Last year’s Australian Open capped off a long list of personal and professional incidents that seemed to be pushing John Daly deeper into a downward spiral. You may remember he smashed a fan’s camera against a tree and beat a hasty retreat to parts unknown, leaving many golf fans to shaking their heads and worrying about his future.

That’s why this Caveman is happy to report Big John’s making headlines in advance of this year’s Aussie Open for some good reasons, chiefly a shocking weight loss of over 115 pounds! Daly had a lap-band procedure, which reduced the size of his stomach and added several restrictions to his diet, not least of which was a strict limit on his alcohol intake – both issues that John had struggled with for years.

How’s the weight loss has affected his golf game? “The problem now is getting ahead of it [the ball] – getting too fast rather than laying back on it. But it’s starting to come back,” Daly said. He’s also mentioned he has a lot more energy than he used to, and that may be the most important advantage for him going forward. Hopefully he’ll be able to stay stronger for longer and add to his win list in 2010!

But hold on: critics are quick to point out that John’s still suckin’ down cigarettes and Diet Coke like he used to, and being in better shape doesn’t mean he’ll be able to keep the focus needed to win a professional golf tourney. On top of that, he’s still working on releasing an album of country tunes. So while he’s made great strides towards restoring his golfin’ career, the path still isn’t clear and no one can say how long he’ll keep it together this time.

Anyway, here’s one fan who’s hopin’ he gets back on track and pulls out a win (or five) this coming season!

-Scratch

PS: Do YOU think John Daly has what it takes to make another run at pro golf?

The holiday season is here! And while I’m glad to offer hundreds of great golfin’ gifts at The Rock, I know that sometimes searching for that one perfect gift to give a golfer (or yourself!) can be pretty exhausting. So keep reading for a few of my favorite tips to help get the ball rolling….

Training Aids – While it’s true that every golfer wants to get better and golf training aids can usually be found for just about any budget, big or small, you’ll probably want to take extra steps to ensure the golfer doesn’t think you’re saying, “Your game stinks!” with your gift. Hopefully you know the person well enough to know if they are particularly sensitive or will gladly welcome the gift. You can score extra points by gearing your gift towards their individual weaknesses: golf swing aids like the Swing Detective to help that snap-hook, or a weighted driver if they could use a little more distance.

Course Accessories – Golf can be an expensive hobby, especially when you’re still losing a golf ball every other hole or tearing through golf gloves at the range. So every golfer will appreciate someone else chipping in for the gear they need like golf balls and tees. Plus you can score extra brownie points by getting their favorite brand ball or their preferred length of tee. Even practical on-course tools like divot tools, golf towels or the like are always welcomed by just about any golfer.

Gift Certificates – The biggest problem with buying big-ticket items like clubs for a golfer is that it can be such a personal thing, especially drivers and putters. Best stick to getting a gift card that allows the golfer to pick out exactly what they like and need. Don’t forget that picking up a round or two at a local golf course or springing for a day at an exclusive “destination” course is sure to be a hit.

Let’s hear what YOU are hoping to unwrap this holiday season! Leave a comment below and be sure to tell us what the best golf gift you’ve ever given or gotten was, and why.

-Scratch

PS: Be sure to swing by my Holiday Gift Cave to see all my top gift ideas, plus shop by price or category!

I know, I find it hard to believe too! But every once in a great while someone can find a price LOWER than Rock Bottom Golf’s. But I wouldn’t be living up to my name if I didn’t have the LOWEST price out there! So here’s what I’m going to do. If you find a price lower than mine, send me an email at Scratch@RockBottomGolf.com with the item, the price and a link to it on the web. The Cave Crew will check it out and if everything is accurate, I’m going to give you it at the lower price PLUS give you an additional 15% of the difference off the price! Here’s an example of some Cave Math:

Let’s say you see an item out there for $89.99 while my price is at $99.99. In other words, $10 beneath what I have mine priced at. I’ll take $10 off AND get you an additional $1.50 off ($10 X 15%). That’s a Caveman Promise!

Now for some legal mumbo jumbo from the law speakin’ guys:

1. Items must be the exact same model and condition.
2. Items found out on auction sites do not apply.
3. Item price must be current and approved by the Cave Crew prior to purchase to receive discount. Past prices do not apply. In technical terms, “No Backsies”!
4. The seller of the discounted item must have an authorized account with the manufacturer.

See, that wasn’t so bad now was it?

Scratch the Caveman

Good news for my UK Rock Heads: Sky Sports has annouced a new 8-year deal that will bring live, high-definition PGA Tour golf straight to your television sets. Read more on the deal here.

And while I’m glad to see some of the world’s best golfers getting some more exposure, this Caveman wouldn’t be doing his job if I didn’t point out that without a certain red-shirted, swoosh-wearin’ player named Tiger prowlin’ the course, TV ratings for PGA events drop like prices at an outdoor Minnesota driving range in December.

When Tiger’s knee kept him off the course following the 2008 US Open, television viewers kept right on clickin’ past the PGA. Before you Tiger fans and haters get too worked up, take a quick look at the data: during Tiger’s absence, TV ratings of 3rd- & 4th-round PGA tourneys showed a drop of 47% from the previous year when Tiger was healthy.

Maybe that’s because Tiger’s former rivals have, for a variety of reasons, fallen back into the pack and left Tiger as the sole stand-out professional golfer. And while there’s hope on the horizon for a new crop of youngsters to rise up and give him a run, another injury to Tiger Woods would be devistating to the PGA Tour, who continues to seek new sponsors to replace GM and others forced to rein in their spending.

In general, how often do YOU watch the PGA Tour on TV, and how much of a difference does Tiger make in your viewing habits?

-Scratch

BONUS: Tiger’s chip-in on #17 at the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines

Here’s an interesting piece of news that came into The Cave recently: A new study by the NCAA, which oversees college sports in the US, “found that male college golfers are far more likely to [gamble] than other athletes.”

The numbers show as many as 20% of Division I mens golfers make a wager at least once a month, up from 14% when they ran the same study in 2004. And while less than 2% of the red tee set were once-a-month gamblers, that still put womens golfers at the top of the ladies’ list.

I should point out that the study didn’t distinguish between types of wagers, only asking how many times each individual respondent had placed a bet. And since golf & gambling go so well together, I’d like to think most of the golfers polled here were just being honest about that $2 Nassau they had last week instead of some serious stroke-shaving scheme or something.

No need to worry about the USGA who have adopted a policy that allows some wagering to take place, so long as the bets are optional and secondary to the game itself – no hustling. But amateur golfers DO need to be careful when it comes to collecting cash prizes in general-public tourneys or club championships: “Golfers participating in such events without first irrevocably waiving their right to cash prizes are deemed by the USGA to be playing for prize money, and therefore are professional golfers and cannot be considered amateur.”

So what’s the bottom line? Golfers of every age and skill level sometimes like to put a little money on their game, even college players. But as long things stay friendly and it doesn’t interfere with the round, I don’t think we’ll see a sports book scandal in golf anytime soon.

-Scratch

PS: How often do you gamble on the golf course? Any big wins – or losses – you’d care to share?

BONUS: If you’re lookin’ to make your next round more interesting, check out this list of about a hundred formats you can use to get out of the stroke play rut!

More than ten years into his career as a professional golfer, Doug Barron has become a household name. Too bad it’s because he was the first player to fail a PGA Tour drug test! But following the initial announcement, new information has been slow to come to light… until now.

First, it looks like Barron’s going to be sitting idle for a while one way or another. Barron’s lawyers submitted a request in federal court that would have allowed Barron to compete in a qualifying tournament in Houston, but the magistrate denied that motion.

Next was the revelation that Barron had twice asked the PGA for a therapeutic exemption and been denied. It seems Barron has suffered from low testosterone levels and may have had some issues with his heart, both of which required prescriptions for the male hormone testosterone and beta blockers to keep his conditions in check.

Unfortunately for Doug, both of those substances are banned by the PGA because they can increase strength, speed recovery, and reduce nervousness – all obviously able to assist a competitive golfer.

The PGA’s drug policy is matter-of-fact: each golfer is solely responsible for their own body and what substances go into it, so a positive test means a suspension. But now the question seems to be how serious was Barron’s situation, and should the PGA have granted the medical exemption for his prescribed treatment?

Before you make up your mind, let this Caveman cast your mind back to 2001 when certifiably disabled golfer Casey Martin had to fight his way all the way to the US Supreme Court before being allowed to ride in a golf cart. (Martin was diagnosed with a degenerative circulatory disorder of his right leg.) The PGA stood by its statement that using a cart would “fundamentally alter the game,” but the Supreme Court sided with Martin.

No doubt there will be even more evidence to consider in Barron’s case before too long, and this Caveman will do his best to keep you posted!

-Scratch

PS: Since I dusted off the Casey Martin case, I’d love to hear your opinion: Does walking fundamentally change the game of golf? And I wanna know if you walk or ride, especially if you’ve found you play much better doing one versus the other!

BONUS: Should Pros Have To Carry Their Own Clubs?

It seems like the global economic issues have finally caught up to the top tiers of the golfin’ world. I know my Rock Heads have been dealin’ with their own financial problems for more than a year, and the LPGA is still looking for some sponsors to save their 2010 season, but now even the top Tour pros (yes, even Tiger Woods) are getting caught up in it. Here are just a couple examples that popped up this week:

• Dubai World Championship Cuts Prize Money – While this Caveman feels like $7.5 million still ain’t too shabby, that’s a full 25% less than the original $10M purse that was to have been given to the winner of this tourney, which marks the end of the European Tour’s season. Lee Westwood, who banked over $3M this year, put it in perspective: “We should not complain about the cut in the prize fund here because we are still competing for an awful lot of money, and we are aware that some of golf sponsors are struggling at the moment.”

Speaking of which…

• Nickent Golf Goes Under – GolfDigest reported that Nickent Golf has gone out of business. Always a favorite manufacturer of mine, I was especially sorry to hear they couldn’t keep crankin’ out the clubs. I’ll do my best to grab what I can of their final few runs and get ‘em to my Rock Heads at a good price.
• Tiger Picks Up His 6th-Lowest Professional Paycheck – Tiger Woods made some headlines earlier this year by becoming the first athlete to earn $1 billion, his payday at the Australian Masters last week wasn’t much to write home about. Tiger’s oversized check was made out for “only” about $250,000, which is the sixth-lowest amount he’s won at a single tourney. Better luck next time, Tiger!
• Rory McIlroy Reversing The Trend – It’s not all doom and gloom on the golf course, though. If rising star Rory McIlroy can collect the winner’s share of that $7.5M in Dubai this week, the 20-year-old will become the youngest player to top the money list since Seve Ballesteros back in 1976.

-Scratch

Michelle Wie “finally” won her first LPGA Tour event last weekend, shooting a 3-under 69 in the final round of the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in Mexico. After a stellar amateur career that saw her qualify for a USGA event as a 10-year-old, it took the now-20-year-old more than five years to notch her first victory on tour.

“It’s a huge monkey off my back. A huge gorilla, really. I didn’t think I would cry but I did. It was everything I expected and more. I’m really proud of myself for not giving up and pushing through. It has been so long overdue,” said Wie.

But that’s not to say it’s been a quiet couple of years for Wie. Since turning pro a week before her 16th birthday, she’s battled the high expectations her early success brought, signed endorsement deals worth millions, and famously competed in several PGA Tour events against an all-male field. But with this win over established contender Paula Creamer, Wie and her fans may finally be able to focus on her performance and less on the distractions and hiccups she’s encountered so far.

Other golf fans remain skeptical and are quick to point out that one win, while certainly a milestone worth celebrating, does not guarantee that the worst is behind her. This Caveman is quick to recall Anna Kornikova, another famous female athlete who sizzled on red carpets and magazine covers while cashing big endorsement checks but failed to play her sport at a championship level.

My take? There are a lot of 20-year-old golfers who haven’t won so much as a Nassau on a golf course yet, let alone a professional event. If she stays healthy, keeps working and doesn’t get distracted, Michelle Wie can still become an elite-level golfer – but it’s going to be up to her to put in the work. Here’s hoping her next tour victory doesn’t take another 60+ tries!

-Scratch

PS: Lookin’ for more about Michelle Wie? Get just the facts at Wikipedia or check out some of her glamour shots, then leave a comment here or on Twitter!

When golfers hear “Korea,” they often already know that South Korea has become a hotspot for golf. The country has an ever-growing list of pro golfers who were born there as well as an impressive roster of high-caliber courses. And while many of those courses may have a tricky hole or two, there’s one par 3 in particular that’s worthy of attention.

That’s because this 192-yard hole is surrounded on 3 sides by barbed wire and *gulp* land mines. It’s not every day you play a hole that has a “DANGER!! DO NOT RETRIEVE BALLS FROM THE ROUGH LIVE MINE FIELDS!” on the tee box. And they’re not kiddin’, either. There have been reports of a badly sliced ball causing an explosion.

As you may have guessed, the hole is actually on the border between North and South Korea, with soldiers from both sides actively patrolling the area. When you factor in the land mines, barbed wire, live ammunition & troops plus a putting surface made of Astroturf, this Caveman’s gotta figure that even the top Tour pros would have trouble concentrating on their putt!

-Scratch

PS: Check out these pictures!

Not too long ago, American lawmakers took action to prevent tobacco companies from advertising in certain formats (remember the Winston Cup?), and now a movement is under way Down Under and Across The Pond to do the same with the alcohol industry. Needless to say the issue has attracted some serious attention and stirred up a firestorm of debate from both sides. Should beer, wine & liquor ads be banned from sporting events?

On one hand, you’ve got the producers, distributors, and, yes, drinkers of the booze who point to studies showing no relationship between advertising and alcohol abuse. One large player in this bunch is The Portman Group, a public relations firm that represents numerous beverage companies such as Inbev, who recently acquired Anheuser-Bush and sells their suds in 30 countries worldwide, and Carlsberg, a Dutch brewing company. Portman’s estimates are that the drink industry spends between $250 million to $330 million annually on sponsorships and advertising in the UK alone. In the US… well, just think about that football game you watched on Sunday and how many beer commercials you saw…’nuff said.

On the other hand, medical experts, public safety officials and teetotalers in general have their own studies that show the opposite: the more pro-alcohol messages someone sees, the more likely they are to drink the stuff, and too many ads can contribute to creating a full-on drinking problem. (It’s obviously not as cut-and-dry as that, but you get the drift.) And with just about every sport and their stars being marketed to younger crowds, a major concern is the effect of these ads on teenagers and even younger children.

You don’t have to go any further than golfer John Daly to see what abuse of alcohol (among other vices) can do to a career. Daly has lost endorsements, teachers, fans, and untold prize money with his alcohol-soaked antics.

But would a ban on sponsorships and advertising really help keep kids from drinking? And how would leagues, teams and players make up for the missing revenue that beer ads are currently providing? That other major sports sponsor, car companies, has also pulled back on the ads and you can ask the folks at the Buick Open how that turned out!

What’cha think Rock Heads? Weigh in with your thoughts in the comments below, or shoot me a note on Twitter, FaceBook or MySpace to continue the debate!

~Scratch

PS: This Caveman is a long-time fan of John Daly and glad to see he seems to be on the right track these days! I’m happy to have his signature Grip It & Rip It golf gloves here in The Cave, and wish him the best of luck with his latest venture: recording an album of country tunes!

Golf Trivia: Why do golf courses have 18 holes, and not 20, 10 or an even dozen? Click here to see the answer!