The Streak Ends

Well...Tiger Woods undefeated streak is over...
Anyone who plays the game of golf appreciates the importance
of the short game...I had a boss once whose favorite expression
was, " It's the little things." He used that line to describe both
the highs and the lows. It immediately came to mind when
Tiger came crashing to earth in the third round of last weekends
tourney at Doral...I fully expected after round number two that
Tiger would wolf down the rest of the field leaving in his wake
unprecedented evidence that he was the King of the PGA jungle.
Then in round three - the putts that have so consistently fallen
all year long - came up short - lipped out - or drifted by the
cup. By the rain delayed midway point of the final round Tiger
could have been excused for taking the look of the beaten man.
Imagine how disappointed he must have been. To rally the way
he did and perform well enough to make many beleive there was
a chance - is the mark of an exceptional athlete and competitor.
The fact that Woods finished just two back of the eventual
champion is a marvel. Geoff Ogilvie will concede his final round
performance was less than stellar. What it was - was good enough
to win...and that's it. How much of his final round uncertainty can
be attributed to knowing that Tiger was still prowling ? Even
five shots down with nine holes to go - Ogilivy had to know that
Woods was more than a threat... The fact that Tiger can play
so un-Tiger like for a round and a half at such a key time in a
tournament and still come so close proves again that he is anything
but just another golf pro....in fact if he had made less than half the
routine- for- Tiger putts he missed, he might have posted a four
shot win....
If you already receive the Atlantic Golf Radio E Newsletter - you
have a treat in store...one of the subscribers forwarded something
fun this week...I'm going to include it in Newsletter # 3 .
If you don't already subscribe - visit the website -
www.atlanticgolfradio.com and register today.
Bluegrass is alive and well in Nova Scotia...more in a future report
when I hope to be able to go into great detail - but all I can say is
that I heard a couple from Mushaboom whose music is as sweet and
pure as can be imagined....acoustic music and soaring vocal harmonies -
bottle it - many of society's ills could be cured.
It's still way to cold to golf here - so I'm off to tune up the Martin -
and refresh...
Til next time - hittem long and hittem straight.

One Down - 29 To Go

For most reference to golf's "Silly Season" brings autumn, big
purse, non-PGA Tour tournaments...
Not me...silly season is the welcome, impending beginning of
a new season of Maritime Golf.
It's my personal silly season because I begin the search for
little known golf fun facts, funny golf quotes I may not already
have in my library, and simply things to talk about in the
Weekly - Atlantic Golf Radio Magazine E Newsletter...
The Golf Shop moniker is gone...corporate stuff mostly -
so the radio program, the newsletter and the one minute
radio golf feature will all carry the same banner as my
website - www.atlanticgolfradio.com .
The Radio Program - the one hour radio golf magazine -
is still very much in question...not a huge issue...a
year's sabatical will allow for more fine tuning and formatic
revisions that may be due anyway. I had already put in
place a number of changes about which I was quite excited -
but - a year to contemplate and refocus on playing the game
would not be unwelcome. If you already get the newsletter
you'll know within a week or so - and if you don't - well, go to
the website and sign up...you can never be quite sure what
you may find in the Newsletter...this week's Atlantic Golf Radio
funpoll asks the question - "Will Tiger win all four majors..."
So far , no one's willing to come right out and support the
idea, although everyone seems to think it's a distinct
possiblity. Frankly I think Tiger's mental game is now such that
he can overcome any sporadic mechanical issues. I think he
will. If he posts what looked like an unlikely win before yesterday,
today at Bay Hill - look out...one record no one's ever held is
undefeated for the season....We may be entering an age when
we realize that there are many who can top Tiger over one
round - but can anyone outlast Tiger for four rounds ?
He is amazing to watch.
Jazz wants out and the Penguins are frosting the Flyers - so
I'm out...
Til next time hittem long and hittem straight.

Little this...Little that

" You're a party with the lights down low..
You're my Friday night movie show...
"Love Me Tender" on the radio - just hold me tight and don't let go..

It's the smile on your face - it's your style and your grace -
and that's why - that's why - I love you."

Could be my favorite pop lyrics - thank you Andrew Gold...
So many good pop songs out there although I must admit my
familiarity with those less than say 30 years old - is somewhat,
and shamefully lacking.
I was tinkering on the guitar the other morning..not paying much
attention when I marvelled at how far guitar manufacuring has
come since I first picked one up forty some years ago.
I was playing my Martin - the one that got smashed up on an
American Airlines flight several weeks ago. What a lovely guitar
to play...sound so pure and sweet, the action so perfect...
It's not an expensive guitar by Martin standards - and certainly
most manufacturers produce an instrument in the same price
range...whether they compare to the entry level Martin is pure
personal preference but when you look at the investment in
today's dollars compared with what was available when I first
started to play - well....guitar players have much to be thankful
for....
I mentioned that American Airlines did a job on my guitar
when we flew to Chile the end of January...it was a very
sad moment when I spied my guitar in Santiago airport with
the lower, back end of the case demolished....crushed...
obliterated. I was afraid to look inside to see what damage
the guitar had suffered.
I won't go into much detail here...you'd be bored to tears unless
you've had a similar experience...I will say the story has a happy
ending. Without a whole lot of hassle or inconvenience, certainly
much less than I expected, American Airlines replaced both the
guitar and case and then were very reasonable when I asked
to purchase the damaged instrument and case to see if they
could be salvaged. A few hours at the workbench, and the guitar
though still cosmetically challenged is structurally sound and
infinitely playable. At son Matt's suggestion in rebuilding the
guitar case , I reinforced the top, sides and bottom with
fibreglass and then covered the whole thing in denim. In it's
current state I think it'll even stand up to airline abuse...we'll
see in a few weeks.
So, American Airlines came through - and that's two for two.
I'm always willing to share my horror stories involving Air
Canada...( see my blog 36 hours in the evil clutches ) but
even that story ended satisfactorily. A couple of emails and
phone conversations with Air Canada Customer Service and
they too came across like a corporation with a conscience
and compensated us fairly for our inconvenience and discomfort.
I frankly was surprised at the understanding they exhibited.
Hats off to Air Canada - and that's not something I ever imagined
you hear from me.
Took a walk around the golf course today..God it was nice..won't
be long now.
The Leafs are playing New Jersey tonight. This should be step
one in the end of the dream that many are allowing themselves
the luxury to enjoy. The Leafs will not make the playoffs.
Sundin, despite playing the best hockey of his career, can't do it
alone. The rest of the no-trade five don't have the nuts to play
consistently well enough to make the playoffs. Tucker's act is
really tired...McCabe and Kaberle still disappear at too many
inopportune times...and Kubina is just a mistake made by
John Ferguson for which he paid with his job. Even with Toskala
playing at his heroic best - the country club that is the Leafs, needs
to be flushed. ( Gawd I dislike Ryan Seacrest ..American Idol is on
while I write and Ryan Seacrest is to Idol what Ron MacLean is to
Hockey Night in Canada...too much Ron and not enough HNIC )
Back to the Leafs...sadly anyone who plays in Toronto more than a
couple of seasons too soon comes to understand that in Leaf Land
the difference between winning and losing is minimal. You're
a hero either way, idolized by a far too forgiving public, and
too many Leafs have realized when the paycheque doesn't change,
why exert yourself.
Have I mentioned golf ? I am so looking forward to the season
ahead..if you are not registered to receive my weekly Golf ENewsletter
go to the website - atlanticgolfradio.com - tips , tricks and all
kinds of golf news...including which clubs in Nova Scotia are
opening earliest and when.
Talk soon...til next time..or should I say just, next time - hittem
long and hittem straight.