Woods anniversary
A year and a few days after the infamous car wreck at the end of his home’s driveway in Orlando’s Isleworth CC development just about everything that possibly could be said or written about Tiger Woods has been written or said. The situation now has to be improved by his returning to form on the course not a public relations campaign.
LPGA folds to Lawless attack
During the season ending tournament week for the LPGA Championship starting Monday, the LPGA will hold a player meeting to vote on removing the “female at birth” clause from the membership requirements of the organization. In response to a suit by Linda Lawless in federal court charging discrimination, the former police officer who was surgically changed to a female five years ago, says there was discrimination by the LPGA in rejecting an application for membership.
Big Bertha turns 20
It may be hard to remember golf before the Big Bertha but the first of the ‘large headed’ drivers was introduced in 1991 and a revolution in golf club technology was begun. At the time Callaway Golf made a logical extension of the thinking behind those battered metal number one clubs then found at driving ranges and said why not make a well designed quality club that will help the average golfer hit the ball further?
The 190cc (or about 40 percent of today’s typical head size) Big Bertha quickly became the best selling driver and after five centuries of traditional clubs it marked the end to the wooden club most recently crafted from persimmon or maple. The performance difference was startling to pros and amateurs alike and soon other club makers jumped on the idea. As an aside, recent Euro team Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomery fueled the claims of astounding jumps in distance over persimmon with the hyperbolic assessment he hit the ball 30 yards further. Of course he was a paid Callaway spokesman at the time and his much publicized statement helped rocket Big Bertha sales.
The Big Bertha and its offspring however did make Callaway the dominant driver brand for more than ten years only relinquishing the spot when TaylorMade Golf brought out with the “r series” of titanium alloy drivers which became the most used driver on Tour.
Finally, with 19th-hole wagers in mind, the name Big Bertha comes from a giant howitzer cannon used by the Germans in World War I that fired a 16.5-inch 1,800 pound shell almost eight miles.
Wie ends a frustrating year
Many were looking to 2010 to be Michelle Wie’s breakout year – a major win or two and an assault on the top spot in the world ranking.
It didn’t happen for a number of reasons with injuries restricting her play and practice. The most recent was her WD (bad back) from the Lorena Ochoa Invitational two weeks ago where she was defending champion. Her one 2010 win was the CN Canadian Open by four shots but she displayed a less than scintillating performance on the weekend.
Listening to her it did seem the Stanford University senior had found some balance between her personal and professional lives with an attitude that signaled her readiness to challenge the best players every week. That was not to be and Wie will not play in the LPGA Tour Championship in Orlando since the event was moved to the first week in December making a conflict with college finals.
This is a problem for Wie, not just that she won’t play but that the LPGA is putting on a massive publicity campaign in Orlando that even includes players making personal appearances everywhere from Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom to Orlando Magic basketball games. Wie has not been there.
The following week is the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters and since Omega is one of her biggest sponsors it’s a cinch she will play. Is it any wonder some may resent Wie?
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