The Byron Preview, part 1 - Byron Nelson

The HP Byron Nelson Championship (http://www.hpbnc.org/) is played May 21 through May 24 at the TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas outside Dallas, TX (http://www.fourseasons.com/dallas/golf.html). The tournament is affectionately called "The Byron", and it's put on by the Salesmanship Club of Dallas (http://www.salesmanshipclub.org/). This is the first in a series of preview articles leading up to the tournament. BYRON NELSON The numbers speak for themselves, but no matter how impressive Byron Nelson's records are it's the quality of the man people talk about first. He set records as a golfer that may never be touched, and it's only appropriate that the tournament that bears his name continues to set records every year, even after his death. BEFORE THE TOUR John Byron Nelson, Jr. was born near Waxahachie, TX on February 4, 1912. Throughout his career on the course and his life afterwards he's intrinsically linked to fellow PGA Tour greats Sam Snead and fellow Texan Ben Hogan, as the three of them were born within 6 months of each other. When Byron was 11 his family moved to Fort Worth, and he proceeded to have a close call with typhoid fever. At age 12 he was baptized, and it also marked the beginning of his life in golf, as he started caddying at the Glen Garden Country Club. The fact that caddies were not officially allowed to play on the club didn't hold Byron back, as he used to sneak onto the course to play in the dark. A couple of years later the rules were relaxed a bit, and Byron defeated fellow caddy Ben Hogan in a 9-hole playoff to win the club's caddy tournament. BYRON ON TOUR Byron Nelson turned pro at age 20 in 1932, initially splitting his time between tournament play and working as a golf pro. It was the latter capacity that took him to Texarcana, TX, where he met his wife to be Louise Shofner. Byron won his first tournament in 1935, and between then and the end of his career in 1946 he won 52 professional tournaments. His first major victory was at the burgeoning Masters tournament in 1937, when he defeated Ralph Guldahl by two strokes. He also won the US Open in 1939, the PGA Championship in 1940 and 1945, and a second Masters title in 1942. 1945 stands out in Byron Nelson's career, as he won a total of 18 tournaments, including 11 in a row. Nobody has gotten close to either record since. Tiger Woods has referred to this achievement as "one of the greatest years in the history of sports". After his retirement he played very sparingly, but made several more appearences at The Masters. Byron Nelson has a long, fluid swing which many consider the predecessor of the modern golf swing. When engineers built a robot to simulate a golf swing they based it on Byron's swing, and "Iron Byron" was born. AFTER THE TOUR Byron Nelson retired in 1946 to run a ranch, which had been a goal of his throughout his golf career. "I could see the prize money going into the ranch, buying a tractor, or a cow. It gave me incentive." He also was a popular teacher and golf commentator. The Dallas based pro tour event started playing in 1956, and Byron Nelson became the first professional golfer to have a tournament named after them in 1968. Of his involvement with the tournament and the charities that benefit from it Byron Nelson has stated "This tournament is the best thing that's ever happened to me in golf. Better than winning the Masters or the U.S. Open or eleven in a row. Because it helps people." Over the years the tournament has raised over $100 million dollars for various local charities, more than any other tournament on the PGA tour. Byron Nelson died of natural causes in 2006 at age 94. After his death, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem said of Byron "Our players, young and old, looked to Byron as the consummate role model of our sport. His legacy spans across his historic performances, the gentle and dignified way he carried himself and his tremendous contributions to golf and society."

The Loudmouth Chronicles, Day 3

Another outstanding apparel selection for JD. Looks like something Robert Karlsson would wear to dress up as a medieval jester for Halloween. I think his backswing is longer than ever, which is saying something.

The Loudmouth Chronicles, Day 2

More from JD and the good people at Loudmouth Golf:

Loudmouth

Is it just me, or does it make perfect sense that John Daly wears pants from Loudmouth Golf (http://www.loudmouthgolf.com/) ?

I LOVE my new driver

I got the call from the proshop last Wednesday that my new Ping G10 driver was in. I was very excited to have it for last weekend's round. I hit a few balls with it on Friday, and it felt every bit as good as I remembered from my fitting exercise.

Played 18 at a muni in McKinney yesterday, with two of three of my usual foursome (the fourth guy had some weak excuse like taking a cab home from the bar the night before, and his girlfriend locking the keys to her car inside his car, which was still at the bar). The course is almost empty, and it's VERY windy (30-40 MPH).

I used it on all 14 long holes, and hit the fairway with half of them. When I connected it was very long. Even into the wind I would get 220-230 off the tee, and with the wind in my back I knocked one 390 straight down the gut of the fairway (my longest drive ever).

I played the Titleist ProV1x most of the time, and it really gave me a lot of pop. I tried a Pinnacle a few times, and didn't feel the same dynamic energy out of it.

We've all heard the old adage that you "Drive for show, and putt for dough", and I would probably still agree that's true. But, if you don't put the ball in play well off the tee you're putting for double-bogey, and there's very little dough in that. I was able to take 11 shots off my score from two weeks ago, and my driving was a big contributor to that.

I look forward to getting to know this club even better, and it will definitely provide a good foundation for my game going forward.

The Byron

I just got word this week that I will be getting a Press Pass to cover the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Las Colinas, TX (suburb of Dallas) for TGS (http://www.thegolfspace.com/) in about a month.

In the preceding weeks I will be preparing articles about Byron Nelson himself, a history of the tournament, and a preview of this year's tournament.

It's held at the gorgeous TPC Four Seasons course in Las Colinas (http://www.fourseasons.com/dallas/golf.html), and the tournament is organized by the Salesmanship Club in Dallas (http://www.hpbnc.org/salesmanshipclub/). Over the years this organization and the Byron Nelson Championship has raised over $100 million for charity, which puts it at the very top of PGA Tour fundraising efforts.

I'm very excited about this opportunity, and I look forward to sharing more information with you in the upcoming weeks.

Book Review - Golf on the Edge (by a fellow TGS member)

Greg Norman made headlines a few months ago when he suggested that professional golfers should take a pay cut in light of the financial crisis we're in. While it may appear inappropriate that a tournament winner will take home a million dollars for a four day tournament while thousands of people are losing jobs and savings due to a near collapse of our financial system, it's important to remember that for every millionaire on the tour there are thousands of professional golfers who struggle and fight for every single dollar and who are losing money for every tournament they play in. "Golf On The Edge" is the book about these golfers. THE AUTHOR "Golf On The Edge" was written by English sportswriter and journalist (and The Golf Space member) Ross Biddiscombe. Ross has been a journalist and writer for over 30 years, working for major daily newspapers such as The Guardian and The Independent and golf publications like Golf Monthly and Today's Golfer. He's a single-digit handicapper, a long time Tampa Bay Bucs fan and marathon runner. THE BOOK "Golf On The Edge" chronicles one year in the life of seven golfers as they're preparing to play in the European Q-school at the end of the year. The seven candidates approach Q-school from very diverse backgrounds, from having struggled on the tour last year and having to qualify to being a long time PGA Professional who decides to pursue the dream of a PGA card. Some are young, some are old. Some have been at the top and have fallen down and some have no idea what it takes to bridge the gap between missing the cut and taking a cut out of the winners' purse. Each chapter in the book covers one month in the lives of the seven players, and it provides an intimate and honest view into the lives of the players who don't have the big endorsement contracts and who are covered in the big golf magazines. They're on the edge of making it, on the edge of making their finances go around, and on the edge of making it big, but they're also on the edge of sanity and on the edge of risking everything in the pursuit of their dream. The mental aspects of these golfers' quest for a tour card is discussed in excruciating detail, and the helplessness they feel when things go against them is covered in painful candor. How do you tell your wife, who's been supporting your pursuit of the dream for four years, that you want to try it one more year, and that this year it will be different? How do you tell your parents, or your sponsors, or your girlfriend, to get into a hole with you with no guarantees whatsoever that you will be able to get out? The book concludes with a detailed review of how the players do at Q-School, and it's an interesting look deep inside the incredible pressure involved in this tournament. Many would argue that the pressure of winning a tournament when you already have your own jet is nothing compared to the pressure of Q-school, where the losers return home with less than nothing, an little more than a job laying tiles waiting for them. CONCLUSION: BIRDIE Ross' writing is eloquent, and his research effort very thorough. The seven stories are told in a very personal manner, and it's clear the author invested a lot of passion and hope into his subjects. From his voluminous experience he's able to convey all the different facets of success and failure, hope and despair, that go into these golfers' journey. Although the book covers European golfers and venues this will in no way deter you from enjoying the book if you're not familiar with this environment. The core of the book is in the personal stories of these aspiring golfers. For further information, please see the Pleasant City Press web site or contact Ross directly on TGS (http://www.thegolfspace.com/rossbidd).

Pro Tour Review - 4/20/09

The following is a Tour Review I wrote for JT Munson's local newsletters in the Kansas City and Chicago area. See http://jtmunson.googlepages.com/jtmgolflines for more information about his publications, or contact JT directly at jtmunson@gmail.com.

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There was some great golf on display in this past month, including a couple of very closely contested majors and another ho-hum 72:nd green victory by you-know-who. Arnie usually draws a very high caliber field to his Invitational at Bay Hill, and this year was no different. Sean O'Hair opened up with a 67, 65 and 71 to allow himself to go into Sunday with a five-stroke lead over his playing partner Tiger Woods. The talented youngster seemed out of sorts on Sunday, with three bogeys and one birdie on the first 10 holes. Meanwhile Tiger was two under for the same stretch, and had already gained four shots on O'Hair. After a few twists and turns on the back nine they came to 18 tied for the lead. With light fading quickly Tiger holed a 15-footer for birdie, and the fist-pump was on. O'Hair parred the hole to take second place. The Houston Open drew unusually good competition, for being held the week before the Masters. The organizers were promoting the course as "Augusta Prep", having configured the greens and rough to simulate Masters conditions as much as possible. As it turns out, the Wind was the most dominant factor of the week, with play having to be suspended on Thursday and the tournament struggling to catch up the rest of the weekend. Englishman Paul Casey defeated JB Holmes in a playoff, and with the win he rose to #6 in the world rankings. Then it was time to head for Magnolia Lane, and one of the most anticipated Masters in years. How would Tiger do in his fourth tournament back after major knee surgery? Would two-time winners Ogilvy and Mickelson continue their hot play? Would Harrington win a third straight major (Oddly referred to as the "Paddy Slam")? Would the roars return to Augusta, with the course as long as ever but this week blessed by warm and dry weather? Any questions about whether good scores could be had were answered quickly on Thursday. Texan Chad Campbell opened with a new record five straight birdies on his way to a 65, as 19 players shot in the sixties. Friday belonged to Anthony Kim, who recovered from a disappointing 75 in his debut round at Augusta with a 65 of his own, including a record 11 birdies. Windy conditions brought the scores up a bit on Saturday, with five players shooting 68 as the day's low score. Notable players who missed the cut were Couples, Els, Scott, Cink, Karlsson, Norman, Leonard, Weekley, and Zach Johnson. Tiger ground out rounds of 70, 72, and 70 to be at four under par. After three rounds Kenny Perry and Angel Cabrera were tied for the lead at 11 under. The roars started early on Sunday, as Phil and Tiger were paired together several groups ahead of the leaders, drawing huge crowds throughout the entire round. Phil lit up the front nine with a 30 that included some very sharp iron play. Tiger wasn't far behind with an eagle on 8 and a 33. The leaders started steady, and at this point Phil was only one shot behind the lead. Phil's back nine played out very anti-climactically with a 37 that included a double-bogey on 12 and missed short putts for eagle and birdie on 15 and 17. Tiger birdied 13, 15, and 16, but fell off the leaderboard for good with bogeys on 17 and 18. As the leaders walked up 17 Kenny Perry were two shots ahead of Cabrera and Campbell for the lead. It seemed the moment got to Perry as Phil and Tiger's crowds swelled back to follow the leaders, and Perry bogeys the last two holes. With two sets of pars, Campbell and Cabrera put themselves in position for the three-player playoff. Campbell hit a poor iron shot from the fairway as they replayed 18 for the first playoff hole, and he dropped off with a bogey as Perry and Cabrera took their pars to the 10:th hole. Two drives found the fairway, but while Perry's second was pushed far left of the green Cabrera stuck a sharp iron below the hole. Perry fails to get up and down from his tough lie, and Angel Cabrera comfortably two-putts to win his second major title. On the LPGA tour Pat Hurst won the MasterCard Classic and Karrie Webb won the highly regarded Phoenix LPGA International before they headed for their first major of the year, the Kraft Nabisco Championship at Mission Hills CC in Rancho Mirage, California. Brittany Lincicome shot a 66 in the first round, and handfuls of players broke 70 in the first three rounds. The final pairing on Sunday included Linciome along with Christie Kerr and Kristy McPherson. It was a rollercoaster round for all three of them, but as they stepped onto the 18:th tee McPherson led by one over Kerr and Lincicome. Brittany bombed her drive almost 300 yards, and after her partners laid up on the daring par 5 she struck a hybrid 210 yards over water and onto the green in two. Kerr one-putted for birdie, and McPherson tapped in for par before Brittany Lincicome finished them both off by holing her eagle putt. Lorena Ochoa was one shot back at the MasterCard and continued to play well but not great and finished T15 in Phoenix and T12 at Kraft. Michelle Wie barely made the cut in both tournaments she played in, finishing T57 in Phoenix and T67 at Kraft after two 71s and two 81s. The European Tour took a break for the Masters, and many of the top players played in the US around the first major of the year. Dane Soren Kjeldson won the Open de Andalucia in Spain, and Michael Hoey won the Estoril Open de Portugal. The next month includes the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, and the beginning of the revamped Texas Swing with the Texas Open in San Antonio and the Byron Nelson Championship outside Dallas. The LPGA plays the Corona Morelia Championship in Mexico before heading to the North-East with tournaments in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York. The European Tour includes Open tournaments in Spain, Italy, and Ireland before the prestigious European PGA Championship at Wentworth in England.

Underrated Tournament - Heritage at Hilton Head

I don't know about you, but I think this week's PGA Tour stop is highly underrated. It's in as gorgeous locale as any stop throughout the year, the weather is usually perfect, and the course is very unique. And there's a friggin' lighthouse at the end of the 18:th hole, how cool is that?

The course has one of the longest set of par 3 holes anywhere, ranging from 185 to 200 yards. There's water in play on 12 holes, and several of the doglegs require a creatively tactical approach where precise control is far more significant than raw power. Unless you have claustrophobic tendencies the course looks great. It's the kind of a place that if nobody visited for two years you wouldn't be able to find it again, because the growth all around it is so dense. My wife travels to South Carolina on business fairly regularly, and she reports a definite sense of semi-claustrophobic unease due to the vines and crawling vegetation that appears to be covering every bare surface. On some holes it looks as if the fairway is going in a canopy under the towering trees on either side. I think Luke Skywalker had more daylight in the cave in "The Empire Strikes Back". On other holes it looks like they started with a swamp, threw down some vertical boards and walls, and dug up on one side of the wall and built up on the other side to form a fairway or green. The overall appearance is very dramatic, and it's a good thing the weather usually cooperates. If they got a dark rainy day they'd have to cancel play due to a shortage of light ... in the middle of the day.

My date with the fitter

Spent some time with Dave The Club Guru at my range today (DA's Spring Creek Golf, http://www.dasspringcreekgolf.com/scg/scgv2/home.html). He took some measurements, put me in front of a sensor, and had me start hitting shots with various clubs. I'm in the market for a new driver, and I've been test-hitting some of the big sellers here over the past couple of weeks. He first determined that my swing speed is about 105 MPH with a 6-iron, which would put me in the "stiff" shaft range. My favorite driver of the ones I've tried was the Ping G10, and I've also heard very good things about it both on line and in talking to the guys at the shop. Having played Ping Eye II irons for over 25 years this is obviously a company I have a lot of faith in. I started out with a 9 degree club with the standard stiff shaft, and I hit a couple of decent shots, but Dave didn't like the ball flight I was getting with it. He switched me to the 10.5 degree, and stuck a stiff Grafalloy Prolaunch Red shaft on it. Allegedly this shaft has less whip in the bottom of it, which would give me more consistent hits. This combination felt and looked great, and the computer agreed. It put me at a launch angle of 14 degrees, and a spin rate of about 2,700, which I guess is the look you're going for. Dave then found me a grip that's appropriate for my hands (which isn't easy), and it turns out the orange Ping grip (+ 1/16") is what I need. He said that having a correct grip will also help me be a little less wristy. He said the Ping drivers already come with a pretty long shaft, but he was going to have it taken up to 46 inches to allow for my height. All in all Dave did a great job for me. I ordered the club right there, and all the customizations he specified were part of the standard price, and the fitting was free. His analysis was part art and part science, in part based on him just watching me hit and watching the ball flight, and in part relying on the instruments. Given that the service was free and the adjustments we came up with were all included I never felt like he was trying to over-engineer my requirements. Now for the tough part ... waiting for my new driver to come in.