Ryder Cup

The European's Ryder Cup defence has not met with expectation that we had hoped for at the moment. The visitors are currently in second-place, led by the the Spaniard Olazábal, surging ahead is the neighbours across the pond, Team USA.

Of course, the competition is still only two days old and on Sunday positions are likely to shift more dramatically than Woods replicating the Karma Sutra with a gaggle of ho's. It’d take a brave man to bet on US to take away the trophy, although the Yanks are looking good.

One golfer worth particular focus this weekend has been the very inconsistent Tiger Woods. Tiger was dropped for the morning session on Saturday and he probably should have sat out the afternoon game too. Steve Stricker, Tiger's playing partner, got fed up saying "It's still your turn". 

So what’s happened to Europe? Mcllroy has wowed everyone with his skills, determination, relentless talent in recent months. The lad from Northern Ireland, current World Number One, was tipped to lead the charge to retain the cup. This has not materialised in the team games, but Rory has been blitzing the competition in most tournaments as an individual so I expect him come good on the final day. 

So who do the Europeans have to look up too? Well whoever is organising those sky writings of course. 

Well what do have to look forward to on Sunday? The weather looks very promising in Chicago. There is a chance of gale force winds coming from a hoard of Yanks screaming "Get in the hole!" after every shot, including a tee shot on a par 5.

There will be tremors first thing as the Americans rock up in their SUV's, RV's and pick-up trucks. More tremors expected later on as they amble down the fairway.

 

The current score is 10 - 6 in favour of the Americans. It is not an impossible task, but the hosts have a tight hold of the cup. The Europeans need to dig deep and find that fighting spirit that drove the pilgrims out of their homelands in the seventeen hundreds. Actually that's probably a bad analogy has that resulted in fighting between the Europeans after the English gave the Americans blankets riddled with Small Pox. Maybe we could hand out caps laced with the pox. 

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Ryder Cup Hype

So the Ryder Cup is now upon us and it is the most eagerly anticipated one since the infamous celebration of 1999.

I most admit I wasn't watching the Americans storm the green in 1999. I wasn't even interested in golf then. I wasn't interested in the Ryder Cup until 2010. That was when I was bitten.

For the Celtic Manor competition I was in Spain taking part in a low budget Ryder Cup tourny. We had formed two teams but both declared to be the Europeans. No one wanted to play the part of the Yanks.

After the golf we would find a pub and sit down to watch the rivalry in Wales. That is my first memory of a Ryder Cup

Why is the Ryder Cup so attractive to watch? Well my guess is because it is a team event. Like football, rugby and cricket. The whole nation gets behind the team to cheer on the lads.

In a normal golf tournament you wound support the local lad. Maybe pick one golfer or two to cheer on through the comp. But the support is for an individual taking on hundreds of other individuals. The Ryder Cup is picking a side, good versus evil. Europe versus America.

Also another factor is the passion that the players have. They want to win together. They will support and cheer on their teammates. And because of their determination and devotion you want to share in the ecstasy of the moment.

This is my second Ryder Cup and I cannot wait for it to begin. For Friday I have BBC Radio 5 Live preset on the radio in the car. My iPad will be tucked into my drawer in work. The link for updates will be constantly being refreshed come the first tee off. I'm more excited about this than of Transfer Deadline Day.

So come on Europe!!!

Mersey Valley GC

Situated on a former farmers field just off the A57, Warrington Road, lies Mersey Valley GC. For more a century this track was a ploughed field which is why there are "no hills or gradients". The website says this makes the course attractive for all ages and abilities and indeed it is, the steepest slope is the ramp to get up the kerb in the car park.

In the seventeen years of operating the course has matured and the trees are established. All of the fairways are flanked with trees, most of them are wide and relieving, but there are a couple of narrow, testing fairways requiring an accurate drive. 

On the day I played the first two fairways were boggy, but not surprising after the downpour the night before. All of the greens are large and were in pristine condition. Water comes into play on several holes in form of lakes and ditches. 

Mersey Valley was designed and constructed by the St Mellion Leisure arm of St Mellion International, home of the Jack Nicklaus course in Cornwall. The designer must have had an off day in the office as a couple of the holes are a bit samey, but by no means boring. In fact everyone in our party enjoyed the course. This par-72 is a terrific course and a good test. I would like to play again in the height of summer as with firmer fairways I believe I could reach a few greens from the tee, maybe even on a couple of the par 4's. 

Three of the holes are dog legs. The 12th had a right bend to the hole, my drive was tight to the bend, the second shot caused me to sprint left to keep an eye on the ball.  Fortunately there is a lot of space around most of the greens to slice into. This course is very forgiving at times.  

The clubhouse is of timber construction and blends nicely with its surroundings. The club office is a port-a-cabin which stuck me as bit odd. There isn't much stock to peruse before tee off but the spikes bar is a nice setting to examine your scorecard and to relive your flop shot.

 

The staff are extremely friendly and helpful. I made a list of demands with vouchers and offers and the staff were very accommodating. The food was splendid and the bar is well stocked. If you don't like the clubhouse then there is The Griffin pub just down the winding drive. The entrance to the course is difficult to spot, the signage isn't great but if you are heading from the M62 then the drive is about 50 yards past The Griffin. 

A truly fantastic day out and well worth the visit. For more information go to http://www.merseyvalleygolfandcountryclub.co.uk/

Course: Par-72, 6,300 yards. Location: just outside of Warrington, on A57. Green Fees: Mon-Fri £18. Sat-Sun £22. Twilight: offers on golf and supper from £15. Tel: 0151 424 6060. Rating: 3

 

  

Battle Of The Sexes

This weekend Laura Davis said to reporters "It's always about the men and then the women come second". Well maybe she just hasn't found the right man or she's doing it wrong. 

Hang on, I've just re-read the article and Davis was in fact talking about TV coverage of women's sport. 

It's a battle that had been raging on since the beginning of time. No not England v Scotland, or England v the French, or the Germans, or anyone else (what have the English done to piss so many off?). 

No I'm referring to the battle of the sexes. (probably gave that way with the title of this post). 

Laura Davis was asked by an American journalist if the attention of women's sport would increase on the back of the success of the Olympics and the achievements women had. 

I think that the men's purses and the TV packages are far larger than the women's. I think it is unfair but I don't see this ever changing. However, there is one solution I can think of that could address this imbalance. 

In Tennis men and women compete on the same day, not for the same trophy, but if have a ticket for centre court during Wimbledon then chances are you will get too see a women's game and a man's. 

Couldn't there be a tournament where men and women compete at the same time (I haven't done any research, I'm writing this on the toilet while I should be working so I'm not sure if a competition like this already exists). 

They don't have to use the same tees, the ladies could still hit off from the reds. But both sexes could play the same course, to the same pins on the same day with the same audience and have different prizes for each sex. This could raise the profile of the women's game and get more people interested. 

Another solution could be to include team events that include fellas and lady's. Mixed sexed foursome or four ball comps (then there would four balls per team) could work. Or introduce a quota of women into the Ryder Cup teams (has Jiyai Shin got a Scottish or Norwegian grandfather?). 

There are more ways to increase attention for women's golf but the leading organisations and the pros need to be fully committed. If events like those suggested were held and the media companies show these then I'm sure the audience and viewers will watch. 

Golf Burn News

Golf Burn reporting the golf news you may not have seen this week.

Colin Montgomery withdrew himself from the BMW Italian Open due to a calf injury he pulled earlier in the month. It is not known exactly how the 49-year old's injury came about, the most likely theory is due to the scots quick turn of pace contacting his divorce lawyer. Montgomery could only manage nine holes and was in obvious pain from a bunker shot on the second. I have also had a whimper or two in a bunker, but not through injury. 

No one likes to see a fellow golfer sidelined and we wish Colin a speedy recovery as he swaps the dinner table for the physio's table. 

In other news this week, Valderrama announced this week that they will be taking bookings for dates booked between 18 - 21 October. The news comes to light after the European Tour confirmed the cancelation of the 2012 Andulica Masters due to take place at the Sotogrande course. 

The event was called off due the escalating financial difficulties Spain are going through at the moment. It is hoped that the competition will return in 2013 as the Oktoberfest Open as Germany renew their bid to take over Europe. 

And finally.  This has been a tough weekend for those competing in the Ladies British Open at Royal Liverpool. The women have had to contend with howling winds as Laura Davies made her visits to the breakfast buffet. 

FootJoy says “the hail with the weather”

A storm is brewing in among the golfing clothing world. The bods at FootJoy have diversified and turned their attention from merely making golfing clothing, to now predicting the weather. No they haven’t employed Michael Fish. FootJoy have created the website, http://www.footjoy.com/WeatherExpert/ and they have teamed up with AccuWeather, a leading weather forecaster as data providers. AccueWeather has been predicted the weather for many years and is considered the market leader, it blows away the competition.

 

The website doesn’t stop at informing you of the weather, oh no. It also advises you the best FootJoy apparel  one should wear on that day. Simply enter the postcode of the golf track you are playing, the FJ Weather Expert will show you the forecast and will list the appropriate FootJoy gear to wear.

 

"The thinking behind the FJ Weather Expert was to create a portal where our loyal following of FJ enthusiasts could make sure they were never caught out on the golf course with inappropriate clothing, footwear, gloves and accessories," said Russell Lawes, FootJoy's European Marketing Manager.

 

I must admit, the weather forecast is amazingly accurate and lighting fast. There are over two million locations to choose from.  From Augusta to St Ives, as long as there is a golf course there, you now know what to wear.

 

I have been using the website in conjunction with the Weatherfor Golf app on my smartphone, I have also crossed checked the information gathered with sticking my head out the window, and I can categorically confirm that they are correct most of the time. Some might say, a mixed bag.

 

All that is missing from the website is the lovely Laura Tobin to provide the weather for you. Maybe that is something for FJ to consider in the future.

The exquisite Laura Tobin