A few months back, I wrote up a post about my favorite golfin’ movies. Most of you agreed with me that Caddyshack is the best golf movie of all time.
Caddyshack hit theaters July 25th, 1980. Its official, this fantastic movie is 30 Years old. While I was reminiscing, I came across an excellent list of trivia that I did not know about the movie.
Here are some of my Favorites:
The Gopher scenes were written and filmed on a separate sound-stage after most of the movie was shot, using better quality film stock and cameras, which explains why those scenes look so different. No expenses were spared on the puppet.
Like the character of Danny Noonan, the eldest Murray brother, Ed, actually won a caddie scholarship. The Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship helped pay his way through Northwestern University.
The Gopher’s noises were supplied by the dolphin sound effects used on the ’60s show ‘Flipper.’
The American Film Institute ranked the movie #71 on its list of “100 Years, 100 Laughs,” ranked the “Cinderellas Story” at #92 on its list of “100 Movies, 100 Quotes,” and ranked it #7 on its list of “Top 10 Sports Movies.”
On a visit to the United States, the Dalai Lama was asked by Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura if he’d seen ‘Caddyshack.’ He said no; but according to Ventura, before he left, he turned to the governor and said, “Gunga, gunga la-gunga.”
Happy Birthday Caddyshack!
My Favorite scene might have to have been the Baby Ruth Scene, which was actually inspired by a real life event that happened at Brian Doyle-Murrays High School
Week 3 and 4 of Scratch’s New Golf Trivia has come to an end. Here is a quick refresh of the New rules! Instead of 5 questions a day like it was before, I will only do 1 question per day for a total of 5 questions throughout the week (last week only had 4 because of the holiday). The first person to answer the question correctly will get 3pts, but you can earn a point for every correct answers you post (limit 1 per question).
Here are week 3′s questions and answers:
How many times has the Open Championship been played in Ireland?
Only once
Who has the lowest aggregate score in a British Open? And what is it?
Gregg Norman with 267 Strokes
How often is the Open Championship played at St Andrews?
Once every 5 years
Which female’s portrait hangs in the golf museum at St Andrews?
Mary Queen of Scots
When and Where was the first Open Championship played?
The Old Prestwick Sheep field in 1860
And Last Week’s:
This weekends PGA stop is the RBC Canadian Open, when was it first founded?
1904,
The first Canadian Open was played at the first official golf course in North America. Which course was it?
Royal Montreal Golf Club
Which golfer has recorded the most Canadian Open wins?
Leo Diegel with 4 Wins
Arnold Palmer Set the Canadian Open record for lowest score in relation to par at -23. What year did he set it?
1955
When was the last time a Canadian golfer won the Canadian Open?
1954
Congrats to Tim Arnold, who scored the most points in week 3 and Mike Matosziuk for last week on Facebook. And to Docoyer for week 3 and armcchr last week on Twitter. Also Congrats to Tim Arnold for getting the High Score on My Golfin’ Game. in week 3, and to Alex Bradley for getting the High Score last week!
Now this Caveman doesn’t necessarily believe in global warming, but over the past few weeks, the Eastern Seaboard of the US has been held hostage under what is being described as a vicious heat wave. Temperatures have hit record highs have people have been warned to stay inside.
I am not one for letting the weather keep me off the green. This past weekend, however, with the high humidity and heat indexes of 115˚F and higher, I couldn’t take it. No amount of water would have been able to keep me hydrated enough to enjoy my round.
While I tried to stay in cool in my air conditioned cave (that’s right, this caveman has electricity) I began searching for the hottest golf course in the world.
Alice Spring Golf Club in Northern Territory Australia took the cake. Temperatures there average 115˚F but can reach up over 130˚F. Then take into account the course layout and the blistering winds which add more confusion than relief from the heat, accuracy is a must. Shooting straight with sweat dripping into your eyes sounds not only difficult, but down right unpleasant.
What’s the hottest round of golf you have ever played?
Eight months ago, I asked the question,“Will Tiger Woods break Jack Nicklaus’ record?” to my Facebook and Twitter Rockheads.
The answer was almost unanimously,” Yes, Tiger will win more than 18 majors.”
Ask that same question today and the response will probably be very different. Tiger hasn’t won a single event this season. He hasn’t won a Major out of the last 9, and he is on the brink of losing his #1 spot. On the surface it would appear that Tiger Woods is falling apart, but some of these facts are a bit misleading.
2 of the 9 Majors, Tiger missed because of Knee Surgery. He has also been in a similar slump before. From 200-2005 Tiger went 10 Majors without a win. He faced similar criticism. Golfers had finally caught up to him. He was able to turn himself around then. He might be able to do it again.
Tiger Tied for 4th at both Players Championship and the US Open, tied for 23rd at the British Open. This makes his average 10th at the Majors, which is only bested by Lee Westwood. Perhaps he is not dominating the field like he once was, but he isn’t playing horribly by any means.
Woods is also only 34. Jack Nicklaus won his final Major at 46. This caveman will be shocked if Tiger Woods can’t pull 5 Major wins out of his bag by 2022.
What do you think Rock Heads? Will Tiger be able to break Jack Nicklaus’s record?
The 2010 Open Championship was poised to be brilliant. Thursday started off wonderfully, but then Friday the wind picked up and the play was halted. The feel and momentum of the tournament was never able to recover.
Even with a lack of a dramatic climax, some pretty excellent things happened:
Louis Oosthuizen had built up quite the lead going into friday night, and no other golfer was able to catch up. By wrap up on Sunday, he had a commanding 7-stroke ( -16 to par) lead over the rest of the pack. This marked the first Major win for the South African golfer and shot him from 54th to 15th in the World Golf Rankings. Some have debated that his win was a result of favorable tee times, and that he may just be a flash in the pan. What do you think Rockheads?
Rory McIlroy opened with a fierce 63, and sent him to the lead. The wind on Friday seemed to push the Irishman around, causing him to mark an 80. Despite this, he was able to tie Paul Casey and Henrik Stenson for third. Rory’s performance boosted him from 9th to 7th in the world rankings.
While the top 6 ranked players didn’t trade spots. Lee Westwood bested the trio by 1 stroke to place second and shrank the gap between his 3rd place ranking and the two leading golfers, Woods and Mickelson who placed 23rd and 48th respectively.
Tiger Woods seems to be in danger of becoming just another golfer. He hasn’t claimed a single tournament yet this season, and hasn’t won a major out of the last 9 (2 years worth). For the time being, he still continues to draw the crowds, and is still clinging to his #1 spot, but how much longer will it last? Can Tiger turn this around, or will he just fade away into the gallery?
Congrats to Louis Oosthuizen!
~Scratch
Bonus: Ever heard of a book costing $4,600? Neither Had this caveman until he stumbled upon The Links of Scotland. This Leather bound book contains the layout of 18 of Scotland’s finest golf courses as well as going hole-by-hole with overlays to show best shot approaches. As awesome as that sounds, I am just not sure I would be willing to pay quite that much for it. Would you?
Today kicks off the 2010 Open Championship. After a 5 year hiatus, the golfers have returned to the home of their game in St Andrews, Scotland. But Just like at last years Open Championship, they are going to be faced with some nasty winds, heavy rain, and some low flying clouds.
The weather ALWAYS plays a factor on a golf course, but hits especially hard on a links track like St Andrews. Calm, dry days allow players to take more risks and concentrate on ball-striking, which can be difficult because of the different turf and soil conditions found on a links course.
But crank up the wind or throw in some sprinkles of rain and it’s back to square one. Golfers are forced to play conservatively, and an errant shot can be much tougher to come back under bad conditions.
So here are some tips to remember the next time you’re caught in the elements:
Rainy Day Play
Keep your grips and clubheads clean and dry. Make sure you’ve got a towel or two in your bag, and wipe everything down after each shot.
“Sweep” the ball. Hit the ball cleanly with more of a sweeping motion; your club head will tend to dig or catch in wet grass otherwise.
Club up. Wet weather means heavier air, so your shots won’t go as far as they do normally. Club up one or two clubs until you get a feel for how the ball is flying.
Greens will be slower. Wet greens will slow your ball down considerably, so add some muscle to your chips, or try to land them closer to the pin than normal since they won’t as much. Same goes with putts.
Blowin’ In The Wind
These tips are for playing into the wind.
Club up. Strong winds may need more than one club up, but watch for sudden gusts or calms that can throw you off.
Choke up. Grip the club with a short handle and try for more of a punch shot. The low trajectory will save you some distance and increase your control, which should keep you in the fairway.
Stay smooth. Don’t try to overpower the wind, keep your swing speed steady.
For a crosswind, adjust your aim to the appropriate side. Clubbing up isn’t a bad idea, either.
For playing downwind, remember to club down! You might want to try teeing your ball a little higher on your drives – getting the ball into the “jetstream” can add up to 30 yards to your drives!
- Scratch The Caveman
Rock Heads: Add your bad weather tips in the comments below! What’s the worst weather you’ve seen on a golf course?
Week 2 of Scratch’s New Golf Trivia has come to an end. Here is a quick refresh of the New rules! Instead of 5 questions a day like it was before, I will only do 1 question per day for a total of 5 questions throughout the week (last week only had 4 because of the holiday). The first person to answer the question correctly will get 3pts, but you can earn a point for every correct answers you post (limit 1 per question).
Here’s last weeks questions:
Which lady golfer was given an exemption for the 2005 John Deere Classic?
Michelle Wie
How many golfers have won the John Deere Classic more than once?
4
When did the John Deere Classic become an official PGA Tour Event?
1972
As of today (July 8th, 2010), how many golfers hold the PGA Record for 59 strokes over 18 holes?
4
Congrats to Adarsh Vakharia, who scored the most points last week on Facebook, and to Docoyer on Twitter. Also Congrats to Mike Matosziuk for getting the High Score on My Golfin’ Game. All three will receive $10 in caveman cash!
The Open Championship is played on a 9 course rotation on historic links in Scotland and England. It was also held one time in Northern Ireland, at the Royal Portrush, but that has since been removed from rotation.
The 2010 Open Championship kicks off next weekend at St Andrews Golf Course in Scotland. Tiger Woods will continue to pick up his golf game and hold onto his #1 spot, while Phil Mickelson attempts to dethrone him.
Justin Rose, who made his first splash during the 1998 British Open when he tied for 4th as an amateur, earned his spot last week when he moved up 16th in the world ranking list with his win at the AT&T National.
Bubba Watson snagged his invitation when he triumphed at the Travelers Championship. Jeff Overton will be playing in his 3rd consecutive British Open, and it will also mark the second appearance of Ryan Moore.
Rickie Fowler will also join with his Open Championship debut next weekend.
Unfortunately injuries have forced a couple of players to take a knee on the sideline. The 11th world ranked, Anthony Kim, will be nursing his injured thumb, while David Toms ices his shoulder.
For a list of the other competing golfers, check out the Open Championship’s website.
Who do you think will take it this year, Rock Heads?
~Scratch
PS: Don’t forget to choose your teams in my Fantasy Golf Group. The Person who picks ‘em best for the British Open, will get some Caveman Cash!
Now this Caveman doesn’t necessarily believe in global warming, but over the past few weeks, the Eastern Seaboard of the US has been held hostage under what is being described as a vicious heat wave. Temperatures have hit record highs have people have been warned to stay inside. 
The 2010 Open Championship kicks off next weekend at St Andrews Golf Course in Scotland. Tiger Woods will continue to pick up his golf game and hold onto his #1 spot, while Phil Mickelson attempts to dethrone him. 
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