Golf is Boring to Watch on TV!

I love to play golf, but it's quite another experience to watch other people play it. Before I took up the game, I found watching it on TV to be dreadfully boring. I developed a knee-jerk reaction to change the channel whenever I came across a golf telecast. But things changed after I spent my first real session at the driving range. I began to appreciate the skill needed to propel that stupid white dimpled ball into the air with power and accuracy. As a self-taught golfer, golf telecasts became an important instructional tool. Soon I became familiar with all the top pros and recognized their unique swings and tendencies. After understanding the difficulty and nuances of the game, I started to enjoy watching golf on it's own merits.

But that's not to say that golf is my favorite sport to watch. It still takes a back seat to basketball, football and soccer in my book. But here are some things that can improve TV golf watching:

1. Use a DVR: By far the biggest reason why people find watching golf on TV boring is the amount of "yawntime".  Over a typical 3 hour golf telecast there's probably only 30 mins. of real "action" including club swinging and ball movement.  A DVR allows you to fast-forward through the "yawntime" and get to the good parts.  Obviously, you can also skip through all the commercials and any players you could care less about.  I find that I can easily watch a golf telecast in half the time.
2. Bet on Golf: Nothing gets you more interested in something more than having a little cashola on the line.  Nowadays it's easy to open an online betting account to lay some duckets on your favorite golfer.  If you never thought you could yell at your TV over golf, you just haven't wagered enough.
3. Play Fantasy Golf: Fantasy Football has become a huge game over the last decade.  Millions of people play it every football season and it certainly amps up the excitement of watching football on TV.  In the same way, fantasy golf kicks up golf watching a notch or two.  There are actually a couple of free leagues hosted by bloggers that offer prizes.  The best one by far is the HOG Space fantasy golf league.
4. Play Real Golf: Only by actually playing golf can you fully appreciate the amazing skill of professional golfers.  Get out there and play so you can go inside and watch!

Holly Sonders: Hottest Golf Chick?

Ask any random dude on the street, "Who is the hottest woman in golf?" and I bet 99.9% of those that can actually come up with an answer will name Natalie Gulbis. Ask me that same question, and I'll name someone that I bet 99.9% of all guys have never heard: Holly Sonders.

After watching the Golf Channel over the last year, I have finally concluded that she is indeed the hottest girl in golf. Originally slated for the eye candy role on the daily live golf talk show "Morning Drive", she has been making the rounds on other Golf Channel shows such as "Golf Channel Academy" and "School of Golf". Like a master chef using just a bit of saffron to complete a gourmet dish, the programming big wigs at the Golf Channel use Ms. Sonders to spice up otherwise bland shows.

At first I thought that she was just another pretty face with a smile that rivals the Cheshire Cat, but she's actually an excellent on-air personality. She is smart and articulate and speaks with a sweet and pleasant voice. She's a natural in front of the camera and can handle the unpredictability and pressure of a live show. And to top it off, she's a legit golfer. Just check out this video from the 2012 CVS Caremark Charity Classic shot by my friends at Golfwrx:



Along with Win McMurray and Lauren Thompson, the Golf Channel has assembled quite a bevy of golf babes for us to feast our eyes upon. After watching the NFL Network, it's obvious that they could learn a thing or two from their dimpled, white balled competitor. But of course football is interesting enough that eye candy would just be a distraction!

A Tiger Becomes a Phoenix?

The phoenix is a mythical and sacred firebird. According to mythology, the phoenix builds a nest near the end of its life that eventually ignites and engulfs the phoenix in flames. A new phoenix is reborn from the ashes and the life-cycle continues.

Like a phoenix, Tiger Woods arose from the ashes of his recent past at last week's Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge with an emphatic win. We are all too familiar with Tiger's fall from grace starting with that fateful Thanksgiving Day car crash in 2009. It is arguably the biggest downfall in the history of professional sports.

Over that time, Tiger has had to deal with a number of obstacles both on and off the course. Chief among them was the self-inflicted pain and consequences of a sex scandal in the public eye. It ultimately led to an emotionally and financially costly divorce. Physically, Tiger continued to have trouble overcoming nagging knee and Achilles injuries. Hank Haney dropped him as his swing coach and he hired Sean Foley to overhaul his swing. Tiger released his longtime caddy, the fiery Steve Williams, in favor of Fred Couple's former looper, Joe LaCava.

But Tiger finally overcame all of those obstacles with his 72nd win on the PGA Tour. It took 923 days and 27 tour events, a long time to the casual observer. However, it's quite understandable if you consider everything that Tiger has had to overcome. Regardless, Tiger 2.0 is finally here and it will be interesting to see how far he soars.

Who Won? Huh?

Jeremy Lin is all the rage in the NBA these days. About to be cut, he came off the bench to play some of the best ball at his position and help elevate the bottom-of-the-barrel New York Knicks to a legitimate playoff team. Adding to his unbelievable ascent and growing legend is that he is an American of Asian descent. That's a first in the NBA.

Well the PGA has it's own version of Jeremy Lin. His name is John Huh and he is tearing up the PGA out of nowhere in Lin-like fashion. Huh started his rookie year making the cut at his very first start, finishing top 15 in his next two starts, and winning in his fifth start last weekend at the Mayakoba Golf Classic. Like Lin, Huh was born in America to Asian parents. Huh played at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, California where he wasn't even the best player on his team. He was a virtual unknown on the junior golf circuit because of limited financial resources. After high school, Huh attended California State University, Northridge but left after two weeks due to scholarship ineligibility after the NCAA changed a rule. Huh turned pro in 2008 and played on the Korean Tour before qualifying for the 2012 PGA Tour by finishing T27 at Q-school. Huh has the hottest rookie start on the PGA Tour since Tiger and he's well on his way to the 2012 PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year honors. So it appears that there are a lot of similarities between Lin and Huh. However, unlike Lin, we probably won't have to endure all those annoying puns!