Happy New Year (Golf Cartoon)

I want to wish all of my readers a happy and safe new year with lots of birdies!

Enjoy this little golf cartoon:

Golf Pro Video Lesson: Flop Shot

The Internet has really revolutionalized the way we can seek golfing advice and with the advent of video sharing sites like youtube we are able to find almost any golf lesson we need. The next advent will be HD youtube, which will make the videos more clear and easier to watch and will make online golfing instruction even better. I can't wait!

I came across this video yesterday and thought I would share it with my readers. It has a very easy to understand method of playing the flop shot and while I use a slightly different method myself, this method should work for most golfers.

Jack Nicklaus' Golf Swing Tips

This golf tip comes straight from the golden bear himself. When Jack speaks people listen!

"After under-clubbing and poor gripping, I beleive beginning the swing too quickly does more to keep handicaps high than any other fault. Better players, too, are prone to it under pressure. The mental image I've used throughout my career when sensing that I'm starting the swing too quickly is that I'm going to make a terribly forced, ridiculously slow movement of the clubhead away from the ball.
To do that, it helps me most to picture all the active parts - clubhead, shaft, hands, arms, shoulders - moving back together or in 'one peice' for at least the first couple of feet of the backswing. I'm also sometimes helped by thinking of maintaining this super-slow tempo throughout the rest of the swing.
For a tighter focus on start-back tempo, visualize particularly your hands and arms moving away from the ball 'ridiculously slowly'. They won't actually do so but mind-picturing them in slow motion is the best way I know to ensure an unhurried start to the swing."

The best golf shot ever? (video)

I was doing my usual youtube surfing this morning and came across this video of Tiger Woods and this amazing shot. It is listed as the best golf shot ever and while I am not one to argue I am wondering what my readers think about it. If it is not the best it is certainly one of the best and was amazing well thought out!

Vistaprint

There will probably be a time when you will need something professionally printed. Whether it is some business cards, personalized stationary or Notepads to your very own Christmas cards it is important to find a professional printing company that will work to your needs. Vistaprint is a great printing company that I have personally used before and their products are available in my native country Australia! They have a great range of products and I can say that their business cards are top quality. Their personalized stationary is also top notch and makes your business letters look very professional. If you are looking for anything printed and personalized I can recommend a visit to the vistaprint website.

Golf Christmas List - What did you get?

My golf presents this year consisted mainly of golf balls, tees, a glove and other essential gear that I really needed. At the boxing day sales (sort of like black Friday for the Americans) I couldn't get to the golf section of my local department store and probably missed out on a bargain or two.

What I want to know is what golf things did you get for Christmas?

Please leave a comment via the comments button.

Ahhhh bedbugs on the golf course

I remember it like it was yesterday. A lovely hotel set beside one of the nicest golf courses I have ever played, but I didn't have any fun. Unfortunately for me the lovely hotel had a nasty case of the bedbugs and I spent my whole round scratching like a turkey. Even worse it seems they had gotten into my luggage and it was only a matter of time before I had them laying bed bug eggs in my bed. Luckily there are ways to control these little nasties, but do your research first to find out which method is right for you.

Golf: 2007 Year in Review (Part 5)

By Jim Brighters, Sports Network, The Sports Network

'Twas a Bad Year for

Sergio Garcia - Coughing up the British Open in his best chance to win a major is one thing. Crying afterwards about waiting for rakers and getting no break from hitting the stick in the playoff makes you sound petty and far from ready to win a major

Michelle Wie - Quickly becoming irrelevant, but maybe you can blame the slide on wrist injuries and Stanford.

Nick Price - His rookie year on the Champions Tour was nothing special. He posted only two top 10s, including a third at the Senior PGA Championship. Price was not that far off his game when his 50th birthday came up, so '07 was surprisingly bad.

Mouths - Rory Sabbatini and Woody Austin called out Tiger Woods. Dumb. Dottie Pepper essentially blows her chance to be U.S. Solheim Cup captain with a "choking freaking dogs" comment that made it onto the air. Gary Player blindly stated he was told by someone that players were on steroids. Nick Faldo bickered with Colin Montgomerie and Paul McGinley about the Ryder Cup, which was only 11 months away at the time. And there was Garcia crying about his bad breaks. Everyone shut up and play!

Annika Sorenstam - Disc problems in her neck and back caused some serious problems. However, finishing without an LPGA Tour victory and coming in 25th on the LPGA Tour money list is inexcusable. Maybe everyone built her into Super Woman (did I make that up?), but Sorenstam would like to put 2007 in her rear-view mirror.

John Daly - It's bad enough when you made the cut in just eight of 24 starts and withdrew six times due to rib injuries. Not having your tour card is equally bad. Getting stabbed my your ex-wife makes the year a real downer.

Golf: 2007 Year in Review (Part 4)

By Jim Brighters, Sports Network, The Sports Network

GOOD YEARS (other than the obvious)

Suzann Pettersen - If Lorena Ochoa never existed, Pettersen would have won the LPGA Tour Player of the Year by miles. She had a great chance for win No. 1 and major No. 1 at the Nabisco, but fell apart. Pettersen then rattled off five wins, including that elusive first major at the LPGA Championship.

Steve Stricker - Actually won the Comeback Player of the Year award for second straight year on the PGA Tour. Last year, he returned to golf's spotlight. In 2007, he shined in it. Stricker won the first FedEx Cup playoff event, the Barclays, and finished the year second in FedEx Cup Playoff points and fourth in the world rankings.

American golfers - In years past, the U.S. teams in international match-play competition have looked poor. They did not in 2008. The American Presidents Cup and Solheim Cup teams looked very strong in relatively easy wins against the Internationals and Europeans. Could bode well for Paul Azinger's Ryder Cup team, which has won once in the last six competitions.

Woody Austin - He provided the single best moment of the year when he went face first into the water trying to hit a ridiculous shot from the soup at the Presidents Cup. Formerly known for smashing a putter against his head (something he hated seeing over and over again), but won at the St. Jude Championship and took second behind Woods at the PGA. Lost some points for idiotic statements that he played better than Woods on Friday when Woods matched the best round in major history with a 63 and Austin shot a 70.

Nick Flanagan - The young Aussie's name is not on the tip of anyone's tongue, but it will be soon. He played the Nationwide Tour and earned an automatic promotion to the PGA Tour with three wins. Flanagan's promotion came at a tough time since the PGA Tour was headed to the Playoffs, but Flanagan will be tough on the big tour.

Loren Roberts - Last year, Roberts, one of the best putters in the world, missed a shortish putt that would have given him the $1 million annuity for the yearlong Charles Schwab Cup title. This year, Roberts won it and the Senior Players Championship. Jay Haas, however, was voted Player of the Year by his peers.

Check back tomorrow for the list of players who had bad years

Golf: 2007 Year in Review (Part 3)

By Jim Brighters, Sports Network, The Sports Network

STORY OF THE YEAR - FedEx Cup Runners-up - Drug testing, Annika's woes, Tiger's fatherhood

No one quite got a firm grasp of all of the nuances.

In fact, K.J. Choi really didn't get it. Choi, a devout Christian, announced he would donate the $10 million to charity if he won the FedEx Cup playoff title.

Tiger Woods told the media that would be impossible since the money goes into the player's retirement fund.

Oops.

Aside from not knowing all of the details until right before it started, the FedEx Cup by and large worked. Once the playoffs started, problems emerged. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Scott Verplank and Padraig Harrington all skipped events.

Due respect, but the tour can survive the absences of Harrington and Verplank. When the intention was to bring the top players together at the end of the year, Woods and Mickelson skipping is bad.

What made it worse is that Woods won two of the three he teed it up in before claiming the FedEx Cup title and its $10 million retirement donation. (Thank goodness.)

Mickelson groused and alluded to the fact that commissioner Tim Finchem ignored Mickelson's requests to talk about improvements for the FedEx Cup. Players squawked about waiting until retirement to get paid.

So, the tour listened.

The top 10 finishers on the FedEx Cup Playoff list will get their loot in cash next year.

Finchem will continue to tweak here and there. Some things are impossible to change, like if Woods takes a week off and still blows through the thing, but interest was up and players participated.

Golf: 2007 Year in Review (Part 2)

By Jim Brighters, Sports Network, The Sports Network

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR - Denis Watson Runner up - Angela Park, Fred Funk

If you win a major championship as a rookie, congrats, you get the nod.

Park was beyond impressive. At the ripe age of 19, Park posted eight top 10s en route to over $1 million and eighth place on the final LPGA Tour money list.

But Watson won a major.

Funk was a contemporary of Watson's on the Champions Tour and a winner on the elder circuit. Heck, Funk even won with the boys on the PGA Tour and did it battling back pain.

But Watson won a major.

At the Senior PGA Championship, Watson rallied on the back nine to overtake Eduardo Romero. It was Watson's first win of any kind in 23 years and led to Watson getting his name on the ballot for Champions Tour Player of the Year.

Don't forget he also tasted victory in a historic event. At the Boeing Classic, Watson eagled the second playoff hole to win the title. Not a big deal you say?

Consider he had to beat six other golfers in the playoff, which was the largest in tour history. A second win validated the first and made Watson an impact player on the Champions Tour.

And Watson won a major.

TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR - British Open Championship Runners Up - Masters, Nabisco Championship, Deutsche Bank Championship.

When the British Open returned to Carnoustie, Jean van de Velde began scheduling the interviews. (He allegedly charged a fee for some.)

For it was on this piece of Scottish real estate some eight years prior, this fun Frenchman, a moderately successful journeyman, became not just golf's, but all of sports', punch line.

He made such a mess of the 18th at Carnoustie (finding the burn, then trying to hit out of it), that he ended up blowing a three-shot lead thanks to his triple-bogey.

Fast forward to 2007 and the tale of Padraig Harrington. The Irishman held a one-shot lead over Sergio Garcia and watched his drive at 18 bounce twice before falling into the burn.

After a drop, Harrington hit his third shot into water guarding the front of the green. All totaled, it was a double-bogey and now Harrington was one behind Garcia.

The Spaniard found the fairway then had to wait. And wait. He waited a lot, then found a bunker with his second. Garcia blasted out to six feet and had that putt for the claret jug.

He missed, so it was on to a playoff.

Harrington won to become the first European to win a major since? Paul Lawrie, who took the playoff at Carnoustie nine years prior.

Golf: 2007 year in review

By Jim Brighters, Sports Network, The Sports Network

What a year. Drug accusations, some mysterious Cup, bulging discs, fatherhood. It sounds like the ingredients for a bad soap opera set in a chiropractor's office, but these were some of the biggest things in the golf world this year.

PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Lorena Ochoa Runner up - Tiger Woods

Wow, how difficult was this call?

Let's go to the tale of the tape for 2007.

Ochoa: 8 tour wins, 1 major, No. 1 year-end ranking, No. 1 money list, 69.69 scoring average, 21 top-10s, 1st in greens in regulation.

Woods: 7 tour wins, 1 major, No. 1 year-end ranking, No. 1 money list, 67.79 scoring average, 12 top-10s, 1st in greens in regulation.

Whereas Woods dominates Ochoa in scoring average, how can you discount 21 top 10s in one season? That number is frightening, especially when you consider only four times in one year did Ochoa miss out on the top 10.

Woods' $10,867,052 makes for the second highest single-season performance in PGA Tour history. The difference is Ochoa's $4,364,994 for one year's earnings represents the best ever. By $1,501,090. That difference is enough to be No. 3 on this year's money list.

Ochoa was the first woman to eclipse the $3 million plateau and a short time later said bye-bye to the $4 million zone.

History is what drives the greats. To obliterate the LPGA Tour money record by such a margin is an amazing achievement.

Ochoa's major win was her first, but expected. She elevated her game this year. Not coincidentally, her chief rival, Annika Sorenstam, went down with neck and back injuries. Sorenstam was largely ineffective when she did play, but don't take that away from Ochoa's year.

Every time Ochoa put a peg in the ground, everyone, including Ochoa, expected a trip to the winner's circle. That always happens with Woods, but this year Ochoa dominated her tour more than Tiger.

This is certainly not to take away from yet another spectacular season from Woods. However, Ochoa did too much to not earn Player of the Year. History and dominance will get it done. Just ask Woods. Unfortunately for him, it was Ochoa's year this year.

More to follow - tomorrow.

Chinese golf tour to hit the million

China's domestic golf tour is to offer total prize money of more than one million dollars for the first time next season, organisers said on Wednesday.

The China Tour will grow to 10 events in its fourth year, with purses totaling 1.1 million dollars, they said.

Liang Wenchong, a three-time winner on the tour, proved its worth by becoming China's first Asian Order of Merit winner this year.

"Liang Wenchong gained a great deal of experience from playing on the Omega China Tour and of course this year went on to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title," said Chinese sports official Zhang Xiaoning.

The first tournament will be held in Guangzhou in March and the tour will wind up in Beijing in October. Li Chao, this year's merit winner, and Chinese trailblazer Zhang Lianwei will both compete, organisers said.

AFP

My thoughts

Asian golf continues to grow and with the money pouring in it seems it will only get stronger. I wonder where it will be in 20 years?

Do you have an opinion? Feel free to leave a comment.

Cantilever racks

A cantilever is any beam supported by only one end and cantilever racks are made for storage of many different products. They are are often used to store heavy items such as timber or metal and you may have seen a cantilever rack at your local hardware store as most will employ this kind of racking system. The racks are strong and sturdy and have many advantages over a normal racking system.

The Wikens website has a large array of products including cantilever racks. It is very well designed and easy to navigate, which makes finding what you are looking for a breeze. If you need to store timber, metal or other such products I would recommend a visit to their website.

Woody Austin Interview - Golf

If you remember my golf quotes of 2007 post you will have seen poor old Woody Austin falling in the water at the presidents cup tournament. Woody has become something of a cult hero so I thought I would post the great little interview with Woody regarding his new found fame.

Did you ever think that the secret to finding real fame was simply, "Just add water"?
No, obviously I didn't. I always knew I had it in me, I just didn't know the ingredient to get it out.

What exactly were you doing in that water? Couldn't you just have said to your partner, David Toms, "I'm ball in pocket. Carry me"?
Well, see, he was ball in pocket. He hit it in the water way back and then his third shot didn't even hit the green. Rory was on the (par-4 14th) green in one.

I was thinking if I could just get the ball out of the water and around the green, I could chip in for 3.

Everyone laughs at the silliness of it. Did you learn anything from the day?
I don't know if finishing birdie, birdie, birdie is silly. I was pretty serious. What it shows is that people see me react to something and think I'm lost (in anger), but I'm not. I'm quick to get my head back into it.

You've said Phil Mickelson "ripped the crap out of me" for 24 hours after you took your dive.
(Laughs) He was on me nonstop from Tuesday all the way through Sunday. What happened on Friday only made it easier for him.

Was he giving you grief before the dive?
I don't know if it was initiation, or the fact that we get along so good that he knew I could take it. The first thing that happened is he took a game off me in Ping-Pong. Well, this was my first time. I didn't realize how serious the Ping-Pong was. He kept on about it: "No competition, you aren't worth my time, blah, blah, blah." And then on Friday, he was the one who called me Aquaman.

Did you get him back at Ping-Pong?
Oh, yeah. I beat him three straight.

You've said that most of the team were serious Pongers. Who else did you beat?
Tiger never played me. He only played Phil. They have like a running tab. I think Tiger beat him. I know it was best three out of five, and it went all five. I kept wanting to play him and he said, 'No, I can't beat you so I won't play you.' We (Woods and Austin) were good partners, though. We called ourselves the Woodys.

What's the best line you heard?
Barbara Nicklaus the next morning (Saturday). She was sitting at the breakfast table and on the front of the sports page was my face in the water, and she looked up and said, "Everybody wants to know: Did you catch the salmon or not?"

You can read the rest of this golf interview here

We need more women in golf

JACK Newton has called on golf clubs in Australia to move with the times in order to attract more women to the sport.

The highly-respected commentator fears stuffy dress regulations at clubs lost in the dark age are preventing Australian women from taking to the world stage in the same way as their countrymen.

The former US Masters and British Open runner-up says measures must be made to get more females taking to the fairways.

And if that means relaxing dress codes for the first time in 50 years for some clubs, then so be it, says Newton.

Newton says the younger generation must feel comfortable at golf clubs if the sport is to continue to grow in Australia.

AAP

Your thoughts

If you have a thought on this issue feel free to leave a comment on this post.

Golf Cartoon

I think it's time to lighten things up a little bit. However, you would be surprised how hard it is to find a funny golf cartoon. I cam across this one today while visiting all my favorite golfing haunts on the web and thought it was quite funny:



If you find a better one than this - please send me a comment with the link

Weight Loss - The magnetic diet.

The obesity problem has reached epidemic proportions and even though golfers get plenty of exercise (if we walk around the course instead of using a cart) we are not immune from the problem. The magnetic weight loss program is one of the most popular weight loss programs and has some very strong evidence to suggest it can work wonders. It works on a simple yet effective premise, what you eat is attracting to you either health or disease. The reason I like the diet is that unlike diet pills and promised quick fixes it is a natural diet modifying alternative, which is the only real weight loss method without resorting to drastic medical procedures. You will need willpower and support, but the magnetic weight loss program will provide you with reading material and audio books. If you are looking for a program that can really help you lose weight, then it is worth checking out the website.

Padraig Harrington wins golf writers trophy

LONDON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - British Open champion Padraig Harrington has added the 2007 Golf Writers' Trophy to his European Tour Golfer of the Year award.

The 36-year-old Irishman won a 75 percent share of the vote in the annual poll of Golf Writers.

"I was thrilled to get the news I had won the golf writers' award," Harrington said in a statement on Monday.

"I have a great respect for the writers' organisation and it means a lot to find myself bracketed alongside such great former winners, especially Irish players Joe Carr (1953), Harry Bradshaw (1958) and Christy O'Connor Snr (1977).

"All are great heroes of mine."

Briton Justin Rose, who won the European order of merit, was second in the vote ahead of Scotland's World Cup-winning duo Colin Montgomerie and Marc Warren. (Editing by Alison Wildey)

My Thoughts
Padraig had a wonderful season and has totally deserved the Golf Writers' Trophy and the European Tour Golfer of the Year awards

Maybe next year I will get invited to vote ;-)

Personalised number plates

Where I come from personalised number plates are very popular. Northumbria Numbers have a fantastic Private Number Plates website that allows you to search personalised number plates. Once you have found what you are looking for they will do the transfer paperwork for you, which is better than some of the other companies. If you have a personalised number plate then you can also sell your number plate through this website.

The site itself is well designed and really easy to use. Navigation is a breeze and I really didn't have any problems with the site at all. It is easy to find what you are looking for and the search is very accurate. If you are looking for a personalised number plate then I recommend visiting the Northumbria Numbers website.

Golf Quotes 2007

"I was using a five-iron - it should have been a six because I would have missed it."
Marc Warren, who shattered a chandelier while practicing his swing in his hotel room and suffered cuts to his head, arms and stomach.

"From what I understand, he would be the first in line to volunteer for testing. If Tiger Woods' test comes back negative, what does it matter what the rest of them are on?
European Tour chief George O'Grady comments on golf's new drug testing policy.

"He knows he is going to win. The scary thing is that maybe he knows that you know he's going to win."
Aaron Oberholser on Tiger Woods holding a 12-0 record when having at least a share of the lead in the final round of a major.

``For years he was known as the guy who banged his head against his putter. And now he's the guy who banged his head against the water.''
Retief Goosen on Woody Austin

"I'm dying to laugh, but I'm scared the cameras will be on me that I'm laughing while the guy is drowning. I thought, 'Damn, that water must be cold.' But I was pleased to see his head come up.''
International captain Gary Player.

"If that was the case my face would already be on the bottle of every antipsychotic drug there is."
Woody Austin when asked, if his agent had been able to take advantage of his newfound notoriety.

Golf Photo of the year

"You couldn't see who it was because his head was underwater," said Steve Stricker. "But you figured it had to be Woody."

Los Angeles Criminal Attorney

We all get into trouble from time to time, admittedly some worse than others, but when we are in that sticky situation a competent criminal attorney can help. Kestenbaum, Eisner & Gorin are Los Angeles Criminal Attorneys that specializie in All Criminal & DUI Defense Matters with over 50 years trial experience in Los Angeles courts. If you are looking for Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney | California Felony Misdemeanor DUI Specialists then it would be worth checking out their website.

A comparison between carts and a caddie

This little piece of golf humor was written by Dick Haskell from Massachusetts.

Caddie	Cart
Has name. will respond	Just sits there
Will signal and wave	Doesn’t understand
Moves out ahead	Always with you
Holds flagstick	Can’t go near the green
Hands you a club	You get it yourself
Weighs 65-100kg, no tracks	Weighs 340kg, makes ruts
Will caddie rain, hail or shine	Barred in bad weather
Finds your ball	Never even looks
Wipes your clubs	Bangs your clubs
Tires but never stops	Runs out of juice, quits
Can judge distance	Blind as a bat
Says “nice shot”	Has no interest
Cleans your ball	Couldn’t care less
Rakes bunkers	Watches you do it

If you can think of any more drop me a comment

Web Hosting

Web Hosting is probably one of the toughest choices to make when starting out a website. I have been considering professionally hosting this blog for some time now and choosing a hosting package from the thousands available is no easy task. Every web host offers something slightly different and some are certainly more reliable than others. You should always carefully consider your web hosting carefully.

http://www.webhostingchoice.com is a great website for people looking for a web hosting provider. The site allows you to search for a host by monthly cost, disk space, setup fee, bandwidth etc. It is really easy to use and makes finding a host within your budget or with your needs a snap. Each host is given a host rating to help you choose a reliable host. They also have a great learning center if you are new to web hosting and I found this really helpful. If you are looking for web hosting or need some more information about web hosting I recommend a visit to their website!

Golf News: South African Open

SOUTH Africa's James Kingston claimed his first European Tour title when he won the South African Open by one stroke at Pearl Valley Golf Estates.

The 42-year-old has won four times on the Asian Tour and nine times on the Sunshine Tour, but has finished runner-up on three previous occasions on the European Tour.

Kingston saw off England's Oliver Wilson to win by a stroke after his one under par final round.

The South African finished on four-under for the tournament.

His victory also ensured the trophy stayed in the republic for the eighth straight year.

Kingston started the final round one stroke behind Wilson, who lost the lead on the first hole after a bogey five.

Steady drizzle fell throughout the day, calling for composure and patience from the leaders, whose tee-off times were delayed by three-and-a-half hours.

Despite Wilson dropping two more shots on the front nine, Kingston was unable to break free as he found the water on the par-three fourth hole for a double bogey and also dropped a shot on the ninth.

Wilson rallied with birdies at the 10th and 11th holes, but Kingston held his nerve better than ever before in his career and completed the victory with a two-putt par on the par-five 18th as darkness settled over Pearl Valley.

Reuters

FreemanX

Now golf is not really an extreme sport (unless you play with my brother), but have you ever wanted to swim with the sharks, take a hot lap in a V8, skydive or any other exciting once-in-a-lifetime experiences? With FreemanX now you can experience all this and more or better still you can give a gift voucher for one of these experiences as a Christmas present. You can have a personalised gift pack sent within three so that it will arrive in time. If you have completely run out of time then you are still able to order with an instant email voucher.

The website is well designed and easy to find what you are looking for. They have hundreds of different experiences to choose from including some slower paced ones for the more romantic (or just a little scared). If you are looking for an experience you will never forget or want to give something like this as a gift then I recommend a visit to their website.

Woods wins the target world challenge

TIGER Woods shrugged off three bogeys and an early challenge by Jim Furyk to win the Target World Challenge by seven shots.

Six ahead of the pack overnight, the world No.1 fired a four-under-par 68 at Sherwood Country Club to claim his eighth victory of the year in the elite 16-man tournament he hosts.

Woods, who stretched his lead to seven strokes after two holes before it was trimmed to two by playing partner Furyk over a cut-and-thrust outward nine, posted a 22-under total of 266.

World No.3 Furyk, who piled the pressure on Woods with five birdies in the first eight holes, double-bogeyed the par-three 15th on his way to a 71 and third place at 13 under, two behind Masters champion Zach Johnson (68).

Reuters

Golf News: Australian Open - Craig Parry Wins

At long last Craig Parry has added the missing link to his resume, finally winning an Australian Open title at his 24th attempt.

The 41-year-old fired a closing round three-under-par 69 to finish on 11-under at The Australian course in Sydney, one shot ahead of West Australian Nick O'Hern (70), young Sydneysider Won Joon Lee (66) and American Brandt Snedeker (69).

Already boasting 12 titles on home soil from his 22 triumphs worldwide, Parry had come so close to winning his national championship, including a playoff loss to John Morse here way back in 1990.

Seventeen years later at the same venue, Parry can finally add his name alongside those of Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Greg Norman on the prestigious Stonehaven Cup.

Well known for holing a six-iron for eagle on the first playoff hole to win the 2004 Ford Championship in Doral, Parry said Sunday's was comfortably the best victory of his career.

"Just the feeling I've got right now, this is the best one ever," he said.

"If you enter in golf tournaments you have to think you've got a chance of winning.

"When I don't think I have a chance of winning I'll be putting the clubs away.

"It's amazing. Who would think at 41 I'd win an Aussie Open?"

Parry looked anything like the Open winner when he started with a first-round two-over 74, but a course record-equalling 64 in the second round ignited his charge and closing rounds of 70 and 69 were enough to claim the $315,000 winner's cheque.

Asked what he was going to do now, Parry jokingly said "retire", but he'll be back to defend his title next year...

Read the complete golf news story

My Thoughts
Craig Parry is one of those really likable guys and one of my favorites. I have always had great respect for him and can't imagine a more deserved winner. He has wanted this tournament for so long and it just goes to show that those old dogs can still learn a trick or two.

Golf News: Target World Challenge Day 3 Wrap

Tiger Woods, hunting his eighth victory of the year, overcame two early bogeys to stretch his lead to six shots in the Target World Challenge third round on Saturday.

Four ahead of the pack overnight, the world number one fired a five-under-par 67 at Sherwood Country Club for an 18-under total of 198.

Although not matching his blistering form of Friday when he set a course-record 62, he carded seven birdies in pursuit of his fourth title in the tournament he hosts.

Playing partner Jim Furyk, three off the pace for much of the day, slipped back with a double-bogey at the par-three 15th on his way to a 69 and second place.

Masters champion Zach Johnson also carded a 69 to lie third at 11 under, one ahead of Swede Henrik Stenson who fired a best-of-the-day 65...

Read the complete golf news article

Golf News: Target World Challenge Day 2

Tiger Woods has shrugged off any hint of rust after a two-and-a-half month break to charge four shots clear in the Target World Challenge second round.

Hunting his eighth victory of the year, the world number one fired a sparkling 10-under-par 62 to equal the course record at Sherwood Country Club.

That gave Woods a 13-under total of 131 and ideally placed to win his fourth title in the elite 16-man tournament which he has hosted since 2000.

"I hit some good shots but I made some bombs out there," Woods told reporters after holing an eight-foot birdie putt at the last.

"The only difference today was I made some good putts," he added, referring to his double-bogey on the final hole in the opening round.

"I didn't throw away a good round like yesterday. I am very pleased with the way I hit the golf ball today."

World number three Jim Furyk birdied the last two holes for a 67 to lie second, one ahead of fellow American Zach Johnson who also carded a 67.

British Open champion Padraig Harrington of Ireland (67) was a further two strokes back at six under in fourth place.

Cheaper than hotels

Europe is another place I am looking at visiting again. As well as being home to some of the worlds most popular attractions they have some very good golf courses that would be simply amazing to play. I was thinking of visiting France (including Paris), and Germany (including Berlin).

France is of course famous for many things, but in the country areas it is worth visiting the wineries, museums, local restaurants and many other attractions. The countryside of France is varied and because their are many france hotels to choose from you can select the attractions that you want to visit. Paris itself has many attractions worth visiting and the most famous places would be the The Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and Arc de Triomphe. However, there are literally hundreds of different sight seeing options and you will probably need to spend some time their to see them all. Luckily their are many paris hotels and you will not have trouble finding a place to stay. I recommend checking out the cheaper than hotels website for some great deals in this area.

Germany is also famous for it's attractions and their are plenty of germany hotels. In the outlying areas you will find many interesting places to visit and festivals to enjoy. The most popular festivals are the many beer festivals that tourists just love to visit! Other attractions to visit would be the Neuschwanstein Castle, The Romantic Road, The Black Forest and many more. Berlin itself is home to Pergamon Museum, Brandenburge Gates, Schloss Charlottenburg as well as many more things worth seeing. Like Paris to see everything you would need to spend a few days in the city and lucikly their are many berlin hotels to choose from. Once again I would recommend checking out the cheaper than hotels website for the best deal.

A storm in a beer cup (part 2) and Australian Open Day 2 Wrap

If you are a regular reader you might remember a couple of days ago I talked about how Robert Allenby wasn't too happy about the bar on the 11th hole of the Australian open. This was his response:

Robert Allenby produced some rare theatrics at the $1.75 million Australian Open, donning bright red earmuffs and pumping up the crowd before putting himself in contention for another Stonehaven Cup.

Allenby fired a two-under par 70 at The Australian course to move to seven under overall, one shot behind West Australians Nick O'Hern (66) and Kim Felton (69).

Defending champion John Senden missed the cut, joining Mark Hensby, Brett Rumford and struggling former US Open champion Michael Campbell on the sidelines this weekend.

But all the talk was about Allenby's colourful display, the likes of which is rarely witnessed on professional golf's pristine fairways.

Speculation was rife all week that Allenby, who is chasing a third Open to add to his 1994 and 2005 victories, would cop an earful from the crowd after he criticised tournament organisers for putting a bar and music at the par three 11th hole.

But he came prepared with the perfect response, pulling the earmuffs from his golf bag as he approached the 11th green and encouraging the crowd to find its voice.

Allenby admitted the whole episode gave him such an adrenaline rush he had no chance of making his birdie putt, but he had no regrets after getting a friend to track down the earmuffs.

"I knew it would set (the crowd) off. My intentions were to make them as loud as possible," he said.

"It was deafening. It was great. Everyone was happy and having a good time.

"Even (playing partners) Geoff (Ogilvy) and Brandt (Snedeker) were laughing."

Allenby's display overshadowed a second round when O'Hern put himself in contention for a first Open title and Craig Parry equalled the course record of 64 held by former major winners Greg Norman and Steve Elkington.

O'Hern has regularly been in contention at his national championship and was in the identical position he finds himself in now back in 1997, leading after the second round.

He faded to fifth that year, but feels he now has the experience to win an Australian Open...

Read the complete golf news story

Golf News: Australian Open Day 1 Wrap

America's Lee Williamson held a two-shot lead following the opening round of the Australian Open at The Australian Golf Club in Sydney on Thursday.

Williamson shot an astounding 7-under-par 65 to overtake early leader Robert Allenby.

Willamson started on fire collecting birdies from six of his opening eight holes, before a disastrous ninth-hole triple bogey restricted his score to just 3-under at the turn.

But the American came home strongly with four birdies on the back nine to finish the round two shots clear.

Allenby, a two-time champion of the event, shot a 5-under 67 to grab a three-way share of second place alongside fellow Australians Andrew Bonhomme and Kim Felton...

Read the complete golf news article

Golf News: On course bars and the storm in a beer cup

Two weeks ago Robert Allenby threatened not to play in his native country again after being heckled by three drunken fans during the Australian Masters.

His comments since would hardly have helped matters.

Stuart Appleby reckons his Victorian counterpart Robert Allenby would have been better off keeping his mouth shut about the galleries at this week's $1.75 million Australian Open.

Allenby all-but guaranteed he would be heckled at The Australian course in Sydney, saying he has his earplugs ready for the 11th hole, which will come complete with its own bar.

Not all players would have made a similar stance. Appleby, for one, would have kept his mouth firmly closed.

"There's a lot of players out there, I'm not sure if the public's trying to target Robert," Appleby said.

"It sounds like Robert's saying they will, which only heightens it.

"You drop a piece of meat on the ground, you don't have to yell out 'piece of meat' to the flies, they work out where it is pretty quick.

"If he's yelling out 'they're going to be all over me', well guess what they'll be? All over him.

"I would've kept quiet."

To Appleby, the whole matter is a storm in a beer cup.

Read the complete golf news story

Your Say

Drunken Fans - Genuine concern or storm in a beer cup? (leave a comment)

Golf News: US PGA player of the Year - Surprise, Surprise

Tiger Woods was named the US PGA Tour Player of the Year on Tuesday, earning the accolade from his peers for the third year in a row and the ninth time in the past 11 seasons.

"To earn the respect of your peers is the highest honor you can receive," tour commissioner Tim Finchem said.

Woods was again the dominant force on the US tour in 2007, posting seven tournament victories and 12 top-10 finishes.

The 31-year-old also collected his eighth career Arnold Palmer Award as the tour's top money winner, earning just under 10.9 million dollars.

Woods captured his 13th major title with his triumph at the PGA Championship in August. He also captured the inaugural FedEx Cup, winning a pair of the playoff series events.

Brandt Snedeker earned Rookie of the Year honors after notching six top-10 finishes en route to placing 20th on the overall FedEx Cup points list.

The engaging Tennessean earned 2,836,643 dollars - the third-highest rookie total in tour history...

Read the complete golf news article

Well this news will Surprise no one, but no one will be thinking that Tiger didn't deserve it - what a year! Congratualtions to Brandt Snedeker who took out rookie of the year.

Doc's Sports Service

Doc's Sports is a family run business that has been in operation since 1971. Doc's Sports provides a great service for sports lovers and on their website you will find some of the best sports information from all the most popular sports - including NFL, NBA, MLB, College Football and Basketball, NHL and many others. You can find heaps of information including betting odds, tips, match ups, stats and even schedules for all the main teams and events including things like the College Bowl Game Schedules.

A great feature of the site is the Sports Predictions and Free Sports Picks. You should also check out their sports handicapping services and the matchup reports, which are really detailed and contain all that information you need to know. The site is well designed, easy to use and navigation is a breeze so that you can find exactly what you are looking for. If you are a sports lover then it is well worth giving the Doc Sports Website a visit.

Golf Swing Vision - Sergio Garcia

Another of my favorite golfers Sergio Garcia is probably best known for being so close, but never winning a major. He has a swing that many golfers admire and this great swing analysis vision just shows that an orthodox golf swing doesn't work for everyone. Enjoy

Trusted Tours and Attractions

America is one of my favorite places to visit and I have been meaning to go back for a bit of a golfing holiday at some stage as well as visiting some of the famous sites and places I have always wanted to visit.

My last visit was to New York and I really enjoyed my time there even though it was short. I crammed so much into those 6 short days that my head still spins thinking about my time spent there, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. The first day I visited central park and you would be surprised just how many places you recognize from the movies or TV! I also jumped on one of those double decker bus tours to see a bit of the city and really enjoyed the tour. The second day I visited the famous Statue of Liberty, which was just amazing. The next day I visited ground zero and the memorial there, which was a moving experience - the sheer size of the space left shows just how big those towers were. I would also recommend taking a harbor tour as you really get a different perspective on the city - a night tour is even better with the city lights just an amazing site to see. The last day I didn't have much time, but I did get to the observation tower of the Empire State Building for the second time for one last look over the city. It was a fantastic place to visit and I would go again in a minute, but if I went again I think I would take a helicopter tour over the city.

Trusted tours and attractions have some great tours in all the famous cities in the US at the moment they are giving away an ipod Nano just for signing up to the Trusted Travel eNewsletter. The site is well worth a visit if you are looking at visiting one of the famous US cities.

Putting Tips - Week 2

It's week 2 of my putting tips (view week one) and trying some of last weeks tips I have had some successes, but I still feel like I can do better with my putting.

The tip I am going to follow this week is another youtube golf pro special that suggests I can improve my putting by working on:

• Starting the ball on the right line (well that makes sense)
• Concentrating on the starting line

This guy (Lee Scarbrow) suggests placing two tees to form a little gate on your starting line and putting through the tees. This supposedly will help focus starting my ball of the correct line.

I have heard this tip before and I am willing to give it a go - now I just have to find a green keeper who wont mind me sticking two tees in his beautiful green.

Online Gaming Business

Online gaming is booming and with a tiny bit of research on my part I found out it is apparently worth billions of dollars or USD$164 per second - I wish I had the idea! uVme is a company that is set up to help you get a piece of the gaming market. With this program you will get your own website and will make money when you refer/sponsor someone to the program or whenever someone plays the games on your website - there are also other bonuses, so make sure you read the documentation. Basically with a little bit of know how you can make a little bit of money with this program.

The website itself is well designed and the navigation is fairly easy. The layout is crisp, clean and very easy on the eyes. It is easy to find what you are looking for and the company information is displayed clearly for everyone to see. Online gaming is thriving and if you want to get into the market you may want to check out the online gaming business website.

Golf Instruction at warp speed.

Crazy golf instructor - Funny golf video

I feel like posting something a little more on the lighter side of golf and there is nothing funnier (at work 3 pm on a Tuesday anyway) than a send up of a golf instructor. All those damn things they tell us to do, concentrate on and practice sometimes sounds like a whole lot of nothing.

This is a golf lesson at warp speed. Enjoy the video!

Sports Picks

Picking winners of sporting contests is a popular form of entertainment in many countries. Here in Australia we enter tipping competitions to try and win a few dollars by picking the winners of our favorite sports. There are some great sites on the Internet that give you rewards or even money for picking sports and the best of these sites are absolutely free to join!

Pheonix Sports have a fantastic (and free) sports contest picks game where you can win up to $10000 with a streak of 17 correct picks. Signing up is easy and once I was logged on I could pick from various sports including NBA, NCAAB, NHL and Soccer. When you get a pick correct you get 1 point, but when you lose a pick your streak ends and you have to start again from zero. They have prizes starting at 4 correct picks in a streak. As well as being a sports pick website it also functions as a social network and this type of system is easy, fun and I could see myself spending quite some time on this website! It's fun and absolutely free so it is worth checking out!

Preview - Target World Challenge (golf)

The Target World Challenge is upon us this week and not too many will be betting against Tiger to take out his 8th title of the year. In an interview this week Tiger said that he has been working on his fitness and is eager to return to golf, which is a dangerous sign for the 15 other players!

I love this tournement because proceeds from the event go to Tiger Woods Foundation projects and the Tiger Woods Learning Centre in Anaheim. However, it is a pity that this tournament clashes with the Australian Open so no Aussies will be having a crack at the title, but it should be a great tournament anyway.

The field for the tournament it: Woods, Furyk, Steve Stricker, Harrington, Vijay Singh, Johnson, Luke Donald, Rory Sabbatini, Henrik Stenson, Niclas Fasth, Paul Casey, Lee Westwood, Brett Wetterich, Mark Calcavecchia, Colin Montgomerie and Fred Couples.

Prize Money

• First prize of $1.35 million.
• The overall purse is $5.75 million

My Tip
One word - Tiger!

Golf News: Merill Lynch Shootout - Woody snaches win from Norman

Greg Norman went close but remains with just one win from 19 editions of his annual post-season tournament after first-timer Woody Austin drained a 35-foot birdie putt on the final hole.

Host Norman and young teammate Bubba Watson had pulled level with leaders Austin and Mark Calcavecchia on the 17th hole in the scramble format final round of the 12-team, $A3.21 million Merill Lynch Shootout.

But they were unable to make their birdie putts from 25 feet on the 18th after Austin nailed his longer effort to heap the pressure on and they finished a shot behind in second place.

The birdie gave Austin and Calcavecchia a final-round 9-under 63 and a 29-under 187 total and they shared $US700,000 ($A801,400) in prize money.

Norman's final putt ended up centimetres right of the hole while Watson, who has yet to win on the PGA Tour, saw his putt from the same spot run out of gas and break left in front of the hole.

"Am I disappointed for myself? Yeah. But more for Bubba," Norman said. "I would love for him to get a victory. To get a taste of it."

Two-time major winner Norman, 52, was trying to win for the first time since the 2001 Skins Game - another post-season exhibition event.

"Of course I'm disappointed," Norman said. "We all play to win the championship, no matter what the championship is. We put ourselves in position..."

Read the complete golf news story

Greg Norman was my favorite golfer as a kid and I am obviously disappointed that he, once again, came so close with no cigar. However that putt on the final hole was worthy of a win!

Flirt Vibes

Online dating is now huge business with hundreds of millions of dollars reportedly filling the coffers of dating webmasters (I wish I had thought of the idea!). It is nice to know that there is now a free alternative made for people who want to try online dating all over the world - it's called flirt vibe!

The site itself is very well designed with a simple yet stylish design - it really shows that even on the Internet minimalism is the modern trend. The site is easy to navigate and you can find what you are looking for without any problems. You can sign up for free and once you are registered you can browse profiles, message people who interest you, browse and rate members photos and chat in the hundreds of chat rooms. I signed up to try the service (I am happily married I must add) and was presently surprised by how easy it was to sign up, make a profile and find some interesting people. I have never spent any time on an online dating site , but I would be surprised if you could find one that is as easy to use as this (and free!)

If you have been looking for someone or trying those expensive other online dating sites, then I really would recommend giving flirt vibe a go - you haven't really got anything to loose!

Golf News - Alfred Dunhill: Another Crazy Final Hole

Ernie Els suffered a final hole collapse to hand England's John Bickerton a third European Tour title in the Alfred Dunhill Championship on Sunday.

Els five came to the par-five 18th hole at Leopard Creek Country Club with a two-shot lead over Bickerton, who had earlier fired a classy four-under-par 68 to finish on 13-under.

But the triple major champion twice found the water surrounding the green to leave with a triple-bogey eight, finishing one stroke behind Bickerton on 12 under par.

England's Lee Slattery was tied with Els in second place after a solid one-under-par 71.

The 37-year-old Bickerton did not watch the closing hole of the tournament and was in disbelief when he was told he had won.

"I'm in shock. I was just around the corner talking to a cameraman and I thought I might have a chance of finishing second," he said.

"I had no idea what was happening behind me and it's all a bit sudden..."

Read the full golf news story

Flop Turn River

Flop Turn River is a online poker review site that includes a forum and poker strategy guides. The site is well set up and designed and it is really easy to navigate around the site and find what you are looking for. The reviews seem really genuine and you can read comments from real users. They also have a fish rating, which will tell you about the ease of play and the amount of "fish" for taking by the "sharks". They also have special offers for new players like the Full Tilt Poker referral code or the No Deposit Bonus Poker.

Online poker is booming - in fact poker itself is going through a boom time and doesn't look like stopping anytime soon. I am even guilty of watching some of the world series of poker on the TV. The site is well worth visiting if you are interested in poker - especially online poker sites like FullTilt. As I always say - remember to gamble responsibly!

Golf News: Lonard Wins Australian PGA

Sydney professional Peter Lonard today won his third Australian PGA championship in six years at the Hyatt Resort at Coolum.

Lonard closed with a seven-under 65 for a 20 under total to beat New Zealand's David Smail (68) by three shots.

Tied for third were West Australian Greg Chalmers, who had a sizzling final round of 65, which included six straight birdies on the back nine, Victorian Scott Laycock and promising West Australian Michael Sim all on 15-under.

World No.6 Adam Scott finished six shots behind Lonard after a gallant four-under 68 in a tie for sixth.

South African overnight leader Rory Sabbatini dropped away to finish tied eighth several shots behind Lonard...

Read the full golf news story

My thoughts

I was really pleased for Peter who had a horror year on the US PGA tour and in his interview after winning suggested he was ready to give up the game a few months earlier. He just loves coming back to Australia and always seems to find his game down under. Congratulations Peter!

I was disappointed with Adam Scott's week (or should I say 3rd round) and I hope he bounces back from this.

Australian PGA - Day 3 Wrap

South African golfer Rory Sabbatini snatched a birdie on the 18th hole to grab a one-shot lead on 14 under on the third day of the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum.

Five other players - American Jason Gore, South Australian left-hander Adam Bland, West Australian Michael Sim, Kiwi David Smail and two-time PGA winner Peter Lonard were all tied for second on 13-under.

Adam Scott - who took a triple bogey eight at his 12th hole - showed great courage to finish with three birdies late in his round to still be a chance on 10-under.

Defending champion Nick O'Hern also put himself back in the tournament with a seven-under 65 to be five shots back and not completely out of contention...

Read the complete golf news story

Rory Sabbatini Golf Swing Vision

I am currently watching the Australian PGA as I write this and have been very interested in Rory Sabbatini's swing, which they have just shown an analysis of during the coverage. I thought I would post it up here for you to have a look at. He certainly has some weird looking leg positions, but it seems to work for him!

Exam Prep

I remember studying for my exams - I had hundreds of bits of paper stuck to the walls of my bedroom all with very important information I was trying to remember. Luckily for me it did work, but it was a horrible, horrible time in my life and one I don't really want to repeat. I wish I had known about exam prep software then.

The Exam Prep Superstore stocks exam preparation study material and software for your states licensing exam in the following areas:
Real Estate
Real Estate Appraisal
Home Inspection
Insurance
Mortgage lending
Securities.
The best thing about their study materials is that they are 100% guaranteed to help you pass or you will receive your money back!

The Exam Prep Superstore website itself is very well designed and so easy to navigate. You simply select the product you are looking for and the state where you are taking the licensing exam and you will be displayed with a product and price. I found what I was looking for without any trouble. The range of products is very good and the prices seem very reasonable. You can order with a credit card via their secure server. If you are looking for licensing exam help from Insurance Test Flashcards to home inspection exam prep I recommend a visit to the exam prep superstore.

Australian PGA - Day 2 Wrap

World number six Adam Scott moved past countryman Peter Lonard and South Africa's Rory Sabbatini to claim a two-shot lead during the second round of the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Scott was on 6-under-par through 16 holes to reach 11-under for the tournament after picking up several shots on his first-round 67.

Scott was currently two shots ahead of Sabbatini, who carded a fine 5-under round of 67 while Lonard shot a 69 as the pair reached 9-under.

American JB Holmes was tied for second place on 9-under through 14 holes.

Little-known Cameron Percy shot a 66, the round of the day, and to grab a three-way share of fifth place alongside Scott Laycock and New Zealand's David Smail.

Percy's score featured nine birdies and three bogeys.

Overnight leader Michael Sim dropped back to 6-under after a disastrous 1-over 73 second round...

Read complete golf news story

Australian PGA - Day 2 Wrap

World number six Adam Scott moved past countryman Peter Lonard and South Africa's Rory Sabbatini to claim a two-shot lead during the second round of the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Scott was on 6-under-par through 16 holes to reach 11-under for the tournament after picking up several shots on his first-round 67.

Scott was currently two shots ahead of Sabbatini, who carded a fine 5-under round of 67 while Lonard shot a 69 as the pair reached 9-under.

American JB Holmes was tied for second place on 9-under through 14 holes.

Little-known Cameron Percy shot a 66, the round of the day, and to grab a three-way share of fifth place alongside Scott Laycock and New Zealand's David Smail.

Percy's score featured nine birdies and three bogeys.

Overnight leader Michael Sim dropped back to 6-under after a disastrous 1-over 73 second round...

Read complete golf news story

Insurance

In the modern world Insurance is one of life's necessities. There are many types of insurance that can help cover everything from the cost of replacing broken or stole items to your pet's veterinarian bills. Different insurance policies offer different types of coverage and you should always read the product disclosure statement carefully. Some of the most popular types of insurance include home insurance, car insurance, contents insurance and life insurance.

In many countries car insurance is compulsory and it always pays to compare policies and prices to get the best cheap car insurance. Car insurance comes in many forms and you can usually find coverage for your situation. It is well worth visiting a good insurance comparison website to get the best deal.

Golf Super Tour OneAsia - The third tour emerges in 2009?

A new Super golf Tour involving Australia, New Zealand and Asia could tee up by 2009 after Japan's decision to back the ambitious plan.

The OneAsia Tour, involving Australia, New Zealand, India and Asia has been on the drawing board for more than two years.

Japan's commitment is regarded as a major breakthrough to establish a third Tour behind America and Europe.

At the moment the Australasian and Asia tours clash with a number of co-sanctioned events because they've been pushed by America and Europe to play their tournaments at the end of the year.

Ben Sellenger from the Australasian PGA Tour said the new tour was now a "reality" and could be up and running in opposition to the European and lucrative US PGA Tour by 2009.

He stressed there was a lot of work and planning still to be done.

Sellenger said initially the goal was to play 20 tournaments initially with a minimum prizemoney purse of $US1.5 million although some tournaments would be worth twice that amount.

Australia would look to have four or five tournaments as part of the new Tour which would run for 12 months.

The proposed Tour would offer more top-class tournaments, lift playing standards and attract more of the world's best golfers, said Ben Sellenger...

Read full golf story.

I think that this could be great for golf in the Australiasia region.

Tell me what you think - leave a comment.

Air Ambulance

I remember visiting the air ambulance (called flying doctors) base in Australia as a kid and being fascinated. Air ambulance services are essential for countries with wide open spaces like Australia and the USA, where some people in remote places may be days away from a hospital by road. I personally know someone who lived on a remote property that was saved by an Air ambulance so I can not speak highly enough of the services they offer.

Airambulance have a great website that has fantastic information about the services offered by the Air Ambulance. Air Ambulance is available in 50 states and each state has its own section of the website to read about the services offered. You can also read about the medical treatment available on the Air Ambulance, what happens when you are in the air, the types of aircraft they use (including pictures), all about the company and the phone number or form for contact. If you are in serious need of an air ambulance domestic service they have a dispatch number available 24 hours 7 days a week.

Air ambulance services do an amazing job and they can literally be lifesavers in remote regions. If you are interested in the air ambulance services I would recommend visiting their website.

Australian PGA Day 1 Wrap

Michael Sim shot a 7-under-par 65 Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over American J.B. Holmes and three others after the first round of the Australian PGA.

The 23-year-old Sim, whose rookie season on the U.S. PGA tour this year was delayed by a stress fracture in his back, was in the first group to tee off at 6:15 a.m. local time Thursday.

Sim went out in 4-under 32 after making birdies on three of the last four holes of the front nine and a 4-meter (15-foot) putt for par on nine.

"It was a terrific round," said Sim, whose missed the cut in 2005 when he last played the Hyatt Regency resort course.

Holmes and Australians Craig Parry, Richard Green and Peter Lonard were tied for second after 66s. Adam Scott and David Smail shot 67, South African Rory Sabbatini was in a large group at 68 while defending champion Nick O'Hern shot 70.

Read complete golf news story

Q School 2007 - Who got a PGA TOUR card?

I forgot to post this a couple of days ago so I am making amends for that today and I am going to give you a full list of the players that received their card for the 2008 PGA TOUR.

Medalist: Frank Lickliter, 38 USA

Second place: Brett Rumford, 30 Australia

Third place: Chris Stroud, 25 USA

Fourth Place: Jin Park, 30 South Korea

Fifth place: Jason Allred, 27 USA

Tied for sixth place: Yong-Eun Yang, 35 South Korea

Tied for sixth place: Tag Ridings, 33 USA

Eighth place: Todd Demsey, 35 USA

Tied for ninth place: Brad Adamonis, 34 USA

Tied for ninth place: Travis Perkins, 30 USA

Tied for 11th place: Parker McLachlin, 28 USA

Tied for 11th place: Kent Jones USA

Tied for 11th place: Cody Freeman USA

Tied for 14th place: Kenneth Ferrie, 29 England

Tied for 14th place: Tim Wilkinson, 29 New Zealand

Tied for 14th place: Kevin Streelman, 28 USA

Tied for 14th place: Dustin Johnson, 23 USA

Tied for 14th place: Duffy Waldorf, 45 USA

Tied for 19th place: Richard S. Johnson, 31 Sweden

Tied for 19th place: Jim McGovern, 42 USA

Tied for 19th place: Carlos Franco, 42 Paraguay

Tied for 19th place:Tommy Gainey, 32 USA

Tied for 23th place: Bob Sowards, 39 USA

Tied for 23th place: John Merrick, 25 USA

Tied for 23th place: Alejandro Canizares, 24 Spain

Tied for 23rd place: David Lutterus, 22 Australia

It's great to see two more Aussies on the tour and I want to congratulate all of the players who know own a full PGA Tour Card (do they actually get a physical card? - leave a comment if you know).

For full player profiles and stats visit PGA TOUR

Real Estate

Real Estate has always been considered a safe investment and is a popular choice for investors all over the world. However buying and selling real estate can be a stressful business especially if you need to buy or sell quickly for any reason. This is where webuyhouses comes in to the picture.

Webuyhouses is an interesting website that connects you with property investors that offer cash for homes. You simply fill in a form about your property (bedrooms, bathrooms, repairs needed, asking price etc.) and they will contact you immediately. They offer this service for people who need to sell their house quickly or for people who don't want to deal with real estate agents and the dreaded open house inspections.

The website itself is a very simple and efficient design that makes it easy to navigate and find all the required information about this service. They have a good frequently asked questions section that is certainly worth a read. They also have a testimonials page to read about other peoples experiences. If you are in need of a buyer for your home it is worth checking out the webuyhomes website.

Golf Course Review: Lake Jovita Golf & Country Club (video)

Some of you might remember yesterday when I was talking about visiting the US to play some of the courses and Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club is one of the courses I was talking about. Just take a look at some of the views - Amazing.

Enjoy this short video review

Hair Transplants

I remember when my old man started to lose his hair. It was a big thing for him and he looked into all the regular options like hair replacement drugs (and wearing a hat). Luciky for everyone today there is a relatively new treatment available that actually replaces the hair via a transplant. Many famous athletes in Australia have been promoting this technique for the last few years and it seems to have worked really well for them.

Dr. Shapiro is a Florida hair transplant doctor who has had some of great success with his hair transplant patients. His service is very personal as he meets with clients individually to talk about your needs. He explains what will happen and you also get to meet some of his previous clients so you can see how his work looks as a finished product. He works with both female and male hair loss and from the photos and testimonials has done some fantastic work.

His website is very professional and is very easy to navigate. It contains some very useful information about his procedure as well as things to avoid when choosing a hair transplant doctor. He also has a little video that is worth watching to show you some of his success stories. The site also has a great question and answers section to read answers to some of the most commonly asked questions. If you are interested in the Hair Transplant procedure then I definitely recommend giving the Dr. Sharpiro Website a visit!

Adam Scott Interview

Scott arrived in Australia on Tuesday still suffering the effects of a gastro virus which he picked up playing at Sun City in South Africa last week.

"I can't say I'm feeling 100 per cent, but I'm feeling certainly well enough to play, no problem at all," declared the tournament draw card.

Scott was far from satisfied with his one US victory this year in the Houston Open despite maintaining his high world ranking.

Asked what he'd consider a good year, he said: "all four majors would be good".

To consider himself as one of the best players in the world, he said apart from winning a major, he'd have to win more than once.

"I feel like I'm getting to the prime of my career and I should be winning more often," he said.

"I think it's about working a bit harder again. It's becoming harder to win on any Tour, there aren't so many players dominating (except for Tiger Woods).

"If I can commit myself to what I am doing, I can win a few events over there every year.

"I think winning three, four or five events would be a good year, a great year."

Read complete golf news story

Bet365

Bet365 has been running since 2001 and is one of the many online casino websites available to people into that form of gambling. The have an extensive range of games including all the regular favorites. These include card games, table games, video slots, online poker , progressives, games and keno. There are over 65 different games available to play and if you are a gambler you will most likely find what you are looking for. They also offer sportsbook for betting on your favorite sports.

It is easy to download and install the software with a help desk available 24/7 if you run into any problems. The site is really easy to use and as you would expect very well designed. It is very easy to navigate through all the pages and all the links work as is expected. There are about 8 different languages available to players who don't speak or read English fluently. Like most of the online casinos they offer some kind of incentive to sign up - matching your up to your first 100 pounds. You can use one account over their entire range of gambling services. Gambling is not really my thing and I always encourage people to gamble responsibly.

Adam Scott - Swing Vision (Video)

Well today is the Australian PGA so I thought that it would be appropriate to show some great swing vision of Adam Scott. He has a swing that I have always admired and watching it slowed down it only proves what I have always thought - he has an awesome swing (if only his short game was as good). Enjoy!

Better Caring

At some point in most of our lives we will either care for someone or need caring for ourselves. It can at times be a thankless and lonely task, but there is help out there for carers. With the world wide web you are not alone.

Bettercaring is a fantastic website with many kinds of information about caring including four very helpful sections; care at home, residential care, health matters and finance. There is also a really useful discussion forum where carers can talk with each other about their struggles, ask questions and get some helpful advice from people going through the same issues. With bettercare you can also search for care options, including care homes , so that you can choose the right kind of care for your loved one. There is also daily caring news, with stories about medication, care homes and news story from around the caring world.

The site itself is really well designed and easy to navigate. I found it really easy to find everything on the site and I can imagine spending some real time there when I have someone to care for. If you are caring for someone or are planning for the future you really should check out the bettercaring website.

Putting Tips - Video (#1)

"Golf is a weird game" My friend said. "It took you two shots to go 350 yards and then 3 shots to go10 feet." I could have bludgeoned him with my putter right there on the spot.

I don't know about you, but putting is the weakest part of my game. I am always looking for tips to help me, but they rarely work - so for the next month I am going to post some putting tips I find on youtube and then put them into practice and let my loyal readers know how I went - keep checking back for the update.

DialAFlight USA

I have always wanted to travel to the USA and play a few of those amazing golf courses I have only seen on TV, but so far I just haven't found the opportunity. With flights to USA being more affordable than ever I really should consider taking that golfing holiday to the USA I have always wanted. I wouldn't mind checking out the Grand Canyon as well while I am there. DialAFlight has some great holiday offers and they really are worth checking out. You can get Flights to New York or Flights to Washington as well as many more available.

Tiger Woods - does his own stunts

Remember that Nike Commercial where Tiger balances the golf ball? Well at the time there was a whole lot of controversy about whether it was digitally enhanced or added by a computer later. Ian Baker Finch wanted to find out once and for all in this short, but sweet interview - enjoy

Holiday Cards with Vista Print

Well the holidays have certainly crept up on me and I am a long way behind in my Christmas cards. However I think I have found a solution with Vista Print. They offer all kinds of holiday cards including the incredible photo cards which you can have with printed with a family photo and a few choice holiday greetings.

These cards are fully customizable, which makes them unique and you will never find two the same. They are perfect for this time of the year and I am going to put a family photo on the front with a greeting like merry Christmas on the front and just put a printed letter in each one and I am done - A little bit impersonal on my part, but very easy. These Christmas cards look really professional and there are hundreds of designs, shapes and sizes to choose from. If you are looking for holiday cards this season then I recommend taking a look at Vista Prints amazing range.