It’s an incredible u turn from the world’s number four golfer who only nine months ago handed back his US tour card after just one season stating that he was lonely living away from Ireland and that it was impacting on his game. His long term girlfriend was back home at university and hesitated that he just missed his “normal” life back with his friends and family.

All that has changed since his Open win and with the increases in expectation (and no doubt sponsorship monies) McIlroy has become golf’s new blue eyed boy. The organizers at this month’s PGA Championship to be staged at the Atlanta Athletic Club,Johns Creek, GA have been inundated with requests for member’s golf tickets for McIrory’s opening round.

Other reports that McIlroy is looking move his relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki to the next level following recent visits to her in southern France and Florida. Two plus two doesn’t always make four but his 180 degree about turn tends me to think that a new love is his life might be the clincher that seals the deal.

Of course we should not forget that the better weather does suit his game , two of McIlroys ‘s three big career wins have be secured  in America’s sunny climes with the third won in Dubai’s desert. He is still a young man and does not have the guile I believe to play all weather or Links courses yet preferring to hit straight and long in perfect weather conditions.

The last thing to bear in mind with Rory’s return is that following Tiger’s meteoric fall from grace the fans and sponsors are looking for someone to get behind , that and the PGA’s new huge networks TV contracts means that the prize and appearance money on offer is probably just too good to turn down.

McIlroy was teeing off when Tiger Woods had already begun his chase, and the rest of the field, including eventual winner Charl Schwartzel, were getting warm. He grinded his way to a 1-over after nine holes, but he was still in the hunt before a horrible tee shot at the 10^th hole led to a triple bogey. McIlroy’s tee shot went further right than anyone had ever seen, then he flew the fairway on a pitch and it was all downhill from there. But, if he could have pulled it together, McIlroy could have gotten back in the game. Unfortunately, the only thing he pulled was a tee shot on No.13 into Rae’s Creek, then McIroy was done as he slumped over his driver in frustration. He staggered into the clubhouse with an 80 with a slew of missed putts, fading away on one of the greatest Sundays in Masters history.

The thing is, McIlroy doesn’t really need to win a major this year, but he’s shown that he has the game to do it. He blew in an 80 in a wind-swept day at St. Andrews last year, but without that McIlroy would have taken the British Open, or at least gave Louis Oosthuizen a scare. But he’s still 21 years old, with plenty of time for majors, and it’s a smart bet to take Rory McIlroy to win multiple Green Jackets in the future.

The balls in question were also Christmas gifts from my 10 year old daughter Mary and had a cute little Merry Xmas Daddy logo on the front. I have not used them in the six weeks since she gave them to me but she kept asking me to try them and I had promised to use them that day. I was unsure how I would explain that by 11.40 am I had lost all three !

One on the guys in another four ball coming back down the 3^rd stopped his buggy and asked if he could help out. They was backed up behind a particularly slow older gentleman and his octogenarian brother and had five minutes to kill waiting for his shot.

He delved into his kit bag and donned a rather odd looking pair of blue tinted sunglasses and started combing the area looking for Mary’s lost ball , within seconds he found it half buried under a clump of dandy lions. He went on to explain that the glasses where coated in some special “stuff” which makes the white golf ball stand out. He said its not quite as good and looking for a fire with those thermal imaging glasses but none the less the ball literally glows and lost balls are a thing of the past. He went on to say that these Golf Ball Finder Glasses had paid for themselves ten time over in the year or so that he had had them.

If only they would improve my swing too !!

]]> http://www.2002golfclub.com/?feed=rss2&p=117 0 http://www.2002golfclub.com/?p=114 http://www.2002golfclub.com/?p=114#comments Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:06:40 +0000 admin http://www.2002golfclub.com/?p=114 Electric golf carts are used on modern day golf courses as it is much easier then carrying round a heavy golf bag. When you are playing golf on a public course you will be able to rent a golf buggy depending on how big the course is. You will be charged a fee for the this service and the earlier you play the more likely is it that they will still have them available.

Many golf club houses and private owners will opt for electric golf carts as they are quieter then gas golf carts. This is an ideal on a golf course and sometime quiet is needed when taking an important shot. Electric and gas golf carts differ in some ways but the principal of the two will be the same, to keep the golf bags in the cart. Many people will tip the golf cart as they may drive to fast around corners or the weight is not evenly spread. This is one of the drawbacks with all golf carts is that the weight has to be distributed evenly.

The electric golf cart was the first golf cart to be invented in 1951 later on came the gas golf cart. They were first designed to run on electric power as it is better for the environment as it produces less pollution. Electric golf carts tend to be slower then gas powered golf carts but will be able to reach and adequate speed on the golf course. The electric golf carts run on a battery which will need to be charged on a regular basis, in most cases after each use. If you have a old golf cart the battery life can be quite poor and in some scenarios the golf cart can cut out before the 18th hole has bee completed. To keep the battery charged up and at the maximum life expectancy it should be charging when not in use. When buying an electric golf cart for sale always make sure it comes with the correct electronic charge. You would not be able to charge you golf cart and buying a charger separately can be costly and finding the correct one can be a mission.

On the way home that afternoon I drove past the new course and I must admit it had come on in leaps and bounds since I had last seen it. The landscaping had been done, trees moved, bunkers dug and greens planted. The club house was up, although not open and the car park was being laid. I stopped and wandered around for a couple of minutes and had to agree that the place did look pretty swish.

Later that evening I searched for the clubs new website on Google and found in a jiffy and it did look impressive with a huge section about the Pro , Peter Williams and his weekly online blog as well as details of their impressive new life membership offer for the first 50 people to sign up. I have a meeting with their new membership sectary on Tuesday, just don’t tell anyone.

As luck would have it my friend Ben had a older brother that was 15 and had gotten feed up with the game and lent me his set to use. I had them for about five years before I had also outgrown that set and now it was time to buy a set of my own. This was in the seventies and club heads were still tin , the shafts were steel and the prices of golf equipment were sky high for kid taking his O levels. Once again my dad came up trumps with a pretty nice set of six month old Wilsons from down at the Golf Club. These were my first men’s clubs and I remember strutting around like a young cock in the sunshine all summer flashing off “my” new set of clubs. It was many months later I learnt that they had been donated back to the club pro by the then widow of a aged ex member called Alfred who had died earlier that spring.

Over the next 30 years I have had about four or five more sets of clubs as my game, my finances and technology has moved on. I have tried everything, bigger heads, fatter shafts, graphite this, cavity backed that in fact my wife refers to me as a complete golf equipment junkie.  But its sad to say that even after all the money I have spent and all the clubs that have passed through my hand I firmly believe I hit the ball straighter more often with Alfred’s old set of Wilson’s.

Golf at the Olympics will be something of a novelty both for golf fans and for lovers of the Olympics. The format of a typical golf tournament is not something that is often seen at the games, taking place over four days and on its own dedicated venue which cannot be used for any other sport. Nonetheless, golf now finds itself in the same position as tennis – winning all of the majors in one year is known as a Grand Slam, and adding the Olympic title makes it a Golden Grand Slam.

The chance to be the first Olympic Golf gold medallist for more than a century is sure to make the event one of the most competitive golf tournaments in history. Will it be won by a giant of the game, or allow a relative also-ran to make a name for themselves? No doubt the fans will have their favorites as will the bookies but like most events if you want to get golf betting tips you should study the form , watch as much live golf as you can and bet on the man with the coolest nerve. This gold medal match off is likley to be the biggest golf game ever and I for one cant wait..

However, many people view the clubhouse as a bastion of sexism. There are some clubs which are “Members Only” and which do not allow women to join – therefore taking a place in the mind of many as a place where the player can go to be away from the wife and kids. How true this is really depends on the player, the club, and to a certain extent the wife and kids. One thing that is in no doubt whatsoever is that without the clubhouse, golf would probably be less popular among a number of amateurs.

Taking up golf is something that many people do for the social connections and for business reasons. Many a big business deal has been sealed at the end of 18 holes over a drink in the clubhouse. Golf will retain that aspect for as long as golf, people, and business exist.

The range really does vary from the extremely studious magazines, which favor articles on the technical points of the game, to the new generation of golf magazines which put the players front and center and will ask them more about themselves. Neither type of magazine is specifically better, because your choice will inevitably depend on your own taste. It is often beneficial to buy a few different magazines in order to get the most rounded impression of the game. If there is a star player you want to emulate, then you can only be helped by knowing both about the courses they play and the way they prepare.

A subscription to a golf magazine may also make an excellent present for the amateur golfer in your life. They will be only too glad to receive a magazine which will enable them to hone their game and learn about the stars of the sport.

Joke presents are a very popular niche, and can make for the most memorable presents. Many people find that the old jokes – like the exploding golf ball – are the best, as they can be given completely straight-faced as a “little token present” and when used on the golf course or driving range will suddenly do the job they were meant to do, much to the amusement of all concerned.

Then again, there are several pieces of golf merchandise that can enable the keen golfer to get a little nostalgia or experience the greatest moments, the best courses, and the finest players in golf history. A video game, for example, lets them pit their wits against the best golfers in the world on the most testing courses of all. A DVD will let them see how the top players have managed to build their game, and can even give them some tips on how to get the best swing. Finally, a few books on golfing tips can be invaluable to someone who takes their game very seriously.