Page 486 – African American Golfer's Digest

Making A Difference – Women Of Color Golf’s Clemmie Perry

by Debert Cook June 23, 2015

written by Debert Cook

Energized with a purpose, Clemmie Perry founded Women of Color Golf in Tampa, Florida. The organization has become a power to be reckoned with and is making a difference in raising the awareness of the game.

The organization’s Girls On The Green Tee (GOGT) initiative helps young women through the game with their formula: EDUCATE about the game, EXPOSURE brings them to the opportunity and the life skills that are learned, and through the EXPERIENCE of being on the golf course, playing the game and meeting people from all over the world.

RELATED STORY: Women of Color Golf Celebrate Inauguration

June 23, 2015 0 comment

News

The New Face of Golf?

by Debert Cook June 22, 2015

written by Debert Cook

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. (AP) — He won the first one the way players like to take majors, leading from the start at the Masters on a romp to the green jacket.

The second for Jordan Spieth came Sunday night with a bit more difficulty. Had Dustin Johnson been a little more steady with the putter on the final green Sunday, they might still be playing for the U.S. Open trophy.

Johnson wasn’t, much to the astonishment of the 6,000 or so who crowded the grandstands at maligned Chambers Bay for an Open finish like no other. He had to settle for holding his infant son off the 18th green on Father’s Day, instead of the U.S. Open trophy.

That belonged to Spieth, the phenom from Texas who impressed so many by not only winning the Masters but the grace and composure he showed while doing it. He spoke after that win about bringing a present home to his special needs sister, and it was clear that meant almost as much to him as winning his first green jacket.

He’s now halfway to history, yet still barely old enough to drink. The last player who did things like Spieth was named Tiger Woods, which seems so long ago.

Now he’s the youngest since Bobby Jones nearly a century ago to win back-to-back major championships. Spieth has a chance to do what even Woods couldn’t and win all four of golf’s major tournaments in one year.

Watching him Sunday on the crunchy greens at Chambers Bay, it was hard not to get the sense that he’s only just begun.

“He’s gritty, he’s fiery, he doesn’t give up on any shot,” caddie Michael Greller said. “If anything, this week just validated who I know he is, which is just a world-class player with an unbelievable mind.”

The story line at this Open unfolded easily, like it was written by a golf historian of the future. Woods came here to try and salvage his game, while Spieth came to cement his mark as a generational champion in the making.

Woods didn’t even make it to the weekend in yet another display of how humbling golf can be. The greatest player of his time seems forever stuck on 14 majors, and it remains to be seen how long he will keep embarrassing himself like he did here when he couldn’t even come close to beating a 15-year-old amateur before getting out of town on his private jet before the weekend began.

It was Spieth who salvaged this Open, making it one to remember for all the right reasons instead of the wrong. His 3-wood to the 18th green on Sunday was the kind of shot that will live in Open lore, even if Spieth didn’t make the eagle putt and even if he had to rely on Johnson 3-putting from 12 feet to seal the deal.

“This was just an odd deal, very odd,” Spieth said. “I very much feel for Dustin. He deserves to be holding the trophy just as much as I do, I think, this week. It just came down to him being the last one to finish and I was able to have one hole to rebound from my mistakes, and he wasn’t able to get that hole afterward.”

That Spieth did it without his best game should give his fellow competitors pause. His ball striking was just a bit off, he said, his putting not always up to his standards.

It was the kind of thing Woods used to say, then go out and beat everyone anyway. It didn’t seem possible another player of that caliber would come along in his time, but here Spieth is at the age of 21 brimming with confidence as the British Open at St. Andrews approaches and the possibility of a Grand Slam looms.

“I’m just focused on the Claret Jug now,” he said of the British Open trophy. “I think that the Grand Slam is something that I never could really fathom somebody doing, considering I watched Tiger win when he was winning whatever percentage of the majors he played in and he won the Tiger Slam, but he never won the four in one year. I figured if anybody was going to do it, it would be him.”

Volunteer Opportunities Still Available at The Barclays

by Debert Cook June 19, 2015

written by Debert Cook

As the best players on the PGA TOUR look toward qualifying for the FedExCup Playoffs over the next two months, tournament officials with The Barclays are reminding fans that there are still opportunities to get a unique, behind-the-scenes experience as a volunteer for the event when it returns to Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J., August 26-30.

The 1,800 men, women and children (volunteers must be at least 12 years of age to participate) who volunteer their time at The Barclays each year are an integral part of the event’s success, both during tournament week and in its ongoing support of local charities. The PGA TOUR, its players and tournaments support more than 3,000 charities nationwide. These local and national organizations benefit a variety of causes, positively impacting the lives of millions in the communities where PGA TOUR tournaments are held. In 2013, The Barclays donated $1.4 million to local charities. Charity totals from the 2014 event will be announced later this summer.

The Barclays volunteers are divided into 27 committees and work a combined 33,300 hours both leading up to and during tournament week. The volunteers support every element of the tournament, from tracking statistics, greeting guests and feeding fans, to keeping the grounds beautiful throughout the event. Without their hard work, The Barclays would not be possible.

Volunteers will have the opportunity to be close to some of the game’s top players, all while working as an integral part of a world-class tournament. For a $75 fee, volunteers receive a week-long pass for themselves and a guest to The Barclays (good for admission even on days he or she is not working), an official cap and shirt, lunch vouchers and an invitation to the Volunteer Appreciation Party.

“Effective and experienced volunteers are vital to the success of an event with the stature of The Barclays,” said Executive Director Peter Mele. “Volunteers will have the opportunity to meet new people, network and make great friends, all while contributing to the success of an event that makes a tremendous difference in the community and is one of the most elite on the PGA TOUR.”

Those interested in volunteering should visit thebarclaysgolf.com and follow the link for “Volunteer” under the “Information” tab.

About Barclays (www.barclays.com)
Barclays is an international financial services provider engaged in personal, corporate and investment banking, credit cards and wealth management with an extensive presence in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia. Barclays’ purpose is to help people achieve their ambitions – in the right way.

With 325 years of history and expertise in banking, Barclays operates in over 50 countries and employs over 130,000 people. Barclays moves, lends, invests and protects money for customers and clients worldwide.

For further information about Barclays, please visit our website www.barclays.com

About The Barclays (www.thebarclaysgolf.com)
The Barclays has been a part of the PGA TOUR schedule since 1967 when Jack Nicklaus won the inaugural event at Westchester Country Club. Since that time, some of the greatest players in the game have earned the title including World Golf Hall of Famers Arnold Palmer, Johnny Miller, Raymond Floyd, Seve Ballesteros, Hale Irwin and Curtis Strange. Many of the world’s current top players have won the event as well, including two-time champions Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia; four-time champion Vijay Singh; and 2014 champion Hunter Mahan. As the first of four playoff events, The Barclays plays a leading role in the FedExCup, the season-long competition that is the centerpiece of the PGA TOUR season.

June 19, 2015 0 comment

News

U.S. Open at Chambers Bay Golf Course Thursday Notable Quotes

by Debert Cook June 19, 2015

written by Debert Cook

On Tiger Woods…

Frank Nobilo – “The coup de gras really happened at 18 [with a] groundball. In baseball, he would have gotten on base, but really the story of his day was off-base.”

David Duval – “I think that there is a big disconnect between the driving range and the golf course… He believes 100% in his technique… It is a very long road at this point, and you’re really not seeing a lot of positive signs anywhere as soon as he steps on the golf course in a competitive round.”

Frank Nobilo – “In golf you always compare a player to whoever played the best that day. And sadly for Tiger Woods we don’t even use that comparison. We compare him to the best today, which were the 65s, and to [the player he used to be]. And that’s really unfair.”

Brandel Chamblee – “At his best he showed us what a human being was capable of… The apocalypse of imaginative power happens when you turn your game over to someone else and start to look outside of yourself for answers. I’m thoroughly convinced that the way to get out of this is to do it on your own… If he got away to a [driving] range he’d figure it out on his own… That’s how you learn this game, by imitation, and then creation with imagination… We know he has the ability, but he’s got so many thoughts in his head.”

Notah Begay – “Confidence is such an allusive thing for any athlete. You have to get positive reinforcement for any game you play. He’s not getting that. He has to go on faith. He has to go on a belief that what he is doing and the choices that he’s made are the right things for his game… He wants to stick this thing out, and I think we are going to see him stay on this course through the summer, through the next few events and find out if he can turn any of this around in any way, shape or form.”

June 19, 2015 0 comment

Golfer Of The Week Golfer of the Week Featured

Bob Richardson

by Debert Cook June 19, 2015

written by Debert Cook

Bob Richardson_age 91_500 Bob Fred Calvin Richardson looks much younger than what his birth certificate reveals. At 93-years of age, 5’ 7” and 170 lbs., most folks he knows seem to think that he’s fooling them.

Richardson, pictured left, then age 91, was born on April 5, 1922 in Jackson, Tennessee, along with a twin sister, the late Bobbie Freddie Malvin (Horton). With his dad being a physician/surgeon, the Richardson family moved around quite a bit during the 1920s, so he doesn’t have any real memory of his time there. Today, as a resident of Mount Vernon, NY, he has a fond love for the area and calls it his home.

When he was 27, Bob played baseball until a bad injury took him out of that game. “I’d just gotten married….My barber talked me into trying golf,” he says.

“I will celebrate 66 years of marriage on August 20, 2015 to my lovely Cleola Patra Johnson Richardson.” Their four children: Paula, Marilyn; Robert and Candice will once again count their blessings and rejoice in their love of family.

As a youngster Bob loved learning and he went on to graduate from high school with a scholarship to Fisk University. It was also during this time that his parents separated, leaving Bob with tough decisions to make. “I did not fulfill that obligation to myself. I did not go to college until my youngest daughter, Candice was born,” he says regretfully.

Once he got back on track, Bob attended Elizabeth Seton College in Yonkers, NY, where he studied business administration. He was also the first Black—“we were ‘negro’ then,” he says—to start an electronic parts distributing business, and the only such business in all of America.

“My son, as a little boy liked golf, but he does not play anymore. So, I play with my son-in-law, George Hagans Jr., and, I played with his dad more than 50 years ago,” he exhorts.

Bob Richardson_Dr Jump Rope_Kenny Strachan_Robby Jackson_500 Photo L-R: Bob Richardson, Dr. Jump Rope, Kenny Strachan and Bobby Jackson following their tournament win in Mitchellville, MD; Score -15

By trade, Bob owned and operated a phonograph needle distributing business, Richardson Electronics Inc. (Mount Vernon, NY), which he started in the early 60s. He covered 7 states with up to 6 employees on the payroll. “I specialized in phonograph needles. Many of my customers stayed with me for over 50 years,” says Bob who retired in 1987 in his mid-70s, after his son bought him out. “I was the first to make speaker cabinets for cars but I could not get a patent because of the complications with using wood materials.”

As a former member of the Harlem YMCA golf club, Bob’s best handicap was 7. He was capable of +1.

He’s accomplished a lot and is leaving a long legacy: “I have a lot of “first” black achievements in my life: First black in radio and TV in Erie, Pa; my wife was also the first black secretary hired in Erie, PA; I was the first black radio disc jockey on a Buffalo, NY radio station; and some other firsts….My kids keep asking me to write it all down.”

Getting out on the course as much as possible, Bob admits that he plays most of his rounds in Florida, not only because the cost of playing there is much lower than New York, but because his son-in-law (George) and daughter (Paula) bought a cozy condo in a gated community in Delray Beach, Florida where he loves going to stay.

“I became good enough at golf to play for nice pieces of money. I have won quite a few trophies.”

Bob has played in Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean islands, and in 23 different states, with winnings between $2-3,000 dollars. He especially enjoyed playing in Pittsburgh—because they did not give trophies, but money.

When he first started playing the game a golf pro helped him with lessons. “I was just a natural golfer and in my second year, was shooting in the 70’s. I beat that golf teacher during my first year,” he chuckles.
“I like good competitors. When I belonged to the Harlem YMCA my buddies Chuck Varner (deceased) and Eugene Brown (in his 90s, in Spring Hill, Florida) decided we’d travel to Florida in the winter time and we took about 23 golfers for an entire week—man, oh man, that was a fun time.”

“I’ve played with many of the black pros: Jim Brown (football), Carl Rohan (writer), many of the comedians who performed at the famous Apollo Theatre and golfer Charlie Owens—the black man who was the first to play with the long putter,” says Bob who watches The Golf Channel every day.

When Bob is not playing golf he is was a very good bowler and pool player. “I’m capable of running as many as 63 balls on the table. When I worked, I traveled with my golf clubs, my bowling ball and my cue sticks and, would play and bet anybody.”

Chuck Varner_passed_John Shirley_passed_Bob Richardson_Al Strachan_500
Above: The Friends of Sheriff B.J. Roberts 15th Annual Golf Shootout
Hampton’s Golf Course, May 8, 2007.
L-R: Chuck Varner (deceased), John Shirley (deceased), Bob Richardson and Al Strachan.

“I had a lot of respect for golfer Teddy Rhodes because he was good, but “they” just would not let him play. Back in my day, black and white golfers played together because they liked the competition. In fact, the good white golfers would seek out the good black golfers—this was over 60 years ago—and you had black golf hustlers who were a WHOLE lot better than the pros.

Slightly bald, right down the middle, Bob’s oldest golf grandson, Eric, is his barber. Bob’s favorite food is, “my mother’s recipe for baked spaghetti. When my wife and I got married, I told her that she had to learn to cook it. My wife learned to cook it better than my mother. But I never told my mother that.”

Well, Bob don’t worry. We won’t tell her either.

Bob Richardson’s Wins:
1958 Best Ball Tournament, Rochester, NY; Score 73069
2012 Best Ball Tournament, Mitchellville, MD; Score -15
Won Senior Flight several times
Won First Place Harlem YMCA
Won First Place in Jew Jersey
Won First Place Senior several times, Pittsburgh, PA, YMCA

Destinations Played
Alaska, Canada, the Caribbean islands, and in 23 U.S. states

June 19, 2015 0 comment

Videos

Sadena Parks Starts Off Hot at the Par-3 1st Hole at Westchester Country Club, chipping in For a birdie.

by Debert Cook June 16, 2015

written by Debert Cook

Sadena Parks took a long shot and could not have wished for better.

Score and prize money:

22T

Score:
74 – 73 – 75 – 67

TOTAL:
289

To Par:
-3

Prize Money:
$35,792.00

See full leaderboard results HERE

June 16, 2015 0 comment

Blog

Tiger All Washed Up? Something To Think About…

by Debert Cook June 16, 2015

written by Debert Cook

Whenever you pass golfing royalty by any name, it’s worthy of applause and appreciation. Not to get too far ahead of ourselves, but allow me to throw some impressive numbers at you for a moment.

Tiger Woods has won (79) official PGA tour events, second only to Sam Snead, who has (82) and six ahead of Jack Nicklaus, who has (73).
Phil Mickelson has (42) PGA tour wins. Mickelson was ranked second in the world for (270) weeks without ever reaching No. 1. Tiger was ranked first for a record (683) weeks. The next highest total for third place was Jim Furyk with (39) weeks. Nearly two decades Tiger dominated the No. 1 spot and the golfing world in general. He ranked as the world’s highest paid athlete every year from 2001 thru 2011.

Phil Mickelson just recently passed Tiger on golf’s all time money list by earning $50.8 million over the last twelve months.

Tiger still holds the record of consecutive cuts made at (142) over a seven year span ending in 2005. Second is Byron Nelson at (113), Jack Nicklaus (105), Hale Irwin (86) and Dow Finsterwald with (72). To think that Tiger is washed up, or doesn’t have anything left in the tank is ludicrous. Can he still pass Nicklaus’s (18) majors win record? I would say conservatively no, but can he pass Sam Snead’s all time PGA tour win record? I would say emphatically yes.

Tiger’s dominance over the years was no fluke, so let’s not close the book on his career just yet. I think there’s still room for at least one more chapter. Maybe not Jack’s (18) majors, but let’s keep an eye on Snead’s (82) wins. That stat is not exactly chopped liver may I remind you.

Tiger’s next tour win may not come this weekend at the U.S.Open at Chambers Bay, but it could be just a chip shot and a putt around the corner.

Oh, yeah. Let me know your comments on this!

ABOUT JOHN PERRY

John Perry is a freelance writer, poet and active golfer with a passion for calling shots like he sees them and, then, telling it like it is. He resides in Vauxhall, NJ. Email: [email protected]

June 16, 2015 0 comment

Clothing

Sunice Derby Down Lightweight Golf Jacket

by AAGD Staff June 12, 2015

written by AAGD Staff

Although the fall and winter seasons are behind most of us it is sure to return in just a few months. Sunice, a leading designer, marketer and distributor of outerwear, apparel and accessories for golf and snow activities, has made sure that everyone needing warmth is covered. From their Spring/Summer 2015 Sport Layers collection Sunice has released their new Derby Down Lightweight Golf Jacket. This outwear jacket is chic with classic lines and added contemporary styling.

Untra lightweight, it’s soft and “snuggable” against the body. The Sunice Derby Down Jacket will keep one warm without feeling tight or restricting movement. In fact, the garment is extremely efficient, and ergonomically designed, to take into consideration the full body movement and swings as related to the game of golf. The Sunice Derby Down Jacket provides “freedom of movement” and gives golfers one less thing to worry about while it captures everything that a player needs for a functional, classic, garment. Men, while wearing this jacket, will notice that their shoulders are more accented, making the wearer look great while focusing their attention on playing.

The secret: Designers, using advanced manufacturing methods, included stretch inserts that are positioned in key areas of the Sunice Derby Down Jacket. This works well to keep the jacket in place and to keep the warmth of the jacket near part of the body that need to stay warm.

sunice down jacket Put the Sunice Derby Down Jacket in your closet now and you’ll be ready when cooler temperatures arrive. The layers are properly designed to wear comfortably days or evenings, without adding bulk. It particularly holds up well under misty or damp conditions on the course with moisture wicking attributes.

Beautiful color choices are available within the collection.

Sunice.com

June 12, 2015 0 comment

News

USGA Groupings and Starting Times for 115th U.S. Open Championship

by Debert Cook June 12, 2015

written by Debert Cook

2015 U.S. Open Championship
June 18-21, 2015
Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash.

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. (June 12, 2015) – The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced groupings and starting times for the first two rounds of the 2015 U.S. Open Championship, Thursday (June 18) and Friday (June 19), at par-70 Chambers Bay, which will be set up daily between 7,200 and 7,600 yards.

The U.S. Open is a 72-hole, stroke-play competition. A field of 156 players will play 18 holes of stroke play on June 18 and 19, after which the field will be reduced to the low 60 scores and ties. Those players making the cut will play 18 holes on June 20 and 21. If there is a tie upon the completion of 72 holes, a scheduled 18-hole playoff will be played on June 22 at 9 a.m. If this playoff results in a tie, the tied players will immediately continue to play off hole-by-hole until the winner is determined.

All Times PDT

www.usopen.com

Twitter: @usopengolf; Facebook: facebook.com/usopen; Instagram: @USGA; #USOpen

Thursday (June 18), hole #1 / Friday (June 19), hole #10

7 a.m. / 1 p.m. – Michael Putnam, University Place, Wash.; Marcus Fraser, Australia; TBD

7:11 a.m. / 1:11 p.m. – Garth Mulroy, South Africa; Richard Lee, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Lucas Bjerregaard, Denmark

7:22 a.m. / 1:22 p.m. – Jason Allred, Scottsdale, Ariz.; (a) Kyle Jones, Snowflake, Ariz.; Cody Gribble, Dallas, Texas

7:33 a.m. / 1:33 p.m. – Phil Mickelson, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.; Bubba Watson, Bagdad, Fla.; Angel Cabrera, Argentina

7:44 a.m. / 1:44 p.m. – Wen-Chong Liang, People’s Republic of China; David Hearn, Canada; Hiroyuki Fujita, Japan

7:55 a.m. / 1:55 p.m. – Robert Streb, Shawnee, Kan.; (a) Lee McCoy, Athens, Ga.; TBD

8:06 a.m. / 2:06 p.m. – George McNeill, Fort Myers, Fla.; Masahiro Kawamura, Japan; Cameron Tringale, Mission Viejo, Calif.

8:17 a.m. / 2:17 p.m. – Henrik Stenson, Sweden; Francesco Molinari, Italy; Brandt Snedeker, Nashville, Tenn.

8:28 a.m. / 2:28 p.m. – Jim Furyk, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Miguel Angel Jimenez, Spain; Colin Montgomerie, Scotland

8:39 a.m. / 2:39 p.m. – Brooks Koepka, West Palm Beach, Fla.; Russell Henley, Macon, Ga.; Byeong-Hun An, Republic of Korea

8:50 a.m. / 2:50 p.m. – Jason Dufner, Cleveland, Ohio; Marc Warren, Scotland; Matt Every, Jacksonville, Fla.

9:01 a.m. / 3:01 p.m. – Brandon Hagy, Los Angeles, Calif.; (a) Matthew NeSmith, North Augusta, S.C.; Sebastian Cappelen, Denmark

9:12 a.m. / 3:12 p.m. – (a) Nick Hardy, Northbrook, Ill.; Alex Kim, Fullerton, Calif.; Rich Berberian Jr., Derry, N.H.

Thursday (June 18), hole #10 / Friday (June 19), hole #1

7 a.m. / 1 p.m. – Troy Kelly, Lakewood, Wash.; Seuk Hyun Baek, Republic of Korea; Cameron Smith, Australia

7:11 a.m. / 1:11 p.m. – John Parry, England; TBD; (a) Jack Maguire, St. Petersburg, Fla.

7:22 a.m. / 1:22 p.m. – Timothy O’Neal, Savannah, Ga.; Stephan Jaeger, Chattanooga, Tenn.; Kurt Barnes, Australia

7:33 a.m. / 1:33 p.m. – Gary Woodland, Topeka, Kan.; Victor Dubuisson, France; John Senden, Australia

7:44 a.m. / 1:44 p.m. – TBD; Morgan Hoffmann, Jupiter, Fla.; Bernd Wiesberger, Austria

7:55 a.m. / 1:55 p.m. – Marcel Siem, Germany; Alexander Levy, France; Brian Harman, St. Simons Island, Ga.

8:06 a.m. / 2:06 p.m. – Hideki Matsuyama, Japan; Graeme McDowell, Northern Ireland; Matt Kuchar, St. Simons Island, Ga.

8:17 a.m. / 2:17 p.m. – Dustin Johnson, Myrtle Beach, S.C.; Adam Scott, Australia; Sergio Garcia, Spain

8:28 a.m. / 2:28 p.m. – Martin Kaymer, Germany; (a) Gunn Yang, Republic of Korea; Rory McIlroy, Northern Ireland

8:39 a.m. / 2:39 p.m. – Patrick Reed, Houston, Texas; Chris Kirk, Milton, Ga.; Jamie Donaldson, Wales

8:50 a.m. / 2:50 p.m. – Webb Simpson, Charlotte, N.C.; Keegan Bradley, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Kevin Na, Diamond Bar, Calif.

9:01 a.m. / 3:01 p.m. – (a) Sam Horsfield, England; Shunsuke Sonoda, Japan; Oliver Farr, Wales

9:12 a.m. / 3:12 p.m. – Kevin Lucas, Folsom, Calif.; Pat Wilson, Andover, N.J.; (a) Cole Hammer, Houston, Texas

Thursday (June 18), hole #1 / Friday (June 19), hole #10

1 p.m. / 7 a.m. – Jason Palmer, England; Roberto Castro, Atlanta, Ga.; Andres Romero, Argentina

1:11 p.m. / 7:11 a.m. – (a) Denny McCarthy, Rockville, Md.; D.A. Points, Windermere, Fla.; Shiv Kapur, India

1:22 p.m. / 7:22 a.m. – (a) Bryson DeChambeau, Clovis, Calif.; Blayne Barber, Auburn, Ala.; Billy Hurley III, Annapolis, Md.

1:33 p.m. / 7:33 a.m. – Geoff Ogilvy, Australia; Ernie Els, South Africa; Retief Goosen, South Africa

1:44 p.m. / 7:44 a.m. – Bo Van Pelt, Jenks, Okla.; Charlie Beljan, Mesa, Ariz.; Tony Finau, Lehi, Utah

1:55 p.m. / 7:55 a.m. – Lee Janzen, Orlando, Fla.; (a) Oliver Schniederjans, Powder Springs, Ga.; Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland

2:06 p.m. / 8:06 a.m. – Daniel Summerhays, Fruit Heights, Utah; Thomas Aiken, South Africa; Danny Lee, New Zealand

2:17 p.m. / 8:17 a.m. – Jordan Spieth, Dallas, Texas; Jason Day, Australia; Justin Rose, England

2:28 p.m. / 8:28 a.m. – Tiger Woods, Hobe Sound, Fla.; Rickie Fowler, Murrieta, Calif.; Louis Oosthuizen, South Africa

2:39 p.m. / 8:39 a.m. – Jimmy Walker, Boerne, Texas; Zach Johnson, Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Ian Poulter, England

2:50 p.m. / 8:50 a.m. – Ryan Moore, Las Vegas, Nev.; Anirban Lahiri, India; Erik Compton, Coral Gables, Fla.

3:01 p.m. / 9:01 a.m. – (a) Jake Knapp, Costa Mesa, Calif.; Tyler Duncan, Columbus, Ind.; Matt Mabrey, Little Rock, Ark.

3:12 p.m. / 9:12 a.m. – Michael Davan, Hoopeston, Ill.; (a) Davis Riley, Hattiesburg, Miss.; Andrew Pope, Orlando, Fla.

Thursday (June 18), hole #10 / Friday (June 19), hole #1

1 p.m. / 7 a.m. – Tom Hoge, Fort Worth, Texas; Brad Fritsch, Holly Springs, N.C.; Tjaart van der Walt, South Africa

1:11 p.m. / 7:11 a.m. – Brad Elder, Dallas, Texas; (a) Beau Hossler, Mission Viejo, Calif.; Jamie Lovemark, Scottsdale, Ariz.

1:22 p.m. / 7:22 a.m. – Ryo Ishikawa, Japan; Luke Donald, England; J.B. Holmes, Campbellsville, Ky.

1:33 p.m. / 7:33 a.m. – Lucas Glover, Tequesta, Fla.; (a) Bradley Neil, Scotland; Marc Leishman, Australia

1:44 p.m. / 7:44 a.m. – Ryan Palmer, Colleyville, Texas; Joost Luiten, Netherlands; Danny Willett, England

1:55 p.m. / 7:55 a.m. – TBD; George Coetzee, South Africa; Alexander Noren, Sweden

2:06 p.m. / 8:06 a.m. – Brendon Todd, Atlanta, Ga.; Branden Grace, South Africa; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand

2:17 p.m. / 8:17 a.m. – Billy Horschel, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.; Paul Casey, England; Lee Westwood, England

2:28 p.m. / 8:28 a.m. – Bill Haas, Greenville, S.C.; Charl Schwartzel, South Africa; Hunter Mahan, Dallas, Texas

2:39 p.m. / 8:39 a.m. – Shane Lowry, Republic of Ireland; Ben Martin, Greenville, S.C.; Stephen Gallacher, Scotland

2:50 p.m. / 8:50 a.m. – Charley Hoffman, Las Vegas, Nev.; Camilo Villegas, Colombia; Tommy Fleetwood, England

3:01 p.m. / 9:01 a.m. – Mark Silvers, Thunderbolt, Ga.; (a) Brian Campbell, Irvine, Calif.; Cheng-Tsung Pan, Chinese Taipei

3:12 p.m. / 9:12 a.m. – TBD; Jared Becher, Reno, Nev.; Samuel Saunders, Fort Collins, Colo.

(a): amateur

2015 U.S. Open Championship – Par & Yardage

Chambers Bay will set up between 7,200 and 7,600 yards and will play to a par of 36-34–70 when No. 1 is a par 5 and No. 18 is a par 4.
The course will play to a par of 35-35–70 when No. 1 is a par 4 and No. 18 is a par 5.

Chambers Bay Hole By Hole
Hole	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Total
Par	5 or 4	4	3	4	4	4	4	5	3	36/35
Yardage	598/	399	198/	495	488	495	508	614	224/
	496		163						217

Hole	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	Total
Par	4	4	4	4	4	3	4	3	4 or 5	34/35
Yardage	468/	537/	311/	534	546/	246/	423	218/	525/
	436	500	281		521	167/		172	604
						123

June 12, 2015 0 comment

News

Is Butch Harmon What Tiger Woods Needs This Time?

by Debert Cook June 11, 2015

written by Debert Cook

(By John Feinstein) During the 1992 presidential campaign, James Carville, who managed the message for Bill Clinton, kept a sign on his desk that has since become the rallying cry for almost anyone and everyone who has run for President: “The economy, stupid.”

Carville’s point was both simple and direct: When you cut through all the rhetoric of a campaign, it is the state of the economy – and what a candidate proposes to do about it – that decides elections.

Perhaps Tiger Woods should consider hiring Carville.

When you cut to the heart of the train wreck that Woods’ golf game is right now, it isn’t about a two-way miss, taking an inch off his driver, looking at old video, whether his back hurts, his knees are bothering him or whether he needs yet another new teacher.

It’s about what’s between his ears, stupid.

There’s no doubting that Woods is as physically gifted as anyone who has ever played. But what made him so unbelievably dominant from that first Masters win in 1997 to his last major victory at the 2008 U.S. Open was his mind.

Woods was smarter, tougher, meaner and more confident than anyone. What’s more, the guys who were trying to compete with him KNEW he was smarter, tougher and meaner. He made every putt that mattered, found ways to get up and down that weren’t possible and, on days when his golf swing wasn’t what he wanted, still figured out how to score.

Remember Rocco Mediate’s reaction when Woods made the 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole on Sunday to create the playoff at Torrey Pines in 2008?

“I knew he was going to make it,” Rocco stated.

Everyone knew he was going to make it because that’s who Tiger Woods was in those days.

Of all the remarkable rounds Woods has played in his career, those who witnessed it will tell you that his second round at the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills might have been as impressive as anything they’ve ever seen. Woods was in his Hank Haney swing transition and was having trouble finding the planet off the tee. If it were possible to have a three-way miss going, he would have had it. No one had any idea where the ball might be going when he took the club back.

Woods shot 1-under 69 that day. He finished T-17 that week but the argument can be made that any other player hitting the ball that poorly wouldn’t have sniffed the cut. Or, if they had somehow made the weekend, an 85 might very well have shown up on Saturday.

That would never happen to Woods back then. On the final day of that Open, when the USGA lost the greens, (stroke average was 78.7 and no one broke par) the still-struggling Woods shot 76. In those conditions, the Woods of today might not have broken 90.

3 Tips for Improving Your Golf Game

by Debert Cook June 11, 2015

written by Debert Cook

Black Enterprise magazine is gearing up for a weekend of networking and fun with the Black Enterprise Golf and Tennis Challenge. This Labor Day weekend bring your A-golf-game as you reunite with old colleagues and connect with new ones.

Before you hit the green, check out these tips to get you started:

1. Posture and Approach
Be comfortable. This is the most essential element in standing in front of the ball. Slightly bend your knees with your upper body leaning over the ball–careful not to hunch over. Place your arms out in front of you, but don’t overly extend. Your feet should be shoulder- width apart. Take the club and put the head behind the ball. The club should fit naturally in your hands and come up at about a 45-degree angle.

2. Grip
Try not to grab the club like a baseball bat as it is, in fact, a club. Take the club in the palm of the hand that’s closest to the hole (your lead hand). Your thumb should run along the top of the grip going down. Slide your hand that’s farthest from the hole, your back hand, just below your lead-hand, and interlock the back hand pinkie finger with the lead-hand pointer finger. Be sure the back hand thumb runs down the front of the grip, just below the lead hand thumb.