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Timeout Tuesday: Playing Your Golf Shot off the Grandstand… to Win

May 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Welcome back to Timeout Tuesday, a few time-wasting videos to help you get your day going. First up is the PGA’s shots of the week, which include an incredible under-the-tree recovery shot from Phil Mickelson, as well as a winning putt from Jason Dufner. But I think the first shot fron Nick Flanagan is the winner of the bunch. Take a look and see what you think.

Second up is a ridonkulous and-one shot from Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook. While I can live without Westbrook’s angry-man court persona as well as his church-lady press conference red glasses, there’s no denying the skills of Westbrook, Kevin Durant and the other OKCers who made short work of Kobe Bryant and the Lakers legacy. (hat tip to the Big Lead, who always seems to dig up these videos within minutes. If you don’t follow the Big Lead, you should.)

Filed Under: Golf, NBA, PGA Tagged With: , ,

Watching Golf this Week: HP Byron Nelson Championship

May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

After burning out a bit watching the Players Championship last week, I might be like Tiger and take a week off. After all, without ol’ Lord Byron around to pass judgement from his lawn chair this tournament just doesn’t feel like it has the same meaning. Plus, I am not sure I want to wallow in the Keeeeeegan Bradley “first win” BS that is sure to emerge. I am not a Bradley fan, mostly due to the long putter. I may not ever like the guy because I was pulling for Dufner in the PGA finale last year. Is that a rivalry worth worrying about? Maybe not. But even if I don’t watch, there will be golf this weekend.

And with Phil and Ernie Els in the field there is some star power, though anything other than the U.S. Open right now feels like practice. Well maybe the Memorial will be worthwhile. Certainly the PGA Tour seems to think so, because that is when we will next see live online coverage of golf — none this week from Texas. And we’re back to shortened times for Golf Channel and CBS so — maybe this week is for hard-cores only.

Here’s where to follow the action:

HP BYRON NELSON CHAMPIONSHIP

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE
Thursday, May 17 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, May 18 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, May 19 — CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, May 20 — CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
12 p.m. — 6 p.m., Thursday-Sunday

ONLINE
The PGA’s Live@ is gone. All you have this week on your computer is…

PGA SHOT TRACKER
Get another online fix via Shot Tracker for the HPBNC.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend (though she is taking this week off too; but she’s still fun to follow, as her twitpics of mini golf this week showed)

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
The TPC Four Seasons Las Colinas sounds like the hotel at the mall at the end of the world. Here’s some info on the layout.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST YEAR?
Do you have to ask? KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEgan.

LOCAL FLAVOR
If you don’t know anything about Lord Byron, time to hone up on your history. The tournament’s legacy page is a good place to start. When Tiger was challenging Nelson’s 11-in-a-row streak a few years back a lot of folks learned a lot more about one of golf’s more silent heroes. And then there’s the Dallas Morning News for local reporter-type coverage.

FEDEX CUP LEADERS
1. Hunter Mahan, 1,378 points
2. Bubba Watson, 1372
3. Rory McIlroy, 1,290
4. Phil Mickelson, 1,220
5. Carl Pettersson, 1,215

See the full standings for the FedEx Cup points list.

WORLD GOLF RANKINGS
1. Rory McIlroy; 2. Luke Donald; 3. Lee Westwood; 4. Bubba Watson; 5. Matt Kuchar.
See the official World Golf Ranking list.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Golf, Golf Channel, PGA Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Get Ready, Twitter — Here Comes Kevin Na. Well, Maybe. No, Wait. Yes… No! Maybe… Yes!

May 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

If you caught any golf on the tube or online today you couldn’t miss the new trending topic of the PGA: Golfer Kevin Na and his unbelievable 5-minute pre-shot routine, where he practice swings, backs away, practices a few more times, then even maybe throwing in a full-swing miss over the ball (which is apparently legal) and then backing off again, practicing some more and then… finally… HITTING THE D@MN BALL.

Did we mention he’s leading the Players Championship, aka the “fifth major?” So all these other guys, with their high profile swing coaches, hours spent on the range, new souped up clubs, and monster man fitness routines… and they’re being beaten by a guy who is afraid to hit the ball?

If you want to know what’s behind Na’s eminently unique pre-shot approach there is no shortage of exhaustive stories out there (here’s a pretty good explanation with a video interview link). Geoff Shackelford also has some great video links so you can relive the agony. For the casual viewer I hope NBC tomorrow opens up its prime twosome coverage with some kind of rules explanation as to why it’s OK for Na to take a full whiff over the ball. (Here is the rule in question and a good explanation of why it’s not a penalty in tour play.) But for most golfers watching I am guessing it was a “C’mon man!” moment. If you’re playing with me and you pull one of those, my response would be, “that’s one.”

We’ll let the stewards of golf wring their hands over what the slow-playing Na would do to the soul of the game should his methods produce a victory. Here at MSR we will be watching the Twitter trending scorecard to see how high up his waggles get him.

Filed Under: Golf, NBC Sports, PGA Tagged With: , , ,

Has the PGA Tour Mobile App for Android Missed the Cut?

May 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Anyone else out there having problems with the PGA Tour app for Android phones? Was trying to watch video highlights of the Wells Fargo Classic all day today and the app would load just fine and show me thumbnails of video highlights — but when I clicked on them all I got was a black error screen saying “this video can not be played” or something to that effect.

Even though my Samsung Stratosphere runs on Verizon’s super fast 4G LTE network — and I regularly get great reception in and around town — the video didn’t work on LTE, and it didn’t work on the home Wi-Fi. The FAQ is of little help. From the looks of the forum boards there are many others out there experiencing some sort of fail with the app, though others report no problems. Anyone out there from PGA mobile land monitoring the boards? Helllloooo! Your app does not work… help!

Filed Under: Android, Apps, Golf, PGA Tagged With: , ,

Watching Golf This Week: Bubba’s Back in NOLA

April 26, 2012 by 1 Comment

Has the feel-good aura of winning the green jacket already worn off? Or was Bubba Watson always something of a crank, and now we’re just noticing because everyone is paying attention? The simmering story this week on the PGA Tour is that Bubba Watson is back playing in a somewhat minor event, which is surprising because tour stops like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans are the types the big dogs usually skip. And now Bubba is a big dog, courtesy of his Masters win. But Bubba is a man who is loyal, and he won here last year so he considers it his obligation to show up.

The only problem is, he’s letting everyone know that. And if you read between the lines from his testy press conference earlier in the week you get the feeling that the feel-good everyman Bubba may not stay that way for long. Cue the prima donna music! Let’s see how cheery the new dad is if he starts hitting them into the swamp. And if Bubba fails us, maybe John Daly can provide some excitement. Anyway — no online golf AGAIN this week, so you are stuck with broadcast TV, radio or shot tracker. (At least there’s the bonus Golf Channel coverage on the weekend) But you probably won’t care until Saturday anyway since you will be watching the NFL Draft.

But if you want golf…
Here’s where to follow the action:

ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE
Thursday, April 26 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, April 27 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 28 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 29 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 2:30 p.m.; CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
12 p.m. — 6 p.m., Thursday-Sunday

ONLINE
The PGA’s Live@ broadcasts don’t return until the Players in early May. So you will have to get by online with…

PGA SHOT TRACKER
Get your online fix via Shot Tracker for the ZCoNO.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend

LOCAL FLAVOR
Is there any place in the U.S. more flavorful than New Orleans? Wish we were there this weekend — not only is there golf, there’s the New Orleans Jazz Festival. For golf, Doug Tatum at the New Orleans Times-Picayune is the guy to follow

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Not much flavor or history to the TPC Louisiana. Looks swampy.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST YEAR?
Bubba. (Has he become a one-word player yet? Like Tiger or Phil?)

FEDEX CUP LEADERS
1. Hunter Mahan, 1,378 points
2. Bubba Watson, 1322
3. Phil Mickelson, 1,136
4. Carl Pettersson, 1,111
5. Johnson Wagner, 1,056

See the full standings for the FedEx Cup points list.

WORLD GOLF RANKINGS
1. Rory McIlroy; 2. Luke Donald; 3. Lee Westwood; 4. Bubba Watson; 5. Hunter Mahan.
See the official World Golf Ranking list.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Golf, Golf Channel, PGA Tagged With: , , ,

Watching Golf This Week: Texas Time on the Tour

April 19, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Did you know that this is the 90th version of the Valero Texas Open? Does that history mean anything to you? Probably not. It may mean a lot to the fine folks in San Antonio who are hosting this week’s PGA Tour stop, but for golf fans this is one of those in-between weeks, where the big names take some time off. No Tiger, no Phil, no Rory, no Bubba… maybe Rich Beem will resurface and be the big story this week. Or maybe Matt Kuchar, the top 10 man, will get himself a long-overdue winner’s check.

Here’s where to follow the action:

VALERO TEXAS OPEN

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE
Thursday, April 19 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Friday, April 20 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, April 21 — CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, April 12 — CBS, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
12 p.m. — 6 p.m., Thursday-Sunday

ONLINE
The PGA’s Live@ broadcasts don’t return until the Players in early May. So you will have to get by online with…

PGA SHOT TRACKER
Get your online fix via Shot Tracker for the Valero Open.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend

LOCAL FLAVOR
This is kind of fun — the First Tee program has some local youth bloggers writing about the Valero Open. Give them a read. And the San Antonio Express-News has a special Texas Open site.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
The Express-News has a good hole by hole feature on the TPC San Antonio course.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST YEAR?
Brendan Steele.

FEDEX CUP LEADERS
1. Hunter Mahan, 1,378 points
2. Bubba Watson, 1322
3. Phil Mickelson, 1,136
4. Carl Pettersson, 1,111
5. Johnson Wagner, 1,056

See the full standings for the FedEx Cup points list.

WORLD GOLF RANKINGS
1. Rory McIlroy; 2. Luke Donald; 3. Lee Westwood; 4. Bubba Watson; 5. Hunter Mahan.
See the official World Golf Ranking list.

Filed Under: CBS Sports, Golf, Golf Channel, PGA Tagged With: , , ,
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