With the policy, there will be no difference in the punishment for positive tests of performance-enhancing drugs or recreational drugs.

LPGA Tour general counsel Jill Pilgrim, who is administering the new program, said marijuana constitutes a downer and cocaine works like an upper.

“Technically, they are enhancing your performance,” Pilgrim said.

It was not announced at which tournament the random drug testing would start. However, the first opportunity will be at the Women’s World Cup in South Africa, which begins on January 18th.

Post from: Green Posse

The PGA Tour announced on Monday that Justin Timberlake will serve as host of the Las Vegas PGA Tour event in 2008.

The Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open will take place October 13-19, 2008. Timberlake, who plays to a 6-handicap, will take part in the Wednesday celebrity pro-am and host a concert during the week of the tournament as well.

“We will raise money for charity while participating in the greatest game ever played,” Timberlake told the press. “I thank the PGA Tour and the Shriners Hospitals for Children this amazing opportunity. Raising money to better children’s lives while playing golf? I can’t think of a better way to pass the time.”

Comedian and actor George Lopez will also host a tournament next year. Other celebrities that have headlined PGA Tour events in the past include Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr., Frank Sinatra and many more.

Post from: Green Posse

The context was, of course, Mike Weir’s place among them in the ranks of the greatest Canadians ever to pick up a golf club.

Player wasn’t having any of the Moe Norman argument.

“Yes, he could hit a ball perfectly straight … on a practice range,” Player said of golf’s Rain Man, over breakfast at Club de Golf Le Fontainebleau in suburban Montreal. “But what did he win?”

I guess as far as Gary is concerned, it’s the P.G.A. tour or nothing when it comes to golf accomplishments.

Moe Norman’s Record:

International: America’s Cup Canadian Team Member

National:
1955 Canadian Amateur Champion
1956 Canadian Amateur Champion
1957 Runner-Up Low Canadian in the Canadian Open

Professional:
1964 CPGA Millar Trophy Champion
1965 Runner-Up Canadian Professional Golfers Championship

1966 Canadian Professional Golfers Champion
1974 Professional Golfers Champion
1980 – 1985 & 1987 Canadian Professional Golfers Association Seniors Championship

Provincial:
1958 Ontario Open Champion
1963 Saskatchewan Open Champion
1963 Ontario Open Champion
1965 Manitoba Open Champion
1966 Alberta Open Champion
1966 Manitoba Open Champion
1967 Manitoba Open Champion
1968 Saskatchewan Open Champion
1971 Alberta Open Champion
1976 Alberta Open Champion

At MoeNorman.com Lee Trevino seemed to be much more a fan than Player : “I don’t know of any player, ever, who could strike a golf ball like Moe Norman, as far as hitting it solid, knowing where it is going and knowing what he wants to do with the ball. Moe Norman is a genius when it comes to playing the game of golf.”

As apparently also is Tiger Woods :
“Only two players have ever truly owned their swings Moe Norman and Ben Hogan,” Woods said. “I want to own mine. That’s where the satisfaction comes from.”

VJ Singh was asked this question: Who’s the best golfer you’ve ever seen?”

Singh’s answer: “Moe Norman. I’ve hit balls with him lots of times. He was incredible. Whatever he said he could do, he could do. If you talk to Lee Trevino and the other greats of the game, they’ll tell you how good he was. He could talk it, and he could do it. God gives people little gifts, and Moe had a gift for golf.“

Post from: Green Posse

Dave Schultz, Fargo, ND was medallist at -12 276.

Twenty six spots were awarded with even par being the number for the last players to advance.

Post from: Green Posse

The Leaders Bob Estes, and Tommy Armour don’t have too much to worry about, with Estes at #118 and Armour at #113, but Steve Lowery and Michael Sim, both currently tied for fourth on the leader board and #148 and #177 respectively on the money list, would both dearly love a high finish, if not the victory (of course).

There are around thirty players within ten strokes of the lead, with about half the field, yet to start their second round after rain postponed the completion of the secound round Friday.

Many of the players in the field this week are high on the money list,(with, as with golf scores, high being not a good thing), as is typical of the last few tournaments of the year, with most of the “marquee” players having packed their clubs away for the season.

In fact there are only eight of the top fifty and twenty two of the top hundred on the money list in the field this week which is great for those players who are trying to improve their position, but not so great for any casual golf fan who might think they’re going to see Tiger Woods play this weekend

Post from: Green Posse

His 14-under 126 total is the lowest 36-hole score on the PGA Tour this year, and amazingly just one stroke off the tour record of 125 held by four players, including Tiger Woods.

The 42-year-old, who is best known for his wild wardrobe, is in front Mathias Gronberg (-10) in second.

Fredrik Jacobson and Richard S. Johnson are tied for third at -9. Play continues at the Resort Course at La Cantera Saturday and Sunday.

Photo credit: AFP

Post from: Green Posse

One Saturday, many years ago, it was one of those days where it was pouring rain, then stopped for awhile.. started again .. etc.

At around 4:00 I was at home and a buddy phoned me to go out and play as it looked like it was “clearing up”. He was the (multiple) club champion at the course I was working at, and we actually hadn’t played together very often, and I thought it was a bit odd that he had phoned me, to play, but given the weather, maybe he couldn’t find anybody else dumb … er “enthusiastic” enough to play.

So anyway, we’re on the first tee and join up with two other guys, one of whom was a guy that really annoyed me, he was also a decent golfer, and had visions of being the club champion, though he couldn’t (nor could anyone else it seemed), knock Michael M. off the champion’s throne. (Michael M. had won the championship something like five years in a row.)

We tee off, with the skies still looking “iffy”, play the first and second holes, and the clouds come rolling back in and by the third tee it was pouring. We decide to keep going, and I step up to the third tee, about a 410 par 4 and it’s an absolute downpour. I’m soaked, my grips are soaked, so I just swing really slowly so the club won’t fly out of my hand.

The result was one of my best drives ever on that hole ! Michael M. remarks “You should swing that slowly ALL the time !” (I did have a pretty quick tempo ordinarily )

So we proceed to play the rest of the nine in a continual downpour. (Think “CaddyShack” “I’d keep playing, I don’t think the heavy stuff is going to come down for quite a while“)

We’re putting on greens with 2 inches of water on them etc, pounding putts and watching them “waterski” through the water.

Long story, short I ended up shooting even par for the nine ! (We decided not to play the back nine ) .. as I was so determined to beat Mr. Annoying

Casual water .. smasual water …. squeegeeing greens .. what wimps the pros are !!

Mike

Post from: Green Posse

I met Bob at Westview golf club, during the “11:00 a.m.” club. So informally named for a bunch of guys who would regularly meet at the club at that time for “skins” games.

It was a great time of day to play, the course was rarely crowded at that time, so we could avoid the dreaded “slow play” (one my most un favorite parts of the game .. and growing worse every year).

One day Bob showed up at the course with a new driver, with a spiffy new fangled graphite shaft (this was back in the 1980’s !), with dreams of longer drives dancing in his head.

When he took it onto the course, however, the long(er) and straight drives he had imagined, were not so quick to appear. In fact he hit the ball much worse, with is new toy. Stubborn as he was though, he rationalized that he just needed to get “used” to the club.

After the round, frustrated by the lack of instant improvement he had forseen, he showed the club to the assistant pro, Larry, to get an “expert” opinion.

I was sitting on the nearby patio, as I watchd Bob and Larry conversing about the esoteric matters of swing weight, shaft flex, and so on, as Bob handed the club to Larry.

Larry waggled the club a few times and took a couple of practice swings, then held the club up in front himself with the shaft horizontal, one hand on the grip, the other partway down the shaft, and he started to flex the club.

Bob watched quietly and intently as the club flexed more and more, until it was flexed almost into a half moon / circle and then ……..

SPLAT ! GRUNCH SNAP ! (insert other cartoon like sound here).

Suddenly the “one piece unit” was now in (at least) two pieces, and Bob looked like he was in shock. (I don’t remember exactly, but I think the club had cost him at least 200 dollars if not more. Nothing like the five or six bills that is common in todays market … but I digress).

Larry with his bushy mustache and big “Cowboy” hat, didn’t flinch or “break” his expression at all.

“Cheap shaft”, was apparently what he said

Meanwhile, I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. The combination of Larry’s serious unflappable demeanor, along with his ridiculous “flexorama” demonstration was just too funny.

I don’t really remember what Bob had to say afterwards, but I think it might have been something like “Last time I ask Larry for advice”

Mike

Post from: Green Posse

I don’t spit in … public. Ever. Ok … except when brushing my teeth,… or maybe after having to vomit, both of which (usually) occur in private and in the bathroom ! But that’s usually not in public !

Seeing professional golfers .. or even casual golfers spit on the course is disgusting.

Worse yet is that the television director’s seem to enjoy catching player’s doing so .. or maybe it’s just their current pre-occupation with a certain pro golfer (hint initials T.W.), who often is guilty of this.

I’d love to ask one of these golfer’s if they would feel so casual about spitting on someone’s living rug or dining room table if they were a guest. Or do they casually fire off a “loogie” while walking through their own homes ?

Even the spitting scene in the move “The Titanic” was enough to make me gag, though thankfully during golf telecasts we are usually spared any sound effects !

Mike

Post from: Green Posse

It’s hard to fault a guy for that. Congratulations to Ballesteros on a fine career, and best of luck in whatever the future may hold for him…

Post from: Green Posse