Golf 101

So you want to know more about golf? Here are a few things to get your knowledge on par with those that spend their time chasing that little white ball. But first, the main thing to know, is golf a game unlike any other. Each course is unique, it's a game you can play alone or in a group and unlike most sports, the lowest score wins! So when you are wondering what good is... lower is better. If you are woman reading this blog, you may also be wondering, why are some men obsessed with this game? Well, it's really the only way we men can ask one another to go on a walk in nature together.

The History

The game of golf dates back to the late 1400's. Though Scotland is credited to being the home of golf, a similar game was also played in the Netherlands during that time! The modern game continued to flourish in Great Britain during the 18th and 19th century with formation of clubs and codification of rules. Golf's home is still considered Scotland with the Old Course at St. Andrews being the designated mecca. 

There are multiple governing bodies in golf. The United States Golf Association (USGA) and Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A) set and update the games rules. The same rules are used for men, women, children, professionals, and amateurs with limited modifications based on the event. It is now estimated that 65 million people worldwide play golf! The Netherlands itself has over 400,000 golfers registered!

The Game

A full-round of golf is consisted over 18 holes, played in a set order. There is a designated starting point for each hole, the tee, and a specific end point, the hole, which is located on the green. The goal is to make it from tee to hole in the lowest amount of strokes as possible. Depending on the situation, a golfer will use a different club for each shot during the hole.

Each hole has a given par.  The par of the hole is the recommended score for the hole. Holes can be either a par 3, 4, or 5. The sum of the holes par, is the par for the course. Traditionally, a course is a par 72 consisting of ten par 4's, four par 5's, and four par 3's. However, this is not a rule and it is common to see courses with a Par 70 or 71 as well.

When a golfer does better than par on a hole i.e. takes 4 strokes on a par 5, this is a birdie. If they score more than par i.e. five strokes on a par 4, this is a bogey.

Based on scores relating to par, a handicap index (handicap) is given to the player. A player with a handicap index of 5 would generally be expected to shoot fice strokes over par on an 18 hole course. Handicaps are important as it allows players of all abilities to play against each other.  Handicaps also give you a quick idea of how good the player is. Professional golfers would have a handicap below 0.

Playing 18-holes can take over four hours. It is permissible and becoming more common for individuals to play only nine holes (about two hours). These nine-hole scores can also be used for to calculate golfers handicap.

The Professionals 

Not only do golfers enjoying playing the game, they enjoy watching others play the game! The standard format for a professional tournament is four 18 holes rounds that take place Thursday- Sunday. The golfer with the lowest score after the 72 holes is the winner. There are professional tours all over the world. The most prestigious being the PGA Tour which has the majority of its events in the United States. The DP World Tour (European Tour) is the second most prestigious tour with events traditionally held in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. No matter what tour golfers play on, they come together for four majors championships every year. Each championship has it's own personality. Similar to tennis, different styles of play are rewarded at the different championship venues. The majors are as follows:

• The Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - April 
• The most traditional tournament, same course, same weekend, invite only
• Winner receives a "Green Jacket" as a prize
• The PGA Championship- Rotating courses in United States- May 
• The least prestigious of the majors but maybe the best competition
• Only professional golfers are invited to play
• The U.S. Open- Rotating courses in United States- June
• "Golf's Toughest Test"
• Open qualifying allows any golfer to make tournament through series of events
• Held on America's best public and private courses
• The Open Championship- Rotating Courses in the United Kingdom- July
• Held on golf courses that are mainly "links" i.e. close to the sea
• The oldest and most storied major championship
• Weather is always a factor
• Only major outside on the U.S.

The best professional golfer of our generation is Tiger Woods. Though because of a series of injuries and off the course incidents, his last major championship win was in 2019. Today, golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, John Rahm and Scottie Scheffler are fan favorites and usually in contention come Sunday.

How to sound like a golfer

You now know the basics! But what are some questions to ask to make you sound like a pro? Here are some examples.

• What did you shoot today? How many birdies did you make?
• Did you win your match?
• Has your handicap been going up or down this year?
• What are the strengths in your game? What are the weaknesses?
• What is your favorite golf course? Why?
• Who is your pick to win the Open?

Golf: A Father/Son Game

(AP Photo: McIlroy's after the 2011 US Open Victory)

First of all a big congrats to Rory McIlroy! What an impressive wire to wire win in the The 111th US Open. If he had been pressed at all near the end of the day, I think he would have dropped a a lot more of those putts and could have easily flirted with 20-under. And what a great scene it was for him to be able to hug his dad after the victory. The older I get the more sentimental I get about stuff like that. Two weeks ago my dad and I played in the Pressbox Scramble/Bestball for the 10th consecuctive year. Even though we aren't as good as we used to be it was still a fun time! I owe so much to my dad and am so happy we have golf and sports to enjoy together among other things.

(Pressbox 2011)

These Things Mean Spring

My Top 10 Sports Moments of 2010

My annual list of unforgettable sports moments from the past year. This isn’t necessarily a list of the biggest events of the year, just a list of moments that I will never forget.

10. Never Ending Tennis Match
I am not a huge tennis fan but I will never forget the 22nd through the 24th of June when John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played the world’s longest tennis match. It was impossible to turn off the TV! “Isner, Mahut, Isner, Mahut” when will it end?!

9. 2010 PGA Championship

A controversial finish on the 72nd hole left Zach Johnson out of a playoff for the championship where Martin Kaymer beat the long hitting Bubba Watson for his first major championship. Tournament golf at its finest!

8. The Decision
Oh LeBron… Anybody who is reading this most likely already knows about the shenanigans that LeBron James pulled this summer. To break up with a whole city on national TV is heartless and definitely unforgettable.

7. NCAA Basketball Championship
The ultimate David vs. Goliath Story, almost, as the Butler Bulldogs nearly upset the Duke Blue Devils! I know I thought that Hayward’s shot was going in!

6. Canada/USA Olympic Hockey
Wow. You couldn’t ask for a more thrilling game in one the premier events of the Winter Olympics. Both teams really came to play on the sport’s biggest stage and then for the games star to win it in overtime, just classic.

5. Year of the Pitcher
Oh what was that? Another no hitter? Yup! There were six no-hitters, err should have been seven if Armando Gallaraga’s would have counted, including two perfect games in the 2010 MLB season. None of the games were more special though than my #2 Moment of the Year.

4. The 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach
The tournament wasn’t the most exciting but that fact of the matter is, I was there and it was beautiful. To watch the world’s best golfers up close and personal in one of the games four majors is amazing!

3. “Beat the Heat”
November 9, 2010. The day Paul Millsap brought his talents to South Beach. This was just the beginning of what has turned out to be a good season for my Utah Jazz. Make sure to watch the video clip attached to the link.

2. Unhittable Halladay
Rarely does anybody watch an entire baseball game the whole way through (especially on TV) but on this occasion, when Philadelphia Phillie Roy Halladay took the mound in the first game of the National League Division Series playoffs I don’t think I missed a pitch. It is amazing to see person do an almost perfect job at anything.

1. End of a 17 Year Drought

Anytime that something doesn’t happen for as long as time as 17 years, it is definitely going to be worth remembering. Though the Aggie football season didn’t go all according to plan I had to give the victory over arch rival BYU the top spot for the year. We absolutely handled those egotistical Cougars in their favorite sport. It definitely is nice to have some bragging rights for a while!

Alright there is my list! I hope you enjoyed it and I would love to hear your moments of the year! Happy 2011!

Some moments were close but didn’t make the cut… Boise State Football Loses to Nevada, Saints Win Super Bowl, Giants Win World Series, Utah Jazz Upset Nuggets in First Round of NBA Playoffs, Michael Vick’s Return as a star

The 2009 List

A Year of Games

It's Christmas break and I'm a little bored so I have compiled a list of all the professional and NCAA sporting events I went to this year. The links will take you to my blog posts that I wrote on the events. Check the blog next week for my Top 10 Sports Moments of 2010!

I finished the year with a 20-4 (.833) record for teams I was rooting for. I saw teams from 14 different states. I went to 7 different venues. I saw all of my favorite teams (the Phillies, the Jazz, the Aggies). I saw Tiger Woods. I saw the World Series Champion. I saw one of the most prestigious events in professional sports in the most beautiful spot in the world when I attended the 110th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. I felt the magic that is the Spectrum on a winter night. And I experienced it all with you, my family and friends. Sports wouldn't be the same if I didn't have you there to cheer and jeer with. I have been very blessed, thank you! Here is to the games and championships that we will enjoy in 2011!

Aggie Basketball

(all games attended in D.G. Smith Spectrum, Logan, UT unless otherwise noted)
Record in Games I Attended: 12-1

Jan 11 vs. Hawai'i W, 98-54
Jan 16 vs. Boise State W, 81-59
Feb 2 vs. Idaho W, 80-62
Feb 6 vs. Nevada W, 76-65
Feb 17 vs. Louisiana Tech W, 67-61
Feb 20 vs. Wichita State W, 68-58
Mar 1 vs. Fresno State W, 76-39
Mar 6 vs. New Mexico State W, 81-63
Nov 13 vs. Weber State W, 77-65
Nov 17 at BYU L, 78-72 @ Marriot Center, Provo, UT
Nov 27 vs. Northeastern W, 56-54
Dec 7 vs. Long Beach State W, 81-53
Dec 31 vs. Hawai'i W, 74-66

Aggie Football

(all games attended at Romney Stadium, Logan, UT)
Record in Games I Attended: 2-2

Sep 11 vs. Idaho State W, 38-17
Sep 18 vs. Fresno State L, 41-24
Oct 1 vs. BYU W, 31-16
Oct 23 vs. Hawai'i L, 45-7

Utah Jazz

(all games attended at Energy Solutions Arena, Salt Lake City, UT)
Record in Games I Attended: 3-1

Jan 23 vs. New Jersey W 116-83
Feb 27 vs. Houston W 133-110
Apr 23 vs. Denver W 105-93 1st Round of the NBA Playoffs
Dec 3 vs. Dallas L 81-93

Major League Baseball

Record in Games I Attended: 2-0

May 10 Philadelphia Phillies at Colorado Rockies W 9-5 @ Coors Field, Denver, CO
June 14 San Francisco Giants vs. Baltimore Orioles W 10-2 @ AT & T Park, San Francisco, CA

Other Events

Record in Games I Attended: 1-0

June 16 & 17 The 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links, Monterey, CA
Oct 31 Utah State Soccer vs. Hawai'i W, 4-0

The Open Trip Review

(The Champion, McDowell)

It doesn't feel possible that I can already be back from California and the U.S. Open already. It was quite the trip from Pocatello to San Fransisco to Pebble Beach. I've had a couple days to think about the trip and a new champion has been crowned at the Open so here are some quick thoughts about my past week.

• San Fransisco is my new favorite city. (If you haven't been there, go!)
• Pebble Beach Golf Links is the prettiest place I have ever been to.
• AT&T Park could be my new favorite ballpark.
• A little dive of a town called Moss Landing between Santa Cruz and Monterrey could have the worlds best food. Phil's Fish Market and The Whole Enchilada, both so good!
• Pebble Beach isn't quite as good as place to watch a golf tournament as Torrey Pines in San Diego is.
• The prices for concessions and merchandise is ridiculous at the Open. But I guess that's what it takes to pay the $7.5 million purse.
• It was quite neat to Tom Watson play golf in person!
• My heart goes out to Dustin Johnson who blew the big lead today in the tournament.
• It also goes out to amateur Morgan Hoffman, who plays for Oklahoma State in Stillwater, OK, who took a nine on hole 18 after hitting two balls in Stillwater Cove.
• What happened to the killer instinct of Tiger? And what happened to Ernie and Phil? The tournament was theirs for the taking.
• Congrats to Graeme McDowell! How cool is it to be the first European to win the U.S. Open in 40 years! I hope he keeps it going.. Golf needs some up and coming consistent pros.

Well that's it for now. I'm ready to go play some golf. I've still got that dream of playing in an U.S. Open someday! I think I might be able to break 100 on that course... ;)

Pictures of Pebble Beach

Just wanted to post a few of my favorite pictures from the practice round of the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. I'll put them all up on the Facebook page when I get home. Enjoy! I'd love comments.

Stillwater Cove

Miguel Jiminez

The 18th Hole

Camillo Villegas

The Family

The Signature 7th Green

Looking back from behind the 6th Fairway

Tom Watson

Leavin' for U.S. Open

Tomorrow morning, bright and early at 4 am, the fam and I will be off to the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach! Making stops in San Fransisco and other cities along the way. The 12th Green will go travel blog style as much as possible to keep you up to date with my activities on the trip. Let me know if you have any autograph or picture requests of the pro golfers. See ya in Cali!

The Best in Week in Sports

It all starts tonight, the best week in sports!

Tonight-
The Final Four
Butler vs. Michigan State & West Virginia vs. Duke
Who woulda thought it would come down to these four teams! I don't really have an overall favorite but I would love to see Butler and West Virginia in the final.

Tomorrow-
MLB Opening Day
New York Yankees at Boston Red Sox
One of the greatest and oldest rivalries in all of sports. It's the 2,065 meeting of these teams. The Yanks are defending World Series Champions.

Monday-
NCAA Championship

Thursday-Next Sunday
The Masters
"A Tradition Unlike Any Other." The years first major and the offical start of golf season. Tigers return is the biggest storyline.

All Week
NBA Playoff Race
NBA players actually playing basketball! Teams battling for position and the final sports. Hopefully the Jazz can hold on the the 2 or 3 spot in the West!

All Week
2010 MLB Season
Can't wait to watch the Phillies and their new weapons! Back to the World Series!

Nine Things I'll Remember About 2009

If you know me at all, you know that I love lists and being sentimental! The following are not necessarily the biggest sports stories of the year but more of the stories that I will remember from year 2009!

9. Six Overtimes! Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament

Quite simply a basketball fans dream; six overtimes between two rivals in a meaningful game on basketballs biggest stage at Madison Square Garden!

8. Y.E. Yang beats Tiger Woods in the PGA Championship

Y.E. Beat Tiger in the 2009 PGA Championship. Tiger appeared human for the first time here. It was the first time Tiger ever has lost a major golf tournament when leading going into the final round. Tiger was 14-0 before little known South Korean Yang beat him!

7. Highland High School Wins The Boys Golf State Championship

Twenty-seven years since my school had last won the Championship! Oh how I wish it could have happened two years prior while I was still playing. None the less it is an awesome accomplishment for my friends and former teammates!

6. February 26- Utah State Basketball vs. Hawaii

The Aggies win their first outright regular season WAC Conference Championship! Front row seats, the team cutting down the nuts, and storming the court for my first time ever!

5. Phillies Return to the World Series

My favorite baseball team back competing for the world championship! Just a few mistakes away from being back-to-back world champions and probably a little higher on this list. It was really fun to watch them throughout the season.

4. Tom Watson in the British Open

It was a missed eight-footer on the final hole of regulation that separated 59-year-old Tom Watson from golf immortality. If he had made the putt he would be the oldest person ever to win a major but old Tom missed the putt and eventually lost the four hole playoff to first time major winner, Stewart Cink. This story has inspired hope in all of us who think it may be impossible to do something, that it is possible.

3. Utah State Basketball vs. Nevada & Being Ranked

On January 29 the Aggies were in the midst of a long winning streak when they welcomed rival Nevada into Logan. The game was close until Stavon Willams did this. Quite possibly the loudest I have ever heard an arena. Period. It gave me chills, and still does! The next week, when the top 25 polls came out the Aggies were ranked and gaining respect from the nation. To me, it is one of the coolest things to see your schools name with a number beside it. I can't wait till it happens again!

2. Tiger Woods Scandal

Simply amazing on the golf course, simply a terrible person. In my last post on this topic I said I thought I could support Tiger again, once he got his life turned around. Now, after thinking about it, I'm not so sure. I am much more likely to root for a good family man such as Phil Mickelson over Tiger. Tiger did amazing things throughout the past ten years and was rightly named AP Athlete of Decade. Being such a big player, how could he not.

1. December 2- Utah State Basketball vs. BYU

Ah.. Beating our arch rival on my birthday.. Definitely something I will always remember. Winning team, losing team, winning team, losing team. In the end it was bitter sweet as this was the last win of the Aggies 37-game home winning streak. If the streak had to end I'm sure glad that this win was a part of it.