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If you Google the word “golf” by itself, you’ll get 238 million hits ranging from the PGA Tour’s site to something called “Butt-Ugly Golf” which advocates a unique but inelegant-looking swing method. Honestly, I think half the World Wide Web is devoted to golf (the other half is devoted to naughty pictures, but I’m sure YOU wouldn’t know anything about that).
So, to help you, dear reader, distinguish between the sublimely useful and the ridiculously butt-ugly, I’m pleased to present a few of my favorite golf-related sites. I’ve omitted the obvious industry sites (like the fabulous www.golfcoursenews.com, for example) and focused on three that are less well-known but still fun, interesting or helpful on a regular basis:
For one-stop shopping for just about every daily news story from the world of golf, there’s no better free site than www.golfobserver.com. The site, managed by the marvelous golf scribe Sal Johnson, features the “Golf Notebook,” which lists and categorizes daily stories from hundreds of publications. There’s more, including the “Editor’s Favorites” (best stories of the day) and original content from folks like Frank Hannigan, Bob Rosburg, Peter Aliss and other pundits. This is a no-brainer: Bookmark it now.
The award for “double-edged sword” goes to www.golfclubatlas.com. This site has grown from a small group of cranky amateur golf course architecture enthusiasts into a very large, more diverse group including an expanding number of designers, superintendents, builders and consultant types. It’s basically a free and open bulletin board community for anyone with an interest in course design, but topics often stray into maintenance, places to play and, occasionally, widely off-topic subjects.
The good news for superintendents and other industry pros is that GCA is a great way to keep your finger on the sometimes wacky pulse of the avid golfer (“firm and fast” is a GCA mantra). The bad news is that egos sometimes run wild and postings can get downright nasty. Check it out ... but post at your own risk.
For a bi-weekly chuckle, visit www.golfonline.com and scroll down the homepage to find David Feherty’s latest online “Mailbag” Q&A column. Here’s a recent Feherty riff on why former NBA bad boy Charles Barkley should be named PGA Tour commissioner when Finchem retires:
“No Q-School: If the brother wants to play, let the brother play. Rules officials can be wedgied, short-sheeted or Tasered at any time. If green speeds are more than 11 on the Stimp, a backboard for the hole is deployed. Uphill putts of more than 25 feet can be blocked, and Charles Howell III is fined for being too damned skinny.”
Now, a few quick non-golf hits:
Like movies? Check out www.imdb.com. The Internet Movie Data Base is THE most comprehensive site on the Web for movie junkies.
Feeling the urge to forward one of those “Bill Gates is giving away his fortune” e-mails to everyone in your address book? Stop! Before you forward any message about a sick little girl who wants to collect greeting cards or the IRS taxing e-mails, take two minutes and visit www.snopes.com. The site debunks urban legends in an entertaining and well-researched way.
And, no, that guy from Nigeria isn’t really going to give you $40 million.
Ever wonder what your course looks like from outer space? If you haven’t yet checked out Google Earth (http://earth.google.com/), you’re missing out big time. This might be the coolest site on the Web.
That's all for now. Happy New Year and have a great 2006 season.
