rickyleepotts…an opinionated realist

The 92^nd PGA Championship is now in the books. The event took place at Whistling Straits located on Lake Michigan in Haven, Wisconsin. The field featured some of the best players in the world for the last major of the season.

Highlighted were players like Phil Mickelson who is well on his way to becoming the world’s number one ranked player and Tiger Woods who is fresh off a devastating finish at the WGC-Bridgestone the previous week. Both these players, and many more, were featured throughout the week and into the weekend as the PGA handed over another Wanamaker trophy.

The trophy went to Martin Kaymer, a twenty-five-year-old from Germany. He played some great golf and managed to get himself into a playoff with long-ball hitter Bubba Watson. But when Dustin Johnson came to the 18^th tee, he had a one shot lead heading the pack at twelve under par. An arrant tee shot, landing some twenty yards right of the fairway, would later lead to a bogey finish. This would put him into a playoff with Kaymer and Watson.

Whistling Straits, designed by Alive and Pete Dye, features over 1,200 bunkers. Because of this the PGA had made sure all players and rules officials were aware of the rules of golf in regards to bunkers. If you play golf then you know there are a few rules you must follow. One of the most basic things to remember is you are not allowed to ground your club until you hit the golf ball. If you ground your club before in a bunker it is a two shot penalty. Most golfers know this, especially PGA Tour players.

On 18, when Dustin Johnson his hit tee shot way right, he would just be lucky to find the ball, let alone get a good lie. Where he hit spectators and sure enough surrounded the ball, he had a good lie. His ball ended up in a section of the course that has been trampled down by spectators all week long. The ball was sitting up and he had a shot at the green.

Dustin grabbed a club from his bag, took his stance, and grounded his club. The video shows that as soon as he grounded his club he backed off and made notice to a shadow that was affecting his thought process. He carried on and managed to hit the shot up by the green. From there he would fail to get up and down and would be forced into a playoff with the other two competitors.

Before they could even tee off, someone called his attention back to the area in which he had hit his second shot. Dustin was in a bunker. One of the many bunkers on the course, and one that had been walked in all week from onlookers trying to get a good view of the action on the course. Eventually he would suffer a two shot penalty and end up finishing in a tie for fifth place.

All day I have been hearing about this incident. Even yesterday, after they called attention to the rules violation, more attention went to Dustin than did the winner of the championship. Dustin was upset and all of the media attention went to the locker room just trying to get a piece of his story.

What bothers me is he broke a rule. Golf is one of the greatest games on earth and has a rulebook as thick as a phone book. But just the same, he broke a rule. Golf is based on tradition and the rules of golf are held very close to those players who take the game seriously. While I take the game of golf seriously, I break some rules from time to time. But I am not a professional athlete playing on the PGA Tour with a one shot lead going into the final hole of a major championship.

You might remember Dustin having thrown away the US Open at Pebble Beach earlier this year. He went into the final round with a huge lead and managed to just throw it away one shot at a time. Dustin is only twenty-six years old, so perhaps this is just another lesson well learned, but at the end of the day he broke a rule.

Dustin never once argued the violation, it was eventually left up to the rules committee. But you could tell by the way he approached the media he did not agree with the final call. I will give him credit that the area where his ball finished looked more like a waste area than a sand trap. You are allowed to ground your club in a waste area. But playing on a course with over 1,200 bunkers he might have thought to ask if he could ground his club before just assuming he was in a waste area.

I will stand by the rules of golf and by this decision. He broke a rule and had to suffer the consequences. There is no reason to keep talking about his mistake. How about we pay attention to the man that had the lowest score at the end of the week? Martin Kaymer is whom we need to be focused on here. Let’s all give a round of applause to Martin Kaymer, the winner of this year’s PGA Championship.

Did you see the tournament this past weekend? What did you think of the ruling? Was it a fair decision or was Dustin robbed of another shot at a major victory?

I have been playing golf for as long as I can remember. I started playing golf when I was little, and kept improving the closer I got to high school. Then, when faced with the decision to play baseball or golf, I chose golf. I went to tryouts, did well, and ended up playing four years of varsity golf at Northview High School in Brazil, Indiana.

I ended up playing quite well through my years in high school, and when it came time to choose a college, I picked based on golf. I went to Marian College, now Marian University, and hated every second of it. Sure, I had some good memories there, met some good people and made some lifelong friends. But I hated the golf program. I hated the way the coach handled practice sessions, and basically ended up hating the entire way collegiate golf was run.

I left Marian and went to IUPUI to study engineering at the Purdue School of Engineering and Technology\. I tried to walk onto the team at IUPUI, but after about a half an hour of watching these guys hit balls I knew that college golf was not for me. I accepted this decision, quit the team, and ended up working at a practice facility for the next two years, working on my game the entire time.

I actually got down to a 1 handicap. For those of you who do not know what a handicap is in golf, or how one is calculated, basically I mean that I average one strike over par on any given course on any given day. To show you the different between me, and say Tiger Woods, he caries a +6 handicap on average. That means he shoots six shots under par every time he tees it up. That is a huge difference when you are talking strokes. Especially considering the courses he plays.

Playing golf has taught me a ton about patience. From missed shots off the tee to missed greens from the fairway or rough, golf can be a very aggravating sport. Some people play golf to relax and get out of the house. And while it does that for me too, it can still be quite the nerve-wracking experience.

Part of what makes my golf game so consistent is my preshot routine. Every player on tour, even amateur players, will tell you that this is the most important part of your golf game. Having a solid preshot routine will allow you something to focus on, something to back off and get your head on straight when flustered, and something to keep you sane when  you’re having a bad golf day.

My preshot routine started when I was in high school.  I played for years without one and then one day, while watching the Golf Channel, I saw a special about them. I decided to go out into the yard right then and there, and develop a preshot routine.

Driver

My preshot routine is different for nearly every club in my bag. Allow me to break this down into my driver, my irons, my wedges, and my putter. Let’s start with the driver.

When I grab the big dog out of the bag and stand on the tee looking at my shot, I usually am looking right down the middle. I have the tendency to hit the ball very straight from the tee. Don’t ask me why, but I hit the ball straight. Now, I never said I hit it far. if you look at guys on the PGA Tour, they are hitting the ball three hundred yards or more off the tee time and time again. I might hit the ball two hundred and eighty or ninety on a good day. But again, I am hitting fairways. I actually, through my four years of school, led the team in fairways hit and greens hit in regulation. Apparently, hitting the fairway means you hit a lot of greens.

With the driver in my hand, I look down the middle of the fairway and picture the drive in my head. I see the ball leaving the tee box and I see where it lands, how it bounces, and where it ends up. With that in mind, I look left and right and decide where, if I mis-hit it, where I want it to go. Recently I played a golf course up in Roscommon, Michigan. I had no choice. Hit it in the fairway or chop out of the trees. It was a very tight and strict golf course.

After picturing the ball flight, I take two smooth and full swings parallel to the ball. Not sure why I do it this way, but I just want to get a feel for my swing. I check where my hands are and where I am leading with my hips. Then I step up to the ball. I actually stand behind it to get a good placement in my stance. Once I do that, I grab the club and line it up on the line I had just envisioned in my head.

Then, I take a couple of waggles, look down the line, repeat, and am ready to swing. Once I take the club back, a million things run through my head. I worry about not making contact, about hitting it right, about hitting it left, or missing the ball all together. Lucky enough for me, I usually hit it. Not always in the fairway, but I always hit it.

Irons

Long irons are the same as my mid and short irons, and it is a similar pattern as on the tee. Let’s say that I hit the ball down the middle and I have about one hundred and sixty yards into the green. I grab my seven iron. I do the same by taking the two smooth and consistent swings, then I think out loud where the ball will go. I say, “Left to right ten yards.” I say that, spin the club in my hands, and repeat the same pattern of ball positioning and line of sight. I take only one look now, and focus on making solid contact and taking a heavy and solid divot.

After I hit my irons, I worry more about my follow-through than anything. I have to make sure I get through the ball, that I make solid contact with the ball and the ground, and that I picked the right club. You might hear me yell, “Be the right club…” or “Get down ball, get down!”

Wedges

Anytime I have a wedge in my hand, it means I missed the green. Or, I have hit a huge tee ball. But most of the time, it is because I missed the green. So, on the way to the hole (I always walk, I hate to ride) I am thinking about the green, the way the green slopes, and the possible position my ball is in. With golf, a lot of things can come into play. You can have greens sloping away from you, tons of green to work with, or no green to work with at all. It all depends on where you miss.

Now, I said earlier that I think about where my miss will come while on the tee. I hardly ever think about that with my second shot. I guess I just assume that I am going to hit the green. But when I don’t, that leaves it in the hands of my fifty-six degree wedge, or my sixty degree sand wedge. More than likely I will hit the fifty-six, but that is just a personal choice.

I will take an almost immediate stance, because I have been thinking about this show all the way to the ball. When I think about it, I just want to see what happens next. So I step up, stand behind the ball, and take three practice swings exactly the power and speed I want to hit the shot. If I can perfect that one of the three times, making perfect contact with the ground and the grass, then chances are I will hit a decent shot from the rough or the fringe.

Once I hit the shot, I watch and hope for it to check, to roll out, or to just go in the hole. I have been known for having pretty soft hands around the greens. That means that I have a lot of touch and can hit a ton of great short shots close.

Putter

Oh boy, the putter. This is the worst club in my bag. I wish I could make putts. I have incredible judge of speed, don’t get me wrong. I can get the ball there, and get it close, but it rarely goes in. Even when I was paying with the head professional up at Forest Dunes Golf Club in Michigan, he nearly raved on my speed. I had never played the course before, and I didn’t even get the chance to make some putts on the practice green before we went out and played. The first putt, a thirty-five footer, I left within inches. I didn’t make a birdie all day.

When I have a putt, whether short or long, I walk around it. I look at all the options and take in all the chances of where it might break. Depending on fast the greens are, and how smooth they are, I will stand behind it and line it up from the stereotypical catcher’s position behind the ball. Then I bring out the plum bob. Yep, I use the age-old technique of the plumb bob. The concept behind this is to stand half of the distance back behind the ball as it is to the hole. You then hold the putter up at eye level, leaving the tip of the putter on the top of the ball. Then, close your dominant eye. This shows you the break of the green from left to right. Does it work? Who knows? Must not, given the way I putt.

As you can see, a lot goes into making a single swing on the golf course. This does not take into consideration balance, swing speed, wind, hip rotations, or any one of the other million thoughts going through my head on the golf course. They say golf is easy, just put a little ball in the hole. I dare you try it and tell me its easy. It might be the hardest sport in the world to learn how to play by the rules and to be competitive in. I have been playing my whole life, and there are tons of guys out there better than me.

Golf is a game that we can play forever. Some of the best golfers in the world are older and retired. It is a great way to get some exercise, and there are literally courses everywhere. From the hills of northern Michigan to the deserts of Arizona, there are courses around every corner. I just hope this gives you a better idea on implementing a preshot routine and shows you a little bit more about my swing. Golf is tough, there’s no doubt about it. Fore!

Growing up my sport of choice was always baseball. I played in summer leagues and grew up thinking I would play in high school, college, and possibly even the major leagues. However, when getting close to starting my freshman year, I discovered golf. I was instantly hooked. I had a set of clubs when I was little, but there was just something about the game that pulled me in. From the time spent outside with Mother Nature to the competition factor, I knew that golf was going to be my new addiction.

That addiction has carried over into an absolute love for the game and a passion for playing as many courses as I can. Similar to how I dislike drinking the same bottle of wine twice, I hate playing the same golf course twice. I want to get out there, experience as much as I can, and play as many tracks as possible. Not to mention the places I get to see and the cities I get to visit along the way. The travel portion of a golf trip is just about as exciting as playing.

This summer I decided to take a trip north. We went way north, all the way to Roscommon, Michigan. From Indianapolis it was about a seven hour drive. And trust me, it was a boring seven hours. Through Indiana you get pretty much cornfields and gas stations. When you hit Michigan, the terrain gets a little nicer, but rather than cornfields you get forests and lakes. Still a pretty boring drive. And we made most of ours at night, so it didn’t really matter much anyway.

When we got to Roscommon, and lost cell phone service for the next four days, I knew we were in the middle of nowhere. Upon our extremely late arrival, I was forced to pick up a late check-in package at the clubhouse. Sheryl Hugill and I were at Forest Dunes Golf Club. Here we would spend the next four days relaxing, playing golf, drinking various microbrews in the clubhouse bar, and chatting with two people who would soon become good friends of ours. Welcome to Forest Dunes.

Where is Forest Dunes?

Forest Dunes Golf Club is located in northern Michigan in the small town of Roscommon. Here in Roscommon there is not much to do. Well, besides golf. But in Roscommon you are reminded of the great American Midwest town. There are a handful of stores, most of them locally owned, a few gas stations, and a bunch of hole-in-the-wall bars and restaurants.

One day, looking for a place to grab some lunch, we did manage to make it into town to experience one of these holes in the wall. We ended up at Fred’s of Roscommon. This place was neat, actually, as it was a restaurant, bar, and bowling alley all wrapped into one. After ordering a couple lunch specials, we took some time to pet the huge buffalo head hanging on the wall and grab a view of the parade going on outside. It was the 4^th of July weekend after all.

If you are coming from the south, prepare for a long and boring ride. You can take interstate 69 all the way up until you reach 127, which will take you pretty much into Roscommon. It’s not that the city is hard to find necessarily, it’s just literally in the middle of nowhere. When we left 3G cell phone service, I got scared. But when we lost cell phone service all together I was even more frightened. We ended up going three days straight with no cell phone service. The only thing that kept us sane was the Wi-Fi offered in the clubhouse.

What is Forest Dunes?

A great experience, that is what Forest Dunes is. Imagine looking from an aerial view of the Huron National Forest. Look down, and all you see is trees, trees, and more trees. Now imagine that a golf course was just picked out of the middle of the forest. There you have Forest Dunes.

The highlight of Forest Dunes is the golf course. The course was designed by Tom Weiskopf. Tom used to play on the PGA Tour, but has made quite a name for himself designing golf courses. Forest Dunes is said to be one of his best designs yet.

Accommodations

If you are planning on staying at Forest Dunes, prepare to be impressed. There is not a hotel there. There is actually not a hotel anywhere near Forest Dunes. But that’s okay. You can just stay in one of the many homes located on the property. While there we stayed at the Buck, one of the homes sitting right on the water. No, not the ocean, but a manmade lake. There are actually a few manmade lakes at Forest Dunes, some just for looks, some meant for fishing (ice fishing in the winter) and others meant for boating and swimming. We didn’t get in the water while we were, but we sat out on the beach and read a few nights.

The house we were in had two double beds in one bedroom, a two-car garage, a king size bed in the master suite, a full kitchen, a view of the water, and much more. It literally was a house. I told Sheryl when we got there, “Pretty nice hotel room, don’t you think?”

One thing about Forest Dunes, besides its utter beauty and location, is how safe it is. I was a little worried when we got there, as the doors were all open and the lights were all on. But after asking Jennifer Middleton—the membership director at Forest Dunes—about the safety, she assured me we would be fun. She said that she hasn’t even locked her doors in six years! Refreshing as how I lock my doors when I run to get something from my car!

Amenities

Do you like the outdoors? I hope, because that is where you will spend most of your time here. If you like to fish, grab your pole and head over to Lake AuSable. They keep this lake stocked full of fish for that reason and you can fish all year round. Donny Fisher—the head pro at Forest Dunes—said that every winter you can find just as many people ice fishing as you can during the summer when the weather is nice!

If fishing is not your thing, then jump in one of the many random canoes just lying on the beach. They are sort of a first-come, first-serve kind of a thing, but that doesn’t stop people from taking a spin around the lake. Be careful though, the lake gets quite deep, and from the beach it tends to slope off quite quickly as well.

Don’t like splashing in the water? Then why don’t we go for a bike ride? There are trails everywhere at Forest Dunes. There are also volleyball courts, horseshoes, and more. There is always something going on, even when there is nothing going on.

Need to relax? Well, let’s just head over to the spa shall we? The spa has only been around for a little over a year, but you can get the true VIP treatment here. From a simple massage to hand and foot therapy, the Forest Dunes spa is ready for you to spend a relaxing day letting go. The spa is only open for reservations, so make sure you make an appointment soon.

If you are in need of some exercise, then head over to the fitness center. Located on the second floor of the clubhouse, you will find a huge workout facility offering yoga classes, fitness equipment, treadmills, and more. Of course, while we were there we decided against working out. There were just too many other things to do! This is a great benefit to the members though, and one that is used by a lot of folks.

If you are like me, and just have to have the Internet at your fingertips, then take advantage of their full service business center. The clubhouse also has free Wi-Fi for members and guests and allows you to stay in touch with folks back home or to check your email while on the road. Note that the homes do not have Wi-Fi, or cell phone service for that matter, so make sure to take advantage of the Wi-Fi offered here. I spoke with Donny about that actually, and he said they are in the process of getting Wi-Fi to the homes. (They do have satellite television in the homes though!)

If none of that suits your fancy, and you are still looking for something to do, you can jump in the car and find a wide range of other activities nearby.  Like to gamble? Then head to a casino. You can also go horseback riding, cross-country skiing, and more. Again, there is always something to do here at Forest Dunes, no matter how secluded it might be.

Golf Course

Oh boy, here we go. This is the main reason why I came to Forest Dunes. The golf course at Forest Dunes is the main reason most people come here. Well, that and the view.

When we first arrived to Forest Dunes, it was after midnight and all I could see were the lights around the clubhouse. I stopped in, grabbed our late check-in package, and headed to the house. We did see a deer when we were pulling out of the parking lot. But needless to say, we didn’t get a good view of the golf course. I wouldn’t get the chance to see the golf course until Saturday morning. Donny and I had an early tee time.

When the sun came up the next day, I awoke excited to get on the golf course. Being a Troon course, I knew it would be in great shape, but I was not ready for what was in store for me. When I first pulled up, there were only a few cars in the parking lot. I would later learn that is pretty typical as the course only gets around 10,000 a year.

I had not met Donny until that morning, but had seen pictures of him on Facebook. So, after saying hello to the greeters, I headed into the clubhouse to just kill some time. I was about a half an hour early, so I figured why not. As soon as I walked into the clubhouse, Donny walked out of his office to introduce himself. From there, it was off to the practice facility.

Most Troon courses I have played, if not all Troon courses I have played, have immaculate practice facilities. From the multiple targets on the driving range to the undulating practice greens, these facilities are usually taken care of just like the golf course itself. Forest Dunes was no different. When we got to the range, sitting to the left hand side of the massive clubhouse, I was in awe of the view from here as well. Behind you was the golf course, in front of you the practice range. This range is neat because you can hit balls from either side.

Donny said that both sides of this driving range offer unique shots to work on. From where we were hitting, there were about five pins in reach. I hit my usual wedges to start, then a few seven irons, a handful of three iron shots, and back to the wedges. One of the greens that was out in the distance was guarded by a bunker and an overhanging tree. Donny explained to me that hitting shots that you might actually see on the course makes all the difference.

We didn’t get a chance to putt before our round; it was off to the first tee. I had not hit a driver on the range either so I was a little nervous I might yank it into the high grass. But I didn’t. I placed the ball right down the middle. I caught it a little thin, but the ball ran for quite a while on the hard, yet smooth fairways. It left me with a seven iron onto the green. I yanked it, again blaming it on the tense muscles, into a greenside bunker. From there I would hit out to about ten foot, two putts, and happily walk to the net hole with a bogey.

I actually didn’t mind starting off with a bogey. I was just happy to be there, playing golf, and being able to take in all the sights and sounds of Forest Dunes. From there, I would bogey the next, then the next, and then hit a streak of pars.

On hole two, before I get too far into the round, we saw some wild turkeys just off the side of the fairway. I had seen a turkey before, sure, but not on the golf course. Never mind the deer that would later run right beside the fairway on hole sixteen. Donny said the later in the season it gets, the more wildlife you see. They even have guys hunting out here in the fall and winter.

The front nine was fun. Hole eight had to have been my favorite on the front side. It had a great view for your second shot. It went downhill, toward a lake, and had the clubhouse in the background on the left with trees and forest on the right. From there, hole nine would have you hitting over that same lake to a small green to finish with a par three. Donny said no matter what the distance says, hit a club, if not two clubs extra. There was wind over that lake that you just didn’t feel from the tee box. (Playing with someone that had the local knowledge like Donny did made my day even that more enjoyable. Better yet, I was playing with a guy who had local knowledge and was a professional. It couldn’t get any better.)

By the time we hit the back nine, I was ready to make some birdies. That sadly never happened, but I did start hitting some better shots on the back. The back actually starts off with a short, almost reachable par four. However, there is trouble right, trouble left, and with a split fairway you almost want to hit an iron off the tee. Of course, I took out a driver and ripped it into the junk on the right. I did manage to get out and up and down for a par.

The back nine is nothing like the front. On the front side trees and tight fairways surround you. And while there are a couple of tight fairways on the back side, it is a lot more wide open. The backside, just as pretty as the front, proved to be the easier of the two sides for me. Maybe I was starting to putt well, I don’t know. But by the time we got to hole sixteen, I was just so overcome by the golf course all I wanted to do was camp out on one of the tee boxes.

We got to the last hole, I ripped a driver left, and ended up finishing with a bogey six. But not really. Here at Forest Dunes, you have one more hole to play after you finish your eighteen. Most golf courses consider the bar inside the clubhouse to be the nineteenth hole. But not here. Here you play one more. The hole, titled the Bye Hole, is setup to settle bets. So if you are done and tied, well, no more.

This hole is pretty cool. Water comes into play, as does a bunker. But this bunker is not your typical bunker. This bunker is in the center of the green! You might have seen this a few times on the PGA Tour as they have some holes with a bunker in the middle of the green. But it is a sight to see from the tee box.

When the round was over, we all shook hands (Donny’s apprentice joined us on the back side) and headed into the bar for a bite to eat and an ice-cold microbrew. I ordered a wedge salad, a club sandwich, and a blackberry stout to drink. It was the perfect end to a perfect round of golf. I ended up shooting 82 that day, and while I would have liked to be lower (excluding that nine I had on the front side), I will take it. And apparently I beat Donny. But I think he let me win.

Restaurant

As if the golf course was not enough. They had to go and throw a restaurant into the mix. And you all know how much I like to eat. So after our round, I had my first chance to see the restaurant and to take a gander at the menu. When I sat down, I was handed an over sized menu on card stock. I was a little surprised the menu was not a tad bit nicer than this. Especially considering where we were. But I quickly saw past that and started reading the menu. I was immediately turned to the wedge salad.

I ordered that, and while Donny decided what he wanted for lunch, I also snagged a club sandwich. Based on Donny’s recommendation, I thought I would give it a shot. Oh yeah, and the blackberry stout. Imagine taking Guinness and mixing in a handful of blackberries just to give it that added kick of flavor. Yeah, they have that…on tap. I also had another beer that I had never heard of, but nothing could top the blackberry beer.

When the salad arrived I was ready to dig in. I poured my bleu cheese dressing all over it and went to town. And it was delicious. If you have never had a wedge salad, I must suggest you drop what you are doing and go get one. Right now! They are that good. And by the time the club sandwich came, I was ready for another beer. And I finished the club, don’t you worry. It was equally delicious. I would later learn that they had a new food and beverage director and he is bringing in a lot of ideas for the menu. I must say, if this is what is to expect from the new menu, appearing in early August, then you are in for a treat.

By the time we got to dinner a few hours and a nap later, I was hungry again! I was looking over the entrees and had no idea what to order. They had some interesting menu items on their dinner menu, including roasted duck in a chocolate chili glaze. That is what I ended up getting, and it was the tenderest duck I have ever eaten. It was just enough to satisfy. I had another one of those beers, and sat back after dinner satisfied. Of course, Sheryl ordered dessert.

She ordered a slice of cheesecake, one of her favorites. Donny and Jennifer also ordered dessert. I had another beer. I am telling you, this blackberry stout is really that good! By the time we were done eating, I think everyone was ready to just enjoy a nice Saturday night in. Sheryl and I headed back to the house to read on the beach by the water. It was a great way to end a perfect day of golf, food, and friends.

Surrounding Area

I wish I could tell you there is a lot of stuff to do around Roscommon, but I can’t. That’s because there isn’t. But for someone like me, who just wants a place to relax, lie on the beach, and get in a few rounds of golf, it is a perfect destination. Sure, there are a few shops here and there in downtown Roscommon, but nothing worth getting excited about. We did walk through one of the local grocery stores, and had lunch in one of the local hangout spots, but again, it is a small town, with nice people all around, and not much to do besides relax.

There are some bigger cities nearby. When I say nearby, remember we are about five miles from cell phone service here. A good hour, hour and a half drive will have you in a number of casinos. You can even head over to Traverse City, about an hour and a half from Roscommon, to visit the cherry capital of the world. While we were in town they were having the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City. Sheryl tried to go on Saturday, while I was playing golf, and ended up coming back because traffic was so bad. But according to Donny, Traverse City is a great town. He compared it to Scottsdale, Arizona, only in Michigan.

If you come to Michigan, or to Forest Dunes for that matter, just bring some good books, a board game or two, maybe a DVD, and an open mind. This truly is a place where you can leave your doors unlocked at night.

Press Coverage & Awards

Forest Dunes is not as secluded as you might think. They have been recognized by various magazines and media outlets for the facility, the golf course, and more. Below you will find a list of just a handful of the media coverage Forest Dunes has had recently:

2010

• Golf Week Magazine: Best Residential Courses in (America) – #30 Forest Dunes
• Golf Week Magazine: Best Modern Courses in (America) – #90 Forest Dunes
• Best Courses you can play (Michigan) – #3 Forest Dunes

2009

• Golf World Magazine: Readers’ Choice Awards (America) – #1 Forest Dunes
• Golf Week Magazine: Best Modern Courses in (America) (1960 – Present) – #82 Forest Dunes
• Best Courses you can play (Michigan) – #2 Forest Dunes
• Best Residential Courses (America) – # 24 Forest Dunes
• Golf Digest: 2009/2010 America’s Greatest Public Courses – #18 Forest Dunes
• 2009/2010 America’s Greatest Courses Overall (Michigan) – #6 Forest Dunes
• 2008/2009 Best Places to Play – 4 1/2 Stars

As you can see, some of these publications are serious business. From being featured on the front cover of Great Lakes Midwest Golf Life to having an all out featured article in Golfweek’s Definitive Guide to The Golf Life, this club means business. How cool would it be to work at a place that has been recognized by Golf World Magazine as the #1 Reader’s Choice Award?

Faculty & Staff

Nice would not even begin to describe the people at Forest Dunes. I had first been introduced to Forest Dunes through my work, but had no idea it would turn into friendships and a chance to visit the property. I had been in contact with Jennifer, the membership director, for a few months before I headed north. I had chatted with Donny here and there, and we were Facebook friends, but never had communicated as much as we did during our stay.

When I got out of my car on Saturday, my first chance to meet anyone from the club, I was greeted with a friendly hello and was offered assistance with my golf bag. I felt like royalty or something. It seemed that even the guys handling the carts had a genuine interest in my enjoyment at the club. Not to mention the guys working in the pro shop and the ladies tending the bar – even the servers, for that matter. Everyone was just so darn nice.

Donny and I had the chance to play on Saturday, so we got to know each other quite well during my trip. He and his wife even invited Sheryl and me to watch the fireworks with them on Sunday evening. He said he knew just the spot to take us and would pick us up around 9:00 PM. Long story short, he did know a great place. Good thing he had four wheel drive. We ended up literally on the top of a mountain. Now, granted it was only a few thousand feet high, but we ended up watching fireworks displays from about the best spot possible. We saw roughly six or seven different fireworks displays that night. We could see that far. It was a great way to spend the holiday, that’s for sure.

The moral of the story is, the people at Forest Dunes are not just nice, they are genuine. They care about their job, they care about the people who play the course and that eat at the restaurant, and they truly cherish the relationships they build. I am happy to have met the people that I did and I look forward to growing better friends in the future with all of them.

Do you like to play golf? Maybe you just like good food and enjoy being treated like a king or queen. Or perhaps you just like to relax, read a good book, and go for a quick swim right off your back deck. Whatever the case may be, go to Forest Dunes. This place is hidden, in the middle of nowhere, and lacks the luxuries like cell phone service and Wi-Fi that you get at home. But that is just part of it and even adds to the enjoyment of spending a weekend away. I will be back, rest assured, and I will be taking friends with me when I go. I want as many people to experience Forest Dunes as they can. Thank you to Donny, Jennifer, and the rest of the Forest Dunes staff for providing me with a unique and nearly perfect weekend. Fore!

Just because Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world does not mean he is immune to injury. Tiger has actually been hurt a lot more than you might think. The man is only thirty-four years old and has been through some intense rehab on his knee. Not to mention the mental rehabilitation he has gone through since last November. But that is neither here nor there.

Tiger has a swing speed around 130-135 miles an hour. Imagine all of the golf balls he hits on the practice tee, not to mention in tournaments and practice rounds. He is a workout machine, but he can still get hurt like the rest of us. I wanted to take some time to discuss Tiger’s growing list of injuries and talk a little bit about how they might effect his game the older he gets.

Face

Tiger was in a single car accident last November just outside of his home in Windermere, Florida. He actually hit a fire hydrant and then ended up hitting a tree near the end of his driveway. However, I will let you decide what caused the accident. I ignore speculations that his wife was chasing after him. (I hate to say this, but the South Park episode where they make fun of Tiger and other cheating celebrities is quite funny.) In this crash Tiger suffered facial lacerations, and a busted up lip that required immediate medical attention. He was later released from the hospital, but had to visit after the accident to clean up all the cuts and bruises he suffered.

Eyes

In golf, you depend so much on your sight. Tiger, however, has now undergone laser eye surgery twice. He went through it most recently in April of 2007. Ever since his first surgery, early in his career, he had been complaining about squinting and massive headaches. The result was another surgery. Tiger is actually sponsored by LASIK. You can watch a video of him on their website explaining his operation and the success that he had once it was completed.

Neck

This is a big one for Tiger. He actually withdrew from the TPC Championship because of this injury. Some folks say that he was not really injured at all, and that he just didn’t want to finish in last place. However, I think this is a serious injury, and one that can creep back up if he is not careful.

The issue is an inflamed facet joint in his neck. The facet joint is actually located on either side of the neck, and is used to help stabilize the neck during movement. These joints are also used for extending, bending, and rotating the neck. The injury that Tiger suffered from earlier this year was said to be a “season ending injury.” However, Tiger was back in action only a few weeks later. This did not help the fact that half of the population thought he was faking it to begin with.

Leg

I am sure you remember this one. Tiger was playing in the final round of the US Open back in May of 2008 when he injured his knee. Because of the incredibly fast swing speeds he produces, this is not something to ignore. While playing in the final round, he tore his leg up so badly that it was actually considered broken in medical terms. He continued to finish the round, making a long putt on the last hole to force a playoff. He would later win that event after a few longer birdie putts found their way into the hole. He took some time off, had surgery, and managed to recover quite nicely from it.

Achilles

In December of 2008, again because of the quick swing speed, he tore his Achilles tendon. He began rehabilitation on the muscle and ended up being fine for the rest of the season. But again, like his leg and his neck, this is not an injury to ignore. This is a muscle used every time he takes a step, and when you swing a club over times a day, you need to have all the strength you can in that muscle.

Head

Too bad that stress is one of the leading causes of head and neck injuries. Tiger has suffered an immense amount of stress in his career. From an early age he has been traveling the world playing in tournaments, dealing with immediate fame when he turned pro back in 1996. Add the worry of multiple swing changes and teaching instructors, the passing of his father, and the latest sex scandal that he has found himself in the middle of. Just a few weeks ago, a lady said Tiger was the father of her eleven-year-old son. (I must admit that the kid does look an awfully lot like Tiger.)

Wrist

It was a while ago, but back in 1995, Tiger withdrew from the US Open after suffering a wrist injury. He was hitting a shot out of extremely deep rough, and that was that. The wrists are so crucial in getting a good rotation around the body, putting a lot of spin on the ball, and just simply swinging a golf club. As with the every part of the body, making sure these are in tip top shape is a must. I mean, have you seen him hit some of the shots he does? When Tiger gets into some deep rough, he always muscles his way out of it somehow. That eventually puts a lot of stress on his wrists.

Knee

Let’s get back to the legs. Tiger had ACL reconstruction on his left knee in 2008. This would actually prove to be Tiger’s fourth surgery on his knee. This came at the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines. It would later be revealed that Tiger had actually been playing for ten months with a torn cruciate ligament. He would later state that just walking was painful for him, let alone swinging a golf club. And you can see that in his face when he swings. Watch some coverage of that event and you will see what I am talking about.

Tiger is a prime position to simply fall apart if he is not careful. Granted, Tiger runs about five miles a day and lifts weights for about three hours a day, not to mention the balls he hits and the rounds he plays. He is not ignoring his health by any means. But health is one of the most valuable assets to a golfer. As long as Tiger can stay healthy, he will be fine. I just hope that he can get all of these major health issues out of the way and start hitting some more fairways pretty soon. Just be careful this year out there on the PGA Tour. Tiger is hitting the ball better than he has in two years. As soon as he figures out that putting stroke, he might not ever lose again. Go get them Tiger!

After spending almost a week down in Florida for the 2010 Spring Golf Inc. Magazine Conferences, I had an itch to play some golf. Being down there surrounded by beautiful golf courses everywhere you look made it seem impossible to not have packed my clubs. So on the last day of the conferences we packed our things and headed to Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida to see the TPC Sawgrass. This is where they hold the year’s fifth major, the Players Championship. Guys like Phil and Tiger play here every year and the course has all sorts of history. Thanks to a phone call and some great conversations, we were able to tour the clubhouse and a handful of holes out on the course. I also had the chance to secure an interview with their head professional, Mr. Matt Borocz. He was gracious enough to answer all of my questions leading up to this year’s event and I am extremely please to introduce you to Matt here today.

How long have you been playing golf?

I started playing golf when I was six years old.  I would practice in our yard with my brother and dad.

What is your first memory of the game?

I would always practice around the house.  My first significant memory was attending the 1987 Ryder Cup at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio with my dad, my mom and my brother.  That was the first time I received an autograph from the “Golden Bear” Jack Nicklaus. I also remember the European team celebrating their victory on the 18th green.

Did you, or do you currently, play any sports other than golf?

As a kid, I played soccer for six+ years, karate for six+ years and then I just wanted to focus on golf full-time.  I also snow skied throughout middle school and high school.  In High School I played four years of varsity golf.

Ever had a hole in one?

Still waiting on one.

What is your lowest round you have ever shot?

My lowest 18-hole round in competition is a 72 when I was junior in high school.   I consider myself an average player.  Since I was about thirteen years old, I knew that I wanted to become a PGA Club Professional.  I love/enjoy being around the golf course.

What about the highest?

Not sure, only focus on the positive rounds.  I’ve learned a lot since my junior golf years.  Now that I do not play as much, I enjoy the game much more.  It is a privilege to play, no reason to get frustrated.

How many rounds a week do you play?

Very good question. It fluctuates based upon business levels at the club.

So, you might be working for one of the nicest and most talked about courses in the game. What is like working for the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course?

I am honored and privileged to have the opportunity to be employed at TPC Sawgrass.  It is a very special place being the home of the PGA Tour and The Players.

I am sure you have had the chance to meet many of the games great players. Anyone stick out more than another?

I had the opportunity to meet Phil Mickleson in the Champions Locker Room after his 2007 Players victory.  I also had the privilege to meet Tiger Woods at the 2008 “Tee It Up with Tiger” presented by Nike Golf.

I told myself a few years back I am not allowed to die before I have a meal with Tiger Woods. Have you ever had the chance to sit and chat with Tiger? (Note that I am his biggest fan. I will argue that with anyone!)

As I mentioned above, I had the opportunity to meet him on the 10th tee of the Trump National Golf Club LA.  I was impressed with how he took time to say hello to each participant in a sincere manner.  A very cool experience!

Where are you originally from?

I am from Strongsville, Ohio. It is a suburb of Cleveland.

You seem to work with a bunch of really nice individuals including your general manager Mr. Bill Hughes. Tell me what it’s like working with a team of well-oiled machines like Mr. Hughes.

That is a very good question.  It is a privilege to work around such a passionate/dedicated group of people.  Everyone on our team is focused on creating a magical expereince for our members and guests.  Everyday Bill comes with a “Can Do” positive attitude.  He is always trying to bring the best out of individuals, department and club as a whole.  There is never a day that Bill does not bring a 100% passion for TPC Sawgrass and PGA Tour.  I’ve been extremely blessed to have a great group of PGA Professionals that have been mentors to me.  They taken an interest in my career and have been a tremendous help along the way.  I hope I can have the same impact in my career.

How many balls have you hit in the water on hole 17?

Only positive thoughts…do not count.

What are you doing during the week of the Player’s?

Our #1 goal is to offer a memorable expereince to our PGA Tour players and their families.  My goal is to support the golf operations and the Players Championship Team.

So I want to come back to the club and play a round with you and Mr. Hughes. Any chance we can make that happen before the year is out?

Please let me know when you are visiting the Jacksonville area.

What is in your bag? (I am talking everything from the driver to the putter and everything in between.)

907D2 driver, 906 F2 3-Wood – 15 degree, Titleist Hybrid 585-H – 19 & 24 degree, Titleist AP2 Irons, Vokey Wedges 54 and 60 degree, Scotty Cameron, Studio Select Newport 2, Titleist Pro VIx (Initials – MEB), Titleist Players Glove, Foot-Joy Shoes – Dry Joys and Icons. That’s everything!

How much TPC Sawgrass merchandise do you own?

The majority of my clothes have the TPC Sawgrass logo.  There is no reason to shop at another store.  Our golf shop has just about everything available to the customer.  Recognized as Best 100 Golf Shop by Golf World in 2009.

You look to be pretty young. When did you first become a pro?

When I was eleven years old I started at Columbia Hills Country Club as a caddie.  That same year I was practicing at a local public course. (Pine Hills Golf Club)  The PGA Head Golf Professional saw me on the practice range.  He asked if I wanted to work for free golf and a sleeve of practice balls per week.  I took the job right away, shagging golf balls on the range every Saturday and Sunday.  After two years, I was promoted to work the golf carts as a starter.  I worked at Pine Hills for seven years and completed my first college internship at the club.  I started at Coastal Carolina Univeristy, Conway, South Carolina, in the fall of 1998.  In 1999 I had a very lucky break and had the opportunity to work at TPC Myrtle Beach.  I started on the practice facility and moved up to the outside operations department. My senior year of college I was offered a full-time position as Assistant Golf Professional.  In 2004 I had the opportunity to interview at TPC Sawgrass for the Assistant Golf Professional position.  In December 2005 the Head Golf Professional left for a new opportunity.  At that time, I had the opportunity to improve my knowledge and develop my experience as a golf professional.  My goal was to increase my value in the TPC Network and hopefully prepare myself for a Head Professional position in the TPC Network.  I was very lucky to have people that believed in my abilities.  I have been very fortunate to have a team that supports the core values and club mission.  In May 2007 I was promoted to Head Golf Professional.

I graduated from Coastal Carolina Univeristy, BSBA in Marketing speciliazing in Professional Golf Managment.  Elected to PGA of America membership in May 2004.

Who is your favorite PGA Tour player?

When I was a kid, Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples.  Now, I have an interest in the local players that call TPC Sawgrass home.  Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Fred Funk, Frank Lickliter and the other thirty some players that live locally.

How many days a year can you actually play golf in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida? (They say you can play 360+ days a year in Scottsdale. I just want to compare!)

The TPC Sawgrass (The Players Stadium and Dye’s Valley Course) is open 365 days per year.

I can’t afford it, but what sort of benefits do members get?

TPC Sawgrass Social Club Membership

The TPC Sawgrass Social Club Membership provides you with access to bring guests to TPC Sawgrass for breakfast, lunch and casual dinner service in Nineteen and access to Champions, the formal, members-only dining room, for dinner. Benefits include exclusive, member-only pricing, a 20% discount on a la carte and wine by the bottle menus for parties up to eight. You’ll also receive a $300 credit towards food and beverage purchases to be used during the annual term of your membership. Social Club members will also be able to enjoy occassions by invitation, such as wine dinners hosted by renowned wine makers, themed dinners, events and holiday functions.

When it’s time to play the game, Social Club members will have access up to forty-eight in advance to The Players Stadium Course or Dye’s Valley Course with a 10% High Season discount and a 25% Summer Season discount. Other Social member discounts include 20% savings on merchandise in the full-service golf shop and a 20% discount at the Tour Academy. In addition, both you and your spouse will enjoy charge privileges at the TPC Sawgrass.

You may upgrade to a Social Associate Membership for an additional $450, which allows you to book golf fourteen days in advance for members appreciation rates. The member’s first round of golf on The Players Stadium Course is included with this upgrade.

TPC Sawgrass Social Club Membership

Annual dues are $500 for a one-year membership.

Dye’s Valley Annual Pass

As a Dye’s Valley Course Member, privileges will be extended to your spouse and dependent children up to the age of 25, and is non-transferable. Annual dues are $2,400*. Renewal dues are billed annually.

Members play for cart fees only when playing Dye’s Valley and receive member appreciation rates when playing The Players Stadium.

* Member pays cart fee only on Dye’s Valley Course

* May make starting times up to 10 days in advance on Dye’s Valley Course and

*7 days in advance on THE PLAYERS Stadium Course

* Accompanied guests pay 25% less than current seasonal guest fee

* Engraved bag tag for new members

* Dining room and banquet facilities available for daily use or private and group functions

* Use of practice facilities; Practice balls are supplied when playing a round of golf

* Use of daily lockers during your visit

* Forecaddies, Double bag and single carry caddies available upon request

* Members receive a 20% discount on dining, Golf Shop merchandise, and TOUR Academy Lessons, club fitting, and repair

Member Appreciation Rates when playing The Players Stadium Course:

* Bring one to three paying guests, Member pays $50 golf fee.

I just can’t get over the fact that you are the head pro at the TPC Sawgrass. I want your job!

Thank you – It’s an honor and privilege to carry the tradition of TPC Sawgrass.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I would be very happy with being the Head Professional at TPC Sawgrass.  I think it’s a position that should have stability and consistency.  My next career goal is to be a General Manager with the TPC Network.  I would like to accomplish this in five to eight years from now.

What do you, as a professional, want to be remembered for when this is all said and done?

Another very good question. Give back to the game that has been very good to me.  Recruit, hire, and train PGA Professionals for their next career step.  Hopefully they will filled prepared and ready for their next opportunity.

I always let the bands that I interview get the last word. Why not you? Go.

What do you enjoy most about your blog writing? And why?  What are your career goals and aspirations? Thank you for including me on your blog and enjoy the Players!

Ever since I can remember I have loved the game of golf. On top of that love I have formed a deep and seeded affection for Tiger Woods. I remember this like it was yesterday. I was in Cincinnati, Ohio at a Hallmark ornaments convention with my mother and late grandmother. We were finished with the convention for the day and headed out for dinner at Chili’s. (Don’t ask me how I remember all of these details, but I do.) We walk in, sit down, and order some drinks. Just then, in the far corner, I saw the television playing some random golf tournament.

I was not a fan of golf at the time, as baseball had consumed my life. Not having been watching the golf tournament for a few minutes, I saw a long and winding putt fall into the hole. The camera panned to a tall, slim black man giving some sort of a fist pump, as he was excited that he had made the putt. He was wearing khaki shorts and a straw hat. The man that made that putt was Tiger Woods and he was playing the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

That day I went from being a baseball fanatic to being addicted to the game of golf. I began playing, hitting balls every chance I got, and eventually ended up playing in college for Marian University. Every time I think about Tiger Woods, I am taken back to that day where I saw him drain that putt. Later, in 1999 when Tiger Woods began what has proven to be one of the most successful video games of all time, they have featured the TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course as one of the courses.

Recently I was given the opportunity to travel with my company down to Amelia Island, Florida for a golf conference. The conference, the annual Golf Inc. Magazine Conference, was business as usual and a long, educational few days of seminars and meetings. We were there as an exhibitor and also as a thought leader in the golf industry for the services and solutions that we offer. Where this conference was being held landed us only a thirty-minute drive from TPC Sawgrass.

We arrived on in Jacksonville on a Sunday afternoon and thought about heading over to the course. But we got in late and thought we might travel that way on Monday morning before we set up for the show. But come Monday morning, by the time we had finished setting up it was too late to go. But I wasn’t giving up hope of seeing one of the most famous golf courses in the world. So what did I do? I simply picked up the phone and called the golf course to see if we could schedule a tour of the facility for that Wednesday.

You see, the meetings were over in the early afternoon on Wednesday and we wanted to make sure to see the golf course. And we didn’t leave until Thursday morning so we had all the time in the world on Wednesday to see that golf course. I wanted to make sure I made every minute of this trip, and seeing Sawgrass would be a somewhat dream come true. Especially including the history that Tiger has there.

When I first called the golf course the Director of First Impressions picked up the phone. I explained to her that I was a blogger from Indiana and that I wanted to come see the facility. By happenstance, my company’s CEO is also a budding photographer, and he wanted to shoot some photos. She seemed interested and I was transferred to the general manager of the golf course for further clearance. I spoke with Mr. Bill Hughes and he stated that we were more than welcome to come in and see the facility. He invited us in on Wednesday at 4:00 PM to see the clubhouse, the driving range, and a few holes out on the golf course.

The rest of the week went by with us making conversation surrounding TPC Sawgrass. I, as well as the others guys in our party, were excited to see the facility. It was a long wait getting from Monday afternoon until Wednesday evening.

Come Wednesday, when the meetings had all ended, we were headed to the golf course. An hour or so later we entered Ponte Vedra Beach and found the entrance to what is known as Sawgrass. It had a guarded gate and we needed further clearance to even get in the front gate. However, my name was on a roster from the golf course and we were allowed access.

See, in Sawgrass there is more than just the TPC Stadium Course. This is also where the PGA headquarters located. Also, I would later learn, it is where five or so PGA Tour players make their home. Vijay Singh, for example, lives right behind the driving range while Jim Fuyrk also lives on one of the holes on the golf course. Being as they have year round playing conditions, it makes sense for these guys to reside on here. There were actually a handful of PGA players there when we were at the golf course. Of course, we never did get to see them, but it was the mysterious factor that made it even more exciting.

When we finally found the golf course, we traveled through a long and winding main entrance to the parking lot. We got out, stretched our legs, and make our way to the clubhouse. The first thing you notice is the sheer size of the facility. It was almost like looking at a mansion or something standing right in front of us. We snapped a few images and walked in to get started on our tour. That is when our tour guide, Mike, greeted us. (I do not recall Mike’s last name.)

Mike walked us over to the Director of First Impressions and she gave him clearance to begin the tour. We started with the clubhouse since that is where we met Mike. First he discussed the huge paintings that were all over the walls. These paintings were huge, all from the same artist, and were all donated to the clubhouse as well as to the TPC Sawgrass. They are of repeat winners of the Player’s Championship and one of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson from Tiger’s only Player’s Championship victory.

The Player’s is what most call the fifth major of the season and holds the deepest field of the year. Only a handful of people have won this event twice. That list includes Steve Elkington, Fred Couples, Jack Nicklaus, Hal Sutton, and Fred Couples. Like I said, there is also a huge painting of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson from when Tiger won his only, to date, Player’s in 2001. During that event you might remember the announcer saying, in regards to the putt he made in 17, that it was, “Better than most.”

We then made our way to the President’s Room. Here you will find a table, some chairs, and the President’s Cup. The cup sits there when the United States owns it, and last year the US won it back from Europe. It was neat to see, not as big as I thought, and was sitting among a room filled with history. Mike had said this room was filled with memories and each year the greats of the game meet here for conversation and recollection each year before the Player’s.

Then we made our way to the player’s locker room. We were told that it was private, that we were not allowed to go in there, but since it was slow and we were huge golf fans, Mike walked us back. Granted, he could have been able to take us back there the entire time, but never the less it was awesome to see. In this room there were lockers for all of the greats of the game. I found myself standing in a room that I could hope to be nothing less than a fly on the wall. I stood only inches from Tiger Woods’s locker. Yes, I touched the handle on that locker to be that one more step closer to the living the life that Tiger leads.

Then we walked down past the 19th Hole, the in house restaurant where they serve food and drinks to the general public. Here Mike said players gather after their rounds for a drink, some food, and a priceless conversation. It was neat to see a room where you know guys like Tom Watson and Fred Couples have talked about their rounds.

Then we saw the line of clubs that were all down one wall of the 19th Hole. Mike said that each year the winner is asked to donate a club to the course. The club that is donated is said to be the club that the player felt helped him win the event. In this row of sticks you see drivers, three woods, irons, wedges and even putters lined up side by side. Tiger left his 56-degree Scotty Cameron sand wedge. It was when he was still with Titleist and is actually the exact same wedge that I play. I touched the grip just to be safe. (Players are also asked to sign the club somewhere for keepsake.)

Now it was time to see the Hall of Champions. This is an underground tunnel from the clubhouse to the first there allowing players to escape the craze of fans and autographs. Also down here was the caddy area where all of the club’s caddies hang out and spend their free time between rounds. It was neat to walk down this hallway as on either side you could also see high-resolution professional photos from all of the winners of the Player’s. The club at the TPC Sawgrass puts a ton of attention into their winners and treats them with the up most respect.

Then we walked back upstairs and got the chance to see what the original Player’s Championship trophy looked like. The old trophy is huge! However, the new trophy, which I would later see on display in the pro shop, is much smaller and is made of solid crystal. A major improvement from the old black beast they used to give away.

Also in the clubhouse, right across the way from the crystal trophy is the FedEx Cup. Tiger has won this two of the three FedEx Cup events. It is nice, the folks at Tiffany and Co. created it. It weights thirty-five pounds and it is nice to think that Tiger has won, held, and kissed this trophy now twice. Note that Tiger was out with an injury the second year of the event and did not participate in any o the tournaments. (The FedEx Cup is a season long playoffs for the players and was introduced three years ago as a way to draw more eyes to the game of golf.)

Now it was time to see the golf course. We headed outside, snapped a few more pictures of the clubhouse, and then jumped on a six-man golf cart. Mike pulled away and took us to the roundabout just before the driving range. Here there is a large oval monument showcasing all of the previous winners and the flag of their respective country of origin. Also there are high flying flags of the previous winners country. There is so much history here at the TPC as well as so much homage to the players who win here.

We drove past the driving range and I asked about where the PGA players actually hit balls. This, sadly, was on the opposite side the range and out of our direct sight. The tour players spend so much time here that they wanted a place for them to have no worries about where to hit balls and to work on their games. So, as we drove by I saw a few guys on the far side of the range and it made my mind run wild with which it could be. Mike did say that Tiger likes to just show up at the golf course unannounced. I will never know if Tiger was on the range that day, but it fun to imagine one of those players was he.

Then we saw a smaller secondary clubhouse, which was originally built as a place to hold the caddies in between rounds and as a snack bar in between nines. This small building was just past the 18th green and had a story all of it’s own. Mike said that the building is now used as the scorer’s tent where the official scores are tallied. After each round the players will go in, sign their scorecards, and then sign a few autographs where fans can gather outside. The second story, however, is a part of what you see on TV. NBC wanted a place to hold their interviews to the TPC build a sound proof booth on the second floor of this little building for this very reason.

Hole 18, from the green going the opposite direction, does not look like hard of a golf hole. Well, that changes when you make your way to the tee box. Standing on the tee, all you see is water. The entire left hand side is water and there are woods to the left. It is a very tough decision what club to hit, especially on Sunday.

Mike said that a ton of balls actually end up on the right hand side somewhere in the woods due to the guys not wanting to hit it in the water. The hole also plays over 450 yards and to me, that is pushing a par five. But for the players on the tour it is a typical par 4. (I guess when you hit the ball as far as these guys do; a hole of this length plays fairly short.)

We then moved on to the famed 17th hole. This is known as one of the single most famous hole in golf. This is also called the island green by most and serves as a way for the TPC to collect a range of golf balls on a daily basis. The TPC Stadium Course gets over 40,000 rounds a year and according to Mike, the average golfer will hit three balls into the water before getting one to stick on the green. Imagine that. Three balls, six strokes, and you are not even putting yet. The hole is only 137 yards too!

The course was designed by one of the most famous course designers of all time, Mr. Pete Dye.  When he got to hole 17 he did not intend for it to be an island green. But, after his wife talked him into it, the hole ended up being short and intimidating finishing hole. Even guys on the tour hit balls into the water here. Mike said the main reason for this is that the wind blows in from the right to the left but you cannot feel it on the tee. He was right. You cannot feel anything on that tee box. But after a handful of photos we moved on to the 16th hole.

On 16, a long par five, you can see nothing but trees on either side. The trees on the left, on Tiger Woods EA Sports video games, I can hit over and have a wedge into the green. But with water on the right and trees left PGA players tend to hit a three wood just to make sure they have a shot into the green. Mike actually took us over to a spot in the trees on the left where Davis Love III had hit a three wood one year when he was two shots up heading into 16. This shot was about 180 yards from the green, in the trees, and behind the water for a shot to the pin. But, Davis hit a 6 iron, through the trees, over the water, and ended up about ten foot from the cup. He made the putt for eagle and would later win the event.

Mike then proceeded to drive us around the course on our way back to the clubhouse. He thanked us for coming in and even said it was nice that we came so late as his mother in law was in town. We all laughed and he wished us a good day at the clubhouse as we said our goodbyes.

After Mike had left, we all walked around snapping even more images of the clubhouse. A couple of the guys went on a shopping spree in the pro shop while I headed back to the Director of First Impressions to ask for Mr. Hughes to come downs so that I could meet him. He did, we shook hands, and formed a relationship that I hope lasts a lifetime. I am actually looking to go play the golf course sometime later this year and have scheduled an interview with the head professional.

Regardless of the time spent at the Golf Inc. Conference and the experience of meeting some of the industries top thought leaders, seeing TPC Sawgrass made the trip worthwhile. Walking on the same fairways and opening the same doors as guys like Tiger and Phil gives me a desire to play more golf. Golf is all about tradition and playing a game that holds a set of rules a mile long. Seeing golf and how it is treated at a level like this, the absolute top level of the sport, makes being and working in this industry that much more special. Thanks to Mike for the tour, to Bill for setting this all up, and to the PGA for building and establishing a course with such magnitude as this one. This was a trip that has created memories that will last a lifetime.

I play video games.  I play video games a lot actually.  I play sports games, first person shooter games, racing games, and even role-playing games if the mood strikes me.  I am not into games like World of War Craft, but I probably spend as much time playing games like Tiger Woods PGA Tour Golf as some of you do playing WOW.  I take the game very serious and have purchased every copy of the game on the day of release since the 1999 version when it came to PC.  I recently have been going to Walmart at midnight the day of the release as that allows for immediate satisfaction of the updated graphics and the new game play.

I would venture to say that I play my Microsoft Xbox 360 about 95% of the time.  I am a console collector, as I have all three of the next generation consoles, but the 360 has a special place in my heart.  Perhaps it is the fact that I waited in line at Walmart for over twenty hours to guarantee that I got one the day it came out.  Or maybe it is because this is the first time that Tiger Woods was a launch title.  Actually, I think the real reason is because of the achievement points.  These points are a way for you track your progress as you play and beat games.  You get points for doing things like completing a season in Madden or for running a lap in Project Gotham Racing without hitting a wall.  Some of the points are easier to get than others, but with that comes smaller point totals.  I currently have just over 14,000 gamer points and from what I can tell that is a lot.  But again, I do play a lot.  Think of gamer points as bragging rights for the rest of the gamers out there.

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 has been giving me some problems lately.  I have not beat the game, I have not completed the tournament challenge, and I have only received about half of the gamer points that this game has available.  However, with that being said, I do know what all of these achievements are.  And not only do I know what these achievements are but I also have researched them a little deeper to know not only how to accomplish these achievements but also some of the little innuendos that go along with each task.  Below you will see a complete list of the Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2010 achievements and a little more information on each one.  (These will go from the easiest achievements to obtain to the hardest and highest point valued ones.)

Team Work – Watch the Credits – 10 Points

This is a pretty simple task to complete.  All you have to do is head to the main menu, choose the My Tiger Woods -10 option, then select Extras, and then Credits.  Once you have watched the credits for the game you will unlock this achivement.  This is an easy way to jump start your list and to learn a little bit more about the number of people that went into making this game possible.

Blammo! – Earn the Bingo, Bango & Bongo point on a single shot in the Bingo Bango Bongo Traditional game mode. – 10 Points

This is another pretty simple task to complete.  Bingo Bango Bongo is a pretty fun style of play.  The concept here is that you and your opponent(s) tee off.  You earn a Bingo for the first person to hit the green.  Then, you win the Bango for being the closest to the pin once everyone is on the green.  The Bongo then comes as the lowest score on that hole.  So, for instance, if you hit in the middle of the fairway, stick it to three inches, and your opponent misses his putt and is a foot away from the hole, you would in theory win all three.  There are multiples ways in this game to achieve this task, but the easiest is to play you with two controllers.  Set up the game to be you versus yourself.  Hit the shots that you know will allow the first, or the second, player to win all three.  Is it cheating?  Sure it is but it beats trying to figure out a way to do this while playing in the exhibition mode.

Weather Report – Complete an online 18-hole round in the rain using the Live Weather feed. – 10 Points

Live Weather is new to the Tiger Woods franchise.  This is a feature that based on GPS and the constant connection to the web that your console has (assuming you invested in an Xbox Live account) to pull the actual weather conditions as they are in the city of where the course you are playing exists.  So, if you head over to St. Andrews to play a quick round before bed, have Live Weather set, and it is raining in Scotland you better believe that it is raining on the game.  This feature is cool because it gives you an accurate sense of what these guys truly have to deal with from week to week out there on tour.

The Comeback Kid – Come back from a +5 or worse to finish Even or better, in any Traditional or Online game mode round. – 15 Points

This is a very easy task to complete.  The idea of this is that you have to come back from being at least five strokes over par and finish the round even or under par.  This is not hard as most of these courses have the potential to shoot in the low 50s once you have figured out the putting.  The easiest way I know how to tell you to beat this challenge is to knock a few balls out of bounds on the first hole and start your next seventeen holes already at your target of five shots over par.  Then, once you have hit that magic number just play the way you would normally play.  Chances you finish even or under par are pretty good.

Tough at the Top – Compete in Play-The-Pros mode and submit your score online. – 15 Points

This is also another easy task to complete.  All you have to do is log on, play 18 holes in this particular category, and post your score online.  It does not matter if you shoot twenty under par or twenty over par, as long as you submit the score online you will unlock this achievement.

Play with the Big Boys – Drive the ball 400 or more yards in the fairway in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 Points

This is a task that takes a little bit of planning.  First, your player (you could use Tiger Woods for this if you want to) needs to have a high distance rating.  Once you are near a full rating on your distance category, head out to any given golf course and let the big dog eat, as they say. Some things that might help are finding a downhill down wind par four or five.  If the wind is at your back it will be much easier for the ball to carry.  If you do get a big down wind open the club face a little to let the ball get that extra airtime after you hit it.  You will probably get this achievement on accident by just playing the game.

Maximum Power – Complete an 18-Hole round using a max stats costume in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

There are a couple of ways to complete this task.  You can purchase the bunny costume with 300 Microsoft points and get this challenge right out of the gate.  But, if you are like me and find yourself on a budget, you just simply have to unlock the bunny suit to break this challenge.  You can unlock this costume by making your way through the Tournament Challenge.  You have to play this to be able to unlock all of the achievements anyway, so it just comes with time.  But once you have unlocked the bunny suit all you have to do is play 178 holes.  Easy enough.

Raindancer – Play in the rain and score an Eagle or better in any Stroke based Traditional or Online game modes. – 25 Points

This is simple.  Set the weather to rain, play a round, and score an eagle or better.  Once you sink that eagle you will get an easy 25 points.

Riding Spinnaz – Sink an approach shot using backspin covering a distance of 5ft or greater in any game mode. – 25 Points

You will get this just by playing the game.  As you make your way through the PGA Tour season or the Tournament Challenge.  Most wedges wil spin this much by default so do not worry about the distance of your spin.  So just go out and play and eventually you will sink a field shot.

Taking Flight – Total 50 birdies with a created player. – 25 Points

This is a pretty simple one to break.  Just go out and play and you will break this in no time.  I currently have over 1,000 birdies and I am not even at 100% game completion.  A harder challenge might have been 50 eagles with a created player. But make sure that you are using your created player as these do not count with the players that are already in the game.

Eye of the Hurricane – Shoot under Par through a Gale Force wind in a Traditional or Online game mode 18-hole round. – 25 Points

Gale force winds are insane on this game. You will be starring at 25+ mile an hour winds going in any given direction.  Sometimes with winds this crazy rain is also thrown into the mix.  Regardless, just play smart, make sure you sink a few birdies early, and you will break this achievement.

It’s All in the Hips – Use Precision Putter to sink a 30ft putt without Putt Preview, in a Traditional or Online game mode. – 30 points

For this challenge you must sink a 30 foot putt without using the putt preview.  The putt preview is your one and only chance at seeing where, if you hit the ball at 100%, your putt will travel.  It can be difficult not using this as the new putting is something very hard to grasp for most average to mid level players.  But, there is luck!  In the tournament challenge you will be matched with Tiger and are required to match him shot for shot.  One of these is a putt that is 30 foot long.  The first time you have this putt, line it up, and use the putt preview.  Understand where the putt will break but then miss the putt on purpose.  The challenge will restart leaving your putt exactly where you had it before. Adjust accordingly and sink the putt.

Bare Minimum – Play a round under Par in a Traditional or Online game mode with a Driver, SW, 5 Iron and Putter. – 30 Points

This is a fun one to break.  I suggest that you use a curse like St. Andrews.  The course is not that long, from the white tees, and has pretty flat greens.  Also, while playing use the three click style of play.  This way if you have a 5 iron going into a 130 yard shot you can guarantee you will not miss the green by very much.  But the easiest thing you can do is just go out and have fun!

Big Money – Win 5 Million Dollars in Live Tournaments. – 30 Points

Good luck on this one.  This is the hardest challenge in the game, in my opinion.  This will take you not only time but patience as you have to play a lot, and for a long time to unlock this one.  There are various styles of online tournaments ranging from daily, weekly, and play the pros.  Each one requires you to play four rounds and the top 350 places generally pay out.  The play the pros one pay fewer spots.  This is not hard; it is just time consuming and a lot of golf.  So get out there and start making some birdies!

Piece of Cake – Post a Top 50 score in a Live Tournament. – 30 Points

This is not s hard as it sounds.  All you have to do is go out to live tournaments and finish one round in the top 50.  Find a tournament that has just started, play your heart out, shoot a decent score, and you will place in the top 50.

Migration – Total 100 Birdies using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Just like the 50 birdies that you must collect this is just a continued effort.  Keep playing and keep making those birdies and this one will eventually find its way into you trophy case.

Birds of Prey – Total 25 Eagles using a created golfer. – 35 Points

Exactly like the two birdie challenges, this is based on eagles.  So, head out there, play some par fives, and rack up the eagles.

Big Tuna – Play an 18-hole Traditional or Online game mode round in FIR and GIR using only tuned clubs. – 50 Points

This one is quite difficult for multiple reasons.  First, every club that you have in your bag must have been tuned out on the driving range.  The putter is the only club that you cannot tune.  This can be done by changing the loft, the lie, or anything else that you think will benefit your swing in the club-tuning mode.  I changed my clubs by one degree of loft.  Now comes the hard part.  You have to play 18 holes and not miss a single fairway.  You also cannot miss a single green.  You must literally play a perfect round from tee to green to break this with those tuned clubs.  Mine happened by accident but with a little patience you can break this in a hurry.

Aces High – Ace a Par 4 or a Par 5 hole in any Traditional or Online game mode. – 50 Points

This one is a lot more difficult than you might think.  You might pull this off by accident during normal game play but if you want to focus on this challenge and guarantee that you complete it then you need to head back to St. Andrews.  And rather than using your created player take Luke Donald.  On hole #9 at St. Andrews Luke will hit a 99-100% driver pin high.  Then, just play with the spin until you knock it in.  Also, use the mulligan feature in case you miss it to save from having to go back and set up the hole again.

Well-Seasoned – Complete a PGA TOUR® Season with at least 10 Million Dollars in career earnings. – 50 Points

This is a pretty simple task.  Just play through a season, win as many tournaments as you can, and finish the PGA Tour season with over $10 million in earnings.  The first time you do this it will actually unlock not only this achievement but also the Tracking Tiger Trophy Ball for making more than $10 million in a single reason.  Think of it as killing two birds with one stone.

Circle of Life – Score an Ace, an Eagle, a Birdie, a Par and a Bogey in a single round of a PGA TOUR® Event. – 55 Points

This, as hard as it seems, will again just happen on accident.  You can play a round and get any number of eagles, birdies, and bogies.  But the hole in one is the issue.  Play a course like Wentworth where you have a lot of chances.  Play the white tees, as well, giving you a better chance at scoring that ace.  With a little luck this will happen during the course of play.

Eagle Eye – Total 100 Eagles using a created golfer. – 55 Points

Remember when I said they should focus on the eagles rather than the birdies?  Well, your wish is my command.  Score 100 of these and you will unlock another achievement.

Ten Thousand Ways – Earn 10,000 Player Points in EA SPORTS™ GamerNet. – 75 Points

This is something that just comes with time.  You can either win these through the course of normal play by knocking it close to the pin or by out driving some of the other players on Xbox Live, or you can do it online in their menu.  You can search for and find these set challenges and if you beat them this route it will earn you double points.  This track will allow you a much easier road and can be accomplished in a few hours if that. (I am doing it the old school route and earning them as I go through the PGA Tour Season.

Challenge the World – Complete the Tournament Challenge mode. – 75 Points

It does not get any easier than this. Just play through and complete the tournament challenge.

Sharkies – Play 18 holes online against an EA Tiburon team member or against a player who has this Achievement. – 80 Points

You can either head online and setup a match with this as a requirement or just risk it and play as many people online as you can until you unlock this.  You must, however, complete all 18 holes for this to unlock.

From Bad to Worse – Hit the ball from any bunker into a different hazard, such as a Water Hazard or Out of Bounds. – 10 Points

This is easy.  Hit the ball into a bunker then hit it out of bounds or into a water hazard.  It really is that simple.

Mulligans Island – Use 20 or more mulligans during an 18-hole round, in any Traditional or Online game modes. – 15 points

Just start a round with mulligans activated and go to town.  You can do this all on the first shot of the round if you want.  Once you have used twenty of these finish the round and you will unlock this achievement.

No Known Survivors – Equip the CEC Mining Hazard Suit – 35 Points

All you have to do is play through the Tournament Challenge.  Once you have completed the four rounds at the TPC of Boston you will unlock this in the pro shop.  Equip it and then you will unlock this achievement.

Levinator25 – Complete the first Bonus Challenge in Tournament Challenge. – 55 Points

This is a fun little secret achievement that you will have to complete.  Once you have made your way through what you think is 100% of the Tournament Challenge you will be given one more set of tasks to complete.  You will be given incredible shots from recent history on the PGA Tour.  The first, and the one that you need to complete to win this task, is knock it in from a lily pad.  Remember that Tiger Woods commercial where he hits the ball from a lily pad standing in the middle of the lake?  Well, now you get to experience this first hand.

These are the achievements in the 2010 Tiger Woods PGA Tour Xbox 360 game.  The game is the best graphics you have seen in this series to date and the game play is incredible.  The putting, as always, changes this year but you get used to it.  If you are like me and obsess over achievement points hopefully this will help you get a healthy chunk.

Today, on Friday February 19, 2010, Tiger Woods made a public apology to a group of close friends and family. At the PGA headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida Tiger stepped to a podium with people like his mother, long time friend and former college roommate Notah Begay, PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem, and a handful of others. Also said to be there were his wife and other good friends like Michael Jordan. Yet these individuals did not sit in the room where Tiger gave his speech, you could tell he was with friends and family while presenting.

The speech itself was very scripted. Tiger read from a stack of papers and the speech lasted just over thirteen minutes. Tiger expressed his apologies to his sponsors, friends, family, and fans. Tiger also said that he has been receiving and will continue to receive rehabilitation for his actions. To the average person you would assume that Tiger meant every word of what he said.

Tiger left the stage by hugging his mother, shaking hands with the majority of the front row (where Tim Finchem was sitting and was the only person who did not get up once Tiger was finished speaking) and then gracefully walked out of the room. Then came hours of “experts” expressing their thoughts on the speech. Basically, when this was all said and done it was something that Tiger had to do. He has no choice but to apologize to a nation demanding answers.

Below you will find the presentation word for word as well as a video of him speaking. This was a tough day for Tiger Woods, and Tiger fans all over the world. I feel sorry for the man to have to go through all of this, and I know that once he does in fact return to the golf course everything will go back to normal. Tiger is, and always will be, a professional golfer and very well the best player to ever play the game.

“Good morning and thank you for joining me. Many of you in this room are my friends. Many of you in this room know me. Many of you have cheered for me, or you worked with me or you supported me. Now every one of you has good reason to be critical of me. I want to say to each of you simply and directly I am deeply sorry for my irresponsible and selfish behavior I engaged in.

I know people want to find out how I could be so selfish and so foolish. People want to know how I could have done these things to my wife Elin and to my children. And while I have always tried to be a private person there are some things I want to say. Elin and I have started the process of discussing the damage caused by my behavior. As Elin pointed out to me my real apology to her will not come in the form of words. It will come from my behavior over time. We have a lot to discuss and however what we say to each will remain between the two of us. I am also aware of the pain my behavior has caused to those of you in this room. I have let you down. I have let down my fans.

For many of you, especially my friends, my behavior has been a personal disappointment. To those of you who work for me I have let you down personally and professionally. My behavior has caused considerable worry to my business partners. To everyone involved in my foundation, including my staff, board of directors, sponsors, and most importantly the young students we reach, our work is more important than ever. Thirteen years ago my dad and I envisioned in helping your people achieve their dreams through education. This work remains unchanged and will continue to grow. From the learning center in southern California to the Earl Woods scholars in Washington DC, millions of kids have changed their lives and I am dedicated to making sure that continues. But still, I know I have bitterly disappointed all of you. I have made you question who I am and how I could have done the things I did. I am embarrassed that I have put you in this position.

For all that I have done I am so sorry. I have a lot to atone for but there is one issue I really want to discuss. Some people have speculated that Elin somehow hurt or attacked me on Thanksgiving night. It angers me that people would fabricate a story like that. Elin never hit me that night or any other night. There has never been an episode of domestic violence in our marriage. Ever. Elin has shown enormous grace and poise throughout this ordeal. Elin deserves praise, not blame.

The issue involved here was my repeated irresponsible behavior. I was unfaithful. I had affairs. I cheated. What I did is not acceptable and I am the only person to blame. I stopped living by the core values that I was taught to believe in. I knew my actions were wrong but I convinced myself that normal rules did not apply. I never thought about who I was hurting. Instead, I thought only about myself. I ran straight through the boundaries that a married couple should live by. I thought I could get away with whatever I wanted to. I felt that I had worked hard my entire life and deserved to enjoy all of the temptations around me. I felt I was entitled. Thanks to money and fame I didn’t have to go far to find them. I was wrong, I was foolish; I don’t get to play by different rules.

The same boundaries that apply to everyone apply to me. I brought this shame on myself. I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation, and kids all around the world who admired me. I have had a lot of time to think about what I have done. My failures have made me look at myself in a way I never wanted to before. It is not up to me to make amends. That starts by never repeating the mistakes I made. It is up to me to start living a life of integrity.

I once heard, and I believe its true, “It’s not what you achieve in life that matters, its what you overcome. Achievements on the golf course are only part of setting an example. Character and decency are what really count. Parents used to point to me as a role model for their kids. I owe all those families a special apology I want to say to them that I am truly sorry.

It’s hard to admit that I need help. But I do. For forty-five days form the end of December to early February I was in in-patient therapy receiving guidance for the issues I am facing. I have a long way to go but I have taken my first steps in the right direction.

As I proceed I understand people have questions. I understand the press wants to ask me details of the time I was unfaithful. I understand people want to know whether Elin or I will remain together. Please know that as far as I am on concerned everyone of these questions and answers is a matter between Elin and me. These are issues between a husband and a wife. Some people have made up things that never happened. They said that I used performance-enhancing drugs. This is completely and utterly false. Some have written things about my family. Despite the shame I have done I still believe that it is right to shield my family form the pubic light. They did not do these things. I did.

I have always tried to maintain a private space for my wife and children. They have been kept separate from my sponsors; my commercial endorsements. When my children were born we only released photographs so that the paparazzi could not chase them. However, my behavior doesn’t make it right for the media to follow my two and a half year old daughter to school and to report the school’s location. They staked out my wife and they perused my mom. Whatever my wrong doings for the sake of my family please leave my wife and kids alone. I recognize I have brought his on myself and I know above all I am the one who needs to change. I owe to my family to become a better person, I owe those close to me to become a better man. That is where my focus will be.

I have a lot of work to do and I tend to dedicate myself to doing it. Part of following this path for me is Buddhism, which my mother taught me at a young age. People probably don’t realize it but I was raised a Buddhist and I actively practiced my faith form childhood until I drifted away from it in recent years. Buddhism teaches that a craving for things outside ourselves causes an unhappy and pointless search for security; it teaches me to stop following every impulse and to learn restraint. Obviously, I lost track of what I was taught. As I move forward I will continue to receive help because I have learned that’s how people really do change.

Starting tomorrow I will leave for more treatment and more therapy. I would like to thank my friends at Accenture and the players in the field this week for understanding why I am making these remarks today. In therapy I have learned the importance in looking at my spiritual life and keeping a balance with my professional life. I need to regain my balance and be centered so that I can have the things that are important to me; my marriage and my children.

That also means relying on others for help. I have learned to seek support from my peers in therapy and I hope someday to return that support to others who are seeking help. I do plan to return to golf one day I just don’t know when that day will be. I don’t rule out that it will be this year. When I do return I need to make my behavior more respectful of the game. In recent weeks I have received many thousands of emails, letters, and people expressing good wishes. To everyone who has reached out to me and my family, thank you. Your encouragement means the world to Elin and me. I want to thank the PGA Tour, Commissioner Finchem, and the players for their patience and understanding while I work on my private life. I look forward to seeing my fellow players on the course. Finally, there are many people in this room and there are many people at home, who believed in me. Today I want to ask for your help. I ask you to find room in your heart to one day believe in me again. Thank you.”

As you all know Tiger Woods has been under the gun since his Thanksgiving Day car accident outside of his home in Orange County, Florida. The accident happened very late at night and there was immediate speculation that alcohol and domestic violence was involved in the incident. Alcohol, according to the Orange County Police Department, was not the cause of the accident. Then stories came from everywhere claiming that Elin Nordegren, Tiger’s Swedish super model wife, had beaten him up and he was running in a frantic to get away from her. (That might explain why Tiger did not have any shoes on when the police arrived.) There were even reports that she had bashed the car window in with one of his golf clubs. Regardless, this was a bad way for Tiger to spend his turkey day.

Tiger would spend the next couple of months in hiding as accusation after accusation came pouring in about his extramarital affairs. As many as fifteen women have lain claim to having shared a bed with Tiger Woods as a married man. Stories began to unfold that he would such as how Tiger would rent an entire floor of a Las Vegas hotel and order multiple cases of booze for him and a few friends.There were even stories that Tiger would purchase illegal drugs, order women who were paid to stay quiet, and disappear to some remote island for the weekend. (There were pictures taken recently of Tiger walking on the beach with a blond woman who was not his wife. He was in Australia for a golf tournament.)

Tiger married Elin Nordegren in October of 2004. On the list of women who have claimed to have slept with Tiger Woods includes Mindy Lawton, Cori Rist, and the hottest topic of them all, Rachel Uchitel. We are talking about Las Vegas cocktail waitresses to industry favorite porn stars. There are even reports starting to come out that one of these women is pregnant with Tiger’s baby. The gossip never ends thanks to websites like TMZ and magazines like the National Enquirer.

Needless to say this has been a mess for Tiger and his family. Tiger and Elin spent some time overseas at first, then Elin took some time to herself while her husband reportedly checked into a sex rehab facility down south. However, Tiger and Elin are now back in their Florida home with both of their children. This comes just in time for Tiger Woods to make his first public statement since November.  This announcement will come at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 19^th, 2010. But, before the announcement comes out I wanted to take the time to share with you what I feel the announcement will say. This is my attempt at writing a speech for the man I admire, Tiger Woods.

“Good morning everyone, and thank you for coming. Allow me to start by saying how deeply saddened I am for my friends and family. Since Thanksgiving Day there have been an onslaught of rumors about my transgressions and what the future for my career would hold. As you know I did take an indefinite leave of absence from golf. You will also recall that I did make an official statement on my website admitting to these transgression and I am deeply sorry for all of the hurt that I have caused. I have had to deal with this and what it has done to my family every day since and every day from here on out. That is why I am here today. Not only to apologize to you, my fans, but to also announce my return to the game of golf.

I will be making my official return to play at the Tavistock Cup in a few weeks. This is an event that I hold in high regard as it allows a select few PGA players the chance to play on one of the nicest courses in the country, Isleworth. This tournament also is on what I would consider a home course-taking place just down the road from my home here in Orange County. After this event I plan on playing at Bay Hill for the Bay Hill Invitational a couple of weeks before the Master and then again taking my game to Augusta for the Masters in April.

In my time away I have been able to rest, gather my thoughts on all that has been said in the media, and I am now ready to make a return to the game that I love. So to my family, friends, and fans know that I am deeply sorry for all that you ave been through as a cause of my actions, and know that I love you all for sticking with me through this difficult personal time in my life. I look forward to getting back on the course and I thank you for coming here today. That is all I have for you and there will be no questions at this time. Thank you.”

This might not be word for word what Tiger says in his press conference tomorrow, but you can bet your bottom dollar that I have hit a lot of nails on the head here. Tiger has spent too much time in hiding to come out and not have an announcement for his return to golf. He might shock the world and say that he is taking the rest of the year off or that he and his wife are getting a divorce or something insane like that. But I would venture to say that he is going to do nothing more than announce his return to the game that pays for his house, boat(s), and cars. I wish Tiger the best of luck tomorrow and I cannot wait to hear what he has to say. As always, you have my support in whatever you decide to do.

What follows is a poem that was passed on to me by my favorite cousin. I call her my favorite cousin because, well, she is my only cousin, and after reading this she should be glad that she is my only one! As many of you know I am the single biggest Tiger Woods fan on the planet. Well, there might be someone out there that tops my dedication to the man, but I doubt it. So, when this recent media frenzy began I decided that I would wait until it was all over before I wrote my reactions on it. As you know, this is still going on with new women coming out of the woodwork and new allegations being spread about him and his personal life. So, this post is not my reaction to all of this but rather just the poem that was sent to me. Note that I do not laugh at the majority of the jokes that are being spread about him, nor do I approve with the lies that are being tossed around by sites such as TMZ and the National Enquirer. But, for those of you who are laughing I figure this might give you a little holiday chuckle. So sit back, grab a nice cup of eggnog, and read one writer’s reaction to the Tiger Woods scandal as he compares his saga to the holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy new year!

Twas the  night of Thanksgiving and out of the house
Tiger Woods came a flyin’, chased by his spouse.

She wielded  a nine iron and wasn’t too merry,
Cause a bimbo’s phone number was in his Blackberry.

He’d been cheatin’ on Elin, and the story progressed.
Woman after woman stepped up and confessed.

He’d been cheatin’ with Holly, and Jaimee, and Cori,
With Joselyn, and Kalika. The world had the story.

From the top of the Tour to the basement of blues,
Tiger’s sad sordid tale was all over the news.

With hostesses, waitresses, he had lots of sex,
When not in their pants, he was sendin’ them texts.

Despite all his cryin’ and beggin’ and pleadin’,
Tiger’s wife went investin’ — a new home in Sweden .

And I heard her exclaim from her white Escalade,
“If you’re gettin’ laid then I’m gettin’ paid.”

She’s not pouting, in fact, she is of jolly good cheer,
Her prenup made Christmas come early this year.