Tiger Woods, Since when did golf become a team sport?

Not only was I offended by Steve Williams' behavior post-'thank you' from Tiger Woods and his subsequent comments after Firestone and the win by his new employer, but I wondered why are we listening to a caddie give us his b.s. about "his" win. "his" win? You gotta be kidding me!

Oh yeah I forgot. "When a PGA pro wins, it's a team effort." His dry-cleaner for delivering clean gear, his pilot for getting him to the right city, his hotel for getting him a bed and his caddie for giving him yardage. And his swing coach, his short game coach, his mental coach, his workout coach…NOT

"In my book, says Rachid Sefrioui, a team sport is a sport where each member occupies a spot "on the field" and contributes equally to improve the score." Football, soccer, basket-ball, even team-cycling; in any team sport, even if a teammate is not performing well that day, the rest of the team can carry the game and even win it. Even if the star player, say Kobe Bryant or Lionel Messi, cannot play that day the team can still win.

In golf, if Tiger Woods or Scott Adams cannot play, "the team" cannot play. Stevie will stay where he belongs, the caddie pit. So enough of this team b.s. for golf. It is all about THE player. His skills, his feel, his mental strength, his determination. Every cling-on around him is only part of the support crew. And in the case of Stevie, the lack-of-support  "s"crew.  

Tiger Woods beat by an LPGA player

Youngest golfers to win five majors:
 

(1) Yani Tseng 

’11 Women’s British Open 22 years, 6 months
 

(2) Tiger Woods   

’00 PGA Championship 24 years, 7 months
 

(3) Patty Berg      

’43 Women’s Western Open  25 years, 4 months,
 

(4) Louise Suggs  

’49 U.S. Women’s Open 26 years, 18 days   
 

(5) Jack Nicklaus  ’66 Masters 26 years, 2 months  
 

(6) Karrie Webb ’01 U.S. Women’s Open 26 years, 6 months
 

(7) Mickey Wright   ’61 LPGA Championship 26 years, 8 months
 

(8) Bobby Jones ’29 U.S. Open 27 years, 3 months

Adds Rachid Sefrioui, "She is in a class of her own. Since joining the LPGA Tour in 2008, Tseng has developed into one of the Tour’s most dominant players."

Rolex Rankings No. 1 Yani Tseng successfully defended her title at the RICOH Women’s British Open. At 22 years, 6 months, 8 days, Tseng becomes the youngest golfer in history to win five career major titles. Tiger Woods had previously held that distinction, having won his fifth major at 24 years, 7 months.

Anthony Kim shoots 62 to lead The Greenbrier

I was really happy to see Anthony Kim back in the game. After struggling for a while with his "entourage", then with his body and finally his enjoyment of the game, he now seems to have shed that and to be enjoying the game that brought him to the golfing world's attention. Rachid Sefrioui says: "Good comeback, AK! keep it going."

Tiger Woods' palace has everything to play Zen Golf

Phenomenal is the attribute that comes to mind when you see Tiger Woods' new dig in Jupiter Island, Florida. An amazing mansion, with access for his yacht and 4 incredible holes with large greens and varied bunkers. Even hole direction was chosen so he can practice with and against the wind. "He may be nurturing that knee but he is certainly not losing his feel for his short game" remarks golf nut Rachid Sefrioui.

TPC Sawgrass - A golf course unlike others

Of all the golf courses that I had the privilege of playing the TPC Sawgrass remains among my ten favorites. Apart from the length of the course, nothing is more intimidating than the large water hazards that haunt you at the tee shot, the 2nd shot and at the chip shot.

Of course, the signature hole is the par-3 17 whose green is in the middle of the lake. And yes, take enough balls because it is likely that this hole will cost you a few balls and crash your score for the day.

Besides these undulating bumps that look like moguls from a diamond ski slope, where the ball just sinks in the rough. And there, to get out, you must plunge the sand wedge with determination. One second of hesitation and it turns into a bladed ball that will cross the green at 100 mph.

During The Players Championship, TPC is surrounded by beautiful galleries that allow spectators to view the stage with all these talented pros walking past them. A fantastic feeling.

If you go to Florida, do not miss the TPC Sawgrass with its huge clubhouse and its three restaurants.

Zen Golf is Zen Life

So I am on vacation one day and I come across a childhood friend of mine in a restaurant. It turns out he followed in his father's footsteps and became a club pro. So he invites me to play a round with him and a couple rising stars. One thing led to the other and I wound up inviting the 2 rising golf professionals to come out to California for a week of fun and a little golf loop around the State: Riviera, Torrey Pines, etc.

Since I made sure I loaded up on strokes from them at the beginning of each round, I realized that they needed a little mental coaching because I was giving them a run for the strokes they gave me (and I was playing from the amateur tees vs their pro tees). I do some research and I stumble on Vijay Singh and Cristie Kerr's mental coach, Dr. Joseph Parent (together in the picture). He helped both of them get to #1 in the World. I was looking for miracles since my 2 golf pros were leaving in a few days.

 

I call up Doc, lucky us, he was not travelling that week and can drive down from Ojai to L.A. for a 2 day mental coaching mini-camp. WOW! I was amazed. I read his book Zen Golf and realized that this was beyond swing, alignment, skill or even gift. It was all about freeing yourself from yourself...

Since then, I've become good friends with Doc. We've been to PGA tournaments together and played rounds with a number of PGA and LPGA professionals. His teachings go beyond golf, they rest on the teachings of zen buddhism for everyday life.

We will miss you, Seve

As a 7-year old kid introduced to golf in the early seventies, I remember the first professional golf player I learned about was Severiano Ballesteros. Pros and caddies alike raved about his daring plays and incredible determination.

Yet, when they attended the annual pro tournament that Seve played they all agreed, he was very humble, human and approchable. It is not until a few years later when I made the golf team that I got the honor of following him for four days. I realized then, that what they were saying was not only true, but it was exemplary.

Seve had solely put his country, Spain, on the golf world map. Tourists from all over Europe started to flock to Spain to buy villas and condos around a slew of golf courses built by developpers. All thanks to Seve's global image of a daring golf professional. He alone contributed into making the European Tour a credible tour capable of attracting brands and namesake sponsors. Yet, his greatest achievement was to open the doors to countless junior golf schools. Jose Maria Olazabal, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Sergio Garcia and Alvaro Quiros would not be having their international careers if it weren't for Seve's trailblazing.

We will never forget you, Seve.
Thank you for the memories and for inspiring us amateurs.