Golf Etail Blog

Good news for Phil Mickelson fans: The two-time Masters winner (2004 & 2006) will return to golf this month as he vies for his fourth title (he won the PGA Championship in 2005) at the U.S. Open at Bethpage from June 18 to 21.

Just a couple weeks ago, Mickelson announced that he was taking a hiatus from the Tour to be by his wife’s side as she battles breast cancer. But after encouraging news from doctors regarding her condition, “Lefty” is back in business.

In anticipation of the Open, Mickelson will “warm up” at the St. Jude’s Classic, which kicks off Monday, June 8, in Memphis.

The DealTeam is elated to hear the good news, and we’re sending positive thoughts to Mickelson and his family.

Daydreamt about teeing up at Augusta National?

The DealTeam does too. But until we receive our exclusive invitations in the mail, we’ll settle for Redstone Golf Club – located just 15 minutes from George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Texas – which was prepped in 2006 to mimic Augusta.

Seems like just yesterday. Time sure does fly for this ol’ codger!

Since then, the Shell Houston Open has attracted the top players in the world, and in the weeks following the tournament, many wannabe golf stars (like us!).

I could rave about this diamond in the not-so-rough all day long, but I’ll let you decide for yourself with this review of the course on WorldGolf.com.

Besides, it’s time for my afternoon siesta.

Oh, I almost forgot (that’s happening all too often lately!) – how’re you faring in Fantasy Golf? Let us know!

Can’t hit the links as much as you’d like? Don’t sweat it.

Yahoo! Fantasy Sports has just launched “Golf ‘09″ – your FREE ticket to weekly and segment prizes!

It’s so easy, too – you don’t have to be a pro to play. Just pick a foursome of PGA Tour players for each tournament, then earn fantasy points based on your golfers’ scores per round.

All right, so there’s a little more to it than that, but you can check out the official rules here.

THIS WEEK (May 7-10)

Tournament: The Players Championship

Course: TPC Sawgrass, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida

Purse: $9.5 million

Defending champion: Sergio Garcia

Who will win? It could be YOU!

We came across this great video memorial on golf legend Moe Norman, who, in our opinion, was completely underrated. Norman played briefly in the PGA Tour – in 1959 – but due to his reclusive personality he returned to his native Canada to play out the rest of his legendary career – and it was there that he became the greatest ball striker the world has never known. We could go on for hours about the late, great Moe Norman, but the video above tells his story better than we can. Have a look.

The PGA Tour has regained its sparkling star, but will his brilliance dull during his first stroke play since over 8 months ago?

Tiger Woods returned to the PGA Tour toward the end of February to compete at the Accenture Match Play. Though he lost in the second round to South Africa’s Tim Clark, it was the first time Woods had competed after an eight-month hiatus following ACL surgery in his left knee. In a recent news conference, Tiger was confident about his knee, stating that, “from a physical standpoint, it was better than I thought it would be.”

Tiger is now confronting his next challenge of the PGA Tour at the WGC-CA Championship at Doral Resort and Spa today. So What Are His Chances this week at the Doral’s “Blue Monster?”

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As the lovely Heather mentioned in her post below, we at Golf Etail attended the 2009 PGA Golf Merchandise Show last week. At the event, promotional booths crackled with new technology and golf industry professionals buzzed back-and-forth making sure they took in all of the electrifying new products.

With the introduction of so much new technology, my sparsely populated hairs were soon standing on end with excitement. At the show, new products are rated and measured by the PGA Merchandisers of the Year to see which ones are considered the best. This year, I was very impressed to see these 3 fascinating products earn top honors…

1. Amphibian Towel (Frogger Company)

Black and Red Amphibian Towels

The amphibian towel was created to meet the needs of golfers whom wish to keep their clubs clean on the course. The towel is designed so the interior retains water and keeps wet, while the exterior of the towel remains dry – all at the same time. It acts like a two-in-one cleaning and drying system to keep you competitive on the course. As a gadget man, I think everything should be at least a two-in one.

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Carlsbad, California-based Callaway Golf Company continues its X series irons with the performance-enhancing X-22, featuring Precision Notch Weighting; a Modified Tru-Bore design that softens vibration for an enhanced feel; a PGA Tour-inspired thinner top-line and sole; and VFT Technology, which maximizes ball speed and perimeter weighting for more distance and forgiveness.

Constructed from 17-4 stainless steel, the new X-22s provide stability at impact even on off-centered hits, and the center of gravity position has been strategically placed for optimal ball-flight trajectories.

Just in time for the holidays, GolfEtail offers the new Callaway X-22 irons for nearly 30% off MSRP!

Looks like somebody landed on Santa’s “Nice” list.

It’s about time, too.

Erik Compton Follows Through

Photo Credit: Dot Paul

When former pro golfer-turned-collegiate coach Casey Martin won his Supreme Court case against the PGA Tour in 2001, he thought the favorable ruling – for the right to use a golf cart in competition because of a degenerative condition called Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome – would begin and end with him.

Not so.

Up-and-comer Erik Compton will be allowed to use a golf cart at the first stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament in Key Biscayne, Fla. The 28-year-old petitioned to use the vehicle at the 72-hole qualifier due to a medical history that includes two heart transplants.

“A review committee of three PGA Tour executives examined Compton’s medical records with the help of a tour medical advisor and ruled in his favor. He will have use of a cart in PGA Tour co-sanctioned events through March 2009, when he can re-apply,” stated this ESPN.com article.

Upon hearing the good news, trailblazer Casey Martin opined, “I love it; I’m taking 50 percent of [Compton’s] earnings.”

He’s not serious, of course. But, just in case: Erik Compton, you might want to play with one hand over your back pocket.