July 2009 Archives
Well I guess all the Tiger Haters had their moment of glory last week at The Open Championship......
Even one prominent sportswriter, now turned "TV personality", Rick Reilly took time out to publicly lambast Tiger in an ESPN.com column regarding his on course behavior. Uhhh, Rick, just a wild guess but I don't think you're getting an invitation to Tiger JamVI.
Even the Golf Haters took their shots at the grand old game. "How can you expect anyone to take golf seriously as a sport when a 59-year-old guy, who looks like an oversized leprechaun, almost won the damn Open Championship!
Well, all of this bluster has got me thinking about how to improve golf in its current state and to prepare ourselves for life after Tiger. Just think how lame this Open Championship would have been without Watson hanging on to the end. Don't get me wrong - I like Stewart Cink. The dude is a hoot on Twitter, twitter.com/stewartcink, but girls aren't exactly throwing their underwear at him when he walks by and guys aren't daydreaming about how "cool" it would be to be like Stew.
So here goes nothing! If I were PGA TOUR Commissioner for a day................
In the real world, I could make this happen. In my fantasy, I want this to happen. Real World. 30-event regular season. Every qualified player has to play 25 events. The five events you miss have to be played next year. I don't care if the 150th ranked player on tour doesn't get to play every event, do you? I want to see Tiger and Phil and the rest of the top guys killing each other every week like they do in every other damn sport!
Fantasy World: Female Caddies. Need I say more, but I will... NFL Cheerleaders, Laker Girls, Beach Volleyball. Sex sells. Let's get over ourselves. If we didn't like it, none of us would be here. By the way, caddy overalls will be stylishly altered to accentuate the "personality" of the ladies.
Real World: 54-hole cuts instead of 36. Give the players a chance to play their way into or out of a payday. Too many players coast after they make the 36-hole cut. Make them work a little harder and longer for the payday.
Fantasy World: Uniforms for all players on all tours. Don't laugh, every other sport has their players, drivers, horses identified by name and number or both. How is a casual golf fan supposed to tell who is who without names and numbers on their shirts? Think of how many whatever numbered Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson shirts you could sell! Because, right now nobody is buying the skin-tight, nipple popper shirts Phil is sporting these days, not to mention the licensing agreements. Got your attention now Commissioner Finchem?
Real World: Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, schedule an event during a Major Week. I found it incredibly annoying that the PGA TOUR schedules an event opposite The Open Championship every year. What message are we sending to the players who didn't qualify for the major? Yeah, you weren't good enough to qualify for this major so we'll give you a chance to make some serious cash playing against other chops while nobody is watching. Seems a little lame to me.
Fantasy World: A shotclock. Golf takes too long. Basketball, Football and I suspect baseball will come up with some version of a pitch clock soon. Why not golf? While were at it, all balls within 2 feet of hole cannot be marked or cleaned. Hammer the damn thing in the back of the cup and get the hell out of the way! Did I mention female caddies?
Bob Seganti, PGA
Got Golf on the Brain? Come to Myrtle Beach, The Golf Capital of the World! Link back to Caledonia Golf Vacations at www.caledoniagolfvacations.com to plan your next golf vacation. While you're in town don't forget to tune into The Michelob Ultra Golf Guys on ESPN Radio The Team 93.7 fm, 1050am and 93.9 fm every Saturday from 8am to 10am and also streaming live at www.teammyrtlebeach.com with your truly and the legendary Matt Lincoln.
I'm on the hot seat ....
Dear readers,
I know what you are thinking ....this goon Seganti has an editor? And how much trouble could he get into for not writing this blog? As a matter of fact, I am probably doing you readers a favor by not posting this drivel.
I don't really have an editor, but I do have a very professional, very funny woman who works in public relations that edits this mess and makes it somewhat presentable. By the way, she is also one helluva golfer, for a certain booking fee, I will arrange for her to play on your charity Captain's Choice team this summer.
Back to the Professional Tours:
PGA Recap:
Kenny Perry is not a favorite of mine but I have to give the dude credit. Move over Vijay, Kenny is the best player in the world over 45.
Rickey Barnes may have the worst looking swing under pressure I've seen in a long time on the PGA TOUR. You rarely see such a noticeable difference in good swings and bad swings from a touring professional. He will not be a consistent performer on any professional tour without a major swing overhaul.
Tiger Woods is becoming the dominant player he has always been. I see The Open Championship as his lone major victory this year and he will add two more regular season victories to win Player of the Year honors in 2009. Really making a bold statement there, aren't I?
Phil Mickelson has my respect for making the cut at Bethpage Black. I predicted on my radio show that he wouldn't. However, the dude choked down the stretch and that can't be denied. When you 3-putt a green on #15; when you come up a full club short on a hole you owned all week (#17); when you are regarded as having one of the best short games in the world and you don't get up and down on #17, with plenty of green to work, and when you have a wedge in hand on last hole and you can't get it inside of 30 feet. You Choked. My thoughts are with you and your family for a full recovery for your wife Amy.
LPGA Recap:
Kristy McPherson, a local player getting closer to winning on the LPGA TOUR, finished second at the past week's Wegman's Championship. Have had the opportunity to interview her and she is a lot of fun to talk with. Also follow her on Twitter. She has a very interesting lifestyle and loves to tweet about it. If I could ever figure out the LPGA schedule, I would probably watch more ladies golf. What's not to like? Golf and ladies, I like both........
Champions Tour Recap:
Is that still in existence? Do Chi-Chi and Trevino still play? How is it the older I get the less interested in "senior" golf I become.........
Suggestion: Being 50 years old does not make you a senior! Raise the age limit to 60 and I might enjoy watching some older guys knock it around. Hell, Jay Haas was in town playing True Blue a couple of times last week and was knocking it past some of the local jocks by 20 yards and 20 years their senior. He's no geezer.
Summertime is a great time to get out and play with family. Days are long, schedules are flexible and kids actually are bored and are looking for things to do to get out of the house (or office) Sounds like some 42 year olds I know.
Remember short practice sessions and limit the amount of holes the kids (or 42 year olds) are playing. Always leave them wanting more. By the way, save the cheapskate routine for around the house. Buy the kid (or 42 year old) a candy bar or ice cream at the course, that way they'll always associate the golf course as a fun place, even if their golf game stinks.
Stay cool!
Bob Seganti, PGA
Don't forget to follow us on twitter at www.twitter.com/truebluegolf
Don't forget to visit our facebook page at True Blue Golf Plantation
Don't forget to tune into The Michelob Ultra Golf Guys on ESPN radio 93.7 1050am 93.9 every Saturday from 8am to 10am with your hosts Bob Seganti and Matt Lincoln for all of your local and national live golf talk radio. We are also streaming worldwide at www.Teammyrtlebeach.com so tell your friends!
