11 Years of Golf Blogging
Today marks the 11th birthday blogday of this humble, single-writer, independent golf blog. This blog was founded before most people had heard the word “blog” and before all the magazines and newspapers started calling their columns blogs. This blog is one of the originals, in the group of perhaps the first 4-5 golf blogs ever founded, and one of 2-3 that are still in operation since 2004. To date, I’ve “crafted” (ahem) 5,268 golf blog posts, 2-3 of them are actually quite good.
Diamante Dunes 16 Green
In 11 years I’ve traveled to some of the world’s most spectacular golf destinations, from St Andrews to Cabo to Colombia to New Mexico. I affectionately call these travels the HOG World Tour. I’ve played many of the world’s top courses, some which had not even opened yet like Ballyneal in Colorado and Diamante Dunes in Los Cabos, Mexico. I’ve tested and blogged about hundreds of golf clubs, golf gadgets, and golf apparel items. Though not the primary focus of this blog, I’ve covered many PGA Tour and amateur golf events. I’ve been to the hallowed grounds Augusta National Golf Club several times. I was one of the first bloggers to do live blogging from the PGA Merchandise Show. Now it’s old hat.
Anna Rawson and me. You can tell she’s in love…
The People
The gear, the golf, and the travel are great, but by far the best part of my experience in the golf blog world has been all the amazing and interesting people. Many of the people whom I would never have met without this golf blog have become lifelong friends.
I’ve managed to make acquaintance with so many of golf’s greats and celebrities it could take me a long while to write them all down. Highlights include Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, Gary Player (check out my interview with Mr. Player), actor Robert Duval (nice long interview), Dave Stockton, Chi Chi Rodriguez, played golf with George Brett, Fuzzy Zoeller, Duffy Waldorf, Anna Rawson, Blair O’ Neal (interview), Fred Funk (interviewed), John Daly, Rocco Mediate, Billy Casper, Dave Pelz, Charles Barkley, Doctor J – Julius Irving, John Elway, Mario Lemieux, Michael Strahan… There are many I forget.
Celebrities aside there are some amazing people I’ve established relationships with in the golf world. Some are bloggers like John Retzer (Golf Blogger), Jay Flemma, Kristen Williams (The Golf Chick), John Duval, Robert Rodriguez, Mike Bailey… It’s a long list of great people and some great writers. Other amazing people I’ve met through golf blogging are golf pros or directors of golf at fantastic resorts like Tom Velarde at Black Mesa Golf Club who has become a very close friend. Some of the great people I’ve met are in golf equipment like Jesse Ortiz (Bobby Jones Golf), or small entrepreneurs like Scottish putter maker Grant Mackay.
My pal John Boyne (left) and myself at the Home of Golf, St Andrews Scotland
Last but certainly not least is a special friend John Boyne of Caddie Golf Tours, who is a caddie at the Old Course in St Andrews (pictured right).
Thankful
I’m so thankful for all the great opportunities that have presented themselves to me as a result of this golf blog and quite frankly as a result of my hard work. The past 11 years have been 11 of the greatest years I’ve had on this planet. This last year has been a struggle in my golf game and in my personal world and some of my blogging (or lack thereof) has reflected that. But I’ve stuck with it and plan to continue on this journey, wherever it leads.
Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to get going on year #12 of golf blogging. Stay tuned and thanks for your patronage.
Related
Golf Blogger sends 11th blogiversary wishes
10th blogiversary
PGA TOUR
Hero World Challenge
Dates: Dec. 3-6
Venue: Albany Resort, Albany, Bahamas
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday Noon-4 p.m. (Live) / 4:30-7:30 p.m. (Replay)
Friday Noon-4 p.m. (Live) / 4:30-7:30 p.m. (Replay)
Saturday Noon-2:30 p.m. (Live) / 5:30-8 p.m. (Replay)
Sunday Noon-2 p.m. (Live) / 6-11 p.m. (Replay)
Tournament Airtimes on NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 2:30-5 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 2-5 p.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Leonard to take part in Golf Channel / NBC coverage of Hero World Challenge: 12-time PGA TOUR winner, major champion and 1999 Ryder Cup hero Justin Leonard will work as a tower analyst for Golf Channel and NBC’s live coverage of the event.
Elite field: The field includes six of the top-10 players in the world, and each of the 18 players are currently ranked in the top-43 in the world. 11 of the 12 members of the victorious United States Presidents Cup team also are in the field.
New venue: This week marks the 17th playing of the event, but the first time being held at the Albany Resort on the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. The event is not an official PGA TOUR stop, though players will receive Official World Golf Rankings points.
Spieth defends: World No. 1 Jordan Spieth separated himself from the field with a 10 shot victory at Isleworth Golf & Country Club in Florida last December.
Headlining the field: Paul Casey, Rickie Fowler, Bill Haas, J.B. Holmes, Billy Horschel, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Chris Kirk, Brooks Koepka, Matt Kuchar, Anirban Lahiri, Hideki Matsuyama, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Adam Scott, Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker and Bubba Watson.
PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA / EUROPEAN TOUR
Australian PGA Championship
Dates: Dec. 3-6
Venue: RACV Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Australia
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Wednesday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Thursday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Friday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 8 p.m.-1 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Chalmers defends: Greg Chalmers defeated Adam Scott and Wade Ormsby on the seventh playoff hole for his second Australian PGA Championship title.
Final event of “Australian Triple Crown”: This week marks the third and final event of the “Australian Triple Crown,” which also features the Australian Masters and Australian Open. Australian Masters winner Peter Senior is in the field but Australian Open champion Matt Jones is not. And for the first time, the event is being co-sanctioned by the European Tour and will count as an official event.
Headlining the field: Brandt Snedeker, John Senden, David Lingmerth, Peter Senior, Cameron Smith, Peter Uihlein, Jarrod Lyle, Robert Allenby, Greg Chalmers and Paul Dunne.
EUROPEAN TOUR
Nedbank Golf Challenge
Dates: Dec. 3-6
Venue: Gary Player Country Club, Sun City, South Africa
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 3-10 a.m. (Live)
Friday 3-10 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 4-10 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 4-10 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Event changes: This is the 35th edition of the Nedbank Golf Challenge and the first of two times that it will be contested during the 2016 Race to Dubai season. The event will move to November in 2016 and become the second leg of the European Tour’s Final Series. The field of 30 this week will increase to 72 next November. Following the conclusion of play on Sunday, the European Tour will take a four-week hiatus and resume in 2016 with the South African Open in Johannesburg on January 7.
Willett defends: Danny Willett defeated Ross Fisher by four shots to earn his second career European Tour win.
Headlining the field: Henrik Stenson, Martin Kaymer, Robert Streb, Charl Schwartzel, Branden Grace, Louis Oosthuizen, Danny Willett, Shane Lowry, Webb Simpson and Keegan Bradley.
ASIAN TOUR
Ho Tram Open
Dates: Dec. 3-6
Venue: The Bluffs Ho Tram Strip, Vietnam
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-3 a.m. (Live)
Friday 1-3 a.m. (Live)
Saturday 1-4 a.m. (Live)
Sunday 1-4 a.m. (Live)
Broadcast Notes:
Inaugural event: This week marks the first playing of the Ho Tram Open, being contested in Vietnam, two hours southeast of Ho Chi Minh City.
Headlining the field: Sergio Garcia, Geoff Ogilvy, Darren Clarke, Thomas Bjorn, Robert Rock, Oliver Wilson, David Lipsky, Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
The Queens
Dates: Dec. 4-6
Venue: Miyoshi Country Club, Aichi, Japan
Tournament Airtimes on Golf Channel (Eastern):
Saturday 2:30-5 p.m. (Tape delay)
Sunday 2-5 p.m. (Tape delay)
Broadcast Notes:
Format: The inaugural match play event features four nine-person teams comprised of members of the Ladies European Tour (captained by Laura Davies), LPGA of Japan, Korean LPGA Tour and Australian Ladies Professional Golf Inc. The format features 34 matches being contested over three days: eight fourball matches on day one, eight foursomes matches on day two, and 18 singles matches on day three, with 102 total points available. Each match is worth three points to the winning team, and one point will be given for matches ending all square.
Ladies European Tour Team: Laura Davies (captain), Hannah Burke, Karine Icher, Nanna Madsen, Catriona Matthew, Gwladys Nocera, Emily Kristine Pedersen, Melissa Reid and Marianne Skarpnord.
LPGA of Japan Team: Momoko Ueda (captain), Erika Kikuchi, Ayaka Watanabe, Misuzo Narita, Akane Iijima, Shiho Oyama, Erina Hara, Miki Sakai and Ritsuko Ryu.
Korean LPGA Team: In Gee Chun, Sei Young Kim, Sung Hyun Park, Jung Min Lee, Yoon Ji Cho, Jin Young Ko, Seon Woo Bae, Min Sun Kim, Bo-Mee Lee.
Australian Ladies Professional Golf Team: Rachel Hetherington (captain), Nikki Campbell, Nikki Garrett, Whitney Hillier, Sarah Kemp, Katherine Kirk, Stephanie Na, Sarah Jane Smith and Lindsey Wright.
The day before Thanksgiving I tweaked my back doing the simplest thing, putting my shoes on. By Thanksgiving the spasms were so bad that I fell to the ground a few times One fall tweaked my knee and ankle. Two day’s later and I can barely walk. It takes me five minutes to get up from a chair or from laying down.
I’m on some painkillers and muscle relaxers but they are only taking the edge off a slightly.
I had planned to do another gift guide blog and today should have been my HOG Turkey of the Year awards, but I can’t sit or do much of anything at this point.
Hats off to Golf Digest for more fantastic golf journalism. What will the interns come up with next? Duckface throwin’ up a deuce!
Golf is a game of honor, right? That’s exactly why the USGA does not trust us to post scores when played as a single.
To further support the key System premise of peer review, scores made while playing alone will no longer be acceptable for handicap purposes.
A hell of a lot of golfers I know play by themselves. We call penalties on ourselves, right? But we can’t be trusted to record our own scores?
This is one of the many reasons I no longer pay the out-of-touch USGA to be a “member.” Yeah, no more cheapo free U.S. Open hat for me. Other than the hat there was seriously no benefit. None. Oh, wait. I did get a free notepad with about 10 sheets of paper on it for, you know, those times I use paper.
I’m inspired to post these comments because of the fantastic commentary written by my friend Golf Blogger. Check out his article The USGA Just Called Me A Liar. John (Golf Blogger) nails it.
This rule shows once again that the Golf Lords of the USGA are out of touch with the peasant’s game.
and
The lack of average golfer representation is, I think, at the root of the USGA disconnect. The USGA doesn’t represent me, or anyone I know.
That’s a birdie if I ever read one. Nice job John.
Sort of like gun control laws, all this rule will do is affect golfers who follow the rules. The Saturday group that allows illegal drops, gimme putts inside the leather of a 58″ club, and mulligans will still do those things. Those players will still win all the net games and come in at one billion under par in corporate/charity scrambles. We will still hate them.
And what will the USGA do about rounds punched in after the fact, on apps and computers? I often punch in my UGA (Utah Golf Association) scores the evening of my round when I’m at my computer. Will the USGA require an email address of the “witness” in order to allow the posted score? Come on.
Does this grow the game? No. Then again, the USGA doesn’t care about growing the game. It cares about growing the USGA.
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