Singer Mariah Carey will make history at the Saudi International next week when she become the first female American artist ever to perform in Saudia Arabi when she appears on Thursday 31 January.
I must admit I’m not keen on the Monty’s Pythons Show any more than Colin Montgomerie is, he describes it as “bloody ridiculous” at the end of the film, because he is actually frightened of snakes even if they are just golf towels.
The reason for me is not long ago there was a youth standing outside my neighbour’s house, just standing smoking. Then I noticed he had a plastic box at his feet and something yellow and white was writhing inside it.
“Is that a snake?” I asked him.
”Nah” came the reply. “It’s two snakes”
and so it was. Two albino pythons crammed in a plastic box trying to push the lid off. Not the type of snakes that are poisonous, just the ones that crush anyone in their path. Yew. It’s the kind of thing you wouldn’t want to encounter on the golf course, let alone near your home.
I never did find out why he had them there because I ran away!
So, let’s pass over Monty’s Pythons quickly. And until Keeping Up With The Aphibarnrats is ready for production, let’s put Lawries Lorries out there.
Lawrie’s Lorries
ST LEON ROT – 15 MAY: European Tour Productions trucks during the Deutsche Bank – SAP Open, TPC of Europe, at St Leon Rot in Heidelberg, Germany on May 15, 2002. (photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Cleveland are the only manufacturers truck on tour which have a truck which isn’t Mercedes. The club fitters drive a Volvo FH12 460. Taylor Made, Ping and Nike have a Mercedez Benz 1851, Titelist an 1846, Callaway a V8 and Mizuno 1840. European Tour Productions and the Physio Truck are Volvo 13 litre 550 break horesepower engines.
Here’s what’s inside the Physio Truck
The various leading golf equipment brands travel thousands of miles throughout the year covering the majority of the golf courses of the Tour. The drivers are usually also the fitters, adjusting the golf clubs to the professionals of their brand’s staff, and to others without contracts.
They also provide new golf balls, bags, gloves, shoes and caps during the training days, prior to the championship. And oddly enough, despite the extreme rivalry of their brands in the market, they are like a big travelling family. They often travel in convoy and, when necessary, they help each other.
Tiger Woods has been awarded the Golf Writers Association of America Ben Hogan Award which is given to an individual who overcomes ‘a physical handicap or serious injury to remain active in golf”
From an all time low world ranking of 1,199 Tiger teed up 18 times last year, and won the Tour Championship for his 80th win and played in the Ryder Cup. He ended the calendar year 12th in the world.
Tiger said
“I’m grateful to receive an award named after Mr. Hogan and to join a group of truly inspirational individuals,”
“I feel very fortunate that I was able to return to a normal life with my kids, and I understand what a privilege it is to play competitive golf again. I would like to thank the fans for their unwavering support and the GWAA for this honor.”
Titanic’ vocalist Celine Dion comes to Hyde Park just a month after the end of her second records-breaking Las Vegas residency on June 8 2019.
Celine Dion has sold over 240 million records worldwide (more than any other BST Hyde Park headliner to date) and is renowned for incredible live shows and a monumental vocal range. She will be one of the most unforgettable acts to have ever graced the Great Oak Stage in Hyde Park.
“It’s my first time doing a show in beautiful Hyde Park… I’m so excited. I love London, and it’s a great honour for me to be part of the Barclaycard presents BST Hyde Park concerts. I can’t wait…. summertime in London, here we come!”
I have to admit that I am not a Marley Mon, I’m a Marley Wo-mon. There are so many golf products with his face on, and his 70th birthday celebration was held at one of Jamaica’s leading courses. Liking the Marley tree there.
I saw this comical picture of The Beatles attempting to putt with irons on the cover an imported single of Eight Days A Week which my forefathers wouldn’t have seen in England. It was taken in 1963 on a Pete Dye course in Indianapolis in the grounds of the Indy 500.
They used golf courses just for photo locations as they had no interest in playing. Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever had films shot at Knole Park in Kent and there was another photo shoot at Allerton GC near their homes in Liverpool. Lee Park GC in Liverpool was where John Lennon and The Quarrymen did their first audition to play at The Cavern Club in 1956.
The first two important factors in reading the green are its contours and its speed. Contours are the slopes and undulations which do not change. The pin position and the location of the ball will determine which contours will concern you. Look for the overall slope and drainage patterns in the surface – in many greens be aware that rainfall can come off the surface in several different directions. You need to work out only what will affect your putt on this green. There will be more contours on larger green and these can be gradual, strong, uniform or variable.
There are several types of contours. A deck is a flat area where the pin can be placed. Undulation is an area with several elevation changes in wave like form. The multiple changes in the degree of slope will affect the distance and direction of the putt. A bowl is a small depression on the green. A putt entering a bowl must allow for increased speed gained from the bowl’s downslope. Putting out of the bowl you will need to hit the ball with sufficient force to negotiate the bowl’s incline. A swale is an area of low lying, meandering green which generally slopes towards the edge of the green to ease drainage. The pin isn’t usually put there.
Speed is related to turf conditions, the type and grain of the grass and the weather. It can vary during the day. Speed can be measured by a stimpmeter, a metal device with a groove.A ball is rolled down the device onto the flat part of the green and then a measurement is taken how far the ball rolls. Slow greens are less than 7.5 feet, medium are up to 10 foot and fast is anything above that.Wind, sun and heat affect the speed of greens as does mowing and irrigation. Rain, fog and dew will decrease speed. The next element is the grain of the grass, identify the direction in which the blades of grass are growing – dull appearance the grain is growing away, will slow the ball down. Shiny appearance, the grain is growing towards the sun and will make the ball run faster.
The types of grass on the green will affect the speed. Many greens have a combination of grasses, for example when fast growing poa annua invades a bent or fescue green. The main types are Bentgrass – which grows in cool climates. It is a grass with fine blades which grow upright and often causes the ball to run fast. Bermudagrass grows in warmer climates and has a lot of grain. The grass grows horizontally and is generally slower than bent. Fescue grows in cooler climates and grows in groups with the blades developing sporadically. It creates slower greens and lacks a prevailing grain direction. Zoysia has very strong blades and appears in areas of Japan. Kikuyu grass will appear around a greens on some American courses. It tangles the club and is difficult to chip out of. Poaannua is a cool season grass which is bushy and a lighter green than bent. It creates a rough, bumpy surface and many greenkeepers try to control or eliminate it.
On the green look out for unrepaired ball marks, they can be mended under the rules without penalty. They will affect balls roll and cause it to bounce off line. Go to school on others putts watch how the contour and speed affects the ball’s journey. Observe how your own approach shot reacts as it rolls across the putting surface. It will help to bend down and have a look at the line near the hole, although the Camillo Villegas method is not recommended, I always marvelled at how he managed to do this in such tight trousers.
golfweloveit 