March 16, 2011
Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club
This week’s tournament is the Transitions Championship, which is formerly the Tampa Bay Classic and will be played at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club. Last year Jim Furyk notched the victory at -13 in a pretty decent field. Also finishing in the top 10 last year: KJ Choi, Bubby Watson, Nick Watney, Ratief Goosen, Luke Donald, Steve Stricker, and Padraig Harrington.
August 11, 2010
If the PGA is anything like the two Opens, the course will overshadow the champion, and with good reason…a) the courses have been fantastic and b) the champions are a bunch of boring poofters from Not America.
I kid, I kid…
Anyways…the Irish Course is a real treat. Designed by the venerable Pete Dye, Whistling Straits is a fantastic layout, an Irish links doppleganger that’s perched right on the edge of Lake Michigan. Trouble? Oh, there’s trouble. How does 500 bunkers and numerous forced carries and overgrown rough and water on half the holes sound as far as trouble’s concerned? (more…)
July 20, 2010
For an old school PGA Tour guy like me, the RBC Canadian Open, sadly, is one of those golf tournaments that used to have a little more prestige than it does currently, like the old “Crosby Clambake” at Pebble Beach or the Western Open in Chicago. Much of it’s lustre has been lost due to it’s being sandwiched in the “Bermuda Triangle” of golf: the week AFTER The British Open, the week BEFORE the WGC/Bridgestone, and two weeks BEFORE The PGA Championship. Jet lagged players looking for a week off from three “elite” tournaments have begun to skip this event, sadly.
The Canadian Open is the PGA Tour’s second oldest tournament, celebrating it’s 100th competition this week, and it’s past winners vary from Sam Snead, Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer to Greg Norman, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk.
For many years, the Canadian Open was played like the US Open, making it’s rounds across Canada, playing at cut from the forest venues like Rosedale, Mississauga, and Thornhill, and in French speaking only courses in Quebec such as Le Club Laval-sur-lac, Richelieu, and Montreal Municipal, where, in 1967, Billy Casper won the first Open contested on a public golf course (and we thought Bethpage was being innovative!) (more…)
July 2, 2010
“I intended to make this my masterpiece, but not until today did I realize that I built better than I knew.” So said world-renowned course architect Donald Ross in 1948, a full twenty years after designing Aronimink Golf Club, near Philadelphia, which is the site of the Tiger Woods’ hosted AT&T National this weekend on the PGA Tour. For a man who designed over 500 golf courses, including Pinehurst #2 (NC), Oakland Hills (MI), Seminole (FL), and Oak Hill (NY) just to name a few, calling this his greatest creation is quite an honor.
Because Congressional was unable to host this year’s tournament, as it is undergoing modifications for next year’s US Open, Tiger Woods and the AT&T people needed to find another location suitable to host their tournament. They could not have made a better choice than to enter the Philadelphia market on July 4th weekend and play one of the great old ladies in golf history. Aronimink hosted its first “major” in 1962, with Gary Player winnin the PGA Championship. Since then, it has hosted the US Amateur in 1977 (John Fought), the 1997 US Junior Amateur (Jason Allred), and the 2003 Senior PGA (John Jacobs). (more…)
June 17, 2010
Everyone knows all about Pebble Beach, but there have been some subtle changes to some key holes that are going to make this trip a little different than in previous trips.
From what I’ve gathered, the rough isn’t too crazy except around the bunkers where it’s pretty fuckin’ gnarly. The course conditions are fantastic, as to be expected, and we’ll most likely see some firm and fast fairways which is exactly what USGA guru Mike Davis envisioned in bringing the ocean more into play along 6, 8 and 10. The course’s difficulty will be determined in large by the elements…if it’s nice and the wind isn’t blowing expect some reasonably low scores, but the wind will be a factor…you know this.
Anyways, lets just look at some of the updates from the 2000 Open. (more…)
June 9, 2010
That is my name...No I'm not
The PGA TOUR bus makes a stop in Memphis, Tenn., this week for the St. Judes Classic at TPC Southwind. Since it’s the last event before the US Open, most of the really good players will be at home watching Phil’s “Secrets of the Short Game” video and getting last-minute practice in before next week…some without a coach (had to get a Tiger reference in here somewhere).
TPC Southwind is a par 70, 7244-yard course that ranked 20th in difficulty on last year’s tour. Even though it’s not a highly anticipated event, the winner still gets to take home $1,008,000 of the $5.6 million purse and 500 FedEx points. That’s not chump change…especially when only 3 of the Top 10 in points, money list and WGR are in the field (not the same 3 dudes).
Brian Gay, defending champ, is in the field and will need to duplicate his putting performance from a year ago if he wants to repeat. Gay isn’t the longest hitter on tour (188th) but he is the most accurate so far this year and from what I hear, it is easier to find the greens if you hit from the short stuff…apparently, it’s also easier to find your ball. TPC Southwind doesn’t require huge drives but you do need to be spot-on in other areas in order to go low on the card. Another Gay-like performance of -18 will be needed again this weekend. And yes, I meant to say “Gay-like”…Brian Gay. Grow up.
Although I don’t have the stones to pick him in the ‘Fantasy FourFivesome’, I’ll be rooting for Team Loudmouth Pants and JD…forget the million dollars and first win since 2004, just imagine the outfit of those pants and that sweet seersucker jacket the winner gets.
May 26, 2010
Colonial at the 1941 US Open
This week’s PGA event is the Crowne Plaza Invitational (yuck!), where the Tour wraps up its tasteless trifecta of Texas-hosted events before heading to play in Buckeyes’ nation (not exactly an upgrade) next week . The PGA Tour ladies and gentlemen, feel the excitement! (more…)
May 25, 2010
17th Green
Since the crew here at Tuna Golf are obviously stellar golfers who are often times comp’d rounds at various courses around the country, we figured to provide our readership with the skinny on some of the courses they may or may not be interested in playing during their travels. Just please keep in mind that dropping any of our names will not guarantee a comp’d round and, in fact, may lead to a speedy escort from the premises.
Located in the small historic town of St. Michaels, MD, Harbourtowne Golf Resort was my home course growing up. The course and facilities are very appealing and well-maintained, but the “resort” addition to the club attracts assholes from all over the country (which, ironically will be you). Get an early tee time if you want to avoid getting stuck behind a group of tourists (again, you) and consequently playing a five-hour round. Slow golf SUCKS… (more…)
April 15, 2009
One of my favorite, non-major/big tourney courses played all year, Harbour Town is a Pete Dye designed masterpiece that features wonderful, seaside scenery and challenges the golfer to work their way around the course with precision.
It’s not a surprise that Boo Weekley has won twice here as he’s one of the best iron players in the game, and measuring an extremely narrow 6,973 yards (par 71), accuracy is at a premium. Harbour Town is not a bomber’s paradise by any means. The greens aren’t conventionally shaped, creating some challenging approach shots and the fairways pinch on many holes, creating very small landing zones where distance control is a must to find the fairway.
The best holes on the course are no. 14, a medium-length par 3 with water and overhanging trees and no. 18, which has one of the largest landing zones for your drive on tour, but at the same time, is exposed to the elements and can be an unpredictably vicious or a guaranteed birdie. Plus, on no. 18, you get the view of the signature landmark of Harbour Town…the candy-cane striped lighthouse that sits on the beach.
Harbour Town is a really cool course and proves that you don’t need to have a course stretch 7,500 yards to be challenging. I wish more designers would take this concept to heart, but then again, it’s nice seeing a truly unique place like Harbour Town have it’s place on the PGA Tour rota.
April 8, 2009
Yesterday, we took a look at the front 9 of Augusta National, and today, we’re going to finish the job. While the front 9 is still realtively fresh in the minds of viewers, the back 9 is arguably the most famous stretch of golf holes found anywhere.
The Masters is known for the drama on the back 9, and while that’s not necessarily true anymore, it still looks like the stretch we’ve come to love. And while Amen Corner might not be the gambler’s paradise it once was, even in it’s current torture track shape, it’s still revered.
After the jump…the back 9. (more…)
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