Introducing The Golf Girls...Ah, Ah, Ah!!!

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in , , , , , , | Posted on Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Golf Boys have some competition. Sophie Giquel, Cassandra Kirkland, Sophie Sandolo and Jade Schaeffer from the Ladies European Tour(LET) have created a video which mimics...steals...spoofs perhaps, the original idea of PGA funny man Ben Crane.

The ladies are dressed in similar attire and are singing basically the same song. I'm not sure if they are making fun of the original video or praising it for the complete genius of the whole thing, but I can dig it, especially if it was done for charity(At press release, I wasn't able to confirm this).

If anything it will bring a little attention to the LET. To be honest, I recognized the names but I can't say that I have ever seen this foursome hit a golf ball. After viewing the video, I looked them up and at the very least, this is what most people will do.

The LPGA had been struggling in recent years with sponsorships, and attracting viewers, but it seems as though they are moving in the right direction to bring awareness to their sport. Hopefully this video will do the same for the LET. Golf is golf and I like watching whether it be men or women playing.

We will have to wait and see whether or not there is a collaboration between the two groups. Some of the comments on youtube are calling for it. Regardless, it again proves that professional golfers are human and not as robotic as they are sometimes perceived. Sing it loud ladies. Let your roar be heard. Dex is a fan. Have a great round and always hit your target.




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Sprinkler Mishap Makes A Round At Stoncreek Golf Club A Lot More Bearable

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in , , | Posted on Monday, June 27, 2011

It was another hot one yesterday. The Doctor and I played at Stonecreek Golf Club, and to our surprise, despite the 110 degree weather, the course was pretty packed. Usually we play during the week when everyone else is working and as a result, we have the course to ourselves. Just the way we like it. No waiting on the group in front of us and no pressure from a group behind.

We figured that with the high temperatures we would be able to get around in three, three and half hours. This was not the case. We teed off a little after noon thinking that no one would be as crazy as we were, but we were wrong. We were in for a long day.

Fortunately we were paired with Terry and Bob, a couple of gentleman who made the wait between holes and the high heat a bit more bearable. While I like playing with the normal crew(The Doctor, Bryce, and Patrick)I like playing with new people. Golf is an individual game, but I find it more interesting to play a course with others who just love being out there like I do.

We played from the gold tees, which on the scorecard measures 6322 yards. The key is taking advantage of the front nine which 288 yards shorter than the back. Unfortunately, I didn't do that. This is only my second round in the past sixteen days so I was a little rusty to start out the round. The Doctor and I were noticing that when we play a lot, we continue to improve, but when there are too many days in between rounds, it's like starting all over again.

My biggest problem on the front was with my chipping. I had three double bogeys due to poor approach shots followed by poor chips trying to get it close to save par. My first solid hole didn't come until the 9th, on which I hit the fairway, was on the green in regulation, and then two-putted to make par. I finished the front nine with a 45.

I picked it up on the back nine by shooting a 39. This was mainly due to better approach shots which avoided the bunkers and gave me great chances to make par. Stonecreek is a pretty well maintained course except for bunkers. Because of the extreme heat, it is like hitting out of rock hard clay. They need to be watered and properly raked to give golfers any real chance of scoring well. Getting up and down out of these hazards could be deemed by some as a true miracle.

Going into the 16th hole, the sun was starting to wear on us. Stamina always comes in to play over the course of eighteen hole, but when the mercury hits triple digits, it is especially noticeable.

As we were about to tee off on the longest par 5 on the course, we could see that the sprinklers were on full blast around the green. The group of ahead of us looked like they were pondering whether or not to play the hole. Usually the sprinklers come on for about five minutes and then they shut off, but not today. Major malfunction, but ironically, a major blessing.

The Doctor and I ran through the sprinklers and finished the hole. We were soaked but it felt so good. The thing is, with no humidity, and the fact that it was so hot, we were dry in literally fifteen minutes. When we caught up with the foursome in front of us, they said that they were thinking about complaining so that they could get a free round A free round would have been nice, but honestly, the sprinkler mishap was a welcome relief.

All in all, it was a good round. I need to work on my chipping and continue to work on my putting. I struggled off the tee on the front, but missed only one fairway on the back. It is a lot harder to get motivated to practice when it is above 100 degrees, but that's the only way I can continue to improve. Looks like, I'll have to get up earlier so that I can get out by 5:00AM when it is only 85 degrees. Gotta love the summers in the Valley Of The Sun. Have a great round and always hit your target.

84
Posted: 6/26/2011 by Dexter
StoneCreek Golf Club Tees: Gold, Slope: 128, Rating: 69.9


Stonecreek Golf Club Front Nine
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Out
Par
4
4
3
4
3
4
5
4
4

35

4 6 4 6 4 6 6 5 4
45
FIR:

# Putts: 1 2 1 2 2 2 3 2 2
17
GIR:


Back Nine
Hole 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
In
Par
4
4
3
5
4
3
5
4
4

36

4 4 5 5 5 4 5 3 4
39
FIR:

# Putts: 1 2 1 1 2 2 2 1 1
13
GIR:


Birdies: 1
Pars: 7
Bogeys: 6
Doubles: 4
Par 3 Avg: 4.3
Par 4 Avg: 4.6
Par 5 Avg: 5.3
FIR: 8 / 14
GIR: 5 / 18
Putts: 30
Putts per GIR: 2.0
Scrambling: 4 / 13
Bounce Backs: 3 / 10


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The Heat Is On...So I Gotta Do What I Gotta Do

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in , | Posted on Thursday, June 23, 2011

I'm heading out for a round of golf today at The Raven Golf Course at South Mountain. I've played this course once before, and it was under similar conditions. What conditions you ask? The forecast is for bright sunny skies and a high of 111 degrees.

Back in March I questioned whether or not I would be able to handle the heat. At the time, I thought I would be just fine. But that was when it was still in the low 80's and absolutely perfect. We have hit triple digits everyday for the past week here in Phoenix and it is going to stay that way for a while.

I like reading other golf blogs as you can tell by my long blog roll on the right hand panel. I came across Discovering The Game Of Golf a few weeks ago when I noticed a post entitled Tips For Beating The Heat On The Golf Course. This is something that I could relate to, so I read on.

The author, a new golfer like myself, gave the reader helpful tips for surviving the summer heat during a round of golf. After reading the article I left a comment. This is what I had to say...

I just moved from Miami, FL to Phoenix, AZ. So basically I went from humid wet and sticky heat to a dry heat. Everyone says that the dry heat is better, but let’s face it. Hot is hot. The forecast for the next week calls for highs in the 100′s. But I still have to play. I’m addicted.

I usually buy Gatorade and a big bottle of high quality H20 the night before a round and freeze them. That way I am assured of having ice cold, liquid refreshments during my round. I rehydrate as well as replenish the electrolytes lost over the course of 18 holes of play.

I know you’re not supposed to bring outside drinks and the such to the golf course, but literally, it’s a matter of life and death. My best friend and most frequent golf partner is a doctor and he tells me of the many stories of heatstroke that occur on the golf course. I don’t want that to happen to me. Plus it seems that the cart attendants aren’t as reliable during the summer months. Gotta do what I gotta do. Great article.

During the summer months, the Snowbirds leave Phoenix for more comfortable weather in other parts of the country. Many of these people are members of the golf courses in the area, but when it gets hot, they leave and are not seen again until about mid-October.

The problem with this is that when the members migrate, golf courses cut back on staff, and most notably, as I mentioned in my comment, the cart attendants. In order to keep costs down, a lot of the courses leave golfers to fend for themselves. Most will have water coolers on several of the holes, but the frequency at which we see a cart greatly diminishes.

There is a heat advisory for today and most of the rest of the week, but I want to play. I have to play. Crazy? Maybe, but the courses are empty and you can't beat the reduced rates. So hey...I gotta do what I gotta do. Have a great round and always hit your target.

***The picture above is of my iPhone. It was taking at around 9:45PM last night. It was still 101 degrees, and as you can see, the forecast for the next few days is hot, hot, hot. The Heat Is On...




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A Young Rory McIlroy Chips Golf Balls Into His Mums Washing Machine

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in , , | Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011

2011 US Open Champion Rory McIlroy has had his sights on being a professional golfer and champion ever since he was a wee little lad in Northern Ireland. We have all seen the footage of Tiger Woods on the Michael Douglas Show but now we have footage of Rory before he became a household name in the golfing community and beyond.

This spot was taken shortly after he won an under 10 tournament circa 1999 at Doral Country Club which is located in my old stomping grounds of Miami Florida. Rory's attitude hasn't changed since the time this interview was conducted. His hair is a lot longer, and he has grown taller, but his enthusiasm for the game has always been there.

In my last post, I talked about how "he gets it". He understands how to be appreciative of everything he has. This is seen even at this tender age as he gives his Dad his medal for skipping an important dinner in order to see his son play. If you were not a Rory fan before, you certainly will be after watching this piece. How could you not? Have a great round and always hit your target.

Young Rory photo found here.




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Rory!!!Rory!!!Rory!!!

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in , , , | Posted on Monday, June 20, 2011

It seems that this chant is all that could be heard during the final round of the 111th playing of the US Open held at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda Maryland. Rory McIlroy destroyed a field that boasted some of the most talented golfers on the planet. Sure, Tiger Woods was not present due to injury, but would that have made a difference? I think not.

McIlroy set or tied twelve US Open records as he decimated the rest of the field. His closest competitor, Jason Day, finished eight strokes back and recorded his second straight, second place finish in consecutive majors. Going into the last round, there was no doubt that McIlroy would win the tournament. It was just a matter of by how many strokes he would win by.

I am a huge fan of Rory. We often hear analysts say that "he gets it".  He understands the game of golf, how to act on the course, and seems to appreciate everything that golf is giving him as a result of his hard work. He never gets too high or too low. He simply goes about his business and takes what the course gives him.

There were some who were still skeptical of whether or not he would be able to close it out after what happened at The Masters. After playing brilliantly for three rounds, his final round 80 at Augusta, put him out of contention for his first major win and the coveted green jacket.

As he said in the interviews following his win this past weekend, he learned a lot about himself after the meltdown in Augusta. This is what makes Rory special. Despite the fact that he is only 22 years old, he is proving himself wise beyond his years. He is poised to do great things and some have already started to talk about him breaking Jack Nickaus' record of winning eighteen majors.

This is McIlroy's first major and he has a long way to go before eclipsing Jack's lofty mark, but all the signs are there that he might be the one to do it. Will he do it? Who knows. But he probably isn't even thinking about that yet. For now, I'm sure is just anxious to get back home to Northern Ireland and present his fellow countrymen with their second consecutive U.S. Open championship.

Hats off to Rory McIlroy. The sky is the limit for this very talented athlete. As long as he keeps a level head, I see no reason why he couldn't win many more majors. At the very least, we will probably see a lot more Rory wigs at the tournaments he competes in. Have a great round and always hit your target.

Rory photo found here.


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Ben Crane Presents The Debut Of The Golf Boys

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in , , , , | Posted on Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Ben Crane has done it again. But this time he's brought along a few of his friends. The first official video from The Golf Boys debuted on The Golf Channel last night as part of Live From The U.S. Open. Crane is joined by Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan, and an overall wearing, barefoot, Bubba Watson.

Can we say, INSTANT CLASSIC!!! Well not really, but it is really funny. Rich Lerner asked the guys if they would rather win a Grammy or the U.S. Open. Bubba was quick to answer, "I have three trophies already. I want a Grammy."

In recent months Crane has kind of broken out of his shell and blessed us with a series of funny videos which break the mold of the way golfers are perceived. We got a glimpse of Crane's dancing talents in his previous youtube video, and again makes a case that he would be a great contestant on Dancing With The Stars.

Rickie Fowler was born to be in front of the camera. He has the boy band look already so this wasn't much of a stretch for him. With flocks of teenage girls that are just dying for the chance to be called Rickie's boo, he is sure to gain an extra 50,000 or so new followers on Twitter.

Probably the biggest surprise came from the performance of Hunter Mahan. Normally subdued and soft spoken on the course and in interviews, Hunter lets his hair down. Literally. He was "criticized" for some of his outfits during last weeks St. Jude Classic, but he showed that he clearly doesn't care what people think about his image.

What can you say about Bubba. It's just Bubba being Bubba. Watson got a bad rap when he first broke out on the PGA Tour as being boring and cold towards the media. In the past year this has all change. He has become very engaging, talking to the the fans and media alike. He all but took over the show on the set of The Morning Drive, and his new attitude seems to have him in a better place to win more tournaments.

As we know, The PGA does a tremendous job of working with charities and Ben Crane and The Boys are of course doing their part to make a difference. Farmers Insurance is supporting Crane and the Golf Boys by donating $1,000 for every 100,000 views of the video. Proceeds also go to the players various charities when you download the video and song via iTunes. So get your copy. I have mine. You will be entertained and also doing your part to help out your fellow man. Have a great round and always hit your target.

Photo found here.




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Patrick Gibbons Handmade Exotic Golf

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Posted by Dexter Francois | Posted in | Posted on Tuesday, June 14, 2011

If you have been following this blog, you would have noticed that I have been playing a lot of golf with Patrick Gibbons. We were introduced to each other by a mutual friend a few months ago, and once we realized that we are both obsessed with the game of golf, we have been playing ever since.

Patrick is the founder of Patrick Gibbons Handmade Exotic Golf which is a line of leather golf grips, golf apparel, and accessories custom made from exotic leathers and colors. His putter grips are made from a wide range of materials such as alligator, lizard, ostrich, shark, and snake. Each of these materials are then costumed dyed to fit the customers specific style and personality.

The love for golf was planted in Patrick back when he was a 3 year old, living in Bay City, Michigan. His grandfather went out to the garage, cut down three of his clubs, duck taped the shortened clubs for grips, and they hopped over the fence to go play a few holes on Bay Valley Inn Course.

For the next eight years he and his grandfather would play the same four holes after grand-dad would return from work. It was during these days that Patrick learned about golf and more importantly about life. These same values have stuck with him today and is what has helped him to create high end, quality products.

Patrick started his business out of his garage in 2007 and has been on the grind ever since. He told me that he thought of the idea because of his  obsession with putters, but also because of how bland golf was becoming. He has an extensive collection of putters which has grown over the years. He buys, trades, and sells putters, each of which, end up being fitted with an exotic grip.

Since then he has expanded into exotic belts, club covers, and other accessories such as score books and cash covers(wallets). His products are bringing a new sense of style to a sport which sometimes gets a tough rap of being too plain.

Currently, Patrick has golfers on the PGA, LPGA, and Nationwide Tours(that's Kevin Streelman at The Masters on the right)who wear the Patrick Gibbons brand. Like I said before, golf is sometimes viewed as a plain sport, but the trends are changing. With players like Ricki Fowler and Ian Poulter, golfers are showing more of themselves through their clothing. Patrick aims to be at the forefront of this shift towards the more stylish golfer.

Besides making his quality products, Patrick is very big on philanthropy. Something that was probably instilled in him during his rounds with his Grandfather. He has three charities that he is involved with. Fifteen percent of all profits are split between Soldiers' Angels, Rescue Mission Alliance, and D.E.L.T.A Rescue(Dedication and Everlasting Love to Animals).

Patrick is always working on new styles and color schemes. The best way to keep up with him is through the Patrick Gibbons Handmade Exotic Golf Facebook fan page. Here you can get updates of new products and events. They make great gifts and he is able to customize his products, so if you contact him he can make just about whatever you like.

This is my putter grip and strap. The grip is made from sea snake and as s soon as I get my new putter, it's going on. Will it improve my putting? Not sure. But at least I'll look good doing it. Have a great round and always hit your target.



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