Tiger Woods is revving to appear in this week’s PGA Tour event, the Honda Classic 2012 Tournament. Starting at last week’s World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, Woods has been gearing up for a stretch of three consecutive weeks on TOUR. Given his less than stellar performance at the Match Play Championship – the tournament saw him sink near the bottom of the PGA Tour in strokes gained putting (he missed three putts inside of 10 feet on the back nine) – it’s clear that Tiger just isn’t the dominant player he once was. Though he started the final round just four shots from the lead, his Sunday struggles at the Match Play Championship weren’t pretty; he shot a 3-over 75 and dropped into a tie for 15th place. That being said, perhaps this full docket of Tour events is an indication that Tiger hasn’t cooled his engine just yet and is eager to shift his game into high gear.

For the past five years, the tournament has been held at the PGA National Championship Course in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. This particular course is guaranteed to test Tiger in a way that few courses can – in 2011, PGA National ranked the PGA National Championship Course as the second toughest on TOUR at 2.5 strokes over par. This is just a hair easier than the infamous Royal St. George’s Golf Club in the British Open.

Adding the Honda Classic to his schedule is a bit of an anomaly for Woods; he has never played the event as a pro. His only appearance at the Honda Classic was way back in ’93 when a fresh-faced, 17-year-old Tiger took to the Weston Hills course as an amateur (and failed to make the cut).

“I heard great things about the Honda Classic,” Woods said in a release. “Now that I live here I want to play whenever possible. (Jack Nicklaus’) involvement in the tournament and the benefits to the local community are also important.”

Tiger isn’t the only one excited for his appearance at the Honda Classic. Executive Director Ken Kennerly is “thrilled” to have the champion play a part in the tournament. “We have worked hard for five years to make this one of the premier events on the PGA TOUR,” said Kennerly. “This is a testament to where the tournament has come, and a testament to Honda’s 31 years as the longest-standing sponsor on the PGA TOUR.”

The competition for the title will be stiff this year. Woods will take to the field along with reigning Masters champion Charl Schwartzel, reigning U.S. champion Rory McIlroy, reigning British Open champ Darren Clarke, and English star Lee Westwood (currently No. 2 in the Official World Golf Ranking). With competition and a course like this one, clearly Tiger is ready to prove that he hasn’t lost the old luster just yet. But the question is, will Tiger come back with a bang, or fizzle out in a whimper? This caveman loves a good comeback story, but I’m not sure Tiger fans can stand another heartbreaker like the Match Play Championship. Hopefully the fist-pumping phenomenon will prove that he’s more than up to the challenge.

Hey there, Rockheads. If you’re anything like me, the monotony of daily jogging doesn’t really appeal to you. Sometimes, you need to kick your exercise routine up a notch by throwing in something new and exciting. Besides, the more exciting your fitness regimen is, the more likely you are to enjoy it and stick with it. With this in mind, your favorite caveman is here to show you some exercise opportunities that you may not have considered before. To start things off with a bang, let’s take a look at one of the newest exercise crazes – pole dancing.

For those of you who may scoff at the idea of pole dancing as a legitimate exercise, I have two things. Number one: this video (I mean seriously because wow). Number two: have you ever seen an out of shape stripper? Well neither have I.

So how exactly does pole dancing serve as exercise? Pole dancing requires you to use your entire body and use it as resistance. This allows you to tone all over and strengthen your core. That being said, pole dancing is something that you definitely need to attend classes in order to accomplish. Just heading to Home Depot and installing some PVC Pipe in your living room isn’t going to be a good or safe idea. A typical exercise regimen in a pole-dancing class would consist of strength training, dance-based moves, squats, push-ups, and sit-ups before moving on to the pole. Suspending your body off of a pole demands a lot of strength and endurance. Gradually, you’ll work your way to climbs and inversions.

Pole dancing fitness routines provide women with more than just amazing arms and toned cores. Pole dancing is generally reported by its schools and its students to be very empowering for women. It takes a lot of confidence to shake and shimmy on a pole – confidence that a lot of women lack. By taking a pole dancing class, not only are you taking charge of your fitness routine, but you’re also declaring your right to be feminine and sexy.

There are a number of schools dedicated to teaching students the finer points of pole dancing as exercise. The best part? Beginners are always welcome! Add a dash of sex appeal to your fitness routine and try something new with pole dancing!

The World Match Play Championship teed off this week. For those Rockheads out there who don’t know, match play rules are a little bit different than your typical stroke play. In stroke play, golfers rack up strokes over the course of 18 holes. In the end, the golfer with the fewest strokes is the winner. Match play, however, is a horse of a different color.

During match play, each hole is a separate competition with golfers squaring off against one another to win individual holes. The player with the fewest strokes on an individual hole wins that particular hole. The player who wins the most holes wins the match. Think of it kind of like golf’s equivalent to basketball’s March Madness. And believe me, Rockheads, this year’s Match Play Championship has already seen its fare share of madness.

Tiger’s play so far has been erratic at best – there’s been good, bad, and downright ugly. The good – Tiger got himself out of a deficit on two miraculous occasions, once when he knocked in a 50-foot birdie putt and once when he drove onto the par-4 15th green. The bad – he had to take three separate trips into the desert only to lose the hole. The ugly -his match had a staggering four lead changes and he missed his chance to end it all on the 17th green when he knocked a meager eight-foot birdie putt past the hole. Somehow, Tiger still managed to scrape a hard-earned win over Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano in the opening round and was allowed to return Thursday to Dove Mountain.

Luke Donald, on the other hand, won’t have that opportunity. Donald, who won the title last year without even having to play the 18th hole, lost 5-and-4 to Ernie Els. Translation: he trailed by five holes with only four left to play. In a bizarre twist of fate, Ernie Els only earned entry into the competition when Phil Mickelson withdrew in favor of skiing with his family.

Donald wasn’t the only overthrown former champion out on the course this week – Poulter, who defeated fellow Englishman Paul Casey and won the tournament two years ago, lost 4-and-3 to Sang-Moon Bae of South Korea. Bae will go on to play Charl Schwartzel, the 2011 Masters Tournament winner.

With play like this, there’s really no telling who will come out on top. Will Tiger take another step towards reclaiming his former glory, or will Ernie Els – a late to the game addition to the tournament – take the victory home? When all bets are off, who do you root for? So, Rockheads, I leave it to you. Got a frontrunner in mind? Leave your predictions in the comment section!

When it comes to fitness, most of us envision morning runs out in the cold, lifting weights in the gym, or collapsing at the mere thought of doing pushups. While some people may enjoy these types of exercises, for most of us it turns fitness into a chore – it’s something that you have to get through, not something that you enjoy. With this in mind, let’s take a look at a very popular alternative exercise – yoga. A lot of people scoff at yoga and attempt to diminish the ancient practice of yoga (the practice of yoga has been around since around the mid 3rd millennium BC) by claiming that it’s not real exercise. In reality, yoga is not only a legitimate exercise, but also a proven way to improve back and muscle pain, alleviate stress, and treat depression. Now, I realize that most of you Rockheads out there don’t have quite as many years of yoga experience under your belts (yours truly has been downward dogging it since around the dawn of time), so I’ll start things off easy with you guys. Here are a five basic yoga poses and their benefits that you can do from the comfort of your own home! No awkward public displays of inflexibility required.

• Tree Pose

For the Tree Pose you simply stand on one leg and brace your other foot against your knee so that your bent leg forms a 90-degree angle against your extended one. This pose is excellent for improving balance – an important element of yoga.

• Cobra Pose

The Cobra Pose is also very simple. To get into position for the Cobra Pose, lay down on your mat face-down. Then slowly raise up your torso with your arms, keeping your legs still on the yoga mat, until your arms are fully extended. This pose is great for stretching and expanding your chest and shoulders and even improves your breathing.

• The Child Pose

The Child Pose is essentially a fetal position pose. Start on your belly and slowly pull your knees into your chest. This is great for stretching your lower back.

• Downward Facing Dog

Perhaps one of the most well-known poses of yoga, Downward Facing Dog is also one of the easiest. This pose stretches your legs, particularly your calves and hip area. If you’re having problems reaching the floor, try using a yoga block until you develop more flexibility.

• The Corpse Pose

Even if you struggled with the other poses on this list, everyone (and I mean everyone) can handle the Corpse Pose. This pose is designed to make you focus on your breathing and relaxation. This is an ideal pose to help people cope with stress.

If these poses are a little too basic for you, kick things up a notch with more challenging poses or even yoga conditioning exercises. Have a favorite pose of your own you’d like to recommend? Leave it in the comment section!

This past weekend was definitely one to watch when it comes to golfin’ accomplishments. Bill Haas managed to sink a staggering 45-foot birdie putt across the green to win the Northern Trust Open. Haas is no stranger to the miracle shot; just five months ago, the charmed player scraped par with his ball submerged in a lake to win the FedEx Cup.

This past weekend found Haas in thick rough behind the 10th green, the second hole of a three-man playoff shared with Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. Haas intended to play it smartly away from the flag. He aimed to make par and simply move on to the next hole.

Instead, he sunk a 45-foot birdie.

Haas showed great restraint and humility when he spoke of the amazing putt – “I never expected to make a 40-footer, especially in that situation,” Haas said. “A little luck was involved. I guess it was meant to be.”

Apparently it wasn’t meant to be for Phil Mickelson. After rallying from six shots behind with a 64 to win last week’s game at Pebble Beach, Mickelson was in line to become the first player since Tiger Woods to win back-to-back on the PGA Tour. This feat, last accomplished in 2009, was sadly not to be for dear Mickelson. Even Haas had to concede that the crowds were swelling in support for Mickelson.

“I don’t say this in a negative way, but everybody is cheering for Phil. He just won this last week, he’s the man, and if I’m at home, I’m cheering for Phil,” Haas said. “Everybody is saying, ‘Go Phil, go Phil.’ Keegan has a big fan base. I’m not saying like fans did anything wrong. I was just somewhat under the radar, I guess.”

Though his fans were undoubtedly disappointed, Mickelson nevertheless showed nothing but respect for Haas’s accomplishment.

“Bill hit a tremendous putt,” Mickelson said. “We’re thinking it’s a very difficult 3. It’s a defensive hole. You’re just trying to make 4, believe it or not.”

Haas wasn’t the only player to make headlines over the weekend. Thailand’s Yani Tseng lived up to her No. 1 ranking with a controlled spin during a 100 yard birdie that clenched a one-stroke victory over Ai Miyazato. The 23-year-old Taiwanese star defended her title and earned her 13th LPGA Tour victory.

“It was tough,” Tseng said about her approach on the par-5 18th. “I had 104 to the pin and a little uphill. I know my ball is going to spin a lot, so I just tried to keep it low and not spin too much… I was very proud of myself for hitting that shot into 18 and making birdie to win.”

Though the pressure is definitely on, Tseng works hard to live up to her No. 1 ranking and her 12 worldwide victories last season.

“After last year, I have world No. 1 and I had 12 wins and that pressure is going on and on,” said Tseng. “I kind of drive my team crazy… They keep telling me, “Think you have some pressure, you need to relax yourself.’” Nevertheless, Tseng and her team work together to keep the stress down and the game enjoyable, “We kind of have a team meeting to keep me relaxed and not feeling like I had pressure. So I think my team did a great job and helped me a lot through this week. It was just great. I feel really good about that.”

With the PGA and LPGA Tours heating up, who knows what could be on the horizon for today’s top golfers. Will new legends be created or toppled as the Tour progresses? Only one way to find out, so stay tuned with Scratch!

Vitamin C is one of the most important things that your body uses on a day-to-day basis. In the 1970s, Nobel-Prize winning scientist Linus Pauling claimed that high doses of the vitamin could stop cancer in its tracks and could, perhaps, cure the common cold. Sadly, the last several decades have proven that Vitamin C isn’t quite the wonder-food that Pauling suggested. That being said, there are still plenty of reasons to get a lot of Vitamin C.

One of the primary uses of Vitamin C is as a building block for collagen – an essential structural material for bone, skin, blood vessels, and other tissue. If you don’t get enough Vitamin C, over time you could develop inflamed gums, scaly skin, painful joints, nosebleeds, and other symptoms associated with scurvy.

Recent studies, conducted by Jane Higdon of Oregon State University, have shown that while Vitamin C can’t stop cancer cold, it can reduce the risk of developing certain kinds of cancer – particularly cancers that strike the digestive tract and mouth. Because Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, it also neutralizes bacteria that can cause stomach cancers and ulcers.

Vitamin C is also great for your heart and arteries. On average, people with the highest intake of Vitamin C are at the lowest risk for heart disease. Many believe that the antioxidant-rich Vitamin C protects arterial walls from cholesterol buildup.

In 2004, scientists from the University of Oslo reported that after volunteers ate two or three kiwis, an intensely Vitamin C rich food, over a 28 day period showed blood platelets that were less likely to clump together. This means fewer clots that could potentially lead to stroke or heart attack.

So now the question becomes, how much Vitamin C do you need? Not an exorbitant amount: women 19 and up typically need about 75 mg/day while men of the same age should get 90 mg/day. With this in mind, double dosing on a Vitamin C supplement isn’t really the best idea and could actually be a waste of money (your body can only absorb a maximum of about 400 milligrams a day). If you’re eating your recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, you’re getting all the Vitamin C you need.

If you need a little bit more Vitamin C, here’s a quick guide for some foods that contain a good, healthy amount of Vitamin C:

• Green Bell Pepper – 60 mg
• Orange – 48 mg
• Strawberries – 45 mg
• Broccoli – 39 mg
• Cantaloupe – 29 mg
• Tomato – 23 mg
• Turnip Greens – 20 mg
• Sweet Potato – 20 mg

So there ya have it, Rockheads – nutrition tips so simple, even a caveman can write them. Avoiding scurvy has never been tastier!



When it comes to your body, there are a couple of essential nutrients that all of us need but probably aren’t getting enough of. With that in mind, your favorite caveman Scratch is here to give you a crash-course in what our bodies need not just to get by, but also to function at top form. One of the absolutely essential nutrients that we all need is calcium.

Now, most of us probably start our mornings off in a similar way – a nice cup of coffee, maybe some cream, and a bowl of cereal. For a lot of us, our milk intake stops there and we just don’t drink any more milk for the rest of the day. Hate to break it to you, Rockheads, but that cup of milk you take in with your Frosted Flakes just ain’t enough for your body. On average, people should try to get in at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day. A single eight-ounce glass of milk only contains about 300 milligrams of calcium. Surprised? So are a lot of Americans. More than 50% of men and nearly 80% of women over the age of twenty in this country aren’t getting enough calcium.

But why exactly is calcium important? Well, for one, it builds strong bones and teeth. If you don’t think that’s important, just wait until you hit your mid-fifties and have osteoporosis bangin’ down your door. Shockingly, over 55% of Americans over the age of 50 are afflicted with osteoporosis – making it the most frequently occurring bone disease in the United States. You may not know this, but your bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. When you get older, your bones break down more quickly and repair themselves much more slowly. Calcium helps boost rebuilding and keeps your bones strong. This is especially important for postmenopausal women.

But bone health isn’t the only thing that good ol’ calcium helps out with. Calcium improves other bodily functions like muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion, hormone secretion, enzyme secretion, and nervous system function.

So other than that measly milk you drink with your cereal, how else can your body take in more calcium? The three foods that most people associate with calcium are milk, yogurt, and cheese. While these foods are certainly calcium rich, you may be surprised to know that there are foods out there that are even more jam-packed with calcium goodness. The top ten calcium rich foods are: dried herbs, cheese (parmesan has the highest calcium content), sesame seeds, tofu, almonds, flax seeds, yogurt (and other dairy products), green leafy vegetables (like turnip, mustard, and kale), brazil nuts, and herring. Bet you didn’t see that herring one coming, did ya? Calcium rich foods like almonds and kale mean that people with lactose allergies or other dietary restrictions (like veganism) don’t have to miss out on all of the great benefits that your body gets from calcium.

If you find that you’re still not able to work in those 1,000 milligrams of calcium that you’re supposed to have each day, you may want to consider adding a calcium supplement into your daily routine. The average American takes in somewhere between 400 and 600 milligrams of calcium a day. By adding a 500 milligram calcium supplement to your diet every day, you’re getting your body back on track. That being said, it is possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to calcium. Ingesting too much calcium can lead to milk-alkali syndrome, interference with iron absorption, or even cause kidney stones. So if you decide that a calcium supplement may be right for you, be sure to consult a physician before you start taking the supplement on a regular basis.

If you’re concerned with bone strength and the possibility of osteoporosis, then the best thing you can do for your body (and your future self) is to start taking in more calcium. These caveman bones have been around the bend once or twice so take it from me, calcium is key!

Typically, golf had the reputation of being a little behind in the times. Most people see the sport as the stodgy stronghold of rich, older white men. Recently, however, golf has taken a few tentative steps into the modern day by embracing social media like never before.

At the Northern Trust Open this week, TaylorMade sponsored golfers were seen sporting hats embellished with the brand’s official Twitter hashtag, #driverlove. This leaves the door wide open for other brands to jump on the bandwagon and expand their name through social media.

“For our sport as a whole, the social media space has really been a slow-moving river,” says Bob Maggiore, TaylorMade’s chief marketing officer. “So it’s interesting for us, because we’ve kind of given up on doing certain things the old way. We like to get out in front and try different things.”

TaylorMade’s record setting year lends further support for golf’s rise in social media prominence. According to Maggiore, the hashtag has already sparked a modest “cult following” among golfers and fans after less than two days of practice rounds and Pro-Am play at the Northern Trust.

While TaylorMade may be the first golf company to explore Twitter as a means of advertising, players have been encouraged to Tweet on the course for some time. This is a little surprising given how steeped in tradition and etiquette the sport is. When you’re out on the course, even the quietest whisper or daintiest sneeze can be met with looks of shock and scorn. With that in mind, LPGA Tour Commissioner Carolyn Bivens telling Bloomberg that she would like to encourage golfers to use their cell phones and tweet while on the course is a little unusual.

As Bivens explained, she wants golfers to harness the power of social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to engage fans during the rounds and help garner more interest and support for the LPGA. With the economy hitting especially hard these days and sponsors running scarce, public support and interest in the LPGA is crucial.

That being said, there is something a little distasteful about Tweeting during a game. In March, NBA forward Charlie Villaneuva faced the fury of sports and media personalities throughout the country when he sent a tweet from his cell phone during halftime.

There is a certain amount of showmanship and arrogance, in this caveman’s opinion, that goes into Tweeting out on the course. Pausing play to send a quick update to your followers strikes me as disrespectful to both the other players on the course and to the game itself. If the sport is considered “a good walk spoiled,” then Tweeting while on the course could quickly make golf “a good sport spoiled.”

So I leave it to you, Rockheads. When it comes to the course, the question is: to tweet or not to tweet?

Hey there, Rockheads! This past weekend saw a couple of pretty great golfin’ stories, particularly when it comes to the Pro-Am tournament. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights from the last few days.

First off, Phil Mickelson came through with a great win over the weekend at the Pro-Am AT&T Tournament over at Pebble Beach. This victory marks the fourth time Mickelson has won this particular tournament (he took home the trophy in 2007, 2005, and 1998) and the 40th tour event win in his incredible Hall of Fame career. While a win alone is certainly noteworthy, Mickelson’s performance over the weekend was downright stellar. His bogey-free round of 64 was the lowest of the day. He won by two strokes, beat Tiger by nine, and outshot him by a staggering 11. That being said, Mickelson shows nothing but respect for Tiger and feels that his adversary inspires him to be a better, stronger player. According to ESPN, for Mickelson, this was a very emotional and important victory. “He won it at Pebble, the same place where his grandfather once caddied. Even sweeter, he won it with an overpowering performance that reduced Woods to an afterthought. It wasn’t a major, but on some level, it felt like it.”

Tiger, on the other hand, was not up to par this past weekend (pun intended). This was supposed to be Tiger’s comeback tournament, but it quickly turned into Mickelson’s breakthrough performance of the year. As the LA Times reported (with a touch of tongue-in-cheek) golf’s great finisher can no longer finish. After Woods got himself in prime position to strike on Sunday, with lead-up rounds of 68-68-67, the feeling on the course was that the Pro-Am tour would witness Tiger’s long-awaited comeback. Sadly, until they create a category for best three-round tour players, Tiger’s return was not to be. On the same course where he had once won a U.S. Open by 15 shots, the once great Tiger slowly but surely slipped 11 strokes ahead.

The 18th hole summed things up pretty well for both golfers. This particularly challenging par five has an ocean of rocks along the left hand side designed to punish the gamblers that try to drive it 300 yards. The typical fast and loose Mickelson played it smart and safe. He hit three irons and was six feet away from birdie. Woods, on the other hand, hit driver and fairway wood to the green. Putting for eagle, Woods instead clanked his birdie putt off of the cup and was forced to settle for par. Over the four-day tournament, Tiger’s game face slowly transformed into more of a grimace.

In the end, it was Mickelson who hoisted the trophy (and the $1.152 million dollar check) into the air.

So what say you, Rockheads? Does the weekend’s tournament mean the death knell for Tiger or is it merely the signal for him to tighten up his glove for the next round?

Running – something that we’ve been doing since that first saber-tooth tried to chase down the first human (an event that, incidentally, I happened to have a first-row seat to, might I add). Whereas once upon a prehistoric time, running used to be something that we did for survival, now it’s a dreaded activity that many do for fitness. The problem with running for many people is that it has a tendency to become stagnant and boring. So the question is, how exactly do we get the most out of our morning run, and how do we keep the excitement in our exercise?

First off, you’ve gotta make sure you have the right gear. The right running shoes can make all the difference in the world for your jogging routine. If you’re not sure what type of shoes you need, go down to your local running shop and have someone test your stride. Believe it or not, we all walk different ways. Some people lead with their soles and others with their toes, some people have high arches and others are flat-footed, etc. Finding the right shoes for your unique feet is essential. Also, be sure to purchase exercise clothing that won’t chafe you while you’re running. A little irritation goes a long way towards making you feel like going out for a jog just isn’t worth it. Finally, a good exercise monitor is a great investment and will make sure that you can track your workout and get the most out of your time jogging.

Now that you’re all geared up and ready to go, it’s important to remember that it’s not as simple as simply lacing up your trainers and hitting the pavement. A good running routine incorporates warm ups, cool downs, and stretches. All three are important to make sure that your muscles stay healthy and not over-stressed throughout your exercise. An appropriate warm up should consist of a quick 5 minute jog followed by some light stretching. It’s important to warm up your muscles before you stretch so that you don’t over-tax them or over-extend their flexibility. Cooling down after your job should take another 5 minutes of lighter jogging followed by another stretching session. Jogging and stretching after a workout helps to prevent the build up of lactic acid in your muscles (it’s this build up that causes stiffness and soreness later on).

So now that you know the basics of how to run the right way, the question remains: how do you keep your running routine interesting? Simply add a little variety. This is a good idea both to keep things interesting AND to keep your workout effective. If your routine consists of running two miles at a steady pace every other day, your body will gradually adjust. This will decrease the cardiovascular and strength building benefits that you get from your workout. By mixing up your speed, strength, and endurance, you’ll keep your body guessing and your routine worth following.

In order to add strength to your workout, consider adding in a different terrain. Go up hills, chairs, or other inclines. To increase your endurance, simply add one or two minutes a week to your run and watch the miles add up over time! By the end of two months, you could have added as much as two miles. In order to add some speed, work in some intervals of fast running mixed with slower running. This interval training is a very effective way to tone your body and whip yourself into better shape. Also, if you can, try to avoid running on asphalt. If there are grassy areas or dirty trails in your neighborhood, try running on them instead. These types of surfaces put less strain on your joints to keep you from developing shin splints later down the road.

So there you have it! Scratch’s own personal guide for running and jogging. Any advice of your own? Leave your tips and tricks in the comment section!