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We've been off-line for some time and Gourmet Golf is back from sabbatical. We had a chance to do some international travel, visit some friends, and gain a greater perspective on life. Of course, golf was not far from mind. We're back and we apologize for not delivering the gourmet content that you expect and deserve. Have a look at some of golf related pictures from my travels. Make yourself comfortable and get ready for some serious blogging. As always...stay tuned and keep that bag fresh. -Gourmet Golf 
This is the entrance to the driving range in Shanghai. It's on the Pudong side of town and under the watchful eye of the 88 story JinMao Tower/Grand Hyatt Hotel. It must be tough for all the business men to stare out of the window and watch people hitting balls all day. 
This is the view from the second floor of the 3-story driving range. Not bad. If you go back to this same spot next year, the skyline will be dramatically changed. On this day, only the first two levels were open. There are 50 stalls on each level and every stall was filled. The driving range is considered a "golf club" and memberships are available. It seemed like members hung out all day to hit balls, relax, socialize, eat, drink, and hit some more. Imagine all the people in China and imagine all the balls they would hit at the driving range.
 Now, imagine having to pick up all of those balls....by hand....or by foot....or whatever that contraption is. I've spent plenty of hours picking range balls from a gas powered cart. I thought I was doing hard labor, but it is nothing compared to what this guy deals with.
Here's a closer look at the range picker. No motor, not much protection, and no chance of dodging all the hostile golf balls. This can not be efficient.
This golf shop was around the corner from the driving range. It's a tiny little shop that sells American and Asian golf clubs, bags, and accessories. I picked up a snazzy Mizuno duffle for 210YUAN (about $30). It was fun to check out some of the "China-only" grips and accessories, although I question the authenticity of some of the products. Regardless, the service was great and the bargaining was intense. I tried to take some pictures of the unique merchandise, but the owner would not allow it. If you're ever in Shanghai, China I recommend a trip to the shop to see what they have on the shelves My trip to China was fantastic and enriching and I left with a sense of the growing golf market. The trip was everything a sabbatical should be.
 Still searching for your good deed of the day? Check out these eBay listings, bid for a chance to caddie at The Crowne Plaza Colonial, and contribute some cash to the charities of CaddyForACure.com.
If you're lucky enough to win the auction, you'll have the pleasure of lugging around a staff bag full of energy bars during a practice round of The Colonial. PGA participants for this tournament include Tom Lehman, Rory Sabbatini, Stephen Ames, and John Rollins. The auction also includes a 3 days and 2 nights for two at Bison Homes Torreon Golf Course and Golf Villas. It looks like the bidding starts at $1500. Participating golfers in other events include Stewy Cink, Z. Johnson, Serge, Retief, DLTRES, Badds, etc. The benefiting charities include Fanconi Anemia Research Fund, the PGA Tour players charity of choice, the PGA Tour host charity of choice, and the PGA Tour Caddie benevolent fund.
If you're carrying that bag and you feel warm and fuzzy inside, it's because all of your money will be helping a charity and not because your heart is working overtime. Let us know if you end up on the bag at the Colonial. Thanks Texas Golf Blog for the lead.
A quarter scale replica of the 17th hole at Sawgrass has been constructed in New York City's Rockefeller Center and will be there through the weekend. On a coffee break, golfers can come down from their skyscrapers and hit a shot to the island green and watch a live telecast of the tournament on a big screen. If you're not good enough to hit the green, instructors from the Tour Academy at TPC Sawgrass will be on hand to give tips. What better place to hype The Players Championship than The Big Apple? The metaphor is airtight. It's bringing the little island to the big island. Putting the little apple in the big apple. Let's put the little apple island on the big apple island. Not even the brain power of all of the advertising and public relations agencies in New York City could craft such a brilliant marketing campaign. It's just too perfect. Mayor Bloomberg's swing (above), on the other hand.... not so perfect. Check out the ASAP video here. Has any of our NYC readers had a chance at this par 3? Let us know in the comments below. [photo: pdxguide.com]
While browsing the web I came across some interesting software that lets golfers capture, compare and improve their golf swings. It's called the V1 Golf Academy and the best part is the cost. It costs $0.00 for consumers.
Similar to the BizHub SwingVision that you see on PGA telecasts, this software lets you import your golf swing video and simultaneously compare it to video of professional golfers. Once you have the video on your computer, the software allows you to use overlaid drawing tools to monitor things like head position and spine angle. Compare this year's swing to last year's. Drop that sexy swing into slow motion to satisfy your vanity. The skies the limit...almost. The BASIC version of the software is available for free download. To really unleash all of the software goodies, you'll have to purchase the PREMIUM version for $39.95. You can't have your cake and eat it too. At least you can demo the software in the comfort of your own home. If it fits your eye, drop a few bones and get bring the full service into your home. It's a small price to pay to get that out-of-body experience. The only thing you need to do is rent some of Johnny Miller's time so he can sit next to you at your desk and make snotty remarks while your video plays. It could be fun. If anybody uses this software, give us some comments and let us know if it's worth our time. 
 Tiger got to the Tour by banging balls into a net as soon as he could walk. Phil made his way through the collegiate ranks. Boo earned his stripes through the mini-tours. We're still waiting to see how Michelle gets there.
Justin Timberlake plans to take his own path to the PGA Tour. Pop super-stardom provides the time and money. Dance classes provide balance and flexibility. A solid work ethic earns him a 6 handicap and ambitions to play in PGA events by the age of 30. According to AZcentral.com, Timberlake's "aim is to make it into a pro event - just for a tournament or two. He practices every day, has a coach and takes his clubs wherever he goes." He's always on the road touring and is known to sneak out to the golf course when he has spare time. I caught him rolling into Olympic Club in a decked out H2 Hummer about 4 years ago, when he was in Oakland for a show. The kid's a decent swinger. The guy must follow me around 'cause we recently caught each other in Palm Springs. Lot's of golf over there too. He's been recently spotted on Carnoustie Golf Links and Muirfield.
He takes his touring mantra from Alice Cooper. "Either drink all day or play golf." Golf. Now that's the way you bring sexyback. [photo: charles laberge]
 Since we're on the Odyssey tip, here's your chance to win a free Marxman Putter from Odyssey. I personally think this is a great looking putter.
For those of you with The Golf Channel, you've probably seen Phil and Pelz working on the short game. There's plenty of footage of Phil's drill, where he surrounds the hole with 10 balls and proceeds to make his way around the circle and drain every putt. Now's your chance to be like Phil and earn some free kit. If you can get yourself to a Callaway Demo days from April 13- May 31 and make 10 of 10 putts a-la Phil's drill, a Callaway rep will hand you a brand new Marxman Putter. Make at least 8 of 10 putts and you'll be entered in a drawing for a 3 day short game extravaganza with the Pelzinator himself. Check out the Callaway site for a list of Demo stops and more details. Thanks to the "My Daily Slice of Golf Blog" for the lead.
Is it just me or is there a striking resemblance between Zach Johnson and Joaquin Phoenix? Here's a few pics. They both look like they're singing. They both wear green jackets. They both win things. Works for me.
 
The course conditions and leaderboard intensity generated a lot of thoughts and opinions from the players. Here's a look at what some of the best are thinking. If anything, it kinda gives you hope for more exciting Master's Sundays in the future.
- - - - - - - - - -  "This is very, very surreal. I have dreamt about it for years."
Masters champion Zach Johnson, describing what one suspects every golf fan who ever lived has dreamt about at some point.
"This being Easter, Jesus was with me every step. I felt him. It was awesome."
Johnson reveals how he did it. "This was not disappointing today. I threw it away the two days (Thursday and Saturday) I finished with two bogeys."
Tiger Woods reflects on missing a fifth Green Jacket, or at least a play-off for one, by two shots. "I never felt very comfortable. You may not know where Tiger is but you can feel him. It wasn't over until he hit his second shot on 18."
Johnson on the animal magnetism of Tiger Woods. "Somewhere along the way he got it into another gear. If he's not Superman, who is he? Superman's brother maybe."
Augusta local Vaughn Taylor on close friend Zach Johnson. "I'm Zach Johnson and I'm from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. That's about it. I'm a normal guy. I feel honoured to play golf for a living."
Johnson denies he is Superman, but then so did Clark Kent. "I said to myself after five or six holes, 'Let's make it one of the best comebacks Augusta has ever seen'."
It wasn't quite, but Justin Rose showed some real grit at Augusta until his challenge died following a double bogey on the 17th. "I'm already thinking about the US Open, I'd like nothing more than to come back with a victory."
Defending champion Phil Mickelson had an outside chance going into the final day but fell away with a 77.  "I will walk away from this tournament knowing I have a game capable of winning the Masters."
Padraig Harrington tied for seventh place but was undone by a bogey on the long 15th, the hole he had struggled with all week, taking eight, four, seven and six.
"I thought it could be my year to win here."
Luke Donald reflects on what might have been after triple-bogeying the ninth to see his challenge falter. "I was kind of thinking I had a better chance of winning the par-three than I did the tournament. It's got to happen at some point so let's try to win both. It was a long chip."
Johnson again (sorry, but he did win) on how he had a chip to win the par-three contest. The winner of that has never gone on to clinch the Masters in the same year. "The course was ultimately the beast this week."
Overnight leader Stuart "Apples" Appleby reflects on what the 2007 Masters will be remembered for most. [soucre: bbc news]
 Well, you're almost guaranteed to be bored some time at work this week. When you're bored of surfing the web and can't think of anything else to Google, hop on over to The Masters web site for some multi-media distractions. You can listen to international super stars discuss there approach to Amen Corner. Once you're done with that, you can partake in the daily poll or take a quiz. If you don't want to waste your brain power, Amen Corner will be webcasted LIVE for your viewing pleasure. Here's the webcast schedule: | Thursday, April 5 | 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | | Friday, April 6 | 10:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. | | Saturday, April 7 | 12:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | | Sunday, April 8 | 1:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. |
 Even though Phil has been on a diet lately, there's always reason to splurge when you're celebrating. As the defending champion, Phil presided over tonight's champion's dinner at The Masters and ordered up a southern meal that would even satisfy Paula Dean. Everyone was served southern fried chicken, baby back ribs, beef brisket, and smoked sausage. If that's not enough to bust an artery when you're making your way around Amen Corner, vanilla ice cream was served for desert.
Looks like Phil will be doing a few more sit-ups tomorrow morning. Hmmmm....I wonder if The Masters provides a vegetarian alternative?
 When it comes to restaurants, anyone that hasn't been living under a rock knows to turn to the ZAGAT Survey for extensive restaurant reviews and quality recommendations. Aside from the Michelin Guide, The ZAGAT is fit to satisfy any gourmet food palate. The ZAGAT Survey makes recommendations on many vertical topics (e.g. hotels, movies, music, etc) and they have just made the logical leap to golf. Any discerning golfer can flip through the pages to quench their gourmet golf thirst.
ZAGAT labels their reference book as "The Ultimate Golfer's Guide." Based on the opinions of thousands of avid golfers, the ZAGAT guide covers nearly 1100 of the best public, semi-private and resort courses in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. There are over 30 indexes to help golfers find the right course every time, from toughest to most scenic, fastest pace to player-friendly. Each course is rated on course, facilities, service, value, and cost. From gourmet food to "gourmet" golf, ZAGAT has got it all figured out. As you have come to rely on the Gourmet Golf Blog for the finest citizen golf journalism, check out ZAGAT Golf for quality course recommendations in your area or wherever you're traveling. Like I said, Gourmet Golf is catching on. Thanks to the Texas Golf Blog for the heads-up.
 As the West Coast Swing comes to an end and I watch the sun shine over San Francisco, I can't help but think about the difficult weather the rest of the country is experiencing. It seems like there is a lot of talk about global warming these days, including the recent Nobel Prize nomination of Al Gore for his many efforts to increase environmental awareness. We all hear about the preventative efforts we can make, but what do we do about the weather we encounter today?
If you're a house-locked golfer with some time on your hands, you get creative. To deal with the snow, a man in Pennsylvania has converted his golf cart into a snow plow and has added a remote control so he can clear his driveway from his living room. Combine that with a tasty beverage and he can have a productive and entertaining afternoon. I'm assuming it's an electric golf cart, which provides some environmental sensitivity.
 I'm watching the Nissan Open and just watched a video montage of Phil commenting on his driving and how it is the best it has ever been. Standing on every tee, he feels confident that he will hit it in the fairway. Come to think of it, driving the ball will be an integral part of his, and everyone's, play at the Master's this year.
On Thursday, The Scotsman.com reported a conversation with Phil and his intention to use two drivers at Augusta this year. Gourmet Golf reported on another attempt at twin driver strategy here.
"Speaking from California on an international conference call organized by Augusta National, Mickelson expects to leave the sand-wedge out of his bag and pursue a similar strategy to the one which defeated Tim Clark by two shots and Tiger Woods by three a year ago."
With so many new Callaway drivers on the market, it will be interesting to see if Phil plays two identical drivers with different weighting, or if he'll utilize both the FT5 and FTi. There he goes again. Phil just hit another fairway.
  When I was a kid, putting aids involved lining up the words on a golf ball with the intended line of your putt. Now we have 2-balls, 3-balls, and lines on our golf balls. Tiger draws his lines free-hand, but he does a lot of things that the average human can't do. Some people are willing to spend up to $9 to help them trace their lines. What are they thinking?
The Grouchy Golf Blog has taken matters into his own hands and creatively developed his own way to trace a guiding line on his golf ball. Using a gatorade bottle, something you can find on any golf course, he's solved his problem, quenched his thirst, and saved a few bucks. The pictures describes it all, but for the actual blog post you're gonna need to check out the Grouch Golf Blog.
Sigh.... Not out 'til June. 
Those of you that are following CES and MacWorld are probably on geek overload. If you're a geek and a golfer, then you should have a little more room to digest one more gadget. Today, Electric Spin introduced the Golf Launchpad at CES. The company is technologically enabling us to do what we've always done...swing clubs in the living room. The virtual golf simulator allows you to "play" along with the pros on the same courses (apparently through EA's Tiger Woods' Golf) and a set-top box allows you to hack it up with PGA pros during The Golf Channel's telecast. If you're hitting the ball all over the place and can't keep up with the pros, I'm guessing a digital marshal may ask you to speed it up or pack it up. You and your friends can go online to compete against each other. Unlike the Nintendo Wii and Justin Timberlake, Electric Spin isn't necessarily bringing sexy back with this product. But looks aren't the only thing that matter to the shallowest of humans. If it performs well and shows us a good time, then there will be very little room to criticize. Like the Wii, Golf Launchpad may be highly likely to inflict bodily injury and damage to personal property.
Check out Bogey Lounge for more info.
 Phew...Sigh...Phew some more. Q-school is finally over and there is fresh meat and some not-so-fresh meat on the PGA Tour. Gourmet Golf congratulates all Q-School graduates. Shout-outs go to Parker McLachlin (it's so great to be a UCLA Bruin!!!), Tom Johnson (making great strides since I saw him at the US Open Qualifier), George McNeill (medalist), and Jaco Van Zyl (for having the absolute coolest name of the qualifiers). Here's a link to an interesting break-down of Q-School Lee Janzen, Duffy Waldorf, and Bob Burns were notable golfers that missed the mark.
PGA Tour Card recipients for 2006 include: George McNeill -- 409
Robert Garrigus -- 414
Rich Barcelo -- 415
Anders Hansen -- 417
Cameron Beckman -- 417
John Merrick -- 417
Steve Wheatcroft -- 418
Stephen Marino -- 419
Paul Stankowski -- 419
Tom Johnson -- 419
Bob Heintz -- 419
Paul Gow -- 419
Ryan Armour -- 420
John Mallinger -- 420
Anthony Kim -- 420
Chris Stroud -- 421
Craig Lile -- 421
Parker McLachlin -- 421
Glen Day -- -421
Charlie Wi -- 421
Darron Stiles -- 421
Alex Cejka -- 422
Scott Gutschewski -- 422
Marco Dawson, -- 422
Brendon de Jonge -- 423
Chris Tidland -- 423
Michael Boyd -- 423
Michael Allen -- 423
Mark Wilson -- 424
Bob May -- 424
Jonathan Kaye -- 424
Steve Allan -- 424
Jason Schultz -- 424
D.J. Brigman -- 424
Kyle Reifers -- 424
Brian Bateman -- 424
Matt Hendrix -- 424
Dicky Pride -- 424
Michael Bradley -- 424
Jaco Van Zyl -- 424
 Put Vegas and Golf together and the poker analogies run wild...
Similar to the World Series of Poker, HighRoller Magazine has announced it's first annual World Series of Golf for the amateur player. Any golfer of any ability, that is willing to pay the $10,000 "buy-in", has a chance to win a $250,000 Grand Prize. There will be a total of $750,000 in prizes. Apparently, the format for the event is patent pending, combining elements of golf and poker. It goes a little something like this...Players ante on each tee. The ante is followed by a pass, bet or fold on each golf shot. When a player is out of money, they are out of the hole and out of the tournament.
HighRoller Magazine has joined forces with Mirage Las Vegas and the tournament will be held at Primm Valley GC, Mirage's VIP golf course designed by Tom Fazio. The event will be aired live on NBC Sports in May 2007. HighRoller Magazine will provide the WSOG build-up in their upcoming issues and will also provide features on tournament entrants. You think you've heard this tune before? In September, Gourmet Golf introduced you to the Wynn Hotel and Casino's $2M tournament called The Ultimate Game
Feel free to register at www.worldseriesofgolfinc.com and let us know how you played.
Having trouble figuring out which gaming system to buy for you or your kids? Check this out. 
Golfers that are fans of interactive game play, as opposed to isolated role playing, may want to check out the big "Wii-sy" from Nintendo. This system will get you off the couch and take you beyond button tapping. You can play the golf game that is included in the sports software bundle and swing the Wii's Remote as if it was your own golf club. You get to use your whole body and not just your fingertips, a gaming experience analagous to the legendary Golden Tee arcade experience. For a suped-up-turbo-asian-fantasy golf experience, check out the third party game, Super Swing Golf. This is based on the Korean hit PangYa and it should be a wicked awesome experience if/when they offer competitive online play with your friends.
I haven't had a chance to try the Wii yet, but a friend of mine couldn't stop talking about it at dinner last night. I gotta get on the Wii and put my swing to work. Hopefully my swing flaws don't show up on the game. Here's a look at the technology behind these motion sensing controllers
 The holidays are coming and you need gifts for your coworkers and stocking stuffers for your resident golf nut... you noticed that the golfers in your life like to chew on their tees... Tasty Golf Tees could be the perfect gift. Depending on your taste, this gift could literally make you gag or make you say, "mmm!" According to Tasty Golf Tees, purveyor of cherry, mint, grape, and strawberry flavored tees, tossing one of their tees in your mouth is a great alternatives to smoking and snacking. In addition, they claim that popping one of their tees in your mouth could cure the yips. I'm not sure about the science behind this claim, but I got a laugh out of it since I've been a little under the weather.
Opposed to the other tees on the market, these are made from natural uncoated wood and are sterilized and safe to put in your mouth. Otherwise, these tees are just like the rest and are ready to be used on the course.
The nights are getting longer and the days are getting shorter. What to do with all that time on your hands...all that darkness... and all of those golf clubs staring at you from the corner of your garage? The DIY guys at Zedomax have the answer. Geek out! 
If you have time and/or the inclination, these guys will show you how to build a POV (Persistence of Vision device) onto your golf club. Your awe inspiring swing will spell messages to the onlookers at the range. Tell the range guys to turn down the lights so you can put on a show. Is this the future of PGA advertising? David Toms might know.
(look mom, no hat!) It looks like David Toms may have picked up a TomTom portable car navigation system, 'cause he's on the move. "TomsToms, where would you like to go? I-5 Southbound. Right turn ahead. You have reached your destination."
For as long as I can remember (apparently back to the late '90s) Toms has been one of the main guys on the Cleveland staff. He's a respectable golfer and makes Cleveland a respectable brand. Toms has solidified his reputation using Cleveland golf clubs, but will move on to new sponsorships next year. Apparently, Cleveland will not be renewing any Tour Staff contracts, including Toms', that expire this year.
"I'm not sure what's going to happen," Toms said. Asked if he was shopping around, he replied, "Yes, which is kind of a bummer." One option is to sign a corporate deal for his hat, the most visible billboard a player can offer. Toms said that might free him up to play whatever equipment suits him best. "I know what I won't do is play something I'm not comfortable with," he said. "Sometimes you take less money as long as you're confident you can play well with that equipment. I won't do anything off the wall, I can promise you that." So where's he going? If you have a lead, let us know in the comments. The thought of seeing Toms in anything but a white Cleveland visor is startling. I guess there will be a lot of changes on tour next year and we'll just have to get used to it. (thanks pga.com for the lead) (gratuitous link to david and sonya)
 
American youth has "Rock the Vote". Napoleon has "Vote for Pedro". Golfers have "Drive the Vote" (an interesting voter registration movement for Maryland golfers).
Gourmet Golf supports voting, and voting awareness. This is a non-partisan reminder/request for all socially conscious golfers to get to the polls and vote. Bogey Lounge is kind enough to provide the link to a polling place locator. See you at the polls!
 Just 'cause Tiger's not on the course at any given tournament does not mean the man is laying on the couch. Like many elite athletes, Tiger's experience and expertise have lead to new opportunity. Woods has recently added to his work load in an effort to share more of himself with the world through Tiger Woods Design, his new venture in golf course design. Tiger will serve as chairman of the company.
I would expect a perfectionist like Woods to have a hand in every movement and curvature of his new courses. It will be interesting to see how he translates his intensity on the course to the blue prints of a new development. A golfer that has changed the way the game is played may alter the way courses are perceived and designed. The thought of walking a Woods signature course is very exciting to me. Golf course design is not a new idea to Woods. At 11, Tiger made his first attempt by designing a "killer hole" for the Golf Digest's Armchair Architect Contest. Concepts like this have been growing within him as he has spent his life absorbing all of his experiences. Now he feels capable of conveying designs of his own. "I wanted to wait until I felt I had enough golf experience to launch Tiger Woods Design," said Woods. "Now I feel I've logged enough time and learned enough lessons to start this venture."
Tiger's goal is "to provide a unique collection of amazing courses all over the world that represent what I love about golf." His golf courses will appeal to every skill level and will draw on his global travels. "There are golfers everywhere that may never get a chance to play a links course in Scotland, a tree-lined course in America or the sand belts of Australia," he said. "Hopefully, I can bring some of those elements into their backyards." There's no word of where his first course will be built. Rumor has it that he'll announce plans for a new course by the end of the year and it will most likely be built outside of the U.S.
 Golf Digest went to finishing school and came back as "Index". With the new name comes a curious and spiffy new tag line: "The measure of a man's best time". Didn't they teach them about "ladies first" at finishing school? I guess women will have to wait for their own version of the mag.
GD's "Index" is a new publication targeted at the McMansion mortgaging, crispy clean nouveau riche. Topics of their winter issue include skin care, wine collections at private clubs, jet-setting celebrities, and aviation. Of course, old-money millionaires may read it too, but, with generations of practice, they already know what to do with all their money. From the pen of the editor, "We take you behind the gates of the most private retreats, across the world to the most exotic golf locales, and onto the course with the game’s most successful players and business people." He sign's the letter, punctuating it with his handicap index (4.9). Who puts their index after their name? Geez.
Golf Digest has always catered to the "common" golfer. Issue after issue focuses on simplifying the average hacker's slice or etiquette advice for the uninitiated.
Life and business is changing and sometimes the only way for a business to grow is up. I understand and respect what GD is trying to do. I just hope they don't lose focus on the original publication that got them here. Golf Digest's Index is like Golf Connoisseur, but with street cred.
Hungry for more? Magazine Rack has a good review. Geoff Shackelford has some opinions. So does the Golf Blogger
 All of your time at the driving range, hitting off of mats, might finally pay off. The world's first synthetic golf course is being built in Queensland, Australia's Capricorn Coast. The Sydney Morning Herald likens the course to Pamela Anderson, naming it the "Plastic Fantastic". Nothing could be more fantastic than jumping out from the Great Barrier Reef and jumping onto a pristine golf course. This could be a new fork in the evolutionary road of mankind.
Australia's Rockhampton landscape is doomed by drought and grass golf courses are prone to disease. The solution, brought to you by British developer Chris Dadson, is to build a full size, par 70, golf course using synthetic greens and tee boxes. The fairways will be covered in native couch grass. The synthetic turf reacts "very similarly" to normal turf. Hmmm....not so sure about that. A great aspect, aside from playing golf where you wouldn't normally be able to, is the reduction in water and pesticides used. That's right. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Efforts are being made to have the golf course rated by the Royal & Ancient. I'll try anything once and I am very curious to get a taste of these synthetic greens. Maybe some of Gourmet Golf's Aussie readers can enlighten us with their comments.
 I live in San Francisco and the rage these days amongst the stroller set is to plan the next 18 years of their child's life, including how, when, and from whom their child will learn the Chinese language. Some families have already hired O.C. (original Chinese) nannies (nytimes, reg. req.) to look after the fruit of their loins and coddle them with the foreign tongue. All of this in the name of the competitive global business climate we are approaching.
In turn, it appears that the Chinese are planning on keeping up with the Western world and the way they do business. Students majoring in management, law, economics, and software engineering at Xiamen University will be required to take a course in golf. This golf tangent is an effort to produce "socially elite" graduates that will be prepared to handle business deals that regularly occur on the golf course. This is a growing trend, as Elite Peking University has recently decided to build a golf course on campus. In the past, the Chinese have perceived golf as extravagant and elitist. However, as the collective Chinese waist line bulges with a growing economy, continued globalization, and capitalistic pressure, golf is becoming as compulsory as the international languages of math and science. It should be of no suprise that the Chinese make their foreign language study in English. "Golf is not only good exercise but will teach students communication skills and benefit their future careers," a paper quoted the university's president Zhu Chongshi as saying. "The highest embodiment of the education system is producing socially elite people with the best education." "The aim is to help the students find good jobs," a sports professor at the school, Chen Xiao, was quoted as saying. "Many Chinese business deals are clinched on golf courses." However, these trends are not free from opposition.
"To try to make golf compulsory is rather vulgar," Alex Jin, president of the Center for International Education Group, was quoted as saying. He added that some regions in China needed investment in better primary health care. In conclusion, our world is growing smaller and smaller. In addition to competing on a global stage, we will also be required to rub elbows across boarders. I can imagine a world where International flights and business golf are on the agendas of every business man/woman. The foundation for this future is being developed with Chinese nannies in the U.S. In the name of International free trade, maybe it's time for you to take your golf knowledge to China and find some teaching opportunities. Hopefully, all of this cultural exchange will improve the texture of every life and games like golf.
 Colin Montgomerie has taken it upon himself to make some personalized golf tees...
At the Wee Wonders Media Day, Montomerie revealed what he had printed on his tees following Europe's record equalling Ryder Cup victory at the K Club. "It says on one side 18½ - 9½. And on the other it says, 'Again!'."
Clever guy, that Colin. Apparently, Montomerie has been galavanting around Europe, littering tee boxes with the pegs. Tiger Woods has been following behind him, gathering the tees to fuel America's next Ryder Cup extravaganza. Colin doesn't dare try to play golf in the U.S. with those tees, let alone pass through U.S. Customs with them in his pocket.
In related news, Michelle Wie is discarding members of her entourage as if they were merely golf tees. Joining her "Ex" category, along with former caddies Greg Johnson and Andrew Lano, is William Morris' super agent, Ross Berlin. Berlin is replaced by Greg Nared, a Nike manager who spent nearly three years recruiting Wie to the swoosh.
 Think you have what it takes to dominate the lucrative world of golf gadgets? Feel like sharing it with the world before you can commercialize the product yourself? Send your ideas to The Golf Channel for a chance to be featured in their new reality show that will attempt to uncover the next big innovation in golf (The guy who invented the Golf-Round towel. Those are the kind of guys I wanna see. Brilliant!). It's like "Project Runway" for the "Cigar-Tee-Holder" designer set. Hopefully they'll have the golf-gadget equivalent of Heidi Klum as their host. If The Golf Channel proceeds with the series, you may have the opportunity to showcase your product to an entire world of golf enthusiasts.
Go to TheGolfChannel.com and fill out a short application and email it to inventions@golfchannel.com. The Golf Channel requests that you do not submit photos, sketches, descriptions or other information about the nature of your invention at this time.
 I was browsing the golf blogs this morning and the Going for the Green Blog stopped me in my tracks. Robert Thompson, blogger in chief, always blogs with substance and his post on the NIKE Juice balls (scheduled for a Nov. release) caught my eye.
The image below says it all. NIKE's balls are now "100% naturally synthetic, 200% organically industrial, with 300% free-range rubber. That's 600% of pure performance!" Although it's tongue-in-cheek (why not laugh while you play golf?), I believe NIKE and Gourmet Golf have met at an intersection. That's right! Not only does NIKE read the Gourmet Golf Blog (I see you...), but it seems they are beginning to subscribe to our mantra/metaphor of "gourmet, organic, and high performance golf". If Starbucks can sell some coffee like that, why can't Nike do the same? If it's better, isn't it worth it?
The question is: If Nike is going gourmet and organic, shouldn't you do the same? Has anyone tried these out? Tell everyone about it in the comments below. Check out the SandTrap.com for more depth on NIKE Juice. MMMM! Tastes so good!
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