NC Golfer

The Shot-Makers Golf Course

2009-08-24T09:54:00.010-04:00

There’s a golf course just off of North Carolina highway 87 about midway between Sanford and Spring Lake that’s always been known as a “shot-makers” layout. At least that’s what the old pro, the late Jimmy Overton, intended it to be when he built it in the late 1960s.

Measuring only 6339 yards from the back tees, the par-72 track with a 71.0 course rating and a 126 slope seems to be, on paper at least, an easy tour, a reprieve from the mega distance courses with difficulty or length on every shot.

In reality, the Ponderosa Golf Club requires skilled shot-making and the idea that a round of golf does not have to be played on pristine fairways and smooth, well manicured greens. It’s a simple layout that requires thinking off the tee and an understanding of the nuances of the wavy greens with pin positions that could putt (not to be confused with drive) you crazy.

About three miles in the “country” on the west side of “downtown” Olivia, a highway 87 crossroads 10 miles south of the center of Sanford and 15 miles north of the center of Spring Lake, the Ponderosa, with tight fairways, blind tee shots, skimpy Bermuda fairways, no sand traps, and greens still primarily made of its original Tifton 328 Bermuda, has a middle-class appeal though it’s surrounded by very nice homes of the Carolina Seasons development with its main entrance off of Ponderosa Road.

Opened in 1967, the Ponderosa was the idea and design of Overton, then head professional at the Sanford Golf Course. He wanted his own course and he wanted it for skilled golfers who knew how to create shots from various angles and how to be creative on tricky greens. The course is owned and operated today by his second son, Billy.

When it opened, the length was good for the technology of the day. But, even today, with balls and clubs offering more and more distance, good course management at the Ponderosa starts from each tee. There’s not a lot of distance from tee to green, but the layout of each hole prevents the long driver from bombing away. Being able to cut or draw a tee shot is what the elder Overton actually had in mind.

The greens, not guarded with sand traps at all, offer elevation changes though would frighten most golfers until a few putts are hit. The Tifton 328 base does not allow too many balls to continue to trickle to edges of greens, all of which have interesting contours. It’s not rare to have to negotiate a putt well off line and sometimes away from the hole to get it close or to have a chance to make birdie, salvage par or even be satisfied with bogey. There’s some consistency to the shapes of the greens, but each is different just as the holes are.

The opening hole, 415-yards, is a slight dogleg right which is now guarded by tall pines, well known at any course in the North Carolina Sandhills. To the left is rough and more pines. The right shot may be an iron or a fairway metal, leaving 150 yards to the green. But in either case off the tee, to get close enough to the green, a slight fade is required.

A blind tee shot is a difficult start to the straight-away second hole, just 410 yards long. From the tee, the fairway rises and slopes down hill to a small pond about 100 yards from the green. Though the fairways are sand based, the down hill trajectory offers plenty of roll with a possibility of a driver finding the pond.

The fourth hole is a very tight 363 yard offering with no bends while the fifth and sixth holes again are doglegs with their own unusual problems. The fifth, a 414-yard dogleg to the left which is rated the most difficult hole on the course, has a fairway that slopes left, and even the longest of hitters find it difficult to drive the ball beyond the slope. Keeping it to the right is a must or a shot down the middle will find the left rough and several pine trees to negotiate on the approach shot to the green. The sixth, just 369 yards, has out-of-bounds along the right side of the dogleg right, and a straight tee shot will find the rough to the left. So, playing a shorter tee shot is a must unless the driver is played with a slight cut that starts down the middle.

The two par threes on the front are not very difficult but interesting. The 160-yard third hole (photo above from the green to the tee) requires a tee shot through a tight opening of pine branches and then a complete carry over water. The eighth is a straight forward 190-yard up-hill hole to a green not completely seen from the tee.

The two par fives on the front could be though of as par 4s today, but when opened in the 1960s, the 465-yard seventh and the 420-yard ninth, where hard to reach in two for different reasons.

The seventh hole is all up-hill from tee to green with a slightly left-sloping fairway which causes the player to hit right. A small stand of trees guards the right side of the fairway and tee shots left in that direction cause second shot problems. Today, a well hit tee shot leaves not much more than a five or six iron in to a long narrow green with a sharp drop-off only its left side.

And the ninth hole is another tee shot problem. The fairway, a down-hill-to-the-landing-area and up-hill-to-the-green design narrows at the 150-yard marker. The back tees are pushed way right as is the green calling for a cutting tee shot with a driver to give a 160-yard approach or a shorter tee shot for accuracy to keep out of wooded trouble left and right. Though it is somewhat short for a par 5, a well-placed, tall, bushy pine tree guards the green, catching nearly every attempt up the right hand side.

The back nine is much of the same yet slightly shorter (3133 yards versus the front side 3206 yards) and seemingly more difficult.

It starts with a 485 yard par five to the right with a fairway that slopes left through the green. Long straight tee shots find the rough to the left, but a well placed drive allows for a mid-iron approach. Shorter tee balls don’t make it to the corner.

Though rated the 16th handicap hole of the course, the par 3 11th hole at 172 yards and up-hill, again requires an accurate hit through a tight teeing area.

The 12th, a 371-yard 85-degree dogleg right (yes, the hole actually comes back towards the tee little), remains a mystery to many who have played there over the years. When the back-nine opened about 15 months after the front, it was not unusual to try to pound drives over the corner only to get caught short. As technology improved, the tree grew taller and attempting to clear the corner today easily results is a low-running second shot under limbs. A fairway metal or long iron about 220 is all that’s needed, but a well-cut driver could be the club if accurate.

At 343, the 13th hole, and at 363, the 14th hole, seem to be short enough to easily conquer, but the corner on the slightly up-grade dogleg left 13th is about 250 from the tee, and the nearly straight-up-hill 14th hole, a small curve to the right, has a narrow fairway to anyone wanting to pound a tee shot. As the 14th fairway gets short in width, it drops drastically on the right side, gathering wandering first hits. An approach from there must be over two of those tall, bushy pines. A shorter tee shot to the left is the best play.

The par 3 15th hole is just 149 yards long but, depending on the wind, the up-grade shot may vary two to three club selections when trying to hit this long, narrow green.

From the back tees, maybe the most interesting hole is the 16th (which was the 18th hole when the course first opened). It’s 435 yards long and sets up as a dogleg right from an elevated tee. It’s another blind tee shot over pines for the longer hitters or to the right of the trees for others. In either case, the resting place for your drive must be along the middle to the left side of the fairway. About 50 yards from the green, one of those bushy pines is stuck in the right half of the fairway. Any tee shot behind it requires a low runner approach that is doubtful to hold the green.

The 17th hole is another somewhat easy looking par 5 at 445 yards down hill, but a creek guards the fairway at the bottom of the landscape and is possible to drive into. The approach is up-hill and, when close enough for a short iron, to a surface you can’t see.

The finishing hole is a straight-forward up-hill 370-yard par 4 which is not overly difficult or spectacular. When the Ponderosa first opened, it was actually the 11th hole, but was switch to the 18th to allow the pro shop and spectators to see when rounds are completed.

In retrospect, though, the 18th should have always been the final hole at the Ponderosa, just to follow Jimmy Overton’s teaching philosophy. He always wanted his students to finish on a high note to encourage them to return. Pars and birdies do that, he would say. The 18th is not hard to play and allows all golfers the chance complete the round with a good score on the final hole. It’s less of a shot-makers hole, different from the rest of the course.

Golf is different from every player. Some prefer the beautiful drives to the clubhouse; some want to make sure the fairways are lush and forgiving; others want greens that hold every shot; and some want vistas that take them away from the misery of their game.

At the Ponderosa Golf Club, the game is basic. Hit your tee shot where it needs to be. Play the ball as it lies off thin fairways that might mean just sand underneath. Be creative on your approach shot, sometimes with bump and runs and at other times with enough trajectory to keep the ball from bounding over the firm greens. Learn to put from off the greens; learn to putt from on the greens with not a lot of break and a bit of firmness in the stroke.

The Ponderosa is not overly difficult on paper. It’s not a glamorous name by a well-known designer or even an inviting layout as you drive to the clubhouse. But it’s friendly, nice and low-key for golfers who want a shot-making challenge and experience.

For more information about tee times and rates at the Ponderosa and for directions to the course, call: 919-499-4013.

The last three holes

2009-07-15T21:56:00.016-04:00

Maybe since the inception of the North Carolina Golf Panel's ranking of golf courses in North Carolina, Old North State Club at Badin Lake as been ranked second in the state, behind Pinehurst #2. I'm told that the last three holes at Old North State are primary to being ranked as high as the 2nd slot.

All three holes bring the lake into play. There are five others that require approach shots hit to greens with the picturesque lake in the background and of those, there's a chance water will come into play on four: #2, #4, #7 (play video above: representative on my bad play that day), and #14. The view from the tee at #9 (photo right) offers the lake as a background to the green but it's across the street to the clubhouse and across the 18th fairway.

But, numbers 16, 17 and 18 offer spectacular water views and bring the liquid into play on your approach to the par 4 16th hole, from the tee on the par 3 17th hole and from the tee, your second shot and approach shot on the par 5 18th hole.

I recently had the chance to play at Old North State, honestly a course I do not rank second in the state. No doubt it's one of the overall best we offer in North Carolina, from the front gate and back with a wonderful clubhouse, lots of terrific hospitality by the entire staff, especially head professional Tom Ducey, and 18 holes of golf that test you with every shot. And, while the last three holes offer spectacular views and a tough tests of the game, so do nearly all 18 holes at Grandfather Golf and Country Club in Linville. There's plenty of water which comes into play on that mountain course.

But back to Old North State. As I said, I recently had the privilege of playing there, and I was not doing well enough to go over every shot. But when I got to the 16th tee, I remembered the accolades always given from that spot to the end of the round, and I was reminded by my playing partners of the make or break element of the final three holes. So I went to work, trying not to embarrass myself any more than I had prior to that point in the round.

The 16th hole (left) is a picturesque, 427-yard downhill par four with the lake as a backdrop for the entire journey. The water and its marsh wrap around the left side of the green to near the middle of the front. From the tips, better golfers might choose a three wood but I'm holding my driver. The other three have positioned their tee balls to the left middle of the fairway to avoid trees on the right that stick out slightly into possible driving area. An initial shot that resides along that side may require a cut-shot approach that must be aimed to the water finger. My tee ball is well hit, starts directly down the middle, but the left to right breeze must have caught its flight as the ball veered slightly right. I found it about 157 from the green just off the fairway, sitting on mulch in the crease of an area cut around one of those trees. The pin was on the front, so the right club--an 8-iron--was out of the question because of limbs that might have caught the higher arc. I chose a choked down 7-iron that was well struck but not full. It landed on the first third of the putting surface but rolled to the back of the green, at least 60 feet from the hole. The down-hill putt was struck too hard, leaving an up-hill 15 footer which I hit center cup for my par. One hole conquered and two to go.

The 17th (right) is a magnificent par 3, 197 yards long that appears to be a dogleg left. With water in front of the tee and along the left side of the hole and green, the common tee shot results are to the right of the green, either short or in the right bunker, especially with the pin placed in the front middle. My gut said hit a five iron, but I wanted to make sure I carried the green, and I have a tendency to roll on my five and bend it largely left, or I push it more to the right and I did not want to be in the bunker right or even right of the bunker. The wind was in my face, so, I hit 4-iron which was well struck. Too well struck. It hit middle of the green and came to rest in the sand bunker behind the green, leaving a 25-yard down-hill sand shot. With the power of positive thinking that I might barely get it out of the sand and onto the green for a very long par attempt or that I might pick it clean and watch it fly into the water, I chose my lob wedge, opened the face as wide as possible, took a hard swing, hit about two inches behind the ball, popped it up to the middle of the green, but it was down-hill and the ball rolled about 10 feet past the pin. It was actually quite a good sand play, and I calmly rolled that in for a par 3.

Because of my bad play for most of the day, the 18th tee was the first time I had honors for the entire round. I was looking at a 90-degree dogleg left par 5 that measures 568 yards with water all the way from tee to green. It's hittable in two, but the tee shot needs to hug the water, stay in the fairway, get the right bounce and roll and end up closer to the corner about 260 from the green. Even at that your second shot must be played as a draw giving it all the roll possible. Some will say they can get there from closer to the tee with an iron. Go ahead and try, I say.

As I addressed my tee ball, "Hello Titleist ProV1 with a University of Houston logo," I set my aiming point for the 18th hole (left) as far right from the lake as I could without leaving the fairway. Then I pushed it right along the cart path on which the ball came to rest well away from the green but somewhat with a straight line to the putting surface without bringing the water into play. I took my appropriate drop and chose 6-iron, though the idea of hitting 4+ metal did briefly cross my mind. The six-iron was a well struck slight draw that started along the right side of the fairway and came to rest in the dead middle of the low-cut green grass 100 yards from the pin. At this point I was thinking birdie. But for some reason on the downward motion when trying to hit a solid 56 degree wedge, the arms and club slowed just enough to cause a chunk. The ball stopped about 20 yards from the green. Now, my "lost interest" mode took over and the fourth shot rolled past the pin, caught a downward slope and ended up about 20 feet past the hole. I was confident I would roll it in, but the break was not correctly read or the stroke was off or the hole moved. In any event, I made a six.

They say the results of the last hole is what brings you back to golf and to certain golf courses. Most people believe that's true when you make a great par or a birdie. The bogey at 18 will bring me back. I know I can do better.

Every course has its Augusta National's Amen Corner, three holes somewhere within the 18 that are the toughest three straight on the course. It's because of length, or shot-making requirements for shorter holes or the treachery found on the greens. It has to be with the risk-reward factor: Can I cut off the corner of the lake on #18 at Old North State on my second shot and get closer to the green? It may be a different stretch for different golfers. For me, at Pinehurst #2, it's just about any three in a row, but the par 5 4th hole, the par 4 5th hole and the par 3 6th are maybe its toughest back to back to back. Also 16, 17 and 18. Or maybe 10, 11, 12. At MacGregor Downs Country Club in Cary, it's the 11th (454-yard down-hill dogleg right, par 4), 12th (232-yard, par 3), 13th (414 yard, up-hill, par 4).

At Old North State, it's 16, 17 and 18 for everyone. The holes are tough, scenic, interesting, challenging, but when played properly, they can be conquered. While the remainder of the course is very good, it's the last three holes that make this course one of the best North Carolina has to offer. It's the three-hole run that all who play there discuss before and after the round.

I just did. I'll be back, hopefully.

To view more of my photos from Old North State Club, go to: http://tinyurl.com/mac9b9

WOW! What a course: Lonnie Poole Golf Course

2009-07-12T18:22:00.005-04:00

The entire 18 holes opened this weekend. I played 36 holes: 18 on Saturday afternoon walking with a push cart for my clubs and 18 Sunday morning in a riding cart. Each round took less than three hours to play. I was by myself most of the time each day, though I played the last seven Saturday with a couple I caught up with on 12th tee.

87 Saturday; 81 Sunday. Black tees. 6,901 yards. 69.3 course rating. 131 slope.

No doubt the hardest part of playing the course is the bunkers. For the most part, the sand is very soft and deep. Tough to get out. Lots of opportunities to get in and to have long shots to the green, even in bunkers near the greens. Islands of natural grass in the sand bunkers all over the place. Four-inch lips all the way around. I firmly believe that's a design flaw. A ball just barely in any sand bunker leaves you with no shot whatsoever. Deep edges on the forward lip is okay. The bunkers are so large that locating a rake after playing from within is a pain. The natural areas inside the sand bunkers make it difficult to locate your ball. I've been told the best method for playing out of sand bunkers is to avoid them. That's very true at this course.

Holes 2-7 are wonderful tests, especially #3 and #5. Right now, #3 from the black tee is a 526 par four. The white tee is 501 yards. They may move the tees ahead a little or they may change par to 5, changing the total to 72 from 71. I think i hit the ball rather long for my 57 years, but even Saturday's tee shot from 526 left me with a 275+ shot over a natural area and a series of sand bunkers. (See photo above.) A neat six iron to the natural area with a good 7 iron gets you to the back of the green.

The fifth hole is 459 yard par four with somewhat of an up-hill tee shot over a hill and then down to a green that's actually up-hill again. Go figure. Just getting your tee shot to the fairway is tough.

I also like the 13th hole, a devilish 434-yard dogleg right par four. The entire right hand side of the fairway is trouble with a very large sand bunker and other natural grass and then a sand bunker on the right side of the green. There is no bail-out area to the left as a sand bunker sits just off the green on the left side.

No doubt Lonnie Poole is an interesting golf course. It has a nice practice range and large and relatively flat putting practice green. No area right now to practice sand shots, and believe me, it would be nice to have that there.

This course was built with donations by hundreds of NC State enthusiasts. There are no memberships. It's a daily fee facility.

If you want to see more photos I took this weekend, go to: JIM POMERANZ PHOTOS OF LONNIE POOLE GOLF COURSE. You may have to create an account (no charge) to view the photos.

Lonnie Poole Golf Course opens: sort of

2009-06-29T11:14:00.009-04:00

It’s not a record that will last. It probably didn’t last the day. I know it didn't last the weekend. And, it wasn’t anything official. It was a very weak 89, shot on a make-shift nine hole course played twice Saturday, June 27, 2009 at the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State University.

The significance of the score and the round is minimal at best but it did mark the lowest score of the first completed round of the new golf course built on the University’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh. A dream for nearly half a decade and under construction for a couple of years, the opening of the Lonnie Poole Golf Course was reality that day when four of us teed off on the first hole at 8:03 a.m. The facility was open only to the Charter Partners, those who made financial donations to build the public course.

The full 18-hole layout is expected to open July 11, again only for donors for two days, and then to the public. Arnold Palmer, whose company designed the course, is expected July 31 for the official opening ceremony, open to donors only by invitation only! But, the tee shot I hit was tremendously satisfying because the course was open, at last!

The honors on the first hole were mine for one reason: I was playing from the Black tees while the others chose the White. There are six sets of tees at Lonnie Poole, the longest of which are the Competition tees measuring 7,358 yards on the par 71 layout. The Black course is 6,901 yards; White 6,326 yards; Gray 5,605; and, Red 4,976. For first day, only nine holes were open: 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, and 17 which included four par four holes, and three par fives and two par threes. The Black distance for those nine: 3,584 yards which meant I was playing—and walking with a push cart—a hilly 18-hole course of 7,168 yards playing to a par 74.

Standing over the ball, it took a moment to realize the significance, if any, of what I was doing, and then all I wanted to do was avoid things: a cold-top, one that could go about 30 yards before thick fescue rough would have stopped it; the sandy bunker along the right side of the fairway and easily within my teeing length; a snap hook into the 10th fairway; a strong fad to knee high grassy rough, possibly un-findable.

My swing was unusually slow and nearly perfect; the air-born ball split the fairway between the left side of the sand bunker and the hole’s left side rough and came to rest in the fairway about 270 yards from the green on this wonderful opening 542-yard up-hill, down-hill slight dogleg right par five. “Let it be noted that Jim Pomeranz hit the first tee shot hit on the course and it was in the fairway,” said Gopack.com managing editor Tim Peeler, a member of the foursome.

I was thrilled, so much so that—while thinking birdie—two topped-shots later combined with the drive, two more hits and two putts, I walked off the green with a disappointing double bogey 7. I refuse to bore you with the details of my play for the remainder of the round; but before you hear about the nine holes we played, I admit to one other shot of significance.

It was my tee ball on the 11th hole, a 631-yard par five that runs west to east parallel to Interstate 40. (For those who know the area, the course is very near the State Farmers Market.) The fairway is easily wide enough to avoid trouble, but I believe the extremely strong left hand gripe with a wide-open club face, an open stance and a swing that screamed of the ball going right resulted in a enormously hard right fade that started right, flew across a special practice tee for the NC State men’s golf team, the immediate rough, a fence, more high grass and trees and towards the highway where I’m somewhat confidence it landed. “Let it noted that Jim Pomeranz hit the first shot onto Interstate 40,” announced Peeler who was Twittering the entire round accounting for the nearly five and a half hours of play.

The course sits at a very high point in Wake County. It actually overlooks downtown Raleigh and its impressive skyline. There are views of the Dorthea Dix campus nearby. From the 11th tee, you can see the top third of the NC State Memorial Bell Tower located about 2.5 miles away as the crow flies. The top of the campus smokestack can be seen as well as other familiar landmarks. Just looking away from the course can make one forget the tough mission of moving around the layout.

Lonnie Poole Golf Course offers many different challenges but will eventually be a very fair venue with enough toughness for the best of golfers. The nine holes we played required many different shots. However, and this is usually not the case with all golf courses, I was able to hit full driver from each par four and par five without much worry. Even at 57 years of age, I was hitting tee shots from 270 to over 300 yards, giving lots of credit to the well mowed and hard fairways that gave way to lots of roll most of the time. From the White tees, my four metal would have seen much more action.

That sand bunker on the first hole can be cleared with a solid hit, and it sets up a second shot from a much flatter lie than from where my tee ball stopped further left. With a very good poke, one can reach the first green in two, but the shot would be a blind hit that would have to head just left of the green and get a good roll. The better shot is a lay-up six iron to about 100 yards out.

From the first hole, we went to the 169-yard eighth hole, an uphill par three. Only the front edge of the green is visible from any tee box. Two sand bunkers guard the green, but don’t be fooled; there is little or no green over the bunker on the right. Miss to the left and you’re either in high rough or on the 9th tee box. It's a good seven or an easy six iron shot depending on the wind, at least during this time of year.

The ninth—if it were the 18th—would be an excellent finishing hole for two good reasons. It has good length and is challenging to play; and, the green sits down in a half bowl allowing for spectators to watch from above the green. From the Black tees, the par four measures 439, uphill from the tee with a sand bunker about 280-yards out on the right, projecting about a third of the way across the fairway. Left of the fairway is trouble, and there’s no other way to call it. The hole actually appears to bend slightly to the left, but that more of an illusion due to the bunkering along the left near and at the green. For the longer hitters, the tee ball must be middle to left.

The 10th is short—369 yards, par 4—and a full driver is okay, keeping short of the bunker on the right that starts about 80 yards in front of the green and continues to the putting surface. My first tee shot on 10 was on the right side of the fairway, and from there, just a 56-degree wedge was required but I could not see the surface of the green. Second time through, I hit down the left side and the same distance but from that spot, nearly the entire putting surface came into view, making the shot easier.

The 631-yard par five 11th hole looks tough but if played as a par five about the only problem will be making sure your approach shot clears the bunkering the guards the green for about 100 yards in front of and to the left of the green. It’s listed as the 2nd handicap hole, but a good tee shot and an easy lay-up will give you a challenging but not too tough third attempt.

The par four 12th defies physics. It’s a dogleg left with bunkering within reach of the tee shot to the left side of the fairway, but the fairway has a crest in the middle and the right side slopes way right. It’s sort of a damned if you do and damned if you don’t tee ball. The hole measures 424 yards but it’s down hill. Maybe it was the hardness of the fairway or maybe just the downhill slope, but I was gaining yardage from the tee and standing over second shots with short wedge shots. A four-wood from the tee may be the best giving a little, but not much, longer second shot, maybe a 9-iron instead of a wedge.

Of the nine holes we played, the 15th is the only one with water that actually comes into play. It’s pretty much a straight 504-yard par five that makes you think it’s a double dogleg. There’s a 300-yard long pond on the left to avoid from the tee and there’s a pond on the right that starts where the other pond stops and runs all the way up to the green. Hit it right off the tee and left towards the green towards a series of bunkers. Layup second shots may be the order of the day but hitting the green in two is possible for longer hitters.

No. 16 is the optical illusion hole with three small pot bunkers in the middle of the fairway on this 379 yard hole. From the tee, the three look side by side, but that’s not the case. The middle bunker is 20 yards closer to the tee than the others. Drive right or left of the middle bunker and you should be okay for a short approach shot to the only elevated green of the make-shift nine hole round, maybe of all the holes on the course.

Our final hole was number 17, a very short par 3. From the Black tees, it’s just 127 to the middle. It’s only 118 from the White. And it’s down hill. Matter of fact, the shorter the tee shot, the more down hill it is. One bunker guards the front and another is placed to the left, sort of out of play unless the cup is cut on that part of the green.

Speaking of greens: Wonderful! Smooth. No ball marks. (We were the first off, ever.) Not too fast but the putts rolled out. Very much feel putting. Faster than they looked but even down hill attempts with the right touch kept a good line and stopped near the hole. Easy to read. Some contours that required creative attempts such as on 17 having to putt nearly perpendicular to the hole to a point, hoping the ball would nearly come to a stop before casually rolling right toward the hole and stopping just an inch to the left. No Donald Ross-type edges where the ball not only rolls off but way off. Pretty much flat around the edges then a cut fringe and rough the height of a ball or so.

It was hot Saturday: 97 degrees. As noted, I walked. And I enjoyed it. The 89 strokes were disappointing for someone with an 8 handicap but then it was a par 74. I hit eight of 14 fairways but only four greens in regulation and had 30 putts. Lots of bad approach shots and one penalty for hitting onto I-40. No news of broken windshields or wrecks in that area Saturday

I enjoyed it so much that I returned Sunday for another 18, this time by myself (except for the last three holes when someone in a cart caught up with me) in the middle of the 94-degree afternoon. Just under three hours. Shot 82 with 33 putts, five hit fairways and eight greens in regulation. Much better. Missed a six foot birdie putt on the 11th hole. Played several holes smarter than during the opening round. Hey, just 8-over par for the day on a course that’s partially open. And, unless someone tells me otherwise, a new course record from the Black tees. Hah! Hah!

It’ll not be an everyday visit for me to Lonnie Poole, but with a very nice practice range, large putting green and easy access to the course, it’s definitely on my short list of places to visit regularly. The other nine holes will be equally as interesting, so maybe I’ll let you know what they’re like after July 11. Thanks for reading.

For more information, including the location and rates, about the Lonnie Poole Golf Course at NC State University go to www.lonniepoolegolfcourse.com.

2008 PGA Tour Lap Leaders UPDATE!

2008-01-05T08:58:00.097-05:00

FINAL STANDINGS:
We gave every tournament winner 2500 points and then combined their Lap Leader points with the official FedExCup Points for the final standings. It's an interesting mix of results. Several of the official FedExCup top 144 do not qualify for the playoffs while several Lap Leader points earners do. So, scroll to the bottom to see the final standings.

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In an earlier post, Time Again To Tweak the PGA Tour, I suggested Lap Leaders for the PGA Tour. So, at this site, each week, I'll up-date the weekly Lap Leaders with money and FedExCup points, just those that apply to Lap Leaders.

SUMMARY:
Low round and ties for each round split $50,000 and 2500 FedExCup points;
Daily Leader and ties (excluding final day) split $50,000 and 2500 FedExCup points.
Reminder: Low Round and Daily Leader is the same for the first day/round.

At the bottom is the year-to-date summary. The money should be official winnings and the points should be part of the FedExCup qualifiying points. Enjoy. Your comments are welcomed!

WEEK 1: Mercedes-Benz Championship (4-rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: Nick Watney (68), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Leader: Mike Weir (71-67=138), $50,000; 2500 points
Low Score: Mark Calcavecchia (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Leader: Mike Weir (71-67-68=206) $50,000; 2500 points
Low Score: Jim Furyk (66) $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth (Final) Round:
Low Score (tie): Steve Stricker (64) $25,000; 1250 points; Hunter Mahan (64) $25,000; 1250 points

WEEK 2: Sony Open (4-rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: KJ Choi (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Leader: KJ Choi (64-65=129), $50,000; 2500 points
Low Score (tie): Kevin Na (64) $25,000; 1250 points; Fred Funk (64) $25,000; 1250 points
Third Round:
Leader: KJ Choi (64-65-66=195), $50,000; 2500 points
Low Score: Tim Wilkinson (62), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth (Final) Round:
Low Score: George McNeill (66), $50,000; 2500 points

WEEK 3: Bob Hope Chrysler Classic (5-rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: Joe Durant (65), $10,000; 500 points; Mathew Goggin (65), $10,000; 500 points; Shigeki Maruyama (65), $10,000; 500 points; Tim Petrovic (65), $10,000; 500 points; Omar Uresti (65), $10,000; 500 points.
Second Round:
Leader: Robert Gamez (66-65=131), $25,000; 1250 points; DJ Trahan (67-64=131), $25,000; 1250 points.
Low Score (tie): Justin Leonard (64), $16,666; 833 points; Ryan Moore (64), $16,666; 833 points; DJ Trahan (64), $16,666; 833 points
Third Round:
Leader: Robert Gamez (66-65-67=198), $50,000; 2500 points
Low Score (tie): Jim McGovern (62), $25,000; 1250 points; Boo Weekley (62), $25,000; 1250 points
Fourth Round:
Leader: Justin Leonard (68-64-67-66=265), $50,000; 2500 points
Low Score (tie): Charley Hoffman (63), $25,000; 1250 points; Dustin Johnson (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Fifth (Final) Round:
Low Score (tie): Chez Reavie (65), $25,000; 1250 points; DJ Trahan (65) $25,000; 1250 points

WEEK 4: Buick Invitational (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: Troy Matteson (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Tiger Woods (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Tiger Woods (67-65=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Justin Leonard (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Tiger Woods (67-65-66=198), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Ryuji Imada (67), $25,000; 1250 points; Rory Sabbatini (67), $25,000; 1250 points

Week 5: FBR Open (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score (tie): Charles Warren (65), $25,000; 1250 points; Kevin Sutherland (65) $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Briny Baird (64), $16,666; 833 points; Jonathan Byrd (64), $16,666; 833 points; Doug LaBelle II (64) $16,666; 833 points
Leader (tie): Jonathan Byrd (69-64=133), $10,000; 500 points; JB Holmes (68-65=133), $10,000; 500 points; Doug LaBelle (69-64=133), $10,000; 500 points; Kenny Perry (67-66=133), $10,000; 500 points; Camillo Villegas (66-67=133), $10,000; 500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Mark Calcavecchia (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: JB Holmes (68-65-66=199), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Briny Baird (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 6: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: Kent Jones (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Fredrick Jacobson (67), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Tim Herron (68-69=137), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Vijah Singh (67), $12,500; 625 points; Jim Furyk (67), $12,500; 625 points; Nick Watney (67), $12,500; 625 points; Bo Van Pelt (67), $12,500; 625 points
Leader (tie): Vijah Singh (70-70-67=207), $25,000; 1250 points; Dudley Hart (69-70-68=207) $25,000; 1250 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: John Mallinger (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 7: Northern Trust Open (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: KJ Choi (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Phil Mickelson (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Phil Mickelson (68-64=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: DJ Trahan (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Phil Mickelson (68-64-70=202), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Jason Gore (67), $25,000; 1250 points; Matt Kuchar (67), $25,000; 1250 points

Week 8: Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun (4 rounds)
(note: no points awarded for Accentura Match Play event)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: John Merrick (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Brian Gay (67), $25,000; 1250 points; Patrick Sheehan (67), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: John Merrick (64-68=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Brian Gay (62), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Brian Gay (66-67-62=195), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Nick Flanagan (64), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 9: The Honda Classic (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score: Luke Donald (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Dudley Hart (66), $12,500; 625 points; Ben Crane (66), $12,500; 625 points; Carl Pettersson (66), $12,500; 625 points; Brad Adamonis (66), $12,500; 625 points;
Leader: Brian Davis (65-67=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Aaron Oberholser (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Luke Donald (64-74-66=204), $16,666; 833 points; Mark Calcavecchia (70-67-67=204), $16,666; 833 points; Matt Jones (66-67-71=204), $16,666; 833 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score(tie): Ernie Els (67), $16,666; 833 points; Nathan Green (67), $16,666; 833 points; Justin Rose (67), $16,666; 833 points

Week 10: PODS Championship (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score (tie): Bart Bryant (65), $25,000; 1250 points; Lee Janzen (65), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Kevin Sutherland (68), $12,500; 625 points; Steve Elkington (68), $12,500; 625 points; Tim Petrovic (68), $12,500; 625 points; Brad Snedeker (68), $12,500; 625 points
Leader: Brad Snedeker (69-68=137), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Cory Pavin (69), $16,666; 833 points; Geoff Ogilvy (69), $16,666; 833 points; Stuart Cink (69), $16,666; 833 points
Leader: Stuart Cink (66-73-69=208), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Steve Stricker (66), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 11: Arnold Palmer Invitational (4 rounds)
First Round:
Leader/Low Score (tie): JJ Henry (65), $25,000; 1250 points; Fred Couples (65), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Trevor Immelman (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Brian Davis (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Vijay Singh (66-65=131), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Sean O'Hair (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Sean O'Hair (72-69-63=204), $10,000; 500 points; Tiger Woods (70-68-66=204), $10,000; 500 points; Bart Bryant (68-68-68=204), $10,000; 500 points; Bubba Watson (67-69-68=204), $10,000; 500 points; Vijah Singh (66-65-73=204), $10,000; 500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Tiger Woods (66), $16,666; 833 points; Niclas Fasth (66), $16,666; 833 points; Geoff Ogilvy (66), $61,666; 833 points

Week 12: Puerto Rico Open (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score/Leader: Bo Van Pelt (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Greg Kraft (66), $16,666; 833 points; Ryan Blaum (66) $16,666; 833 points; Jerry Kelly (66), $16,666; 833 points
Leader: Bo Van Pelt (64-68=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Tommy Armour III (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Bo Van Pelt (64-68-71=203), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Kevin Stadler (67), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 12: CA Championship (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score/Leader (tie): Miquel A Jimenez (65), $25,000; 1250 points; Geoff Ogilvy (65), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Tiger Woods (66), $50,000, 2500 points
Leader: Geoff Ogilvy (65-67=132); $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Graeme Storm (63), $25,000; 1250 points; Vijah Singh (63), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Geoff Ogilvy (65-67-68=200), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Steve Stricker (63), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 13: Zurich Classic of New Orleans (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score/Leader: Dean Wilson (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Tim Clark (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Briny Baird (67-69=136), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Tommy Armour III (66), $25,000; 1250 points; James Driscoll (66), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: John Merrick (72-67-67=206), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Andres Romero (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 14: Shell Houston Open (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score/Leader (tie): Adam Scott (63), $25,000; 1250 points; Johnson Wagner (63), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Chad Campbell (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Mathew Goggin (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Johnson Wagner (63-69=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Bob Estes (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Johnson Wagner (63-69-69=201), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Pat Perez (64), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 15: Masters (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Trevor Immelman (68), $25,000; 1250 points; Justin Rose (68), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Steve Flesch (67), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Trevor Immelman (68-68=136), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Zach Johnson (68), $16,666; 833 points; Boo Weekley (68), $16,666; 833 points; Tiger Woods (68), $16,666; 833 points
Leader: Trevor Immelman (68-68-69=205), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Miguel Angel Jimenez (68), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 16: Verizon Heritage (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Lucas Glover (66), $16,666; 833 points; Davis Love III (66), $16,666; 833 points; Justin Leonard (66), $16,666; 833 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Boo Weekley (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Lucas Glover (66-66=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Boo Weekley (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Boo Weekley (69-64-65=209), $50,000, 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Michael Letzig (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 17: EDS Byron Nelson (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Ryan Moore (67), $16,666; 833 points; Eric Axley (67), $16,666; 833 points; Mathew Goggin (67) $16,666; 833 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Frank Lickliter (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Adam Scott (68-67=135), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Sergio Garcia (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Adam Scott (68-67-67=202), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Richard Johnson (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 18: Wachovia Championship (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): David Toms (67), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Billy Mayfair (67), $8,333; 416 points; Dudley Hart (67), $8,333; 416 points; Jim Furyk (67), $8,333; 416 points; George McNeill (67), $8,333; 416 points; Anthony Kim (67), $8,333; 416 points; Jason Bohn (67), $8,333; 416 points
Leader: Jason Bohn (68-67=135), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Stewart Cink (65), $25,000; 1250 points; Pat Perez (65), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Anthony Kim (70-67-66=203), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Ben Curtis (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 19: The Players Championship (4 rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Sergio Garcia (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Bernhard Langer (67), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Kenny Perry (68-70=138), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Greg Kraft (68), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Paul Goydos (68-71-70=209), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Chad Campbell (68), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 20: AT&T Classic (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score(tie): Kenny Perry (66), $10,000; 500 points; Ryan Palmer (66), $10,000; 500 points; Jonathan Byrd (66), $10,000; 500 points; Parker McLachlin (66), $10,000; 500 points; Jonathan Kay (66), $10,000; 500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Jonathan Byrd (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Jonathan Byrd (66-66=132), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Omar Uresti (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Charles Howell III (67-69-67), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Camilo Villegas (66), $16,666; 833 points; Bill Haas (66), $16,666; 833 points; John Rollins (66), $16,666; 833 points

Week 21: Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Johnson Wagner (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Geoff Ogilvy (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Matt Kucher (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Phil Mickelson (65-68=133), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Rod Pampling (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Phil Mickelson (65-68-65=198), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Pat Perez (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 22: Memorial Tournament (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Mathew Goggin (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Johnson Wagner (67), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Mathew Goggin (65-72-137), $25,000; 1250 points; Kenny Perry (66-71=137), $25,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Mike Weir (68), $16,666; 833 points; Stuart Appleby (68), $16,666; 833 points; Nick Watney (68), $16,666; 833 points
Leader: Mathew Goggin (65-72-71=208), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Cliff Kresge (68), $25,000; 1250 points; Jon Mills (68), $25,000; 1250 points

Week 23: Stanford St. Jude Championship (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Boo Weekley (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Gavin Coles (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Michael Bradley (69-68=137), $8333; 416 points; Jason Dufner (69-68=137), $8333; 416 points; Dean Wilson (69-68=137), $8333; 416 points; Tommy Armour III (66-71=137), $8333; 416 points; Gavin Coles (73-64=137), $8333; 416 points; Marc Turnesa (68-69=137), $8333; 416 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Tim Clark (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Tim Clark (72-69-64=205), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Tom Pernice, Jr. (63), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 24: The US Open Championship (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Kevin Streelman (68), $25,000; 1250 points; Justin Hicks (68), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Miguel-Angel Jimenez (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Stuart Appleby (69-70=139), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Brandt Snedeker (68), $50,000; 25oo points
Leader: Tiger Woods (72-68-70=210), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Heath Slocum (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 24: Travelers Championship (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Brad Adamonis (64), $12,500; 625 points; Brian Davis (64), $12,500; 625 points; Johnson Wagner (64), $12,500; 625 points; Steve Lowery (64), $12,500; 625 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Kevin Streelman (63), $25,000; 1250 points; Hunter Mahan (63), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Stewart Cink (66-64=130), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Kevin Streelman (62), $16,666; 833 points; DJ Trahan (62), $16,666; 833 points; Chad Campbell (62), $16,666; 833 points
Leader: Stewart Cink (66-64-65=195), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Michael Allen (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Cory Pavin (64), $25,000; 1250 points

Week 25: Buick Open (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Bo Van Pelt (64), $16,666; 833 points; Dudley Hart (64), $16,666; 833 points; Corey Pavin (64), $16,666; 833 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Matt Jones (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Bo Van Pelt (64-66=130), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Rod Pampling (65), $25,000; 1250 points; Paul Goydos (65), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Daniel Chopra (65-67-68=200), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Bob Tway (65), $12,500; 625 points; Brian Gay (65), $12,500; 625 points; John Rollins (65), $12,500; 625 points; Robert Garrigus (65) $12,500; 625 ponts

Week 26: AT&T National (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Steve Marino (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Tom Pernice, Jr. (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Jeff Overton (66-65=131), $25,000; 1250 points; Tom Pernice, Jr. (68-63=131), $25,000; 1250 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Hunter Mahan (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Vaughn Taylor (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Tom Pernice, Jr. (68-63-60=200), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Peter Lonard (63), $50,000; 2500 points

Week 27: John Deere Classic (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Charlie Wi (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Ken Duke (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Will MacKenzie (64), $12,500; 625 points; Aaron Baddeley (64), $12,500; 625 points; Bob Tway (64), $12,500; 625 points; Troy Matteson (64), $12,500; 625 points
Leader: Will MacKenzie (65-64=129), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Jay Williamson (62) $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Eric Axley (65-66-67=198), $16,666; 833 points; Brad Adamonis (66-66-66=198), $16,666; 833 points; Ken Perry (65-66-67=198), $16,666; 833 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Cameron Beckman (65); $25,000; 1250 points; Ken Duke (65), $25,000; 1250 points

Week 28: US Bank Championship (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Richard Johnson (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Gavin Coles (62), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Richard Johnson (63-67=130), $25,000; 1250 points; Nick Flanagan (67-63=130), $25,000; 1250 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Dean Wilson (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Jon Mills (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader (tie): Gavin Coles (69-62-69=199), $25,000; 1250 points; Nick Flanagan (67-63-69=199), $25,000; 1250 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Richard Johnson (64), $10,000; 500 points; Kevin Na (64), $10,000; 500 points; Bob Tway (64), $10,000; 500 points; Omar Uresti (64), $10,000; 500 points; Kenny Perry (64), $10,000; 500 points

Week: 28: British Open (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Rocco Mediate (69), $16,666; 833 points; Graeme McDowell (69), $16,666; 833 points; Robert Allenby (69), $16,666; 833 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Camilo Villegas (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: KJ Choi (72-67=139), $50,000, 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score (tie): Simon Wakfield (70), $12,500; 625 points; Ben Curtis (70), $12,500; 625 points; Henrick Stenson (70), $12,500; 625 points; David Love (70), $12,500; 625 points
Leader: Greg Norman (70-70-72=212), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: David Howell (67), $50,000; 2500 points

Week: 29: RBC Canadian Open (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Sean O'Hair (65), $6250; 312 points; Jason Day (65), $6250; 312 points; Mike Wier (65), $6250; 312 points; Eric Axley (65), $6250; 312 points; John Huston (65), $6250; 312 points; Chez Reavie (65), $6250; 312 points; Anthony Kim (65), $6250; 312 points; Jay WIlliamson (65), $6250; 312 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Chez Reavie (64), $25,000; 1250 points; Brian Davis (64), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: Chez Reavie (65-64=129), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Scott McCarron (63), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Chez Reavie (65-64-68=197), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Kent Jones (67), $50,000; 2500 points

Week: 30: Legends Reno-Tahoe Open (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Jeff Overton (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Parker McLachlin (62), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Parker McLachlin (68-62=130), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Chip Sullivan (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Parker McLachlin (68-62-66=196), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): John Riegger (66), $16,666; 833 points; Martin Laird (66), $16,666; 833 points; Steve Elkington (66), $16,666; 833 points

Week: 30: World Golf Championship-Bridgestone InvitationalOpen (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score: Retief Goosen (66), $50,000; 2500 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Trevor Immelman (64), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Vijay Singh (67-66=133), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Darren Clarke (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader (tie): Vijah Singh (67-66-69=202), $16,666; 833 points; Lee Westwood (70-65-67=202), $16,666; 833 points; Phil Mickelson (68-66-68=202), $16,666; 833 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: Paul Casey (65), $50,000; 2500 points

Week: 31: PGA Championship (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Jeev Milkha Singh (68), $25,000; 1250 points; Robert Karlsson (68), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score (tie): Ben Curtis (67), $25,000; 1250 points; Justin Rose (67), $25,000; 1250 points
Leader: JB Holmes (71-68=139), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Andres Romero (65), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Ben Curtis (73-67-68=208)
Fourth Round:
Low Score (tie): Padraig Harrington (66), $25,000; 1250 points; Boo Weekley (66), $25,000; 1250 points

Week: 32: Wyndham Championship (four rounds)
First Round:
Low Score (tie): Martin Laird (63), $25,000; 1250 points; Bob Heintz (63), $25,000; 1250 points
Second Round:
Low Score: Carl Pettersson (61), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Carl Pettersson (64-61=125), $50,000; 2500 points
Third Round:
Low Score: Briny Baird (62), $50,000; 2500 points
Leader: Carl Pettersson (64-61-66=191), $50,000; 2500 points
Fourth Round:
Low Score: JJ Henry (62), $50,000; 2500 points

2008 YEAR-TO-DATE
LAP LEADER SUMMARY
(Does not include Fall Finish tournaments of 2007)
(For the official FedExCup Points Standing, look on PGATour.com)

(Alphabetical Order)
Brad Adamonis--$41,666; 2083 points
Michael Allen--$25,000; 1250 points
Robert Allenby--$16,666; 833 points
Stuart Appleby--$66,666; 3333 points
Tommy Armour III--$83,333; 4166 points
Eric Axley--$39,582; 1978 points
Aaron Baddeley--$12,500; 625 points
Briny Baird--166,666; 8333 points
Cameron Beckman--$25,000; 1250 points
Ryan Blaum--$16,666; 833 points
Jason Bohn--$58,333; 2916 points
Michael Bradley--$8333; 416 points
Bart Bryant--$35,000; 1750 points
Jonathan Byrd--$126,666; 6333 points
Mark Calcavecchia--$116,666; 5833 points
Chad Campbell--$91,666; 4583 points
Paul Casey--$50,000; 2500 points
KJ Choi--$250,000; 12,500 points
Daniel Chopra--$50,000; 2500 points
Stewart Cink--$191,666; 9583 points
Tim Clark--$150,000; 7500 points
Darren Clarke--$50,000; 2500 points
Gavin Coles--$133,333; 6666 points
Fred Couples--$25,000; 1250 points
Ben Crane--$12,500; 625 points
Ben Curtis--$87,500; 4375 points
Brian Davis--$112,500; 5625 points
Jason Day--$6250; 312 points
Luke Donald--$66,666; 3333 points
James Driscoll--$25,000; 1250 points
Ken Duke--$50,000; 2500 points
Jason Dufner--$8333; 416 points
Joe Durant--$10,000; 500 points
Steve Elkington--$29,166; 1458 points
Ernie Els--$16,666; 833 points
Bob Estes--$50,000; 2500 points
Niclas Fasth--$16,666; 833 points
Nick Flanagan--$50,000; 2500 points
Steve Flesch--$50,000; 2500 points
Fred Funk--$25,000; 1250 points
Jim Furyk--$70,833; 4166 points
Robert Gamez--$75,000; 3750 points
Sergio Garcia--$100,000; 5000 points
Robert Garrigus--$12,500; 625 points
Brian Gay--$137,500; 6875 points
Lucas Glover--$66,666; 3333 points
Mathew Goggin--$176,666; 8833 points
Retief Goosen--$50,000; 2500 points
Jason Gore--$25,000; 1250 points
Paul Goydos--$75,000; 3750 points
Nathan Green--$16,666; 833 points
JJ Henry--$25,000; 1250 points
Nick Flanagan--$50,000; 2500 points
Dudley Hart--$62,499; 3124 points
Bill Haas--$16,666; 833 points
Padraig Harrington--$25,000; 1250 points
Bob Heintz--$25,000; 1250 points
JJ Henry--$50,000; 2500 points
Tim Herron--$50,000; 2500 points
Justin Hicks--$25,000; 1250 points
Charley Hoffman--$25,000; 1250 points
JB Holmes-- $110,000; 5500 points
Charles Howell III--$50,000; 2500 points
David Howell--$50,000; 2500 points
John Huston--$6,250; 312 points
Ryuji Imada--$25,000; 1250 points
Trevor Immelman--$200,000; 10,000 points
Fredrick Jacobson--$50,000; 2500 points
Lee Janzen--$25,000; 1250 points
Miquel-Angel Jimenez--$125,000; 6250 points
Dustin Johnson--$25,000; 1250 points
Richard Johnson--$135,000; 6750 points
Zach Johnson--$16,666; 833 points
Kent Jones--$100,000; 5000 points
Matt Jones--$66,666; 3333 points
Robert Karlsson--$25,000; 1250 points
Jonathan Kay--$10,000; 500 points
Jerry Kelly--$16,666; 833 points
Anthony Kim--$64,583; 3248 points
Greg Kraft--$66,666, 3333 points
Cliff Kresge--$25,000; 1250 points
Matt Kuchar--$50,000; 2500 points
Doug LaBelle--$16,666; 833 points
Martin Laird--$41,666; 2,083 points
Bernhard Langer--$50,000; 2500 points
Justin Leonard--$133,332; 6666 points
Michael Letzig--$50,000; 2500 points
Frank Lickliter--$50,000; 2500 points
Peter Lonard--$50,000; 2500 points
Davis Love III--$29,166; 1458 points
Steve Lowrey--$12,500; 625 points
Will MacKenzie--$62,500; 3125 points
Hunter Mahan--$75,000; 3750 points
John Mallinger--$50,000; 2500 points
Billy Mayfair--$8,333; 416 points
Steve Marino--$50,000; 2500 points
Shigeki Maruyama--$10,000; 500 points
Troy Matteson--$62,500; 3125 points
Scott McCarron--$50,000; 2500 points
Graeme McDowell--$16,666, 833 points
Jim McGovern--$25,000; 1250 points
Parker McLachlin--$150,000; 7500 points
George McNeill--$58,333; 2916 points
Rocco Mediate--$16,666; 833 points
John Merrick--$150,000; 7500 points
Phil Mickelson--$266,666; 13,333 points
Jon Mills--$50,000; 2500 points
Ryan Moore--$33,332; 1666 points
Kevin Na--$35,000; 1750 points
Greg Norman--$50,000; 2500 points
Aaron Oberholser--$50,000; 2500 points
Geoff Ogilvy--$183,332; 9166 points
Sean O'Hair--$62,500; 3312 points
Jeff Overton--$75,000; 3750 points
Ryan Palmer--$10,000; 500 points
Rod Pampling--$75,000; 3750 points
Cory Pavin--$58,333; 2916 points
Kenny Perry--$111,666; 5583 points
Pat Perez--$125,000; 6250 points
Tom Pernice, Jr.--$175,000; 8750 points
Tim Petrovic--$22,500; 1125 points
Carl Pettersson--$162,500; 8125 points
Chez Reavie--$156,250; 7812 points
John Riegger--$16,666; 833 points
John Rollins--$29,166; 1458 points
Andres Romero--$100,000; 5000 points
Justin Rose--$66,666; 3333 points
Rory Sabbatini--$25,000; 1250 points
Adam Scott--$125,000; 6250 points
Heath Slocum--$50,000; 2500 points
Brandt Snedeker--$112,500; 5625 points
Patrick Sheehan--$25,000; 1250 points
Jeev Milkha Singh--$25,000; 1250 points
Vijah Singh--$189,166; 9458 points
Steve Stricker--$125,000; 6250 points
Kevin Stadler--$50,000; 2500 points
Henrick Stenson--$12,500; 625 points
Kevin Streelman--$66,666; 3333 points
Graeme Storm--$25,000; 1250 points
Chip Sullivan--$50,000; 2500 points
Kevin Sutherland--$37,500; 1875 points
Vaughn Taylor--$25,000; 1250 points
David Toms--$50,000; 2500 points
DJ Trahan--$133,332; 6666 points
Marc Turnesa--$8333; 416 points
Bob Tway--$35,000; 1750 points
Omar Uresti--$70,000; 3500 points
Bo Van Pelt--$229,166; 11,458 points
Camilo Villegas--$66,666; 3333 points
Johnson Wagner--$212,500; 10,625 points
Simon Wakefield--$12,500; 625 points
Charles Warren--$25,000; 1250 points
Nick Watney--$79,166; 3983 points
Bubba Watson--$10,000; 500 points
Boo Weekley--$266,666; 13,333 points
Mike Weir--$122,916; 6145 points
Lee Westwood--$16,666; 833 points
Charlie Wi--$25,000; 1250 points
Tim Wilkinson--$50,000, 2500 points
Jay Williamson--$56,250; 2812 points
Dean Wilson--$75,000; 3750 points
Tiger Woods--$293,332; 14,666points

(Money/Points Order)
Tiger Woods--$293,332; 14,666 points
Phil Mickelson--$266,666; 13,333 points
Boo Weekley--$266,666; 13,333 points
KJ Choi--$250,000; 12,500 points
Bo Van Pelt--$229,166; 11,458 points
Johnson Wagner--$212,500; 10,625 points
Trevor Immelman--$200,000; 10,000 points
Vijah Singh--$189,166; 9458 points
Stewart Cink--$191,666; 9583 points
Geoff Ogilvy--$183,332; 9166 points
Mathew Goggin--$176,666; 8833 points
Tom Pernice, Jr.--$175,000; 8750 points
Briny Baird--166,666; 8333 points
Carl Pettersson--$162,500; 8125 points
Chez Reavie--$156,250; 7812 points
Tim Clark--$150,000; 7500 points
Parker McLachlin--$150,000; 7500 points
John Merrick--$150,000; 7500 points
Brian Gay--$137,500; 6875 points
Richard Johnson--$135,000; 6750 points
Gavin Coles--$133,333; 6666 points
Justin Leonard--$133,333; 6666 points
DJ Trahan--$133,333; 6666 points
Richard Johnson--$135,000; 6750 points
Jonathan Byrd--$126,666; 6333 points
Miquel-Angel Jimenez--$125,000; 6250 points
Pat Perez--$125,000; 6250 points
Adam Scott--$125,000; 6250 points
Steve Stricker--$125,000; 6250 points
Mike Weir--$122,916; 6145 points
Mark Calcavecchia--$116,666; 5833 points
Brian Davis--$112,500; 5625 points
Brandt Snedeker--$112,500; 5625 points
Kenny Perry--$111,666; 5583 points
JB Holmes-- $110,000; 5500 points
Sergio Garcia--$100,000; 5000 points
Kent Jones--$100,000; 5000 points
Andres Romero--$100,000; 5000 points
Chad Campbell--$91,666; 4583 points
Ben Curtis--$87,500; 4375 points
Tommy Armour III--$83,333; 4166 points
Jim Furyk--$83,833; 4166 points
Nick Watney--$79,166; 3983 points
Robert Gamez--$75,000; 3750 points
Paul Goydos--$75,000; 3750 points
Hunter Mahan--$75,000; 3750 points
Jeff Overton--$75,000; 3750 points
Rod Pampling--$75,000; 3750 points
Johnson Wagner--$75,000; 3750 points
Dean Wilson--$75,000; 3750 points
Omar Uresti--$70,000; 3500 points
Stuart Appleby--$66,666; 3333 points
Luke Donald--$66,666; 3333 points
Lucas Glover--$66,666; 3333 points
Matt Jones--$66,666; 3333 points
Greg Kraft--$66,666; 3333 points
Justin Rose--$66,666; 3333 points
Kevin Streelman--$66,666; 3333 points
Camilo Villegas--$66,666; 3333 points
Anthony Kim--$64,583; 3248 points
Will MacKenzie--$62,500; 3125 points
Troy Matteson--$62,500; 3125 points
Dudley Hart--$62,499; 3124 points
Sean O'Hair--$62,500; 3312 points
Jason Bohn--$58,333; 2916 points
George McNeill--$58,333; 2916 points
Cory Pavin--$58,333; 2916 points
Jay Williamson--$56,250; 2812 points
Paul Casey--$50,000; 2500 points
Daniel Chopra--$50,000; 2500 points
Darren Clarke--$50,000; 2500 points
Ken Duke--$50,000; 2500 points
Bob Estes--$50,000; 2500 points
Steve Flesch--$50,000; 2500 points
Nick Flanagan--$50,000; 2500 points
Retief Goosen--$50,000; 2500 points
JJ Henry--$50,000; 2500 points
Tim Herron--$50,000; 2500 points
Charles Howell III--$50,000; 2500 points
David Howell--$50,000; 2500 points
Fredrick Jacobson--$50,000; 2500 points
Matt Kuchar--$50,000; 2500 points
Bernhard Langer--$50,000; 2500 points
Michael Letzig--$50,000; 2500 points
Frank Lickliter--$50,000; 2500 points
Peter Lonard--$50,000; 2500 points
Scott McCarron--$50,000; 2500 points
George McNeill--$50,000; 2500 points
John Mallinger--$50,000; 2500 points
Steve Marino--$50,000; 2500 points
Jon Mills--$50,000; 2500 points
Greg Norman--$50,000; 2500 points
Aaron Oberholser--$50,000; 2500 points
Heath Slocum--$50,000; 2500 points
Kevin Stadler--$50,000, 2500 points
Chip Sullivan--$50,000; 2500 points
David Toms--$50,000; 2500 points
Tim Wilkinson--$50,000, 2500 points
Brad Adamonis--$41,666; 2083 points
Martin Laird--$41,666; 2,083 points
Eric Axley--$39,582; 1978 points
Kevin Sutherland--$37,500; 1875 points
Bart Bryant--$35,000; 1750 points
Kevin Na--$35,000; 1750 points
Bob Tway--$35,000; 1750 points
Ryan Moore--$33,332; 1666 points
Steve Elkington--$29,166; 1458 points
Davis Love III--$29,166; 1458 points
John Rollins--$29,166; 1458 points
Michael Allen--$25,000; 1250 points
Cameron Beckman--$25,000; 1250 points
Fred Couples--$25,000; 1250 points
James Driscoll--$25,000; 1250 points
Nick Flanagan--$25,000; 1250 points
Fred Funk--$25,000; 1250 points
Jason Gore--$25,000; 1250 points
Padraig Harrington--$25,000; 1250 points
Bob Heintz--$25,000; 1250 points
JJ Henry--$25,000; 1250 points
Justin Hicks--$25,000; 1250 points
Lee Janzen--$25,000; 1250 points
Robert Karlsson--$25,000; 1250 points
Jim McGovern--$25,000; 1250 points
Ryuji Imada--$25,000; 1250 points
Charley Hoffman--$25,000; 1250 points
Dustin Johnson--$25,000; 1250 points
Cliff Kresge--$25,000; 1250 points
Rory Sabbatini--$25,000; 1250 points
Patrick Sheehan--$25,000; 1250 points
Jeev Milkha Singh--$25,000; 1250 points
Graeme Storm--$25,000; 1250 points
Kevin Sutherland--$25,000; 1250 points
Bob Tway--$25,000; 1250 points
Vaughn Taylor--$25,000; 1250 points
Johnson Wagner--$25,000; 1250 points
Charles Warren--$25,000; 1250 points
Charlie Wi--$25,000; 1250 points
Tim Petrovic--$22,500; 1125 points
Robert Allenby--$16,666; 833 points
Ryan Blaum--$16,666; 833 points
Ernie Els--$16,666; 833 points
Niclas Fasth--$16,666; 833 points
Nathan Green--$16,666; 833 points
Bill Haas--$16,666; 833 points
Zach Johnson--$16,666; 833 points
Jerry Kelly--$16,666; 833 points
Doug LaBelle--$16,666; 833 points
Graeme McDowell--$16,666, 833 points
Rocco Mediate--$16,666; 833 points
John Riegger--$16,666; 833 points
Lee Westwood--$16,666; 833 points
Aaron Baddeley--$12,500; 625 points
Ben Crane--$12,500; 625 points
Steve Lowrey--$12,500; 625 points
Robert Garrigus--$12,500; 625 points
Henrick Stenson--$12,500; 625 points
Simon Wakefield--$12,500; 625 points
Joe Durant--$10,000; 500 points
Jonathan Kay--$10,000; 500 points
Shigeki Maruyama--$10,000; 500 points
Parker McLachlin--$10,000; 500 points
Ryan Palmer--$10,000; 500 points
Bubba Watson--$10,000; 500 points
Michael Bradley--$8333; 416 points
Jason Dufner--$8333; 416 points
Billy Mayfair--$8,333; 416 points
Marc Turnesa--$8333; 416 points
Jason Day--$6250; 312 points
John Huston--$6,250; 312 points

FINAL STANDINGS:
In a twist to the results above, we gave every tournament winner 2500 points and then combined their Lap Leader points with the official FedExCup Points for the final standings. It's an interesting mix of results. Several of the official FedExCup top 144 do not qualify for the playoffs while several Lap Leader points earners do.

FedExCup-NCGolfer: Name--Points
1-1: Tiger Woods--47,361
3-2: Phil Mickelson--36,574
2-3: Kenny Perry--33,961
6-4: Stewart Cink--27,209
7-5: Vijay Singh--26,992
14-6: Boo Weekley--25,488
17-7: K.J. Choi--23,843
5-8: Anthony Kim--23,426
10-9: Geoff Ogilvy--22,532
8-10: Justin Leonard--21,900
4-11: Padraig Harrington--21,805
20-12: Trevor Immelman: 20,709
13-13: Carl Pettersson: 20,446
52-14: Johnson Wagner--18,678
12-15: Sergio Garcia--17,801
18-16: D.J. Trahan--17,663
35-17: Chez Reavie--16,806
24-18: Adam Scott--16,308
22-19: J.B. Holmes--15,834
39-20: Brian Gay--15,788
54-21: Parker McLachlin--15,502
29-22: Briny Baird--15,289
16-23: Sean O'Hair--14,841
26-24: Andres Romero--14,656
9-25: Ryuji Imada--14,653
21-26: Steve Stricker--14,332
116-27: Bo Van Pelt--14,214
67-28: Tom Pernice, Jr.: 13,704
15-29: Jim Furyk--13,604
76-30: Mathew Goggin--13,290
60-31: Tim Clark--12,659
69-32: John Merrick--12,287
43-33: Mike Weir--12,171
23-34: Chad Campbell--12,157
19-35: Stuart Appleby--11,736
27-36: Ben Curtis--11,480
11-37: Robert Allenby--11,387
40-38: Daniel Chopra--11,375
62-39: Pat Perez--11,361
49-40: Brandt Snedeker--11,274
31-41: Hunter Mahan--10,653
33-42: Rod Pampling--10,606
28-43: Ernie Els--10,356
85-44: Jonathan Byrd--10,344
48-45: Tommy Armour III--9,837
42-46: Camilo Villegas--9,474
44-47: Luke Donald--9,334
41-48: Steve Lowery--9,289
103-49: Greg Kraft--9,152
104-50: Mark Calcavecchia: 9,137
38-51: Steve Marino--8,946
32-52: Bart Bryant--8,651
70-53: Dean Wilson--8,438
146-54: Gavin Coles--8,365
72-55: Paul Goydos--8,317
46-56: Fredrik Jacobson--8,314
51-57: Ken Duke--8,094
53-58: Heath Slocum--8,003
68-59: Dudley Hart--7,922
58-60: Retief Goosen--7,872
59-61: Peter Lonard--7,748
78-62: Justin Rose--7,611
25-63: Jeff Quinney--7,329
36-64: Jerry Kelly--7,304
203-65: Richard Johnson--7,294
57-66: Kevin Sutherland: 7,289
111-67: Nick Watney--7,019
95-68: Lucas Glover--6,950
30-69: Stephen Ames--6,913
77-70: Scott McCarron--6,887
37-71: Billy Mayfair--6,881
87-72: Corey Pavin--6,819
34-73: Woody Austin--6,762
55-74: Rory Sabbatini--6,738
79-75: Charles Howell III--6,737
102-76: Kevin Streelman--6,735
97-77: Troy Matteson--6,649
106-78: Matt Jones--6,606
81-79: Matt Kuchar--6,584
84-80: Steve Flesch--6,546
45-81: Aaron Baddeley--6,530
96-82: Jason Bohn--6,498
50-83: Lee Westwood: 6,459
88-84: Michael Letzig--6,379
101-85: George McNeill--6,325
90-86: Paul Casey--6,304
98-87: Jay Williamson: 6,295
92-88: John Mallinger--6,293
n/a-89: Miquel-Angel Jimenez--6,250
66-90: Charlie Wi--6,235
71-91: Steve Elkington--6,090
61-92: Rocco Mediate--5,984
181-93: Kent Jones--5,957
56-94: Bubba Watson--5,937
83-95: Kevin Na--5,802
93-96: Brad Adamonis--5,790
75-97: Cliff Kresge--5,737
47-98: Nicholas Thompson: 5,695
65-99: Ben Crane--5,683
110-100: Tim Wilkinson--5,586
82-101: John Rollins--5,532
142-102: Jeff Overton--5,504
99-103: Eric Axley--5,456
89-104: Fred Couples--5,087
63-105: Ian Poulter--5,073
64-106: John Senden--5,064
121-107: David Toms--5,020
122-108: Richard Johnson--5,010
124-109: Bob Estes--4,923
133-110: Tim Herron--4,658
170-111: Omar Uresti--4,654
73-112: Ryan Moore--4,560
94-113: Nathan Green--4,531
135-114: J.J. Henry--4,526
105-115: Charley Hoffman--4,526
74-116: Nick O'Hern--4,520
188-117: Robert Gamez--4,499
136-118: Frank Lickliter II--4,486
137-119: Jon Mills--4,464
162-120: Will MacKenzie: 4,414
128-121: Martin Laird--4,386
119-122: Bob Tway--4,365
80-123: Mark Wilson--4,212
113-124: Vaughn Taylor--4,151
151-125: Kevin Stadler--4,122
153-126: Greg Norman--4,095
115-127: Charles Warren--4,019
107-128: Bill Haas--4,005
117-129: Dustin Johnson--3,929
86-130: Brian Davis--3,916
160-131: Nick Flanagan--3,816
91-132: Alex Cejka--3,802
112-133: Zach Johnson--3,801
120-134: Patrick Sheehan--3,790
123-135: James Driscoll--3,707
126-136: Tim Petrovic--3,525
130-137: Jason Gore--3,508
100-138: Scott Verplank--3,412
186-139: Arron Oberholser: 3,275
108-140: Shane Bertsch--3,153
109-141: Joe Ogilvie--3,094
144-142: Lee Janzen--2,971
154-143: Davis Love III--2,970
211-144: Bernhard Langer--2,926

DO NOT QUALIFY BASED ON LAP LEADER STANDINGS PLUS FEDEX POINTS
114-145: Rich Beem--2,833 (He's in if Tiger is out!)
129-146: Joe Durant--2,764
118-147: Brett Quigley--2,663
132-148: Ryan Palmer--2,658
127-149: Jason Day--2,639
166-150: Cameron Beckman--2,512
n/a-151: Darren Clarke--2,500
n/a-152: David Howell--2,500
n/a-153: Chip Sullivan--2,500
125-154: Tom Lehman--2,420
169-155: Bob Heintz--2,414
191-156: Larry Mize--2,370
175-157: Fred Funk--2,288
131-158: Angel Cabrera--2,243
134-159: Michael Allen--2,132
156-160: Robert Garrigus--2,093
171-161: Doug LaBelle II--1,935
138-162: Chris DiMarco--1,871
199-163: Steve Allan--1,845
178-164: John Riegger--1,826
139-165: Jesper Parnevik--1,818
155-166: John Huston--1,800
140-167: Roland Thatcher--1,777
141-168: Justin Bolli--1,769
208-169: Jim McGovern--1,738
143-170: Glen Day--1,727
145-171: Y.E. Yang--1,701
147-172: Tag Ridings--1,679
148-173: Todd Hamilton--1,648
149-174: Brett Rumford--1,624
150-175: Marco Dawson--1,622
152-176: Craig Kanada--1,604
168-177: Marc Turnesa--1,590
172-178: Jason Dufner--1,498
157-179: Scott Sterling--1,467
158-180: Ryan Armour--1,427
159-181: Carlos Franco--1,372
161-182: Jeff Gove--1,308
163-183: Jeff Maggert--1,287
164-184: Chris Riley--1,277
165-185: J.P. Hayes--1,275
167-186: Mark Hensby--1,261
n/a-187: Justin Hicks--1,250
n/a-188: Robert Karlsson--1,250
n/a-189: Jeev Milkha Singh--1,250
n/a-190: Graeme Storm--1,250
189-191: Shigeki Maruyama: 1,221
173-192: Jin Park--1,047
174-193: Harrison Frazar--1,043
176-194: Jose Coceres--1,008
177-195: Kenneth Ferrie--1,000
179-196: Brenden Pappas--962
180-197: Ted Purdy--962
182-198: Billy Andrade--949
183-199: Brandt Jobe--940
184-200: Bob Sowards--920
n/a-201: Ryan Blaum--833
n/a-202: Niclas Fasth--833
n/a-203: Graeme McDowell: 833
185-204: Brian Bateman--832
187-205: Garrett Willis--766
219-206: Michael Bradley--737
190-207: Mathias Gronberg--715
192-208: Jimmy Walker--703
193-209: Brent Geiberger--694
194-210: Andrew Buckle--693
195-211: Stephen Leaney--678
231-212: Jonathan Kaye--677
196-213: Shaun Micheel--641
197-214: Chad Collins--632
n/a-215: Henrick Stenson--625
n/a-216: Simon Wakefield : 625
198-217: Dan Forsman--623
200-218: Craig Barlow--567
201-219: David Lutterus--566
202-220: Todd Demsey--551
204-221: Olin Browne--515
205-222: Chris Stroud--499
206-223: Alejandro Canizares--497
207-224: Paul Stankowski: 488
209-225: Kyle Thompson: 461
210-226: Bob May--450
212-227: Paul Claxton--420
214-228: Daisuke Maruyama: 417
213-229: Brett Wetterich--417
215-230: Mark Brooks--410
216-231: Robert Damron--365
217-232: Tom Byrum--343
218-233: Dicky Pride--322
220-234: Jason Allred--286
221-235: Ian Leggatt--269
222-236: Tom Scherrer--267
223-237: Michael Sim--256
224-238: Jose Maria Olazabal--235
225-239: Neal Lancaster--227
226-240: Cody Freeman--214
227-241: Brad Elder--212
228-242: Jay Delsing--200
229-243: Paul Azinger--190
230-244: John Daly--182
233-245: Craig Parry--152
232-246: Travis Perkins--152
234-247: David Duval--149
235-248: Ron Whittaker--140
236-249: Tommy Gainey--119
237-250: Len Mattiace--116
238-251: J.L. Lewis--114
239-252: John Morse--103
240-253: Sandy Lyle--91
241-254: Kirk Triplett--87
242-255: Notah Begay III--82
243-256: Chris Smith--81
244-257: Joey Sindelar--80
245-258: David Frost--64
246-259: Guy Boros--57
T247-260: Gabriel Hjertstedt--52
251-261: Scott Hoch--52
T247-262: Andrew Magee--52
250-263: Mark O'Meara--52
T247-264: Grant Waite--52
252-265: Fulton Allem--47
253-266: Ronnie Black--44
254-267: Nick Price--43
255-268: Skip Kendall--28
T256-269: Dennis Paulson--27
T256-270: Ted Schulz--27
259-271: Spike McRoy--26
258-272: Duffy Waldorf--26
260-273: Rick Fehr--25
261-274: Bob Burns--24
262-275: Jim Gallagher, Jr.: 24

Time Again To Tweak The PGA Tour!

2008-01-02T11:04:00.000-05:00

Taking a page from NASCAR, the PGA Tour needs to reward lap leaders.

And, in all fairness to the tournaments following the Tour Championship and to the participants in those post-Tour Championship events, include them in the race for the FedExCup.

It’s the first week of January 2008 and that, of course, means the 2008 golf season, the PGA Tour in particular and the all-important quest for the FedExCup, begins.

With the FedExCup, it’s safe to say that the PGA Tour is trying to create the most public excitement out of the weekly schedule that starts with the Mercedes-Benz Championship this week in Hawaii and culminates with the Tour Championship in Atlanta in late September. But, the general golfing public plus the millions who do not follow golf but who are taken in annually by the Masters, the US Open, the British Open and, to a much less extent, the PGA Championship, are not yet involved in the FedExCup.

The Ryder Cup, which is the week prior to the Tour Championship and the crowning of the FedExCup Champion, is of more interest and has more significance to most golf fans than the FedExCup and a lot more interest than the weekly update of the FedExCup standings. The experiment last year has been tweaked a little this year, but it’s not enough.

Every week, members of the PGA Tour play golf for money, lots of money to which average golfers just cannot relate. Most of us have a hard time making a 3-footer on the final hole to seal that $2 bet. We can’t imagine doing the same for the $1.1 million first place prize of the average professional event.

But, golfers love the professionals because these guys earn every penny each week. These guys, with a few exceptions, are not paid to show up. They have to compete and score better than the others to get that fat paycheck. No $300 million, 10-year contracts out there for golfers for playing the game.

Don’t get me wrong. I love the tour. I love watching the television broadcasts. I just think if the Tour is going to have a FedExCup, there needs to be more pizzazz to the Cup, and each event needs something extra for the fans and the players. Let’s start with the events.

The lap leaders—six each event—need to be rewarded. The six (which includes ties) are: tournament leader after first round; tournament leader after second round; low score of second round; tournament leader after third round; low score of third round; and, low score of fourth round. (Obviously, the low score of the first round is the tournament leader after the first round, and the leader of the tournament after the fourth round wins the tournament and the huge first place purse.)

With about $300 million in purses to be awarded this year, according to the tournament list on pgatour.com, the Tour should designate about 1% of that total each week (somewhere between $12 million and $15 million for the entire tour which could be raised with another sponsor) to rewarding daily winners. It’s a simple formula. The lap leaders (six categories) and ties would split $50,000. It’s possible and probably that the low score of the second, third and fourth rounds will not be posted by the tournament leader.

In total, that’s $300,000 in extra prize money (cash, not annuity, which should also be counted in official winnings)—three round leaders (first, second and third) and three low daily scores (second, third and fourth)—per tournament, sometimes given to one person who may lead from start to finish with the low round each day, or it could be given to as man as six different players or more.

Additionally, those lap leaders should be rewarded with FedExCup points, one point for 5% of every dollar won as a lap leader. A $50,000 first round leader would get 2,500 points (if two are tied each would get 1,250 points). The second round low score would get the same. For the tournament, in addition the regular FedExCup points, an additional 15,000 points would be awarded, possibly to one player, or split among several players.

What will this do for each tournament and the tour? It’ll add another layer of excitement for the players and the fans. It’ll keep the FedExCup in the spotlight during each tournament round, not just during the final round. Players who do not make the cut could leave with a check and FedExCup points. What’s wrong with that? Nothing.

The other change I suggest is to include the tournament held the week of the Ryder Cup (this year) and the six events following the Tour Championship in the FedExCup points. In other words, give FedExCup points in those events: 25,000 points for each event but less is okay. Just equate the points to tournaments with similar purses. And, do not forget the additional 15,000 points for the lap leaders. The points awarded for these tournaments would be part of the next (2009) FedExCup season.

Tiger Woods and others who skip these events—primarily used to determine who makes the top 125 and an automatic return to the PGA Tour—would probably be against the idea, but this would be a simple change that would excite those events and the players participating. Maybe, a few more of the top players might participate in those year-end events, rewarding the efforts of the tournament organizers and sponsors who want a little more star power in the field of players.

Imagine in January 2009, before the first stroke is made, when the 2009 FedExCup points list is posted with names at the top as a result of playing in October and November events. It’s possible that some of the players may do a Ricky Ricardo impression: “We’ve got some making up to do, Lucy!”

Lap leaders and FedExCup points for the post-Tour Championship events: These are simply ideas which I feel would increase value of the PGA Tour to the players, to the fans, and to those events who deserve more than the “Fall Finish” label. It’s a good tour as it is. But, the PGA Tour officials and the players need to continue to tweak it for the fans.

Wolfpack Golf Course Description

2006-11-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

NC State University has been planning for about 20 years to build a golf course on the University's Centennial Campus. You can read more about that effort in NC Golfer by going to NCSU Tries to Build a Golf Course. It's the posting immediately after this one.

However, here's a description of the proposed golf course. For guidance, take a look at the scorecard and the most recent course layout. You may want to print the scorecard and the layout.

The front side, par 35, has three par 3s, two par 5s and four par 4s and is a mix of short and long holes. The par 5s—the 1st and 7th holes—are 555 and 585 yards. The par 3s—holes 2, 6 and 8—are 170, 180 and 220 yards from the tips. (Architect Erik Larsen would like to move the tees for the 2nd and 8th holes back and extend the yardages, but that would call for a shot across a stream and the cutting down of a handful of trees, both not allowed.)

Though a tributary of Walnut Creek which is fed by Lake Raleigh runs through the front side, water only comes into play on the short 3rd hole, a 380-yard, dogleg left that will have a small pond in front of the green. The other par fours are the 395-yard 4th, the 450-yard 5th, and the 455-yard 9th. Just imaging finishing the front nine with these: 450-yard par 4, 180-yard par 3, 585-yard par 5, 220-yard par 3 and 455-yard par four.

It gets no easier on the back which is shown on the scorecard as a typical par 36 nine with two par 3s, two par 5s and five par 4s. But the 11th hole, which is a 610-yard par 5, can and will be played as a 410-yard par 4. This hole is located at the end of the driving range (also a problem for Larsen) which sits between the 10th and 18th holes. The teeing area on the 11th hole is designed to be 200-yards long and will be where the NC State golf teams will practice. So, when the team is there, the tees for the 11th hole will be moved forward, converting the hole from a 610-yard, par 5 to a 410-yard par 4, reducing the inward nine to a par 35.

Larsen, the architect, says the driving range, even with the use of the 11th tee, is too short. “Those college golfers will hit it over the clubhouse from there. It’s just too short for today’s young golfers. We’re giving them a place to practice but it’s just not going to be long enough,” said Larsen.

The back nine is also a mix of short and long holes with the two par 3s—the 14th and 17th holes—measuring 140 and 205 yards. In addition to the 610-yard, 11th hole, the other par 5, the 18th hole, is 585 yards. The par 4s are projected to be 355 yards (10th), 395 yards (12th), 405 yards (13th), 445 yards (15th) and 385 yards (16th). Sort of like finishing the front nine, the back’s final four holes include: 445-yard par 4, 385-yard par 4, 205-yard par 3, and 585-yard par 5.

You comments about the layout and description are welcome.

NCSU Tries to Build a Golf Course

2006-11-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

Becky Bumgardner is looking for money which is required before construction of Erik Larsen’s design for an area “slight in space” can begin. NC State University wants to build a championship golf course along the southern edge of the University’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh, and while Larsen, the project architect, is ready to move ahead with the limited land area, Bumgardner’s limited effort on behalf of the University drags along. It’s a project that’s been on NC State’s drawing board for about 20 years, and it’s long over due.

Bumgardner is executive director of NCSU University Development and has been trying to raise money for this project for a number of years. She says a $3 million donation is the major missing money required to start construction of the layout Larsen, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, and Senior Golf Course Architect of Palmer Course Design Company, put on paper. Getting the $3 million, an amount recently reduced from $5 million for course naming rights, has been a low priority item for the University, but recently Bumgardner and others have accelerated the effort and have some good possibilities including a donation which might name the course for former NC State basketball coach Jim Valvano.

The idea of the golf course for NC State University has changed a lot since it was first just an idea at the tip of a land-planner’s pencil. Shortly after then Governor James B. Hunt, NC State ’59 (BS, Agricultural Education), NC State ’62 (MS, Agricultural Education), in 1984 was instrumental in giving part of the Dorothea Dix Hospital land to his alma mater a drawing for a University golf course appeared on an overlay of the property. That idea had the course circling Lake Raleigh. It was either one big dogleg right or one big dogleg left. It was just an idea, using wetlands instead of other prime real estate. However, environmental studies shelved that idea along with other ideas of building within a certain proximity to the water.

Initially, renowned golf course architect Tom Fazio was asked to submit plans for a course. His group came up with several options, but none fit into the land area, and usage of the land area was not going to change. According to several high-ranking NC State University officials, Fazio submitted several layouts but all were rejected because Fazio wanted to ask for variances to use some of the stream buffers. Fazio eventually withdrew from the project which was fine with the University because, by then, Fazio had been hired to redesign the Finley Golf Course in Chapel Hill, and heaven forbid…

The University turned to two well-know golf architects: Arthur Hills and Arnold Palmer. The two companies bid on the project, and Palmer Course Design Company won for various reasons including cost but also because of Erik Larsen is a 1977 graduate of NC State.

With the land strapped tight, Larsen says he designed an Arnold Palmer Signature Course, a 6,915-yard par 71 layout. All in all, Larsen likes the design in the space but says it may not be long enough, saying that new golf courses these days are being built for 7,400 yards plus. In other words, he likes what he did for the space but, in the same thinking as Fazio, the University would be getting a much better course with more land “We can tweak it here and there and get another 10 yards per hole,” said Larsen. “But that puts it just over 7,000 yards. A 7,500 yard layout is a minimum of what they need. But we’re working with a small space here. It’s definitely core golf. It’s slight in area. We would like to use all of the property—like where the (proposed) road cuts through and where there’s running water running—but that’s not being allowed. The University would have to get a variance but that’s not happened.”

Nor is it going to happen. The University is happy with what’s in place now. Questions to University officials about limiting the use went unanswered. “It’s just what we want to do,” said one high level University executive who said the University didn’t want to ask the State for a variance.

On paper, Larsen has put together an intriguing course. Take a look at the scorecard and the most recent course layout. Read a layman's description of the course in NC Golfer: See Wolfpack Golf Course Description, one posting above this one.

According to Larsen, there is only a 50-foot elevation change throughout the course. “We have very few flat holes, maybe one or two,” Larsen said in a telephone call from his office in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. “You’ll get deep roll through the course. Though we are limited in space, we are not fighting the property with this design. There will not be a lot of manufactured sloping or mounding. We want to enhance the natural topography of the land. When the golf teams learn the nuances of the shots, learn the reason for hitting it down the right side of the first hole to get the ball to the middle of the fairway, those players will have an advantage when playing tournaments there.”

When it’s time to plant grass or lay sod, Larsen’s preference for the fairways is Zoysia. “I prefer it to Bermuda, and it’s usually the architects preference that’s selected, but we will consult with the (NC State University) Turfgrass Management Department, the Agronomy Department, to determine what’s best for the area, what they feel they can best maintain,” said Larsen. “The greens will be a type of bent grass.”

But before any grass can be planted, there’s the matter of the money which is needed to start bulldozers to build what will be a public facility and the home of the Wolfpack’s men’s and women’s golf teams. It will also be a laboratory for NC State’s Professional Golf Management (PGM) program and the University’s Turfgrass Management curriculum. The course is expected to see lots of play by students, faculty, staff, alumni, Raleigh area golfers and Capital City visitors. When completed, it will be the only “inside the beltline” public golf course in Raleigh. It will be only one of three course inside Interstate 440 that wraps around the Capital City proper with the other two—Carolina Country Club and Raleigh Country Club—private.

In mid-October, Bumgardner felt the University was close to getting the naming donation. “If it works out, we could start building in November,” Bumgardner overstated during lunch at the newly-opened State Club dinning facility in the luxurious Dorothy and Roy Park Alumni Center, the front door of which sits within a wedge of the proposed golf course’s location. The Center’s back door overlooks Lake Raleigh which at one time was a primary water source for Raleigh. The Park Center appears to sit closer to the Lake than any part of the golf course will be to any stream.

Initially, the entire project which includes golf course construction, a research and training facility and a clubhouse was pegged at $16 million. However, with Larsen’s expertise and in discussions with course builders, it was determined, according to Bumgardner, that the course could be built for a lot less than the original estimate of $9.6 million. The exact figure is not known but it’s in the $5 million range.

While the course will be part of the University and even though it will be an integral part of at least two academic programs, the course and its support facilities will be funded through donations. Thus the need for $3 million, but that’s just for the naming rights. Initially, it was a $5 million donation requirement, but with the lower cost, that amount has been reduced to $3 million. The remaining money will come from other donations including hole-naming contributions. For $150,000, you can have your name on the 1st, 10th or 18th holes. For holes 2 through 9 and 11 through 17, the price is $100,000 each. The practice range has a $500,000 naming price tag.

According to Bumgardner, the response for holes has been very good. “We’ve still got a few left, but we’re close to finalizing that part of it,” said Bumgardner, who noted that one contributor wanted to name the easiest hole on the course. “He didn’t want to take pot luck and possibly get the hardest hole. He didn’t want people telling him his hole was too hard to play.”

In return for contributions, the donors will be rewarded in various ways. The $3 million donor gets to play the opening round of golf on the (insert your name here) Golf Course with none other than Arnold Palmer himself, no-charge Life Centennial Pass for a foursome at anytime, priority tee times, a photo taken with Palmer, and other stuff. The hole-sponsors get a four-year no-charge pass. The naming opportunities and benefits go on and on.

So does Bumgardner’s search for money. When she gets there, Larsen will see his design take shape. Until recently, the University has not put much of a priority on this project which started too many years ago to get only to this point, and that’s a shame. Until recently, there has been no real urgency put on fundraising for the course, and land limitations slowed the process. But, the project seems to have picked up steam and is headed to conclusion after 20 years on the drawing board.

Carolina Country Club is definitely a gem!

2006-10-24T11:17:00.000-04:00

If you're looking for a throw-back of a golf course, one that takes you back to a style before railroad timbers, target fairways and greens, seaside marshes, and residences that border fairways, one that takes you back to the inner city where land area is tight yet the results are huge, you need to play the Carolina Country Club in Raleigh NC. Unfortunately for the golfing public, it's private, very private.

Located just a few miles west from the heart of North Carolina's Capital City and inside the proverbial (as well as the actual) highway belt line surrounding Raleigh, the Carolina Country Club (golf course), a prestigious old-Raleigh facility, was built in 1910 but today should win the hearts of golfers of all abilities. It sits next to busy Glenwood Avenue which for years was the primary East-West travel route through Raleigh and is surrounded on three sides by Country Club Hills, primarily developed in the 1950s. (It's somewhat of an exclusive neighborhood but not gated. Former US Senator John Edwards lived there until he decided to build a new home outside of Carrboro/Chapel Hill NC.)

There's not a lot of public information on Carolina Country Club, and that's the way the membership wants it, or so it seems. Even the website offers only a few photos of the elegant and stately clubhouse. More information can be found on other golf sites, but not a lot of details. One of the unique things about Carolina Country Club is that no one seems to know the name of the original golf course architect. Many years ago, two fires on two different occasions took out two clubhouses and lots of the course records, including original drawings of the neat, hilly layout. A most recent renovation was handled by John LaFoy.

It's just a guess, but after playing the course and after studying a course layout, the initial nine was constructed first by itself with the second nine coming a few years later. This theory is supported with the front nine located in the center of the property and close to the clubhouse and with the second nine wrapping itself around the first nine and primarily along the outer property line. And, every hole, with the exception of a couple of par 3s, have changes in elevation from tee to green.

A study of the card and one playing round will easily tell you why Carolina Country Club is known as the "toughest short course you'll ever play." There are three sets of men's tees on the par 71 course. (The ladies have one set and play it as a par 72.) The longest course is from the Black tee markers and is only 6,304 yards long. So, based on total yardage, one might think of Carolina Country Club as short and easy. But, it doesn't take long to realize it's 70.8 rating and 133 slope is a bit tougher than it seems.

There are five par 5 holes, starting with the first hole, the only par 5 under 500 yards long. The 475-yard opening hole is downhill and bends very slightly to the left with a creek running across the fairway less than 100 yards from the green. A good drive gives the long hitter a chance to make it home in two, but the green is elevated with a small opening to the green between a sand bunker in front and to the right of the green. The average player will hit short of the creek. The other par fives are lengths of 542 yards (6th hole), 515 yards (10th hole), 506 yards (12th hole) and 516 yards (18th hole). Maybe on a dry, hot summer day when the Bermuda fairways are giving plenty of roll, longer hitters could get home in two on the downhill No. 10, or on the others with two big shots, but approaches to these par 5s also are well-guarded with sand bunkers around elevated and multi-tiered greens. Every green on the course is that way: multi-tiered with lots of sand bunkers. Because of the length of the par fives, a good tee shot is required. There's ample room in the landing areas, but I was erratic from the tee on the par 5s and was three over par on those five holes totaling 2,554 yards of the course's 6,304 yards.

There are the six par 3s with lengths of 192 yards (2nd hole), 228 yards (4th hole), 182 yards (8th hole), 158 yards (11th hole), 196 yards (13th hole) and 190 yards (17th hole). Standing on the tee of each par 3 gives you a false sense of length. They seem shorter in some ways but play awfully long. With considerable length, I hit a strong 5-iron on the 2nd hole, a solid and well struck 4-wood on the 4th, a good 7-iron on the downhill 8th, an 8-iron on the 11th (considered the signature hole with its island green), a 5-iron on the 13th, and a 6-iron on the 17th. In each case, with the exception of the 13th where I nearly shanked the tee shot, I was pin high or slightly past the pin, but poor putting placed me three-over par on the par 3s which total 1,146 yards in length.

There are seven par 4s and only two of those are over 400 yards: the 414-yard, 9th hole which is uphill and plays more as if it is 430 yards long, and the 450-yard, 16th hole, the No. 2 handicap hole on the course. (The 228-yard, par 3, 4th hole is considered the toughest.) The remaining par 4s--308 yards, 334 yards, 360 yards, 382 yards, and 356 yards--need little more than a 4-wood off from the tee, but a driver can be used with accuracy. Each has well placed sand bunkers in the fairway. I was five over on the par 4s and 11 over for the day. 82.

A neat characteristic of this throw-back style course is where various tees and green come together. For instance, the 2nd green, 3rd tee, 17th green and 18th tee are within a few yards of each other. The 3rd hole and the 18th hole actually share a teeing area. The same type of complex brings together the 3rd, 5th and 15th greens with the 4th and 6th teeing areas. The designer of the course also placed tees somewhat behind previous greens. For instance, after putting out on the 15th green, the Black tee players find the 16th tee even with a spot about 40 back down the 15th fairway. There's no chance of a ball hit from the 16th tee finding the 15th green. This happens several times throughout the course.

Time of year has a lot to do with opinion of a course. This time of year, the standard Bermuda fairways and tees are over seeded with rye grass, but the excellent maintenance crew keeps it tightly cropped. The bent gress greens are soft and very receptive to approach shots. The four-wood I hit on the 228 yard par 3, 4th hole, hit pin high and stopped about 10 feet past the hole. I didn't mind the course condition whatsoever though I would enjoy playing it in the summer when the Bermuda is dominant and the greens are probably a bit firmer. By the way, the sign in the golf shop said the greens were at 9 on the Stimp meter, but just as Carolina Country Club is known as the "toughest short course you'll ever play," those 9s were running about 11 or 12, or so it seemed. Very smooth and very fast, just as greens should be.

While the architect is unknown, there are a lot of Donald Ross characteristics as the course uses the natural terrain but similarities stop with the multi-tiered greens. Most have a front shelf which is lower than the back of the green with a sudden elevation change in between, and some greens have three tiers with the middle tier actually lower than the front and back. However, unlike typical Ross greens, there are no false fronts, and putts rolling from the higher level to lower level will remain on the putting surface.

On the North Carolina Golf Panel's list of Top 100 Courses, Carolina Country Club does not show up. It's only because very few, if any, of the Panel's members, until this week, have played the course. My guess is it will make the 2007 list and debut very high. I know I'll give it a good rating. It's a gem of a course, one I definitely would play every day.

You've Got To Like Sergio

2006-09-29T08:39:00.000-04:00

After Tiger Woods fired an opening round, 8-under par 63 to lead the American Express Championship in Chandler’s Cross, England, he got a little defensive about his Ryder Cup performance. He pointed out that if the event had been individual stroke play for five rounds, he would have finished no worse the 15th.

WOW! Fifteenth out of, what, 24? For the world’s best golfer, competing against a field that was nowhere close to including the overall top 24 in the world, 15th would be dismal. But, he defended his performance.

“I only had one bad day, which was Saturday morning,” he said. “Other than that, I actually played pretty darn good. I’m only in control of five points, and I got three of five. I did the best I could. I could have holed more putts, certainly, but overall, I thought I played pretty solid.”

While I would never boot Tiger from my Ryder Cup team, his point total combined serious play and lots of grinding. His on-the-course personality is always stoic, unlike that of European cheerleader Sergio Garcia. While the latter’s fun-loving, have-a-good-time-demeanor is contagious, Woods’ staid approach to competition doesn’t encourage his partners to join in the fun of good play and winning. Even when he makes a spectacular putt and shows us his fist pump, he’s all business, and being all business seems to spread to his teammates. The only benefit I see to that is to the Euros because when Ryder Cup competition is all business and no play, the United States team gets tight and misses opportunities to take control and command.

To his credit, Woods wants for younger Americans to step up and qualify for the Ryder Cup in two years. He wants the same type of enthusiasm Garcia shows to be ingrained in the Americans. Unfortunately, what Tiger doesn’t get is that he, as the best player on the team, can be the catalyst for fun on the links, the example for his teammates, but that’s just not his style.

Speaking of Garcia, while some people do not like his smugness and temper tantrum style especially when he’s actually losing a hole in Ryder Cup competition, he does have an impressive record in the once-every-two-years event. He’s 14-4-2 overall, 13-1-2 in team events including 8-0 in alternate shot. If you do the math, (I’ll do it for you anyway), you’ll see he’s just 1-3 in singles matches.

And, he has never won a Major golf tournament, not a Masters, a US Open, a (British) Open, or a PGA Championship. This is most recently pointed out in a column by Bob Harig of the St. Petersburg (FL) Times, who asks the question, “Why is Garcia so good in the Ryder Cup and so shaky in the game’s biggest individual tournaments?”

Harig never answers the question, but he has an interesting quote from Garcia: “I can’t live without it (Ryder Cup). It makes for an unbelievable week. It is special because it is difficult to get into the team. Winning is definitely more satisfying than winning an individual event. The more fun I have, the better I play. My swing is looser. My thoughts are better.”

In his column, Harig comments: “Garcia’s infectious enthusiasm rubs off, although it still is a mystery why this kind of play does not translate into majors. As much as the Europeans like to indict American golf because of the Ryder Cup, the fact remains that they have not won a major since 1999. And golf, after all, is an individual sport, one that turns into a team affair on rare occasions.”

That last comment, Mr. Harig, is one with which I respectfully disagree. I’d say with the exception of the professional tours, most golfers play team, match-play competition 99% of the time. Member-Member tournaments; Member-Guest events; Superball/Captain’s Choice charity events; even the Saturday morning scrambles pitting one foursome against another; and, within the foursomes, there are various competitions two of which are six-six-six and Nassau. Every day, thousands and thousands of golfers compete in team competition, and usually it’s match-play. That’s why the regular-guy golfer out there gets upset when the United States professionals are just doing their job and stinking-up the Ryder Cup.

Let’s face it. Tiger Woods is an excellent player. And who am I to say something so obvious? But, he’s a grinder who enjoys the soft core team bets at Isleworth Country Club but is a better competitor when it’s just Tiger against the world over four straight days of individual, stroke play.

While I’m not a Sergio faithful, I do enjoy watching him play golf. He takes it just serious enough to compete at a high level despite his lack of a Major championship. However, in reality, it seems he’s always just enjoying a good walk, not one spoiled.

Time to change US Ryder Cup selection

2006-09-25T13:20:00.000-04:00

Bottom line: the final result of the Ryder Cup matches is not all that important, even if you are an avid golfer and a flag waving American, which I am. It's just a game, and apparently, most of the members of Team USA (or whatever you want to call it) approached it just that way: not important. They might have looked serious and interested on the ridiculous tape delay coverage of the first two days and, the live broadcast of the final round singles competition on Sunday but the final results were laughable.

It's not a life or death situation to those millionaires citizens of the United States who made up the 2006 team. It's just a game. However, golfers like to watch good golf, and this year, for us to do that, we had to concentrate primarily on the European team. The final tally points to that, but, if you watched just a little of the matches held last Friday-Sunday, you saw the Euros with a little more bounce in their steps and a little more fun in their game.

I could hash and re-hash the matches but there's no need for that. What I'd like to propose is a new selection system for assembling the Yankee contingent, one that gives more of the selection process to the Captain and his assistants but requires the players to practice the format as part of the selection process.

Right off the bat, with the exception of Johnny Miller, there are few possible captains who would want to select all 12 members for fear of losing many friends along the way. Right now, the captain picks two from less than two handfuls of possibilities, and those not chosen probably understand why they were left off the team. Miller, I think, needs to be captain for life, because he knows more about the game and more about the players that anyone on this planet and all of the Universe. If you don't believe me, just ask Miller. He'll tell you the same. Unfortunately, I think, if Miller had his way, he would try to get dual citizenship for several Euros and Aussies and New Zealanders and Africans so he could complete the squad with his top choices.

Instead of having a two-year-points-earned-in-tournaments-qualifying system, I'd like to see a squad of 32 players selected right now. Over the next two years, any of the 32 could be dropped from active status and players from outside the original 32 could be added. But by six months to the day prior the competition, the 32 shall be chosen. From that point until two weeks prior to the Ryder Cup, those 32 players will have to practice as a team at least once every two weeks but only in Ryder Cup style practices, using the various competition methods in the actual Ryder Cup. Practice would include two days of four ball and two days of foursomes and four days of singles matches, at a minimum.

During the practice rounds, every player would be available to help another player, even if on the opposing practice team. They would be able to discuss strategy, putting, club selection, dinner reservations and family stuff. The captain and several assistants would watch, take notes, and give pointers when necessary. Each night, the captain and assistants would discuss each player in an effort to assemble the very best TEAM.

Now, if the PGA and the players want to have any automatic qualifiers, that's fine, but no more than four, maybe six, but if the captain has good reason to leave off one of the automatic qualifiers, the captain would make his case to a PGA Ryder Cup committee which would rule either in favor of the automatic qualifier or the captain.

The final results would be a team that's a team, one that knows how to compete in Ryder Cup competition. I contend that players such as Phil Mickelson is not a good match play competitor. He might have been at one time, but he's more of a stroke play, four-round grinding competitor. The final hole of the US Open is a prime example. His wild tee shot and subsequent attempts to get the ball in the hole is typical of stroke competition. If he had played that hole as if it were match play, knowing a four would win and a five would tie, he would have hit four-wood off the tee and played to the middle of the green. Phil, though, was trying to post a number, not win a hole. In the Ryder Cup, I would rather have had a poor playing Davis Love III than Mickelson.

In this year's Cup, Tiger Woods scored three points, more than any other US player. Stewart Cink, a captain's pick, had 2.5 points. All other Americans had less than 2.5 points. Seven Euros congtributed 2.5 points or more out of a possible five. No one contributed five points, but three Euros contributed all they could. For a review of the points earned by the US and the Euros, go to the Ryder Cup web site.

My suggestion can use some tweaking, but if the Ryder Cup is important to the PGA, if it is important to the PGA to win, then the PGA needs to come up with a way to select a better team, and not to base the selection on the most recent playing abilities or a hot streak from a year earlier that stood during the second year of qualifying. Pros are known to get hot and rattle off a few hot rounds at just the right time, but that doesn't make them the best Ryder Cup players.

Bottom line: It's really not that important, but if you want a good team, let's get serious about the selection process.

JUST WONDERING: If the US broadcasts on Friday and Saturday were tape delay, then if an announcer, just before showing a shot or putt, said, "Just moments ago..." then were we watching a tape delay of a tape delay? Next time it's in Europe or Ireland or Great Britain, show the afternoon matches live, tell us what happened in the morning matches, and then show us highlights of the morning matches.

What do you think. Leave your comment here.

Gaston Country Club, Gastonia NC

2006-09-19T07:59:00.000-04:00

If you read my review of Old Town, you know that one criteria I use for rating a golf course is the repeat play factor. During and following the round on any course, I present myself with this question: Is this a course I would play every day?"

The answer as related to the Gaston County Club in Gastonia NC is an emphatic "YES!"

About 40 members of the North Carolina Golf Panel accepted an invitation to play there Monday, and the Ellis Maples design, which was re-design/renovated in 2004 by Chris Spence of Greensboro NC, passed the initial litmus test, at least with me and I'm very sure by the others being overly pampered by the Club members and staff of Gaston.

We found a course in wonderful condition from tee through green on every hole. The A4 Bent grass greens (rebuilt as part of that 2004 renovation) were running at 11 on the Stimp meter. However, different from Old Town Club (see previous post) with its mounds in the middle of many greens, Maples and Spence gave Gaston two-tiered beauties which allow for a variety of pin positions which in turn can easily change the course from calm and simple to extremely challenging and very tough to score well.

In the dawn of his career as a course designer, Maples worked for Donald Ross and Spence is considered an expert on Ross renovation, so the combination of the two designers gives the course Ross-tendencies on the greens with false fronts and other areas around the greens where a slight mistake on your approach will result in your ball rolling off an edge into a closely mowed fringe. This also allows for use of your putter from well off the green. And, the false fronts are nothing like pure Ross greens where a shot hitting on the front of a green might roll as much as 50 yards back into the fairway. These fronts are slight and give the average golfer a chance to easily get up and down, if one is able to manage the speed of the green.

In our foursome, three of us regularly putted from up to 10 yards off the green while one player used a 52-degree wedge from as close as six inches from the green's edge. He was as accurate, probably more so, than the rest of us. The greens gave us some interesting and exciting moments throughout the round. After two holes, each of us had experienced approach putts that rolled four or five feet past the hole. Some made the return effort; some missed. On our third hole, the par-3, 11th, we all hit the green but no one was very close. One partner was standing over a five footer for par when I said, "It's apparent that making five foot putts will be very important today." About to start his stroke, that member stopped his effort, looked up, sort of laughed and said, "Thanks a lot." But he gathered himself quickly and stroked his par effort into the cup's center.

My score of 82 included three birdies and four double bogeys, three due to penalty shots from hitting into water hazards. I had 35 putts, hitting just 11 greens and only three 3-putts along with four 1-putt efforts. The greens were very true to the reading. But there were some interesting moments in the round.

I birdied the second toughest hole on the course, the 422-yard, par 4 15th hole which starts from an elevated tee, is a slight dogleg left down a hill and then back up a hill to an elevated green. My drive was well struck but caught the branch of tree along the left side. It stayed in the fairway but left me with an up-hill 8-iron to a front, left pin position. I landed the ball short of pin-high near the left edge of the green, and it stopped nearly immediately. I actually misread the putt, not seeing as much break, but I miss hit the attempt at birdie, sort of stabbing it left. The result was a roll that actually caught the right line and end up six-inches below the green's surface.

I also birdied the 395-yard, par 4 16th hole, but it only tied my buddy, Johnny Moore who made a putt from off the front of the green. The pin was about 15 feet onto the green, and I hit my approach shot two-feet under the hole. In making his birdie putt, Johnny's attempt actually rolled about 16 feet. He stroked it well but just left of the hole and about six-inches beyond the cup. It tried to stop, but just when everyone thought Johnny would have par, the ball started a reverse course and rolled back into the hole. Johnny had a very nice 77, five over par.

When you're playing a course with greens such as these, sometimes your thoughts of the course itself take a back seat, but at Gaston Country Club, which originally built in 1958, the routing of the holes, the variety of shots, the beautiful tall trees throughout, give you pause to enjoy the overall course while it offers a challenge for the day. The par-72 course has five sets of tees with the longest set listed at 7,042 yards with a course rating of 74.2 and a slope of 135. Our foursome played the 6,615 yard layout with its 72.1 rating and 131 slope. The fairways and tees are sewn with 419 Bermuda grass which offers terrific fairway lies and tough shots from thick rough.

What Spence did two years ago in his redesign was to change the greens complexes, specifically re-contouring the greens, taking out some of the surface slope and giving them more flat areas to allow for the speed of bent grass (originally, the greens were bermuda) and to give more pin placements, and the reshaping of the bunkers, softening the severity of the lips, bringing the fairway grass down into the edges. He also lengthened a couple of holes and made a few more interesting changes to a total of seven holes.

The course is fair. The long hitters have a chance to reach each of the four par 5s in two though two of those holes are guarded by creeks just a few yards in front of the greens. And, the four par 3s are not gimmicky with club selection from wedge to six iron for me. The par 4s call for accurate long drives or the use of a four-wood to avoid well placed creeks and other penalizing areas. The longest par 4 we played was the 439-yard, dogleg right 3rd-hole with a well placed creek along the right side. The shortest par 4s had lengths of 376, 373, 387, 367 and 362 yards.

The 18th hole is a wonderful par-5, 497 yard finishing hole, from an elevated tee with a lake along the entire right hand side. The green is well-bunkered to help prevent a two-shot assault. However, the most spectacular scene on the entire course, as far as I'm concerned, is the approach to the 17th hole, a short (362 yards) par four. The green is the highest point on the property and sits alone except for one tall oak tree at its back. Walking down the 17th fairway, you see the green in front of you and then the tree. However, beyond that, you see the beautiful white (painted) brick, sprawling clubhouse and the wonderfully green grass surrounding it. There's a hole and a half to go in your round, but to the casual visitor, no matter your score, there can't be but one thought:

"I've got to come back to Gaston Country Club. I could play here every day."

Old Town Club, Winston-Salem NC

2006-09-01T15:08:00.000-04:00

As a member of the North Carolina Golf Panel, I rate North Carolina golf courses. Sounds like fun and easy work, but it takes a lot of thought. There are several golf panels around the United States and the world, and each seems to have a different way of rating courses. Who's to say which way is the best?

In North Carolina, we use the "Top 50" method. Each member of the 130+ member panel submits in December his/her list of top 50 courses in the Tar Heel State. Other than a panelist must have played the courses on his/her list, there is no set criteria. Pinehurst No. 2, site of two United States Open Championships, has always been at the top of the list since the group was formed a few years ago.

One of my criteria includes my desire to return. I usually ask myself, "Would I play the course every day?" In other words, would I return and return and return to play the course just as if it were my home course. (I'm a member of MacGregor Downs Country Club in Cary NC and have invested a lot of money and time in it which I wouldn't have done if I didn't want to play it nearly every day.) Wanting to play and replay a course means to me it's a good layout, calls for different shots from the tees and fairways, is fair without being too easy, is a challenge, is usually in good, playable shape or at least obviously has that characteristic most of the year, and other stuff related to appearance of the grounds and friendliness of the staff.

Old Town Club (Winston-Salem NC), which I was fortunate to play this week, is a course I'd play time and time again. It's a Perry Maxwell design, and this was the third time for me in two years I was fortunate enough to have the privilege of playing it.

Primary reasons I enjoyed it and will return is that the layout allows for long, free-swinging but accurate drivers to be hit from most of the tees, but it is a layout that calls for very accurate approach shots to small greens with unusual shapes and contours. Maxwell obviously moved little or no dirt in drawing and building this wonderful course. From the tips, it's a 6831-yard, par 70 with a course rating of 73.2 and a slope of 132. My friend, Johnny Moore, and I played it from the 6564-yard blue markers and each shot 82, not very good for a couple of five handicappers, but not bad considering the greens, especially since we only play the course about once a year and have a tough time remembering the unique flow of the greens. The more often one plays a course, the easier it is to play and that's primarily due to knowledge of the greens.

We're certain the original greens did not include one strand of bent grass. In all likelihood, Bermuda (or maybe sand) was the original choice which would have made approach shots and putting not as difficult as it is today. Quoting from the book, The Midwest Associate, The Life and Work of Perry Duke Maxwell, "When one takes a tour of the Old Town course many recurring themes appear," wrote author Christopher Clouser. "Proceeding backwards from green to tee you can easily see the strategic value that Maxwell placed on all of his holes at Old Town. The green complexes at Old Town are almost situated on areas of the course that are elevated on little knolls. The greens themselves contain several undulations, bumps, swales and dips."

Johnny likes to say that Maxwell buried his wives under several greens at Old Town, though we're not sure he had more than one wife if any. We didn't have the luxury of touring the course backwards to view the greens first though we tried to remember them from previous rounds there. We knew though that to be above the hole was to be in the wrong position, especially since they were running about 12 on the Stimp Meter. That's as fast or faster than most of the PGA tournament greens. As we drove up to the course that day around 12 noon, we noticed the greens were being cut. Not only were they fast, the usual mowing effort of early morning had been delayed that day just to give the NC Golf Panel the smoothest surfaces possible. I'm not sure how many putts my partner had, but I counted 41 on my scorecard, half of my strokes.

If you do not know Perry Maxwell, you might known a couple of his designs. He was the original course architect for Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth TX and Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa OK, two of the most notable golf courses in the United States. With all due respect to his abilities, Old Town reminded me of a typical Donald Ross design.

At Old Town, he used the lay of the land and a meandering creek to give the course a lot of character and careful shot making. The first hole is a 414-yard par 4 with a creek about 260 out at the bottom of the downward slope that starts at the tee area. Using my 4+ wood, I nearly drove it into the creek. The second shot is up-hill to a two level green.

I used my driver (without reservation) on 12 holes, though on two of the holes I could have used my 4+ again for accuracy. My approach shots needed anything from a six iron to a 56 degree wedge on the par fours. The par fives--526 yards and 590 yards--are not reachable in two at all due to that creek system. The par threes called for my nine iron, seven iron and five iron twice.

At its length, the a par 70 course doesn't seem too tough, but the greens make it so. According to the staff, the average size of the greens is only 5,000 square feet. At MacGregor Downs, I'm used to hitting to greens of 7,500 square feet, one and a half times the size at Old Town.

If one hole is a good indicator for the whole course, I think it's number 10, a 406 yard par four which is laid out straight away from the tee to a green considerably beyond the crest of a hill about halfway there. You cannot see the green from the tee. The drive, though must be hit along the left side of the fairway which slopes considerably to the right. I placed my drive where it should be, just on the edge of the left side of the fairway and only about 110 yards down the hill to the green. The pin was in the middle (front to back) of the green but on the right third of the surface. From my position, the green looked larger than it is, much less than the 5,000 square feet average green there. I remembered something funky about the green but not exactly what that funk is. I hit a nice shot which landed on the green about pin high and rolled about a foot left before it came to rest. Walking onto the green, I knew I was in trouble. Maxwell had buried one of his wives in the middle of the green, Johnny said. My putt had to travel up one side and down the other to get to the hole. I barely touched the ball and for a moment thought it would stop at the top of that wife, but it slowly continued toward the hole, picking up speed on that 12 Stimp Meter green. It waved at the hole as it passed by going at what seemed like a zillion miles an hour and eventually came to rest just off the right edge of the green about 10 feet beyond the hole. I missed coming back and gave kudos to Maxwell for his postage stamp design and the contour which required a much more accurate approach to the right side of the green.

That was just my third hole of the day because, with a shotgun start, we originated the round on number 8 tee. As I approached the tee on number 11, I knew it would be a long day on the greens, as it was. I made some return putts for par and missed a few as well. When all was said and done, I was looking for the invitation to return. If often invited, I'd play Old Town as often as possible.

So, what's in your bag?

2006-08-27T12:26:00.000-04:00

It was an interesting scene Saturday in the WCG-Bridgestone Invitational. The last pairing of the day was Tiger Woods and Davis Love III. The last group of the day, the twosome was teeing off of the first hole. Tiger hit first. Love followed, striking a metal head that was something less than his driver, probably a 3-wood-metal (or whatever you wish to call it. I prefer to say 3-wood.)

Hitting it cleanly and straight down the middle, Love picked up his peg and walked straight off the tee toward the fairway. He was carrying his club. Tiger, who the public perceives as very serious and a minimal conversationalist during his competitive rounds, quickly caught up to Love and obviously asked about the club. Love plays Titleist, which Woods endorsed until Nike came along with lots of money. Love handed the club to Tiger who gripped it and waggled it in front of him without losing stride as the twosome proceeded down the runway from tee to fairway. Woods' possession of the club lasted just seconds, but, basically, he was asking Love, "So, what's in your bag?"

Either Woods was obviously curious about Love's clubs or he was trying to thrown Love off his game early. The latter didn't work until the final nine that day, so the former is assumed to be the case. Most golfers like to peak into their opponents golf bag at the very least to take inventory of the brand names of the clubs as well as the different lofts, shafts, and unique selections.

I'm no different than most and usually look with envy into the bags of those who score better than I. If I had my way, the 14-club limit would be excused, and I would have a variety of weapons. But, as it is, there are 14 clubs in my bag, a burgundy Titleist double-strapped carry-bag with extending legs for resting it at a 45-degree angle at each stop. The MacGregor Downs Country Club logo is embroidered on one side.

My clubs and my game start with my driver. Today, I use the Titleist 983K with a 9.5 degree loft. It has a red Grafalloy shaft. I bought it on sale from the MDCC Pro Shop. Previously, I hit a an 8.5 degree 975. It was a scientific search for the new club followed by the sale. I tried several demos of various degrees and shafts, all the 983K. I was about to order just what I wanted when I saw the bag of drivers on sale, asked a couple of questions and picked one. I made a good choice. At 54-years old, my length off the tee is longer than ever and somewhat accurate most of the time.

The only other wood I carry is a rather old Big Bertha War Bird Strong Four, a.k.a. 4+ with a Callaway RCH 96 firm flex shaft. I bought it back when I was using a Big Bertha War Bird Driver and got it at a local off-course golf equipment shop. I was asking for a matching 3-wood when the 4+ showed up on a trade-in deal. Brand new, this club would have been around $260. I got it for $135, and it was not more than two months old. Some of the regulars in my group suggest I hit it more and more off the tee. With it, the ball travels far, nearly as long as it does with my driver, and I usually hit it straighter than the driver. But, there's something about the power of a driver that keeps me going to it. The 4+, it was explained to me, has a 3-wood loft, a 4-wood shaft and a 5-wood size head. Great club as far as I'm concerned.

My irons...3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, E and F...are Hogan Apex Plus with True Temper Dynamic Gold S-300 shafts. These were purchased about five years ago and replaced a nice set of Hogan Directors bought in 1974. Please don't lecture me about changing technologies. Probably the only reason I don't use the Hogan woods that came with the Director set is because I cracked every head hitting balls either on the practice range or during a round. I love the irons. The E is a 46-degree club, not the usual 48-degree wedge. The F is a fairway wedge and is 50 degrees. In all likelihood, I'll soon get rid of the 3-iron and replace it with a hybrid of some type. This said, Ii only use the 3-iron, choked down, for low shots coming out tight places in the woods.

I carry two other wedges, a Titleist 56-degree Vokey (SM56-14) which was recently acquired to replace one of my all time favorites, a very heavy Haig Ultra Sand Wedge with an aluminum shaft given to me by some close friends (thanks to Greg and Chico) in 1969 to match the rest of a full set of the same. That sand wedge had no grooves on it at lifes end, but it was excellent for getting through heavy Bermuda rough. The Vokey was a gift to me as well, but from the MDCC professional staff for serving five years as the Club's Golf Committee Chairman. This club is used in various ways such as hitting from sand bunkers, or hitting a slap, pinched, knock-down shot from the fairway no more than 75 yards away from the green, or a full 100 yard shot.

The other wedge is an American Standard Golf Lob Wedge with a cam sole. It was also a gift, one of the many given to all players in a 100 holes of golf fundraiser for the local YMCA. This is also a good club for me from about 100 to 110 yards from a tight fairway lie. It's not good from Bermuda rough because no matter how hard I grip it, the Bermuda tends to grab the head and cause the ball to travel in multiple directions.

The putter in my bag is a Ping 60i. Not sure it would matter what the flat stick is. I'm considered a terrible putter, though I've tried other putters with somewhat better results.

Also in my bag, you'll find an assortment of balls. I'm definitely a Titleist guy, usually playing the ProV1-392, but recently I've been playing the NXT-Tour with my nickname--POM POM--printed on the side. There must be some truth to the commercials that say this ball gets more yardage. I seem to have picked up a few yards since I made the switch. But then I don't remember the last time I played the ProV1.

I have a pocket of tees, both short and long, a few pencils and scorecards from MDCC and other courses. My gloves are usually FootJoy WeatherSof (Men's Medium Large if you want to send me one). There's a USGA rule book, a towel that's either from another course I've played or from my NC State Wolfpack collection of towels. I have two or three Sharpie Markers, a water bottle, a sand bottle and the cover for the clubs in case it rains. I carry a MDCC Tartan 2000 (member-guest) umbrella. And, there's a nice clock hanging from a strap along with my MDCC bag tag and 2006-2007 USGA Member tag.

While this is a carry-bag, I'm now one of the push cart brigade. My wife thought it would help my back so she bought me a very nice Sun Mountain model. It seems to be the push cart of choice at MDCC. It's also very doubtful that Tiger will ever ask me about it. Or about my clubs.

So, what's in your bag? Please, do tell.