Dream Winners for the 2019 Majors

Welcome to the "Dream Season" in professional golf! The four majors in 2019 will be played at storied venues like Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland (The Open), Pebble Beach Golf Links (U.S. Open), Bethpage Black (PGA Championship) and, of course, Augusta National (Masters).

What could be better than that? How about the four winners being marquee names that will elevate golf interest and have the media salivating with countless story angles. 

Here is my foursome of dream winners: 

Tiger Woods -- The Masters

Let's face it, not everyone wants Tiger to wear another Green Jacket. He's a lot like the Dallas Cowboys, New York Yankees and Notre Dame Irish. You either love'em or hate'em and their doesn't seem to be much middle ground. I'm a big Tiger fan for the same reason everybody in the golf industry likes the Big Cat. He's made us all a lot of money. Whether you admit it or not, the golf universe still revolves around Tiger and a victory at Augusta would be the crescendo on his comeback from four back surgeries. America loves a great comeback and Tiger wearing green in the Butler Cabin would be the ultimate dream scenario for many golf fans.

Rory McIlroy -- The Open Championship

Rory grew up in Northern Ireland and played Royal Portrush on several occasions in his youth. He's the sentimental favorite and the storylines would be off the charts if he can somehow snare the Claret Jug at this magnificent seaside links layout. McIlroy, a 4-time major winner, knows how to close the deal at the Open. He bested Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia in 2014 at Royal Liverpool to capture the Jug. Guess who holds the competitive course record for a round at Royal Portush? McIlroy shot a 61 on the Dunluce Links in 2005. He's definitely got a home field advantage so he'll be an obvious favorite.

Brooks Koepka -- U.S. Open

While Koepka isn't exactly a media darling with his methodical, boring press conferences, his power game speaks for itself. My gosh, this Florida blond bomber is going for a three-peat in the U.S. Open. Sports Betting Dime has Brooks Koepka as one of the favorites at +1400 and with good reason. He is the two-time defending champion who seems to thrive in front of the home crowd. Often overlooked because of his length off the tee is Koepka's overall game. He spent a few years playing around the world before fully engaging on the PGA Tour and he enhanced his short game skills and putting on all types of surfaces and courses around the world. When he's on his game, Koepka looks like a modern day Jack Nicklaus. He overpowers golf courses and is not intimated by anybody, anywhere.

Rickie Fowler -- PGA Championship

A victory would finally put to rest the notion that Fowler is all hat and no cattle with more style than substance. Golf needs more youth golfers and a Fowler victory would, in a small way, help propel that movement. Most of the teenage and younger golfers grew up idolizing Rickie not Tiger. With his flat brim hats, colorful outfits, fancy shoes and strong social media presence, Rickie is the most appealing golfer to Generation Z (youngsters born from the mid-1990s to the early 2000s). Fowler is charismatic and his skill level is equal to the best players in the world. If he could snare a Wannamaker trophy and hoist it high in his bright orange outfit, the future for golf will look just a little bit brighter.

10 Annoying Things About Golf

Laying on my couch this weekend watching the PGA Championship and U.S. Women's Amateur, I had a few minutes during commercials to write down some of the things that annoy me about golf these days.

1. I absolutely love Topgolf, but the golf media should please stop saying it'll bring more Millennials to golf. Noshing on upscale appetizers and copping a buzz from fancy cocktails before you hit some electronic golf balls is not really golf.

2. Enough already with dumb ideas like high-top golf shoes, golf sandals and track pants. Hey folks, we're supposed to be playing golf not shooting hoops or hangin' at the beach.

3. Hey LPGA and USGA, please stop having 12 and 13 year olds compete in your major championships. It just seems so sad to see these whippersnappers beat the heck out of your pros and college golfers.

4. Hello LPGA! Stop with the dress code. These are grown women. If Lexi Thompson, Belen Mozo and Paige Spiranac want to work out and wear form fitting clothing on the golf course, what's wrong with that. What you should outlaw is all of the boring outfits many players wear during tournaments.

5. Speed up play on the PGA Tour. Enough with the six hour rounds. My gosh, I've seen scramble tournaments with beer swilling participants play faster than some of these guys.

6. Attention PGA Tour, LPGA Tour and any other professional tour. Please don't use golf courses that have ridiculous false fronts on greens. I despise seeing golfers hit the green and have the ball roll off 20 yards back into the fairway. 

7. Leave Tiger Woods alone, golf media. I know he's worth millions of clicks and viewers, but let the man live in peace till he decides to tee it up again. And puh-leeze don't run that mug shot again. 

8. Hey PGA Tour, try to find more players like John Daly and Beef Johnston to counteract all of the lifeless robots playing on Tour.

9. At professional tour events, please instantly remove any fan that yells "Baba Booey", "Cheeseburger", "Mash Potatoes",  "in the hole", "you da man", etc. Especially "you da man" (that's so 1990s)

10. Hey adult fans (kids are ok), please stop trying to hand slap PGA Tour players as they walk from one hole to the next. It just seems so sad to see adult jock sniffers be so desperate.

On Location: PGA Village Has Come To Play

Finishing Hole at the Wannamaker Course

You might want to take another look at PGA Village this fall and winter.

If you think Oprah performed some amazing makeovers, the new management team and grounds crew are equally magical.

Let's face it, PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida has not aged gracefully in the past few years. While it certainly was an acceptable place to tee up and stay on a golf getaway, it didn't really boldly stand out among the state's crowded sea of 40 major golf resorts.

It will now.

Six months ago, PGA Village hired veteran golf course superintendent Dick Gray to oversee the grounds and maintenance of the three courses at the resort.

Dick Gray knows turf. During his 25-year career, Gray helped design and build The Florida Club in Stuart, Florida; worked with Pete Dye and P.B. Dye on the construction of Loblolly Pines in Hobe Sound, Florida; and was involved in significant greens and regrassing projects as superintendent at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Florida and Sailfish Point Golf Club in Stuart.

Gray and PGA President Ted Bishop have promised to enhance the courses to unparalleled levels commensurate with the PGA brand. PGA Village serves as the home club for more than 27,000 men and women PGA Professionals.

"Dick Gray is a world-class golf course superintendent," says PGA President Ted Bishop. "His turf grass practices are widely respected throughout the golf course industry..."

Gray has arrived on property with a focused enhancement program and a passion to make the courses at PGA Village some of the best turf playgrounds anywhere.

Guests visiting this winter will see the initial results of his turf revolution at the resort's courses. From new and improved grasses to recently acquired state-of-the-art mowing equipment and a hard-working and dedicated staff, Gray believes he can succeed with the makeover.

"As the PGA, golfers expect us to produce at a high-level and we want these courses to meet and exceed  expectations," says Gray. "There is tremendous commitment to that goal starting with Ted Bishop on down."

Gray says his goal is to have players walk off the courses thinking "Wow, these are some of the best maintained and conditioned courses I've ever played."

GOLF

The way I see it, PGA Village's golf selections are a bit like those at a ski resort, where there are slopes for experts, intermediates and beginners.

Dye Course--To be sure, you'll quickly be exposed on this course if you don't have game. If you can't consistently hit your approach shots to near the exact yardage, you'll be scrambling for bogeys all day. Dye's use of fairways with movement, massive coquina waste bunkers, pine straw roughs, subtle contours on the greens and masterful bunkering is joyful to see and appreciate, but hellish to play if you lack consistency.

Wannamaker Course (formerly named the South Course)--I'm a huge Tom Fazio fan and the Wannamaker exudes Fazio flair with bold, imaginative bunkering, marvelous mounding and large greens with subtle movements that don't look contrived or forced.

Ryder Course (formerly named the North Course)--There are just as many pine trees as palms on this Tom Fazio layout. Generous landing areas and five sets of tees make this the best course to start any stay and play getaway vacation at PGA Village. My suggestion is to start here then progress to the Wannamaker and finish with the Dye.

PGA CENTER FOR GOLF LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE

The facilities and practice areas at this 35-acre complex are exactly what you would expect at a resort that serves as a gathering spot for thousands of  PGA Professionals. The menu includes:

--More than 100 full swing practice stations
--9 bunkers that simulate play from around the world
--Three private teaching pods
--Mobile covered hitting bays to protect against the hot sun and rain
--Pitching and chipping practice areas
--7,000-square-foot USGA putting greens
--Three hole teaching course
--State-of-the-art technology for swing analysis, club fitting and game improvement; TrackMan Shot Performance, LinxTracker/PGA PAR System and other high-tech gadgets
--Golf specific fitness center
--Golf repair and fitting center

Designed so you can work on all phases of the game, the expansive complex is the perfect place to practice for cold climate residents who want to work off the rust caused by inactivity and sporadic play. A daily pass costs $34 from 1/4 to 3/17; $29 from 11/1 to 1/3 and 3/18 to 5/31 and $21 from 6/1 to 10/31. There's also special pricing for spouses, PGA Professionals and juniors.

For those who want a golf school experience, there are  21/2 day, 3 1/2 day and 4 1/2 day schools featuring a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio.

Some of the things I like about the PGA of America Golf Schools is that the instructors are experienced Class "A" certified professionals with years of teaching experience and each instructor stays with a student for the entire school instead of revolving for each skill education.

The golf fitness facility is exceptional. Packed with a variety of machines, stretch bands, large rubber bands, balls and other apparatus, the PGA Center For Fitness helps develop core strength and increases flexibility as well as addressing other golf specific fitness issues.

PGA MUSEUM OF GOLF

Don't miss visiting this museum, which is brimming with golf history exhibits, vintage photographs, posters, golf clubs and other memorabilia. You can also see golf's four major championship trophies on display.

The PGA of America has a rich and storied history and it's displayed beautifully in this building adjacent to the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance. There's a also a phenomenal library room packed with historical golf books and past issues of the PGA Magazine.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Much like the golf, there's great variety in the accommodations options at PGA Village.

A good selection of on-property villa and townhome properties are available in packages.  The beige stucco villa apartment and townhomes feature kitchens, Wi-Fi, swimming pools and other amenities.

For those who prefer a hotel room, there are several moderately priced options just outside the front gate and very close to the clubhouse and golf courses. I stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn, which has spacious, well-appointed rooms, a comfortable lobby with a fireplace and large flat screen television, beautiful swimming pool and courtyard area and an on-site Sam Snead's Tavern.

Lobby at Hilton Garden Inn

Suite accommodations are available about 1/4 mile away at Homewood Suites, which has one and or two-bedroom suites. Each unit has a full-size refrigerator, two-burner stove and dishwasher. Also included is a complimentary breakfast.

10 Little Things I Like About PGA Village

1. The user-friendly GPS systems on the golf carts.

2. The 6-hole short course with holes ranging from 35 to 60 yards.

3. The Donald Ross 1890s-era workbench at the PGA Museum of Golf.

4. The Sam Snead's Tavern at the on-site Hilton Garden Inn that serves Goose Island brew on draft.

5. The on-site golf club repair and fitting shop at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance.

6. The Ryder Cup golf bags and other memorabilia displayed in the clubhouse.

7. The 3-hole practice school course at the PGA Center for Golf Learning and Performance.

8. Fantastic, easily accessible location just off Interstate-95.

9. The quesadillas, turkey club sandwich and potato pancakes at the Champions Grill.

10. Lots of places to shop and dine just a few blocks from the property across I-95. The casual dining offerings include Chipotle, Chilli's and TGIFRidays to name a few.

LOCATION

Situated on Florida's east coast in Port St. Lucie just off Interstate-95 about a two hour drive from Orlando, a one hour drive from Daytona Beach and 45 minutes from West Palm Beach. 

STAY AND PLAY PACKAGES

Several golf travel companies offer packages to PGA Village. The golf travel company that knows the resort better than anyone is Atlanta-based Premier Golf.  They have a unique relationship with the PGA of America and customize a variety of stay and play packages. Call 866-260-4409 for package information.