Why Tiger Woods Can't Win

Following Tiger Wood's introduction to an Orlando Isleworth fire hydrant in 2009, we were introduced to another Tiger on the golf course. Tiger 2.0 resembles 1.0 somewhat these days, but the new version just can’t seem to win and add to his trophy case like the feared older version.

You can blather on endlessly about his new coach and swing and whether he can keep the ball on the fairway consistently, but it’s Tiger’s pathetic flat stick game that probably wouldn’t even get him a win on the Nationwide Tour.

Woods ranks 175^th in the PGA Tour Strokes Gained Putting performance stat. When you watch Woods on the greens these days he looks like an 18-handicapper overcome with anxiety at a corporate scramble with the boss watching. These days Woods hopes the ball goes in rather than knowing it will find the bottom of the cup.

Other parts of Tiger’s 2.0 game aren’t that impressive, either. He ranks 81^st in driving distance at 290.4 yards and 177^th in total driving. On the bright side, he’s first in Sand Save Percentage, and eighth in Greens in Regulation percentage and Scoring average.

The bottom line is if Tiger’s putts begin to fall, he will win again. Suffice it to say, just about every professional golfer who sticks a peg in the ground will tell you they’ll win again if they can just drop a few putts. 

Best Modern Clubhouses

Check out my list of "Best Modern Clubhouses", the greatest 19th holes ever.

5 Worst Meltdowns in the MAJORS

If you think your game is on the skids, don't forget some of the greatest golfers on the planet have crashed and burned at very inopportune times. 

Check out my list of the 5 Worst Meltdowns in the MAJORS.

Video of the meltdowns will make you cringe.

My All-Time Favorite Golf Experience

My All-Time Favorite Golf Experience

I’m one of those lucky souls to have played more than a few courses on everybody’s Top 100 list. That said, my favorite golf experience—with the criteria encompassing setting, playability and memorable holes—is Kingsbarns Golf Links near St. Andrews in Scotland.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks highly of this Kyle Phillips designed gem. Golfweek recently ranked Kingsbarns the No. 1 Modern Course (built after 1960) in Great Britain and Ireland.

Late last year Golf Digest ranked Kingsbarns as No. 12 in their Top 50 Links in Great Britain & Ireland.

Opened in 2000, Kingsbarns is set on land that gently slopes down towards the coastline and almost every hole has a phenomenal view of the seas. Stretching 7,181 yards from the championship tees, Kingsbarns is part of the Dunhill Links Championship rotation alongside the Old Course at St. Andrews and Carnoustie Golf Links.

5 Tips for the Corporate Golfer That Really Work

Check out my latest post at Cvent for some golf tips, especially if you're a golfer that struggles at corporate golf events.

5 Worst (But Most Successful) Golf Swings

There's one major difference between your hacker's swing and the list of gentlemen on my list of worst golf swings. They've managed to win millions of dollars with their less-than-technically perfect swings, and you probably don't have a dime to show for efforts. Check out my latest post at Golf Partners Online to see who made my list.

5 Most Annoying Resort Practices

I absolutely love playing golf at resorts. There's nothing like a massage or herbal wrap at the spa after an arduous round or a cool libation on the veranda of a plush clubhouse. That said, there are some annoying practices by resorts that drive me crazy. Check out my latest post at the Golf Partners Club.

5 Best Golf Shots Ever

For my list of the 5 Best Golf Shots ever, go to my latest post at Golf Partners Club

Top IAGTO Award Winners for 2012

Check out some of the top golf destinations and resort award winners for 2012 at my latest post at Cvent

The Old Course Ballot Changes to 48 Hours Ahead

Here's a heads up for Old Course lovers:

The ballot for tee times on the world famous Old Course will be changing to being drawn two days ahead from January 2012.

The ballot has been drawn one day ahead for many years but St Andrews Links Trust, which manages the seven public courses in the town, is making the change to help people plan their golf more effectively.

On Saturday, January 7, 2012, the ballot will be drawn for Monday, January 9 and will continue to be drawn two days ahead from then onwards.

The plans to make the change were announced earlier this year and the Trust has been communicating with the many thousands of golfers from near and far who play the Old Course to make sure they are aware that the change is being made. The Trust conducted its Advanced Reservations for visiting golfers for play on the Old Course in 2012 on September 7 and has advised the more than 2500 applicants of the change.

The 48 hour ballot will dovetail with the one-day ahead booking system on the Castle, Jubilee, Eden and Strathtyrum courses and will enable golfers who have been unsuccessful in the ballot to book an alternative course for the day they want to play. The earlier draw will make it easier for visiting golfers to plan accommodation and travel arrangements and will encourage them to stay longer in St Andrews and play more golf in and around the town.

Euan Loudon, Chief Executive of St Andrews Links Trust, said, “The ballot is designed to ensure that golfers who haven’t been able to book in advance still have a chance to play the Old Course. It has been drawn one day ahead for many years but we conducted an extensive consultation exercise with a range of different stakeholders and the feedback was that people felt drawing it two days ahead would make it much easier for people to plan their golf. We believe the change will help to improve the experience of playing in St Andrews and to ensure that people have more opportunity to book golf on the other courses.”

To enter the ballot requires at least two golfers and they will have to enter their names, home clubs and handicaps by 2pm. The ballot will take place every day of the week with the exception of Friday as there is no play on the Old Course on Sundays. The entries can be made by phone on 01334 466666 or in person at any of the three clubhouses at the Links.

St Andrews Links Trust is a charitable organization responsible for the management and maintenance of the Links courses at St Andrews, including the famous Old Course, host of the 2010 Open Championship. The Trust was established in 1974. 

Around 200,000 rounds are played over six public courses, which feature two additional championship courses (the New and the Jubilee), two 18-hole courses (the Eden and the Strathtyrum) and a nine-hole course (the Balgove).

A seventh course, The Castle Course, opened for play in 2008 on a site to the south-east of St Andrews and has already won several international awards including being named by Travel & Leisure Golf magazine in America as the New Course of the Year and International Development of the Year by Golf Inc magazine in America. The course was also included in the prestigious Golf Digest Top 100 Courses in its first year.

The Trust manages a number of additional facilities including three clubhouses, a golf practice center and golf academy and five shops. It recently reopened The Tom Morris Shop, the oldest golf shop in the world. Artifacts belonging to the four-time Open champion such as his locker, fireplace and workbench are on display in the shop, which sits opposite the 18th green of the Old Course.

For more information visit www.standrews.org.uk.

If You Visit Orlando, Florida...

If you’re visiting Orlando for business, theme parks or some other reason next year, by all means play some of my favorite layouts and resorts. The list includes Bay Hill (a private club course you can play if you stay at the on-site lodge), MetroWest, an undulating layout near Universal Orlando, Grand Cypress Resort, home to 45 holes of Jack Nicklaus designed golf and Reunion Resort, which has three 18-hole golf courses designed separately by Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson.

Off-the-course, gentlemen start your engines. Debuting in January is the Exotic Driving Experience at Walt Disney World Speedway, which will offer you the opportunity to drive supercars such as the Ferrari F430 and 458, Lamborghini Gallardo LP570-4 and LP560-4, Porsche 997S and Audi R8.

You’ll get to accelerate these awesome cars to high speeds on a special course. The experience starts at $199 for 6 laps around the 1-mile course. Part of the Richard Petty Driving Experience, the Exotic Driving Experience will also offer “Thrill Rides” with a Petty instructor for $99.  Plans call for the Exotic Driving Experience to all be offered in the future at Daytona International Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

5 Most Underrated Golf Destinations

Check out my A-list of the top underrated U.S. golf destinations at Cvent.com

Best Golf Swings Ever

From Slammin' Sammy to the Big Easy Ernie Els, check out my list of the top golf swings ever to walk the fairways. 

Golf Travel Is Back

Just when you thought the last shovels of dirt were being thrown on the golf travel industry, along comes some great news about international golf tourism.

In a recent speech addressing the members of Thailand’s Golf In A Kingdom destination marketing program, Peter Walton, chief executive of the International Association of Golf Tourism Operators (IAGTO), said golf is one of the few international tourism sectors continuing to grow despite global economic uncertainty.

He said international golf tourism was expected to exceed 50 million travelers in 2011, and perhaps reach 55 million, which is equivalent to the level in 2007 before the global financial crisis.

“Golf tourism bounces back more quickly than other sectors,” he added. “In established markets, one in three golfers plan to travel in the next 12 months. That is a lot more than in other sectors like skiing. We also know that golfers spend 120 percent more per person per day when staying in a resort than other travelers.”

Regarding U.S. golf travel, Walton cited that while only 12 percent of the U.S. population plays golf, golfers were responsible for 27 percent of U.S. travel expenditures.

Walton highlighted Spain, the U.S. and Thailand as currently three popular international golf destinations, with Turkey and Portugal among countries that are rapidly increasing golf tourism sectors.

The IAGTO, with 1700 members in 94 countries, is a powerful voice in the golf travel industry. It claims that its members are responsible for 80 percent of golf packages sold worldwide.

My Top 5 U.S. Trophy Courses

Drum roll, Please.

Check out my top 5 envy-inducing U.S. trophy courses.