I´m typing on a Spanish keyboard so if any strange spellings or key strokes happen here please forgive me.
Today was an absolute blast here in Bogota, Colombia. I had the great privilege of playing golf with the current Web.com Tour money leader Kevin Foley. He won the first event last week in Panama and thus is the current money leader! The blast part comes from how far he hits it here at about 9000 feet above sea level. I figured out how to club off of Kevin, he hits his irons exactly 28 yards farther than I do.
Below is my caddie Arthur, who did a great job. When you and your caddie do not speak the same language, the communication can still be great, as was the case today.
The Pro-Am was a scramble for the amateurs. I managed FOUR natural birdies and made an 80 foot putt! My new Colombian knick name is birdie man.
Colombia Photos
I´ll be uploading photos throughout the week. Check out the Colombia Championship image gallery.
This one is a biggie. I’ve geared up. Got my Nikon, golf clubs, MacBook Pro and passport in hand. I’m flying for some 10+ hours today to a part of the world I’ve yet to see, South America.
The HOG World Tour is heading to Bogota, Colombia! My connecting flight is to Atlanta today with a very tight connection, 42 minutes. Then from ATL I fly direct to Bogota. I land in Bogota very late.
Why?
In Bogota I’ll be checking out a few of the golf courses, touring the city of Bogota as well as covering and participating in the Web.com Tour’s Colombia Championship. I’m going to playing in the Pro-Am Wednesday!
Watch for updates here and via Google+, Twitter and Facebook (links to all those social networks in right column). You can see my Twitter feeds in the right column here as well.
Snow on the camera lens or the latest Instagram filter?
Friday morning snow
I’m running up against a little writer’s (excuse me) “blogger’s” block. Perhaps that is because I’m going nuts here in Salt Lake this winter. The courses have been closed for months and just when it looked like the snow would melt, it started snowing again this morning. I just walked outside to take a snap of the snow and my phone slipped out of my hand into a snow bank. I had to walk in bare feet and snag it. Such a skilled photographer. The photo right is what taking pictures looks like after you’ve dropped your Samsung Galaxy SIII in the snow…
Keeping one’s game in any kind of shape is very tough when you take months off from hitting balls or playing. Hell, my game suffers when I take a week off. Months? Forget it. I finished the 2012 season as a 2.5 handicap and when I dust the clubs off in April I’ll be playing like a 20. The cycle happens every year… I work all summer to get my game back and just when I start playing well, winter comes.
Perhaps it is time to think about moving to a warmer climate where I can golf year-round. The problem is, aside from a few irritating things about Utah, I really like it here. It is a beautiful place and I love the mountains. I especially love mountain golf. I could move to Florida but I think I’d die of golf boredom. The courses are way too flat and uninteresting there.
WGC Accenture Match Play
Entertaining conclusion to the first round of the WGC Match Play yesterday. Yesterday was a prime example of why the golf networks hate this format. Their big draws can get knocked out before the real money-making weekend broadcasts. Tiger Woods and Rory McIlory are gone, as are Lee Westwood and Keegan Bradley. Ratings will probably tank this weekend. Too bad.
I had Tiger and Rory losing in the 2nd round. I have Hunter Mahan winning in my bracket.
Big Week
There is something BIG coming up next week. Not sure I want to announce it this weekend, or simply have it be a surprise. Some clues: I’ll be playing golf. It will be one of the most amazing HOG World Tour stops yet.
Northern Trust Open Winner: stroff
SPONSOR UPDATE
The following three sponsors have been confirmed for 2013!
I’m still hammering out prizes and arrangements for coupon codes to claim the weekly prizes. Stay tuned!
It is never too late to join HOG Space fantasy golf FREE. Follow the easy instructions below:
1. Go to www.buzzfantasyleagues.com
2. Create an account if you don’t have one
3. Click on “Join an Existing League”
4. Enter League ID 233, and Season ID 335
5. Create your team, enter league password “HOG”
Prizes
I’ve managed to get some great prizes sponsored by companies like FootJoy, Bridgestone Golf, Nike Golf, Nicklaus Golf, Ogio, Sun Mountain, Champ, Frogger Golf, Tattoo Golf, Bobby Jones Golf and many others over the years. I’ll be working on this year’s prizes between now and the season.
Sponsors Wanted
If you wish to sponsor 2013 Fantasy Golf, let me know. Sponsorship would mean providing prizes in exchange for weekly air time, banners and links to your web site via the fantasy golf updates.
Discussion
HOG Space fantasy golf is a dual effort between Hooked On Golf Blog and The Golf Space. Official fantasy golf forum discussion thread is in The Golf Space Forum here.
Very sad news from yesterday. The golf world has lost a very unique and great guy. James Roundy, founder of Asher Golf Gloves, passed away at a very young age. I’m very, very sad. James is a local Utahn and we have hung out a few times. I stopped by the Asher Golf booth at the PGA Show to do another interview with James but he was away from the booth. I didn’t get the chance to come back. I missed him. Damn.
James was a supporter of my golf sites and I was a supporter of his cool new golf glove company. He had something very cool going.
Rest in peace James. You’ll be missed.
Below you can find the obituary as well as the video from my interview with James at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show.
In memory of James Clayton Roundy 1977 – 2013
BOUNTIFUL, UT – James Clayton Roundy passed away on Sunday, February, 17, 2013. James was the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Pacific WebWorks, Inc. Salt Lake City, Utah. James was creative, driven and passionate. He was an active athlete. In junior high James qualified to compete at the National Jr. Olympics in boxing as well as a spot to fight at the Northwest Region Golden Glove Competition. Later, James was profiled on several covers of Transworld Snowboarding magazine. When James met his true love, Kristen Johansen, he turned his attention to scholarly achievements and family. Upon securing a BS in Economics from the University of Utah, James was accepted into the S. J. Quinney School of Law. He left law school to pursue business interests. He founded Asher Gloves. James’ passion was design and marketing. From inception, to design, to marketing, to distribution James nursed his budding golf glove business, Ashergloves.com from a dream to a successful business. Asher was purchased by Pacific WebWorks and James stayed on as Vice President of Sales and Marketing where his talents were applied to internet technologies.
James and Kristen were married on June 11, 2001. The marriage was later solemnized in the Bountiful Temple. James and Kristen are the parents of two beautiful daughters, Lilien Maive Johansen and Ione Sky Roundy. James was a devoted father and his girls loved spending time with him at home, where he helped them with homework, and on the ski slopes. James is survived by his wife, Kristen Diane (Johansen) Roundy, his daughters, Lilien Maive and Ione Sky, also by his parents, Terry Bruce and Linda Redd Roundy, his sister Rachel Bell (Lance), brother Robert C. Roundy (Lindsi), sister Audree Lawrence (Brian), brother William Roundy, and grandmother Erma H. Redd.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, February 22, 2013, at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main Street, Bountiful, UT 84010. Viewings will be held at Russon Brothers on Thursday, February 21, 2013 between 6pm – 8pm and Friday, February 22, 2013 between 10am -10:45am.