of Kiwi golfers in the field paid respect to Michael Hendry's great win by greeting him with the traditional Maori 'Haka' as he walked off the 18th green.

Great win, great week. Expect to hear more about and from Michael Hendry in the near future.

Billionaires Row Pt II

More of the 'other half' alongside the 17th fairway at Damai Indah Golf, the Pantai Indah Kapuk course.

Billionaires Row

Currently at the Indonesia Open in Jakarta, and couldn't resist taking a couple of pictures of the houses surrounding the course this week. The local lore suggests that these houses aren't even lived in, which is mind boggling on any number of levels given the size and opulence of these modern day palaces.

The final round is about to tee off here. Kiwi Michael Hendry leads Liang Wenchong by one, and has the chance to fundamentally change his career path by playing well over the next 5 hours.

The Open Championship 2010

I still get excited every year by the thought of The Open drawing closer. The greatest golf Championship on the planet deserves to be held in such regard, and my memories of playing in the 1997 and 1998 Open's remain amongst the fondest reminiscences that I have.

I love this picture, and what it represents. Only two weeks to go!

So you want to be a Pro Golfer?

Pulling some stuff out of the archives again- this one written a year or so back and first published on iseekgolf.com.


You’re the club champ, number one in your pennant team, maybe even a state representative. You’re good. You hit the ball a mile, and regularly shoot under the card around your home track. Everyone in your club keeps suggesting that you should turn pro, and to be fair, it’s in the back of your mind too.

So you take the plunge, play well at tour school, and get your card. Now you have to step up to a whole new level and compete against guys you have been watching on TV your whole life. It is a daunting proposition. .

It’s no secret though that it’s a tough game to earn a living from. Lots of very talented players never make the grade. Therefore, it’s best to go in with your eyes open, and as prepared as you can possibly be. Unless you are an extraordinary talent, the early going will be pretty tough, and you’ll have to learn quickly. Pro golf chews up and spits out the uncommitted and unprepared. Here’s ten initiatives (in no particular order) that might help you ‘make it’ to the next level in one of the world’s most competitive sporting environments.

Watch The Company You Keep

Stay away from guys who worry about what the cut is going to be. If making the cut each week is your goal, then you are in trouble from the start. It is easy to find yourself lowering your expectations if you are keeping company with people for whom success has a different meaning. That’s not to say that making the cut is easy- it gets harder and harder each year, and is no mean feat in itself, but you need to set your goals at a level which will allow you to keep your job the following year. Simply hovering around the cut line won’t allow that to happen.

Exorcise your post mortem tendencies

Don’t mistake the question ‘How did you go?”, as an invite to tell your inquisitor about your hard luck stories. They are just asking about your score, nothing else. It’s a nicety. If you’ve had two three putts and missed a couple of short one’s, keep it to yourself. Go to the putting green and work it out. The old saying on tour is that 95% of players don’t care what you have shot, and the other 5% wish you’d had more. The sooner you realise that the quicker you will become accountable for your own deficiencies, and become a better player.

Get to the Gym

If anyone had any doubts about the benefit of weight training for golf, the example that Tiger Woods has set will have by now cast them aside. Woods has revolutionised the way that pro golf will be played in the future. His adherence to a strict workout regime see’s him possessed of a physique like no other in the sport. The power and clubhead speed that he generates as a result enables him to hit shots that few others can. With tour courses becoming longer and longer, the ability to bomb it out there and to carry the irons further through the air will become increasingly important. If you are serious about maximising your potential and getting the most out of yourself, you’ll find yourself a physical trainer who understands the mechanics of golf, and get strong for golf.

Wrong side of the draw

When I first came out on tour, there was a guy who was just reaching the end of his time on tour who, according to him, was one of the unluckiest players in history. He got on the ‘wrong’ side of the draw every week, meaning that the weather had turned unfavourable on him for both his morning and afternoon rounds on Thursday and Friday. These things even out with time if you are out on tour long enough, so don’t be a victim. It serves no purpose and weakens the resolve. Take responsibility for your actions.

Love the course

There is a great old story about Gary Player adopting an approach that the course he was playing every week was the best course he had ever played, and that the greens that week, however bad, were the best he had ever putted on. It makes so much sense. You don’t get to choose your office environment in this vocation, it chooses you. The more positive you are about the course the better the chance is that you will play well. Feel the love.

Watch Chooky

Of the ten greatest recovery shots ever played in pro golf, Peter ‘Chooky’ Fowler owns about half of them. Whilst that may be taking hyperbole to a new level, there’s little doubt in my mind that he’s the greatest short game wizard of the last two decades. Anyone aspiring to a career in pro golf should take their golf towel, put it somewhere in the shade near the chipping green during the lead up to a tournament and just watch and observe the man in action. You’ll see shots that you’ve never seen before, and ways to play them that you’ve never even considered. You’ll learn something, and if that something saves you a shot or two a tournament, it could be the difference between playing the country pro-am circuit and the US Tour.

Walk a round with Nick O’Hern

One of the misconceptions of rookie pro’s is of the standard of play required to compete at the highest level. What quickly becomes apparent is that it’s not about how many great shots the best players hit, but how many bad shots they don’t hit. Watching Nick O’Hern plot his way around a golf course is a lesson in patience, course management and self discipline. He stays out of his own way. He rarely makes an out of control swing, and rarely takes on a shot where the percentages aren’t in his favour. He understands his own capabilities, is honest with himself and plays accordingly. That self-honesty has made him a wealthy man. There is much to learn from his example.

Don’t leave your tournament on the range

One habit that can be very hard to break is that of beating balls on the range. It’s what you do. You’re a golfer so you practice, and the old story was that the harder you practiced the better you got. However, smart, effective practice is always a winner and being well rested is an important component of performing at your best. Do your work, but allow your body time to recuperate and to be at its best when money time comes around.

Fly smart

Unless you have a trust fund, a wealthy family or a generous sponsor, chances are you will be flying cattle class (economy) early in your career. If so, you need to find the best way to make sure that you don’t arrive at your tournament venue worn out from a horrendous flight stuck between two sumo wrestlers or screaming children.

If you are doing a long haul flight ( as often happens when you live down under), ask your travel agent to book an exit row. Then, at check in, ask for the locations in economy where there might be some spare seats. The chance to stretch out and find some peace of mind is an important part of your preparation.

That way, even if your secret hiding place fills up, you still have the leg room of the exit row to fall back on. Otherwise, just play really well from the start and be able to afford business class.

Practice dealing with distractions

Sounds simple, but it really is a crucial part of being able to perform at your best. You’ve had a fight with the girlfriend? Your car is caught in traffic on the way to the course and you’re stressing that you might not make your tee time? You’ve just shot eight under in the first round and the press are all around you wanting to know your story.

They, amongst many others, are all potential scenario’s that you could encounter in an average year on tour. How you deal with the stresses of difficult or unusual situations will be pivotal to your success and longevity as a pro golfer. Great years can often come down to one or two weeks of outstanding play.

You don’t want ‘your week’ to be undermined because you were unable to deal with external pressures that you should have prepared for.

Other than all of this, shooting in the 60’s every time you tee up also works very well! Good luck.

Hangin' with MJ

Digging out some old articles, and this is one of my favourites. A trip to Ireland in 2006 for the Ryder Cup threw up a couple of interesting moments, but none quite as much as a visit to Lillies Bordello nightclub in Dublin.

All for One?

The battle for the high commercial and moral ground continues in Asian professional golf, with the nascent OneAsia Tour's impressive start to the 2010 season making a statement about its intent and ambition.

Is there room for two tour's to operate in the same commercial space? Read about it here from this month's Australian Golf Digest.

25 hits for 9 holes!

Posting a link to Geoff Shackelford's site where he covers the remarkable feat on the Canadian Tour of Jamie Kureluk, who shot 25 for the back nine ( in a pro tournament) including 12 under for the final 10 holes. Now that is some playing!

Day 2 Highlights, SK Telecom Open, ONE Asia

Some brilliant golf on show in round 2 with the tyro Kim Dae-hyun leading the way heading into the weekend. Check out the highlights here

Inside the Com Box, ONE Asia

Just about to go on air for Round 2 of the SK Telecom Open, and things are set up ready to go. One monitor for the vision, one laptop for the scoring, and one each for Alan Wilkins ( partner in crime from ESPN Star) and myself to grab info off the net or from our own spreadsheets and files if someone jumps out of the pack that we need to swot on. Might ask for a bigger monitor from Santa for x-mas though.

SK Telecom Open 2010- Day 1 Highlights

Round 1 is done and dusted, with a five way tie at the head of the field. You can view the highlights package here and if in Australia, see the replay of the event on delay early in the morning on ONE HD, but check your guides for times in various states.

SK Telecom Open 2010, South Korea

The ONE Asia tour comes back to Seoul this week, at the Sky 72 Golf Club right next to Incheon airport. It is a 72 hole (four separate courses) layout and quite a contrast to Nam Seoul CC of two weeks back.

Where Nam Seoul was tree lined, Sky 72 is open, and the design is modern, perhaps some would suggest even American in style. In great condition too, so the players are going to have some fun here this week.

Note in the first picture ( player teeing off the 230m par 3 12th hole) the bum packs that I note a lot of Korean players wear during their practice rounds. This is to carry the range finders that most use, as the Korean tournaments do not have a detailed yardage book of the type that is common on major tours around the world.

It is an element that has caught a lot of the overseas players by surprise, and is certainly something that needs to be addressed for ONE Asia to establish itself as a major force in world golf moving forward.

Back to Seoul- SK Telecom Open

Off again to Korea tomorrow for the SK Telecom Open, a $US1 million tournament that is the fourth event on the ONE Asia Tour for 2010.

It is my third week on the trot for this trip, and as much as I'm looking forward to the week I can't wait to get home to the family again.

But with KJ Choi teeing it up and all the young Korean guns in the field as well it looks like being a killer week. The quality of the golf so far this year on ONE Asia has been outstanding and if this event comes anywhere near the previous Korean event for excitement then no-one will be complaining.

Pictured is the first hole at Nam Seoul CC during the final round, with the latest Korean sensation ,Kim Dae Hyun, getting ready to tee off.

Maekyung round-up

An eye opening week in a number of respects. First, we knew that there was some talent to be unearthed in Korea but frankly not the extent and depth of it.

And having gone there thinking that I had a handle of who the main protagonists in the new generation of Korean tyro's were, I came away with a new ordered hierarchy.

Somewhere in the top three I now have to find a place for Kim Dae Hyun, who was absolutely brilliant this week. He averages 304 yds off the tee but has more up his sleeve, hits it incredibly straight for a bomber, putts beautifully and hardly put a foot wrong all week. He has potential dripping out of him and has just turned 22.

Noh Seung Yul, Bae Sang Moon and Kim Kyung Tae all deserve their reputation as stars of the future but the winner this week may well turn out to be better than them all.

There were many other points of note in a busy week, but if anyone happens to be watching the broadcast tomorrow morning I'll just say to keep your eye open for a couple of rulings that take place on the 16th and 18th holes in the final round ( with the final group). Eye opening may well be the right word.

Sonic Youth

No, not the band, but the other 'band' of fresh faced troubadors currently redefining the modern era of professional golf.

What a day this has been. Rory McIlroy, 20, wins on the US PGA Tour shooting 62 around Quail Hollow, a very tough, major championship style golf course. This of course followed on from Ryo Ishikawa, 18, winning the Crowns event in Japan after shooting, wait for it, 58 in the final round ( Good thing those v grooves came in and conquered the low scoring binge, isn't it!).

Add to this Noh Seung Yul, 18, winning the Malaysian Open earlier this year and a bunch of his compatriots stepping up to the plate in recent weeks (Kim Bio, Bae Sang Moon et al) and it looks like 2010 is going to be one thing- The Year of the Kid.

I'm off to Korea this week to commentate on the Maekyung tournament in Seoul, where all the young studs will be putting their games on show. No social media blackout in Korea (at least the South, anyway) so I'll be able to blog from time to time. Till then...

A Cut Below

This month in Golf Digest, a look at the challenges faced by pro golf's upwardly mobile.

Back to China-Volvo China Open 2010

In Singapore airport about to head into the blog and social media free zone that is China so I thought it might be a good idea to get a quick post in.

A great field on deck for this event, YE Yang, Henrik Stenson, all the top Thai and Asian boys as well plus the surging Korean youngsters. It will be shown on ONE HD in Australia- the Luxehills event was delayed and shown the following morning and this may be the same but check your guides.

The final Pro Shop for the season tonight as well. Masters review, Tom Ramsey interview, plus a look back at the last six months of the show and a few bloopers for the road.

'The Kardashian's done got Obama'

Found this Chris Rock clip when he was on Letterman this week. Very funny.

Lessons in Life from Chengdu Part II

Lessons in Life from Chengdu

Managed to grab a few choice shots last week that were worth sharing.

Homeward Bound

It was a quiet week of blogging from Chengdu, mainly because blogs and social media are blocked in China. No Facebook, no Twitter, and no blogger. But there is a lot to report about a terrific week in Chengdu, which culminated in a finish for the ages on Sunday afternoon when Liang Wen Chong beat Kim Hyung Tai in a playoff for the ONE Asia title.

I've got quite a few pictures to post and some more thoughts on the amazing transformation taking place in China at the moment but I'll wait to get home to do that.

On an Airplane

Lean pickings on this blog of late, my apologies. What with taking a trip to Prowein in Germany, fighting jet lag and preparing for the upcoming week in China, it has been a bit crazy.

I'm commentating on the first ONE Asia event of the season in Chengdu, China this week, and I will be working to post the odd report from this relatively unknown city of just over 10 million people.

It has been quite a while since I have been to China, so it will be particularly interesting to see just how the ever advancing industrialisation of the country now manifests itself.

Seve-The Matador fights Back

Taking another opportunity to post a previously published article, this time one written on the great Seve Ballesteros, who is still struggling manfully through treatment for brain cancer. This was published on iseekgolf.com.


“Peter Alliss used to say I hit miracle shots. I never thought that. Miracles don’t happen very often; I was hitting those shots all the time” Severiano Ballesteros

Few true golf lovers will be unaware of the plight of the great Seve Ballesteros, released from a Spanish hospital recently after four separate surgeries to remove a brain tumour.

For those that hold the game dear, the Spaniard occupies a special place. Trying to quantify charisma is a challenging task, but it is no abuse of journalistic license to say that in this respect he occupies a similar stratosphere to Walter Hagen and Arnold Palmer, two of the most talismanic figures ever to lace up a pair of spikes.

Call it charisma, or je ne sais quoi, or what you will, but Ballesteros had an over supply of something that set him apart. When he walked on the course, he created a buzz. He infused the atmosphere with electricity, and created the anticipation that golfing magic was a possibility.

Despite his golf game going south in recent years, an inherent, pied piper-like magnetism remained. At 51, he is, by modern standards, still in the prime of his life, which makes all the more shocking the graveness of his current situation.

Seve announced his arrival to the golfing world at The Open Championship in 1976 as a 19-year-old. Displaying an outrageous sense of imagination and bravado, he saved par in ways that left observers speechless.

The famous episode at the Open Championship in 1979, where he made birdie from the middle of a Royal Lytham car park after a wildly errant tee shot, remains one of the most oft repeated anecdotes of golfing folklore.

At his peak, he played with an unconscious air of arrogance, with almost total disdain for the golf course.

The commentator Jim Murray once had this to say of Ballesteros:

“He goes after a golf course like a lion at a zebra. He doesn’t reason with it. He tries to hold its head underwater until it stops wriggling.”

There was no shot too difficult for him to visualise, no copse of trees too thick to manufacture a shot out of. Consequently, he played with little fear, attacking golf courses with abandon, fortified by the knowledge that his mercurial short game was gilt edged insurance against any indiscretion. It was stunning, entrepreneurial golf of the rawest form. Ben Crenshaw, no short game mug himself, observed that “Seve plays shots that I don’t even see in my dreams.”

For me, the memories of Ballesteros are powerful, and inspirational. When you watched him on television you were on edge. Golf seemed to take on a new dimension under his influence.

I played with Seve once, in a practice round during the 1996 Alfred Dunhill in Hong Kong. It was an ignominious introduction. I became so entranced by a conversation with the great man on the sixth hole that I forgot my golf clubs, leaving them 250 metres behind on the tee.

Embarrassing moments aside, what I remember most was a bunker shot played on the par five, ninth hole. Seve had short sided himself, on the downslope of the green side trap, pitching to a tight pin with the green sloping away from him, out of grainy, stony sand where the ball sat down.

I’m not sure that I could have kept it on the green. Needless to say, I was more than interested to watch what he could conjure up out of his mythical bag of tricks.

He made a pass at it like Tiger teeing off with a driver on a par five. The ball came out in slow motion, seemingly on time delay, spinning like a whirling dervish. It landed a foot over the lip, took one bounce and stopped on a dime six inches from the hole.

I turned to playing partner Peter Lonard, and appreciative, raised eyebrows met simultaneously. Words were unnecessary. From such moments legends are born. In this instance Seve’s was merely further entrenched, laser-etched into the cortex for perpetuity.

When Seve turned up to play, it seemed that little other than golf was on his mind. His intensity was legendary, and often intimidated opponents. He described his approach to the start of round in the following way,

“I look into their eyes, shake their hand, pat their back, and wish them luck, but I am thinking, ‘I am going to bury you’.”

It was little wonder then that small talk wasn’t his forte. Famously aloof, with a Hogan-esque intensity on the golf course, he mostly gave short shrift to niceties. Asked whether Lee Trevino and he conversed in Spanish, he replied, “ No- he’s Mexican.”

Capturing the essence of a personality like Seve stretches the boundaries of objectivity. Like most geniuses, he was, and is, a complex amalgam of factors and influences. Emotional, passionate, often thoughtful, sometimes dark and brooding. Free of spirit, competitive, enigmatic and they’re just the things we freely assume about him from observing his publicly presented identity.

But try to capture it we should, because as one of the true greats, he deserves to be remembered at his dynamic best. He may very well regain his former equilibrium with time, but there would be few prepared to argue against the reality that he has a serious fight on his hands. Premature as the eulogising tone of this article is, Seve needs to fight the great fight in the weeks and months ahead. He can rest assured that he’ll have no shortage of well wishers and support to help him along the way.

For me, nothing quite sums up my perception of the great Spaniard better than an answer given to a journalist in the 1990’s. His round had included a catastrophic four putt, and the writer asked him to describe how it had evolved.

After a moment’s contemplation, he replied laconicly,

“I miss, I miss, I miss, I make”,

Get better soon, Senor.

The Road Less Travelled

Going back through the archives I found the very first story that I wrote for Golf Digest back in 2002. I think it was published in 2003, but it is certainly interesting for me to reminisce about the trials and tribulations of a life on tour now that I'm well removed from the all consuming pursuit of golfing greatness.

Back in 2002, I was on the comeback trail from surgery, and had to claw my way up through the Challenge Tour, the secondary option for the European PGA Tour.

It brings back some great memories, but drives home just how difficult it is to make a crust unless you are playing for real money on a major tour.

These will always be good memories however- hey I proposed to my wife in the middle of this story!

ONE Asia

As if life could get any busier. I shouldn't complain, most of it is self inflicted, but this week I've accepted an offer to provide commentary for the broadcasts of ONE Asia on ESPN Star through Asia and the ONE and TEN networks in Australia.

ONE Asia currently has 13 events scheduled for the year, mostly in China and Korea but also Thailand and with more on the drawing board. The plan is for ONE Asia to have a twenty tournament schedule in a couple of years time so they are off to an impressive start.

There's also the two events at the end of the year on the Australasian Tour. So it is going to be a crazy year of more travel than I really want to contemplate but an exciting one at the same time.

Tiger's Apology- the Post Mortem

If anyone is still interested in the Tiger Woods circus and a summation of what the major news organisations are writing, you could do worse than heading to Geoff Shackelford's site and having a quiet read.

No-one covers golf with the same attention to detail and objectivity as Shackelford. You should put it in your favourites list

The Relativity of Greatness

With the record books being re-written over the past decade by Tiger Woods, how will we look back on the achievements of those that have come before, and for that matter, after?

If we set aside all the off course shenanigans that have sidetracked his single minded quest for Jack Nicklaus's major record, will Woods' ultimate legacy to the game be that he redefines greatness?

Read about it here

Lock up your Waitresses

Apparently, Tiger is about to make a statement at a press conference tomorrow. The word 'conference' needs to be used advisedly, because there will be no questions, and only journalists approved by IMG and the PGA Tour in attendance.

Makes you wonder who is giving Tiger advice. All that will happen as a result is that the world's press will be sent into a rabid feeding frenzy, ensuring that when and if a proper Q&A does happen the atmosphere will be even more combative than it currently is.

Perhaps Tiger never intends to answer any question? Is it anyone's business? Anyway, tomorrow's announcement will likely be more interesting for what he doesn't say, rather than the opposite. Stay tuned.

The Whispering Death

A couple of years ago, I wrote this article for iseekgolf.com, Australia's premier on-line golf website. I enjoyed writing it then, hopefully it provides some reading enjoyment now as well,

One of my very first memories of golf was of watching an Australian tournament on TV in the late 1970’s (as a young child, I respectfully – and defensively – wish to add). It was the era of Bob Shearer, Terry Gale, Ian Stanley, Rodger Davis and a young Greg Norman, when fields had a over-riding local flavour, salted with the occasional foreigner recruited to mollify the cultural cringe.

Little memory remains of the action or result. I had no interest in the game at all, but one player in particular did pique my curiosity at the time. His name was Ted Ball, a Sydney based professional who would have caused more than one armchair sportsman to snap to attention every time he made a pass at the ball.

The reason the late Ted Ball made such an impression was because he may have had one of the strangest ( others would use the less judgmental term, ‘unusual’) golf swings ever to find its way into a professional event. Even the best part of three decades hence, it is hard to forget the sight of Ball, his backswing and follow through an ungainly, whizzing blur, the club head appearing to venture little further than his waist in either direction.

Ball was no novelty act. In fact, he was a serious contender, and had won numerous events, including two South Australian Opens. Nonetheless, his appearance on TV provided great fodder for commentators, no doubt thankful for the opportunity to compare and contrast his aberrant swing with that of his rivals.

Looking retrospectively at the trends of the time (let’s not mention the flared, checked pants and wide lapel shirts) brings clarity to just how much golf has changed in the interim. Shearer, one of the dominant players of the day, was held up by many to be a model in terms of swing technique. But in the pre-video analysis era, rhythm, tempo and aesthetic‘style’ were the parameters upon which such an assessment were based. The classic ‘reverse c’ follow through, dynamic leg drive and high finish typical of many were considered aspirational qualities. It was the method du jour, and one both admired and copied by many in the absence of advice to the contrary.

As mentioned, much has changed in the decades hence. Ted Ball type swings on tour are almost extinct, and, as great a player as he was, few modern coaches are using Bob Shearer (or for that matter, any player from that era) as a model upon which to base a swing philosophy. Thirty years ago concepts like swing overhauls and redesigns were yet to register in the professional golf consciousness, hence the varied interpretations of the best way to golf one’s ball.

Spend any time at an Australian Tour event these days and you will observe uniformity in all its glory. Efficient uniformity, mind you, but a sense of sameness nonetheless.

The evolution of golf coaching over the past two decades through the use of sports science, video technology and computers has revolutionised the way the game is taught. Players and coaches are now acutely aware of what they perceive as technical flaws and of the reasons why poor shots occur.

As a result swings have become more structurally homogenous. It has been positive in that better technique (aided by more forgiving equipment) has seen the quality of play and scores under par increase exponentially. Whether the game is more interesting as a result is a debate best left for another time.

This train of thought arose as I sat watching the 2008 Open Championship, and once again had the opportunity to marvel at the idiosyncratic golf swing of the brilliant Jim Furyk, another technician who might also qualify for the ‘unusual’ classification with regard to swing motion.

Furyk, both a US Open champion and perennial major contender, once had his golf swing described by commentator David Feherty as like “an octopus falling out of a tree”. Feherty’s conceit was neither designed to diminish or to be taken literally but it has now found a home in the lexicon, a favourite that is trotted out by punters and pundits alike when discussion veers in the direction of the American.

It hasn’t seemed to have made any difference to him, however. Furyk has cemented a place in the top handful of golfers in the world, the clinical precision of his game a matter of respect and admiration from his peers. It is of great credit to Furyk that despite being the subject of backhanded compliments and damning with faint praise for much of his career he has changed little about the approach that has bought him so much success.

In a way, Jim Furyk’s golf swing is like a fossilised remain bought to life, a carbon 14 escapee of a bygone epoch. It seems to belong of an age where assay was an afterthought, where golfers picked up the sticks and, as the great Sam Snead once said, ‘danced with who they brung’. A reminder, if you like, that there was a time when artistry, self expression and individuality might have been considered foundation principles of the game of golf.

The octopus analogy may have stuck, but the moniker that commentator and former Australian PGA champion Andrew Coltart threw Furyk’s way last week is more appropriate. Furyk, methodically and insidiously plotting his way around a brutal Royal Birkdale was tagged by Coltart as the ‘whispering death’.

The insinuation inherent to such a description seems a more respectful and appreciative way of capturing his inimitable approach to the game.

Sub Prime Golf

This month's Golf Digest article, looking at the future for professional golf and the current malaise of viewing the health of the game at large through the prism of professionalism.

Barnbougle Dunes

Currently down at Moonah Links doing the final tournament of the Australian summer golf season. One day to go, and two Americans in the lead (by four shots) and we are hoping for a bit of contest tomorrow in the final round as today was fairly average TV viewing with everyone going backwards and very little to enthuse about.

Tough conditions to be sure, but that still doesn't help when you are trying to dredge up a contest when none appears to be in existence.

Anyway, some good prospects for tomorrow, including some high quality young Aussies in contention like Andrew Dodt and Jarrod Lyle who are a good chance to create a bit of a stir.

Prior to the Moonah event, I headed down to the brilliant Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania to shoot a couple of pieces for 'The Pro Shop' with cohort Jay Townsend (pictured). It is a must visit for anyone who loves golf, and will become an even more essential pilgrimage once the second course, "The Lost Farm" is up and running come October this year.

In the picture is one of the best short par three's ever built, the 7th at the Dunes.

Local Rules

Whilst talking about the current fixation of golf's ruling bodies with technology and professional golf on The Pro Shop recently, the subject of the growth of the game came up. And of course, the stats over the last decade show a steady decline in rounds played across Australia.

The 'fiddling whilst Rome burns' analogy comes immediately to mind, but the reasons for the numbers going backwards are more complex than simply attention deficit. I mention a few of those in this article, but one ongoing issue that golf needs to deal with sooner rather than later is its fixation with the past and ongoing attachment to elitism. Read it here.

On the Bench #11

Wandin Valley Estate Pavilion Rose' 2009 ( $18) v Gundog Estate Rose' 2009 ($18)


I've been fortunate enough to try Matt Burton's wines ( Wandin Valley Estate) for a few years now and they've always been good. Not showy, but honest (not in a damning with faint praise way) and with drinkability to the fore.

I found a bottle of his rose' in the pile tonight, and just happened at the same time to see another rose' from Gundog Estate, a brand that I had never heard of before. A moment of investigation and, lo and behold, I find that Gundog Estate belongs to his parents.

So what a perfect opportunity to pit a family against each other in a vinous, Canberra v Hunter Valley, last man standing, smack down. Lets not mention that Matt makes both wines, it spoils the story!

Actually, it is a pretty clear win to mum and dad, although if your personal preference is for a more full fruited style the Wandin Valley may be more your go. But the Gundog Rose' is a really classy wine, restrained and savoury, pale in colour with a touch of barrel work adding a textural factor. It is drying and quenching at the same time, oh so easy to drink and great with summer foods like fish and chips, salads and antipasto.

As mentioned, the Wandin Valley wine is brighter, with more primary, youthful red fruit flavours- really fresh and lovely summer drinking but in this case, art imitates life because Mum and Dad (again) get the last word.

On the Bench #10

Scarborough 'Green Label' Semillon 2009 $18

Bit of a quiet achiever, are Scarborough. Tucked away in the Hunter Valley, making little noise but lots of very good wine. This is a different take on the classically lean, tight Hunter Semillon style, with a slightly riper profile that lends more consumer friendly, tropical fruit orientated flavours. The drinkability factor is high- think of it as a Sauvignon Blanc for intellectuals. Winery Sample, 91 points, drink 2010+

Tiger- After the Reign

As far as public relations disasters go, the Tiger Woods debacle over the last seven weeks takes the cake. Marketing courses and MBA programs for decades to come will be using this as an example of exactly how not to go about dealing with a PR crisis.

Amazingly, no-one has sighted Woods since news of the late night car crash on Nov 27 broke. It is a bizarre saga which seems to be heading further into La-La land with every passing day.

This months Golf Digest article takes a look at the past, present, and immediate future for Tiger Woods.

Pick the odd guy out

Exactly...the South African. I had lunch today at The Grand GC on the Gold Coast, and I'm not sure if I've been back since the 2001 Australian Open when this round was shot.

Anyway, the picture was worth taking for posterity's sake. I'm pretty sure it is the first and last time my name will be included in any list involving the roll call posted on this honour board!

On the Bench #9

Frankland Estate 'Isolation Ridge' Shiraz 2007 $35

If there is any justice in the world (there isn't, I know) then brands from off the beaten track who have stuck to their style guns through the last 15 years and produced regionally specific, authentic, personality driven wines will find their moment in the sun in the near future.

That may be wishful thinking, but labels like Frankland Estate fit that bill to a tee. Cool climate operators struggled for attention when size was king, but there was never any question about the quality of the wines that this Great Southern producer turned out.

And if anything, they're just getting better. You could smell the nose on this all day- pepper, florals, spice rack, rocks and black cherries. Relaxed but powerful in the mouth, lots of deep black flavours but without any heaviness and spicy persistence. Grainy, imperfect tannins in keeping with the rustic personality of the wine. And you just keep reaching for another glass. Winery Sample, 94+ points, drink 2011+

On the Bench #8

Cape Mentelle 'Wallcliffe' Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2007 $40

I lost count of the number of times I heard Len Evans lament the 'cult of dimension' that had crept into the appreciation and assessment of Australian wine through the 90's and early noughties. Almost from the first time I heard him speak on wine, any wine, this was an abiding concern of his.

To be honest, I had no idea what he meant at the time. Well, an idea, but no real tasting experience to use as a barometer from which to base my own assessment. Wine was wine, and to be honest, the more juicy and concentrated the better as far as I was concerned.

Tastes change; in fashion, music, food, and wine. The wines I liked then are different to what I drink now. And I have no doubt that ten years ago, I would have thought that this wine was a waste of glass.

Fortunately, wine redemption is available to all. This is as good a 'Graves/White Bordeaux' style as you will find in Australia, and won't be shamed by anything varietally similar with a French label on it. The use of oak, and the integration of it, is basically perfect. It's there, but not intrusive, and the textural component that comes with the 'oaked white' territory adds interest and complexity. Best of all, there is a seamlessness and purity about this wine that sets it apart- it's dry, lean, savoury yet quenching, and the silken flow of it is magnificent.

This is a poster boy for what is possible in Australian wine- different, ambitious, imaginative, outside the box, elegant, packed to the gills with interest and excellence. Not wanting to put words in the old bloke's mouth, but I reckon Len would have loved it. Winery Sample, 95+ points, drink 2011+

A new Pooch

We have a new addition to the family. Oscar, a mutt of indeterminate origins, has become a Dodd.

If he looks like a pound or junkyard dog, that's because he is. Our last rescue effort, Jackie, was found in a heroin addict's care (or lack of it) and though it was a lot of hard work to rehabilitate her after the abuse she had received, she turned into a wonderful dog and a much loved part of our life.

Sadly, she ate some poison berries a year or so ago, fell very sick, and ended up with chronic epilepsy. We nursed her for a while, tried every drug in the book but in the end she was fitting violently every hour or so and we had to do that horrible but humane thing and put her down.

Oscar very nearly met an early end. Deciding that he needs to chew everything in sight, he set to task on an electrical cord. The burns on his back were horrific, but he has survived, the wounds have healed, he's in good form and has now decided that expensive runners and Oakley sunglasses are more his flavour.

Anyway, we enjoy the chaos that he brings to our life, and also that beautiful brand of whole hearted, selfless love that only dogs can give.

Now to stop him jumping the fence.

Happy New Year !!!

A happy new year to everyone. 2009 was a tough year all round in a lot of ways, hopefully we have seen the back of what it represents and things are on the up.

Had an enjoyable but quiet NYE. Some very nice wines, Chandon NV, Yarrabank 2005 and Pommery NV for bubbles to start the night, and then two Ten Minutes by Tractor pinot's from 2007 with some lamb and a cheese plate afterwards. More notes on the reds later.

Hope everyone isn't too seedy today. Here's to a great 2010.