Spence On Golf

Tiger's Isleworth Set Up

2010-03-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

Up for debate on which is the bigger example of failure:

Tiger's ability to stay true to his wedding vows
Tiger's PR Team on how to handle a crisis

Either way, each of the above has began it's rehab process. And much like Tiger's behavior problems, his PR team has a long way to go.
The 'Edsel' of PR machines has cranked up it's engine and has released a few tidbits of info this week to the media. The tone they are trying to set is that Tiger is working at getting back to hitting balls on the range at his home course, Isleworth Country Club.
As you would expect, Isleworth is not exactly a 'public access' golf course. It is in a gated community in the Orlando suburbs. If you've ever noticed, when introduced on the tee he officially lists his hometown as "Windermere, Florida". But you actually might be surprised at how much play Isleworth gets, especially this time of year. For comparisons, I could name 5 or 6 Jacksonville area Country Clubs that get less play.
Considering how private (apparently also secretive) Tiger wants to keep his life, I've always found this curious.
Anyhow, fellow TOUR players JB Holmes and Charles Howell III have gone on the record as saying they've seen Tiger hitting balls 'on the other end of the range' this week.
Now...when most golfers read this, they envision the typical set-up of every golf course they've played. They show up at the golf shop, check-in, then head to the range, which is usually visible from the golf shop. And in cases it's not within eyesight of the golf shop, it is at least by the 1st tee. So...one's imagination is that a guy with a red sweatshirt has a pocketful of range tokens and is surrounded by empty ball buckets.
Not quite. Not Isleworth.
You see...Isleworth's basic set-up is not unlike many courses. At the doorstep of the fantastic pro shop/clubhouse at Isleworth (complete with numerous GIANT screen tv's, a full size basketball court/hoop, golf simulators...all INSIDE the clubhouse/men's grill) are the greens for the 18th and 9th greens, and the 1st and 10th tees.
But the driving range? Nowhere in sight.
As you can see in the images I've attached, you must drive over 1/3 mile down Payne Stewart Drive to Deacon Circle (which surrounds the entire range) to reach the driving range. Another unique feature you'll notice in the pictures is that the range is on its own 'island', and not in any way to be used as a 'drive through' within the neighborhood.

Upon these discoveries it makes more sense why Tiger chooses to live in this neighborhood. Upon a quick google search I was able to get the address of Tiger's house via FHP records, and I've marked it on the map.
Probable reasons Tiger has picked this location for his house:

There is no reason for any person but one (his neighbor to the South) in the entire neighborhood to pass by Tiger's house, unless they are going to the South end of the range in their golf cart.
His house is right next to the 'far end' tee box, thus giving him some seclusion.

He has his own tee box on the range, right next to his house. (An aside: it looks as if there is wear in the grass where Tiger may park his cart. Can you imagine an assistant from the Pro Shop being sent out to tell Tiger, "um...ahem...sir? Could you please keep your carts on the paths and off the curbed areas? Thanks."

This set up will provide Tiger with all the opportunities needed to prepare his game. Yet, if only I could find out what Tiger thinks each time he passes by that scarred tree and scratched fire hydrant.
As a fan of the game, I look forward to seeing Tigers apply his skills again on the course, sooner than later I hope. The shame he has brought upon himself will be with him forever...when they one day compile the recap of his career, it will undoubtably contain at least the mention of his 'transgressions', and he only has himself to blame. Not fame, not fortune.
As a father of two young boys, I hope that he will gain enough humility to cease the club throwing and cursing during rounds. I have my doubts that this will happen...because as a rule, people don't change.
Yet, as both, here's to hoping he can add a few more "better than most" on course moments. It'll be a bit easier to explain to my two sons why Tiger's picture is on TV...

Same Ol' Tiger

2010-02-20T06:19:00.000-08:00

I'm going to assume that since you clicked on the link to read this, I will not rehash what Tiger said in his act today. You already know what he said...but do you for a second believe him? Are you such a fool?

Let's do an exercise into how this man operates: he will manipulate any and everyone to get the end result he wants.

I don't know which one fits my feelings best, but two phrases come to mind: "if we do not learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it", and "fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me"

As an exercise of how egotistical he is, let's get into the head of Tiger on November 29, 2009.
You've been arguing with your wife for days since the story broke on November 24th that you have been having an affair with Rachel Uchitel. Of course, you know that its true because you bought Rachel's ticket to Australia and had her stay in the same hotel as you for your booty calls. But even confronted with pictures of Rachel at the hotel to substantiate the claim, you continually deny it to Elin, the mother of your children.

You also know that Rachel is one of many women you've been having sex with.

You know that two years ago, you barely escaped getting caught in your affair with the Perkins Pancake House waitress...

You've undoubtedly left your wife to care for your sick children while you galavant with all the other women, and you have done so for YEARS. You've probably missed a first step, a first word, or some of the many other 'firsts' that come with being a father.

Yet, you are unfazed. Your own desires trump the needs of your children and wife. Better yet, knowing ALL of this, you release the following statement on Nov 29, 2009 on your Web site:
"the many false, unfounded and malicious rumors that are currently circulating about my family and me are irresponsible"

How do you have the audacity to lash out like this? Because you are Tiger Woods.

Skipping ahead to today, you selfishly ask of others to provide you a platform to lecture us on what you say is 'your private business'. I would have been a bit more impressed if you would have done this statement on your own dime and had taken on the burden, both financially and timewise, to produce such a show...but of course, you taking responsibility is not something we expect of you anymore. Many people and organizations incurred expenses at covering what you say is a "private matter". How is that right, Tiger?

Sorry, Tiger, but it is my business...you made it that way.

I am my two sons' role model. I treat their mother with respect and love, and I am polite to others. I understand that a child is watching everything we do...with that, it is important for them not only have me as a role model, but it is helpful for them to have heros. To take away a child's hero is to take away a child's dreams. And you have taken away the hero of so many children it is sad.

Tiger, you have profited from people that spend money on products you endorse. Your family is part of that image...and with each successful partnership, you were able to increase your monetary gains.

And it was all based on lies...so sorry Tiger, I cannot believe you. I have too much at stake. When your actions show that you've changed, you'll at least get my attention.

Calling a 'press conference' at someone else's expense and not allowing legitimate golf writers ask you questions has shown me one thing: Same ol' Tiger.

First Look at TPC Sawgrass

2010-02-01T09:17:00.000-08:00

I played TPC Sawgrass' "THE PLAYERS Stadium Course" (yes...that's the actual name, and don't you forget it) this weekend (Jan 30, 2010). And for fear of finger injury, excuse me as I heretofore refer to it as "Stadium".

For those of you outside the area, even though Ponte Vedra Beach is technically in Florida, (PVB to Naples is 360 miles...PVB to Charlotte NC is 383 miles), it is not the typical Florida climate that is shown on the commercials for the State Convention and Visitor's Bureau. To prove that point, Jacksonville (PVB's hub city) does NOT have a Convention Center hotel...or even motel.

That being said, early January saw the longest cold snap in this area's history...18 straight days below freezing, with many mornings dipping into the teens. Some area superintendents said that while they routinely deal with frost delays each winter, this year was the first time that the ground actually froze. I know of a couple dulled cup cutters for sale on ebay...

This would not have been such a big deal in the 'overseed' days of THE PLAYERS being held in March. Back then, it really didn't matter how many freezes the area had...the overseeded bermuda grass (rye in fairways and rough, poa/bent mix on the greens) would stay green, and even expand a bit with the bermuda dormancy.

Yet, with the date of THE PLAYERS being moved to May a few years ago (2007 was the first PLAYERS on redone course), the course got a new base of soil on the fairways and the greens were switched from tif-dwarf Bermuda, which was over-seeded each winter, to a new hybrid strand called mini-verde Bermuda, they no longer overseed the greens. The winter of the initial grow-in was co-operative, with the entire season (Dec-Feb) only accounting for fewer than 10 frost delays. Yet, the winter of 08-09 saw the TPC Sawgrass staff have to call for over 25 frost delays, and the winter of 09-10 is on the way to reaching over 35 frost/freeze delays.

In response, the grounds staff at Stadium has introduced a system of putting protective 'tarps' over the greens to prepare for cold nights...and it seems to have worked well. How can I tell? Because there are very well defined 'right angles' on the green complexes that clearly denote where the tarp was (fairly dark tint of green grass) and wasn't (completely dormant, brown bermuda).

Having played the course, I can tell you that there is not any freeze damage on the greens, and that they are getting through the area's record-breaking-cold winter just fine. Some the other areas though...not so much.

Many areas of the 'rough' have seen some freeze kill...with bare-soil sand more prevalent than thick, or even dormant, bermuda. I don't see this being a problem at all if the tourney was to be in June and the area was to get a nice run of "150 degree" weather. (What I mean by that is when you add the night-time low to the daytime high, and the total is 150 or higher, that is when bermuda grass grows at its normal pace) Having the tournament in early May will make the agronomic staff at TPC Sawgrass work harder than ever to get the roughs to a uniform cut this year.

As opposed to last year...when the differing rough heights were of the man made kind, not the work of Mother Nature.

On the subject of course changes...there won't be any. I saw no evidence of tee box extensions/changes or green complex adjustments. The only noticeable changes are ones that are very welcomed: tree removal. As you read more and more of my articles, you'll learn that I have a fairly large disdain for trees in the line of play. I believe they force the player to play one shot, rather than give a player a choice. The mind should play more a role in a round of golf than what flavor Tiger Gatorade to get at the turn...oh wait...I can't get those any more.

You were expecting something different?

2009-02-14T20:50:00.001-08:00

A combination of life's experiences combined with the fine public schooling in Putnam City, Oklahoma provide me with this observation about Michelle Wie's loss today: I saw it coming.

Did you?

This girl has been groomed from the age of 13 to be a loser. Her parents continually put her in situations where the higher percentage was on the side of her failing. It is her parents that have built this six year gap that exists between today and her last victory at ANY level. Yet, where is the blame?

With Leadbetter's tutelage, you can learn to take your swing from upright to 'on plane' and to hit knockdown wedges. But what he or no other instructor can teach you to do is how to win.

Don't get me wrong. In the grand scheme of things, a second place finish for a 19yr old rookie on the LPGA Tour is a nice feat. But do you think it is worthy of multi-million dollar endorsements from SONY and Nike Golf?

Do you?

There is a saying that all you learn from losing is how to lose. Well, thanks to BJ Wie and his misguided, ignorant wife, Michelle has a Masters degree in losing and is working toward her double major in Late Round Collapses.

In today's final round, Michelle did all she could and all she has ever known: lost. I think it's time for the announcers to stop putting the attention on Michelle's failure to win and place it squarely on the shoulders of her parents. Put a mic in their face, and ask them the following question: "How much blame do you take for Michelle not knowing how to win?"

Don't you?

PS Mark Rolfing's announcing today was over the top. He went beyond being an apologist for Michelle choking down the stretch, and came across as a downright enabler for Michelle's parents. Shame on Mark for his unprofessional behavior today.

Practice Shots

2009-01-13T14:33:00.000-08:00

This week is the Sony Open

No 5 ft 1in teenage boy or 6ft 1in teenage girl in the field for the first time in many years...no more freak shows. It's just about the golf. It's about time.
Australians have won quite a bit in Hawaii...if it gets breezy, look for Ogilvy to win this week too.
While you're at it, check out the web site for my radio show at www.radiogolfshow.com My co host Garry Smits has a great notes section on this (This Week tab) and every week's event. Also, he and I give our picks for this week. We're on a pretty good roll...if one week of good picks is considered a 'roll'.
Did you catch any of Rich Lerner interviewing Boo Weekley at the Mercedes? Rich asked Boo what he had for dinner the previous night, and Boo said "pork chops". That response was met with quite the pompous chuckle and a 'gotta love it' kinda attitude. As if pork chops is the choice of dinner for the great unwashed.
Speaking of Boo, in discussing his book with Lerner, Rich asked if he's gonna be the next Hemmingway. Boo responded "who's that?"...only to VERY quickly say "I'm just kiddin". Me is starting to think the Boo Show is just that...a show. Keep an eye on it.

Getting Ready For 2009

2008-12-16T16:37:00.000-08:00

Tiger Woods was spotted hitting balls with FULL SWINGS on the Isleworth range with another Nike Golf TOUR player...

Vijay Singh has left Titleist and will play the Srixon golf ball. A long time Cleveland staff player of clubs, Vijay is now all Cleveland/Srixon (one company now). Buyout rumored to be $400,000.00

Fred Funk is paying the price for coming back a bit early from surgery last year. His knee that was operated on last year has reportedly developed an infection. The procedure he had Monday to help the infection may keep him out of action until April.

Mark is writing this and wondering when the last time he heard an athlete say, "You know, I took too long to come back from surgery..."

LPGA Grows A Pair

2008-08-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of full disclosure: I am an LPGA Tour observer and fan.

At one point in my life I didn't have any respect for the brand of golf played by the ladies. But then two things happened:

I accepted an invitation to play in the Safeway Classic LPGA Tour 2 Day Pro-Am in 1999 at Columbia-Edgewater in Portland, Or.
I became the Head Coach of a High School girls golf team.

In my previous life, I was a Golfweek/Titleist ranked amateur player. In my travels around the country, I had the opportunity to play with an LPGA Tour player (Dana Dorman, now a college coach) at a fantastic facility in Oregon. It was 2 Days, at 2 fantastic courses...but I can't remember a single shot. It's been almost 9 years and my mind is wrecked from government schooling.

What I CAN remember, though, are many of the conversations I had with Dana...how she's from California, that she is good friends with Paul Stankowski, that her husband sometimes caddies, etc...

One can only imagine how little I would have remembered of my (VERY expensive) rounds of golf with someone that DOESN'T (or won't) SPEAK ENGLISH.

This decision is not based on anything other than the fact that LPGA executives would like to keep their jobs. And the only way to do this is to keep (or make) the LPGA a functioning, profitable, growing, culturally relevant sport.

In America, we root for Americans...and for those that have at least made an effort to acclimate themselves to our culture, or at least show respect for our culture. And there is no more defining aspect of a culture (be it racial, regional, or national) than one's language. To decline to do so will not endear you to the American sports fan...and if your league is highly populated with international stars, you may have to act as the LPGA did.

Because it was becoming painfully obvious that the players weren't doing it themselves.

With Well Thought Out Planning...

2008-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

...I can be very spontaneous.

Hey Wie Family, You Watching This?
I have been an adjunct Girls Golf coach at a local private High School here in Florida for 4 years now. We have made it to the state finals each year, so I've had a front row seat on the development and careers of current LPGA star Morgan Pressel, and a soon to be star named Vicky Hurst. Three years ago, they actually squared off in a playoff to determine the individual championship...pretty cool stuff. Pressel has already won on the LPGA TOUR, and Vicky just notched her second victory on the Futures TOUR (she's only 18 years old).

Each kid was supremely talented at 15/16 years old, not unlike Michelle Wie was at that age. But the difference is they were patient and developed the ability to actually WIN TOURNAMENTS vs. kids their age, not just hit good golf shots. Unfortunately, Wie's ignorant and controlling parents thought that hitting good golf shots was a precursor to being a champion golfer. There are notorious stories of Wie's mother berating and critiquing Michelle during practice sessions...as if this is somehow a way to make Michelle into a great player.

With Tiger Woods' upbringing being so well documented, too many parents think they should take the same route as Earl Woods. Yet unfortunately, from Michelle Wie to Sean O'Hair, it is becoming more and more evident that trying to follow Earl's raising technique is like playing lotto. Earl just got lucky to have a child as strong willed as Tiger.

Michelle may win multiple times on TOUR eventually...but she was robbed of her childhood. For that alone, her parents should be ashamed.

THIS GUY WON MAJORS?
Caught some of the coverage of the CVS Charity Classic hosted by Brad Faxon and Billy Andrade. As a golf fan, I'll watch anything on TV and be entertained. I also like to watch the less serious events like this to see players lighten up...it usually makes for some good humor.

And speaking of humor, did you catch Nick Faldo's action? WOW, horrific.

Look, as a PGA player/instructor myself, I am well aware of the difficulty of the game, but yet here is a guy that portrays himself as such the expert. If he knows so much, how can he allow his game to deteriorate so much?

I think him playing on tv is a really bad move for his announcing career. For most fans, their vision of Faldo is from one of his major wins...to keep credibility as an analyst, he needs to avoid us seeing his current 'action' on the course.

Nice Try Kelly, Now Move On...
Catch Kelly Tilghman of The Golf Channel's 'broad'cast lately? I don't know if it is my critical eyes and ears, but she is WAY, WAY, WAY out of her league. Aside from the obvious gaffes (both factual and well...I'll just say "lynch"), there is something very distracting when she is announcing. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, though, until I really studied the US Open broadcast and Jim Nantz's latest broadcast.

When listening to other announcers, they have a certain calm to their delivery. They use words and voice inflection that respects the knowledge of the golfing viewer, and are merely 'conversational' when speaking.

Kelly, on the other hand (or foot in mouth), seems to be constantly 'efforting' way too much, and uses a tone of voice that you just KNOW is different from what she uses in casual conversation (doesn't she seem to try and lower her tone of voice sometimes?).

Watch this week's coverage and let me know what you think.

How Tiger being out HELPS the PGA TOUR

2008-06-19T05:56:00.001-07:00

Ok, I get it. Tiger is the best now...and it is a legitimate argument to say that he's the best ever. I love to watch the guy, for he provides great theater and entertainment. So please understand where I'm coming from when I say this: Tiger being out for an extended time actually will HELP the PGA TOUR.

What I want to focus on, though, is the PGA TOUR's product.

Tiger has entered 6 tournaments this year, and won 4 of them. More importantly, we now learn that he did it basically on one leg (tore his ACL in July of 2007). How's THAT product looking to the marketing brass in Ponte Vedra FL? They tout that "These Guys Are Good", but they should tout that "These guys can beat you, but still lose over 50% of the time to a one legged guy".

You've heard the term that when you are intimidating someone, you are 'in his kitchen'? Well, Tiger has his own cooking channel with all the players on TOUR (see, Ponte Vedra, at least I use all caps), and his fist pumps are just recurring Emeril style "BAM"s.

So what we have here is a clear #1. To make this point, Tiger Woods is #1 in the Official World rankings (21.54). #2 in the OWR is held by 'righty' Phil Mickelson (he's right handed, so I can't call him lefty) at 10.21. Therefore, based on these numbers, #1415 ranked Matthew Abbots (0.00) is closer in points to Righty than Righty is to Tiger.

Digest THAT ONE for a moment.

How is having a rivalry akin to the rivalry between a hammer and a nail exciting? What we need is a new story, because this one has been not only written, but is #1 again in paperback.

But NOW we have a new story to read!!!

I don't know who it will be, but someone will finish the season with multiple wins...and the Ryder Cup may create a NEW hero for American golf to cheer for. The American consumer will move from the current "yeah, but you won without Tiger in the field" to slowly saying "I wonder if this guy has anything for Tiger". Will it be Kim? Who will it be?

And THIS is what the TOUR needs. A NEW opponent. Not Ernie, Vijay, Retief, or even Phil. These guys have so many Tiger treadmarks up and down their backs that Ernie recently got a notice from the Dept. of Transportation saying he is next on the list of being repaved. He was assured that no current traffic patterns will be disrupted and has a completion date of Fall 2011. (I wonder if they are adding a new lane?)

So fret not, golf fans and PGA TOUR brass. With a bit of patience, you're gonna like this. It's time for a new story, and you're gonna like it no matter the outcome. Either Tiger's greatness was the same thing that caused his downfall, Tiger's greatness is more than we imagined, or a new star (anyone seen Jason Day on the weekends?) will emerge.

The only guarantee is that the story will be new...and sometimes change for the sake of change is good (just praying to God that it's not the case in politics).

Now go out and play golf like a game.