The Big Easy report

Is there a bright side to losing in the first round at La Costa? Probably not, but at least I get a chance to spend some time working on my game between now and the Ford Championship at Doral. In the past few years this event has always clashed with the ‘Desert Swing’ on the European Tour, but with Dubai Desert Classic and Qatar Masters moving to an earlier slot in the diary, it means I can play here. And I’m really looking forward to it. It’s my first time back here since 2002, when I won the tournament by two shots, holding off a last day charge from Tiger. (Link)

Related post
The Big Easy report

the Year of the Cobra

It's official. It's no longer the year of the dog, it's the Year of the Cobra. First it was long-driving JB Holmes, who won the FBR Open (see here). Now, it's silky smooth Geoff Ogilvy, who won the World Match Play Championship. What do they have in common? They are young and talented, and they play Cobra clubs. Ogilvy, the irons (see here). I haven't even seen these clubs, but no clubs have more "buzz" in golf right now than Cobra. Sorry, Sasquatch.

Take a mulligan: Morgan, stop crying, dear

I caught the final round of the 2006 Fields Open in Hawaii, won by Meena Lee over Seon Hwa Lee in a playoff. It was an exciting back 9, with many of the talented young guns in contention. Michelle Wie, who was tied momentarily for the lead on the 17th, missed the playoff by 1-stroke, shooting an impressive 66 in her final round. Michelle had a makeable 8 footer on the final hole, but completely misread it. Still, an impressive debut.

Natalie Gulbis never could get it going in her final round and tied for 4th with a final round 72. I blame it on Douglas, who gave Gulbis The Golf Blog jinx by asking this question, Is Natalie ready to break through and win? Doug, man, that's the kiss of death. Sorry, Nat.

Then, there's Morgan Pressel, who was playing with Michelle Wie, but shot a 71 in her final round to finish tied for 11th. After her round, Morgan started crying uncontrollably during her interview with The Golf Channel because she felt that she failed to meet her high expectations and needed to go back and work on "everything" -- all aspects of her game, especially her putting.

I like Morgan Pressel. How can you not root for a 17-year-old who lost her mother to breast cancer only two years ago (here)? Contrary to her own harsh assessment of her game, I think Pressel has a lot of game right now. Finishing close to the Top 10 this week and 5th last week in her first 2 tournaments as a pro -- well, that ain't bad. Sure, Morgan probably wanted a better head-to-head showing against Michelle Wie, who had an impressive 66. But Michelle had home court advantage and half the state of Hawaii rooting for her. Morgan showed the grace and sportsmanship in giving Michelle a hug after the round. Morgan, you have nothing to cry about. We know you played your heart out.

Is Natalie ready to break through and win?

Though she has already made nearly $2 million on tour and had her own reality show, Natalie Gulbis still is yet to win an LPGA event. But, going into Saturday's final round of the 2006 Fields Open in Hawaii, Nat is only two shots back in second place at -11 (leaderboard here) and "badly wants to get her first tour victory" (AP story here).

And, just to add to the fun, Michelle Wie and Morgan Pressel, both tied for ninth at -7, are going to be playing together in Saturday's final round. To quote Cosmo Kramer: "C-C-C-Cat Fight!"

The Golf Channel has all the action starting at 6:30pm on Saturday.

Chad Campbell beats Tiger, 1-up

Tiger missed a 12-footer on the 18th hole to stay in the match against Chad Campbell. Shocking.

Olympic break: on thin ice

Golf fans, excuse this Olympic break. The Golf Blog has only once before allowed a non-golf related post (on how bad Mary Carillo is), but it turned out to be one of TGB's most read post ever (here and ranks high on the Google search for Mary Carillo). Carillo's at the Olympics, but we're not going to rip into her today.

I wanted instead to comment on Sasha Cohen. She won the silver, but got really lucky and a lot of help from the other skaters who messed up. During warmups, Cohen fell twice. Announcer Scott Hamilton then all but predicted that things were not looking good for Cohen and that the look in her eyes showed worry, not something you want going into the long program as the leader. Well, Cohen made Hamilton look like Nostradamus because, within 30 seconds of her long program, she fell twice. The gold, gone. Credit to Cohen for perservering and skating well after those two spills. (More here)

So how does this relate to golf? Well, it doesn't. But one thing I thought about while watching the drama of Sasha Cohen falling during warmups was what happens to golfers when they "get the hooks" or, even worse, "shanks" on the driving range. Once you do, it's hard to go out on the 1st tee, without fearing your next shot will go OB. Nerves and bad mental thoughts will do that, even to the best of us.

Tiger delivers "smack down" on Stephen Ames

Stephen Ames foolishly let slip some smack talk before his match against Tiger Woods in the World Match Play Championship. When asked of his chances against Tiger, Ames said with a smile, "Anything can happen ... especially where he's hitting the ball."

Sure, Ames was probably kidding, but Tiger later heard about the comment, and didn't take too kindly to it. Instead of smack talk, Tiger gave a smack down on Ames, winning the first 9 holes (with 7 birdies). The rout ended after the 10th hole -- which is the soonest you can end an 18 hole match. Next.

Advice to all other golfers in the world: Do not ever joke about Tiger, or let your caddie write "Tiger who?" on his cap (see here). Tiger's got a great sense of humor -- off the course. On the course, he's ferocious. Remember Tiger's the same guy who thought Steve Scott's girlfriend (his caddy) had giggled at Tiger, which riled Tiger to a comeback victory at the U.S. Amateur at Pumpkin Ridge. For all we know, Scott's girlfriend could've just been a sweet girl, enjoying the moment. But Tiger will use any little thing to get motivated. So don't get him mad. He will crush you. R.I.P, Stephen Ames.

The Wie report

Deary diary,

Hi again. My friends have been telling me about some trash talking about me out there. I don't care, it really doesn't bother me. I understand, it comes with the territory.

I was really happy to see the new Rolex World Golf Rankings came out today. Let's see where I am. Oh, look (there), I'm No. 3 in the World, right behind Annika and Paula. Wow, I can't believe it, but it's still very cool. Hmmm... I don't see my friend Morgan on the list. These rankings must be really messed up. It's still great I'm No. 3, though.

That's all for now.

The Pressel report

What? Critics? Just sit and watch me. (Here)

The Big Easy report

I’ll actually be in Hawaii for only one day and then I’m heading back to California, to San Diego to be precise, for this week’s Accenture World Matchplay – the first WGC event on the 2006 schedule. It’s the first time I’ve played in this event since 2003. I imagine you’ll all be familiar with the format; 18-hole matchplay for the first four days and, if you make it to the final, a 36-hole showdown on Sunday.It all kicks off on Wednesday and I’ll be making sure I get in a couple of practice rounds before then. If I’m being honest, this is one event on the PGA Tour where my record really isn’t good. It’s a tough thing to explain.

The good news is, I’ve just sneaked ahead of Phil in the World Rankings, up to number 4, so I get one of the seeded spots in the four different ‘brackets’, along with Tiger, Vijay and Retief. That means I don’t get to play any of those guys until at least the semi-finals, although let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. I’ve got to make it that far yet – and I haven’t managed that since 2001 in Australia, where I lost in the semis. (More here.)

another catfight: Pressel blames grandma, slights Wie

Morgan Pressel finished 5th in her LPGA debut as a pro, tying Natalie Gulbis. Not bad. But, before her week was over, Pressel had a few choice words not only for Michelle Wie, but for Pressel's own grandma. You heard that right: Pressel took a potshot at her own grandma. Wow, kids today -- c'mon, blaming granny!?

Pressel on grandma: "That's all my grandma's fault. I got my shirts out a couple days early because I was going to be real busy and it was her responsibility to put them in the suit case and she wanted to leave them in the closet so they didn't get wrinkled. I woke up when we got here and said, 'Grandma, where are my shirts? ... Oh no. You left them at home."'

Pressel on Wie: "She's going to make something like $10 million? For what? For winning one tournament? I didn't mean anything, especially against Michelle. I just made a statement that everybody else has to qualify and I'm going to stick by that statement. But it will obviously come down to what the USGA says, but it was definitely nothing personal. That's for sure."

Sean O'Hair + David Duval > Tiger

OK, dokey, Sean O'Hair finally made a cut this year, posting a nice 69 for -3 for the tourney. David Duval is at -2, and he also made the cut. Tiger is sick and is struggling at -1 with 2 holes left. The cut line is at even. Leaderboard.

I couldn't figure out if I should use ">" or "<" for the golf scores. O'Hair and Duval are beating Tiger, but, technically, their scores are less than Tiger's. Hopefully, you figured it out.

UPDATE 2.0: The Golf Blog must have become just as big as Sports Illustrated, because we just put an incredible jinx on Tiger Woods today, who is admittedly sick. First, allCarry had the gall to ask if Tiger would win this week (see here). Then, I foolishly posted the above post after Tiger finished the 16th hole at -1. So what does Tiger do after my post? He goes bogey-bogey, to miss the cut at +1. Sorry, Tiger, we didn't mean to jinx you. Holy smokes! The cut line just shifted to +1. Tiger, you're right back in it, sort of.

Tiger, will he or won't he?

Tiger's won all of the 2 tourneys he's played in this year, but he's never won (0-10) the Nissan Open at Riviera. He now sits 5 strokes back of the leaders Justin Rose and Dean Wilson (-7).

Question: Will Tiger be 3-0 in starts by Sunday's end, or will he be 0-11 at the Nissan? And, if Tiger doesn't win this week, should the Riviera be selected as the site for a major just because it's apparently not easy for Tiger?

The Big Easy report

It’s the Nissan Open for me this week…and my first outing on the PGA Tour in 2006. It’s a good way to start the season. We’ve got a really strong field here and Riviera Country Club is a great golf course, with a lot of history. And it’s a golf course that I enjoy playing. I won this event in 1999, shooting 14-under for four rounds to beat Tiger and a couple of other guys by two shots. (More here from Ernie's site.)

The Natalie (valentine's) report

Happy Valentine's Day! I am in Hawaii for the LPGA event hosted at Turtle Bay on Oahu. I spent the last few weeks dialing in my clubs with TaylorMade and my swing with Butch. After having my driver and 4-iron snagged at my home course, I have been testing drivers to find one to replace it. The 4-iron was easy to replace, but for the driver I decided on the new TaylorMade 425 with a Fujikura X shaft. I hope that you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day and tell your love ones how lucky you are to have them in your life. Aloha! - Natalie (more here on Nat's site)

2006 Pebble Beach Pro-Am... These Guys are Good?!?!?

This weekend, I spent a good amount of time watching the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on CBS. This tournament is one of my favorites, because of the scenery and mystique that Pebble Beach brings. I was even more excited because the weather was spectacular the entire week. However, the golf and TV coverage again were like most AT&T Pro-Ames horrible.

One of the characteristics of the AT&T that makes it unique is that players play three different courses and PAS Professionals are paired with celebrities. However, when I tuned into CBS coverage on Saturday, I noticed that all of the marquee players were not playing Pebble, which is where CBS had most of their cameras. (There was coverage of holes 9 and 18 on both Poppy Hills and Spyglass, I believe). So CBS was left with basically three options: (1) Show coverage of Phil Mickelson, who was 7-under early in his round, but then began to stink; (2) Follow Aaron Oberholser, who was leading the tournament and playing the front nine. (Too bad they did not have TV coverage on most of the front 9 at Pebble); or (3) Show Bill Murray play hockey around the hole and then throw his ball into the crowd. Well CBS chose option #3.

I find Bill marriage outlandish ways on a golf course refreshing. He definitely has a good time and enjoys playing to the crowd. But, there is nothing pretty about his golf game, well at least his putting on Saturday. I cannot count how many times he'd putt the ball 10 feet by the hole and then expect the crowd to get excited and cheer for him. Personally, I probably would have said to myself, what was that! And laughed at his inability to possess "touch." Another one of his antics was when he took the cord of the TV camera on 13 and wrapped it around the guy holding the TV camera and pulled him to the ground. Yes, I laughed, but I tuned into the coverage to watch golf, not a country western rodeo on a golf course. Nevertheless, I decided to watch Sunday to see if the coverage would be better.

When Sunday's coverage came on, I was already excited because my OSI backwash had just defeated Illinois on CBS. However, when they showed the leaderboard, Oberholser was up by 5. Well at least the weather was nice, I thought. Then, after a few holes, Aaron was up by 7. Then, Aaron started to play like your typical talented hack. Off the trees, on the green, birdie on 15. Hitting it into bunkers and never feeling comfortable the last few holes. It was painful to watch, but I thought it was even more painful to watch Weir gag from 5 feet all day and the CBS team recalling how great of a short "par" putter he was. I think we should have a new event on TV involving Weir and Phil doing 5 foot par circles, and seeing how many they miss, when the pressure is on.

Anyways, Aaron won. Not because he shot a great and memorable final round, but because no one really challenged him on Sunday. Yet, a win is a win, and something that he'll always remember. I just wish as a fan of golf, I would have been able to watch a fantastic finish and see glimmers of "These Guys are Good" like the PGA promotes.

here comes the cat fight...

Note: Since this has sparked a lot of reaction, we've moved it to the top.

Morgan Pressel on why Michelle Wie should be made to qualify for the Women's US Open this year (following her 82 in the final round last year): "I'd be very surprised, just because of what happened last time. I don't think she needs an exemption. I've been through qualifying. Everybody who doesn't make it on the money list, other amateurs, other professionals that aren't members of the tour, they all have to go through qualifying, too. I don't see why she shouldn't, or why she should be afraid, or expect an exemption." More here.

mad props, Tiger

OK, Tiger, you earned $3 million for just showing up to Dubai (even though the total prize money was just $2.6 million), and you are the richest sports figure in the world today (earning over $80 million in endorsements and appearance fees a year). But, hey, who cares when you put $5 million of your money to good use by opening a $25 million Learning Center in Anaheim, California. (More here.)

Said Tiger: "This is by far the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. This is bigger than golf. This is bigger than anything I've done on the golf course. Because we will be able to shape lives."

TGB Goes Gaming: True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS (Part 5)

Monday, I introduced readers to True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS.
Tuesday, I discussed some of True Swing Golf's features and some of the features of the Nintendo DS True Swing Golf uses.
Wednesday, I discussed the game modes on True Swing Golf.
Yesterday, I posted my interview with Nate Bihldorff from Nintendo.

Today, I am finishing up my review of True Swing Golf with some final thoughts and suggestions if a True Swing Golf 2 was ever created.

Final Thoughts
When I first heard about True Swing Golf, I was very skeptical of having to use the stylus to control the swing. I was so used to playing a golf video game with a series of button presses to control a shot, that I was not sure whether I'd enjoy a game that required me to "swing" something at a target. The other games were very easy; you never whiffed, you never miss hit a shot, and the goal was to see if you could shoot 15-20+ under par. And to be honest, after shooting 20 or so under par, the games lost their intrigue and were normally regulated to the back of the list.

However, the first time I played True Swing Golf, I was surprised with how basic the game play was. All you had to do was move your stylus forward and run it over a ball. Granted, I have whiffed multiple times, but I also have strung 5 birdies or so together. Before I knew it, I became hooked playing in Championship mode attempting to make my character better. And now, having played the game over the past couple weeks, I usually play a round before I go to bed. (Good thing I am single).

A few things that I was concerned about with the stylus control, I have tried out. I have played the game on a car ride, and I did not have any major problems playing the game. Most of my problems came from the fact that the DS was not sitting on a table or something other than my right hand. (I swing my stylus with my left). However, I have developed a way where I cup the DS in my right hand and I rarely miss now.

As Nate said in my interview on Thursday, drinking coffee and not being in the right frame of mind, does cause me some issues when playing True Swing Golf. True Swing Golf is by far the most realistic golf video game I have ever played. I have whiffed, I have shanked, I have had bad holes, I have had good holes, I have hit the ball out of bounds, I have donated a few balls to the ponds, and I have done all of those in real golf. (Well, I have only whiffed 1 time in my recent memory, but you get the point). All in all, I continue to practice playing the game with the hopes to one day succeed like I did in PGA Tour II for the Sega Genesis, back when I was a kid.

Bottom Line: If you are a golfer and you enjoy playing video games, I would strongly recommend this game. I was skeptical at first, but now I'm hooked and honestly believe that this game will become one of my all-time favorites. Just remember, that it is not "easy" in a difficulty sense, but it is one of the easiest games to play, have a good time with, and spend a good rain filled day playing.


Recommendations for a Sequel
I asked Nate in my interview whether there was some discussions of producing a True Swing Golf 2 or its equivalent. Unfortunately, he was unaware and did not want to speculate on it. However, I would like to comment on some of the things I would like to see in a True Swing Golf 2.

Skills Mode - I have played many golf video games, and one of the features I enjoy is a "Skills Mode." Things like, having to birdie 3 holes in a row, having to get up and down from a fair way, having to do certain things which will increase your ability to play the game would be something that I would enjoy seeing in the game.

2 Player Mode on Same DS System - Unfortunately, you are unable to play a two player game with only 1 DS system. So, when I have friends who want to play True Swing Golf, they have to play by themselves, or we have to come up with some sort of modified alternate shot game, where we switch off.

Multiplayer Mode which includes "Team" Games - Everyone loves their Saturday morning or league games. Whether it be a $2 Nassau, alternate shot, or best ball, it would be a nice addition if you and a friend could team up against another "team" or against a computer "team" and play some of the favorite golf formats.

Allowing Players to Select Clubs - Granted, this was the first version of a game franchise, which I believe could become something special. But, one of the things that I cannot believe they didn't do was allow you to choose which clubs you want to have in your bag. With technology today, why not allow a player to purchase a hybrid club instead of using a long iron. The hybrid club would have a better percentage change of hitting a good shot than a long iron out of the rough, but it would be more affected by the wind conditions. Or, allow players to decide whether they want to carry more woods or wedges. Either way, it allows the game to become more "real."

Playoff Mode Should Include Opponents - Granted, this might take forever and might cause you to throw your DS across the room if you bogey the final hole to get into a playoff, but one of the things I was disappointed in was the first time I was in a playoff in Championship mode, I did not see my opponent. Luckily, I made a birdie and my opponent did not, but it would have been nice to see what I had to beat.

Add a Driving Range Feature - One of the things that I always have a problem with is starting the game cold. Just like in real golf, I always like to take a few practice strokes before I play a round. With True Swing Golf's stylus controls, I have been known to take a couple of holes to "warm up" instead of hitting the first hole ready to play. It would be nice to have a feature where you can have a couple of practice balls/swings, before you enter an actual round.

I am sure there is more I could add, but I believe that my review of this game has been exhausted. I really do enjoy this game and would recommend it to anyone who has any interest in golf. Please check back to thegolfblog.com for information on a contest in which we will give out a Nintendo DS system and a copy of True Swing Golf. And keep reading and commenting!!

The Big Easy report

I’ve had a night to reflect on this year’s Desert Classic. As you can probably imagine, there are some mixed emotions. You know, I played some good golf this week, shooting four nice rounds and finishing at 19-under par, which was my winning total last year. In fact, it was the exact same numbers – a pair of 68s, a 67 and a 66. Repeating that is obviously a decent effort. And it felt good holing that six-footer on the 72nd green to get into the playoff; I mean, when you’ve been away from the game for a while that’s a big putt to make. But then again there’s the disappointment of not converting it into a win. Still, when the dust settles all you can do is take the positives from a week like that. It feels great to be out there battling for championships again. (More here.)

NBC gets Al Michaels; ABC gets Ryder Cup + Lucky Rabbit

This may be the wackiest sports trade of the century. ABC traded Monday Night Football (which was ending) commentator Al Michaels to NBC. In exchange, NBC gave ESPN (owned by Disney, which owns ABC) the rights to air the Friday coverage of the Ryder Cup through 2014 (as well as Olympic highlights).

Here's the capper: Disney also got back the rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, a precursor to Mickey Mouse. Yeah, rabbits and mice are apparently related in cartoon world. Oswald doesn't really earn any money, so is of not much value. But Disney brought its rabbit back into the fold. (More here)

TGB Goes Gaming: True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS (Part 4)

Monday, I introduced readers to True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS.
Tuesday, I discussed some of True Swing Golf's features and some of the features of the Nintendo DS True Swing Golf uses.
Yesterday, I discussed the game modes on True Swing Golf.

Today, I am posting an interview I conducted on Tuesday with Nate Bihldorff, a localization producer for Nintendo. As Nate described, he "worked on this game, typically what we do is we translate a game from directly from Japanese and turn them into English. What we did on this particular game is that it had already be localized for Europe, so we just had to localize their version, which in this case meant taking out a lot of British spellings, they tend to put a lot of U's in places that we don't believe they belong. When you localize a product, you take it through the entire debug process fixing bugs in the text, so I have a lot of experience with it."

Some general thoughts Nate had on True Swing Golf's swing mechanic:

"One of the great things about the swing mechanic is that that is what keeps it fresh, it is not something that you can get the muscle memory to do perfectly every time. I have found with a lot of golf games, where you just push the button and press the button again to swing, you get so dialed in that you can just do it and it is rarely challenging. Where this game, I've noticed that if I play it right after I have a cup of coffee I physically have to mellow out a little bit, otherwise I just jerk it all over the course."

The following are the questions that I asked him.

Q: Most golf video games that I have played usually use a series of button presses to control each shot (i.e. hitting "A" starts the swing, then you hit "A" again to control the power, and then you hit "A" again to control the spin and/or accuracy of the shot), how does True Swing Golf utilize the abilities of the Nintendo DS system to allow players to play the game?



A: One of the biggest problems, I think with those games, and believe me I have worked on games like that, Mario Golf had a similar mechanic * * * where you would press the "A" button and time the presses for the rest of those things like spin and everything. The problem is that it is not intuitive. Having to think about those certain things, I have to let the bar go over this particular spot so that I can slice is a disconnect for a game, where with True Swing, for one thing, you are using your stylus entirely to set up your shot. If you want a bigger club, you poke the club icon and then hitting the up arrow so you go up in club length or down in club length. But, once you get your shot set up, it is very, very simple. You say, I want to alter the contact point on the ball, you touch the ball and physically drag the contact point lower or higher, if you want to top it and run it along the fairway or if you want to hit some loft and hit it out of some deep rough, you are going to move the contact point down. That is very intuitive in and of itself. And then, as far as the actual swing goes, it is just like an ordinary golf shot, if you have the muscle mastery to swing it straight through you are going to hit it perfectly straight, if you physically want to slice it, * * * you are going to line your hand up so that you come across the ball, so the club head is going across it a little bit on the left side of the ball (I'm a righty) so that it will peel off over to the right. It is just a more intuitive way of doing everything, and not only that, but it is a much more visceral way of doing things. I don't know how you play, whether or not you are very, very delicate in that there is a way of doing it with precision, but I tend to kind of spaz out on it. If I want to do a big drive, I'll just wing my hand across the touch screen, I really get into it. I have a visceral response to it. I think it is much more interactive than any previous set up.

Q: What are some of the unique characteristics of True Swing Golf, which have not been utilized by other "golf" video games?

A: I think that's (the stylus control) is one of the main ones. Not having a whole lot of experience with golf video games that are outside the Nintendo sphere, just because I pretty much play exclusively Nintendo systems. I cannot say exactly what other people have done. That being said, one of the other things I really like about this game is wireless multi-play. Where you and I can be playing together, and not only that, but you and I could be playing together if I only had a card (game pack), which is something that I know other people are not doing. Downloadable content is just awesome. And, also being able to talk smack with one another by typing in messages and then hitting the button to send them over to another's screen just as they are about to swing. I think is pretty cool. But other than that, it really comes back to the interface. Like I said, the visceral response and the ease with which you can play this game are unparalleled. I have played other golf games with my girlfriend and she just didn't get it. There were too many button presses. Trying to explain that meter, ok, hit the "A" button, the meter is going to go up, and then hit it at the end, and then it is going to come back down and hit it again. You just get lost in it. This game, you can pretty much stick it in anyone's hand, give them the stylus and say here is what you are going to do, you are going to grab that club head, pull it back and swing through the ball. They can get through the whole round that way, and they can actually play really well. So you can get amateurs into the game. But then there is also a level of mastery that true veterans of golf games are still going to find enough depth to this game that they can really control the ball, really control their game, really plan out their game, and play it like a real golf course. I really think the control is what distinguishes it from most.

Q: I noticed that True Swing Golf does not have any license agreements with for instance the PGA Tour, do you find that not being able to be Tiger or Phil detracts from the enjoyment of the game?

A: Not me particularly, but I'm not one of those gamers that buys a lot of licensed products. To be honest, most of the time I have had more fun with games like Mario Golf than I have with others, because I don't tend to identify all that much with particular golfers. I follow golf and I like golf, but it is not the same sort of thing as me playing a football game * * * where I can play as my favorite team. I don't feel that same connection to "I have to play as this golfer" and "I'm going to follow this golfers career", when I play golf, I want it to be me. This is a sport that I actually play myself and feel pretty good about playing. When I play it, I am more thinking of myself as a golfer. So it is not as important to me. Plus, the game features 4 different males and 4 different females, and you can assign a personality to each one, so you can at least approximate someone sort of like what you want to be. For me it is plenty, and to be honest, I don't miss licensed courses either. The courses are so well thought out and well laid out that I really have a good time playing them.

Q: You mentioned that you play golf yourself, what is your handicap?

A: I don't even know, I haven't had an official handicap for quite some time. Let me put it this way, when I play golf what I'm aiming for is to break 100. * * * Typically, I come in around 101 or 102. Almost invariably. * * * I hit 93 once and that was my best round, but I don't know what that translates into as a handicap.

Q: And, do you believe True Swing Golf allows you to experience many of the actual dilemmas that occur in an actual round of golf, if so, how?

A: Oh yeah. For one thing, the courses are laid out really well and really realistically. You'll get a lot of golf games especially in the Mario series or more cartoony series that just have really bizarre stuff. They're hitting off of pyramids and there are flying birds going by that you are bouncing off and really wildly laid out courses, which are fun. These ones I think really feel like real courses, they have traps and hazards laid in places that you would expect to see them, and that really complicate your golf game. So that, if you hit that fairway bunker, you need to think about what you are doing. Whether or not you are going to play safe and lay up or just try to clip it totally clean and try to wail it all the way up, which I always do in real life, and it never works out, but that is beside the point. Also, the level of control as far as when you are buried in the rough, being able to move the contact point and dig it out, being able to do a little bump and run if that's the way you like chipping. Typically, I'm a pretty poor chipper, so whenever I'm on the fairway, if I have a clear shot at the green I'll take out a 7-iron and top it, giving it a little top spin to roll it up onto the green. True Swing Golf gives you the control to do all those things.

Q: Having played the game, it sometimes takes me a hole or two to "warm up"; otherwise, I tend to whiff or shank a few shots. Do you have any suggestions on how to insure the player makes good contact with the ball?

A: First and foremost, the more often you do it, the more it is going to become natural. A real basic thing you can do that maybe not everybody will notice if you don't read the manual is if you don't feel comfortable pushing forward, you can actually swing sideways instead. For some people this motion feels more natural. * * * I personally, like it vertically. That's one easy thing to do. You can try it out and see if that helps you out on your swing.

And other than that, its the same things you do in golf. It is all about finding a serene state of mind while you are playing. As I was saying earlier, it is just like golf in that if you are in the wrong emotional state or if you have had too much coffee or something like that, the tiniest little motion can translate into total disaster in both real golf and True Swing. But then on the flip side of that, if you are in the right frame of mind all of a sudden you'll tear off five holes where you are in the zone. Finding your "happy place" (a slight Happy Gilmore reference) is really important.

Q: I know with True Swing Golf, the more you play in the Championship mode, you unlock different courses. Are there any secret codes to unlock extra portions of the game, does True Swing Golf include any of these "codes"?

A: There is nothing to punch in at the beginning that will unlock everything. There are plenty of unlockable courses and is plenty of unlockable clothing that improves your golf game. But, you are going to have to earn it all. That is one of the reasons to keep playing through tournaments is not only are you going to open new courses, but you'll earn enough money to buy golf balls that you can put more spin on or golf clubs that have more power. You can level up your character by purchasing new items.

Q: Does the clothing actually have any benefit other than the clubs and the shoes?

A: Clubs and the shoes do, but the clothing is just esthetic choice.

Q: I am sure that this game will become a hit amongst golf fans, I know that I'm personally a fan of it, are there any ideas or plans to create a True Swing Golf 2?

A: Not that I know of, but then again, I'm pretty low on the totum pole as far as executive decisions on which games come out. So, as far as I know it is a bit too early to speculate on a sequeal.

Check back tomorrow for my concluding thoughts on this great game.

the return of cobra?

Back in the day, Tiger Woods used to play a Cobra driver while an amateur. And so did Greg Norman when he was the World No. 1 (see here). Hale Irwin also used Cobra clubs for some time on the Senior tour. But then, the popularity of Cobra seemed to wane.

This weekend, things may have changed. JB Holmes won the FBR Open using Cobra woods and sporting a Cobra cap. And the young gun Camilo Villegas, who tied for 2nd, also was sporting a Cobra cap. That's really gotta help Cobra drivers when you have two young guns who look of average size, but who can bomb it off the tee.

TGB Goes Gaming: True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS (Part 3)

Monday, I introduced readers to True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS.
Yesterday, I discussed some of True Swing Golf's features and some of the features of the Nintendo DS True Swing Golf uses.

Today, I will be discussing the game modes in True Swing Golf. Basically, there are two different categories of gaming modes. First, you can play a single player game. Under the single player umbrella, you can play either stroke play, match play, free round, or championship mode. Second, you can play multiplayer mode. Under the multiplayer umbrella, you can either play stroke play, match play, stroke bet, or skins mode. I will discuss each mode separately.

Single Player Modes
- Stroke Play - Stroke Play mode is a must in any golf video game, and True Swing Golf does not disappoint in bringing you the ability to play a basic round of golf. Under Stroke Play mode, you get to choose which golf course you want to play, whether you want to play the front nine, back nine or 18 holes, whether you want to play the original course or a mirrored variation of the course ("mirror" means that you take the course and flip it along an axis that runs through the center of the hole, so a dog leg right becomes a dog leg left in "mirror" mode), and which tees you want to play. In this mode, you just play for score and it is a good place to practice your techniques.

- Match Play - Match Play mode is exactly what it says, a match play match against a computer opponent. In Match Play mode, you get to choose which course you want to play, whether you want to have a 9 hole or 18 hole match and which 9 you want to play if you choose 9 holes, whether you want to play the original course or a mirrored version of it, which tees you want to play, whether a match ending at all square (tied) moves into a sudden death playoff or ends all square, and how good of a computer player you play against (beginner, average, expert). Another neat feature of Match Play mode is that you actually get to play against a computer player and watch how the computer attacks a given hole. Even though this mode takes a bit more time to play, Match Play mode is a lot of fun.

- Free Round - Free Round is where gamers will do most of their practice for the other modes. In Free Round mode, you get to choose which course you want to play, which hole on that course you want to play, which set of tees you want to play, whether you want to play the normal course or the mirrored variation, the difficulty of the pin position (easy, average, difficult), the weather condition (rainy, clear, cloudy), and the wind strength (weak, normal, strong). Free Round is a great way to play that hole that gives you many problems during a tournament or during a round with your friends. Also, I have used this mode to just practice some different swinging techniques, before using them in Championship mode.

- Championship - Championship mode has kept me up late at night and has kept me from doing things around my apartment. Basically, I am addicted to this mode. Championship mode pits you up against 39 other computer players, in a stroke play tournament setting. You start off Championship mode playing 9 hole tournament rounds and then progress into 18 hole rounds. (I'm not sure if you have tournaments which last longer than 18 holes, because I have not finished the game yet). In Championship mode, you play in tournaments to earn prize money, which allows you to go to the pro shop and buy new equipment that will improve the abilities of your player. Also, you earn prize money to bet against other player in some multiplayer formats. Another benefit of championship mode is that you unlock new courses by progressing further into tournaments. Supposedly, there are 15 different courses in True Swing Golf, but I have only unlocked 10, so I am unable to personally confirm that number. After you play through a set of tournaments (a so-called "class") if you finish in the top 3 on the money list, you'll be promoted to the next class, where the competition and the golf courses get more difficult. Championship mode is by far my favorite.

Multiplayer Modes

The Following Modes can be played if both players have a True Swing Golf game pack.

- Stroke Play - Stroke Play in the multiplayer version is exactly the same, except that you actually play with the other members of your group. You can play either a 2, 3, or 4-some.

- Match Play - Match Play in the multiplayer version pits you against another player, instead of a computer.

- Stroke Bet - Stroke Bet mode allows you to play against another player for prize money that you put up out of the prize money you have won in Championship mode. Basically, you and your opponent put up a fixed amount of "money" and play a winner-takes-all stroke play match.

- Skins Match - Skins Match allows you and the other players to play in your typical afternoon skins match. Two-tie, all tie.

If your friends do not have a True Swing Golf game pack, you can play a downloaded multiplayer version, which allows you to play either a stroke play or match play 9 hole format. Granted, you do not get to play all of the other modes, it is still gives you a taste of what you could play if you had two game packs.

Another fun characteristic of playing multiplayer is the ability to use the DS's ability to send messages to other DS consoles. So, you can send message such as "Nice putt Alice", "Don't Whiff", or "Nice Shot" to do a bit of smack talking or giving words of encouragement to your fellow players. Personally, I use it for smack talk, and there is nothing more enjoyable to remind a friend that this putt is for all the marbles, right before he jacks it!

Well, that is all for today. Check back tomorrow to read my interview with Nate Bihldorff, a localization producer for Nintendo, who took part in the production of True Swing Golf.

The Tiger report

When I come home from Dubai, we'll be gearing up for the dedication of our new Tiger Woods Learning Center on Feb. 10 in Anaheim, Ca. I can't tell you how excited I am about that. I have basically taken over the operations of our Tiger Woods Foundation and deal with that on almost a daily basis. This will be the biggest moment in our history. To have a new building like this and have all the cool things that we're going to being to offer these underserved kids, I never thought we could pull it off. Former President Bill Clinton will be on hand for the ceremony, so it should be quite a day.I've said this before, but it's true: Golf has been merely a vehicle for me to gain awareness for our foundation. What we're doing with our educational facilities and some of the philanthropic activities that we're engaged in, that's what I ultimately want to be remembered for, not hitting high draws and fades but for the people I was able to help and change their lives in a positive way.

TGB Goes Gaming: True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS (Part 2)

Yesterday, I introduced everyone to the Nintendo DS's new game, True Swing Golf, which was developed by T&E Soft.

Today, I will be begin my discussion on some of True Swing Golf's features and I will also discuss some of the Nintendo DS features the game utilizes.

Game Features
- Registering Your Character
When you first start True Swing Golf, you are asked to register your player. (As far as I can tell, you can only register one player). Your player can be either male or female and you get to choose from multiple different characters. Additionally, you get to choose whether your player is a calm player or a rowdy player. (I'm not exactly sure of the specific name choices, but in one your character acts very calm when you make a 50 foot bomb, while in the other your character does the bull dance). You also get to choose whether you want the game configured for a left-handed player or a right-handed player. Further, your character is name is the user name that is registered for the nintendo DS.
Personally, I use a left-handed, rowdy, female with blonde hair.

- Playing Tournaments to Improve Your Character
One of the best features of this game is the ability to purchase new equipment and clothing to outfit your player. When you play in tournament mode (which I will discuss tomorrow), if you finish high enough in the tournament, you receive prize money which can be used to purchase golf equipment and clothing. The golf equipment, such as clubs, balls, gloves, and shoes, all provide your character with new or improved abilities. For instance, you can purchase a new set of clubs which will allow you to hit the ball further, or you can buy a new pair of shoes, which allow you to put more spin on the ball. Unfortunately, I do not believe that purchasing clothing changes your player's ability, but it does allow you to choose between different types of shirts and colors. (Sorry Mulligan, purchasing "Tiger" Red does not mean that you'll be able to play like Tiger).

Game Play
- Swinging with the Stylus
One of the coolest features of True Swing Golf is how you make your character swing the golf club. Unlike the old, tapping of the "A" button to swing, games, True Swing Golf utilizes the dual screen technology by making players use the stylus to swing. Now, this may sound a bit difficult, but after playing the game for a couple minutes, I got the hang of it.

Basically, in order to swing the club, you draw the club back with the stylus to determine how hard of a swing you want, and then you "swing" the club by running the stylus over a ball which is located at the top of the screen. (you can also change this so you swing from left to right or right to left across the bottom screen). The quicker you run the stylus over the ball, the higher your club head speed and the farther the ball goes. (Tip: After playing the game for a good bit of time, I realized that you can start the stylus at the back of the "swing" and only push the stylus forward. It is much easier, and I do not believe that it changes your ability to make good shots.) Also, the closer you run the stylus over the center of the ball, the further the ball travels. So, the best possible shot would include a high swing speed and a center strike.

Even though, swinging of the golf club does get easier as you play the game. I have been known to whiff or shank a swing. Both features, I believe add to the enjoyment of the game.

- Dual Screens Provide Two Perspectives
Another cool feature about True Swing Golf is that the game utilizes both screens to show two different "camera" angles of the game. The top screen gives you a "TV" view of the game, while the bottom screen gives you a "birds-eye" view of the hole. Having played mostly the "old school", birds-eye view only golf games, I tend to find myself paying attention to only the bottom screen. But, when I know that I have hit a good shot, it is neat to actually watch my character perform as she would do on TV. Plus, the antics the character makes after the swing are all displayed on the top screen.

- Multiplayer Feature
Another feature of True Swing Golf is the ability to play a multiplayer game. Unfortunately, each player will need a Nintendo DS and be within a close distance of each other to use this feature, but only one game pack is needed in order to play a multiplayer game. In multiplayer mode, you are able to play stroke play, match play, or skins (as long as you've played tournament play and have earned money to bet). Another feature in multiplayer is the ability to send hand written messages to each other. So, when your opponent whiffs or shanks a shot, you can let them know how you feel, or when you stone a 5-iron, you can tell your opponent how good you are. Either way, it is a nice way to interact with each other if you are playing in an area where vocal "trash talk" is not appreciated.


Well that is all for today. Check back tomorrow, when I'll discuss the different game play modes and the features each provides.

2 for Tiger

I woke up on Sunday and flipped on The Golf Channel. Lo and behold, the Dubai Desert Classic was showing, with Ernie Els leading by 2 strokes at -18 after the 10th hole. Coming back from knee surgery, Ernie clearly was enjoying himself because he was smiling after his shots. Tiger was 2 back, but hitting a lot of errant shots. Then, I made the mistake of checking my email because yahoo had already announced the winner. Tiger had won in a playoff over Ernie, who hit a bad drive and then a bad approach into the water on the 1st playoff hole. Consider it a belated birthday gift from Ernie to Tiger. Hearing that news took away all my desire to continue watching the tournament. For his victory, Tiger took home $400,000. For showing up, Tiger took home $3 million in appearance fees.

But what if Tiger had been competing at the FBR Open? We'll never know, but it would have been fantastic to see young gun JB Holmes (who clearly had his A game, see here) going up against Tiger Woods (who only had his C game on Sunday). At least for this Sunday, my money would've been on Holmes, not Woods.

TGB Goes Gaming: True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS (Part I)

Even though I do love to play the game of golf, deep down I have always been a video game fan, a so called "gamer." I still recall many long nights spent playing a game, which I believe was simply called "Golf", on my Gameboy. I was also a big fan of PGA Tour II for the Sega Genesis. I have also been know to play a bit of the EA Sports Tiger Woods series on both the Play Station II and Xbox. However, I have still be waiting for another golf video game to play on a handheld.

In January, Nintendo released True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS. And, now that I have had the opportunity to play it, I thought that I would review it. So for the next four days, I will be posting some of my thoughts about True Swing Golf has to offer.

Today, I will be posting a brief history of T&E Soft, which developed True Swing Golf, and some comments about the Nintendo DS.
Tomorrow, (Feb. 7th), I will be blogging about the game play and how the game utilizes some of the features of the Nintendo DS.
Wednesday, (Feb. 8th), I will be blogging about the different modes of game play and how each has its own fine features.
Thursday, (Feb. 9th) and/or Friday, (Feb. 10th), I will be concluding my review with an interview with someone from Nintendo.

T&E Soft
Depending on your age, you might have grown up remembering which video gaming system touched your life. For my parents, they still talk about many late nights they spent playing Pong. Personally, the first gaming system that I remember playing for hours on end was the Super Nintendo. And, the first non-mario game I bought for the Super Nintendo was T&E Soft's True Golf Classics: Waialae Country Club. I remember playing this game for hours on end, and getting in lots of trouble, because I would leave the game running and forget to turn off the TV when I was called for dinner. Nevertheless, I was surprised when I found out that T&E Soft developed True Swing Golf for the Nintendo DS.

T&E Soft, (Japanese Website), is a Japanese developer of video games. T&E Soft, which stands for Techonology and Entertainment Software, is best known for its Golf and Puzzle titles. Some of its titles include: Waialae Country Club (Nintendo 64 and Super Nintendo), Cu-On-Pa (PlayStation and SNES), Pebble Beach Golf (3DO, Sega Genesis), and Blade & Blade: Eternal Quest (PC and PlayStation). IGN.com has this website dedicated to T&E Soft's development and publishing of titles.

Nintendo DS
The Nintendo DS system was released in November of 2004. Unlike the GameBoy predecessors, the DS has dual screens (hence the DS) which allows gamers to do many things that were impossible with other handheld gaming systems. Nintendo has done a great job with this website to provide a great overview of the features and opportunities the DS provides. But, I do want to mention that the Dual Screen techonology was utilized in the development of True Swing Golf.

Check back tomorrow, when I review the game play and use of the features of the Nintendo DS in True Swing Golf.

JB Holmes, the amazing rookie wins FBR Open

His name is John B. Holmes. Remember that name. He's a PGA tour rookie, and he may be the best one out there today. He finished No. 1 at the harrowing Q School, and now he's already won his first tourney, the FBR Open with an amazing display of 300 yard drives (even with his 3 wood). In 3 of 4 tourneys this year, he's made the cut, including a top 10 finish at Sony. This guy is super-duper long off the tee (I will avoid making any off-color jokes about his name, but thankfully the guy now goes by the initials JB).

While watching the FBR Open, I was reminded of John Daly's "hello world" performance at his first PGA Championship at Crooked Stick. JB's style is very similar: he hits a long bomb off the tee and then pulls out the sand wedge. JB was smacking sand wedge from 130 yards out. He doesn't look that big, at 5'11" and 190 pounds, but he hits the ball as far as anyone out there on tour. I really wished that Tiger had been at the FBR because I think that young guns like JB are the future of golf that Tiger's been talking about.

JB also bears some resemblance to one of my fellow co-bloggers at The Golf Blog (full profile here).

booing at golf tournaments - I love it!

Jason's already discussed the rowdy, stadium atmosphere surrounding the 16th at the TPC of Scottsdale. It's incredible, even electric. The crowd -- filled with ASU co-eds -- will boo you if you hit a bad shot on 16 or miss a putt, including a birdie putt. Poor Justin Leonard (who's climbed up the leader board) just got booed for missing a makeable birdie putt. There's no other golf tournament that I can recall where fans boo the players for bad play. I absolutely love it.

FBR Open... One of my favorites

What a great weekend for sports fans, Super Bowl on Sunday, some great college basketball games, and the FBR Open.

For the many years that I have been playing and watching golf, the FBR Open played at the TPC of Scottsdale is one of my favorite tournaments. Maybe it is the fact that they hosts of the tournament boast that it is "The Greatest Show on Grass." Or maybe it is the fact that the winner gets a trophy that resembles a thunderbird (the name of the host group) Or maybe it is the fact that the 16th hole at the TPC of Scottsdale is something that few golf courses can rival.

Other than possibly the 12th hole at Augusta or the 17th hole at the TPC of Sawgrass, the 16th hole at the TPC of Scottsdale's Stadium Course, in my opinion is the greatest par three on the PGA Tour. The hole is fairly non-descript, a 8-iron or so to a hole that is protected by 4 bunkers. However, what makes the hole is the fact that there are grandstands all around the hole. As Lindsay Butler from the Scottsdale Tribune describes in her article published today, (in which I was quoted) "The Sweet 16th has a reputation for being the rowdiest, most raucous hole in professional golf."

The TV coverage of the 16th hole also adds to its reputation. ESPN always shows highlights from the 16th, and who can forget when Tiger made an ace on the 16th in 1997. (gotta love the blue shirt with white shoes). Also, reporters and other media sources always ask the players what they think of the 16th hole, and I recall many of them saying that it is the most intimidating hole on the PGA Tour. Not because the shot is all that difficult, but because there is so much stuff going on around them and the fact that they do not want to get booed if they miss the green.

Anyways, as a golf fan and a fan of sports in general, I believe that the 16th hole of the Stadium Course at the TPC of Scottsdale, completely eliminates the barrier between the typical "golf clap" fan to the "belly-bumping", "high-fiveing" sports fan. I will certainly be watching this week and weekend for the coverage of the 16th and the FBR Open.